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dear-wormwoods · 4 years

Note

may I ask for a style fanfic rec list? 🥺🥺🥺

I have a couple of requests for this and I’ve been thinking about how to respond, because to be honest, I very rarely read fic these days. And by ‘these days’ I mean like, since 2014. I always have things I intend to read, but then time goes by and I don’t get around to it. So nothing I’m going to rec is new and you’ve probably already read them fkjds.

Anyway, sorry to be predictable by just being like “read Hollycomb’s fics” but...

The Scenic Route - 116k words, should be rated E for the final two chapters (I literally have no idea why it’s rated T on AO3, it was definitely M when I first read it on ff.net years ago)

Summary: The boys embark on a six day road trip to California before separating for college. Cartman is a pain in the ass, Kenny has no future, Butters is in crisis, and Kyle doesn't know how he'll say goodbye to Stan.

Why you should read it: The yearning. This fic is written entirely in Kyle’s POV, and Holly does such a brilliant job of getting into his head and really capturing that feeling of already mourning a friendship/relationship before it’s even over and kind of intentionally setting the bridge on fire to make what is (seemingly) inevitable hurry along, as if that will make it hurt less (it doesn’t). The first six chapters, the actual road trip portion of the fic (where the T rating actually does apply), are where it is at its strongest, and Kyle’s gradual descent into panicky, angry desperation is painfully real. I can’t stress enough how in character everyone is, each retaining recognizable mannerisms and dynamics from canon while still clearly being grown people entering adulthood. There’s a reason this fic is THE Style fic.

Leave the Pieces - 251k words, rated E (though that rating only represents a small portion of such a long fic)

Summary: Stan and Kyle meet as strangers in their mid-twenties, shocked to encounter someone else who can't remember the first ten years of his life. They form an instant connection, but only one person in South Park remembers them, and Kenny can't explain why they disappeared or why the rest of the town forgot them.

Why you should read it: It’s a lengthy epic with supernatural elements, a complicated plot that fits right into the show’s universe, and the kind of love that quite literally transcends time, space, and memory. I can’t explain it much further without giving away the plot, but this behemoth is gut wrenching and powerful. It is equal parts a story about Stan and Kyle finding each other as adults and falling in love despite not remembering who they are, or each other, and a deep exploration into Kenny’s character and his curse. Kenny is really the MVP of the story, despite it initially seeming like “just” a Style fic, and his relationship with Wendy is written beautifully and convincingly. One caveat, though: some parts of this fic... I’m not a fan of. I greatly dislike Cartman/Butters just as a concept, and there were times, particularly in the first half of the fic, where I almost quit reading because of their scenes. I also feel like this fic fell victim to fandom’s earlier tendency to mischaracterize Craig as borderline sociopathic (but in contrast, he’s absolutely perfect in Holly’s oneshot Other People’s Tupperware). However, I’m such a sucker for supernatural memory loss not being able to sever soul connections, and Stan, Kyle, Kenny, and Wendy’s respective journeys more than make up for my reluctance to stomach Cartman/Butters or other comparatively minor issues. And honestly, everything does fall into place as the plot unfolds, so all I can say is... if you hit certain scenes and think ‘wtf IS this??’, just stick it out, the payoff is worth it, especially if you’re looking for high quality Kenny content.

Amalgamation - 78k words, rated T (but should be rated M imo, because there are sex scenes, though they aren’t very explicit, just intimate)

Summary: In 1862, Kyle's family is forced to move from New York to a tiny mining settlement at the foot of Pike's Peak in Colorado. Kyle is sixteen years old and miserable until he meets Stan, a fellow transplant who has been in town for three years. Their feelings for each other are shadowed by the town's haunted history, and for Kyle the local legends begin to feel more like real nightmares.

Why you should read it: I know ‘1860′s gold mining settlement AU’ doesn’t sound very fascinating, but it is. This is another one that’s written in Kyle’s POV and again Holly does a wonderful job of expressing his emotional turmoil, the guilt and shame he feels, his self-righteousness, and the depth of his love for Stan. Everyone is as they would be if the clock was turned back 150 years, made different by the time period and the demands of their circumstances but still obviously recognizable. The old-timey atmosphere and world-building are so seamless and never feels unrelatable. There are also supernatural/ghost/mystery themes in this one and the fear is palpable.

From the Queen of England to the Hounds of Hell - 170k words, rated E, includes major character death (aside from Kenny)

Summary: Ten years after the execution of Terrance and Phillip, the war with Canada has not ended. Stan and most of Kyle's friends are planning to join the army after high school graduation, bound to be drafted anyway. Kyle doesn't believe in the war, but he's not willing to let Stan go without him.

Why you should read it: This is.... a perfect fic, and I don’t say that lightly. It is quite possibly the ONLY perfect fic I have ever read, in any fandom. I can’t actually describe all the ways in which it’s perfect without giving the plot details away, but, God, if you commit to reading just one of the long-ass fics I’m reccing on this list, make it this one. Please. It honestly makes me mad that this one never got the same attention as like, The Scenic Route, or ‘Night School’ did, because it so deserves to be up there. Only Holly could take the concept of the fucking movie and turn it into a completely devastating, bittersweet, epic romance. There is no caveat here, no ‘I loved it except for this and this’, just thorough, soul-crushing perfection. Just... Kyle. God, Kyle. I can’t elaborate, my heart isn’t up to the task. This fic will haunt me for the rest of my life.

The Ascent of Stan - 32k words, rated E, though it is like 95% domestic fluff

Summary: Stan sells his small pest control company and Kyle thinks they should use some of the money to go to Hawaii, where he proceeds to grill Stan about the mid-life crisis that Stan claims he's not having while their kids frolic nearby.

Why you should read it: This one is everything a domestic fic should be. It basically just chronicles the events of a week-long vacation to Hawaii that nearly-40 Stan and Kyle take with their two kids. This one is written fully in Stan’s POV and it works so well... he’s exactly the kind of dad that I imagine he would be, doing his best to provide for and protect his family’s little bubble and resolving to be better than his father while quietly fighting the lingering shadow of his alcoholism and cynicism. There’s no real conflict in this one, just 30,000 words of a very typical family vacation: not exactly blissful, irritating at times, but ultimately the foundation for perfect memories.

