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multiverseforger · 3 years

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In November 2013, Marvel Comics announced that Kamala Khan, a teenage American Muslim from Jersey City, New Jersey, would take over the comic book series Ms. Marvel beginning in February 2014. The series, written by G. Willow Wilson and drawn by Adrian Alphona, marked the first time a Muslim character headlined a book at Marvel Comics.[2] However, Noelene Clark of the Los Angeles Times noted that Khan is not the first Muslim character in comic books, which include Simon Baz, Dust and M.[3] The conception of Kamala Khan came about during a conversation between Marvel editors Sana Amanat and Stephen Wacker. Amanat said, "I was telling him [Wacker] some crazy anecdote about my childhood, growing up as a Muslim American. He found it hilarious." The pair then told Wilson about the concept and Wilson became eager to jump aboard the project.[4] Amanat said that the series came from a "desire to explore the Muslim-American diaspora from an authentic perspective."[5]

Artist Jamie McKelvie based Khan's design on his redesign of Carol Danvers as Captain Marvel and on Dave Cockrum's design of the original Ms. Marvel.[6] Amanat requested that the design "reflected the Captain Marvel legacy, and also her story and her background."[7] Amanat stated that Khan's costume was influenced by the shalwar kameez. They wanted the costume to represent her cultural identity, but did not want her to wear a hijab,[8] because the majority of teenage Pakistani-American girls do not wear one.[9] Amanat also stated that they wanted the character to look "less like a sex siren" to appeal to a more vocal female readership.[8]

Marvel knew that they wanted a young Muslim girl, but stated that she could be from any place of origin and have any background. Wilson initially considered making her an Arab girl from Dearborn, Michigan but ultimately chose to create a Desi girl from Jersey City.[10] Jersey City, which sits across the Hudson River from Manhattan, has been referred to as New York City's "Sixth borough".[11][12][13] It therefore forms an important part of Khan's identity and the narrative journey of her character since most of Marvel Comics' stories are set in Manhattan. Wilson explains, "A huge aspect of Ms. Marvel is being a 'second string hero' in the 'second string city' and having to struggle out of the pathos and emotion that can give a person."[14]

The series not only explores Khan's conflicts with supervillains but also explores conflicts with Khan's home and religious duties. Wilson, a convert to Islam, said "This is not evangelism. It was really important for me to portray Kamala as someone who is struggling with her faith." Wilson continued, "Her brother is extremely conservative, her mom is paranoid that she's going to touch a boy and get pregnant, and her father wants her to concentrate on her studies and become a doctor."[4] Amanat added,

As much as Islam is a part of Kamala's identity, this book isn't preaching about religion or the Islamic faith in particular. It's about what happens when you struggle with the labels imposed on you, and how that forms your sense of self. It's a struggle we've all faced in one form or another, and isn't just particular to Kamala because she's Muslim. Her religion is just one aspect of the many ways she defines herself.[2]

First appearance of Kamala Khan from Captain Marvel #14 (August 2013) by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Scott Hepburn

In the series, Khan takes the name Ms. Marvel from Carol Danvers, who now goes by the alias Captain Marvel. Captain Marvel writer Kelly Sue DeConnick revealed that Khan actually made a brief appearance in Captain Marvel #14 (August 2013) saying, "Kamala is in the background of a scene in Captain Marvel 14 ... She is very deliberately placed in a position where she sees Carol protecting civilians from Yon-Rogg."[15] According to Wilson, Khan idolizes Carol so when Khan acquires superhuman abilities, she emulates Danvers.[14] "Captain Marvel represents an ideal that Kamala pines for. She's strong, beautiful and doesn't have any of the baggage of being Pakistani and 'different,'"[4] Wilson explained. "Khan is a big comic book fan and after she discovers her superhuman power – being a polymorph and able to lengthen her arms and legs and change her shape – she takes on the name of Ms. Marvel," Amanat elaborated.[16] Khan is one of several characters who discover that they have Inhuman heritage following the "Inhumanity" storyline, in which the Terrigen Mists are released throughout the world and activate dormant Inhuman cells.[17]

In the series' first story arc, Khan faces off against Mr. Edison / the Inventor, an amalgam of man and bird. Wilson created the Inventor to be Khan's first arch rival in order to mirror Khan's own complexity. Wilson characterizes the Inventor, and the overall visual look of the opening story arc as "kooky and almost Miyazaki-esque at times", owing to the art style of illustrator Adrian Alphona, which balances the drama of the threats which Khan faces with the humor of Alphona's "tongue in cheek sight gags." During the storyline, Khan also teams-up with the X-Man Wolverine against the Inventor. Because Wolverine is dealing with the loss of his healing factor during this time, Khan is placed in the position of having to shoulder much of the responsibilities, as Wilson felt this was a role reversal that would subvert reader expectations that Wolverine would take the lead in such a team-up.[18]

At the 2014 San Diego Comic-Con International, writer Dan Slott announced that Khan would team-up with Spider-Man beginning in The Amazing Spider-Man #7 (October 2014) during the "Spider-Verse" storyline. Slott characterized Khan "the closest character to classic Peter Parker,"[19] explaining, "She's a teenage superhero, juggling her life, making mistakes, trying to do everything right."[20]

Beginning in June 2015, Ms. Marvel tied into the "Secret Wars" crossover event with the "Last Days" storyline, which details Khan's account of the end of the Marvel Universe. Wilson explained, "In the 'Last Days' story arc, Kamala has to grapple with the end of everything she knows, and discover what it means to be a hero when your whole world is on the line."[21] In the storyline, Khan rushes to deal with the threat in Manhattan. However, Wilson revealed, "She will face a very personal enemy as the chaos in Manhattan spills over into Jersey City, and she will be forced to make some very difficult choices. There will also be a very special guest appearance by a superhero Kamala—and the fans—have been waiting to meet for a long time."[22]

In March 2015, Marvel announced that Khan will join the Avengers in All-New All-Different Avengers FCBD (May 2015) by writer Mark Waid and artists Adam Kubert and Mahmud Asrar, which takes place in the aftermath of "Secret Wars".[23] A second volume of Ms. Marvel starring Khan by Wilson, Alphona and Takeshi Miyazawa is also debuted following "Secret Wars" as part of Marvel's All-New, All-Different Marvel initiative.[24] Amanat said,

By the time this new launch comes around, it will have been almost two years since the premiere of Ms. Marvel—and boy, has Kamala Khan been through a lot since then. She's been slowly coming into her own, dealing with the challenges of navigating adulthood and being a super hero. But her training is over now and it's time for the big leagues; the question is can she handle it? ... As much as Kamala has a right to be there—it's still a bit of a culture shock. Dreaming of being an Avenger and then suddenly being one is a lot to take on for someone of her age. So, she'll be a little awestruck, a little overly ambitious.[25]

In March 2016, Marvel announced that Ms. Marvel would tie into the "Civil War II" storyline by releasing a promotional image illustrating a rift between Khan and Danvers.[26] "While "Civil War II" may have initiated this rift, we've known for some time that Kamala would eventually need to separate herself from her idols. Her journey centers around self-discovery and identity, and a part of that exploration includes separating yourself from those you put on pedestals. The rift between Carol and Kamala doesn't really have to do with right and wrong. It has to do with growing up and realizing that you perceive the world differently from even the ones you love," Amanat elaborated.[27]

In July, Marvel announced that Khan will join the Champions, a team of teenage superheroes who split off from the Avengers following the conclusion of "Civil War II". The team, featured in a series by writer Mark Waid and artist Humberto Ramos, consists of Khan, Spider-Man (Miles Morales), Nova (Sam Alexander), Hulk (Amadeus Cho), Viv Vision, and a teenage version of Cyclops. Waid said, "The first three are the kids who quit the Avengers proper. That was an easy get. Those three, in and of themselves, form a nice little subteam. Their dynamic is great. They all show up in each other's books, and even though they have their arguments and stress points, clearly they're good together."[28]

In August, Khan made an appearance in Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur #10 by writers Amy Reeder and Brandon Montclare. In the issue, Khan acts as a mentor to Moon Girl (Lunella Lafayette) who is also a young Inhuman that suddenly came into her powers. Amanat stated that Khan sees much of herself in Lafayette and by teaching her, Khan learns much about herself.[27]

In November, Marvel announced that Khan will join a new incarnation of the Secret Warriors in a series by writer Matthew Rosenberg and artist Javier Garron that debuted in May 2017. The team, formed in the wake of the "Inhumans vs X-Men" storyline, also includes Quake, Karnak, Moon Girl, and Devil Dinosaur. Rosenberg stated that there is some conflict and friction amongst the team members explaining, "Ms. Marvel and Quake are really fighting for the soul of the team in a lot of ways, while Moon Girl will continue to really do her own thing. They will all be tested and challenged, they are superheroes after all, but they are going to do things their way."[29]

In March 2017, Marvel announced that Khan would team-up with Danvers in a one-shot issue of the limited anthology series, Generations by Wilson and Paolo Villanelle. Wilson stated that the issue would explore Danvers' and Khan's mentor–student relationship, but "at its heart, [it] is about growing up, and a big part of growing up is discovering that your idols have feet of clay – and forgiving them for their flaws as you gain an adult understanding of your own."[30]

In December, Ms. Marvel began the "Teenage Wasteland" story arc, as part of the Marvel Legacy relaunch. Wilson said, "Since the events of 'Civil War II', there's been friction between Kamala and her mentor, Captain Marvel. In this arc, we're exploring how complicated legacies can be when they're passed from generation to generation ... She's questioning a lot about herself and her mission. Her friends end up stepping into some very important—and unexpected—roles. So in a sense, the arc is really about a bunch of chronically under-estimated teenagers who pull together to fight evil."[31]

Ms. Marvel #31, the 50th issue of Ms. Marvel featuring Khan was released in June 2018. To mark the occasion, Marvel brought in additional collaborators for the issue including writers: G. Willow Wilson, Saladin Ahmed, Rainbow Rowell, and Hasan Minhaj; and artists: Nico Leon, Bob Quinn, Gustavo Duarte, and Elmo Bondoc.[32]

Beginning in March 2019, Khan headlined a new series titled, The Magnificent Ms. Marvel, written by Ahmed and illustrated by Minkyu Jung. Wilson stated that she had been planning her departure from the series for over a year, stating that she originally anticipated that the series would only last for ten issues and was excited by the fact that she had written 60 issues. Ahmed said the new series will have much wider scope, "while still maintaining that intimate tone that people have loved about it."[33]

In July 2020, Marvel announced that Khan would star in an original graphic novel, published in conjunction with Scholastic and aimed at younger readers. The book will be written by author Nadia Shammas. An illustrator has not yet been named.[34

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kalimagik · 3 years

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Hello Lovelies! I know I have been kind of MIA recently other than responding to asks, but I hit this pretty fantastic milestone of 1.3k followers and have been wanting to do a writing challenge for some time! (I’ve had my prompts written for about a month, but I wanted to post it when I was getting less busy)

I cannot thank you all enough for the continued support and love on here. I appreciate every single one of you <3 I hope to get back into writing soon, but until then, I think I can fill myself with reading for submissions to my writing challenge!

With the holidays coming up and my love for the Christmas season, I’m giving my challenge that type of theme, but do not feel obligated to use a holiday theme for your writing :)

So let’s get to it!

RULES:

When you finish, please tag me [ @kalimagik ] and tag #maggieswinterwritingchallenge

Please reblog to increase its reach and participation

If you write more that 1k, please use the “Read More” or “Keep Reading” function

The Usual: Two prompts per person and no more than 2 people per prompt!

For Tropes and Winter Holiday Scenarios, no more than two people for those either and try to only take one if you use them (You can do this in addition to prompts if you’d like!) - Of course, you can utilize a trope in your work even if you don’t claim it, I don’t mind!

Send me an ask with your chosen prompts, scenarios, or tropes, as well as the character you wish to use.

Can be Character X Reader or Character x Character - it doesn’t matter

I primarily write for the Harry Potter fandom, but if you would like to write for Marvel or ATLA or LOK, I will most likely read those because I’m obsessed with both of those universes as well!

If you would like to choose a Winter Holiday Scenario, but do not see a tradition or holiday that you celebrate, please let me know and I will add it! I would love to see everyone’s traditions, but I do not know all of them, so please share them with us all <3

NO SMUT PLEASE! I just haven’t been in much of a smut mood, so I would like to keep this happy and for everyone!

NO INCEST OR TEACHER/STUDENT RELATIONSHIPS PLEASE! If you write one, I will most likely read it, but I will NOT be reblogging it.

If you have any triggers at all, please make sure to use them so everyone knows what to expect.

There is currently no end date for this!

1. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you” 2. “What are you bloody talking about? This is brilliant!”

- @pregnant-piggy : Blaise Zabini x Reader

3. A: “I can’t do this” B: “Let me help you then”

- @protect-remus : Zuko x Reader

4. A: “You didn’t!” B: “I did” 5. “Don’t be so daft” 6. “That looks really nice on you” 7. “WAIT! Don’t go in there!” 8. “Voilà! I was right” 9. A: “You let me win, didn’t you?” B: “The smile on your face was well worth it” 10. “I’m too cold. From my nose to my toes” 11. “He/She looks just like you”

- @angelinathebook : Harry Potter x Reader

12. “Don’t scare me like that!” 13. “That smells reeeally good. What is it?” 14. “Can’t someone just show up with a cookie or something?” 15. “Why hasn’t my Mr./Ms. Right shown up yet? I am a catch after all” 16. “Wait up! I wanted to thank you for everything you said back there”

@starkidpotty : Harry Potter x Reader

17. “I can’t imagine anything better” 18. “Why does this always happen to us?” 19. “Let’s hide here and avoid everything else” 20. “You can’t possibly do all that, can you?” 21. “See, you never had to be anything more than yourself” 22. “I can’t wait for the next adventure” 23. “And this happens all the time?” 24. “I don’t know what you expected from me” 25. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. It’ll be fine”

1. A: “Us being together. Liking each other. It just doesn’t make sense!” B: “Love, what’s meant to be doesn’t always make sense. It just is”

- @the-moon-and-the-book : Sirius Black x Reader : It Just Is

2. “Can you kiss me already?”

- @liilyevanss : Harry Potter x Reader

3. A: “Everything is so beautiful” B: “You’re beautiful” 4. “You’re so cute when you talk about what you love” 5. “I want to spend my life making everyday for you better than the last” 6. “My arms are always open for you, you know that” 7. A: “Smell this.” A/B: “it makes me feel so warm inside” 8. “How did you know that this is what I wanted?!? I love it! Thank you” 9. “Can you just cuddle me now?” 10. “You smell nice” 11. “Let’s get married. I love you and you love me. That’s all there has to be to it”

- @remmyswritings : Regulus Black x Reader

12. “I think I just won our bet, love” 13. “You can do it, darling. I promise I’m not going anywhere” 14. “You’re cute when you’re mad”

- @pregnant-piggy : Blaise Zabini x Reader

15. “I honestly get lost in your eyes every time” 16. “You make me feel safe”

- @angelinathebook : Harry Potter x Reader

17. “I didn’t have a home until I found you” 18. “Do you want me to shout it from the top of the Astronomy Tower? Because I will. I LOVE (insert name)!”

- @the-moon-and-the-book : Sirius Black x Reader : It Just Is

- @shaynawrites23 : Remus Lupin x Black!sister

19. “Just knowing I was coming to see you is what got me through the day” 20. “We can run away, just don’t look back.” 21. “I want to love you today, tomorrow, and everyday from now on if you’ll let me.”

- @iliveiloveiwrite : Fred Weasley x Reader : Love Me Now, Love Me Always

22. “I would choose you all over again” 23. “Sleeping next to you is always so much more comfortable” 24. “I can’t picture being here without you” 25. “You are my sunshine” 26. “My whole heart belongs to you” 27. “I would love to have my heart broken by you” 28. “Don’t get too excited, there’s more where that came from” 29. “You are literally my favorite person ever” 30. “How did I not know you during school? You’re impossible not to notice”

1. “Don’t go, we can work on this! I swear!” 2. “It isn’t working anymore. I think it’s best if you leave.” 3. “I wish I could forget everything and be with you, but I can’t. I’m sorry” 4. “Please take this anyways. It was for you after all...” 5. “You’re like a beautiful dream, but dreams end and I have to wake up sometime” 6. “Let me kiss you one last time and then I’ll go” 7. “You hurt me, (insert name)! You hurt me and I won’t be able to forget that!” 8. “Just leave me alone” 9. “I never want to see you again” 10. “Give me a second chance, please! You won’t regret it” 11. “Please, please, I didn’t mean it. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen” 12. “Don’t cry, you’re making it so much harder for me to say what I need to say” 13. “I watched you change to be what they wanted you too, but this isn’t the you I fell in love with” 14. “You’re being a prick and I don’t like it”

@starkidpotty : George Weasley x Reader : Should’ve Known Better

15. “But I trusted you” 16. “GET OUT! GET OUT RIGHT NOW!” 17. “Life isn’t all rainbows and sunshine. There’s a real darkness out there. There’s a darkness in me” 18. “I’m not talking to you right now” 19. “I am so mad I could snap my wand” 20. “Go away before I hex you” 21. “Just know I will always love you, even if you don’t love me” 22. “I tried so hard to be your friend, but you make it so difficult for me” 23. “Can you just sit with me for a bit?” 24. “It’s odd. I should be crying, but I can’t. I’m content with my decision” 25. “We’ve been through so much. You can’t just throw it all away!” .... “Yes I can because it’s better for me” 26. “You have to let me go. It’s the only way to move on” 27. “I’ll never forget you”

- @snitches-at-dawn : Cedric Diggory x Reader

28. “Don’t doubt my love for you” ... “I’m trying not to, but it’s so hard” 29. “I can’t keep being strong for both of us. It is wearing me out.”

- @heloisedaphnebrightmore : Charlie Weasley x Reader

30. “It’s me or him/her. I can’t handle feeling like a second choice anymore”

1. Opening presents 2. Baking cookies 3. Picking & decorating the tree 4. Going Caroling 5. Going to a Holiday Party (office party, family party, a Yule Ball, your choice!) 6. Christmas Shopping 7. Watching Holiday movies together 8. Seeing Christmas Lights 9. A day of lighting the Menorah (whichever or all of them, you choose!) 10. Introducing a character to your holiday 11. If you have any holiday traditions of your own you would like to incorporate, please do! I would be happy to add them

1. Soulmate au

- @liilyevanss : Harry Potter x Reader

2. Roommates au 3. Coffee Shop au 4. Bookshop au 5. Best Friend’s Sister/Brother

- @shaynawrites23 : Remus Lupin x Black!Reader

6. Enemies to Lovers 7. Friends to Lovers

- @iliveiloveiwrite : Fred Weasley x Reader

8. Unrequited Love 9. Fake Dating au 10. Dating because of a bet

Tagging Some Mutuals to see if y’all would want to participate, but are in no way obligated to

@iliveiloveiwrite @heloisedaphnebrightmore @teheharrypotter @pregnant-piggy @weasleysflowr @dogweedanddeathcaps @remmyswritings @shaynawrites23 @acciotwinz @angelinathebook @with1love1anu @poppin-potter @birdie-writes @nebulablakemurphy @theweasleysredhair

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daisylincs · 3 years

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First 20

Guidelines: List the first lines of your last 20 stories (if you have less than 20, just list them all.) Choose your favourite opening line, and tag some friends!

