#first time I ever got a commission on a ship of mine...or fan art in general | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

otomiyaa · 6 months

Text

Top 23 of 2023

Top 23 of 2023 on Tumblr is out and it made me remember something....!!! For those who also remember, I started this game last year and I just thought it would be nice to do it again. For reference, my post is ofc long gone, but here's Mia's~~

Tagging: @ticklygiggles & Everyone who wants to do it lol

Part 1: Fandom Faves

01. Favorite new fandoms of the year: Red, White & Royal Blue, Honkai Star Rail

02. Favorite new ships since this year: Henry x Alex (RWRB) Sampo x Gepard (HSR), Ballister x Ambrosius (Nimona)

03. Favorite anime/TV shows of the year: Atarashii Joushi wa Do Tennen, Our Flag Means Death Season 2, Niehime to Kemono no Ou

04. Favorite movies of the year: Red White and Royal Blue, Nimona

05. Favorite characters of the year: Furina!!!! (Genshin Impact), also Gepard Landau (Honkai Star Rail), Miguel O'Hara (Across the Spiderverse), and a big honorable mention to the Fontaine gang in Genshin Impact (especially Freminet and Neuvillette)!

06. Favorite soundtrack of the year: Genshin Impact - Fontaine soundtrack and the Our Flag Means Death Season 2 soundtrack

07. Favorite book/manga/comic of the year: The Work Love Balance manhwa, and RWRB which is older but I discovered it thanks to the movie coming out.

08. Favorite games of the year: Genshin Impact, still my fav^^

09. Highlight of this year to remember: Bowuigi trending as a ship.

Part 2: Community Review

10. Favorite Tumblr moments of 2023: Tickletober with the very own list Mia and I created, and even though it was a negative thing at first - getting swarmed with kind words from you guys after I lost my blog. I'm a mere humble person but you guys seriously made me feel a little important for a moment there ^///^

11. Favorite fan art of the year: Hard to say, but I'll say this sampard piece I got from Val baby for my bday, and this Ukatake commission by @dokidoki-muffin, this spiderdads commission by @giulscomix, and this Ittorou commission by @chibimochii have also stolen my heart!

And ofc all other commissions of this year (the bowuigi one fs;ijogij; and miguel one omggg, the pokemon commission so CUTE). And *wiggles fingers* I have more on the way....

12. Favorite fic of the year: Hard to say but I've been enjoying a lot of the Tickletober works specifically by @lovelynim and @ticklygiggles, and also this Nimona fic by @bambinella has become a fav, and all RWRB fics by @kourtniwritesagain!!!!! I still need to reblog them here.

13. Favorite ask game of the year: I can't remember which ones I played, but I remember there was a time I had reblogged "post your anonymous confessions" or something, and it resulted in the most interesting asks and conversations with you guys^^ I liked that.

14. My top achievements as a writer/artist/creator/blogger: If I'll be around in a year, this won't be 'writer' but 'blogger', but for this one as a writer, it'll again be completing all 31 days of tickletober right on schedule despite a minor intervention.. :"D

15. My own best fic/post of the year: I have no idea! But if I ask AO3, it answers that my best fic of this year is my bowuigi fic mahahaha (based on kudos btw).

16. My most underappreciated fic/post of the year: Let's give that award to these 2 poor Tickletober fics (which I enjoyed writing a lot) that were not reblogged by anyone meaning they are no longer on Tumblr since my account loss:

Day 21: Horns/Fangs | Sariphi x Leonhart, King of Beasts (Niehime to Kemono no Ou)

Day 23: Party | Momose x Shirosaki (Atarashii Joushi wa Do Tennen)

17. A post of mine that got more popularity than expected: My comeback post! The comments, likes and even reblogs, I couldn't have ever imagined.

18. Something I changed on my blog since this year: You tell me 😂 No but besides the whole blog change, another change is that I got over my embarrassment and was brave enough to commission a couple of artists this year. Me and my money are now in a happy place!

Part 3: Next Year

19. Something I didn’t post this year but would like to do next year: A fic recommendations/faves post (from other writers). Wonder if I'll ever get to it, since my reading and fic reblogging is already not what I like it to be, meaning that every fic I reblog would probably belong on that list lol. But alright, I'd like to make a faves of the faves list then.

20. Goals for next year: Read more...!!! Read more books, more manga, more webtoons, more tickle fics. I love them, so I should read more! My truest ambition.

21. 2024 releases I look forward to the most: Every single update for Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail, and also: Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, Inside Out 2, Deadpool 3, Venom 3, Kimi ni Todoke S3, and Beastars Final Season!

22. Something else I look forward to next year: Traveling to Japan with my boyfriend! Also: receiving more tickles cuz why not. And last but not least, seeing Taylor Swift live at the Eras Tour in Amsterdam!

Part 4: Spreading Love

23. Shoutouts to people who made my 2023 a better year: I know, and you might know, I didn't do so well last time since I tagged a bunch of friends but also forgot to mention some... not because I didn't care about them but because I am a flopper. So to prevent this embarrassment I won't mention any names this time.

I especially would like to thank everyone who is still around, who is reading this, who followed my new blog. To be honest, on my old blog I felt flattered to have so many followers but I was also aware it was the effect of being active for 7 years in a ton of fandoms, and that it didn't say anything about the accurate number of people appreciating what I was posting.

But to be at already almost 500 followers on this blog? Where I only post shit? Now that's a compliment I will gladly accept. Thank you to all of you for the support!

Last but not least, special shoutout to the friends I talk to on Discord sooo much now, you know who you are!

Question list for copy paste below!

Part 1: Fandom Faves

01. Favorite new fandoms of the year

02. Favorite new ships since this year

03. Favorite anime/TV shows of the year

04. Favorite movies of the year

05. Favorite characters of the year

06. Favorite soundtrack of the year

07. Favorite book/manga/comic of the year

08. Favorite games of the year

09. Highlight of this year to remember

Part 2: Community Review

10. Favorite Tumblr moments of 2023

11. Favorite fan art of the year

12. Favorite fic of the year

13. Favorite ask game of the year

14. My top achievements as a writer/artist/creator/blogger

15. My own best fic/post of the year

16. My most underappreciated fic/post of the year

17. A post of mine that got more popularity than expected

18. Something I changed on my blog since this year

Part 3: Next Year

19. Something I didn’t post this year but would like to do next year

20. Goals for next year

21. 2024 releases I look forward to the most

22. Something else I look forward to next year

Part 4: Spreading Love

23. Shoutouts to people who made my 2023 a better year

#top 23 of 2023 #tag game #personal

20 notes · View notes

darkpoisonouslove · 4 years

Text

30 Days of Fanfic (Days 1-10)

I saw this and thought it could be fun but since I was already a few days behind and a little all over the place, I decided to do them in batches of 10 questions. So here are the first ten days!

Day 1 - How did you get into fanfic?

- How did you first get into writing fanfic, and what was the first fandom you wrote for? What do you think it was about that fandom that pulled you in?

I don’t really remember how I got into fic anymore. It was my best friend that dragged me into it and I just... started reading?

The first fandom I wrote for was PJO. I have always loved Greek mythology so I just decided to... go for it. I never finished that fic, though (probably for the best as the ideas were awesome but the execution - not so much)

Day 2 - What fandoms have you written in?

- Name the fandoms you’ve written in, how much you’ve written in those fandoms, and if you still write in them.

That one isn’t so hard as I haven’t written in a lot of fandoms. Here are the ones that I have written in (in order of joining):

Once Upon a Time - 41 fanfics (I do have one collection that I need to finish in this fandom and tons of ideas but while I haven’t officially left the fandom and abandoned the fics, I am not really active there anymore. Which is a damn shame considering how many things I had planned for it. I don’t really feel the inspiration currently, though, but I haven’t given up on it completely.)

Fairy Tail - 8 fanfics (I mostly join any of the annual weeks for different ships in this fandom. I do have some ideas but I haven’t found the motivation for them yet. Even if a few of them were really cool and I loved them a lot.)

Winx Club - 86 fanfics (This one is my most active fandom currently. I do still write in it and I hope that will hold true for the foreseeable future as well.)

Lucifer - 1 fanfic (that was more of an experiment and I don’t really plan on writing more there)

Day 3 - Favorite characters?

- For each of the fandoms you have written in, what were/are your favorite characters to write? Why were these characters your favorite? (Can be main, side, established, or original!)

Um, okay. Let’s see.

Once Upon a Time - Regina Mills was my favorite character to write because I was mostly interested in her and I could see a lot of similarities between us. I wanted to explore more of her and her relationships with the other characters.

Fairy Tail - I don’t think I really had a favorite character to write here. They were all sort of... hard to get? And I haven’t written nearly enough of anyone to be able to pick a favorite.

Winx Club - I want to say Griffin but I think I might love writing Valtor just a tad bit more. At least at the moment. Maybe it is that he is more emotional and impulsive and I can get behind that and know how to write it? I also related a lot with some things about him and other times it is simply fun to write him when he is being an asshole. But there’s also a lot of emotional stuff to explore there. I don’t really know. I just love writing him.

Lucifer - Uhh... I only really wrote two characters from there and from them Chloe Decker was certainly the one that was easier so I chose to write my only fic from her PoV. I love the characters on the show but I don’t think I get them enough to write them that well yet so I am not pushing to do it.

Day 4 - Muse/special character?

- Do you have a ‘muse’ character(s), that speaks to you more than others, or that tries to push their way in, even when the fic isn’t about them? Who are they, and why did that character(s) became your muse? Are they a canon character or an OC?

Did I mention Valtor? Man, talk about trying to write something that he doesn’t sneak in. The few fics that I was actually focusing on other characters didn’t suffer from this but a fic that has Griffin inevitably brings out the need to at least mention Valtor in it as well. I have had to actively restrain myself from bringing him in a couple of times when I really wanted to write about anything else other than their relationship. I guess that is my muse. XD Not one of them separately but the two of them together. I am having all the feelings about them. Let’s leave it off here because I will get too many feelings otherwise.