Never Change - 115k words, rated E

Summary: Thirteen years after his high school girlfriend's pregnancy upended his life, Stan is still in South Park, working with his partner Bebe as a local cop. They're in the process of investigating a series of possibly connected murders when FBI agent Kyle Broflovski returns to town and informs his old friend Stan that this is his investigation now.

Why you should read it: This is equal parts a murder mystery and a romance. It features exactly the kind of Stan/Kyle situation I hate to think about - a decade-long estrangement of their own making that comes to an abrupt end due to extenuating circumstances. It hurts because of how likely it is to happen that way, and it works especially well in this fic because of Stan’s reluctance to embrace his own bisexuality until he’s nearly 30 and Kyle’s tendency to put up walls to protect himself. Also, Bebe features prominently in this fic, which is always a huge bonus.

Bonus Oneshot Rec:

The Reformation of Fart Boy - 7k words, unrated but probably T, just barely

Summary: Five times South Park has brought Kyle to the brink of sanity and Stan has brought him back.

Why you should read it: I love thinking about the ways in which canon-typical nonsense continues to impact the characters in the long term on a serious psychological level. Kyle has suffered a lot in canon and it’s obvious even in the show that it is gradually changing him and wearing him down, so I really love this fic for focusing on his responses to some of the more traumatic moments, as seen through Stan’s eyes.

I feel sort of guilty only reccing one author for right now, because there are other fics out there that I liked and am planning on revisiting, but this post is long enough as it is. Chances are you’ve already read some or all of these, but they’re my favorites. I reread all of them while making this list, and they still hit me hard after all these years.

#asks #south park #sp style #stan marsh #kyle broflovski #fic recs

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darkspellmaster · 5 years

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In defense of Princess Jasmine

Apologies for this being late.

So where do I start with this one? I guess after seeing the reactions about the Aladdin movie, and then seeing how people changed their tune, and it got to me, a bit more. See Aladdin has a special place in my heart, being the Disney Animated movie that I connected to the most. It’s my favorite followed by Robin Hood and the Black Cauldron, and when I was reading the reaction to Jasmine, I was rather surprised by some of the hostility, since the whole place is an amalgam of different cultures and the original story itself seems to be a mixed story as well.

I have to say this though, Jasmine, in Aladdin, isn’t the lead. Her role is important, and clearly a huge part of the overall story for Aladdin, but she’s not the main lead. This story wasn’t about her learning and changing, although she does, but about Aladdin learning to be himself. So it’s weird when people lambast Jasmine about the movie, but ignore her more prominent role in the animated show, which is part of the cannon. It’s also strange to me that she gets hit with a lot of comments that you would fling at a lead character, but her role is more akin to the roles of the Princes in the Disney Movies. Jasmine is, for the most part, like Jane from Tarzan, and a character that aids Aladdin in maturing and becoming the person that he needs to be, rather than the lead herself. This drastically changed in the new movie, as she’s become a sort of a co-protagonist in the story.

So where to start here I guess on one of the bigger things I hear about Jasmine:

1. Jasmine is too sexy for a teenager.

Here’s the thing, Jasmine isn’t a teen, or at least that’s not what was in the movie. Her father specifically says “You must be married, to a prince, by your next birthday.” Leaving it open to guess what her birthday is. In recent years the Princesses Line gave her the age of 16, so while it’s official it’s not official (I know weird), whereas it’s hinted that Aladdin himself is 18 at oldest. The thing is that her outfit, while not traditional or historically accurate, is based more on the older idea of Arabian style costumes associated with Hollywood. Look at any of the movies from the late 1930s and into the 1970s and you’ll see that the designs for Jasmine’s outfit seem to be very much in line from the old swashbuckling epics of that period.

Jasmine, for the most part, doesn’t act sexual at all in the movie. Rather most of the time she’s actively trying to learn more about her people and the world outside of the palace. Allowing for her tiger to tear off the pants of the young prince, sneaking out against the rules of her father, and easily following Aladdin around the city, “I’m a fast learner.” Showing that she has a great deal of wit and intelligence for someone raised in a “gilded cage.”

The only time she uses her sexuality is as a distraction for Aladdin and the reaction to her kissing him is one of utter disgust from other members of the hero’s band, Genie with the Jaw drop, Abu with an “eww” sound, and Aladdin himself in some state of shock. Showing that this was not something that could be seen as a sexualized thing, more of something that would be seen as “gross” to those that were seeing it and clearly not the most appetizing thing for Jasmine to do herself. Moments later we see her actively trying to pull the snake scepter away from Jafar, indicating that she’s willing to put herself in harm's way to save her friends, and it’s only when he knocks her back and traps her in a sand hourglass, that Jasmine isn’t willingly trying to find ways to get out of her situation. She’s constantly, prior to Aladdin and the others coming in, making faces that show she’s utterly disgusted with Jafar, and it’s clear that the outfit he has her it is for his own amusement to humiliate her. The look is actually one that matches the outfits worn by the girls in, what appears to be, a brothel of sorts, that we meet early on in the movie during the ‘One Jump song’.

Therefore, at no time does Jasmine willingly flaunt herself, or act overtly sexual in the movie, outside of the one distraction scene.

Jumping over to the TV show, we see her actively fight alongside her friends, and the only time she’s wearing an outfit that’s similar to the look for what she wears in Jafar’s throne scene is the black outfit that she starts to wear during the time she’s being controlled by Mozenrath and believes she’s a bad guy. Then later that’s used for sneaking around on covert missions where black would be the look that would work best during night.

2. Jasmine is always in danger and needs saving.

The only times this at all happens in the movie is really when she is threatened to have her hand cut off, and later when she’s trapped inside a sand hourglass and is going to die from suffocation.

Never once, in the show, or the movie, does Jasmine gives up and not try to fight for herself. In the movie, outside of those two instances, Jasmine is always ready to stand up for herself and others. Even if it means getting into trouble. For example, in the moment when the vender is threatening her before Aladdin comes in, she tries to explain why she did what she did, and even after she’s grabbed she tries to pull away from him. Later in the Hourglass she’s banging on the glass and looking for ways to get out, up until she’s completely buried in the sand. When she and Aladdin are being chased, she actively pulls off her disguise in order to save him, and later goes to confront Jafar chastising him for his actions and reminding him that once she’s the queen she’s getting rid of him, and he knows it, “Or worse beheaded.”