Thank you so much for the tag, amê soeur 💜 @eowima 😘🤗🤗 This has to be one of the coolest writing challenges I've ever seen, I absolutely ADORE it!! 😍😍😍

1) my sole mate

"How do I look?"

2) gonna be pie from heaven above (gonna be filled with strawberry love)

Bobbi absent-mindedly rested a hand on the slight curve of her belly as she half-bent down, checking on the pie in the oven.

3) brand new day

"Mama, can you come help me pick my clothes for today, please?"

4) rare as the glimmer of a comet in the sky

Daisy Johnson had always been a fighter.

5) almost nice

Daisy Johnson always sat in the back seat of the bus.

6) you don’t need to choose who cares about you

Daisy sometimes wondered if there was an award for worst relationship history - because if so, she'd be right up there with the best of them.

7) one-up

"Ms Simmons?"

8) the right direction

Jemma ran her hands through her untidy hair, absent-mindedly tugging at the far left side of her fringe, and blew out a long, slow breath.

9) a petal on the stream, a feather in the air

Kara had never been any good at relationships.

10) joy

Daisy sat bolt upright in bed, and her first thought was, oh God, May is going to kill me.

11) barefoot on the grass, listening to our favourite song

"Daisy, do you have a moment?"

12) i’m not spending any time wasting tonight on you

Malick steepled his fingers and frowned across the table at Ward, who suppressed a twinge of dislike for the man, reminding himself that Malick was a valuable ally.

13) the luckiest man

"Turbo, do you have a minute?"

14) ‘tis the damn season

Daisy finished typing up her Christmas update post and chewed her lip, reading it over.

15) the drop, the turn, the loop

Bobbi slammed her shot glass down on the bar, relishing the bitter burn of the vodka on her lips.

16) how much we have left

Tony Stark was having a terrible day before he saw his old SHIELD liaison/team handler/almost friend apparently back from the dead, and with a wife and daughter no less.

17) take your breath away

"Jemma, darling," her mum's voice came floating up the stairs, "there's a letter for you!"

18) my life, my heart, my home

The night yawned five hours later than she had been expecting by the time Jemma was finally able to collapse onto the couch in their new cottage.

19) ‘tis the damn... flamingo?

"You can't be serious," Hunter said, lowering his copy of the bi-monthly Liverpool Still Has It magazine he specially imported so that he could gape at his wife.

20) love

Growing up in a chilly, loveless-despite-this-apparently-being-a-house-of-God's-love orphanage, Skye had often wondered what love would feel like.

Oh my gosh, guys, would you look at that - apparently I've written exactly twenty fics in 2021 so far! Isn't THAT cool? 😱😍 I think it’s super cool and impressive, at any rate :D

Now, I know I’ve already done my twenty for this challenge, buuuut when I accidentally clicked on the 21st-last fic I’ve posted (coincidentally my last for 2020 :D) I saw what the first line was, and I had to laugh. I mean, if this isn’t the best first line to share in a challenge like this, I don’t know what is, LOL.

So from we wish you, my Staticquake & FItzsimmons New Year’s Eve fic:

Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap!

😝

I think that one is my favourite, really, ahahaha, it’s just so FUNNY and random compared to the rest of them 🤣🤣 But if we’re doing this, you know, non-cheatingly, then I’m going to have to go for “Daisy sat bolt upright in bed, and her first thought was, oh God, May is going to kill me.” from joy, because come on, that’s GREAT.

Oh, this was all just MARVELLOUS, I absolutely adored doing it, hahaha. Now to pass along the fun - I’m going to tag @aleksandrachaev, @ohwriteiforgot, @apathbacktoyou, @justanalto, @maybebrilliant, @would-die-for-fitzsimmons, @the-9muses, @springmagpies, @besidemethewholedamntime, @infinitestarsintheskye, @libbyweasley, @maos2013, @ellsey and @loved-the-stars-too-fondly, if any of you guys feel like sharing yours! Yes, I’m aware that that is a TON of tags, but this is a freaking WONDERFUL writer’s challenge, and I want to spread it!! So... :D

#tag game #first 20 tag game #oh my gosh I absolutely LOVED this one #it's SO fun and interesting to go find your first lines!!#you wouldn't think it; but it's just INCREDIBLE #:D :D 😍

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starspatter · 3 years

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Heroes and Thieves, Ch. 17

Title: Heroes and Thieves Fandom/Universe: BTAS, pre/post-RotJ flashback

Summary: A story about second chances, healing, and having hope.

Rating: PG-13, for references to character death, child psychological torture and trauma.

Genre: Romance/Family/Friendship/Hurt/Comfort

Word Count: 2,255 Previous Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

Also on ff.net and AO3.

I remember it now, it takes me back to when it all first started But I've only got myself to blame for it, and I accept it now It's time to let it go, go out and start again But it's not that easy

-Kodaline, “High Hopes”

————————–

Now.

When Stephanie emerged from behind the clock, the first thing she spotted was a giant portrait hanging over the fireplace, depicting a smiling man and woman: Bruce Wayne’s deceased parents, most likely. Her head poked out cautiously, marveling at how majestic the manor’s interior was. She approached an expensive-looking crystal ornament on the desk, and was about to pick it up to admire it when she heard a voice clear its throat reproachfully behind her:

“Ms. Brown, I presume?”

Steph fumbled in alarm and hastily aborted the action; nearly dropping the item by accident as she frantically stabilized it and whirled around to face what appeared to be Bruce Wayne’s butler, judging by the elderly man’s neatly pressed suit and stiff, distinguished aura. He elevated an eyebrow at her antics, but remained composed as he addressed formally to inform her:

“There is a guest waiting for you in the parlor. If you would please follow me.”

Steph blinked in confusion, but nevertheless complied as he led her down the hall. She wondered who he could possibly be referring to. As her mind ran over potential candidates one by one, nerves began to steadily race, heart thumping at a panicked pace. Surely it wouldn’t be her mother…?

When she saw the person standing there though, she immediately arrested, freezing cold in flustered recognition. While it wasn’t her mom exactly, it might as well have been game over.

“O- officer, I can explain. I swear this isn’t what it looks like…”

Her arms flailed wildly as she prevaricated, painfully aware of the Commissioner’s pupils concentrated on the costume she was wearing. Barbara simply smiled softly.

“Please, relax, Stephanie. I’m not here to arrest you. I just came by to lend you these.”

She presented a set of civilian clothing, to which Steph stared in surprise.

“If there’s one thing I learned out in the field, it’s good to always keep a spare change handy somewhere available you can easily access. Never know when you might be caught needing one.”

Stephanie tentatively took the officer’s extended offering, still completely bewildered by it.

“I… don’t understand.”

Barbara cocked her head.

“You mean you haven’t figured it out yet?”

Stephanie gazed blankly at the woman before her, studying her expectant expression and auburn hair, before the pieces gradually began to come together, clicking belatedly into place. Her jaw plummeted to the floor, as the bundle nearly did from her hands as well.

“You’re Batgirl,” she gasped, gaping wide open as she pointed straight at her and turned to the butler; dreamily repeating the deduction in disbelief, as if seeking second confirmation. “She’s Batgirl.”

“And I thought Batman was the detective.”

He drolled, distinctly unimpressed by her latent logical reasoning.

“Took you long enough,” Barbara chuckled mildly.

Stephanie reeled in reverence at this revelation.

“I have – so many questions.”

The redhead held up her hand to pause the conversation, putting it temporarily on hold.

“There’s a lot we should probably discuss. For now though, why don’t you get changed first. Then we can talk.”

Stephanie nodded dumbly, and the butler directed her to the privacy of the nearest washroom, where she promptly did as she was told and shed her vegetable skin as fast as she could, donning the unfamiliar attire instead – which consisted solely of a plain black T-shirt and pair of jeans, plus a GSU sweatshirt for insulation. When she returned to the room, the outfit’s original owner was seated on the sofa, sedately sipping a cup of tea as the butler poured another and placed it on the opposite side of the square table.

“Oh good. They fit,” Barbara relieved as she looked up. “They’re my old clothes from back when I was in college, so I wasn’t sure if they’d be the right size.”

Stephanie sensed they were probably a little looser around the chest area, but she didn’t dare point that out.

“Come. Sit down. Have some tea.”

Steph obeyed the charitable beckon and took a chair, mutely accepting the drink without actually downing any. She continued to gawk at the other female across from her, struggling to find words, where to even start. Swallowing, she eventually settled on something else that had been bugging her brain.

“So, does this mean Dick Grayson is…?”

“-Was Nightwing,” Barbara answered duly – dully – without delay. “Previously the former Robin.”

Stephanie amazed, still in awe at it all.

“I mean, I kinda figured, since they were both adopted by Mr. Wayne. But this, I mean – meeting you – I never even realized – wow.” She inclined forward, eyes sincerely shining. “You were like, my idol as a kid.”

A small partial smile manifested on Barbara’s face, before being supplanted by bitter sadness as her tone hardened significantly.

“Now you’ve seen where that idol worship led Tim to.”

Stephanie lowered her visage in acknowledgement, lamenting into the liquid.

“I take it you know most everything now.”

She nodded slowly.

“…Batman showed me the tapes.”

“And? What do you think?”

“I think…” Steph bit her lip as she reflected, realizing to her horror the sheer amount of inadvertent injury she had to have unwittingly caused. “…I must have hurt Tim a lot without knowing.”

Barbara set her saucer down on the counter, folding fingers firmly on top of her crossed kneecaps as she regarded the newly made accessory with frank seriousness.

“So what do you plan to do now with this information?”

Stephanie gulped at the gravity in her tenor, rolling over her tongue as she mused and mulled over everything she’d just witnessed. Endeavoring to choose precisely the correct phrasing as she crafted her response with care, before raising her chin resolutely.

“I… want to tell Tim… that it’s okay. It’s not his fault. It doesn’t change the way I feel about him at all.”

A reassured beam radiated from Barbara’s countenance.

“I’m glad to hear it. And,” she added, indicating towards the creased uniform lying beside Stephanie on the couch, “What do you intend to do about that?”

Stephanie laid a palm on the purple ensemble that she had been so proud of making, gently smoothing over folds.

“A part of me – stupidly – thought that… maybe it might give Robin some – some hope. If he saw it, it’d inspire him to come back from… wherever he went. But,” she closed her eyes, sighing. “Tim was right about one thing. If it causes him this much pain to be reminded of, then it’s not worth it.”

Barbara softened at the sacrificial gesture.

“You know it’s also because he’s worried about you. …We all are.”

“I know.”

Stephanie quietly surveyed the older woman, who certainly wore the worn look now not of admonishing authority, but of a concerned guardian purely wanting to keep her kids – people she cared about – safe. Supervisor before superhero. …Who had failed in that protective role once before, and regretted it ever since. She may not have been her mother per se, but Steph was acquainted with that alike, apologetic air all too well.

“To be honest, I’m kinda relieved a bit. I mean, I almost assumed you were a past girlfriend or something at first.”

She admitted sheepishly, sinking her blush into her beverage as she finally took a sip.

Barbara’s mouth twitched marginally in her own embarrassment.

“Rest assured, nothing of the sort ever occurred between us. …Although I was in fact his first kiss,” she openly confessed, leaning a cheek coyly into her palm.

There was a loud clatter as Stephanie instantly plopped the mug back on the platter, sputtering and nearly spitting onto the rug as she choked, beating knuckles forcefully against her breast.

“It was nothing more than that though,” Barbara quickly consoled. “We were both intoxicated, and I was the one who initiated it. Tim was a total gentleman about it, he prevented it from going any further.”

Stephanie couldn’t help but receive some minor amount of amusement from the anecdote.

“That sounds like Tim all right,” she managed to hoarsely giggle through clogged windpipes.

Barbara shared a semi-mirthful smirk.

“Don’t worry, I would never consciously pursue that kind of relationship with him. Believe me, I’m done dating guys outside my age range.”

Her sight shifted, flicking subtly towards a photograph of the master of the house on the bookshelf. Stephanie stunned again.

“You don’t mean – you and Bruce Wayne?”

Barbara said nothing as she traced the teacup’s porcelain rim before lifting to her tightened lips again, though a tiny tic tugged at the corners. Stephanie sank back into the cushions in shock. She felt like her skull was just about to explode from all the exposition. Talk about information overload.

“This is… a lot to take in.”

“Welcome to our world, Ms. Brown.”

Barbara declared with a measuredly calm demeanor.

At that moment, the lady’s eyes lit at something over Steph’s shoulder, and she swiveled her neck to see Tim had materialized like a ghost in the doorway behind her. He stood there in utter silence, shuffling his feet reluctantly and rubbing his scruff, looking half-scared to enter, half-stupefied to see her still there.

“Steph, I-”

Stephanie flew off the furniture and raced towards him before he could finish, flinging her limbs around him.

“It’s okay, Tim.” She whispered, burying deep into his collar and crying candidly as she squeezed him as tight as she could, refusing to let go. “It’s okay. I’m just… glad you’re okay.”

He was far from okay. But he let her hold him like that for as long as she needed. As he needed. Wrapping shyly in reciprocation, feeling the light pressure and warmth of mirrored heartbeats connect to the core, until the resonating rhythm convinced that they were both, at the very least, alive and near each other.

When she broke away from the melted contact and dried her tears at last, Tim’s narrowed vision slid past, locking with Barbara’s as she stood up and walked towards him on the way to the exit. She stopped right beside, neither quite honestly meeting the other’s eyes.

“…You knew this would happen, didn’t you?”

“He pulled the same trick with me and Dick, remember.” Barbara exhaled, slanting irises aside. “…Do you hate me now?”

Tim shook his head.

“I don’t know.” He clenched his fists, experiencing a (justifiably) muddled mix of hurt and anger and frustration over blatant betrayal – double-cross – but also an overwhelming sense of release to ultimately no longer have to hide secrets anymore. “I just… need some time to talk to Steph. Alone.”

“I understand.”

She started to leave, and Stephanie called to her to halt.

“Wait, before you go… Can you take this for me too?”

She hurried back to the lounger and grabbed the discarded garb.

“Of course,” Barbara agreed, tucking it into her bag to replace the garments she’d let the other borrow. “I’ll hold onto it at my house. You can come pick it up when you return those; ah, there’s no rush, whenever you like. …If you still care for it, that is.”

Stephanie shook her head, clearly making a show of relinquishment for Tim’s sake.

“Keep it. I won’t be needing it anymore.”

Barbara nodded and headed out ahead of them, and the butler bowed on cue to escort her to the door as well, leaving the two be for the time being. Tim took a step forward as he absorbed the homely atmosphere of the living room, occupying the very spot on the carpet where he would once lazily lie on his stomach with a propped pillow and bowl of popcorn, doing his “homework” while casually watching television. Bruce would come by to switch the distraction box off to his annoyance and launch into yet another lecture, coldly scolding on poor academic performance, only to be cheekily chided back by a mere child.

“You don’t know the first thing about the American justice system, do you?”

“I know it’s bogus.”

“And how did you come to that well-thought-out conclusion?”

“Watching you.”

Tim crossed over to the bookcase, examining the number of framed photos as he hoisted one containing a memory of a beaming young Bruce with his mother and father. He wiped absently at the glass, taking note there were no similar records of his – or Dick’s – presence, as if all trace evidence of their stay had been erased, save for the mourning memorial cases downstairs.

“You were just a boy when you lost your family. But you keep trying to create a surrogate family for yourself. To destroy you, I need only destroy that. Perhaps your… beloved surrogate son.”

Tim recalled the still image – freeze frame – of Freeze’s ray gun being aimed directly at him, the frozen fear he felt at that time (to be caught without costume or cool gadgets to bestow him courage), and Bruce’s big, strong paw moving to draw him defensively behind his broad back. His shield and shelter. Savior.

Stephanie crept towards him as he positioned the picture glumly back on the ledge. She could only imagine what must be going through his head and heart right now, but she could tell he was hurting just by being here. Determinedly, she took his hand in the heat of hers, comforting cold and shivering skin (despite the mansion’s cozy conditioning), committed to getting him away from this toxic environment. …If not for good.

“Come on,” she stated as she dragged him towards the grand staircase the other two had taken, guessing they would eventually guide to the entrance. “Let’s get out of here.”

————————–

And in my dreams, I meet the ghosts Of all the people who have come and gone Memories, they seem to show up so quick But they leave you far too soon Naïve I was just staring at the barrel of a gun

#TimSteph #Tim Drake #Timmy Todd #Stephanie Brown #Barbara Gordon #Alfred Pennyworth #Batman the Animated Series #Batman Beyond #DCAU #Return of the Joker #fanfiction #starstories

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thenewlarislynn · 4 years

Text

Prompt List #1

Requests Are Open!!

Just send me a prompt number (please specify which list it’s from) and a ship! I generally try to make x reader fics gender-neutral, but if forced to use pronouns I typically use she/her. If you want they/them or he/him pronouns used please let me know!

No pedophillia or incest please! Also sorry in advance, but I don’t write smut!

I mainly write for Marvel and A:TLA, but will also write for Supernatural, Anne With An E, Sanders Sides and a few others. If you want a fic based off of a different fandom or have a different prompt idea just ask!

*This is not my prompt list, but I found it on Pinterest so credit to the original compiler!*

1. "Do you like them?”

2. “I trusted you.”

3. “Who do you think you are? The Queen of England?”

4. “God, you’re pretty.”

5. “You finally woke up, good dream?”

6. “I’m not saying anything, every time I say anything you think i’m attacking you.”

7. “Calm down, it’s just a chocolate bar!”

8. “Why are you looking at me like that...?”

9. “Wait! Stop!”

10. “Please tell me you brought a toothbrush?”

11. “We’re in the middle of nowhere!”

12. “You take the bed, you need it more than me.”

13. “You want to set up camp? It’s been a long day? Here’s as good as anywhere else.”

14. “I’m not getting involved, this is between you two.”

15. “How do you want to do this?”

16. “You’re ridiculous”

17. “You’re so warm!”

18. “You’re freezing, jesus!”

19. “You want to go trick or treating? Seriously?”

20. “I’m sorry....”

21. “I’m (First Name) Fucking (Last name)!”

22. “You owe me one”

23. “You always look beautiful.”

24. “That looks like it hurts...”

25. “Do you need anything?”

