i'm not even gonna reblog the last time I talked about this fic because it's too embarrassing, BUT if you were into the idea of my and @karabwrites's time loop AU and didn't want to start until it was done, I have good news for you! At 19 chapters and 93,473 words, Moment of Truth is now done!
Sound interesting? Check out the tags and summary below:
(both gifs by the wildly talented @bizarrelittlemew)
There are many things that I liked about this new SaB season, and many things that I did not. One of the changes that I appreciated that added layers to the story was the integration of another living saint: Sankta Neyar.
yes, we saw a glimpse last season of what the Darkling has historically lived through, and what the toll of outliving everyone you know, over and over again, does to you. we know that the curse of immortality and infinite loneliness are what tie the Darkling and Alina's fates together, more than anything. it's a crucial part to their characters to explain their actions, thought processes and obsessive behaviors.
but Sankta Neyar! she directly, thematically, counters both of them!
"Hundred of years I closed my heart (...) What a safe way to live. What a small way as well."
She's calling the Darkling's way of living is safe. it's the way his mother taught him to live, of course. to be cynical, apathetic, cut off from your heart. when he loves, it's weakness, so he doesn't really let himself love. he obsesses, and maims, and lashes out at the people that disappoint his expectations. it makes him even more isolated.
Sankta Neyar could've easily been another Darkling mirror with this alone, and yet:
"When you allow yourself to be blindsided by love, two worlds make a universe. (...) And I will see him through his days."
An immortal person with a mortal love. this is who Alina would one day be. if only she could accept that it's alright to love someone and lose them. her own naive greed are why the season ends the way it ends, with Mal leaving in search of himself, now that she's taken his power and left him feeling hollow. her committing merzost to bring him back, her trust in that they will come together again, is not so different from what the Darkling is capable of for her. only, instead of closing her heart, she's super-glueing it to someone else. she refuses to let him go! it makes her unpredictably dangerous.
with Sankta Neyar there, we are shown balance: someone who will live every day to the fullest with her love, while still guarding herself and being distrusting of other people's intentions. it's possible to live forever and not lose yourself in the process. incredible! if only the Darkling and Alina had some immortal other than Baghra for influence!
I really need to start talking about my fic more over here, huh?
I'm currently 4 chapters out of [redacted] into a canon-divergent time loop fic with @karabwrites, updating twice a week! Come for the smut, stay for the angst and feelings and eventual happy ending (or vice versa, whatever floats your boat)
for all my grievances with tangled the series, one thing i cannot criticize them for is their songs, i mean, sure, not all of them make sense in context (let me make you proud comes to mind), the songs are spectacular, from the vocals to the instrumental, all of them are a joy to listen to, whether they are just incredibly goofy, like the buddy song, to heartbreaking, like waiting in the wings, whether its a solo, a duet or a group, they are wonderful to listen to
I read "The Princess, the Pirate and the Prosecutor" today.
With no exaggerations, irony or jokes, it was absolutely the best read of my life. Extremely good. Will read again (many, many, many times), which is exactly why I had to immediately draw something about it. I'm probably gonna refine it...
I have no idea if Lady Caine looks like this in the story, but it is what I envisioned her to look like. I really love her, guys.
I hope you like it like I loved your story, @twotangledsisters !!
you know, would be nice if joel of all people is the first to realize that all the bullying and disrespect against jimmy has had an actual negative effect on him and tries to both get everyone to apologize and respect jimmy (including himself cuz you aint getting out of this just because of lowe motherfucker) and get jimmy to stop seeking his revenge on everyone