Jasmine doesn’t screw around, in the show she actively fights with a sword, got into a full-on tussle with Sadira (a fellow enemy turned friend). Worked insanely hard to try to undo a curse on herself as she’s turning into a Snake and was willing to let Aladdin go to allow him to not have to deal with the pain she was dealing with turning into a snake. She’s fought with not only Mozenrath but saved Aladdin a number of times in the show, along with her father.

Jasmine, I would say, is the most adventure driven of the Princesses, outside of say, Kida, and possibly Moana, and Mulan. So the idea that she needs to be saved seems out of place to me.

The thing about Aladdin is that a good part of the movie seems to be focusing on movie musicals from the 1950s in regard to the story structure and aspects about it. Modern viewers tend to ask why a lot of the movie doesn’t seem to focus on the traditions of the location where it’s supposedly taking place from. One of the reasons, I think, is because it’s supposed to invoke that sort of movie from that period of time. It’s not supposed to be a classic piece based on tradition, rather it’s designed to be an ode to the Hollywood epics of yore with, at the time, a more modern twist in regard to how American and western audiences at the time viewed roles for boys and girls in various ways. By the end of the movie, the Sultan has learned that some traditions need to be bucked and changed to bring his kingdom forward into a modern age where his daughter can have some control over her destiny. In the newest movie, along with the musical, that’s been pushed even farther by outright saying that Jasmine will be ruler and Aladdin is Prince Consort, making her very much like the Queen of England and her husband.

What’s interesting to me is that not enough people look to the animated series to see the growth of the characters from the movies. Jasmine advances more in her development here, learning about her people and the kingdoms around her. She’s shown to be far more willing to listen to things, and be less stubborn than her father, and can actually explain things to him. As per the episode where she was taken by a “god” like being who the Sultan took a rose from, and, upon his defeat, after Jasmine had spent time with him, she expressed grief over his loss and that her father’s actions were really in the wrong, and that he should learn from others rather than assuming that they were monsters, to begin with. It’s a story that has a lot going on with it and a strong message for kids.

Jasmine, by the time the Forty thieves movie has come about, is older and wiser, and she’s able to fully understand Aladdin’s desires to find out about his father and bring him to their wedding. This is not the same girl that snuck out of the palace from the first movie, this is a young woman who’s matured enough to understand how family is an important part of her husband’s life and his need to know where he comes from. This is something I don’t think enough people actually look into when they start writing about how Jasmine is not a good role model.

Another thing about Jasmine is that like Philip before her, she rejects the notion of how the world is working right now. She wants to connect to her people and even falls in love with a boy who is poor and below her station. While yes Aurora is a princess, this is not something he knew about when he fell for her, and the same is for Aladdin. Jasmine falls for him even though she actively knows he’s beneath her station and the reaction from her in regard to all this is “I want to marry for love,” which would mirror Phillips “Father it’s the 14th century,” showing that both view the idea of being in love and married for love over an arranged union as a stronger and better thing in their version of the modern world.

It’s something that makes Jasmine unique among all the other princess, excepting Kida, in that she is not the main character in the story. Or rather she, like Philip, plays a significant role, but her story is on the side and is important, but the changes the viewpoint we mostly go through is Aladdin’s. As with Atlantis, Milo is the main POV, and Kida is the character that comes in to explain what we’re seeing. The only character I can think of that follows this idea is Esmeralda, who, again, plays a huge role in the story but isn’t the main POV of the story of the Hunchback. It’s something that Jasmine has that makes her aspect in the following animated show more interesting as a number of episodes are from her POV and show her as The protagonist in the Animated series. We see her grow alongside Aladdin, wherein the movie, she does grow some in her character, in that she learns about trusting in some ways, it’s more about him and his story.

#in defense of #disney princesses #princess jasmine #aladdin #aladdin the series #mozenrath #jasmine #essay

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getreadytosmash · 6 years

Text

The Past that Smashed

Chapter 10

A-Bomb’s POV

It’s been three days when Hulk went to save Samuel from the car and snake. We are starting to get really worried about him. He’s getting really anxious and jumps a lot if he feels a breeze thinking if it is a portal. Nothing has happened yet, but I just hope something good and exciting though.

I went to get the mail and saw that there was only one. I grabbed it and noticed the cover, and it came from Los Angeles. I don’t think we know anybody from there. I looked at the back and it surprised me.

‘If you are not Hulk, then open this letter.’

Okay? That’s weird. I opened envelope to read the letter. Oh….OH MY GOD!

I screamed and ran into the living room where the others were at.

“HOLY SHIT YOU GUYS! OH MY GOD! I CAN’T BELIEVE THIS!”

“What is it Rick?” asked a very concern Hulk.

I started to jump up and down. Man, I’m so excited! I can’t believe this!

“Sorry! But I can’t tell anyone!”

“Then why are you here then, if you can’t tell?” asked Jen.

“Uhhhhhh. You know what? I have, uh, things to do. Yeah, things. Okay bye.”

“That was weird,” said Jen.

“Looks like Christmas has come early this year for him. And it’s only July,” mumbled Red.

I have to tell someone, but it told me don’t tell any other Hulks about it. Then again there is someone who isn’t.I don’t know why I went to Leader’s cell, but I did.

I found Leader on the floor reading another book and sighed when he saw me.

Jesus, I’m so frickin happy right now.

“Leader! Igotaletterfromsomeoneandtoldmenottotellany-”

“Speak English, brute!”

“Whoops. Okay, listen to this. I got a letter today and told me not to tell another Hulk but since you are not a Hulk, I can tell you.”

“For fuck sake. What?”

“…THE FAMOUS SCI-FI DIRECTOR, CARLA ALBIZU IS COMING HERE! She’s my favorite director, my favorites movies are EyeCatch and Coat Black. Man, she is so cool! I can’t believe she wants to come here! You see I base my camera designs from EyeCatch so that’s way they look like that.”

I started rambling more about how I love Carla Albizu, until I noticed the confusion on Leader’s face.

“Why is she coming here anyway? For what purpose? And why now?” Leader wondered.