26. “Hold on. You’re telling me that you want to go out to the creepy woods in the middle of the night on a full moon? Really? Really?”

27. “We walk in together.”

28. “This is my collection”

29. “Be quiet! You’ll get us caught!”

30. “How would you feel if it was you?”

31. “Your hands are so small!”

32. “I brought you a muffin. You’re favourite...”

33. “Sometimes I just want to cuddle, okay? Is that so bad?”

34. “Now I know where half my wardrobe went.”

35. “I’m fucking terrified and I don’t know what to do or how to stop feeling that way, okay? I’m scared...”

36. “Here, let me just-”

37. “You’re right...”

38. “Nothing about us is conventional”

39. “I need to make an entrance.”

40. “Just..just smile and don’t talk too much”

41. “You’re really special to me.”

42. “No more stupid stunts, please?”

43. “You scared the shit out of me!”

44. “How do you feel?”

45. “Damn...I really thought that would work.”

46. “Stop! Just stop!”

47. “That tickles!”

48. “I didn’t mean it like that! Stop making everything I say dirty!”

49. “I can’t believe you just said that!”

50. “Why are you naked?”

51. “I am so sorry! I’ll just...I’ll just go...”

52. “I’ll just wait here...”

53. “Do I have to?”

54. “Don’t point your wand at me!”

55. “Exams are going to kill me.”

56. “I don’t want to be alone.”

57. “It’s not supposed to be easy...”

58. “Are you proud of me?”

59. “You’re so drunk.”

60. “Please tell me this is a joke!”

61. “What is that?!”

62. “We only have one room left for the night...”

63. “Room service?”

64. “I can’t believe you eat pineapple on pizza...what sort of monster are you?”

65. “I’m getting married? Since when were you choosing my future spouse!”

66. “We all fuck up sometimes.”

67. “Sometimes it just all gets too much, y’know?”

68.“Naps are life, okay?”

69 .“I don’t think I could love you anymore than I already do.”

70. “If I marry them?”

71. “You’re my fake husband/wife/spouse, deal with it.”

72. “I kept every letter...”

73. “You missed the best fight!”

74. “Do you remember high school? When Lisa McKendrick got pregnant with Rob whatshisface and Maria was sleeping with Rob and her and Lisa got in that fight? That was...”

75. “I have to live with what i’ve done.”

76. “I had the weirdest dream....” (DONE)

77. “Who did the laundry? My favourite shirt is pink.”

78. “I got you a trophy, it’s only plastic, but it’s for being the best human I know.”

79. “Another bad date?”

80. “Someone keeps leaving love notes in my locker and I’m not sure if I should find it endearing or creepy...”

81. “Hello ms./mr grumpy.”

82. “Do you want to wake them up or...”

83. “Can we keep them?”

84. “Look at you!”

85. “Did you just whistle at me?”

86. “Remove the hand before I remove it for you.”

87. “I love your voice”

88. “Put me down! I can walk!”

89. “I need you...”

90. “Can...can you come over?”

91. “Where were you?”

92. “This is the. Best. Thing. Ever!”

93. “I mean witchcraft isn’t quite hocus-pocus, toil and trouble, type deal y’know? There’s some serious work involved!”

94. “You’re the best.”

95. “Can you please stop biting your lip...it’s distracting.”

96. “You’d make the best boyfriend/girlfriend/wife/husband/partner”

97. “Oh who cares what they think!? I want you!”

98. “Backseats aren’t as comfortable as movies make them out to be”

99. “Can I please see some photos of you when you were younger? How bad could they be?!”

100. “And I’m dead.”

#writing prompt #dialouge prompt #fic request #author #prompt #author things #writing #writing blog #fanfic #fanfic request #marvel fic #awae fic #sander sides fanfiction #wtnv fic #atla fic #atla fanfic

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lattelesbean003 · 4 years

Note

1-50 for the asks lmao (if you feel like it, but you don’t have to lskdjfls)

1. What’s your sexual orientation?

I’m lesbian! 🏳️‍🌈

2. What are you obsessed with right now?

Uhh, I’m really into Haikyuu!! again. I’m still kinda obsessed with Marvel though lol.

3. Ever done any drugs?

Only prescribed drugs.

4. What piercings do you want?

Ohh, so many. I want three piercing on the lobes of both my ears and a couple cartridge piercings. I’ve kinda thought about a nose ring? But I’m not sure. As a start though I need to get over my fear of needles and actually get my ears pierced.

5. How many people have you kissed?

None.

6. Describe your dream home.

Okay okay. I want a one or two bedroom apartment in Montreal, Quebec. (NYC would be the dream but hahahhhh way too expensive). The kitchen would have dark cabinets with a white counter top, a nice deep sink with a movable faucet, obviously a dishwash and stove, a pretty big stainless steel fridge, a stainless steel microwave, and a toaster. I’d have a nice, big, comfy couch in the living room. There’d be lots of plants (I love plants), and a little table by a window for a ‘dining’ room. Bedroom would be big enough to fit a double or queen bed. Oh! I’d also have bookcases everywhere cause I love books and manga lol.

7. Who are you jealous of?

There are a few fanfic writers that I’m jealous of just cause they’re really good at writing and my dumbass feels inferior and bad about myself. It’s one of the things I hate about myself. I get insecure wayyy too easily.

8. What’s your favorite show to binge?

Right now, Haikyuu!!. I binged it pretty quickly and it’s turning into a comfort show for me lol.

9. Do you watch porn?

I have before, but it makes me uncomfortable.

10. Do you have a secret sideblog?

I do have a blog that I run that I haven’t told anyone about.

11. If you could teleport anywhere in the world right now, where would you go?

Florence, Italy. I wanna go back so baddd.

12. What’s one of your fantasies?

Living a good and happy life and not feeling insecure about literally everything

13. Do you have/would you get your nipples pierced?

No I wouldn’t. Exposing my chest to anyone makes me very uncomfortable. Also, the idea of nipple piercings is very bizarre to me but hey, you do you boo.

14. How would you spend a million dollars?

I would buy way too many books and clothes lmao. Also food. If I didn’t set aside some of it for college, I’d spend it on dumb stuff like that.

15. Are you in a relationship?

No, but I wish. I’d love a girlfriend.

16. Do you follow porn blogs?

Nope!

17. Are you angry with anyone right now?

I’m not angry with anyone, just feeling insecure about my relationship with a couple people cause my brain is stupid.

18. What tattoos do you want?

I want a full sleeve tattoo! Idk what the art would be, mostly because I haven’t actually thought about it toooo much because tattoos involve needles and pain and those are two of my biggest fears. (Failure takes the number one spot though.)

19. If you could change your name, would you? What would you change it to?

Oh uh, idk man. I’ve never thought about it. I’d just stick with Jen.

20. What is something you’re obsessed with?

For fandoms, Haikyuu!! right now, but I love sweet things way too much. Also, bread.

21. Describe your best friend.

Tall, adventurous, takes no shit, smart

22. Tag someone you think is hot.

@ms-bookdragon ;)

23. Who are five of your favorite bands/musical artists?

I mostly like specific songs, rather than one artist. Here are my top five at the moment:

Piano Man / Billy Joel

My Love Will Never Die / AG, Claire Wyndham

Toss a Coin to Your Witcher / Samual Kim, Black Gryphon (I like the remix more than the original)

Dance Monkey / Tones and I

The Sound of Silence / Disturbed

24. What are three places you want to travel?

I really want to go to Quebec (and I might be able to this summer!!), Japan, and Greece. (I also wanna return to Italy).

25. Describe your perfect Friday night.

Sharing lots of laughs with friends.

26. What’s your favorite season?

Spring! I don’t mind winter if it snows, but where I live it mostly rains and it’s annoying lol. We’ve only had like, four dry days since the new year.

27. What’s your pet peeve?

LOUD CHEWING OMG I CAN’T STAND IT. Also when anything scraps against metal. Makes me cringe and tense up like nothing else.

28. Who is the funniest person you know?

A gay guy in my chem class. Also my neighbor. They both have very weird senses of humor but I appreciate them lol.

29. What’s the most overrated movie?

Avengers: Endgame. :3 (I will forever hate that movie lol.)

30. Tag someone you want to talk to but have been too shy to message.

Oh god why you gotta do this to me. @voxofthevoid. Ahh he only knows me from my main not my sideblog. 😭

31. Do you like paper books or ebooks better?

Paper books don’t hurt my eyes as much. I don’t think I could read a paper version of a fanfic though.

32. If you could live in a fictional world, what world would you pick?

Oh oof, uhh none of them? They’re all kinda shitty worlds lol.

33. If money was no object, what would your wardrobe be like?

Lots of button-ups and sweaters. Jeans, converse, scarves, nice dresses and skirts. I don’t have a specific wardrobe, I mostly buy whatever catches my eye.

34. What’s your coffee order?

Depends on my mood, but I mostly buy ice caps at Tim Hortons. Sometimes a french vanilla. At proper coffee shops, I buy a latte or mocha. I can’t handle a normal latte yet though, so it’s normally a caramel latte or something. At Starbucks, I typically buy a caramel frappuccino. When it’s cold, a mocha latte. (The peppermint mocha is yummy.)

35. Do you have a crush on anyone?

Nope, kinda wish I did though.

36. Do you still have feelings for any of your exes?

Nope! I have on ex and mostly avoid him lol.

37. Have any tattoos?

No, but as I mentioned above I’d love a full sleeve tattoo.

38. Do you drink?

Nah, I’m still underage, alcohol is gross, and I’m not popular enough to be invited to parties.

39. Are you a virgin?

Yis. Still haven’t gotten my first kiss too.

40. Do you have a crush on any of your mutuals?

41. How many followers do you have?

On this account, tumblr claims 39, but it’s actually 24 lmao. I have a joint account with another person that has over 1000 followers though.

42. Describe the hottest person you know.

She has a long mousy brown hair, a bunch of ear piercings, really adorable dimples, and a very nice smile. I’m like 99% she’s straight though.

43. What’s your guilty pleasure?

I indulge too much in junk food.

44. Do you read erotica?

Yupp. I mean, if you count fanfic with sex in them plus the occasional doujinshi.

45. What’s the worst date you’ve ever been on?

The one date I’ve been on wasn’t too bad, but the dude I went out with thought we were a couple after the one date. I feel kinda bad because I led him on for two weeks, unsure how to break it to him that I discovered I was gay soooo.

46. How many people do you follow?

100, but like over half of them aren’t very active.

47. If you could marry any celebrity, who would you pick?

Hmmmmmmm. I don’t have a specific crush on anyone, but maybe Sebastian Stan just cause I wanna be his friend. He’s too old though lol.

48. Describe your ideal partner.

A girl (obviously), who’s could drag me to social events, but also enjoy a quiet night at home. Funny, encouraging/supportive, kind. Also lots of cuddles. I love cuddling and hand holding, plus cheek kisses!! Ahhh

49. Who do you text the most?

Two of my irl friends. They’re both great. I also text the person I have a joint blog with.

50. What’s your favorite kind of weather?

A warm spring day. The sun isn’t too hot, the grass is a lush green, and there’s only a handful of clouds in the sky. On the flip side, if I don’t have to go to school, I love snow. Walking around my neighborhood when it’s totally quiet and peaceful is one of my favorite things to do.

#asks #evelyn (eve)

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imjustthemechanic · 5 years

Photo

Our Own Demons

Part 1/? - A Bolt from the Blue Part 2/? - A Different World Part 3/? - Stark At Home Part 4/? - Pot Roast Night Part 5/? - Space-Pie Continuum Part 6/? - Energy Signature Part 7/? - Miss Potts Part 8/? - Bot from Beyond Part 9/? - Even the Odds Part 10/? - Miss Potts Arrives Part 11/? - Truth Hurts Part 12/? - The Third Reality Part 13/? - Thor and Odinson Part 14/? - The Tesseract Platform Part 15/? - Prime Suspect Part 16/? - Jailbreak

What if Tony Stark really were the villain of the Marvel universe? How would that work? Tony himself is about to find out, as he battles his inner demons (and some outer ones, too) across a multiverse of infinite possibilities.

Tony sat up straight across from the female cop and folded his arms across his chest, determined not to let her intimidate him. “If that was Sid,” he said, “are you Nancy?” He immediately thought he should have said Marty instead… Marty would have been funnier, but too late now.

“I’m Officer Zsivoczky,” she said.

“‘Nancy’ it is.” Tony sighed heavily. “Look, I know you guys think I killed Pepper.” It was a struggle even to say that. “I didn’t. I wasn’t here. The guy people saw was not me. He was from another world.” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the lawyer twitch, and added, “I know how it sounds, but seeing as New York City was half-flattened by aliens a couple of years back, I’m sure you can suspend a little disbelief for this.”

Nancy was not interested. “Where’s her body, Stark?” she asked.

“Not in this reality,” Tony insisted. “The other me, the bad guy, he took her away.” The other me. Now he sounded like Bruce. They were going to think he had multiple personalities or something.

Her eyebrows rose. “You admit there’s a body, then?”

“No!” Tony put his head in his hands. “I can get her back, but you have to let me go.” If he had a suit… and some of that energy from the tesseract. SHIELD had a bunch of that in storage from their experiments with it. He’d read about that in the files he’d downloaded. They would have moved it now, with all their secrets out, but maybe he could figure out where to. He and Dr. Foster had talked about the resonant frequencies they’d need. He could find that other reality and get her.

“Where did you put her?” Nancy demanded.

“I didn’t do anything!” said Tony.

“Our client is done answering questions,” one of the lawyers announced – probably, Tony thought, because his answers were embarrassing them. “I’m sure you are aware that Mr. Stark suffers from post-traumatic stress, and your unfounded accusations are…”

“They are hardly unfounded!” said Nancy. “We have eyewitnesses to Mr. Stark meeting Ms. Potts at the LACMA and putting her in a car. We have the car in question, with her hair and his blood in it. We have him, looking like he’s had the hell beaten out of him by somebody desperate to defend herself.” She gestured to Tony’s scraped and bruised arms.

“I’m Iron Man,” said Tony. “I was fighting a robot.” The words sounded hollow even to him. They didn’t believe him. Nobody would.

“Between the last time you were seen in New York and when you were sighted in Los Angeles there’s plenty of time for you to have made the flight in one of your suits,” Nancy told him. “And the time since is more than enough to dispose of a body. Where is Ms. Potts?”

“Why would I have hurt her?” Tony asked desperately.

Nancy’s voice was cold. “Only you know that.”

Tony lowered his head. “No more questions,” he said. “I’m done.”

With his lawyers there to enforce his wishes, the interrogation was over, but the police could – and did – book him. He was photographed and fingerprinted and swabbed like a criminal, then put in an orange jumpsuit to be taken back to a cell.

“When’s the bail hearing?” he asked.

“The judge has decided there won’t be one,” Sid replied, holding the cell door for him. “They couldn’t set it high enough that you wouldn’t be a flight risk.”

Of course they couldn’t. “I want to make a phone call,” Tony said. Since calling Pepper clearly wasn’t going to do any good, he would call Rhodey.

The police stood around and watched as Tony sat using the phone at a detective’s desk, listening to it ring. He didn’t doubt that everything he said was going to be recorded. It didn’t matter, because he would tell the truth. Telling the truth at least meant you never needed to remember what you’d lied about.

“Hello?” asked Rhodey’s voice.

Tony had been holding his breath, terrified that Rhodey, too, would be mysteriously unreachable. Now it roared in the mouthpiece as he let it out. “Rhodey, it’s me,” he said.

“Tony?” The surprise in his voice was audible. “Where have you been?”

“Fighting robots in an alternate reality. It’s a long story,” said Tony. “Are you okay? Is Bruce okay? We were all on a government hit list.”

“I know,” Rhodey said. “We’re all fine, don’t worry – except Pepper. Nobody’s seen her in days. I’ve been trying to tell people that if you took her away, it was to protect her. I know you wouldn’t have it in you to hurt her. Where is she?”

“I don’t know,” Tony admitted miserably. How many times was he going to be forced to say that? Tony always preferred to give the impression that he knew everything, so having to say he didn’t know something, repeatedly, stung. Having to say he didn’t know where Pepper was… that was ten, twenty, a hundred times worse. “At least, I sort of know, but like I said, there’s alternate realities involved I know how to go find her, but I have to get out of here. These people think I killed her.”

“I know,” Rhodey repeated gravely. “Like I said, I’ve been trying to tell them that’s not you, but you have to admit the evidence doesn’t look good. The DA thinks nailing Iron Man for murder will be her ticket into congress.”

“Great,” said Tony. On top of everything else, politics. “I need help, Rhodey. I can get to her and I can get her back, but I can’t do it alone.”

“They’re not gonna let you out of there,” Rhodey warned him. “There’s not gonna be a bail hearing for a guy who could pay the GDP of some small countries, and I can’t help you while you’re in jail for murder.”

Tony nodded. He understood what his friend was saying, and exactly how he ought to reply. “Do me a favour. Call the Met and tell them I won’t be at the Gala this year.”

“I’ll do that,” Rhodey replied.

With the call finished, Tony went quietly back to his cell, running his fingers along his forearms as he did. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan had an exhibit on arms and armor, and a few years ago Tony had donated an old suit to it. The museum staff had no idea it was still functional – either he or Rhodey could send it a signal from a cell phone that would activate it in the event that either of them needed a suit and didn’t have access to any others. It would seek out the transponders in Tony’s body. All he had to do was wait.

Twenty minutes later, the female cop with the unpronounceable name stopped by to give Tony his dinner. This appeared to be spaghetti and meatballs, although appearances could be deceiving. “Thanks,” he said as she handed it to him. “Say, what’s the odds that this contains any actual food?”

“It’s not drugged, if that’s what you mean,” she said. “What do you think we’re trying to do?”

“If I’m being honest, I think you’re trying to railroad me,” Tony replied. “You must feel pretty jazzed, arresting Iron Man and all.”

Nancy met his gaze evenly. “You’ve always been able to get away with anything, haven’t you? Well, you know what? The richest man in the world can’t get away with murder.”

“I’m not the richest man in the world,” Tony corrected her, “but if I see him, I’ll tell him so.”

Her eyes narrowed. “I’ve seen you on TV. You’ve always thought you were a really funny guy, haven’t you, Stark?”

“It’s my chief coping mechanism,” Tony told her – and then he felt a sharp pinch in his right arm. That was the transponder. The sizzle of a mild electric shock was its way of alerting him that the suit he’d summoned was approaching. He’d figured he’d better build in some kind of alert system after nearly embarrassing himself in front of the AIM mooks last Christmas. “You might wanna duck,” he warned Nancy, then dropped his spaghetti and rolled under the bed.

Half a second later, the Met suit blasted the wall down.

Tony could hear Nancy yelling for backup, but he didn’t even look at her as he wiggled out from under the cot and crawled over the rubble. He couldn’t afford to. He had to get into that suit. It opened for him, and when he stepped inside the pieces clicked into place around him with an easy familiarity.