Day 5 - Envisioning characters?

- Do you have techniques you use to help you visualise a character, such as picrews, faceclaims, moodboards, or fanart? Have you commissioned or created art to go with your fics, or provided references (picrews, faceclaims etc) for readers or yourself?

I am the worst at envisioning characters. I think it might be because I am trying to get in the mindset of the character so if I am in their head, I can’t see their appearance. (Maybe I should try writing with a mirror nearby. XD) I do make aesthetics but their purpose isn’t that much to help me envision the characters. I mostly avoid the envisioning part by focusing on emotional things and if I absolutely have to write descriptions, I try to keep it minimalistic. I have done sort of a picrew thing for my original characters but not for any fandom I’m in. A friend of mine made an illustration for one of my fics but it was after I wrote it and she actually used what I had managed to envision already to paint the thing. Envisioning characters is not my strength and I don’t even know how I function as a writer despite that.

Day 6 - Gender Preference?

- When you write, do you have a gender preference for your protagonist and/or the rest of the cast? Is it the same or different from your own gender? Do you feel your own gender is well represented, and how do you go about accurately portraying genders different from your own?

I couldn’t care less for the protagonist’s gender. I write the story from the PoV that is best for it. I try to focus on the personality of the character rather than on any other characteristics.

Day 7 - Fic affecting your view of a character?

- Have you ever had a fic you’ve written change your opinion of a character? Or has a fic you’ve read changed your opinion on a character?

Probably only... every fic I’ve ever written? I mean, as you write, your vision on the characters develops and, essentially, changes. There have certainly been fics that have made me reflect more or in a different way on an aspect of a character and have led me to change my view of that character in a way. It is kind of the point of being in a fandom and reading other people’s fics, I’d say.

Day 8 - OCs

- Do you write OCs? And if so, what do you do to make certain they’re not Mary Sues, and if not, explain your thoughts on OCs.

I only write OCs when the story demands it as it demands positions that the existing characters can’t fill for whatever reason. Or when the person has existed in canon but was never introduced on screen (as in someone’s parents that we never saw). I am not a fan of OCs because I go to fanfiction for the characters I already know and love. If I wanted completely new characters that I am unfamiliar with, I would turn to original fiction. I was fascinated with the characters I saw on the screen/in the book and I want to know more about them and the relationships between them. I am not interested in what OCs can be made in that world.

Day 9 - Favorite pairings and your comfort zone

- What are your favorite pairings to write in your fandoms? Have you ever gone outside your comfort zone and written a pairing you liked, but found you couldn’t write, or a pairing you didn’t like, and found you could?

I’m just gonna talk about Winx Club because it is my only truly active fandom.

Griffin x Valtor is my OTP. I love them to death and have so many ideas about them.

Now as for pairing that I like but can’t write, I don’t think I have ever encountered such. In this fandom at least. (Maybe in Lucifer Deckerstar is a bit too hard to nail.)

Pairing that I don’t like but can (kinda) write must be Icy x Valtor which I did write on request and that particular concept was actually very fun to work with. I wouldn’t say it has “converted“ me or something, however.

Generally, I stick to what I like. I might try my hand at writing a pairing that I am curious about but I don’t like to waste my time on ships I don’t like.

Day 10 - Writer's block and procrastination

- Have you ever experienced writer's block or an impeded ability to write? How do you tackle a loss of motivation or executive function, and/or how does procrastination hinder (or help) you?

I don’t really think I’ve had writer’s block once I started writing consistently and not once every two months. I have had certain ideas that needed more time to get ready for being written but I never really stopped writing. I have had days when I was too mentally exhausted to write but the solution to that was to just step away for a while and let my brain rest. The problem wasn’t truly in the writing so with some time to recharge my batteries, I was back on track.

I mostly force myself through loss of motivation telling myself that I have too many awesome ideas that I will never be able to write if I don’t just get to it. And I always work on what I am feeling like tackling right now. Even if it isn’t necessarily what I would’ve wanted to work on.

Executive dysfunction can be a bitch. It is hard to get past it and I don’t think I really know how I do it.

Procrastination is probably the hill I will die on because I am too nervous to get to the next one. I don’t really have a tried-and-true solution for it as I am usually aware that I am procrastinating and yet, I can’t stop doing it and make myself be productive. Usually what gets me to drop it and start working is the itch to write and the feeling that I will literally explode if I don’t write. So I think it is that the desire to just write something whatever that may be defeats the fear that it will suck and I finally manage to get to it. I am just too excited about my projects sometimes. XD

#30 days of fanfic #fanfic #fanfiction #my writing #personal #about me #winx club #ouat

9 notes · View notes

neko-shinigxmi · 4 years

Text

.: Day 1 - F/O February :.

Reverse Self-Ship: You are your F/O’s F/O!!

I’m from a video game series akin to an odd mix of Watch_Dogs and Grand Theft Auto. Things can get a little pervy, hijacking cars is involved, stealth and adventure abound...but so is a bunch of ridiculous, silly things, like a petting minigame that triggers randomly when interacting with my cat.

There’s a single-player mode focused on my background and meeting up with past friends or exes...and is story-based, allowing you to attack and kill them, befriend them again... All sorts of stuff.

Also, the option to adopt more cats and become a crazy cat lady...in spirit.

Shit, romance people if you want! Live life!

Marcus got Wrench (Reggie) the game as a birthday gift. It was mostly a joke, because Reg REALLY thought he wouldn’t like it....and what else do best friends do but give their bffs prank gifts?

Still, Marcus bought it for him new... So Reg boots it up and gives it a chance, anyways.

......holy shit, he actually likes this WAY more than he first thought he would.

First of all, he HATES animals; every one he’s ever met seems to hate him and hurt him, so he’s turned his back on animalkind. However, throughout the game, I’m NOTHING but kind to every animal and suspicious of every person I meet.... Some of which he understands completely. There are some ASSHOLES in this game!!

Also, the way I croon to my cat and get into baby talk... It’s so damn cute to him. Really makes him feel some kinda way, which he flushes over. (Haha, wow that’s embarrassing.)

The point is, he ends up hating animals a little less and starts loving cats a LOT more.

Actually had to put down the controller and walk away from the game when doing a dancing minigame. He could barely focus on the button commands with how cute I was being while doing the dances.

Proceeds to look up people who 100% the dances just so he can save them to his phone. Watch them whenever he wants.

Later deletes them, 100%s them on his own, and THEN saves them onto his phone. Is a lot more happy with them, cause they’re HIS gameplay videos and not someone else’s.

LOVES messing around with outfits. Someone on the staff was either a big fan of cats or just...made that my most out-there personality trait (second only to the games and show in my world that are obviously knock-offs of real-world games), but he’s not complaining. Running around in cat ears and a cat tail? So damn cute.

His personal favorites are the masks I have combined with the matching jackets; it makes me feel more relatable to him...but he’s a greedy man and always eventually takes them off so he can look at my face.

Has SO MANY PICTURES on Facebook of him playing this damn game. Marcus kinda thought he was pranking at first, but now the whole squad knows Reg is a bit of an addict.

They got him the other games on Christmas and he cried. Everyone was....kinda in awe.

Josh got him a t-shirt with my character on it that reads “Bee Paw-sitive~!” on it. He wears it a LOT.

He definitely started up a collection that rivaled....basically no one else in the fandom.

HATES seeing the fandom pairings. And since you can romance anyone due to my sexuality canonly being Panromantic...it’s frustrating.

(Well, he’s Bi, so some of the people he wouldn’t mind sharing with, yeah....but he’s specifically venomous over the people he’s SURE are my friends only. Or are/were super toxic to me in my past. So, so bitter that anyone likes those ships, but holds his tongue only bc he got a figurine of me doing some cutesy pose next to his monitor. It helps him keep his head.)

Literally has a savings account reserved for merchandise. If it exists, he wants to buy it. If it doesn’t, but someone’s commissions are open? He’s gonna buy it.

Has bought art, jumped on art-trades/requests to get MORE art of us together. Has two plushies of me, as well as a body pillow. Continues to seek more things.

Is honestly upset that my size is medium (and so he can’t wear my canonly fitted clothes), BUT that doesn’t stop him from owning a single shirt in my size AND getting items that mimic my wardrobe.

He likes to imagine we can match together....or I can wear HIS version of my fave shirts when mine are dirty~!

Is still debating getting a kitten. Until that day, cat plushes are among the only other plushes he has (aside from mine).

Weird as he felt about it, he later admitted to his friends that he....kinda felt romantically towards me? And was thinking about just being fictoromantic...

Josh was the first one to see no problem with it and fast. People can be hard to work with, so... You do you. (Reg then felt bad about bullying him so much....oop.)

Horatio was also quickly on board. “Hey man, they make you happy. If it helps, it helps.”

Marcus....was a little more confused, but got in the spirit of it, regardless. “man, if I knew you would’ve actually liked it, I woulda got it for you a lot sooner!! Have fun, man.”

Sitara doesn’t quite get it, but.... It sure explains why Reg kept pestering her to tag “Purrfect Anarchy” in certain places and commissioning her for stylized art of him with them.

T-Bone....kinda harasses him about it, but the group stands by Reg. Josh is pretty upset about it, though.

He also follows every piece of news and publicly shares it, after admitting to being ficto. LOTS more pictures like, “Cutie’s got good taste.” [selfie with him sticking out his tongue and wearing one of the replica shirts] “Dinner date with bae!” [screenshot of me looking at the screen of his laptop, dinner and candlelight between us]

Everyone rolled with it more and more over time, so now it’s entirely not uncommon for them to bribe Reg to do things by dragging me into it...