Hmm. I never really thought about it. It must be really important if she wants to come here.

“I don’t know. She said she will explain everything when she come since her plane was delayed. I guess we have to wait…But I don’t want to!”

“What you Hulks don’t have is patience, you always want everything to be quick. These things take time you know. And since Albizu is famous, she has to keep it a secret before the media sees her,” explained Leader.

I never thought about it. Since when did Leader know about the media. Maybe he is a fan too. I wonder what his favorite movie is.

“Welp. I gotta go. I’ll tell you when she comes. Maybe we can get her autograph.”

Leader stared at me for a few seconds then returned to read his book. Is he rereading Harry Potter?

Leader’s POV

I can’t believe it. She did it. She is actually coming here. She kept my promise and it was her plane being delayed. I never felt so happy,that maybe there is a chance that I can see her again. Then again I felt sad because here is no way of talking to her in this cell. But just knowing that she is coming is all I need.

My personal favorite movie she made was Crystal Aquarium and Samantha that she based it off of our childhood and was partially was a true story but had to put me as a female. Crystal Aquarium was about an aquarium that unknowingly took a type of fish that looked any regular fish but can turn into mermaids and must be saved before anyone finds them and experiment on them. She even named a shark like mermaid after my shark plushie and favorite kindergarten teacher who loves the sea, Millie. I thought about how she would always put references of our childhood, even if I did came back and said goodbye. Since she waited this long, then I can wait too.

Hulk’s POV

Five days passed after saving Sammy and I’m getting more nervous each day and for some reason I’m hearing an echo in my mind that said “What if Hulk couldn’t be there?” I think I’m turning paranoid. Finally the portal came when we were watching a movie that A-Bomb picked.

I fell into a completely different house. There was no garden or tree. There was a large table with food, balloons and streamers of hanging around and a banner that said happy birthday. A radio playing on a chair next to a swimming pool. And a cat on top of the fence.

*splash*

I heard a splash and looked down to see Carla and Sammy in it with floaties.

“So whose birthday is it?” I asked.

“It’s mine, Hulk. I’m turning 8 today,” replied Carla smirking at Sammy who glared at her.

“Well then. Happy Birthday, Carla”

“Thank you. Hey Hulk! Did you know that I’m actually older than Sammy?”

“Hey! Your only older than me by 7 months and my birthday is in November,” argued Sammy.

“So what’s today’s date,” I asked

“March 30. But I’m still older,” replied Carla

“At least I know who’s going to show their gray hair first,” sneered Sammy.

“Hey, respect your elders!” she yelled.

“Fight me, grandma!”

They both were splashing water to each other’s faces. I laughed until I noticed that no one was here but only the cat that jumped down next to the chair with the radio.

“But where is everyone at?”

Sammy swam towards me in a whale floatie.

“Well, my brother accidentally sat on Carla’s cake so my dad had to take him home and get more clothes. My mom has a small fever so she stayed home. Carla’s mom went to get another cake and her dad is trying to get Carla’s cousin, Carlos, to come here but his parents are stubborn.”

I just remembered that Jen was asking for their last names since I never asked. I keep hearing about Sammy’s brother but I never heard the name.

“So what are your last names anyway. I never heard them and I might know you from the future.”

They looked at each other and grin.

Carla spoke first, “I’m Carla Albizu.”

Carla Albizu. Carla Albizu. CARLA ABIZU?! Rick’s favorite diretor is her. I even heard about Carlos too about helping her even if he was clumsy. Rick is not going to believe this.

“I’m Samuel Sterns. Oh! And my brother is Phillip Sterns.”

Wait. Phillip?! Is this the same Phillip? Then again he did told me that he was from Idaho with his brother who….was….a dropout student. Oh no. Did Sammy really dropped out. I’m deciding whether or not tell the truth about their future. Carla is really successful but I never heard of Samuel Sterns before. I kept thinking until someone splashed water on my face.

“Earth to Hulk. What’s the matter?” asked Carla.

“Sorry. I just. I think that I know your brother when I was in college.”

Sammy’s face fell.

“What about me?”

I can’t tell him. But I don’t know what would cause him to do that.

“Umm. He was too busy studying so I don’t think there was time to talk about our family.

“Oh. I get it. It has to be all about Phil since he’s older, bigger, and smarter than me and my whole family likes him better than me,” Sammy bitterly said.

“Sam, that’s not true. Your family loves you. It’s those no good aunts and all your cousins except Dawn that likes Phil. Besides my family loves you so you can count on us,” said Carla.

“Sammy, I know that I don’t really know you but I care about you. You seem way better than your brother and I came from the future. I thought I had no one to be there for me but I found a family of my own. And you can be part of my family too.”

Sammy looked at me then stared at the water. Carla swam with her turtle floatie towards him for a hug. Sammy looked at her then smiled then looked back at me.

*Meow*

We all looked at the cat who was now on top of the radio eyeing on a bird that was close by. Wait a minute. Why does this look familiar?

The cat jumped to catch the bird and radio started to shake…NO!

I grabbed Sammy and Carla as fast as I can when almost at the same time the radio fell in the pool. I can see the electricity from the water. That was too close. I put both of them down and they both were really stiff trying to understand what happened. They dropped their floaties on the ground and hugged my legs. I smiled and hugged them back since they are scared right now. We heard a car honk and at the same time the portal came. They let go of me and waved bye and I waved too.

I came back with everyone waiting for me. Before I said anything the doorbell ranged.

“I’ll get it!” shouted A-Bomb almost running to go and check.

“Jen!”

“What is it?” She asked.

“I found out that Sammy’s last name is Sterns and his brother is Phil. Beside, you would not believe who Carla really is. Her last name is -”

*HISS*

A large snake was somehow on my shoulder.

“AHHH!”

I jumped up and noticed it was a stuffed snake with someone holding it.

A-Bomb was jumping up and down.

“Guys! Look who came! Carla-”

“Albizu?” I asked.

The woman smiled at me and held the same pose like the day I met her.

“And don’t you forget it. By the way Sammy sent me here.”

We were all silent at that moment.