“Hello, JARVIS,” said Tony, as the familiar HUD popped up. “Did you miss me?”

Very much, Sir, the familiar voice replied.

“Can’t wait to hear about it,” said Tony, “but for now we can…”

“Freeze!” a voice shouted.

Tony looked up to see six cops pointing guns at him. He frowned. “Really?” he asked. “I mean… really? You’re threatening Iron Man with a Glock 22?” He wasn’t even offended by it, just mystified. It was public knowledge that the suits could take an anti-tank round – footage of it had made the news years ago. What did these people think they were going to accomplish?

The cops plainly hadn’t considered that. They exchanged some nervous glances, each hoping one of the others had a better idea. Apparently nobody did.

Tony was kind of curious what they might come up with if he stuck around, but there was no time for that. So he waved and said, “bye, now!” and took off.

In the gathering dusk, the lights of Leesburg dropped away below him, and Tony took a moment to watch as the terrain and air traffic control information appeared in the display, getting his bearings. Once he had that, he began circling, settling into a holding pattern while he figured out where to go next. “Okay, JARVIS,” he said. “What did I miss?”

I believe it will reassure you to know that Captain Rogers and Agents Romanov and Hill, along with a new ally, First Lieutenant Samuel Wilson, are being hailed as heroes in the media for their role in exposing the conspiracy within SHIELD. Unfortunately, they are also all out of work now.

“Tell them there’s always a place for them at Stark Industries,” said Tony. Rogers wouldn’t accept, but the others might. “Before we go on, though – the cops must have some kind of record of where they picked me up, and since I’m a celebrity it was probably on the news. I need you to find that spot, because we gotta track down the truck I came back in. It’s probably got what I need in it.” If SHIELD – or HYDRA – were taking the wormhole platform away, they were probably also hiding any leftover tesseract juice they had in storage. Hopefully, they would put related things in the same place.

Searching now, Sir, said JARVIS. A map came up in the HUD, and several points illuminated. Photographs from Google Earth appeared next to each as JARVIS attempted to match the location to images from news websites.

“There!” Tony stared at one particular image, which JARVIS obligingly enlarged for him. “The overpass with the white building visible over the hill – where is that?”

That is where the Loudoun County Parkway crosses State Route Seven, said JARVIS.

The area nearby matched – there were the trees and fence he remembered, and he knew he’d seen that building that was peeking out over the crest of the overpass. “That’s it,” said Tony. “That’s where we stopped.” He thought for a moment. “If I remember correctly, Route Seven goes directly from Washington to Leesburg. Where’s it go after that?”

State Route Seven ends in Winchester, Virginia, said JARVIS.

“Is there anything there they might be stopping for?”

JARVIS brought up a couple more photographs – brick buildings, a copper-roofed gazebo, and a man with a bald head and big horn-rimmed glasses. The dean of the Shenandoah University School of Arts and Sciences is Dr. Kassander Xanthopoulos, an expert on higher-dimensional physics. SHIELD consulted him several times in relation to the tesseract, before bringing Dr. Erik Selvig in on the project instead.

“Awesome,” said Tony. “That’s where we’re going, then. Now, on the way you can tell me what happened while I was gone. We had a power surge somewhere over Kansas – then what happened?”

#fanfic #tony stark #iron man

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helenofsimblr · 6 years

Text

I have a LOT of catching up to do!

I was tagged to do the 57 facts thing by @fayts4 @tabbyrhsims4simblr and @midnightdevotions I think I got everybody if not you’ll have to forgive me my shoddy memory. But I have so many blogs to catch up on I am ready to cry!

1. Simblr is a secret thing for me, only my husband knows about it. Its my own guilty pleasure.

2. I recently became a parent and I am very much planning to have at least 1 more while there is still time!

3. I have done a lot of work on some really amazing stuff, none of which I can ever talk about due to secrecy agreements.

4. I have a PhD in mathematics, so that proves I am super boring.

5. I tried my first cigarette at age 11, but didn’t touch it again till age 26 which was when I took it up, I would smoke anything from 0 to 10 cigs a day depending on the day I had. I quit cigs this year aged 32 in January. So hopefully didn’t do myself too much damage.

6. At age 29 I started smoking cigars on special occasions those are: my birthday, Christmas, New year, Valentines, and my wedding anniversary. Being the “badass” I am, I inhale every 5th drag for a little extra kick, even though you shouldn’t do that... I have not quit the cigars!

7. I have a younger brother and an older sister, I am the middle sibling.

8. I have only ever had 3 boyfriends in my life. And 1 “fancy man.”

9. I was engaged to be married to my second boyfriend, I basically twisted his arm into it because of my condition I was afraid I’d be some old woman called Ms instead of Mrs, he did not want to be married, not to me anyway. I should have realised that back then...

10. While I was engaged to boyfriend number 2 I had an affair which lasted about 8 months, it was with a colleague at work, and it was amazing! I don’t condone cheating, not in the least, but I realise, the sensible thing to do would have been to call off the engagement.

11. I had giganstism (Acromegaly) as a child, I am 6 foot 7 inches tall bare foot. I do not like being this tall... not one bit. There are so many health issues that come with this, that it really isn’t worth it.

12. When I stopped growing, Acromegaly causes your face and hands and feet to carry on growing... I have size 14 feet. UK size. My hands are large enough that I can grip 4 tennis balls in one hand easily.

13. I have no tattoos. I have never ever wanted a tattoo. I don’t actually like them very much.

14. I don’t have any piercings anywhere else beside my ears. I have 2 piercings in each ear.

15. I am a huge petrol head. I love cars and I will happily have a discussion with any man about them, or woman if she is so inclined!

16. Due to the facial changes caused by Acromegaly I decided to go and get cosmetic surgery in late 2017 to change my face back to a more softer look.

17. I love Star Trek. Captain Kirk is my favourite captain, he is the best. No discussion. If it wasn’t for Kirk there would be no Picard, no Sisko, no Janeway. None of those pretenders would be here!

18. I think Quentin Tarrantino and his films are vastly overrated and often incomprehensible and worst yet, non linear.

19. I really dislike the taste of alcohol. The only drinks I get on well with are Guiness and Gin and tonics. Most others I don’t like. I hate wine.

20. I hated that stupid Pokemon Go craze!! The amount of people who walked into me in the street... That shit was dangerous.

21. My hair used to be naturally blonde, but in recent years its started to get darker, which is why I now use colouring to keep it where it was.

22. I should wear glasses to read, but I don’t bother.

23. While preggers I had gestational diabetes. Which was not fun at all.

24. I love swimming, but I hate the sea because I am afraid of whats in it. Sharks, jellyfish, all sorts of wonderful, yet horrid creatures designed to kill and maim!

25. When I was doing my PhD, somebody on my research team literally took about 80% of my thesis content and used it in their thesis. I had no time to appeal or go through proper channels as I already had a job lined up, and was due to have my pituitary tumor removed, therefore, my only option was to redo 80% of my thesis.

26. I am not religious (at least not in any organised way), however, I find the theory of how the universe came into being utterly laughable. A big bang... seriously?? If before the universe, there was nothing, where did the shit that exploded come from? Its bullshit. Truth is, nobody knows for sure, but we’re so desperate to know that scientists will happily invent theories to fit what few facts they have.

27. Despite not being religious, I firmly believe in existence after death. I say existence, not life, there is a difference. I have seen what would be colloquially referred to as a “ghost” when I was 13 years old.

28. I love the old pulp sci fi, things like Lost in Space, and voyage to the bottom of the sea

29. My favourite foods are pizzas. I cannot get enough of them! In particular just bog standard pepperoni

30. I suck at sports. Any sport, and I suck at it.

31. I often worry about things so much I lose my perspective, I cannot help but worry and it usually leads to a cascade of worry and I may make poor decisions.

32. I am part German. I can speak German, to a fashion... its not very good as I rarely use it.

33. I have regular chiropractic care and I have to say its worth every penny. I feel better physically now than I have in years! As a bonus, the IBS I suffered with, since I have been seeing my chiropractor has actually cleared up!

34. I am currently trying to complete something on my bucket list, I am attempting to watch EVERY John Wayne film.

35. I hated Star Wars the Last Jedi. Shit film!

36. I have a cuddly toy from I was a baby which I still have! (I don’t sleep with it of course)

37. I love inappropriate/dirty jokes.

38. I am, somewhat, anti-abortion. I understand there is a time and a place for everything however, but given birth control and access to morning after pills...

39. I am not political, I loathe politicians. None of them have a clue what it is like to be in the real world. Also... why do we have Ministers of health who have never been a nurse or doctor? And so forth... doesn’t make sense!

40. I have been married 3 years now.

41. I cannot bend over and touch my toes.

42. I recently took a woman to court and won! After she keyed (Scratched the car with a key) my Range Rover from bumper to bumper in the supermarket.

43. I hate shopping. I find it so tedious and inconvenient. I honestly do not understand how other females can find this a pleasurable activity!

44. I have never tried any illegal drugs in my life.

45. Apparently I was late performing all my children milestones. Walking, talking and potty training. I took months longer than my siblings did.

46. I find it really hard to go to the toilet in a public toilet. It disturbs me.

47. I hate it when people tell me “You’re late.” As though I have no concept or track of time. I usually reply with “I was quite aware before you pointed it out.” I never apologise for being late, unless I know that my being late was definitely my fault.

48. I am often amused by simblr. Especially at all these “dramas” that pop up round here. Particularly over custom content and how it should never be uploaded by anybody but the creator or changed or whatever... did I mention how somebody took 80% of my PhD thesis and used it in their work? Oh yes. Point number 25.

49. If I go for ice cream, doesn’t matter where it is, I will always go for vanilla.

50. White chocolate is my favourite chocolate of all. So sweet and creamy...

51. I am allergic to penicillin.

52. I love superhero films. Particularly the Marvel ones. I think Marvel do better films than DC but DC do better animated films / television than Marvel do.

53. I think Nolan’s batman trilogy is overrated speaking of superhero films.

54. Speaking of films, only once ever have I walked out of the cinema. I remember I went to see Mr and Mrs Smith, and half way through I walked out. Have never seen the end of that film since.

55. My favourite Junk Food is bacon double cheeseburgers!

56. Due to having acromegaly... every year... without fail... I have to go and get a camera up my ass! Yeah its great being tall(!)

57. I HATE pears. I mean hate them! I hate the texture of them in my mouth, I hate the feel of their skin, I hate EVERYTHING about pears. Even sat here typing this I get goosebumps. If I was trapped on a desert island where all there was to eat was Pears. I would starve to death!

I tag, @themoonglitch @rebelsoulsims @igglemouse and @flowers--girl and @sparkiemonkey and @alittledaylight do this EPIC tag. If you think you can’t. or done it, or don’t want to cool.

#tag game #57 things tag

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drthetasigma14 · 6 years

Text

Lovecraft Fic/RP Prompts

The Commonplace Book of H.P. Lovecraft

This book consists of ideas, images, & quotations hastily jotted down for possible future use in weird fiction. Very few are actually developed plots—for the most part they are merely suggestions or random impressions designed to set the memory or imagination working. Their sources are various—dreams, things read, casual incidents, idle conceptions, & so on.—H. P. Lovecraft

Presented to R. H. Barlow, Esq., on May 7, 1934—in exchange for an admirably neat typed copy from his skilled hand.

1. Demophon shivered when the sun shone upon him. (Lover of darkness = ignorance.)

2. Inhabitants of Zinge, over whom the star Canopus rises every night, are always gay and without sorrow.

3. The shores of Attica respond in song to the waves of the Aegean.

4. Horror Story. Man dreams of falling—found on floor mangled as tho’ from falling from a vast height.

5. Narrator walks along unfamiliar country road,—comes to strange region of the unreal.

6. In Ld Dunsany’s “Idle Days on the Yann.” The inhabitants of the antient Astahan, on the Yann, do all things according to antient ceremony. Nothing new is found. “Here we have fetter’d and manacled Time, who wou’d otherwise slay the Gods.”

7. Horror Story. The sculptured hand—or other artificial hand—which strangles its creator.

8. Hor. Sto. Man makes appt. with old enemy. Dies—body keeps appt.

9. Dr. Eben Spencer plot.

10. Dream of flying over city.

11. Odd nocturnal ritual. Beasts dance and march to musick.

12. Happenings in interval between preliminary sound and striking of clock—ending— “it was the tones of the clock striking three”.

13. House and garden—old—associations. Scene takes on strange aspect.

14. Hideous sound in the dark.

15. Bridge and slimy black waters.

16. The walking dead—seemingly alive, but—.

17. Doors found mysteriously open and shut etc.—excite terror.

18. Calamander-wood—a very valuable cabinet wood of Ceylon and S. India, resembling rosewood.

19. Revise 1907 tale—painting of ultimate horror.

20. Man journeys into the past—or imaginative realm—leaving bodily shell behind.

21. A very ancient colossus in a very ancient desert. Face gone—no man hath seen it.

22. Mermaid Legend—Encyc. Britt. XVI—40.

23. The man who would not sleep—dares not sleep—takes drugs to keep himself awake. Finally falls asleep—and something happens. Motto from Baudelaire p. 214.

24. Dunsany—Go-By Street. Man stumbles on dream world—returns to earth—seeks to go back—succeeds, but finds dream world ancient and decayed as though by thousands of years.

1919

25. Man visits museum of antiquities—asks that it accept a bas-relief he has just made—old and learned curator laughs and says he cannot accept anything so modern. Man says that ‘dreams are older than brooding Egypt or the contemplative Sphinx or garden-girdled Babylonia’ and that he had fashioned the sculpture in his dreams. Curator bids him shew his product, and when he does so curator shews horror. Asks who the man may be. He tells modern name. “No—before that” says curator. Man does not remember except in dreams. Then curator offers high price, but man fears he means to destroy sculpture. Asks fabulous price—curator will consult directors. Add good development and describe nature of bas-relief.

26. Dream of ancient castle stairs—sleeping guards—narrow window—battle on plain between men of England and men of yellow tabards with red dragons. Leader of English challenges leader of foe to single combat. They fight. Foe unhelmeted, but there is no head revealed. Whole army of foe fades into mist, and watcher finds himself to be the English knight on the plain, mounted. Looks at castle, and sees a peculiar concentration of fantastic clouds over the highest battlements.

27. Life and Death. Death—its desolation and horror—bleak spaces—sea-bottom—dead cities. But Life—the greater horror! Vast unheard-of reptiles and leviathans—hideous beasts of prehistoric jungle—rank slimy vegetation—evil instincts of primal man—Life is more horrible than death.

28. The Cats of Ulthar. The cat is the soul of antique Ægyptus and bearer of tales from forgotten cities of Meroë and Ophir. He is the kin of the jungle’s lords, and heir to the secrets of hoary and sinister Africa. The Sphinx is his cousin, and he speaks her language; but he is more ancient than the Sphinx, and remembers that which she hath forgotten.

29. Dream of Seekonk—ebbing tide—bolt from sky—exodus from Providence—fall of Congregational dome.

30. Strange visit to a place at night—moonlight—castle of great magnificence etc. Daylight shews either abandonment or unrecognisable ruins—perhaps of vast antiquity.

31. Prehistoric man preserved in Siberian ice. (See Winchell—Walks and Talks in the Geological field—p. 156 et seq.)

32. As dinosaurs were once surpassed by mammals, so will man-mammal be surpassed by insect or bird—fall of man before the new race.

33. Determinism and prophecy.

34. Moving away from earth more swiftly than light—past gradually unfolded—horrible revelation.

35. Special beings with special senses from remote universes. Advent of an external universe to view.

36. Disintegration of all matter to electrons and finally empty space assured, just as devolution of energy to radiant heat is known. Case of acceleration—man passes into space.

37. Peculiar odour of a book of childhood induces repetition of childhood fancy.

38. Drowning sensations—undersea—cities—ships—souls of the dead. Drowning is a horrible death.

39. Sounds—possibly musical—heard in the night from other worlds or realms of being.

40. Warning that certain ground is sacred or accursed; that a house or city must not be built upon it—or must be abandoned or destroyed if built, under penalty of catastrophe.

41. The Italians call Fear La figlia della Morte—the daughter of Death.

42. Fear of mirrors—memory of dream in which scene is altered and climax is hideous surprise at seeing oneself in the water or a mirror. (Identity?)

43. Monsters born living—burrow underground and multiply, forming race of unsuspected daemons.

44. Castle by pool or river—reflection fixed thro’ centuries—castle destroyed, reflection lives to avenge destroyers weirdly.

45. Race of immortal Pharaohs dwelling beneath pyramids in vast subterranean halls down black staircases.

46 . Hawthorne—unwritten plot. Visitor from tomb—stranger at some publick concourse followed at midnight to graveyard where he descends into the earth.

47. From Arabia Encyc. Britan. II—255. Prehistoric fabulous tribes of Ad in the south, Thamood in the north, and Tasm and Jadis in the centre of the peninsula. “Very gorgeous are the descriptions given of Irem, the City of Pillars (as the Koran styles it) supposed to have been erected by Shedad, the latest despot of Ad, in the regions of Hadramaut, and which yet, after the annihilation of its tenants, remains entire, so Arabs say, invisible to ordinary eyes, but occasionally and at rare intervals, revealed to some heaven-favoured traveller.” // Rock excavations in N.W. Hejaz ascribed to Thamood tribe.

48. Cities wiped out by supernatural wrath.

49. AZATHOTH—hideous name.

50. Phleg′-e-thon: a river of liquid fire in Hades.

51. Enchanted garden where moon casts shadow of object or ghost invisible to the human eye.

52. Calling on the dead—voice or familiar sound in adjacent room.

53. Hand of dead man writes.

54. Transposition of identity.

55. Man followed by invisible thing.

56. Book or MS. too horrible to read—warned against reading it—someone reads and is found dead. Haverhill incident.

57. Sailing or rowing on lake in moonlight—sailing into invisibility.

58. A queer village—in a valley, reached by a long road and visible from the crest of the hill from which that road descends—or close to a dense and antique forest.

59. Man in strange subterranean chamber—seeks to force door of bronze—overwhelmed by influx of waters.

60. Fisherman casts his net into the sea by moonlight—what he finds.

61. A terrible pilgrimage to seek the nighted throne of the far daemon-sultan Azathoth.

62. Live man buried in bridge masonry according to superstition—or black cat.

63. Sinister names—Nasht—Kaman-Thah.

64. Identity—reconstruction of personality—man makes duplicate of himself.

65. Riley’s fear of undertakers—door locked on inside after death.

66. Catacombs discovered beneath a city (in America?).

67. An impression—city in peril—dead city—equestrian statue—men in closed room—clattering of hooves heard from outside—marvel disclosed on looking out—doubtful ending.

68. Murder discovered—body located—by psychological detective who pretends he has made walls of room transparent. Works on fear of murderer.