Sitara: Hey, you leaving? Wrench: ...yeah, why? Sitara: Can you get me a coffee while you’re out? Wrench: Wh-? Why should I get you-? Sitara: I bet Rachel would like you doing something like that, y’know. Wrench: .....That’s cruel. You’re cruel. Sitara: I know~! You know how I like it, thank you, and Rachel loves you. Wrench: [sputters audibly and shuffles out the door, muttering to himself, embarrassed]

They don’t do a LOT of crimes anymore, but... Definitely still fuck shit up w/ cops. Reg daydreams a shitton about a masked romance and the anarchy we could commit together... After all, I helped him be braver. So he could help me, too, and then..... So much glorious chaos. Maybe makeouts in his car...

Was literally the type to not give a SHIT about marriage or kids, but now nonstop thinks about our lives together. Anarchy and domestic lifestyle shit can coexist, right? We can be married, have our cute lil’ two story (three, if you count the attic AND a basement), and some kids.....and also go create anarchy and throw bricks at cop cars and cause so much damn trouble..... Right?

He’ll even get a CAT for our home. It’ll be our first kid and not only will he be SO COOL, but they’ll name her (yes, a girl) Princess Leia and I’ll probably cry in happiness!!

Reg is DETERMINED to be the best husband/boyfriend ever. Doesn’t matter which, cause whatever speed I’d like to go at? Hell yeah, he’s down for it. Just as long as he can still hold my hand and gush over how cute I am and-

Has gushed about me and my series before and WILL do so again, prompted or not.

Actually participated in the fandom a little. Mostly does reblogs and such, but has written a few stories (self-inserts are the majority), done some not too shabby art, and prides himself on being the BIGGEST fan of the series with all the merch he has AND commissions bought.

Made a select few friends who also are fans, but... Is constantly anxious about his self-shipping. Either that they might eventually think he’s weird, send more anon hate (he’s gotten some in the past for “being a creep”), or- worst yet- also self-ship with me and he’s still dealing with that idea.

Until then, he’s got a wedding ring he bought cheap at the jewelry section of some store, so.... Coping skills, babey.

#FOFebruary #FOFebruary2020 #Aki speaks #otp; purrfect anarchy #self ship #self ship community #oH LOOK I'M DOING THINGS ALL OF A SUDDEN.....#O D D #anyways have this thank u

17 notes · View notes

alwaysforyouscully · 5 years

Text

My X-FEST 2 Experience!

Friends and followers this was truly a pleasure. I was only able to go on Saturday but my X-Files heart is full with great memories!

Here's my recap on one excellent day, we (my daughter and I) got our passes and went to the hotel restaurant to eat breakfast. I heard Mitch before I say him. He was at the table next to us and about 15 minutes later Nick came down and joined him. I never thought the back of their heads would be exciting but...

Anyhoo... we go inside the hall and everyone is in their booth. This was really well organized, plenty of space and easy access to whomever you wanted to see. Everyone when straight to the Gunmen and Nick so I went to Sheila:

I was her first autograph of the day and she was sorry she only had a black pen. She asked her assistant if she should have a lighter pen. I said it's no problem just meeting her was great. She said "I hate this picture." I said oh no, it's how I'll always remember you and she said "You know I still have this jacket in my closet." I was like really, do you ever wear it? And we both laughed, I'm not sure why? Lol 😂

Next I went to see Annabeth:

There were a few folks in line and when it was my turn for an autograph, she looked up and saw my shirt. She said "That's me! Where did you get this?" I told her off the internet and she grabbed her phone and told her assistant to take a picture. Just a note, she is lovely! And from this point forward we will have the 'That's Annabeth' count. This is 1.

When I walked into my photo op she grabbed my hand and said "It's you! I sent our picture to my husband and he said where did she get that? It's great!" Again she is a freaking gem!

Okay next was Mitch. As most of you know in April of 2018 I went to South Texas CC to see Mitch and he got the flu and cancelled 😣. My daughter felt so bad for me that she sent him a message on Twitter. He sent her a PM back and said he would send me some cool stuff...he did and after his last message to her he deleted his Twitter. So on to current day.

I get in line and my daughter is at a side table organizing my pictures. The lovely @jenniferalarza painted a piece for me plus I had JJ Lendl's "Kitten" poster for him to sign. When I got to the table I showed Mitch the envelope of all the things he mailed me last April. He was shocked and said "You came all the way here from Texas?" (He remembered 🤗 ) I told him I had to meet him and pointed to my daughter and said she's the one that sent you the message, then you quit sm. He was looking at the painting and without looking up he said, "Yep, she's the reason I quit." He laughed and I said she really thinks it's true. He came around the table and without slowing down, he headed towards her saying "I'm going to tell her it was because of her that I quit" He got to her and I couldn't hear what he said but she flushed and kind of teared up. Next he pulled her into a hug and headed back to the signing table. He signed both pieces then stopped. He said "She really thought she was the reason? Damn, I'm so sorry." Now I was tearing up. 😥

Mitch was the last photo op on Saturday and I still had 3 tickets left. My daughter and I decided to each take one individually and one together. Mitch saw us and we did the group pic first. He put his arms around us and said "We finally made it!" Yes Mitch, we did. Thanks 😘

Mark Snow was next to Frank Spotnitz and both of their lines were consistent but not too long. I owed the beautiful @dontpointdownthere a favor so we went to Mark next.

The favor was to ask about the song playing on the jukebox in "Dreamland ll" when Mulder and Joann, then Morris and Joann are at the bar. I asked Mark if he knew the song and he couldn't remember so he called over to Frank and asked him. I described it as best I could but Frank couldn't remember either. Sad news for @dontpointdownthere . 😥

I went to Mark's panel and I got the lyrics in the mean time. Frank was at the panel too so I showed him the lyrics and he took a picture with his phone. I met back up with Mark later and showed him the lyrics and along with the folks in line we tried to jar his memory. No joy but it was fun trying!

After the lunch break it was off to the Lone Gunmen. Again @jenniferalarza did a beautiful piece for me, so on to the signing:

Tom was first, he was very sweet and loved the painting. After folks in line heard it was fanart, they all wanted to see it. Everyone was very impressed!

Bruce was next and he was, umm, more like Byers than I thought he would be. First words upon seeing my shirt, "That's Annabeth" (that makes 2) He looked at the picture then asked my name. He said "This is really good, lots of fan art isn't, lots and lots are terrible." He started to sign and put my name at the top then stopped and signed his name at the bottom. "Oops! I forgot what I was going to say." Oh well, guess we'll never know Bruce!

Dean was last and his line had been the longest most of the day. I heard him talking with a fan while I was waiting for Mitch and he was telling her how he does pet portraits now. He even pulled out his phone and gave her an impromptu art show! Lol When I walked up he said "Hi! Is this Annabeth? (#3) and I said sure is. So I handed him the painting and he was about to sign then asked "Is this a print on canvas?" I told him it was the original and he was upset about signing it. I said no, please sign it, that's why my friend painted it for me so the three of you could sign it! He was just floored and started asking how much it cost, was it commissioned, how much was shipping from Spain and on and on. He said "I'm doing portraits now so I need to know these things."

His photo op was the last of the Lone Gunmen. The lines for the photos went super fast. Each person was given a 15 minute slot and none used all of the time. I went in and he said "That really is Annabeth!" No joke (this was 4). And just before we took the picture the photographer said hold up a second we're moving a little fast. Talk amongst yourselves. Dean said "So, Annabeth huh? You got this off the internet? I don't know if this really looks like her. Look at that chin, her skin is too dark, the forehead is all wrong. You know it doesn't really look like her at all." (I'm counting this as 5) I laughed and said, I guess not but she liked it. "Oh gosh, she's seen it?" Yep and she took a picture of it too! By now the photographer was ready and off I went.

Nick's photo op was after the Gunmen:

I walked in and I shit you not he said "That's Annabeth!" (Up to 6) Yes, she really loved it. He put his hand out to shake mine "What's your name, we haven't met today" I said, No not yet, you've been too busy. "For you? Never." I did swoon, just saying because the gray scruff is working for him.

While I waited for the photo my daughter went to his table to wait in line, when I got there she was the only one there so perfect timing. He showed up about 10 minutes later and we walked up. He greeted my daughter and there was a card on the table for the 'I wanna believe' X-Files parody show and she asked if he'd seen it. He said "Not yet but it's going to be on YouTube so I'll watch it later." My daughter told him it was worth his time and really funny. I told him Krycek had an important role so he needed to check it out 😊! He signed my picture and called over to Annabeth, she was next to him, "Hey, you saw this?" pointing to my shirt. She said "Yes, isn't it fantastic!" (I'm counting this as 7)

Chris Owens was my last autograph of the day:

This guy is priceless, so warm and funny. He was telling a story about David to another fan when we walked up. He told them that David had called him to come back for S11 because he wouldn't have to put all that shit on his face this time! Lol I guess that worked 😂!

I picked the Postmodern Prometheus pic for him to sign and said I know it's not your best face but I loved this episode. He laughed and said "don't be so sure, this was one of my best." He got up from the table and gave me a hug. I was just in shock by his kindness!

That's finally it folks. A great day all around and an Annabeth shirt that will never live down it's fame!

Thanks for a great day X-Fest2!

And don't forget to check out @iwannabelieveparody 's YouTube channel to see this awesome show!

#the x files #x-fest2 #mitch pileggi #dean haglund #bruce harwood #tom braidwood #nick lea #annabeth gish #mark snow #chris rogers #sheila larken #i wanna believe

90 notes · View notes

beatricethecat2 · 6 years

Text

if/then (2.0) - 15 v.2

PSA time: Criticism can be a positive force, especially when it’s constructive, and even more so when it’s given by someone you trust and respect. (Don't be afraid of it!) “But it’s just fan fiction,” the mantra goes, meaning fics don't warrant scrutiny, like "real" writing does. But “It’s just fan fiction,” to me, means I have the ability to go back and reassess, to learn from my mistakes, especially when given sound advice to guide me. I’m writing to learn, as I’m not a writer by trade, so there is no shame in tearing something apart and starting over again. Chapter 15 warranted a serious makeover, so I dove in...the gist is the same but the information imparted differently. I’d forgotten the cardinal rule of "show not tell,” so I’ve gone back and applied that liberally. And here we are, back at Chapter 15, with a (hopefully) more satisfying result. Plus, in the meantime, I’ve plotted out a much better ending (for the story), so it's a win/win situation all around. Edited 6/5.