/YAY! Behold Carla. The more chapters I put the more longer it is. I’m go in to skip ahead on Sammy’s age that Hulk has been going back but it only mentioned. I want to introduce you to new character soon. This is actually the last chapter that I was in before it was deleted. Hope you enjoy/

(Congratulations on reaching 10 chapters! And I can’t believe that Carla’s here now! And you put Millie and shark stuff which was really cute and sweet! I absolutely can’t wait for Leader to see his cousin again and the smashers finding out who Sami really is! Oh this is so cool! And that moment when Hulk told his future enemy that he can be part of his family ahhhh! I absolutely can’t wait for chapter 11! I’m looking so forward. Also, yes! Longer chapters and the movie sounds really cool, I'd totally go see it.)

#marvel #fanfic #the past that smashed #carla #a-bomb #she-hulk #red #hulk #leader #agents of s.m.a.s.h #ohhhhhhhh!#submission

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lostinthewinterwood · 4 years

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Chocolate Box Letter 2020

Dear Chocolatier…

Thank you for writing for me! I hope you find inspiration, if you need it, somewhere in this letter, but either way, good luck with your writing!

(some of the prompts are… rambly and disjointed; the lengths vary wildly, but dw I love them all. I hope the rambly ones still make sense; this letter is uhhh almost 3k and my brain is Tired.)

General DNWs:

Rape/non/dub-con; non-canonical major character death*; smut/graphic sex scenes; heavy angst; hurt no comfort; graphic depictions of deliberate and methodical self-harm**; graphic depictions of suicide; gore; heavy gender dysphoria; grimdark; complete downer endings; character bashing; incest; cringe comedy; a/b/o; mpreg; full setting AUs (canon-divergence, even significant canon-divergence, is fine); graphic eye trauma; graphic and/or permanent hand trauma (unless the setting can provide a more-or-less fully functional prosthetic or equivalent); issuefic.

*exceptions noted below.

**I don’t include things like, say, punching a wall in a fit of emotion under this. however, something like cutting would not be appreciated.

General Likes:

I like family/friendship stories, things that play with canon in interesting ways, honestly… a lot of things. I don’t know. articulating things I like is hard.

I’m an absolute sucker for identity porn/secret/mistaken identity drama, as well as non-sexualized/non-fetishized crossdressing (either direction, and especially if for plot-relevant disguise purposes!) and if you combine them, well, I’ll be a very happy camper.

Other things I like include wriggling into canon and exploring something left unexplored by said canon, what-if stories featuring some sort of canon divergence, and plotty fic, if you want to write something long enough for that to be relevant.

Order of fandoms:

· Star Wars Sequel Trilogy

· Super Powereds – Drew Hayes

· Tortall – Tamora Pierce

· Carmen Sandiego (Cartoon 2019)

· The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)

· Frozen (Disney Movies)

· Little Women (2019)

· Original Prompts

· Crossovers

Star Wars Sequel Trilogy

Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren (Star Wars Sequel Trilogy)

So uh I may be having a slight case of Feels™ over these two, though tbh I’m not entirely sure what those feelings are exactly. I don’t know what exactly I’d most want, though I’d be interested in explorations of their evolving emotions in relation to each other, especially through Kylo Ren/Ben’s whole death/rebirth thing. What-ifs are another thing; what if, say, Ben didn’t die? What happens, then, since they’d have to actually deal with what he’s done? Feel free to retcon the kiss (which I thought was rather devoid of chemistry; in general their dynamic came across to me more as weirdly sibling-ish, especially after the Death Star duel) to a hug or something, if you want.

If you want to go to a lighter place, I can also see all sorts of shenanigans emerging after they discover their Force-teleportation skills.

Also feel free to retcon Rey’s parentage, if that is where your heart takes you: might she be Luke’s secret child? Leia’s? A descendant of Obi-Wan Kenobi and, say, Satine Kryze?

Apart from that I’d prefer no full-setting AUs; canon divergence is fine, and if you go that route you can pick a divergence point as far back as you want.

Feel free to include whatever other characters are necessary for the story you want to tell.

(And also do keep in mind that you can absolutely cut off someone’s hand here, or for the Star Wars crossover farther down; in this franchise it is a goddamn motif.)

Super Powereds – Drew Hayes

Adam Riley & George Russel | Relentless Steel (Super Powereds)

I’m utterly fascinated by the relationship these two have; the interplay of Adam’s… vendetta, maybe? I’m not sure what the right word for it is… and the fact that George also serves him as a mentor/almost-parental, in some ways, figure. And, you know, that Adam (maybe) kills him. We don’t actually see that; for all we know he made a different choice.

Consider this an exception to my “non-canonical MCD” DNW, since it’s deliberately ambiguous in canon; you can kill George, if that’s where your muse takes you.

Alice Adair | Legacy & Vince Reynolds | Jack of All (Super Powereds)

Their friendship/cousin relationship is Wholesome and I love it. Any point in the timeline, post-canon, all of it is Good and Welcome. Do they form a legacy children/villains’ kids club? They’re secret cousins; untangling the mess that is the past; so much juicy juicy stuff to work with!!

Phillip Adair | Globe & Charles Adair | Alchemist (Super Powereds)

Brother vs brother! O the drama! But also, they grew up together; they were once best friends; and Charles grew hard and it all fell apart—give me their childhood, maybe, or HCP years or young heroes before Shelby’s powers grew too much for her, or lean into the tragedy of what comes later…

Tortall – Tamora Pierce

Numair Salmalín | Arram Draper & Varice Kingsford (Tortall)

Numair Salmalín | Arram Draper & Varice Kingsford & Ozorne Muhassin Tasikhe (Tortall)

Ozorne Muhassin Tasikhe & Numair Salmalín | Arram Draper (Tortall)

Varice Kingsford & Ozorne Muhassin Tasikhe (Tortall)

I love these kids, okay? And I wish they could all just… be okay. But of course they won’t be; we already know what becomes of them, after all.

There’s a lot to explore here, with these three in their varying combinations of course. Right now I’m most interested in the pre-Wild Magic timeline—what was Varice and Ozorne’s dynamic before Arram came along? what little snippets of things happen offscreen during the timeline of Tempests and Slaughter? how does Arram gain his black robe; how does Ozorne feel about that? Varice? how does Numair end up in exile, and how do the others feel about that whole affair?—but really I’d also be interested in something set during or around the time of Emperor Mage, from any of their POVs. We get all the story there from Daine, who is great! but she doesn’t know the history between the three of them, not intimately as they do, and I’d love any of their emotional reactions to being together again under such strained circumstances, so many years after everything fell apart.