69. Man with unnatural face—oddity of speaking—found to be a mask—Revelation.

70. Tone of extreme phantasy. Man transformed to island or mountain.

71. Man has sold his soul to devil—returns to family from trip—life afterward—fear—culminating horror—novel length.

72. Hallowe’en incident—mirror in cellar—face seen therein—death (claw-mark?).

73. Rats multiply and exterminate first a single city and then all mankind. Increased size and intelligence.

74. Italian revenge—killing self in cell with enemy—under castle.

75. Black Mass under antique church.

76. Ancient cathedral—hideous gargoyle—man seeks to rob—found dead—gargoyle’s jaw bloody.

77. Unspeakable dance of the gargoyles—in morning several gargoyles on old cathedral found transposed.

78. Wandering thro’ labyrinth of narrow slum streets—come on distant light—unheard-of rites of swarming beggars—like Court of Miracles in Notre Dame de Paris.

79. Horrible secret in crypt of ancient castle—discovered by dweller.

80. Shapeless living thing forming nucleus of ancient building.

81. Marblehead—dream—burying hill—evening—unreality.

82. Power of wizard to influence dreams of others.

1920

83. Quotation “. . . a defunct nightmare, which had perished in the midst of its wickedness, and left its flabby corpse on the breast of the tormented one, to be gotten rid of as it might.”—Hawthorne

84. Hideous cracked discords of bass musick from (ruin’d) organ in (abandon’d) abbey or cathedral.

85. “For has not Nature, too, her grotesques—the rent rock, the distorting lights of evening on lonely roads, the unveiled structure of man in the embryo, or the skeleton?” Pater—Renaissance (da Vinci).

86. To find something horrible in a (perhaps familiar) book, and not to be able to find it again.

87. Borellus says, “that the Essential Salts of animals may be so prepared and preserved, that an ingenious man may have the whole ark of Noah in his own Study, and raise the fine shape of an animal out of its ashes at his pleasure; and that by the like method from the Essential Salts of humane dust, a Philosopher may, without any criminal necromancy, call up the shape of any dead ancestor from the dust whereinto his body has been incinerated.”

88. Lonely philosopher fond of cat. Hypnotises it—as it were—by repeatedly talking to it and looking at it. After his death the cat evinces signs of possessing his personality. N.B. He has trained cat, and leaves it to a friend, with instructions as to fitting a pen to its right fore paw by means of a harness. Later writes with deceased’s own handwriting.

89. Lone lagoons and swamps of Louisiana—death daemon—ancient house and gardens—moss-grown trees—festoons of Spanish moss.

1922

90. Anencephalous or brainless monster who survives and attains prodigious size.

91. Lost winter day—slept over—20 yrs. later. Sleep in chair on summer night—false dawn—old scenery and sensations—cold—old persons now dead—horror—frozen?

92. Man’s body dies—but corpse retains life. Stalks about—tries to conceal odour of decay—detained somewhere—hideous climax.

93. A place one has been—a beautiful view of a village or farm-dotted valley in the sunset—which one cannot find again or locate in memory.

94. Change comes over the sun—shews objects in strange form, perhaps restoring landscape of the past.

95. Horrible Colonial farmhouse and overgrown garden on city hillside—overtaken by growth. Verse “The House” as basis of story.

96. Unknown fires seen across the hills at night.

97. Blind fear of a certain woodland hollow where streams writhe among crooked roots, and where on a buried altar terrible sacrifices have occur’d—Phosphorescence of dead trees. Ground bubbles.

98. Hideous old house on steep city hillside—Bowen St.—beckons in the night—black windows—horror unnam’d—cold touch and voice—the welcome of the dead.

1923

99. Salem story—the cottage of an aged witch—wherein after her death are found sundry terrible things.

100. Subterranean region beneath placid New England village, inhabited by (living or extinct) creatures of prehistoric antiquity and strangeness.

101. Hideous secret society—widespread—horrible rites in caverns under familiar scenes—one’s own neighbour may belong.

102. Corpse in room performs some act—prompted by discussion in its presence. Tears up or hides will, etc.

103. Sealed room—or at least no lamp allowed there. Shadow on wall.

104. Old sea tavern now far inland from made land. Strange occurrences—sound of lapping of waves.

105. Vampire visits man in ancestral abode—is his own father.

106. A thing that sat on a sleeper’s chest. Gone in morning, but something left behind.

1923

107. Wall paper cracks off in sinister shape—man dies of fright.

108. Educated mulatto seeks to displace personality of white man and occupy his body.

109. Ancient negro voodoo wizard in cabin in swamp—possesses white man.

110. Antediluvian—Cyclopean ruins on lonely Pacific island. Centre of earthwide subterranean witch cult.

111. Ancient ruin in Alabama swamp—voodoo.

112. Man lives near graveyard—how does he live? Eats no food.

113. Biological-hereditary memories of other worlds and universes. Butler—God Known and Unk. p. 59.

114. Death lights dancing over a salt marsh.

115. Ancient castle within sound of weird waterfall—sound ceases for a time under strange conditions.

116. Prowling at night around an unlighted castle amidst strange scenery.

117. A secret living thing kept and fed in an old house.

1924

118. Something seen at oriel window of forbidden room in ancient manor house.

119. Art note—fantastick daemons of Salvator Rosa or Fuseli (trunk-proboscis).

120. Talking bird of great longevity—tells secret long afterward.

121. Photius tells of a (lost) writer named Damascius, who wrote “Incredible Fictions,” “Tales of Daemons,” “Marvellous Stories of Appearances from the Dead”.

122. Horrible things whispered in the lines of Gauthier de Metz (13th cen.) “Image du Monde”.

123. Dried-up man living for centuries in cataleptic state in ancient tomb.

124. Hideous secret assemblage at night in antique alley—disperse furtively one by one—one seen to drop something—a human hand—

125. Man abandon’d by ship—swimming in sea—pickt up hours later with strange story of undersea region he has visited—mad??

126. Castaways on island eat unknown vegetation and become strangely transformed.

127. Ancient and unknown ruins—strange and immortal bird who speaks in a language horrifying and revelatory to the explorers.

128. Individual, by some strange process, retraces the path of evolution and becomes amphibious.

1925

129. Marble Faun p. 346—strange and prehistorick Italian city of stone.

130. N.E. region call’d “Witches’ Hollow”—along course of a river. Rumours of witches’ sabbaths and Indian powwows on a broad mound rising out of the level where some old hemlocks and beeches formed a dark grove or daemon-temple. Legends hard to account for. Holmes—Guardian Angel.

131. Phosphorescence of decaying wood—called in New England “fox-fire”.

132. Mad artist in ancient sinister house draws things. What were his models? Glimpse.

133. Man has miniature shapeless Siamese twin—exhib. in circus—twin surgically detached—disappears—does hideous things with malign life of his own.

134. Witches’ Hollow novel? Man hired as teacher in private school misses road on first trip—encounters dark hollow with unnaturally swollen trees and small cottage (light in window?). Reaches school and hears that boys are forbidden to visit hollow. One boy is strange—teacher sees him visit hollow—odd doings—mysterious disappearance or hideous fate.

135. Hideous world superimposed on visible world—gate through—power guides narrator to ancient and forbidden book with directions for access.

136. A secret language spoken by a very few old men in a wild country leads to hidden marvels and terrors still surviving.

137. Strange man seen in lonely mountain place talking with great winged thing which flies away as others approach.

138. Someone or something cries in fright at sight of the rising moon, as if it were something strange.

139. DELRIO asks “An sint unquam daemones incubi et succubae, et an ex tali congressu proles nasci queat?” [Red Hook]

140. Explorer enters strange land where some atmospheric quality darkens the sky to virtual blackness—marvels therein.

1926

141. Footnote by Haggard or Lang in “The World’s Desire”: “Probably the mysterious and indecipherable ancient books, which were occasionally excavated in old Egypt, were written in this dead language of a more ancient and now forgotten people. Such was the book discovered at Coptos, in the ancient sanctuary there, by a priest of the Goddess. ‘The whole earth was dark, but the moon shone all about the Book.’ A scribe of the period of the Ramessids mentions another in indecipherable ancient writing. ‘Thou tellest me thou understandest no word of it, good or bad. There is, as it were, a wall about it that none may climb. Thou art instructed, yet thou knowest it not; this makes me afraid.’ Birch Zeitschrift 1871 pp. 61–64 Papyrus Anastasi I pl. X, l.8, pl. X l.4. Maspero, Hist. Anc. pp. 66–67.

142. Members of witch-cult were buried face downward. Man investigates ancestor in family tomb and finds disquieting condition.

143. Strange well in Arkham country—water gives out (or was never struck —hole kept tightly covered by a stone ever since dug)—no bottom—shunned and feared—what lay beneath (either unholy temple or other very ancient thing, or great cave-world).

144. Hideous book glimpsed in ancient shop—never seen again.

145. Horrible boarding house—closed door never opened.

146. Ancient lamp found in tomb—when filled and used, its light reveals strange world.

147. Any very ancient, unknown, or prehistoric object—its power of suggestion—forbidden memories.

148. Vampire dog.

149. Evil alley or enclosed court in ancient city—Union or Milligan St.

150. Visit to someone in wild and remote house—ride from station through the night—into the haunted hills—house by forest or water—terrible things live there.

151. Man forced to take shelter in strange house. Host has thick beard and dark glasses. Retires. In night guest rises and sees host’s clothes about—also mask which was the apparent face of whatever the host was. Flight.

152. Autonomic nervous system and subconscious mind do not reside in the head. Have mad physician decapitate a man but keep him alive and subconsciously controlled. Avoid copying tale by W. C. Morrow.

1928

153. Black cat on hill near dark gulf of ancient inn yard. Mew hoarsely—invites artist to nighted mysteries beyond. Finally dies at advanced age. Haunts dreams of artist—lures him to follow—strange outcome (never wakes up? or makes bizarre discovery of an elder world outside 3-dimensioned space?)

154. Trophonius—cave of. Vide Class. Dict. and Atlantic article.

155. Steepled town seen from afar at sunset—does not light up at night. Sail has been seen putting out to sea.

156. Adventures of a disembodied spirit—thro’ dim, half-familiar cities and over strange moors—thro’ space and time—other planets and universes in the end.

157. Vague lights, geometrical figures, etc., seen on retina when eyes are closed. Caus’d by rays from other dimensions acting on optick nerve? From other planets? Connected with a life or phase of being in which person could live if he only knew how to get there? Man afraid to shut eyes—he has been somewhere on a terrible pilgrimage and this fearsome seeing faculty remains.

158. Man has terrible wizard friend who gains influence over him. Kills him in defence of his soul—walls body up in ancient cellar—BUT—the dead wizard (who has said strange things about soul lingering in body) changes bodies with him . . . leaving him a conscious corpse in cellar.

159. Certain kind of deep-toned stately music of the style of the 1870’s or 1880’s recalls certain visions of that period—gas-litten parlours of the dead, moonlight on old floors, decaying business streets with gas lamps, etc.—under terrible circumstances.

160. Book which induces sleep on reading—cannot be read—determined man reads it—goes mad—precautions taken by aged initiate who knows—protection (as of author and translator) by incantation.

161. Time and space—past event—150 yrs ago—unexplained. Modern period—person intensely homesick for past says or does something which is psychically transmitted back and actually causes the past event.

162. Ultimate horror—grandfather returns from strange trip—mystery in house—wind and darkness—grandf. and mother engulfed—questions forbidden—somnolence—investigation—cataclysm—screams overheard—

163. Man whose money was obscurely made loses it. Tells his family he must go again to THE PLACE (horrible and sinister and extra-dimensional) where he got his gold. Hints of possible pursuers—or of his possible non-return. He goes—record of what happens to him—or what happens at his home when he returns. Perhaps connect with preceding topic. Give fantastic, quasi-Dunsanian treatment.

164. Man observed in a publick place with features (or ring or jewel) identified with those of man long (perhaps generations) buried.

165. Terrible trip to an ancient and forgotten tomb.

166. Hideous family living in shadow in ancient castle by edge of wood near black cliffs and monstrous waterfall.

167. Boy rear’d in atmosphere of considerable mystery. Believes father dead. Suddenly is told that father is about to return. Strange preparations—consequences.

168. Lonely bleak islands off N.E. coast. Horrors they harbour—outpost of cosmic influences.

169. What hatches from primordial egg.

170. Strange man in shadowy quarter of ancient city possesses something of immemorial archaic horror.

171. Hideous old book discovered—directions for shocking evocation.

1930

172. Pre-human idol found in desert.

173. Idol in museum moves in a certain way.

174. Migration of Lemmings—Atlantis.

175. Little green Celtic figures dug up in an ancient Irish bog.

176. Man blindfolded and taken in closed cab or car to some very ancient and secret place.

177. The dreams of one man actually create a strange half-mad world of quasi-material substance in another dimension. Another man, also a dreamer, blunders into this world in a dream. What he finds. Intelligence of denizens. Their dependence on the first dreamer. What happens at his death.

178. A very ancient tomb in the deep woods near where a 17th century Virginia manor-house used to be. The undecayed, bloated thing found within.

179. Appearance of an ancient god in a lonely and archaic place—prob. temple ruin. Atmosphere of beauty rather than horror. Subtle handling—presence revealed by faint sound or shadow. Landscape changes? Seen by child? Impossible to reach or identify locale again?

180. A general house of horror—nameless crime—sounds—later tenants—(Flammarion) (novel length?).

181. Inhabitant of another world—face masked, perhaps with human skin or surgically alter’d human shape, but body alien beneath robes. Having reached earth, tries to mix with mankind. Hideous revelation.

182. In ancient buried city a man finds a mouldering prehistoric document in English and in his own handwriting, telling an incredible tale. Voyage from present into past implied. Possible actualisation of this.

183. Reference in Egyptian papyrus to a secret of secrets under tomb of high-priest Ka-Nefer. Tomb finally found and identified—trap door in stone floor—staircase, and the illimitable black abyss.

184. Expedition lost in Antarctic or other weird place. Skeletons and effects found years later. Camera films used but undeveloped. Finders develop—and find strange horror.

185. Scene of an urban horror—Sous le Cap or Champlain Sts.—Quebec—rugged cliff-face—moss, mildew, dampness—houses half-burrowing into cliff.

186. Thing from sea—in dark house, man finds doorknobs etc. wet as from touch of something. He has been a sea-captain, and once found a strange temple on a volcanically risen island.

1931

187. Dream of awaking in vast hall of strange architecture, with sheet-covered forms on slabs—in positions similar to one’s own. Suggestions of disturbingly non-human outlines under sheets. One of the objects moves and throws off sheet—non-terrestrial being revealed. Sugg. that oneself is also such a being—mind has become transferred to body on other planet.

188. Desert of rock—prehistoric door in cliff, in the valley around which lie the bones of uncounted billions of animals both modern and prehistoric—some of them puzzlingly gnawed.

189. Ancient necropolis—bronze door in hillside which opens as the moonlight strikes it—focussed by ancient lens in pylon opposite?

1932

190. Primal mummy in museum—awakes and changes place with visitor.

191. An odd wound appears on a man’s hand suddenly and without apparent cause. Spreads. Consequences.

1933

192. Thibetan ROLANG—Sorcerer (or NGAGSPA) reanimates a corpse by holding it in a dark room—lying on it mouth to mouth and repeating a magic formula with all else banished from his mind. Corpse slowly comes to life and stands up. Tries to escape—leaps, bounds, and struggles—but sorcerer holds it. Continues with magic formula. Corpse sticks out tongue and sorcerer bites it off. Corpse then collapses. Tongue become a valuable magic talisman. If corpse escapes—hideous results and death to sorcerer.

193. Strange book of horror discovered in ancient library. Paragraphs of terrible significance copies. Later unable to find and verify text. Perhaps discover body or image or charm under floor, in secret cupboard, or elsewhere. Idea that book was merely hypnotic delusion induced by dead brain or ancient magic.

194. Man enters (supposedly) own house in pitch dark. Feels way to room and shuts door behind him. Strange horrors—or turns on lights and finds alien place or presence. Or finds past restored or future indicated.

195. Pane of peculiar-looking glass from a ruined monastery reputed to have harboured devil-worship set up in modern house at edge of wild country. Landscape looks vaguely and unplaceably wrong through it. It has some unknown time-distorting quality, and comes from a primal, lost civilisation. Finally, hideous things in other world seen through it.

196. Daemons, when desiring an human form for evil purposes, take to themselves the bodies of hanged men.

197. Loss of memory and entry into a cloudy world of strange sights and experiences after shock, accident, reading of strange book, participation in strange rite, draught of strange brew, etc. Things seen have vague and disquieting familiarity. Emergence. Inability to retrace course.

1934

198. Distant tower visible from hillside window. Bats cluster thickly around it at night. Observer fascinated. One night wakes to find self on unknown black circular staircase. In tower? Hideous goal.

199. Black winged thing flies into one’s house at night. Cannot be found or identified—but subtle developments ensue.

200. Invisible Thing felt—or seen to make prints—on mountain top or other height, inaccessible place.

201. Planets form’d of invisible matter.

202. A monstrous derelict—found and boarded by a castaway or shipwreck survivor.

203. A return to a place under dreamlike, horrible, and only dimly comprehended circumstances. Death and decay reigning—town fails to light up at night—Revelation.

204. Disturbing conviction that all life is only a deceptive dream with some dismal or sinister horror lurking behind.

205. Person gazes out window and finds city and world dark and dead (or oddly changed) outside.

206. Trying to identify and visit the distant scenes dimly seen from one’s window—bizarre consequences.

207. Something snatched away from one in the dark—in a lonely, ancient, and generally shunned place.

208. (Dream of) some vehicle—railway train, coach, etc.—which is boarded in a stupor or fever, and which is a fragment of some past or ultra-dimensional world—taking the passenger out of reality—into vague, age-crumbled regions or unbelievable gulfs of marvel.

1935

209. Special Correspondence of NY Times—March 3, 1935 “Halifax, N.S.—Etched deeply into the face of an island which rises from the Atlantic surges off the S. coast of Nova Scotia 20 m. from Halifax is the strangest rock phenomenon which Canada boasts. Storm, sea, and frost have graven into the solid cliff of what has come to be known as Virgin’s Island an almost perfect outline of the Madonna with the Christ Child in her arms. The island has sheer and wave-bound sides, is a danger to ships, and is absolutely uninhabited. So far as is known, no human being has ever set foot on its shores.”

210. An ancient house with blackened pictures on the walls—so obscured that their subjects cannot be deciphered. Cleaning—and revelation. Cf. Hawthorne—Edw. Rand. Port.

211. Begin story with presence of narrator—inexplicable to himself—in utterly alien and terrifying scenes (dream?).

212. Strange human being (or beings) living in some ancient house or ruins far from populous district (either old N.E. or far exotic land). Suspicion (based on shape and habits) that it is not all human.