Previously: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7, part 8, part 9, part 10, part 11, part 12, part 13, part 14

////////////////////

Myka checks her phone and looks toward the door again; no new news, but Helena really should be here by now. The VIP preview started at five, and her public opening at six, but now it's near seven, and Helena’s still missing in action. A mix up with her ticket left her stranded until late afternoon, but after some strong words with the manager, she transferred to another airline. She texted over an hour ago that she'd "be there soon," but Myka's beginning to worry she's run into further trouble.

It's almost laughable, her fretting over Helena’s absence, as she was adamant for weeks Helena not join her. But at the last minute, she changed her mind, unnerved about stepping into uncharted territory alone. Helena convinced her she needed a buffer and that she was the best candidate for the job.

After their initial conversation, Helena called like clockwork every day, but at first, Myka didn't pick up. Ignoring Helena entirely seemed the only way to focus, but her heartfelt messages kept creeping into her head. If she was ever going to move past this, they needed to talk, and sooner rather than later was better than waiting.

Their first few conversations were bitter affairs, little more than Helena listening while Myka listed her “wrongs.” Myka vented a laundry list of frustrations, beginning with Germany and tumbling back through their relationship. But over time, her hostility weakened, allowing Helena to steer their focus towards Myka’s show.

“What do you want,” Myka grumbled, tapping "accept" after three full rings.

“To ask how you're faring today,” Helena replied.

“Stressed out. Super busy. Same as yesterday, and the day before.”

“You have been rather agitated lately.”

“Who’s fault is that?” Myka snapped. It had become a habit to push Helena’s buttons whenever possible, but this schtick was getting old, her heart wasn’t in it as it was a few days ago.

“Were you able to ask for more time off work?”

“Yeah,” Myka answered, a little disappointed Helena didn’t offer her usual apologies. "Leena’s sending stuff I can work on at home, so I only have to go in once or twice a week.”

“Excellent. That relieves much of your burden.”

“True, but there’s still so much to do.”

“Talk me through it. Perhaps I can assist.”

Myka looked across her room at the collection of objects on her desk, the ones she and Abigail rescued from Helena’s apartment. She hadn't told Helena what had happened there yet as she wanted to process her experiences there before inserting Helena's influence. But considering the subject matter, that was kind of counterproductive as she wouldn't be able to keep it from her for long.

“Why didn’t you tell me they were gutting your building?” she asked.

“Are they? I wasn't aware.”

“I think you knew.”

“I’d only heard rumblings. Nothing substantial. Certainly, nothing this soon."

Myka grunted in disapproval. "You couldn't have mentioned it was a possibility?"

"Discussing such destruction seemed cruel after all you’d been through. And I didn't want to alarm Christina.”

When Helena got kicked out, Myka was still a mess, so she could see where Helena was going with that. But Christina was going to find out eventually, whether while walking to the park or from a friend at school. Though she didn't mention it either the last time she saw Christina, probably for the same reasons Helena had kept it from her.

Standing from her stool, she walked across the room towards the group of objects littering the table. She fingered the frayed edge of a worn LP sleeve she dug out from the dumpster, one that once lived on a bottom shelf in Helena's living room with many others. They were visible from the couch while she was lying down, and she'd often wished they had a turntable to play them on. That couch provided so much comfort in those trying times, especially when Dewy would knead in circles and then curl up at her feet.

“I loved that apartment.”

“As did I.”

“Well, it’s gone. Ripped apart. The whole damn thing.”

“How do you—“

“Your couch was in a dumpster. We went inside. Took everything left of you we could carry.”

“We?”

“Me and Abigail."

“Oh. You and Abigail.”

The line quieted.

“Sorry, that was...” Harsh, Myka thought. But no harsher than finding her with Bonnie at the sale.

“A-And what treasures did you gather?” Helena asked, in soft, defeated tones.

“A, um...pen,” Myka said, describing the nearest thing to her. “From that Mexican place on Houston. The one with the soup Christina likes when she’s sick.”

“Pozole.”

“Yeah, that’s it."

“Then it's truly a souvenir worth saving,” Helena replied. Her words were polite but distant as if she was thinking about Christina being sick and her inability to comfort her. Myka wanted her to feel guilt, but over her, not her child. She looked around her collection for something less fraught.

“There’s that pom-pom Christina made at Brownies.” Dust fell to the table as Myka lifted an orange poof of yarn.

“The singular time we attended before she began kempo. It wasn’t for us.”

Myka drops the pom-pom and hones in on another item. “Shells from the beach you said were from Santa Cruz?”

“From our excursion after Claudia’s job interview at Apple. That was…an enlightening day.”

“Tell me more.”

“I shall, one day,” Helena answered. “But it wasn't terribly pleasant.”

“Oh, sorry." Myka searches her collection for something with a cheerier backstory.

“I’m touched you felt compelled to save these trinkets, but I must ask, whatever for?”

“They’re lost memories, like mine, from the fire, and I’m painting them for my show. Or at least trying to, but I’m running out of time.”

“Ah, yes! That makes perfect sense."

“It does? How?"

“Thus far, you’ve been piecing together memories, painstakingly recreating objects you’ve lost. But there’s a distance there as if you're compiling a catalog, much like the registrar you’ve trained to be."

“They’re more than cataloging—"

"But the objects from my flat are extant, and your renderings draw directly from their energy. Mixing our memories with your own adds a richness, describing the limbo we're all experiencing while building our lives again.”

“I, um...” Myka looked toward her easel, at the rendering of the calendar she rescued from the floor displayed there. Various events from that month flashed through her mind, and she realized the amount of baggage she was memorializing. Helena’s interpretation of her motives suddenly made sense, though unpacking them at the moment seemed too intense.

“Can you work on multiple paintings using artificial light?” Helena asked.

“I have been, and it helps. But I need to ship everything at least a week and a half in advance.”

“Ship many as you're able and take the rest with you on the plane.”

“Can I do that?”

“Yes. If you're still using wooden panels, they're not weighty. Pack them securely and pay the excess baggage fee,” Helena explained. “Buy them pre-primed to save time in the studio.”

“I like preparing them myself.”

“You must focus on content. Hire someone to prepare them for you, if that’s critical."

“You’re probably right.” Myka sighed.

“You're allowing too many distractions to get in your way.”

“Who’s fault is that?” Myka said, her bite from earlier gone.

“I’ll refrain from phoning if—“

“No. Call. I might not pick up, but this was...helpful." It was, but everything wasn't sitting right just yet. "We’re still not ok. Ok? You know that."

“I’m acutely aware.”

“As long as you know.”

“My offer still stands, either way.”

“I’ll keep it in mind,” Myka said, then tapped end her phone. That was all the critique she could handle for the day.

Positive news also eased tensions between them, as early on, Mrs. Frederic's bid won the sale. The sizable commission allowed her to step away from the gallery, though she promised to help out when needed. And the residency in LA got in touch before her trip and informed her she made it through to the semi-finalist round.

But she needs to get through tonight before anything can truly move forward, a big art night in Warsaw all round. The city's museums and galleries have openings concurrently, and tonight's crowd has already has exceeded expectations. The director's been buzzing around all evening, introducing her to new faces left and right. By the time Helena arrives, all the activity's made her head spin, and she's starting to zone out.

She spies Helena weaving towards her mid-sentence, cornered by a woman asking detailed questions about technique.

“Forgive the intrusion, but I must steal the guest of honor,” Helena says and hooks her arm through Myka’s. She leads her back across the room towards the entrance, then steps back and sweeps her eyes over her outfit. “Lovely as ever. More captivating in person. Though I did appreciate the preview over the phone.”

Myka blinks a few times, a little stunned by Helena’s actually here. “Y-you look nice, too. You didn't say you were wearing a dress.”

“I’m hardly well put together, but I did try my best. This event is too important to arrive both late and unkempt."

Myka searches for traces of unkemptness, but Helena's close-fitting dress is wrinkle-free. It compliments her frame so perfectly, she finds it difficult to look away. When she meets Helena's gaze, Helena's eyes fill with apology, and Myka's soften, accepting the gesture without reproach. Her show wouldn’t have come together without Helena's help, and she’s glad she’s finally here to share it with her.

"I thought you'd be here earlier. Was there lots of traffic?” Myka asks.

"I stopped by my hotel to change.”

“It’s not that far.”

“Yours was booked. Mine’s further away.”

“Oh. I didn't—“ A patron squeezing between them cuts Myka short.

Helena turns to face a painting on the wall. “This one’s mesmerizing in person. Nothing like the photo you sent. Its surface seems holographic, but that can’t be right.”

“I added mica powder to the pigment, to create a shine.”

“Myka power?” Helena quips, raising a brow.

“Very funny. You know what I mean. Christina said it should be shiny, like the sticker.”

“She is you’re harshest critic.”

“At times,” Myka says, with a smirk. “It is her sticker.”

“But the rendering is yours. And the sentiment an ode to childhood obsessions."

“It's about the resilience of materials in the harshest conditions,” Myka snaps, repeating the line she’s used all day. "But I guess it is a kid’s sticker, so...” She looks hard at the likeness of a curled and soiled Pegasus she created. Helena's interpretation wasn’t her intention, but she can see what she means.

“Have you repaired all the damage from your shipment?” Helena asks.

“Don’t get me started. I can’t believe the crappy repacking job they did."

“Manhandling must escalate the longer goods fester in Customs .”