Numair Salmalín & Myles of Olau (Tortall)

He was on a mission, was he not, when he became that hawk at the beginning of Wild Magic? (please ignore if I am Wrong there.) So how did they meet? Why did Numair become an agent? All sorts of questions, here…

Prince Stiloit Tasikhe & Varice Kingsford (Tortall - Pierce)

Stiloit seems so… calm, and level-headed, especially when compared with Ozorne who is not. And he clearly finds Varice interesting, and her company valuable. So maybe tell me something about that—what does he think of her? She of him? What if, perhaps, he didn’t die when he does?

Keladry of Mindelan & Nealan of Queenscove (Tortall)

They have a BEAUTIFUL FRIENDSHIP and also ye gods when I reread First Test at like 19 (having first read it at 10) I was struck by how very, very fifteen Neal is in that book and it’s hilarious. But more seriously—Neal’s PoV on things would be fantastic, since we only see him through Kel’s eyes and he doesn’t let her see everything about himself.

Keladry of Mindelan & Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak (Tortall - Pierce)

What a beautiful mentorship relationship, I love them. Also, how does Raoul feel about this open girl page? Who’s so determined, and has such potential in how she could become more, in an area he knows about (that being military command)—how does he feel about her, living her best life; how does he contextualize it in his intimate knowledge that Alanna could not do what she is doing—and yet it was Alanna, with her deception, who allowed this to be.

Alanna of Pirate's Swoop and Olau & Numair Salmalín

The renowned lady knight-healer-mage and the black robe on the run from Carthak! How did they meet, anyway? They’re something like the same age, I think, or at least he’s no more than ten years her junior.

Alanna of Pirate's Swoop and Olau & Thom of Trebond (Tortall - Pierce)

My poor Important Destiny Twins… Look I just, I want some content with poor Thom, right? I’d rather here that we set the story before his death, or that we make it an AU where he gets to live.

Carmen Sandiego (Cartoon 2019)

Shadowsan & Hideo (Carmen Sandiego 2019)

There’s… so little of this stated or shown overtly, really, but I’m fascinated. I can’t get over it. Just tell me about the brothers, please.

The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)

Runaan/Ethari & Rayla (The Dragon Prince)

Family fluff! Or angst! Or turn round and give them a reunion! All depends on where in the timeline you pick, really.

(there’s a fic on ao3 with the tag “this fanfiction written by the ETHARI LOOK IN THE FUCKING WATER gang” and honestly that is just such a mood.)

Amaya & Sarai (The Dragon Prince)

…I don’t have much to say here really, just that I love me some sibling dynamics.

Callum & Ezran (The Dragon Prince)

A king by birthright, a prince only by adoption, who by age/maturity would probably be better-suited to ruling… look idk just, bros okay???

Maybe something when they were younger, or canon-era, or… idk I love them.

Callum & Ezran & Rayla (The Dragon Prince)

Friendship! Angst! The gang’s all here! If you want you can include rayllum but for this prompt at least I’d rather it be lowkey.

Claudia & Soren (The Dragon Prince)

I am heartbroken over these kids and just—I need more content with them. Even if it makes me sad.

Callum & King Harrow (The Dragon Prince)

There are a lot of complicated feelings I have about them—how clearly Harrow loves his stepson, and how even after more than a decade, Callum still isn’t quite comfortable with his stepfather.

Frozen (Disney Movies)

Agnarr/Iduna (Frozen)

How did they get together? Why does Iduna stay with Agnarr; why doesn’t she just go home? How does that revelation conversation go—when does it happen? How do they come to decide to block Elsa’s powers; when/how do they decide to sail for Ahtohallan?

Kristoff & Ryder Nattura (Frozen)

Reindeer bros!! What did Kristoff do while Anna and Elsa were off doing the plot stuff? Does he go with the Northuldra? I love the dynamic between these two; it’s adorable and there’s so painfully little of it.

Yelena & Mattias (Frozen)

So clearly they know each other, right? It’s been thirty-four years, and they clearly have some sort of sniping thing going on but they don’t seem to be actively antagonistic towards each other. How do they feel about each other, really? How have they interacted in the past? Is there anything there? What about after Mattias goes back to Arendelle?

Anna & Elsa (Frozen)

There is just. There’s a profound tragedy here—they’re best of friends till they’re five and eight or so, then they don’t interact for thirteen years, they have three years together, and then they go off together to the Enchanted Forest and Elsa doesn’t come back to live in Arendelle, while Anna must return… I don’t know. Tell me about that, maybe. Or give me sweet fluff about them as children. Or something.

Anna/Kristoff (Frozen)

They’re adorable and I love them and I really just want more. Maybe something from between the movies—how do they navigate forming a relationship, when he was raised by trolls and she’s been so isolated?

Little Women (2019)

Amy March/Theodore Laurence (Little Women 2019)

…I don’t know, they’re cute, Laurie is a disaster, I love seeing Amy grow up, I hunger for moar content with them.

Beth March & Mr. Laurence (Little Women 2019)

This has a lot of potential for cute/sad father/daughter dynamics, I think! And I’d love more of it.

Friedrich Bhaer & Josephine March (Little Women 2019)

Friedrich Bhaer/Josephine March (Little Women 2019)

I just want cute content with Jo and her dynamic with this man who actually respects her and her writing okay? Maybe something like, I don’t know, navigation of boundaries around Jo’s writing and his criticism thereof… I don’t know. Have fun with them. And I really don’t care if it’s shipfic or not.

Theodore "Laurie" Laurence & Josephine March (Little Women 2019)

Theodore Laurence & Josephine March (Little Women 2019)

Laurie is still a disaster but I love him anyway, and their friendship is sweet, and I need more content™.

Original Prompts

In general: I’m not super picky about how shippy the shipfic gets; most of the ship prompts here would, I think, work as well for gen, excepting the suitor and the princess (which is not to say I’m asking that it be gen, obviously I’m not, but if your muse takes you that direction then go for it). Likes I put up top still apply down here.