213. Ancient winter woods—moss—great boles—twisted branches—dark—ribbed roots—always dripping. . . .

214. Talking rock of Africa—immemorially ancient oracle in desolate jungle ruins that speaks with a voice out of the aeons.

215. Man with lost memory in strange, imperfectly comprehended environment. Fears to regain memory—a glimpse. . . .

216. Man idly shapes a queer image—some power impels him to make it queerer than he understands. Throws it away in disgust—but something is abroad in the night.

217. Ancient (Roman? prehistoric?) stone bridge washed away by a (sudden and curious?) storm. Something liberated which had been sealed up in the masonry of years ago. Things happen.

218. Mirage in time—image of long-vanish’d pre-human city.

219. Fog or smoke—assumes shaped under incantations.

220. Bell of some ancient church or castle rung by some unknown hand—a thing . . . or an invisible Presence.

221. Insects or other entities from space attack and penetrate a man’s head and cause him to remember alien and exotic things—possible displacement of personality.

#prompts #fic prompts #rp prompts #starters #rp starters #drabble prompts #lovecraft #cw: horror #cw: death #cw: body horror #ooc? what's ooc?

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elane-in-the-shadows · 7 years

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Red Queen Fan Fiction - Blood Curse part 8

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chapter 1

chapter 2

chapter 3

chapter 4

chapter 5

chapter 6

chapter 7

chapter 8

chapter 9

chapter 10

chapter 11

chapter 12

chapter 13

chapter 14

chapter 15

chapter 16

chapter 17

chapter 18

chapter 19

chapter 20

chapter 21

chapter 22

chapter 23

chapter 24

chapter 25

chapter 26

chapter 27

chapter 28

chapter 29

Final chapter

Gisa POV

At first, all Lacey wants is me to accompany her when Tramy can’t. It’s difficult to separate her tasks from mere socializing: I think she doesn’t want me to know about her work as I’m not a Scarlet Guard member, and I still don’t intend to become one. Yet the same is true for every Silver I know apart from her. Cal, Julian, Sara, they all seek only their own benefits. Cameron’s told me as much though she wavers on Sara’s wishes. She mentioned Sara’s help in training her which comes close to praising for Cameron. Now the skinhealer is in Corvium along with Mare and Cal while Mr. Jacos sits between his papers, beakers and bulbs.

Lacey visits him frequently when she has me come along. I was curious the first time, but I learned it’s more small talk between them, mostly old stories with Queen Elara being blamed. Apparently, Lacey’s mother was a Merandus but her own family abused her at a young age and hurt her too deeply to heal. It left Lacey with an enduring hatred for her own kind. She doesn’t say this to Mr. Jacos but her words are lined with judgement and guilt.

What I don’t find out is whether Mr. Jacos prefers to remain ignorant or takes her insights to heart. I suspect she doesn’t really care either. She’s dissembling, wanting to keep him talking and having access to him – and his studies.

Julian Jacos likes to drone about his projects even more, to her rejoice. Though his reports aren’t very detailed, as I manage to understand them as well, thus I suppose it’s not enough for Lacey. She might’ve known these things from an early age while they just help me to patch up questions I’ve had for some time. But she keeps on smiling, to everyone she meets, and I play along, versed in this game as well. Yet I remember her expression, it’s same one she wore when I thought her to be a vain and air-headed rich Silver, a girl to be dismissed.

“Actually, Mr. Jacos is not as ignorant as you may think he is,” Lacey says to me when we leave the part of the archives he’s working at. “He usually prefers to be the enlightened one himself, who sees through our games and facades. Now he would’ve to agree with me instead, in the presence of a Red like you, and he’d rather argue with me but can’t.”

She glances at me and I meet her eyes. I wish she’d just go on, not play with me.

“It unsettles him,” she adds after the unnecessary pause. “Makes him wish to change the topic so he can prattle. Until he lets something slip.”

She looks proud of herself and it’s my turn to be silent and let her wonder. Seconds drag by.

“I thought about our earlier conversation, Ms. Ventos,” I say eventually. “About how I feel uncomfortable to be your … friend.” I take a breath until I have her full attention. Even though I’ve earned as much, her humbleness is hardly satisfying to me. “When you were the lady and I was the servant, I was always afraid, of every step and stitch I made. I could barely trust my mistress, Ms. Hadley, though she never punished me for real. But I could’ve lost my apprenticeship at any time, if I wasn’t good, talented, or diligent enough. Or if I messed up with a customer – someone like you – and drew rumours to the shop and a bad reputation to me. I would’ve been banished from Summerton.

"So I had to be perfect and I was. With every praise I collected, my fears vanished and I could dream of a better life. But when you and your kind entered, my self-confidence was replaced by nervousness.”

I’m good at keeping my tears at bay, I’ve been for a long time. “Ms. Barrow,” Lacey says with strange compassion, but I’m not finished.

“You Silvers don’t act logical, so what were my efforts worth? You could’ve gotten away with almost everything, if you wanted to damage me, and out of a whim. You had power over me, and I can’t forget that. Nor can I trust you when wariness is what kept me alive”.

But it didn’t help me in the end, I think. I offended the Silvers, paid for it, and lost my future. Maybe it was for the better, given what we were pulled into in the end. I shouldn’t wish back my old life, but I loved a not small part of it, of becoming a mistress in creating beautiful fashion.

Lacey had enough time to swallow my words. Again, her consternated face means nothing to me, it’s only the bare minimum. “I apologize for exploiting your position,” she says finally. It startles me. “I tell you I resent the other Silvers, yet I looked away when it felt easier. I … claimed I wanted to use my connections, but how can I say that when it took my capture to turn my coat for real?”

Warm winds and chirping birds are the only noises around us while I brush my tears away. Lacey holds her composure, of course, but it costs her. I see the fractures in her attitude, her conviction to be a “good” Silver. It’s gone, replaced by shame, and she’ll have to live with that. As all humans have to live with their wrong-doings, more or less severe.

“I don’t want to fight,” I say. “I want me and my family to be happy.”

“Yes,” she admits. “Thank you for telling me all of that. It’s never easy.”

I nod gravely. “So you fight for us, and I’ll help you.”

Days later, she asks for me again. Seems like both of us preferred other work and company for a little time, though I’m a little glad she approaches me again. Whatever she searches for, it can’t wait any longer. I should demand her to tell me about it, out of fairness. Accomplices need at least some kind of trust.

Yet we keep up our charade, displaying distance only broken in fractions of moments when we look at each other, smirking, while our unaware informant doesn’t pay attention. Today it’s the colonel who isn’t allowed to pay attention to my and Lacey’s connection. I stop in time before he opens a door, but he storms out of the room without hesitation and almost stumbles over me. I give him a glare in his daughter’s manner and I’m lucky he recognizes me, thus displaying a modicum of politeness. While he apologizes and I greet him, Lacey takes flight to Jacos’s archives. I wonder why she’s so careful, it’s possible Mr. Jacos or another person is telling the colonel about her comings-and-goings.

The colonel moves to pat my shoulder in a strangely fatherly manner but I step away. “You haven’t visited us in a while,” I remind him. “My mother is worried, the baby cries, and my brothers are nervous. Please, if something happened to my sister – “ I stop in a pleading voice though my concern is real. There has to be a reason they’re staying away for so long, yet the whole base is ignorant of these politics.

The colonel jumps at my bait. “I’m surprised, Ms. Barrow, your brothers already know about the broadcast this evening. Your questions should be answered then.”

I blink, startled. “Oh.”

He outstretches his hand again but only to touch my sewing basket. “It won’t be long until the return of our operatives,” he adds.

“I see,” I say, give him a placating smile and turn away. “Well, I have some shirts to deliver.”

He waves his hand in farewell, it’s almost amusing.

Lacey crouches in a corner of the archives, Mr Jacos isn’t there. I go to her and notice she’s occupied with an unremarkable door, fumbling at the lock with a lighter.

“What are you doing,” I whisper, “intending to melt it?”

She blinks, blushing silver. “That won’t work,” I tell her, “and would be impossible to hide. Let me.” I sift through my sewing basket to find a set of needles, picking those I can do without. “I would expect a spy to be a lock-picker. Now, you’re lucky Mare and I trained this.”

She chuckles. “I’m humbled, you’re wonderful. Actually, my cousin Cassie can open every locked door, but she’s a telky and that … can’t be taught.”

During the minutes I work at our entryway, she keeps looking out for visitors. “You don’t want Mr. Jacos to know?” I ask.

“He doesn’t go in there either, and I would’ve taken his key if he did. That part of the archives is practically a mystery.”

The lock clicks and I rise with a moan, giving Lacey a smug glance.

“Thank you very much, Ms. Barrow, I’m indebted to you,” she says and curtseys to me.

The room is dusky, dusty, and full of books and other papers placed in simple steel shelves. It’s not huge but totally crammed. The part I look through is hardly useful. Every book is written in code or languages I don’t know, and I’ve never been good at reading strange hands. Lacey went further down and skims through folders, probably type-written. I take a last try before joining her, with a small book with one page larger than the rest. I flip to it and see it’s a photo. Old, showing a lovely Asian young woman with black hair and a pale, rosy complexion. I turn it around to read on the bakside, “Irene Asada, Ardent, 16 y.” I shrug and approach Lacey. She’s obviously dissatisfied, switching from her paper to mine immediately. I don’ think she expected much but her eyes widen at the sight of the photo. Then she focuses on the book.

“You can read it?” I marvel.

“I speak a little of the Lakelands tongue,” she replies without looking up. “Some people in the north west do as well, like this writer.”

“And?”

“Oh, this is a prize,” she mumbles. “Irene is an Ardent brought by her parents … similar to me, umm, actually not, her touch is like a drug, not … sickening?” Lacey blinks, confused, and sits down. “An asset for the Grand Task … I don’t think it’s grand, it’s murder … but necessary … many healers have died so far … but more – “ She gasps. “Every one of the scattered bases is a new challenge … Irene’s helpful, people do her biding … then I – Oh!” She stops.

“What is it?” I insist, curious to learn, but she stares into nothingness.

“They killed them …”

“I thought so?”

“No, they,” she has to clear her throat. “I am a plague, the writer says. Oh, gracious queen.”

“Can you please explain?”

Lacey frowns at me and sighs loudly. “Imagine all skinhealers died.”

“Hmm.” Their presence is a relief, our Red medics are versed, but expensive. I flex my right hand. Without Sara, it would still hurt and be hardly useful, and Dad would still be in his wheelchair. Yet we dealed with our states –

“The Silvers don’t have medics,” Lacey says finally, weirdly calm. “If someone just coughs or sniffs, a skinhealer is called. You think we’re gods, Gisa Barrow? We’re only humans with weak, cursed blood. Spread an infective disease among Silvers and we die like flies without our magic healers.

"And that’s what happened to the Monfort Silvers. They lived in clusters and fortresses, but Irene and her trainer broke in, as the trainer had the ability to make people ill.”

I flinch as she slams the book shut. “I’ll give this to the general when she comes back. Maybe she reads the Lakelands tongue as well.”

I realize I don’t wholly believe her. She’s completely shaken by this revelation and able to incinerate the book in an instant. Perhaps she’s just like Cal, protective of Silvers. But she’s already left before I can speak up or take the book from her.

There’s an assembly hall at the base, but my family and I go to a smaller room, designed for meetings. “I’ve no idea how things are at home at the moment,” Dad says and shakes his head, excited about getting news.

“They hardly tell us anything here,” Mom adds.

“There aren’t only Nortans here, Ruth.”

“Still, should be better.” Mom is disgruntled, but I’m sure she’s curious too, like all of us. If my brothers and Kilorn know more already, they don’t show it. I cross my arms like Mom, but quickly change my position again, nervous without something to occupy my hands with. I glance at the officer preparing the screen for the broadcast, but he makes no announcement before the screen lights up. The picture is dark at first, apart from a silhouette standing in the spotlight. The camera zooms in and I gasp – the person on the screen, still in a half-darkness, is Mare.

“We’ll rise, red as the dawn,” she calls. Her face brightens slowly, like the only light in a storm. “Citizens of Norta!” she goes on and the picture changes. A stage becomes visible, with several persons on it, Mare in front of them. She steps back and I take a look at her companions, and for a moment, I fall back into the days of her captivity. Because at first, all I see are the metal princess and the fire king with her. I blink, again and again, until my vision clears. Not the fire king who tortured my sister, but Cal. Mare stands on the right side of the group, next to Diana. Cal’s in the middle, then come the metal girl and the Monfort premier, Davidson.

It’s not like then it’s not like then it’s not -

“You know me, Mare Barrow, as the Lightning Girl swaying from one side to another. As I had to fight to survive, I had to tear myself apart, to play roles dictated on me, but I never forgot my dream. To end the suffering of the Reds by Silver hands. Now Maven Calore ended the war with the Lakelands, but only to focus on slaying Reds more directly, actually those rising with the Scarlet Guard and anyone who doesn’t fit his restrictive worldview. Although his actions have torn apart our country, this is a chance for renewal, for Reds, Silvers and Newbloods.”

Her part is over, and the camera shifts to Davidson on the left. “Ladies and gentlemen, the country Ms. Barrow wishes for exists. I am Dane Davidson, the premier of the Republic of Monfort, and a Newblood. We have built a state with democratic values, a government consisting of elected representatives. After years of becoming a new nation, we procured contacts to the Scarlet Guard in Norta and the Lakelands, to support those brave Red men and women in their fight for justice and equality. Despite Maven Calore’s lies and accusations, we have found great allies with the Scarlet Guard who strive for peace between the bloods and races. They are a group which has only ever welcomed Newbloods like me, as well as Silver supporters.”

Diana goes to the front, with a stiff composure and a serious expression where Davidson appeared friendly. Of course, she only smiles for Clara.

“The Scarlet Guard,” she begins, “has seen itself confronted with vicious propaganda, set to undermine any further support and recruitment of the rebellion. We, the Scarlet Guard, could not let that stand, yet I and other commanders decided to prove our intentions and aptitude with actions instead of words which Maven Calore uses only for lies and deceptions. So we fought. We conquered and defended Corvium, freed Ms. Barrow and many more Newbloods from their captivity and forced service by the pretender king, and we reunited the soldiers of the choke with their families. While we’re glad about every person who decides to join our cause, we won’t conscript them like slaves. We want your loyalty given according to your own free will and conviction, or not at all.

"And thus, I’m happy to still find Prince Tiberias at my side, fighting for Reds, for what is right, and now determined to destroy the pretender and tyrant Maven, by taking back his throne as King Tiberias Calore VII!”

What?!

Diana shouted the last line like a herald, to my great shock. A smile shows on her face, but it’s not amused at all, more like flashing a dagger and gone in an instant.

Just when Cal is about to start talking. He doesn’t display the self-confidence of the previous speakers and shifts on his feet before he begins. Yet he finds his stance soon enough, like the royal he was raised as.

“Ladies and gentlemen, my lords, Your Majesties and dear subjects, these are times of change. I have faced these challenges personally, and I will continue to do so, even while seeking unlikely partners. Monfort and the Scarlet Guard have the grace of backing the claim taken from me, as does the royal House Samos of the Rift.

"The Norta I was born in, as were many others, exists no longer. But that should not make you afraid because with your help, I will build a new country which will offer generosity to Reds, esteem to Silvers, and respect for each other. This will happen in peace, as Norta and the Kingdom of the Rift have pledged to support each other, settled by the union of me and Princess Evangeline Samos, my future queen, who will help me along with the Scarlet Guard and Monfort, to create the country of Norta anew.”

Cal outstretches his hand to the metal princess and she takes it like the demure ladies in ancient stories, stepping forward with her “betrothed”. I cannot believe what this is. Mare stands next to the man she loves as he announces a wedding between him and another woman. And Diana? Proclaiming Cal as “king” after making fun of his regal antics behind his back and being impatient to see all crowns fall? None of this seems real or makes sense, yet it must be. I feel lost, confused, I need answers, I want Mare back and –

Princess Evangeline lets go off Cal, it’s her turn to speak. I force myself to concentrate. She waits, enjoying her moment in the spotlight, having the last words. Mare’s told me of her intricate dresses she molds from metals, suspecting it interests me. It does. But the princess’s outfit today isn’t a miracle of fashionable design, or a dress. She’s covered with tight sheets of metals, shaped like the uniforms her companions on the stage are wearing. She looks like a toy soldier made of cast iron, like a frozen mockery.

Yet her face becomes lively, determined and threatening, when she finally speaks. “To create King Tiberias’s visions, grand tasks lie in front of us, and they will not be easy to fulfil. As we will have to ruin and destroy before we can rebuild.”

The screen turns dark, the light in the room is on again. The colonel was wrong, my questions weren’t answered by the broadcast. So feels everyone in the room as their quarreling starts.

Thanks to @calliopexclio for reading my first ideas <3

@mareshmallow @redqueenfandom @lilyharvord @clarafarleybarrow @mikey-waysjawline @universegamer @clara-farl3y @wrenskonos @runexandra @hannaharies @red-queen-united

Please tell me which prompt you’d prefer to celebrate 200 followers

#red queen #red queen fan fiction #red queen fanfiction #mare x cal #war storm #war storm fan fiction #storm born #gisa barrow #king's cage #blood curse #blood curse ch 8 #original character #lacey ventos

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zalrb · 7 years

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We’re starting to get somewhere {TVD 1x05 Review}

Hi all! Welcome to the fifth review of TVD season 1. Considering that I haven’t like sat down to watch a full episode of the past seasons of TVD in a few years and my memory might not be the greatest I think I will start with my usual disclaimer: I write my thoughts in real time so if I make a mistake at the beginning of this post, it will be corrected by the end. There will be anti-Damon and anti-Delena sentiments (I’m only mentioning these two because it’s the beginning of the series), and in light of recent events I feel the need to say that there may be some anti-Jenna sentiments too. I will probably bring up other shows and call attention to misogynoir, racism, anti-blackness etc. Also I do not have MS Word right now so I wrote this on Kingsoft, which is eh, so some of the formatting might be off. Ready? Let’s go.

1. “In the dark ages, when a vampire’s actions would bring harm or exposure to the entire race, they would face judgement, they sought to reeducate them than to punish them.” So, like, there IS a culture of vampires with certain traditions that Stefan knows but we never ever talk about it, and this line indicates that there is a governing body, which we never explore or hear about ever again. Such a missed opportunity.

2. “And then in 50 years we’ll reevaluate.” It’s actually a good plan and Stefan is a methodical thinker.

3. LOL I like how Elena is more horrified about what’s happening with Vicki and Jeremy than Jenna. “He could at least be craftier about it, make more of an effort to sneak her in and out.” Like if she’s going to be THAT kind of guardian then she should be proactive about it. Set a place for Vicki at the table, tell them to use condoms, and not sneak her in because if they’re going to have sex she’d at least want to know they’re being safe and they can be all, “Eew! Jenna!” but at least she’s DOING something.