“If they’d been held up anywhere but London, I don’t know what I would have done. Thank you again for convincing me to ask for Mrs. Frederic's help.”

“In my opinion, the paperwork error was inconsequential. They should never have been held back in the first place.”

“That’s what happens when I don’t double check things—"

“Myka, come and meet Priska," a woman interrupts. She places a hand on Myka’s shoulder and glances at Helena. “Ah, this must be the long-lost Helena. Welcome!"

“I’m pleased to have finally arrived,” Helena says, holding out a hand to shake. "You must be Eva, the director. Very nice to meet you,”

“Likewise,” Eva says, accepting the gesture. "I've heard much about you.”

“All good I hope.”

Eva smiles and looks across the gallery. “Come, talk with Priska. She’s intrigued by the calendar piece."

“There's a lot to be said, isn’t there?”

As they walk across the room, the mischievous look in Helena's eye leaves Myka wary of what "a lot" entails.

Helena shifts into dealer mode as they meet with Eva’s client, her charm on high as they check in with various guests. Myka chimes in when Helena's interpretations don’t line up with her own, but after their umpteenth conversation, she’s happy to let Helena speak for her. Helena mostly gets things right, plus she’s wiped from repeating herself, and watching Helena work, in her favor, is still a turn on.

There's a dinner after the opening, then drinks after that and Myka's running on steam by the drinks portion. Helena stays ever by her side, chatting with guests, refilling her glass, ensuring she's having a good time. It's comforting having Helena there to care of her, as she'd been mostly holed up alone for weeks.

During a lull in socializing, Helena glances at Myka and smiles a smile she knows is just for her. She slips her arm around Myka's waist, and Myka instinctively leans towards her, smiling back with equal sentiment.

As the hours pass, and the wine takes hold, their touches become more intimate. At some point, Myka tunes out the room entirely, and her eyes hanging on Helena's lips. The way they lift and stretch to match her cadence and inflection makes her wish they were moving over her skin. She aches to kiss her, but not here, somewhere private, somewhere alone. She snaps out of it when she realizes that’s not out of the question.

She asks the time, it's late, an appropriate time to leave. They say their goodbyes, then pile into a car someone called for them. Myka gives the driver directions, and when Helena adds a second stop, her heart sinks; it no longer makes sense to have asked her to book a separate room. It was an easy way out if their evening went unfavorably, but she assumed they'd be in the same hotel.

“I can’t wait to pass out,” she says, slumping back into her seat. She closes her eyes as the car drives away.

“You deserve a rest. And you’ll sleep soundly knowing tonight was a great success.”

“It was, wasn't it?” Myka says. She cracks an eye open to peer at Helena and sees she's sitting stiffly, too far away. She slides a hand across the seat and lays it over Helena’s thigh. “I’m glad you came.”

“Thank you for allowing me,” Helena says. She covers Myka’s hand with her own.

The car turns at a light and Myka settles back, closing her eyes again, resting her head on the top of the seat. The car turns and slows after continuing on for several minutes. When it stops, Helena removes her hand.

“Come up with me,” Myka says and squeezes Helena’s thigh.

Helena looks down at Myka's hand but doesn't answer.

"If you want," Myka adds. Was Helena's doting all an act? She did offer her hotel address rather quickly. Maybe she misread her; maybe she wants to be alone.

“I’d be happy to,” Helena says, laying her hand over Myka’s again and smiling as she meets Myka’s eyes.

They exit the vehicle and walk straight through the lobby, directly into an open elevator. Myka presses a button, and as they move skywards, she steps back and examines Helena’s shimmery ensemble.

“Your dress reminds me of the one from our first ‘official’ date.”

“Do you reckon?” Helena glances down at her garment.

“The cut’s the same, but the color's different. Did you do that on purpose?”

“I may very well have,” Helena replies.

The door opens and they walk down a corridor then stop in front of Myka’s room. Myka slips her keycard into the slot and upon entering, sheds her jacket and bag, throwing both over the arm of a chair. She turns and faces Helena, who is standing a few paces away.

“Take your coat off," Myka says, motioning for Helena to come closer.

“We should talk,” Helena says, her tone weighty, beyond the current mood.

“I know, but...” Myka steps behind Helena and reaches over her shoulders, slipping her fingers underneath her lapels. She leans forward and angles her head, so her lips nearly touch Helena's ear. “Let's keep tonight about me.”

Myka tugs on Helena's lapels and Helena circles her arms back, allowing Myka to slip her coat off entirely. Myka throws the coat on top of her own, then pads in front of Helena and threads a finger under the strap of her dress.

“Maybe we can have a do-over,” Myka says, her eyes following her finger as it slides up towards Helena's collarbone then back down to where the strap meets Helena's generous neckline.

“A what?”

“A do-over. For our 'official' first date.” Myka angles her eyes up, meeting Helena's questioning gaze. "We are in a hotel, and you are wearing a dress.”

"So it seems,” Helena says, her eyes falling to Myka's lips. She leans forward for a kiss, but Myka dodges, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward the bed. As they reach the edge, Myka spins Helena around and taps on her shoulders so she falls into sitting position, Helena lays back and Myka crouches down, lifting Helena's foot, slipping off one heel and then another. She removes her own and drops both pairs to the floor while Helena shimmies up the bed until her head rests on a pillow. Myka crawls across the bed until her body is hovering over Helena’s and Helena adjusts so they're in perfect alignment.

“This is where we left off,” Myka says, dipping down for a kiss. Helena lifts her head, but Myka stops an inch short. “No, wait. You sit up and kiss me.” Myka settles back on her haunches and takes hold of Helena’s hands, placing them, palms down, above her knees.

Helena lifts slowly at the waist, palms skimming up Myka’s thighs as Myka cups Helena’s jaw and guides their lips together. Helena's thumbs slide inwards as they reach the hem of Myka's skirt, stretching eagerly towards tender, intimate flesh.

“Hey!” Myka yelps.

Helena freezes. “I thought we were continuing where we left off?”

“It was our first time, remember? You wouldn’t have moved that fast.”

“You haven't a clue what I would or would not have done.”

“Then tell me," Myka says, but kisses Helena her before she can answer, a strategic brush of Helena's thumbs impossible to ignore.

Helena rakes her hands up, over the curve of Myka's hips, and wraps her arms tightly around Myka's middle. Myka presses into Helena as Helena’s tongue parts her lips, the need for closer contact rushing through her like lightning. When they're forced to break for air, Helena places kisses across Myka’s cheek and lets her lips linger near her ear.

“Any flesh I’d longed to touch would have been unclothed immediately.” Helena reaches behind Myka’s shoulders and drags down her zipper. Myka leans back and lifts her arms, allowing Helena to peel her garment off entirely.

"I'd have mapped every arc and every crook; cataloged each utterance of pleasure I'd earned." Helena slides Myka’s bra strap over the slope of her shoulder and places a soft, lingering kiss on the rise of her breast.

“Wait," Myka says as painful memories trickle back. “If you wanted me so badly, why did you leave?”

“We’ve talked about this,” Helena says, laying her forehead on Myka's chest.

“But I still don’t understand,” Myka says, tipping Helena's head up, needing to see Helena's eyes as she answers.

“I thought tonight was to remain about you.”

“It was but…why were you so scared that night?”

“I’d only just learned I’d be deported.”

“That’s not it. Not enough for you to bolt. It was something else, something out of your control.”

“Myka...“

Myka sits back, distancing herself, brow furrowing as she replays the details of that evening. “You asked a lot of questions about Mrs. Frederic. But you already knew who she was, didn’t you?”

“Her reputation precedes her—“

“No, you knew her. You’d met her before. Were you working for her then?”

“I hadn’t met her until the day I was called into her office." Helena's eyes narrow and Myka shrinks back. She hit a nerve, as she did so often over the phone. “I think you're over-tired, and perhaps a bit tipsy,” Helena says, taking hold of Myka’s hands and drawing them towards her.

“I’m going to change,” Myka says, slipping her hands free and sliding off the bed. She walks towards the bathroom and after entering closes the door.

She leans on the counter and stares into the mirror, seeing what Helena saw. Her eyes are red and puffy, her hair fairly frazzled, but it's been a really, really long day, so she's not surprised. But maybe, just maybe, she's overreacting as she is both overworked and overtired.

She begins pulling out pins and thinking over the situation; was Helena spying on Macpherson for Mrs. Frederic all this time? And was Bonnie clued into the situation before now? Helena said Mrs. Frederic knew her, or rather knew Emily before London, but did she mean “knew of” or “knew her personally?” And if so, wouldn’t she have known the "other" Emily first? Unless she only knew "this" Emily, Helena's Emily, the one from the trial.

She yanks the last pin free and runs her fingers through, combing her hair out into rough, curled strands.

If Helena was telling the truth and she wasn’t Emily before their date, then it is possible, at dinner, she hadn't met Mrs. Frederic yet. So maybe she's jumping to conclusions, mixed up between Claudia's research and Helena's murky past. It is easy to fall into old patterns, so she probably should chill out until they can talk for real. They have a whole three days to hash things out, and it's best to do so with a clear head.

She brushes her teeth and gives her face a quick wash before swapping her clothes for a t-shirt and shorts. She hesitates before opening the door, how does she want to handle this? If things hadn’t gone sour so quickly, they’d be otherwise engaged right now. And she'd rather be doing that than confronting Helena. Maybe it's best to pass out and deal with it tomorrow.

When she opens the door, Helena's standing near the entrance, her coat and shoes already on.

“At least you didn’t sneak out this time.”

“I was certain you wouldn't want me to stay.”

“No, I do." Myka walks toward her suitcase and rummages through, pulling out a fresh t-shirt. “Here. Go change.”

Helena removes her coat and shoes then moves toward the bathroom, taking the t-shirt from Myka’s hand as she passes.

Once the door closes, Myka climbs onto the bed and burrows under the covers. She breathes deep breaths and closes her eyes, hoping to calm her nerves before Helena emerges.