In terms of settings, I especially like high fantasy, space fantasy, or, if relevant, Classic Superhero City Setting, but I’m open to just about anything.

I’m also not tremendously picky about the genders of the characters involved; if it isn’t stated within the prompt, go wild, but please do stick to standard English pronouns; I have a lot of difficulty reading things with neopronouns.

Most of these pairings are prompts in and of themselves, but I’ll add in some bits of commentary for each one.

Disgraced Vampire Queen Moonlighting As A Barista/Exhausted Vampire Hunter In Search Of Caffeine

Okay, so I just think this has great potential for absolute hilarity, and identity shenanigans aplenty.

Dragon & Human Child (Original Work)

I love dragons. I love playing with dragon-lore, though here I’d appreciate it being a relationship wherein the dragon is not evil, at least not to the child.

Female Crossdressing General/Female Crossdressing Enemy General (Original Work)

So uh from my general likes, it should be… fairly obvious what called to me here lmao. But there’s such potential here! The drama! Do they know each others’ real gender? Do they know that they’re on opposing sides? How does this romance across the battlefield work? Is it even across the battlefield—are they at war, or just generally enemies?

Female Failed Chosen One & Female New Chosen One

Such delicious depths to delve here… why did the first one fail? What’s her relationship with her successor? What have they been chosen for? The setup of this makes me think that the failed chosen one is an adult of some age that’s distinctly older than the new one, who I’ve been imagining as an older child or young adult, but you should follow your muse there.

Female Ship's Captain & Grumpy Stowaway Orphan Rebel

What kind of ship are they on, anyway? Sailing ship? Spaceship? What’s the orphan rebelling against—an Evil Empire? The Man? Something else?

Female Suitor Sent As An Insult To Ruling Monarchs/Princess Uninterested In Male Suitors

This seems like… I don’t know, there’s just such potential for dancing around each other and Misunderstandings™ about what’s going on. Is this the princess’s Gay Awakening? Has she known for a while why she’s not into the male suitors? Why was this female suitor selected for the insult?

Injured Male Superhero/Male Supervillain Who Saves His Life

I love superhero identity shenanigans, and ambiguous morals, and I’d love to dive into the emotional turmoil that results from this rescue decision—why does the supervillain do it? How does the hero feel about being saved by his enemy?

Musician/Dancer with magical powers (Original Work)

Another trope I love that I didn’t mention before is magic music and magical arts in general, so this here is right up my alley.

Portal Fantasy Protagonist & Their Mentor In A Trade Useful In Both Worlds (Original Work)

…Look, idk man this is just sweet and wholesome and I Want.

Retired Male Superhero/Male Supervillain Who Keeps Seeking Him Out Because He Misses Him

Is this not just the plot of Megamind? In all seriousness, though, I feel about the same here as I do in the injury situation; I love me some hero/villain dynamics in general.

Witch & Witch's Apprentice

Mentor and student! Always a fun time. I’m picturing this as some pseudo-historical or straight alternate-world setting more than modern, but follow your muse here.

Wounded Werewolf/Female Apprentice Witch who Begrudgingly Rescues him (OW)

Honestly I feel like the dynamic here will probably scratch the same itch that the hero/villain pairings do. Clearly I have a Type.

Crossovers

Oliver Queen (DC's Arrowverse) & Matt Murdock (Daredevil(TV))

Local Vigilante Man With Many Issues Meets Counterpart From Another Universe would be the headline here, probably. I don’t know. I think they’d be fun to bounce off each other.

For reference though I haven’t watched all of either show: I’ve seen the first four seasons of Arrow in their entirety and some of what comes later, and I’ve seen the first two seasons of Daredevil. You can reference later events, I’m not currently really following either show and am not particularly worried about spoilers, but without some degree of context I’ll be fairly lost.

Shmi Skywalker (SWPT) & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren (SWST)

How do these two meet? Is it time travel nonsense? Shmi as a Force ghost? Both of them in the afterlife? And if it’s before Ben’s redemption but after his Fall, I do rather hope she’s Disappointed™ in him.

Vince Reynolds | Jack of All (Super Powereds) & Midoriya Izuku (My Hero Academia)

Look. Look. All I have ever wanted since I started watching My Hero Academia (which… I haven’t seen much of, but don’t worry about spoilers I legitimately do not care) is to see Vince meet with the character who I immediately internally dubbed tiny green Vince. How did this happen? Frankly I neither know nor care. I just want to see it happen.

Thank you for writing me fic!!

#chocolate box #chocobox #exchange letters #chocolate box letter #chocolate box 2020 #requested: star wars sequel trilogy #requested: super powereds #requested: tortall #requested: carmen sandiego 2019 #requested: the dragon prince #requested: frozen #requested: little women 2019 #requested: original work #requested: crossovers #requested: star wars

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jadelotusflower · 3 years

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May 2021 Roundup

Watching

Chess: The Musical - My second live theatre experience for the year, but this time with no seating restrictions. It certainly felt weird and uncomfortable to be packed into a full house again, even if everyone was wearing masks. I've never seen Chess performed, although I have watched the 2008 concert version many times. I enjoyed seeing it properly staged and sung live, even though I suspect there may have been some illness in the cast as there was issues of breath control and strained voices on occasion. Natalie Bassingthwaighte has a good pop/rock voice and she killed Nobody's Side but was just fine with the rest (including a patchy British accent). Paulini has the pipes as Svetlana, although I do wonder if she would have made a better choice for Florence. The other standout was Brittaine Shipway as The Arbiter, usually a male role but actually working much better gender flipped and having a powerful female character outside of the love triangle (and who spends almost the entire show onstage observing).