4. I would respect Jenna’s presence a lot more if the show was like “we needed her here so CPS won’t come” except Matt and Vicki are virtually living on their own so Elena and Jeremy could’ve done so as well because Jenna literally serves no purpose #sorrynotsorry

5. I do love Elena mimicking Stefan though because it’s kind of on point. “Hi, uh ... Elena, uh...” LOL SHE IS NOT IMPRESSED and I think it shows how new yet how familiar they are with each other.

6. “Honestly, I’m not going to be one of those pathetic girls whose world stops spinning because of some guy!”

Julie Plec:

7. “I hate lying to her, Zach, I’m not GOOD at it” LOL you really aren’t, Stefan. Also Paul looks unbelievably gorgeous, OMG.

8. “Unbelievable, it’s like nothing happened.” Elena, instead of being lowkey judgemental of Caroline for trying to move on from a traumatic experience, why don’t you TALK to her about it?

9. “I have to be home after school but The Grill, around 4 o’clock?” So when does school end and how long does it take you to get home and then to The Grill from home? Because I finished school at 3:15 so like ... cutting it kind of close, Stefan? At least say 4:30.

10. I do like that Elena is pissed at Stefan but still wearing the SE, sorry the “DE”, necklace, it’s like when Buffy ws calling Angel a stalker but was still wearing his leather jacket, like OK, girl.

11. Elena, why would you ask Matt if he’d seen Stefan? That boy is lost in love with you, he done told you he wasn’t give up on you two, like have some tact.

12. I like how it was supposed to be this huge thing that Elena played pull with Damon in 1x11 but she was playing pool with Matt in 1x05 and he even gets her to stick around by teasing, “I’ll let you break” like you are not special, Damon.

13. Zach is stupid, Damon is coughing and you go to the cellar, why?

14. Zach is indulging Damon and I don’t even know why. Like if the coughing was bothering you so much then take a walk.

15. And see, you get choked out. And I don’t even feel bad.

16. Also, Elena isn’t talking about Vicki like she’s Matt’s sister.

17. “How late is it?” “Hitting the hour mark.” Seriously, Stefan, 4:00?

18. So Tiki’s grandfather is all “I know you” to Stefan and Elena turns around to look at Tiki’s grandfather so she’s standing next to Stefan and my God, they’re a gorgeous couple. Like we already knew that but sometimes there’s a moment where Nina and Paul stand next to each other and you’re like WOW, it reminds me of my friend and his boyfriend, like I’d hung out with them many times before but I was coming down the stairs at a party one night, kinda buzzed and I just saw them sitting together and they looked SO hot and I was like holy shit they’re a sexy couple and my other friend came and was like Zal, what’s up and I was like aren’t they a hot couple? And she was like YES and we just spent a good ten minutes with three other people marvelling about how hot they were and that’s how I feel right now.

19. Although Elena getting upset that an old man thinks he knows Stefan is weird, like the fact that the old man DOES know Stefan aside, Elena doesn’t know he’s a vampire yet, so I don’t think I would be suspicious of that, I’d be like lol ok old man, how many scotches have YOU had?

20. I do think it’s adorable that Elena storms home mad so then Stefan essentially just shows up like “So I’m cooking you dinner” and I love that Jeremy is in on it: “Jeremy told me that chicken parmasean is one of your favourites” because like how did that go? Did Stefan have Jeremy’s number or find him at The Grill somewhere like, I totally screwed up with Elena and I want to make it up to her to apologize, what does she ... I already got her a book, what’s her favourite dish? I can cook!

21. “He claims that he was with her first, I don’t know...” it’s funny because I usually sort of just overlook this line but the fact that Stefan doesn’t know when the timeline with him and Damon and Katherine began is because he was compelled. His memories came back when he turned, yes, but there are still things he wouldn’t know because it was only with Damon whereas Damon knew everything, Damon knew that Stefan was going to be Katherine’s escort to the Founder’s Ball and listened to their conversation in Katherine’s room. Like it’s actually really fucked up that Damon knew everything that was happening and didn’t think to protect Stefan from it. And I would be more ... understanding if there was also a sort of fear with Katherine? If Damon WAS like, he’s just a kid but I’m a man, maybe it should just be you and me and Katherine vamps out on him and chokes him and is like, “My game, my rules, understand?” but nothing like that happens, SO.

22. I really don’t get what it is that Jeremy sees in Vicki.

23. “But I am no snob” Stefan, honey, you’re a pop culture snob, it’s OK though.

24. These SE smiles, KILL ME.

25. Something else I just noticed! When Elena cuts her finger and Stefan vamps out, he turns away to hide his face and Elena is trying to get him to turn around and see but he won’t let her:

And in 1x10 the same thing happens except she tells him not to hide from her sohe obliges:

That is called development within the narrative.

26. I also enjoy this scene because it shows the tensions between both of Stefan’s worlds, Elena is getting to know the man Stefan, his interests, his hobbies, they’re vibing but then she cuts her finger and his vampirism springs forward so his other side is always there lurking beneath and he’s battling it to get to know her, to be with her. SE is poetic in a lot of ways, guys, ways in which DE and SC just can’t touch.

27. I also like that Stefan leans forward to kiss her but stops because he isn’t sure if it’s what she wants and Elena fucking sighs and kisses him like YES YOU IDIOT.

28. And then she pulls away and Stefan reaches forward for another kiss. Omg they’re adorbz.

29. So how exactly can Damon reach out to Caroline? Is it just because he fed on her?

30. Seriously, his terrorizing of Caroline just never fucking ends.

31. I do like that she was talking to Tiki about swimsuits because not everything has to be directly related to plot.

32. Omg why do they KEEP going down to the damn basement. Stefan I get that he’s your brother but the whole point is for him to desiccate and you said it would take a week. Come back in a week, fam. Or at least don’t TALK to him.

33. Lol these dorks trying to get the other to undress.

34. The Tiki and Bonnie thing still pisses me off.

35. Jenna and Logan ... Like, I guess.

36. They could’ve given Candice a better two piece.

37. I mean this could’ve been a scene where Stefan is topless for longer than 30 seconds but they chose not to and I’m just like but, like, why?

38. Elena is equally bad at lying to Stefan. You two need to try and stop lying to each other because you both see through the other.

39. Jenna, aren’t you supposed to be like a frazzled 26 year old Masters or PhD student but you have time to wait around for an hour for a man you ran away from town because of? I mean, I guess.

40. Vicki, Jeremy’s parents are dead, do you not think it’s a little disrespectful to take him to a cemetery to get wasted?

41. “You bit me.” “You liked it, remember?” “Why do I keep remembering the same things but in different ways?” “You remember what I want you to remember.” Oh but Damon didn’t rape Caroline, right?

42. I completely forgot that Damon chases Caroline throughout the Salvatore house to kill and feed on her but she only got away because he didn’t have his daylight ring. And people ask me to disregard season 1 Daroline?

43. They really shunt Bonnie’s witch storyline to the side until they need her to help Damon and Elena.

44. Vicki’s speech to Jeremy is stupid. I get there is a class difference between them and Vicki would be full of rage because of that and her absentee mom but, like, TVD doesn’t do it well enough for me to think she’s anything more than a brat especially in the context of the speech. Jeremy is rightfully angry because Vicki stole Elena’s pills from his house and they’re getting high in a cemetery which could be triggering to him and he calls the people they’re getting high with waste of space small town lifers and she gets angry like well what am I? But when has Jeremy EVER made her feel like she’s a waste of space? And her saying if she wants to feel like crap she can go back to Tyler is like ... You stole from his house, though. I don’t know, the context is all wrong, at least with Matt and Caroline when she makes a crack about him being a busboy, Matt being upset makes sense. In Friday Night Lights, I felt for Tyra who basically has the same storyline as Vicki and I can’t decide if it’s because of the writing or the acting.

45. Caroline is SO rude to Liz. And Liz is trying. I get that Caroline is traumatized by what happened but her hostility toward Liz in season 1 is literally something I never got. And please no one say “it’s just a teen thing” because no.

46. Elena finding out Stefan is a vampire and then immediately going to his house alone being like what are you??? Is like so you must know he won’t hurt you because you’re not being cautious at ALL.

OK! That’s all for 1x05 annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd I have 1x06 and 1x07 cued up so when I get home I may or may not review those too!

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bookworm-2692 · 7 years

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Rules: answer all questions, add one question of your own and tag as many people as there are questions. I was tagged by @thecloudmeister ty my guy!!!!

1. coke or pepsi: tbh i prefer sprite but like when im with my family and there’s both coke and pepsi (my dad likes pepsi and everyone else likes coke), i just grab whichever is closest i can’t taste a difference

2. disney or dreamworks: i have no idea they’re both great. theyve both made some super great movies

3. coffee or tea: tea!

4. books or movies: books always

5. windows or mac: mac. in primary school we had windows i could never figure out how to use them

6. dc or marvel: well ive seen zero dc movies and two marvel movie and read zero comics from either.........

7. x-box or playstation: ive never had/played either

8. dragon age or mass effect: ive never played either but i have watched a friend (annabel) play a bit at school sometimes......

9. night owl or early riser: i dont actually think im either anymore. i used to say early riser but even tho i wake early i dont get up for ages. definitely not night owl tho i get too tired

10. cards or chess: cards! i bring a double pack to school everyday. sometimes when i wont be available i give the cards to friend as a peace offering for my absence so they can continue playing without me. unfortunately at school we mostly play bullshit. i hate that game. ive managed to teach some friends the wonders of fan tan w two decks of cards luckily. i also really like five hundred but bc its complicated i dont get to play it often

11. chocolate or vanilla: you mean for icecream? chocolate

12. vans or converse: ive never had either

13. Lavellan, Trevelyan, Cadash, or Adaar: i dont know who any of these are

14. fluff or angst: fluff????

15. beach or forest: beach, but forests are also cool. i just live near a beach so

16. dogs or cats: hmm i love both???? whichever lets me pat it haha

17. clear skies or rain: i think clear skies but rain and storms are cool sometimes (except when im driving and four lanes has to merge to two w little notice bc bits of a tree flew off all over the road bc it was hit by lightning). idk

18. cooking or eating out: depends what food and whos cooking vs where the place is

19. spicy food or mild food: i like spicy food???? mild isnt bad tho??? but i dont know if what i consider spicy is considered spicy everywhere????

20. halloween/samhain or solstice/yule/christmas: christmas. we celebrate it every year (ie its an excuse to get the whole family round and i love my family). ive never really celebrated halloween bc its too american

21. would you rather forever be a little too cold or a little too hot: ok normally i say its better if its cooler outside bc you can put more clothes on/get warm but if its too hot you cant take off all your clothes (or it can be too hot despite having done that). but to ALWAYS feel a little hot or cold no matter what.... im not sure. if i lived somewhere super cold id say feel hot and vice versa... but bc of climate change its been a cold summer? but also sometimes hot. i have no idea

22. if you could have a superpower, what would it be: my friend (em) said that if you answered anything other than teleportation for this youre wrong. im not sure tho? shapeshifter is also cool bc then you can fly if you feel like it or w/e. idk ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

23. animation or live action: animation. animated kids movies are so good

24. paragon or renegade: i dont know what these are

25. baths or showers: im too tall i dont fit in the bath anymore so showers

26. team cap or team ironman: i have no idea??? at least theyre both marvel haha since i said ive seen two marvel movies (avengers and the sequel) but like i honestly dont know. it was nearly two years ago i saw them i dont really care

27. fantasy or sci-fi: ooooooo idk. i read so much fantasy when i was younger that i think i overdid myself but now i read more sci-fi????? but i love both theyre so good. i love reading

28. do you have three or four favourite quotes, if so what are they: no i dont. like i may hear a quote and think “thats cool” but like???? they clearly dont do much bc i dont remember any

29. youtube or netflix: i dont have netflix. so youtube.

30. harry potter or percy jackson: the funny thing is i read harry potter when i was like 10-12 and i didnt read percy jackson until i was like 14? 15? and im pretty sure the target audience is supposed to be the other way round but oh well. im not sure. i love both. i think maybe percy jackson (well i really love the magnus chase series and im gonna assume “percy jackson” isnt specifically his series but all of the rick riordan ones)

31. when you feel accomplished: im not sure??? when i do well at school i guess??? or when people compliment me? especially when the scary old lady in charge of netball compliments me. shes super scary and doesnt give compliments to be nice so when she says youve done something well, you KNOW its true

32. star wars or star trek: star wars. never seen star trek

33. paperback books or hardback books: hardcover books are so fancy and cool? but paperback books are much easier to read and hold

34. to live in a world without literature or without music?: oh. oh. im gonna say music? bc although im listening to music rn and i love eurovision which is based on eurovision, sometimes i get bored of music? and having music on means i dont want to turn it off so i can read and i love reading? so i’d read more. i dont know what i would do without books tho. and if i read too much and got bored of that i could play cards or force myself to do homework but ive gotten bored of music more quickly than of books (bc i sometimes just sit there doing nothing while listening). so books

35. what’s one thing you hope to accomplish in life? im not sure. i hope i find a job in the future i enjoy so i look forward to work??? but right now i have no idea what that might be. i also hope to continue to stay friends with a bunch of my current friends. but accomplish??? maybe do well this year. that would be nice. it would be easier if i could force myself to study/do homework tho. i dont know what i want

36: what is your favourite place to be? i dont think i have a specific favourite place? maybe more of a situation. i love being with friends/family and having a good time, which means favourite places are places i often get to be with family or friends having a good time. idk

37: biggest pet peeve? i dont think i have one big general pet peeve? just oddly specific ones that only apply to specific people (you could ask me about specific people if you wanted to haha). i think maybe people not taking class time seriously and mucking around? as tho school doesnt matter? i know i kinda do that in english tho so i guess its not fair but like idk how to describe nvm

38: what kind of music do u listen to when youre sad and what kind when ur happy or is it the same: well i dont have specific playlists i just shuffle all my music? i dont often skip so i suppose its the same???? idk

39: whats the best thing about your best friend/a good friend

tagging (i know the rules say i need to tag like 38 people but no) (this is based on who is in my activity): @a-lostflower-inlove-with-eden @spacegothprincess @sparky-nobody @arindante @jazzythecatticus @invisiblesimmer @sisduke @tacticallycareless @zakounenharma @lostandcluttered-blog ok thats 10 people @ms-gobbledygoo @productiveunicorn @starelin2 @autisticvaswani @kanavitas @preusseme @telgeunge @justicetom21 @dimemetra @snigelsol thats 20 @studyandsoup @kappa776 @twicksterjackles @antiloquist @mafusesame ok 25 people has got to be enough i cant be bothered scrolling through my activity anymore but i could probably make it to 38 if i wanted to???? obviously you dont have to answer this if you dont want to

#ask #thecloudmeister #bookworm-2692 #thank you so much for tagging me!!!

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aion-rsa · 4 years

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Awesome Moms of Science Fiction and Fantasy

https://www.denofgeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/harry-potter-movies.png?resize=400%2C400

Fantasy tends to be a genre of dead mothers and wicked stepmothers. Perhaps this shouldn’t be a surprise since modern stories often draw on generations of fairy tales and retellings with absent moms. Yet when the mothers are part of the story, they frequently function solely in their parental role, without an indication of their own personhood beyond that. So for Mother’s Day, I wanted to create a list of some of science fiction and fantasy’s (SFF) amazing moms. We may not get to see the lives of these moms on screen or on the page, but we’ve got the clues to know that they are their own people—and that makes them realer mothers.

Laurel Lightfoot

I’ve already written about what I loved about Pixar’s Onward as a gamer, but my first response to the film really came as a mother. Laurel Lightfoot, a single mom who has been raising two boys since her husband died 16 years earlier, doesn’t hesitate for a second to charge into danger when she thinks her boys are in trouble. While there’s a classic Mama Bear element that emphasizes her mom-ness, there’s also the fact that she picks up a giant sword and goes head to head with a dragon.

I watched the film thinking “I want to be the kind of mom who does that.” Part of the reason Laurel’s in shape enough to go dragon-slaying is that she does her own workouts in the morning and she’s got a mean ogoshi (hip throw) that she utilizes early on. She obviously still loves the husband she lost, but she’s moved on and is in a long-term relationship. At the end of the movie, she goes out for a girl’s night, wielding a battle ax. As a mom character, she’s got plenty of personhood beyond her role as a mom—and all of that comes together to a high degree of awesome.

Queen Ramonda

Being the mother of the Black Panther can’t be easy. Being the mother of two Black Panthers, as happens to Queen Ramonda in a recent run of comics set in Wakanda (Shuri has taken on the Black Panther mantle twice), has to be even harder.

While there’s never a doubt that Queen Ramonda takes the back seat to her children, she’s clearly got a backbone of steel. In the MCU, when Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) wins in ritualistic combat against T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman), Angela Bassett’s Queen Ramonda, along with her companions, brave Jabari land to gain allies in taking back Wakanda. In the first issue of Nnedi Okorafor’s excellent run on Shuri, Queen Ramonda brings back The Elephant’s Trunk, a group of women who would secretly guide Wakanda from behind the scenes. Queen Ramonda is always there to support her children, but she’s also always there to support her country, and to make sure that Wakanda stays strong.

Molly Weasley

For the majority of the Harry Potter series, Molly Weasley (Julia Waters in the movies) serves as the good-mom vision of what Harry could have had. She dotes on her children. She supports her husband, even when she thinks he’s made the wrong choices (flying car???). But there’s a moment at the end of the series when Molly Weasley unleashes, and we see that, as well as being a maternal presence, she’s also a witch packing a whole lot of heat in her wand. While there was a debate back when the last book came out that her magic was wasted as a housewife, there’s also an element of choice there: Who says that having powerful magic as a mom isn’t important?

Captain Callisto

While Miles from Tomorrowland may not be a television show on a lot of adult radars, it has the rare distinction of having the mom be the captain of a family run ship. Captain Callisto works for the Tomorrowland Transit Authority, and it’s her job that takes Miles and the rest of the family all over the galaxy. She’s the final word when it comes to decisions for any mission—but she’s also mom, and she’s there to help her children navigate their own place in the universe.

Janet van Dyne

The original Wasp has gone through a number of incarnations in the comics, and not all of them were great moms. Michelle Pfeiffer’s recent MCU incarnation, where it’s the hope of seeing her daughter again that allows her to communicate from the Quantum Realm, that works best for me as a character who is both all-mom and all-person.

First, Janet’s work as an agent for SHIELD led her to make the ultimate sacrifice to save the world—not something mom characters are always allowed to do. When she returns from the Quantum Realm, she’s got even more abilities, something I hope she’ll get to explore with the help of her family. But even while she’s a superhero, she still calls her daughter Jellybean with so much love, you can see it radiate from her—even when she’s doing it from inside the body of Scott Lang.