Too few moments later, the bed dips down, and Helena sits motionless for what seems like an eternity. Myka doesn't move either, unsure of how to proceed, waiting for Helena to set the tone.

“Are you asleep?”

“No. Not yet."

“May I say something?”

“Sure."

“Our past may be irreparable, and our future...unpredictable. But our present is something we hold agency over.”

Myka rolls onto her side and bends her arm at the elbow, propping her head up with a hand. “How long did it take you to come up with that?"

"Since you first entered to bathroom."

"It's good. And I get it. You mean tonight is what we make it.”

“Yes,” Helena says. “You’d asked this evening be kept about you and I'd hoped you'd allow me to hold fast to that. You deserve a grand finish that only I can deliver. Let's end your successes on a high note."

“Selling yourself, instead of my paintings? Classy.” Myka huffs a short laugh.

“In a manner of speaking. Is that of any interest?"

"Kinda." Myka shrugs.

“Then I clearly misinterpreted your earlier intentions." Helena looks down at her hands.

“No, you didn't,” Myka says. “I'm interested. But it wouldn’t fix anything. And we’d still need to talk. A lot.”

“And we shall. Eminently.”

Myka slides her hand across the duvet and brushes a thumb over Helena's wrist. She may regret this tomorrow, but it is what she wants tonight.

Helena lifts her legs onto the bed and stretches out next to Myka, angling her body so they’re lying face to face. She cups Myka’s jaw and brushes a thumb over her cheek, looking into her eyes as if asking permission. Myka covers Helena’s hand and slides it over her lips, kissing it then laying it on the bed. She then eases Helena onto her back and straddles her hips, planting her hands on either side of her head. She dips down and kisses Helena as Helena's hands skim up her thighs, fingers sliding under Myka's hem with zero protests.

-TBC-

9 notes · View notes

templeofgeek · 6 years

Text

We sat down with Joey Spiotto aka Joebot Illustration. His unique blend of children’s books and geek culture have been creating a buzz on the con circuit and the artist community. We talk porgs, art, and all things geek!

Q: How did you come up with the idea of combining children’s books and all things geek?

A: Well I had been working on another series of prints where I turn some of my favorite movies/games/tv shows into vintage children’s record albums. I love the idea of taking something that’s not necessarily for children and making it kid friendly. The next obvious choice was turning my favorite geeky things into children’s book covers.

Q: When did you realize you had this special talent and could make a living out of it?

A: I think my parents recognized it long before I did. I was always drawing as a kid, and my mom was very supportive of it. So I was always taking various art classes growing up. In high school I got serious about my future goals of becoming a professional artist and I kinda geared my education towards that. I skipped “regular” college and went right into art school after graduating high school. Growing up I had great teachers that never said that being a professional artist was not a viable path. I was very fortunate to have supportive parents and great teachers helping me along the way.

Q: Is there a specific genre you never get tired of creating?

A: I don’t think so. The great thing about loving a lot of different things is that there’s always new great things being created to base new projects off of. Great TV shows pop up constantly, we’re getting great new genre films on a pretty regular basis, with music based pieces I tend to stick to the classics, and with video games there’s a constant stream of releases throughout the year. If there’s a great character that I feel can easily translate into my style, and i’m a fan of whatever that thing is, i’ll typically tend to go for it.

Q: What sparks your creativity? I know it’s cliched but what’s your creative process?

A: Sparking creativity is rarely a cliche… sometimes it can be a challenge. I typically create artwork only based off of things I love. So if there’s something that i’m drawn to, it’s usually pretty easy to come up with an idea based off of it. Unless it’s a commission, I really don’t make artwork based off of something i’m not familiar with and that I don’t like. Creativity can be elusive and so if I find myself getting bored of something, I have to step away and come back to it later. Typically I try to work on something else and then come back to what I was working on, and that really helps. Taking breaks, changing gears, and revisiting a piece.

Q: Have you ever wanted to venture out of the children’s books and into another style?

A: I have another series called “High Fidelity” where I recreate vintage children’s records in the style of the old Disney vinyl LP’s. I just released a book with the help of Kickstarter collecting that series. I’ve been very fortunate to have two pretty successful series of prints that i’m known for, and those have kept me busy so I haven’t had time to work on another idea yet. Like with the “records” and the “books”, i’ll know it when the time comes. Those ideas really just came to me as a spark and I saw them clearly in my mind. They also came to me when I had some downtime, and I’ve been super busy the past few years with work and family life so I think I haven’t made room in my brain for another thing. Recently though I’ve been feeling the need to create my own world with characters that I can give life to, that’s sort of where my artistic passion currently is and so while I have nothing to share now, i’m definitely working towards developing those ideas.

Q: Lootcrate recently turned your designs into figures (which we love), can we expect more figures or other mediums for your art?

A: Thanks so much! That was a really cool project to see come together. I can’t say whether we’ll see more of those or not, but feel free to reach out to LootCrate on social media and let them know how much you enjoy them, and if you want to see more! It’s amazing how powerful a tool things like twitter, Instagram and Facebook can be.

Q: Bob Odenkirk from “Better Call Saul” signed your work, what was his reaction? and do you have any other interested celebrity stories with your work?

A: Yeah, that was AWESOME! I’m a big fan of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. I first became familiar with Bob Odenkirk’s work on the HBO series Mr. Show years ago… the dude is brilliant. I’m a big fan so having him appreciate my work is a huge compliment. Unfortunately I wasn’t around for the signing. I guy that follows me online was working in a studio and Bob had come in to do some work. The guy had my prints and brought them in for him to sign and then was awesome enough to take some pictures and send them my way. I did meet Bob Odenkirk a few years earlier when I was part of an official Breaking Bad art show at Gallery 1988. He’s a great guy, we had a real nice conversation. Living in Los Angeles and working with Gallery 1988, i’ve been fortunate to meet quite a few people who’s work I admire. Joss Whedon, Conan O’Brien, JJ Abrams, and Neil Patrick Harris are just a few people who have my artwork hanging on their walls. It’s kinda surreal because i’m a big fan of theirs and then they become fans of mine through my artwork… it’s all kinda weird, but also pretty cool.

Q: Is there a certain person or event that you credit with making you the artist you are today?

A: Jensen and Katie at Gallery 1988 took a chance on me after I quit the video game industry and found myself unemployed when the economy tanked at the end of 2008. They invited me to a few shows and for the first year I sold nothing… it was pretty depressing. Then I went to Disneyland and found inspiration in Mary Blair’s poster for “It’s a Small World” and I came up with an idea for what I wanted to do for their annual “Crazy 4 Cult” art show. My fake kids record “River Tam & The Fireflies” spread around the internet like wild fire and sold out at the show. That was a huge turning point for me and my career as a pop culture artist. Then along the way more opportunities arose as more and more people saw my artwork. I had another career before this working in film and video games as an artist, but i’m happy to have moved on from that world to where i’m currently at.

Q: Has becoming a parent changed your art?

A: Hmmm that’s a great question. My wife and I have two amazing baby boys, and currently I’d have to say the only thing that’s changed my art is the time I have to dedicate to it. I work from home and while that sounds really great, and for the most part it is, it comes with it’s own set of challenges. I’ve definitely had to become more efficient in my use of time, but that’s still hard because sometimes I don’t have it in me, but they’re both napping and I have an hour window to make something happen. But I think i’m starting to want to make something that I can share with my children and that goes back to wanting to create characters and worlds and tell stories in them.

Q: When are we getting your interpretation of porgs?

A: Ha! I’m VERY excited for the Last Jedi. I’m going to sit on the fence with Porg related art until I’ve seen the film. What if they turn out to be the Jar Jar of The Last Jedi?!? Then I’ve created a bunch of Porg prints that nobody wants to buy. I remember going to the theater just to see the trailer for The Phantom Menace and thinking “There’s no way this will be disappointing!” (For the record, i’m 98% sure Porg’s will be awesome.)

Q: What are you most excited for this Christmas?

I’m excited to take some time away from my desk and be with my family. This has been a busy year for me, I still have some freelance projects to wrap up and then I have a bunch of books arriving any day that I have to ship out to Kickstarter backers, so my year is far from over, but once those all go out and my work is done for the year, i’m looking forward to trying to relax (i don’t really take time for that…ever) and enjoy being a dad and husband without deadlines hanging around me. Oh and Star Wars. I’m very excited for a new Star Wars movie.

Q: What’s next for you? Cons? Prints? Projects?

A: I’ve got a bunch of cons lined up next year, with my first one in March I think. So my goal is to work on my own personal project until Con season kicks in and then get back in the swing of things with new prints. I find myself wanting to write a lot lately, so i’m going to take some time to do that and listen to the spark of an idea I’m currently figuring out. Last time I did that it led me to where I am today, so i’m very excited about this new project and looking forward to diving into it.

Check out Joey on…

Etsy

Twitter

Instagram

Facebook

Artist Interview with… Joey Spiotto We sat down with Joey Spiotto aka Joebot Illustration. His unique blend of children's books and geek culture have been creating a buzz on the con circuit and the artist community.

0 notes

ladygreytea76 · 7 years

Text

So I’m on AO3 and I see a lot of people who put “I do not own [insert fandom here]” before their story.

Like, I came on this site to read FAN fiction. This is a FAN fiction site. I’m fully aware that you don’t own the fandom or the characters. That’s why it’s called FAN FICTION.

#know your history #fanfic #fanfiction

197K notes · View notes

ask-de-writer · 4 years

Text

MET BY MOONLIGHT : (Part 2 of 3) : Flocking Bay

Return to the Master Story Index

Return to Flocking Bay

MET BY MOONLIGHT

De Writer (Glen Ten-Eyck)

5740 words

written 2003 by Glen Ten-Eyck

Reproduction in any form, physical, electronic or digital is prohibited without the express written consent of the author or proper copyright holder.