Mank (dir. David Fincher) - A love letter to old Hollywood through the eyes of Herman J Mankcovitz as he writes the screenplay for Citizen Kane and looks back on his days in the studio system. Some familiarity with that film is required, or at least the broad brushstrokes and the main players - William Randolph Hearst as the inspiration for Charles Foster Kane, the actress Marion Davies, and Welles himself (who looms as a shadow figure throughout most of the film, shot in shadow, or profile, or in costume until the climactic confrontation with Mank). Gary Oldman is somewhat miscast as Mank imo; he carries every one of his 65 years and is just not believable as a 43 year old Mank, affected with alcoholism and a broken leg though he is. Maybe it’s that Mank (as the film depicts him) is just not very interesting - we’ve seen the self destructive drunk with acerbic wit so many times there’s just nothing new in it and feels quite tiresome. He is however a fulcrum for the other more interesting characters to work around; the lens through which we see Hollywood in action. And there’s a lot going on - the ruthless duplicity of Louis B Mayer, the writers rooms at work, the rich and powerful dismissing the rise of Nazism, Hearst bankrolling a campaign against socialist Upton Sinclair. This video is worth watching dealing with some criticisms, particularly the depiction of historical events, Marion Davies, and authorship. The rest of the cast is however very good - Amanda Seyfried as Davies, Charles Dance as Hearst, Tom Burke as an uncanny Welles. It was also nice to see Robin Hood alum Sam Troughton as John Houseman!

Seyfried has been rightly praised and she is indeed the best part of the film (aside from the bizarre Brooklyn accent and the missed opportunity to give the role to an actual actress in her 40's), so much so I wish it had been entitled Marion and about her perspective of Hollywood. Because there’s still distance, we are viewing her from afar - the bird in the gilded cage - not privy to her inner world and that’s a shame, because she’s clearly the most interesting of the lot. It should come as no surprise that this film does not pass the Bechdel test, even though there clearly was An Attempt to boost the presence of the female characters. Other than Marion Davies, we have Lily Collins as the long suffering assistant Alexander, Tuppence Middleton as the long suffering wife Sarah, and Monika Gossmann as the enabling German housekeeper Freda. Variations on a theme, all revolving around and Mank and exerting little to no agency. There’s also, rather out of place, the silent women in the Paramount writers room, topless except for sparkly pasties. If it’s meant to be a comment on sexism of the time it fails, because it is just there, like window dressing, when female screenwriters did exist and are yet somehow completely absent. Also absent are the women who wielded power at the time - the gossip columnists Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons who threaded the Hollywood needle much as screenwriters did. I enjoyed the film, it’s beautifully made and the time period lovingly depicted, down to the era-appropriate framing, camera lenses, music, and of course, filmed entirely in black and white. I guess I’m just less and less interested in these kinds of stories, or at least these stories told through the same old perspective. For a different take on the Welles/Mank collaboration, check out RKO 281 (that incidentally does feature both Hedda and Louella and is on youtube in its entirety). For more of the facts, The Battle Over Citizen Kane is also a very good documentary about Hearst’s attempts to kill the film. Marion Davies is also fictionalised (earlier in her career) in The Cat’s Meow, which I have not seen for many years but remember quite enjoying. Girls5Eva (season 1) - A girl group with one hit album in the 90's reunites after a rapper samples their biggest hit - this is a fun show satirising the artifice of 90's pop as well as the current music scene, with a great cast including singing greats Sara Bareilles and Renee Elise Goldsberry, and comediennes Busy Phillips and Paula Pell (who has at least ten years on the other girls, but they hang a lantern on it, and I appreciate her plot/character in no way revolved around her size). I really enjoyed it, and am still singing the ridiculous but catchy title song with big Spice Girls/B*witched energy.

Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist (season 2, episodes 5-13) - A meandering, hit and miss season overall - multiple characters introduced and given setup only to be shunted within a few episodes, plotlines picked up then pushed aside (Emily's post-partum depression that basically boiled down to "I'm on meds so I'm fine now" was particularly egregious) - I cut the show some slack because clearly covid interfered and caused a shortened season, which makes the latter half of the season exceptionally rushed. Alex Newell continues to be MVP, and his romance plot was honestly so much more compelling than Zoe's. I didn't really have a horse in the Simon/Max race, I liked both characters even if the OTP of the show was Zoe/Therapy, but while I'm happy the love triangle finally over, the speed of the back and forth really undermined the story. But I enjoyed the final twist and look forward to next season (hopefully it is renewed).

This is Us (season 5) - I don't expect much from this show other than soapy drama and emotional scenes engineered to make me cry, but is yet another reminder about why I shouldn't get attached to ships while shows are still airing. I have a soft spot for Smallville alum Justin Hartley, but Kevin's season of girlfriend's past is so damn tiresome. Maybe it's just that Madison has become my favourite character and I want the best for her, maybe it's the sloppy writing more interested in twists and turns than a compelling character arc. But hey, there's still the always excellent Sterling K Brown and Susan Kelechi Watson, and I continue to be impressed by Mandy Moore - I remember when she was a teen pop star breaking into acting and she's come so far, making all the right career choices (including pulling double duty as producer/choreographer over at Zoey's).

Reading

Mythos (Stephen Fry) - Fry's typically irreverent and witty take on the Classics (even though he is on occasion a bit twee), his focus mainly on the gods, their origin and exploits. I was a Greek mythology kid, absolutely obsessed with these stories although I never really graduated to a Greek mythology adult but rather a casual fan. It was nice to revisit this world, as many of them I had forgotten or had never known all the details (children's versions being understandably light on the rapes and grislier aspects). As Fry notes, these myths were not kindly to humanity and particularly women, which perhaps leads into the remainder of my Greek mythology reading month:

Circe (Madeline Millar)- A retelling of the Circle myth, the goddess best known for transforming Odysseus' men into pigs, and a book that I've finally got around to reading after many, many recommendations. While perhaps not all I was expecting, Millar's writing is lyrically beautiful and touches upon the nature of gods and humanity, parents and children, exile and freedom,and I enjoyed it very much.

The Penelopiad (Margaret Atwood) - Another retelling, this time from the pov of Penelope. I've wanted to read this since coming across a quote ("be like water") that I used for a fic, and the novel, while very short, is typical of Atwood's masterful writing style and love of multi-layered meta. Like Circe, this does not paint Odysseus in a good light, as Penelope reflects back on her life from the Underworld, her story interspersed by the Greek Chorus of the maids butchered on Odysseus' return to Ithaca, and the story is as much a vindication for the innocent maids as Penelope.

Writing

Nothing posted this month, but words written for Against the Dying of the Light (1111), The Lady of the Lake (1006), and Here I Go Again (1390). That makes a total of 3,507 for the month and 27,469 so far this year.

#may roundup #watching reading writing #long post

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