Sally Jackson

One of the guiding beacons of light through the “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” middle grade series by Rick Riordan is Percy’s mother, who is the one person who loves him unconditionally. Although for the entire first book, Percy’s motivation is that he thinks his mother is dead, it turns out the gods were just playing havoc with mortals, and by the end of the novel, not only does she return to life, but she also reclaims her own personhood from an abusive relationship.

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As the novels progress, Sally only ever appears in the background, but you can tell there’s growth and development for her off stage as she pursues her dream career, and as she becomes romantically involved with a really solid boyfriend. When Percy tries to get them both to safety late in the series, the pair enthusiastically join in the battle to save the world—which shows that parents don’t have to get left at home to do nothing while their hero kids battle against incredible odds.

Joyce Summers

While Joyce Summers (Kristine Sutherland) of Buffy the Vampire Slayer actually does stay at home for the most part, she also stepped up to the plate when needed. She and Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) had a tumultuous relationship, and she actually doesn’t take it well at all when Buffy’s Slaying comes out, but eventually, she becomes a supportive figure in Buffy’s life, as well as a center of normalcy in the midst of weirdness.

Joyce serves in a supportive mothering role to other characters in the series—including in one heart to heart with Spike (Jason Marsters)—and loves Buffy’s supernatural sister, Dawn, despite having had her memories rewritten in order to accept her. While in many ways Joyce fits into the category of the mom who only ever gets to be a mom, the series frequently hinted at aspects of her life beyond being mother to the Slayer, and her loss was felt deeply by the characters after her (natural) death.

Muneeba Khan

Unlike Joyce Summers when she discovered Buffy’s secret identity, Muneeba Khan, mother of fan favorite Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel, drops another kind of bomb when Kamala fesses up: she already knew. While Kamala has been running around, hiding her superhero activities for months, Muneeba figured out what was going on and quietly supported Kamala’s activities.

While frequently Muneeba’s role in Ms. Marvel has been as a parental figure to avoid, rebel against, or seek out for solace and comfort, there are few moments or parent-child interactions in comics that have hit me as deeply as that reveal in Ms. Marvel Vol. 3 #18. It’s both the ultimate in realizing that your mom always knows what you’re up to—and an ultimate showing of love.

Martha Kent

Moms aren’t defined solely as the person who gives birth to a child. Some of the greatest moms in SFF are adoptive, or found family. One such mom who consistently reassures with her presence is Martha Kent, who raised the orphaned Kal-El as her own. But she’s not one to just sit back and let the world happen around her. On Smallville, not only did Annette O’Toole’s Martha serve on both the Kansas State Senate and the U.S. Senate, but she also took on the mantle of the Red Queen to protect Clark’s secret identity. That’s a lot for any mom to take on!

Granma Ben

In the excellent Bone comic series by Jeff Smith, Granma Ben emerges as one of the coolest grandmothers around—early on, readers find out she’s the reigning champion of the annual cow race, and that’s long before they realize how much of her life she had to hide in order to keep her granddaughter Thorn safe.

She’s the only mother that Thorn ever knows, and she’s continually heroic in the way she stands up to the evils of the world around them, serving as a role model for Thorn—and Fone Bone—as they navigate the evils Granma Ben accidentally helped set into motion.

Alfred Pennyworth

Sometimes, the role of mother falls beyond the neat boxes celebrated on the card-giving holiday, and I think one such character who consistently serves as a mother to a broken superhero who badly needs one is Alfred Pennyworth.

Both as Bruce Wayne and Batman, the hero relies on Alfred to manage things. Alfred also regularly serves as Bruce’s moral compass, particularly in the Christopher Nolan films where he’s played by Sir Michael Caine. Alfred loves Bruce unconditionally, even when he’s making the wrong decisions, and he’s there to help Bruce be a better person—which is one of the best ways to describe the job of a mom.

Who are your favorite mothers in SFF?

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gokinjeespot · 5 years

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off the rack #1277

Monday, September 2, 2019

Happy Labour Day. Not doing much labour today after two tough days of fishing in the wind. I was out on the Ottawa River with a friend and his young son on Saturday. We took shelter in the Nation River where it wasn't so blustery. I managed to catch an albino pike in the muddy water there. I wish my guests had better luck. I was out on Mississippi Lake yesterday and we were being blown hither and yon again. We found a little refuge in the lee of an island where I caught a little pike, what anglers call a hammer handle. I also had two larger fish on but they got off my barbless hooks before we could see what they were. It's a big lake and I'll be back exploring it again another day.

There are too many comic books on the racks these days. I've been complaining about this for a long time. I love the diversity and variety but if I had to buy the books that I read I couldn't afford it all. If you count the variant covers there are around 100 new books that hit the racks every week. That's mind bogglingly overwhelming to me. Not only that, but it's hard to keep track of everybody. When I started reading comic books there was only one Spider-Man. Now we have three major Spider-Mans and I'm not even counting the clones and ones from the future and other dimensions. How about how many Robins are flying around these days? At least old Robins have evolved into other characters. How is a new reader supposed to distinguish the Spider-Man in New York City to the one in San Francisco just from flipping through the pages? Yeah, okay, one's Amazing and the other is Superior. It's must be daunting to people who want to try reading comic books to follow a book and I'm sure the confusion doesn't help things. I'm pining for the good old days when you didn't need a full time job to afford buying comic books and you didn't have to remember which Batman you are reading about.

House of X #3 - Jonathan Hickman (writer) Pepe Larraz (art) Marte Gracia (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). Okay, the ultimate goal of the Mutant Nation is to prevent Nimrod from coming into existence. If you've been reading Powers of X you know that they failed. This does not mean that these stories are boring. Cyclops and his team go on a mission to stop a space station from completing their development of a Sentinel factory. It's still exciting to see these X-Men in action. The trial of a mutant at the super max prison for mutants was a fun scene.

Thor #16 - Jason Aaron (writer) Mike del Mundo (art) Mike del Mundo & Marco D'Alfonso (colours) VC's Joe Sabino (letters). This issue is a most excellent epilogue to the War of the Realms and sets up the next chapter of the life of Thor. I can't wait for King Thor #1 to hit the racks on September 11.

Detective Comics #1010 - Peter J. Tomasi (writer) Christian Duce (art) David Baron (colours) Rob Leigh (letters). There's a big boo-boo in this story where Bruce Wayne has to fight Deadshot after a plane crash onto a somewhat deserted island. Why would he wear a disguise that makes him look like Batman? Didn't think things through there, did you Bruce?

The Amazing Spider-Man #28 - Nick Spencer (writer) Kev Walker (pencils) John Dell (inks) Laura Martin & Andrew Crossley (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). Spider-Man's team up with Boomerang and their run in with the Syndicate comes to an end and almost everyone lives happily ever after. Except for Peter Parker, of course. I've been thinking of benching this book but this fun issue changed my mind.

Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #11 - Tom Taylor (writer) Juann Cabal (art) Rachelle Rosenberg (colours) VC's Travis Lanham (letters). If I ever do stop reading the Amazing Spider-Man this title will more than pick up the slack. Here we have a story that ties into the end of the War of the Realms. Mary Jane has an adventure while Peter is resting. I love that they are a couple again.

Absolute Carnage #2 - Donny Cates (writer) Ryan Stegman (pencils) JP Mayer (inks) Frank Martin (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). Venom and Spider-Man split up to gather reinforcements to fight the Carnage epidemic. The issue ends with Venom trying to save the Scorpion and Miles but the odds against the good guys are enormous. I almost decided to step away from this mega event while reading the first page of this issue because it focused on what Carnage's ultimate goal is. Mindless killing isn't appealing to me. I'm glad the Carnage sequences aren't the main part of this book.

Runaways #24 - Rainbow Rowell (writer) Andre Genolet (art) Matthew Wilson (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). Karolina and Nico don masks and costumes to go out and fight crime in Los Angeles. There isn't a lot of action until the end but then things get very interesting. I can't wait to find out who the caped crusader is.

Spider-Man Life Story #6 - Chip Zdarsky (writer) Mark Bagley (pencils) Andrew Hennessy (inks) Frank D'Armata (colours) VC's Travis Lanham (letters). And so this 6-issue mini ends in 2019 with Peter Parker and Miles Morales saving the world from Doctor Doom. It was cool how Chip used 50 years of Marvel continuity to tell this Spider-Man story and end it with a life well lived. May Peter Parker rest in peace.

Marvel Team-Up #5 - Clint McElroy (writer) Ig Guara (art) Felipe Sobreiro (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). This Ms. Marvel and Captain Marvel team-up story is really freaking good. The arrival of more Kree warriors on the last page means that there will be plenty of action next issue. I'm going to be looking for Clint McElroy's name on the racks now because this story has impressed me all to heck.

Marvel Comics #1000 - I'm not going to list all 137 creators names. The back cover has them in alphabetical order and there is a one and a half page listing of the writers, penciller, inkers, colourists and letterers in the back of this ginormous book. I had a better time reading this than the first issue of the History of Marvel Comics. It was a pleasant walk down memory lane for this Marvel Maniac. The Eternity Mask is introduced and a new character named the Raider makes an appearance. My favourite pages were the ones with Deadpool. There's a lot crammed into this book but if you've been a Marvel reader for as long as I have you'll realize that there's a lot missing too. You'll more than get your money's worth for $9.99 US.

Action Comics #1014 - Brian Michael Bendis (writer) Szymon Kudranski (art) Brad Anderson (colours) Rob Leigh (letters). They sure are milking this Leviathan mystery for all its worth. If you're anticipating a big battle between Superman and the Red Cloud based on the cover you'll be sadly disappointed. The crimson criminal only appears on two pages and she's attacking somebody else. The big surprise happens on the last page with a patented Bendis cliffhanger. The new owner of the Daily Planet will be played in the movie by Orpah Winfrey.

Fantastic Four 4 Yancy Street #1 - Gerry Duggan (writer) Greg Smallwood, Mark Bagley, Luciano Vecchio & Pere Perez (art) Greg Smallwood & Erick Arciniega (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). This one shot was enlightening for some new details shown of Ben Grimm's youth on Yancy Street. Who knew Doc Doom was a practical joker?

Batman Superman #1 - Joshua Williamson (writer) David Marquez (art) Alejandro Sanchez (colours) John J. Hill (letters). It's the World's Finest team versus the Batman Who Laughs. The super villain killed all the heroes and villains in his home dimension before coming to ours. He can infect anybody and turn them evil ala the Joker. It's a simple concept and Batman and Superman must find a way to stop the plague. The really bad news is that some of their allies could be infected and we find out the first one at the end of this issue. Even without the nice art by David Marquez, there's enough here to make me want to keep reading.

Absolute Carnage Miles Morales #1 - Saladin Ahmed (writer) Federico Vicentini (art) Erick Arciniega (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). I'm only reading this 3-issue spin off because it's about Miles. Carnage is going around killing everybody who had ever been infected by his symbiote. The Scorpion was a victim and Miles just happens to be fighting the super villain when Carnage and his minions show up. This issue doesn't end well for the young hero. I want to see how Miles gets back to normal again so I'll read the rest.

Avengers #23 - Jason Aaron (writer) Stefano Caselli (art) Jason Keith (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). In part 2 of "Challenge of the Ghost Riders" we learn what demonic being has taken possession of Avengers headquarters. Meanwhile Robby Reyes races against Johnny Blaze in hell. I'm learning more about the Ghost Riders that I ever wanted to know.

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deniscollins · 5 years

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Becoming Greta: ‘Invisible Girl’ to Global Climate Activist, With Bumps Along the Way

Greta Thunberg has missed school for the 25th Friday to protest at Parliament on behalf of addressing climate change issues. If you were her school principal would you tell her teachers to: (1) Fail her for missed exams, or (2) Make accommodations for her to take missed exams some other time so she can continue with her protests without impacting her grades? What if other students began missing school on Friday to protest this or other issues at Parliament? Why? What are the ethics underlying your decisions?

It’s complicated being Greta.

Small, shy, survivor of crippling depression, Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old Swedish girl skipping school to shame the world into addressing climate change, drew a parade of fans one Friday in February on a frozen square in Stockholm.

Six Swiss students had traveled 26 hours by train to seek her support for their petition for a tougher Swiss carbon emissions law. An Italian scientist told her she reminded him of his younger, activist self. A television news crew hovered around her. Women from an antismoking group came to give her a T-shirt.

Greta nodded, whispered, “Thanks,” posed for pictures. Made exactly zero small talk.

All this attention, she said out of earshot of the others, is great. It means “people are listening.” But then, a knife-blade flash of rage revealed itself.

“It’s sometimes annoying when people say, ‘Oh you children, you young people are the hope. You will save the world’” she said, after several grown-ups had told her just that. “I think it would be helpful if you could help us just a little bit.”

This is signature Greta. Wry. Blunt. Sometimes sarcastic. The opposite of sweet.

It surfaced again on Friday, when Prime Minister Theresa May’s office dismissed school walkouts in Britain as a distraction that “wastes lesson time.” Greta swiftly struck back on Twitter: “But then again, political leaders have wasted 30 yrs of inaction. And that is slightly worse.”

Like a modern-day Cassandra for the age of climate change, her solitary act of civil disobedience — this was the 25th Friday that she skipped school to protest at Parliament — has turned her into something of a global commodity. It has inspired huge children’s demonstrations elsewhere, prompted a debate about whether children should skip classes for climate action, and invited trolls, haters and skeptics who wonder who profits from Greta.

The last six months have been, as she said, “a weird contrast.” They have compelled her to talk, talk a lot, which is something she is not accustomed to.

“All my life I’ve been invisible, the invisible girl in the back who doesn’t say anything,” she said. “From one day to another, people listen to me. That’s a weird contrast. It’s hard.”

At midday, as the sky turned gray, her father, Svante, brought lunch. Chickpeas and rice, which she ate, standing, alone in the crowd, in minute forkfuls, like a bird, before receiving a gaggle of third-graders in snowsuits. By the end of the afternoon, a full 7 hours standing outside in the cold, she was very tired. All she wanted to do, she said, was to go home and lie on the couch with her dogs.

Greta Thunberg is an unlikely, though not entirely accidental, activist.

The eldest of two girls, she grew up in Stockholm. She studied piano and ballet and theater. She did well in school. Like many children, she watched educational films about the melting Arctic and the fate of the polar bears and the marine mammals bloated with plastic. But unlike other children, she couldn’t let them go. “I became very affected. I began thinking about it all the time and I became very sad,” she said. “Those pictures were stuck in my head.”

Adolescence brought social pressures. She wasn’t into the things that many other kids were into. Mobile phones. Clothes. None of it interested her, her father recalled. “I think she was very isolated and very lonely,” Mr. Thunberg said.

By age 11, Greta had fallen into a deep funk. She stopped going to school. She stopped eating. She stopped growing. She spoke only to family, and, at school, only to one teacher, Anita von Berens.

“Before, my own world was very big,” she recalled. “I was all alone.”

Is the alone-world still there?

“Yes,” she readily replied. “But it’s getting smaller and the real world is getting bigger.”

“I’m happier now,” she added. “I have meaning. I have something I have to do.”

It was a cold, silver Saturday morning, the day after her weekly school strike. Mr. Thunberg had brought her to see the horse her family keeps and shares with other children in a stable outside the city. Greta brushed the animal, an Icelandic horse named Freyja. “Like a massage,” she said. She cleaned the gunk from its hooves. “Mostly poop,” she said. She tried to keep her black Lab, Roxy, from gobbling the stuff off the snow. “Hopeless,” she grumbled.

Freyja, she said, is very stubborn, and it took her some time to get the bit into the horse’s mouth before taking her for a slow ride in the woods. Being with her horse calms her, Greta said. The trees should be covered in snow by this time. It has snowed less than normal this year, she said.

She remains tiny for her age, a consequence of barely eating during her struggle with depression. She doesn’t laugh much, or make small talk.

Or, as she puts it, “I only say what’s necessary.”

She prefers the company of adults and animals to children of her own age. Bullying and depression have taken a toll.

Getting through the rough patch took months. Greta said what made her feel better was to be heard, first by her parents. She goaded them to stop eating meat. Then she goaded them to become vegan, which they also did, except that, according to Greta, her mother, Malena Ernman, continues to sneak in cheese. “At night, so I won’t see it,” Greta said.

Her most important victory came when, in 2016, she persuaded her mother to stop flying, which was a big deal because Ms. Ernman is an opera singer well-known in Sweden whose career depends on traveling widely. Soon came a flurry of attention to the no-fly decision and, eventually, a book that Ms. Ernman and Mr. Thunberg wrote about how their child had changed them.

“It felt very good to be listened to,” Greta said.

On Friday, Aug. 20, around the time her parents’ book came out, she sat in front of the Swedish Parliament. Word quickly spread. Soon came an invitation to the United Nations climate conference and another to the World Economic Forum, in Davos, Switzerland, where she told a roomful of business leaders that their financial success had “come with an unthinkable price tag” for the planet.

Greta, for her part, has told her mother not to join her at the protests. She said she does not want anyone to think her mother put her up to it. (Through her husband, Ms. Ernman declined to be interviewed.)

Being Ms. Ernman’s daughter prepared Greta for this role. “That’s one of the pros of having a famous mother,” she said. “I’m quite familiar with the media and how it works.”

Only once, when she confronted journalists lined up to interview her at Davos, did she freeze. Like before, the words didn’t come.

These days, she said, she thinks carefully about everything she does — what she wears, what she says, whom she connects with on Facebook. She curates her social media carefully, posting a picture of herself riding back from Davos by train, which drew attention to the conference participants who had chartered private jets.

Sometimes, her public role brings unwelcome attention. A plastic-wrapped sandwich in one of the pictures on the train brought criticism. A German politician, Paul Ziemiak, challenged her on Twitter recently by posting an unflattering emoji of a monkey covering its eyes. He was roundly criticized for picking on a child.

And an investigation by the newspaper Svenska Dagbladet asserted that Greta’s name and photograph had been used to raise money for a start-up. (Mr. Thunberg said the family had not been informed; the start-up founder, Ingmar Rentzhog, confirmed that Greta’s name and photo had appeared in a financial prospectus for the start-up without the family’s prior knowledge but he denied that her name had been used to raise capital.)

It prompted Greta to write a long Facebook post, declaring that she is acting independently and that neither she nor her family are accepting any money.

Her former teacher, Ms. von Berens, marveled at her transformation. She also wondered what would happen next, when the attention fades. “I don’t think this will be forever,” she said.

As for Greta, this is her last semester of 9th grade. She is weighing whether to take a year off to pursue her activism full time.

Asked if she would go to New York in September for the United Nations climate summit if invited, Greta said she would not fly. But, she could sail there on a ship. And she’s learned that going on a container ship would have the smallest carbon footprint.

#Protests #Climate Change #School

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