//////////////

Users of Tumblr.com are specifically granted the following rights. They may reblog the story. They may use the characters or original characters in my settings for fan fiction, fan art works, cosplay, or fan musical compositions. I will allow those who do commission art works to charge for their images.

All sorts of Fan Activity, fiction, art, cosplay, music or anything else is ACTIVELY encouraged!

///////////////////////

I was liking Laelia more and more. We ordered lunch and it was so good that we wolfed it down. We relaxed over coffee and watched the harbor. I could see Allison’s little sailboat skimming out past the breakwater. Laelia appeared to be thinking something over. I let her have time.

Abruptly Laelia said, “Just how interested are you in the local history?”

“I find it to be fascinating,” I said. Then with a grin added, “Almost as fascinating as my present company.”

“Flatterer. Why don’t you come to my house and have a look at my collection?” she asked. Then with an impudent smile said, “No etchings — — — Just woodcuts.”

“That sounds irresistible,” I said, reaching impulsively across the table and taking her hand. We left the Stone Oven and strolled up the street, away from the harbor.

Laelia’s house was on a side street a few blocks from my clinic. Changer’s Ct. I commented on the name and Laelia responded by telling me that money changers used to have shops along the court. Most of the lots along the street were overgrown with brush and trees. Obviously, few had ever lived here. It took a very long time for brush and trees to reach the size of the ones that I saw.

Laelia’s house was another surprise. At first glance, it seemed to be a thoroughly modern cottage set among large trees. Then I noticed traces of the original drive. There was a maple growing in it that was easily five feet through the bole. What at first I took to be siding proved to be hand-cut, adze squared timbers on closer examination. The proportions of the house betrayed great age. The more I looked, the older I realized it was.

The door was made of oak and beautifully carved. It was topped by the Darkmoon crest and filled with scenes from the history of Flocking Bay. I noticed that there were none depicting the Marquost massacre.

The inside of the house showed none of the betraying signs of its age. All was neat. The walls were finished in modern style and the lights and computer in the corner were up to date. The kitchen where she went to fix a pot of tea was as tidy and modern as the rest.

In the living room was a locked, glass front bookcase of antique design, if not a genuine antique. The dairies and other books of her history collection were housed in it.

Laelia emerged from the kitchen with the teapot and cups. She laid out the service, solid silver, not plated, or I was completely off base. I had seen a set like it once before. In a museum. Hallmarked Paul Revere.

She poured the tea and unlocked the bookcase. I carefully took down the first of the Darkmoon dairies and looked at it. It had been rebound several times and was in excellent condition, given the age of its pages. I took down several other volumes at random to assess their condition.

It was a pleasant surprise. Diaries of that era are usually delicate and crumbling. The Darkmoon Diaries were in excellent condition. Even the Hilstrom Diaries were in good shape. I recognized that the early Hilstrom Diaries had many palimpsest pages. In the 1600’s paper and parchment were dear.

For the first time, I learned the full name of that first ancient enemy. He was Eben (short for Ebenezer) Gaston Hilstrom. I did not find the personality revealed in the pages to be a likeable one. In spite of that, he was an acute observer and had much to tell, including the names, not only of his descendants but those of the other ‘founders’ of Flocking Bay. The massacre was described in great and self-righteous detail. Interestingly enough, the matchlock musket that Eben used to slay the Shaman would never fire again, no matter what was done towards repairing it. It was retired to Eben’s mantelpiece with a small plaque.

They had named the town for the many bird rookeries in its sheltered waters and woods.

The first of the Darkmoons had come a year later, from Civilized Europe, though she spoke English only haltingly. She had been a stowaway, fleeing from a forced marriage in Poland. Two ‘honest sailors’ vouched for her and Eben bought her indenture from them to reimburse the ship for her passage. He was pleasantly surprised at the low price that he paid. At the normal and customary rates, she would be a free person in only five years. Eben altered the price on the document of sale and had her services for seven.

Sipping Laelia’s excellent English tea, I turned to the Darkmoon Dairies. She was busy with official business, working away at her computer in the corner of the room. A few people came and went on routine business needing a Justice of the Peace. A few traffic and parking citations, an application for a marriage license, nothing extraordinary at all. After the marriage license applicant had gone, Laelia got down a large ledger type book and copied particulars from the application into it. She shut the book with a snap and a satisfied smile.

I looked up from my reading. The Darkmoon Dairies were fascinating in themselves but there was something that I couldn’t quite put a finger on. It wasn’t their age. I was certain of that. I determined to get copies of both sets of books, if Laelia would allow it.

“Laelia,” I asked hesitantly, “would it be alright with you if I brought over my digital camera and an ultraviolet light?”

She looked up from her work with a secretive smile and asked, “Why the U.V. light?”

I carefully held one of the first volumes of the Darkmoon Dairies open and pointed to a page. “This is a palimpsest. The older writing was erased, probably with a sponge of vinegar, and new writing done over it at right angles. A U.V. light picture of the page with the proper digital enhancement will reveal the original writing as well as that of your ancestress’.”

Her eyebrows raised up and her pupils widened in interest. She nodded. “I had experts look at them years ago. They thought that these weren’t recoverable. If you think that they are and it is as nondestructive as that, go ahead. I will need accurate copies of anything you get, both the palimpsests and the main books. I need good readable copies to give to Mrs. Alderman at the library anyway.” She grinned lupinely and added, “You cannot believe the determination of that woman where a historical document is concerned.”

“Then I will make three copies,” I replied. “One for you, one for the library and one for myself.”

“Yourself? You will have it in your computer and on disk won’t you?”

“I like the feel of paper in my hands when I’m studying. I’m old fashioned that way.”

She had crossed the room in uncanny silence and I nearly jumped when she laid a hand on mine. “I would very much like to recover those palimpsests but there is a problem. I don’t want all of them to be known. Can I sort which ones are to be available?”

What could I say? It was the only thing possible, so I said, “Certainly. I will have to have copies in my computer and storage devices but I won’t release anything without your consent.”

I hadn’t even realized that she was tense until she relaxed. “Thank you, Dr. Fredricks. I don’t know for sure what is there but I do know, from family tradition, that some of the parchment in the first volumes of both the Hilstrom and Darkmoon Dairies was made from skins salvaged from the Marquost village.”

Hiding my excitement, I said, “I have it on good authority that though the Marquost did not write, per-se, they did have a system of pictographs. Some claim to be able to interpret the few pictograms that survive.” I should know. As the last Shaman, I was one! And I had lied about the writing. The Marquost had been genuinely literate.

Laelia said with some authority, “With my family history, I am most curious about any such things. I made tracings of the ones on the Blackwall before you built your clinic around it. Does your system work on stone as well as paper?”

I grinned back at her. “The photographic system was originated for recovering lost stone pictograms. I made some pictures before I built the clinic around the Blackwall. Do you want to see them?” I was already sure of the answer and was pulling a wallet of photos out of my inside coat pocket.

Laelia looked carefully at my enhanced photos, brows knitted in concentration. Almost absently she opened the bookcase and pulled a slim binder out of a hidden drawer. She laid it open and took my photos in hand. After many minutes she laid aside my photos and looked at her drawings with new eyes. She picked up a pencil and began to sketch rapidly, muttering, “Of course, now it makes sense.” Her pencil down, she looked at me and nodded. “Yes, definitely do your magic on the books. Who knows what will be revealed?”

I agreed at once, before she could change her mind. Over the next several weeks Allison became sure that there was something going on between Laelia and myself because I was spending so much time over at the little house on Changer’s Ct. The job of photographing three hundred years of written history was huge. Also, the dairies were fascinating in themselves.

Among the hardships that the people of Flocking Bay endured were many minor animal attacks. Dog bites, the occasional bear mauling, being raked by an eagle for getting too close to a nest were just a few. Occasionally there was a fatal attack but those seemed rare. There appeared to be little discernible pattern to the attacks.

On the other side, Flocking Bay was not your typical small town that would die out. The small fishing fleet always managed to find the best and highest priced catches. Gardens and surrounding farms bloomed. Stores found active trade. No matter the vicissitudes of the world outside, depressions, wars, epidemics or whatever, Flocking Bay continued to prosper quietly.

Few ever wanted to leave and most of those came back.

Through all of this vast span of time the Darkmoons had stayed and observed. Oddly, there was no mention of marriages or husbands. All of the Darkmoon children were female and carried the family name. In so small a town, it was peculiar that nobody seemed to notice. It was simply accepted that the Darkmoons would cling to their ‘foreign’ ways. They stayed to themselves, out of the way, nearly out of town, on the virtually deserted Changer’s Ct. For almost all of that time, the one thing that they did do was handle the duties of the Justice of the Peace. Animal Control had been added to that office in the 1950’s.

The Darkmoons were always ready with assistance for those in the town who needed help. It might be a loan or perhaps just a suggestion for a way to make money. The Darkmoons showed little or no need for money themselves. They always appeared to have whatever they needed for the people that came to them. Perhaps they were independently wealthy. Nobody knew — or cared.

The Hilstrom Dairies ended in 1867. The Darkmoon Dairies came right up to the present. Laelia was still writing in the most recent volume.

The photography had been, if a long project, at least a simple one. Now the real work began. Allison now thought that Laelia and I had broken up. I spent all of my time at the computer, enhancing the palimpsests first.

Some were of no interest, just old notes or handbills of one sort or another. Others were very different. There was the original Darkmoon indenture contract, now recovered. The forgery to gain an extra two years of service showed too. More important to me were the ones on homemade parchment.

<==Previous Next==>

Return to the Master Story Index

Return to Flocking Bay

#MET BY MOONLIGHT #Part 2 of 3 #Flocking Bay #Written by De Writer

7 notes · View notes

ask-de-writer · 4 years

Text

DARING DO and the ADVENTURE of the X'IBIAN VASE! : MLP Fan Fiction : Part 5 of 21

Return to the Master Story Index

Return to MLP Fan Fiction

DARING DO and the

ADVENTURE of the X'IBIAN VASE!

De Writer (Glen Ten-Eyck) @ask-de-writer

And

Carmen Pondiego @askcarmenpondiego

Cover Art by

Doctor Dimension

52630 words

Writing begun 08/26/15

//////////////

Users of Tumblr.com are specifically granted the following rights. They may reblog the story. They may use the characters or original characters in my settings for fan fiction, fan art works, cosplay, or fan musical compositions, provided that such things are done without charge. I will allow those who do commission art works to charge for their images.

All sorts of fan art, cosplay, music or fictions is actively encouraged.

///////////////////////

Down in the comfortable lounge, with its dark, almost cave like atmosphere, she relaxed and had the waiter sit with her. They were quietly chatting in X'ibian while watching the front doors, over in the area of the lounge open to the public.

Soon the doors opened and a confident young looking mare with a forelock, mane and tail of an amazing blue that was almost black walked in. She had a single eye, centered in her forehead. She was carrying a document case.

Two big earth ponies, easily half again her size got up from a table and stated, “Just hand over the papers, Miss. We are Doctor Do’s personal secretaries and we will give them to her.”

“No. My orders are to put them directly into Daring Do’s hooves ONLY.”

One edged behind her, pulling a knife. The other pulling threatening hoof, ready to punch, demanded, “Hand over the papers or we are going to have to get REAL rough, got it?”

Her smile of sheer delight should have been a warning.

She dropped the dispatch case and backed hard. That slammed the one behind her into the stout doors of the club. Reaching back and grabbing, she had the thug’s foreleg. She lifted it to her shoulder and snapped down, while driving forward with her hind legs. With an audible snapping and rending of the joint, he flipped up, horror on his face. She slammed him down like a big meaty hammer on top of his fellow thug!

That unfortunate was trying to make a grab for the case when he was flattened. The mare, an expression of pure joy on her face, hauled her “hammer” back and whipped him over again. He not only hit his fallen comrade, his head flopped back as he came down. The shattering of his neck could be heard throughout the room.

She hoof rolled the corpse off his buddy and leaped almost to the ceiling, landing on one hoof, putting the full weight and force of her body on the last one’s spine. The splintering of ribs and the softer snapping of his spine announced the death of the second thug.

He twitched once and lay still. The cyclops eyed mare, simply glowing with delight, carefully rolled both bodies to the tiled part of the entryway. She examined the carpets and gave a high hoof!

Speaking at last, she exclaimed, “Perfect! Not one drop of blood on the carpet!”

With her face composed to a light professional smile, she came to Daring Do’s table.

She placed the case on the table. Daring Do smiled up at her and said, “Thank you, Cyrene. It is an honor that Eris sent her documents in the company of her best bodyguard. That was amazing to watch.”

Cy replied, “The honor is mine, Doctor Daring Do. In here are not only Eris’ releases and other documents, I have the honor of delivering the Royal documents and a formal notice that your expedition is under the Royal Wing.”

Turning to the Guadian, she made a deep formal X'ibian court bow and said, “I thank you, Guardian. I saw you draw your knife to throwing position but withhold your strike.”

He returned the bow and replied, “I saw that you did not need my assistance, Watcher of the Exalted One. We of the Guardians have been given the honor of watching recordings of your many actions on Her behalf.”

Cy replied, “I began by watching the works of your ponies on Her behalf. I learned much. I am pleased to be able to thank one of you in person.”

He put his hooves together and bowed his head. “The greatest compliment that a teacher may receive is a student who excels. The Student has far surpassed the teacher. We are proud.”

Daring Do, ignoring the nearly frantic police at the club entrance, opened the case and began to inventory the contents.

She was delighted at what she found. Expedition clearances, of course. Letters of credit. Travel documents from Equestria and the Chineighese Empire. There were even documents for X'ibia, even though it was technically a province of the Chineighese Empire. Her eyebrows rose at PRE CLEARED Chineighese Artifact transportation and export.

She muttered to herself, “They must not want a repeat of the Darkling collection fiasco.”

To her surprise, her comment brought a smile from both the normally impassive Guardian and Cy.

She had just packed it all back and sealed the case when a pony in the uniform of a Canterlot Police Sargent Major strutted up self-importantly and made a grab for the case, snapping, “This is evidence in a double murder!”

Cy’s blindingly fast move snapped his foreleg away from the case. She said in an utterly level voice, “Sargent Major Haystring, I would think that you would remember the last time that we met. It only took you five years to recover your rank.

“This is a formal legal statement in regard to the present double ponycide. I, Cyrene Yvonne Clopes, was given detached duty from Eris, Inc. My duty, given under the Royal Wing, was to deliver a case containing documents for Doctor of Antiquities, Daring Do.

“Entering the Adventurer’s Guild, I was accosted by two thugs attempting to steal the case and documents. They first tried the ruse of being Doctor Daring Do’s secretaries. When that failed they attacked me. I killed them both and delivered the documents properly.

“This whole event is legally protected by the Royal Wing of Equestria.”

Sargent Major Haystring sourly examined the ID’s offered by both Cy and Daring Do. Smarting under the memory of a five year dent in his career, he handed them back.

Truculently he demanded of Cy, “Don’t you ever let anypony live?”

To his surprise, she replied promptly, “Of course I do, if they have useful information for Eris or the Princesses. Otherwise, no. Where is the fun in letting slime ooze away?”

Defeated, he retreated to his fellow officers and held a conference of whispers with much hoof pointing at Cy and Daring Do.

The Guardian smiled serenely and offered, “If your personages will be so good as to follow me, we can avoid further foolishness on the part of these most unwise police.”

They both followed him into the tidy service areas of the Adventurer’s Guild. They passed through the surprisingly busy kitchen and on to a service elevator.

They went down two levels and got out in a big underground service tunnel filled with heavy cables, mains for water and other things that Daring Do did not have time to identify.

Cy did, though. She happily twirled several handwheels and pried open a big gray box. She pushed the button inside and neatly shut the box again. The Guardian watched with sparkling eyes. He quit trying to maintain an impassive face and started to chortle as he led them down the dusty and spider webbed service tunnel.

Cyrene, smiling angelically, explained, “The police were setting up a hard point in front of the Guild. They use the ponyholes for the electric and gas when they do it. Those all have emergency fire fighting pressure spray systems in them nowadays. I just routed the sewer into the fire fighting line and set off the sprinklers!”

Daring Do joined into the merriment as they trotted away down the rarely used tunnels. They emerged near the Canterlot Central Railroad Station. Daring Do bought them all tickets.

Almost as an anticlimax, the ride to the modest seaport of Milestago was uneventful. They enjoyed the scenery along the way and dark had fallen by the time that they arrived, but that was the worst of it.

Soon they were all relaxing around a table in the Rusty Barnacle. Their rooms were paid and a modest meal of the locally famous sea-grass, harvested only days before, was in front of them. Daring Do was studying the ship schedules and docking reservations.

Cy pushed back from the table and said, “Doctor Daring Do, It has been an honor to deliver the documents to you.” She paused and her face took on a grin that was paradoxically both savage and serene at once. “It was FUN, too! I am so glad that it did not upset you like it does so many others.”

Daring Do looked up from her schedules and asked, “Has been? Are you leaving us?”

“I will be with you until time to sail, Daring Do. Then I have duties for my Mistress, Eris.”

The next morning, they were assembled about the scarred and battered table in the Rusty Barnacle. With daylight, the delightfully tacky decor of the place stood out starkly in view. There were the usual nets festooned about, antique looking whale spears, phony treasure chests and, though it was easy to miss, in the corner, enmeshed in the net, dangled a lovely fake skeleton of Sea Unicorn.

Daring Do did take the time to admire the place once again. She had started many expeditions here and the management used that knowledge in their marketing.

Daring Do was picking at her breakfast while making many Magic Net mirror calls. Finally she sat to eat seriously.

She snickered as they all set out to examine the many assorted goods that she had ordered from the many Chandlers of Milestago. “Never turn your back on food. Who knows when you will get the chance to eat again?”

Their expedition’s supplies finally seen to, they reported to the ship that she had engaged. The Captain met them at the gangplank. He had a phony smile pasted onto his face. “I am sorry, Miss Daring Do. We have been otherwise engaged. They paid twice the lading deposit that you did. I have your deposit right here.”

He started to hand her a check. Before he could complete the action, Cy had him down, one hoof on his back, his foreleg bent up at an unnatural angle.

Over his yelps of pain, Cy said clearly, “GOLD ONLY. You were paid in gold. I do recognize the name that check is drawn on. R.O.T. will not honor it.

“Get Doctor Do the coin NOW. If you do not, you will be known as Captain Svien the three legged. If you survive.”

Perhaps it was the sheer happiness that was radiating from his assailant that caused the Captain to fold at once. “Nicor! Get the bag of coin from my quarters now!”

When Nicor showed up with the bag, he handed it over promptly.

Cy said cheerfully, “Count it, Doctor Do! It is five gold short, to make it look like a miscount of stacks. The good Captain has the missing five right here in his pocket!”

Betraying himself, the Captain demanded, “How could you know that?”

Daring Do instantly replied, “She is Eris’ personal bodyguard. Where there is anything amiss, Eris lets her know. Not sure how that works, but I’ve seen it happen often enough.”

They took the gold and left the Captain trying to rise on his twisted foreleg.

Sitting in the Rusty Barnacle, they were approached by an elderly faded red sea-pony with a wooden stump replacing part of his left hind leg. He had a battered captain’s cap worn around the stump of a horn. His eyes, though, nothing old about them.

<== Previous Next==>

Return to the Master Story Index

Return to MLP Fan Fiction

#DARING DO AND THE ADVENTURE OF THE X'IBIAN VASE #Part 5 #MLP Fan Fiction #Written by De Writer and Carmen Pondiego

7 notes · View notes