Harper Kingsley
Me ranty; Me not sorry; Me enjoying eggs and toast (and I don’t even really eat eggs)
Have you ever felt like contacting someone on a particular fanfic archive and just being like "Look, dude, I really REALLY love your fic. So I’m going to have to edit this whole thing for you because it’s driving me insane when I download copies to my ereader and there’s missing words or ‘Saitama’ is ‘Saitaman’ or Amai Mask/Sweet Mask is a different name and there’s a ‘Dr. Stench’ instead of ‘Dr. Kuseno.’ For reals, you’re killing me, bro."? Would that be rude?
Give me my f’ing Egg and Toaster fics the way I like ’em: sunnyside up lol
So yeah. I’ve become a One-Punch Man fanfic fan. There’s not a massive amount of great fics, but there’s a better ratio of good/great fics to bad than there ever was in the Criminal Minds fandom.
I kinda feel like writing some Toaster and Egg fics, but I honestly don’t usually write in the fandoms I read.
Is that weird? I feel like that’s weird.
I mean, I CONSUME Tony Stark fics at a rate you would not believe. Yet I’ve never written an Avengers fic.
I read the main fandoms, but I write odd little one-offs in tiny fandoms I can’t even name because boom, there I’ll be. Exposed. Like a jellyfish left out by the tide, slinking back into the ocean when the water rises, but at risk of being poked by a passing stick until that cover comes back.
Seriously, I still remember when I was featured in a Cracked article as a young fanficcer. That shit was traumatic.
In the comments of my LJ, people were like "I love your response. You’re amazing" about my faux-casual "I don’t really give a fuck that I was featured. I wrote FICTION about an aged up cartoon character meeting an adult live-action character in a crossover that could never happen. It’s all fake and nobody gets hurt. It’s not like I’m out attacking people or something" nonsense.
I was dying inside. For real, reals.
Traumatic.
Like, the fact that I can still think of that moment now, with my inbox exploding with messages from Cracker-heads drawn to it by the direct linking of a popular website. So many comments–and none of them really all that bad–but not having any idea what was happening until a commenter told me I was the number one in a featured article.
Social media was kinder back then, as there weren’t as many people, so the ratio of assholes to normal people was much lower.
"Don’t feed the trolls" was just beginning to be a thing wise old heads would tell us n00bs.
So my casual response and "don’t be an idiot" brush off worked a lot better than the number two’s freak out and what all. Like, I could have done the nuclear option like most of the people on the hit-list, but I just gave them all the proverbial finger and was like "Enjoy my two year old WIP, you angry-ass bitches" before continuing on continuing on.
The only commenter I felt bad for was the one that was like "I came here to give you shit, but now that I’ve read the fic… It’s the kind of thing I would have really loved to read when you were writing it. Shame it’s not completed. You are a legend." Like, they came to hate, gave me love, and was the first (and only) person to ACTUALLY use the word legend about me in a sentence.
Ever since those days I’ve been a bit gun-shy about taking credit for my own work.
I like when people like my stories. I enjoy the comments. The kudos. I feel bad for those begging for more on stories that haven’t been written on since the 00s.
But I don’t respond because I’m broken.
I handle things well in the moment, but I internalize every bit of hate and derision. And that Cracked article? Wowowowowow.
I never knew I was such a freak until it got pointed out to me. Like, there was a sense on the author’s part that it was okay to punch down on me because I wrote fanfic, and that fanfic was in a niche fandom crossed with a more popular yet still super nerdy fandom, so I was trash.
Which is a roundabout, metaphor-heavy explanation for why I think I like One-Punch Man. I mean, I haven’t seen all the episodes–though Hulu kept playing them even after I fell asleep so I think I’m in season 1 but I could be somewhere in season 3–but I really enjoy the fanfic. Because Genos being sweet on Saitama makes me happy, and Saitama getting the acknowledgement he deserves always lightens my mood.
Being able to one-punch any situation would be awesome. But having the ability to not care about the words of strangers would be superpower enough.
Anyways, please excuse my rambling. This Toaster and Egg fic has gotten me frustrated.
Like, dudes, for serious: Every chapter doesn’t need an author note detailing your what-the-ever. And if you include notes with every update, you can always go back and delete them if they have nothing to do with the story.
I mean, it’s great to know about your thought processes or what you had for breakfast when you were writing, but when I download the mobi months or years after it’s completed… those author notes become really annoying. It’s like a splash of water between chapters, totally taking me out of things.
Also, a big bunch of asterisks may feel like a great way to break up story sections… but text-to-speech reads out every single one as "asterisk." So when you create two or three or five or a HUNDRED lines of just asterisks… I want to gouge out my ears. Please stop that shit now. I mean, I love you, but NO.
Anyways, Imma feed some birds, finish this Toaster and Egg fic, then I’ll write some non-fandom stuff of my own. (Faizel 03 anyone? Paradigm Slip maybe?)
~Pax
HarperWCK
About: Kanon Darkstar pt 1 (supervillain, the GOAT) #HarperWCK
"Darkstar" is introduced in Heroes & Villains as the supervillain name of the once-superhero Starburst.
Vereint Georges has always dreamed of being a superhero like his wall poster crush Blue Ice. So when he gains superpowers (strength, flight, invulnerability, speed–the basic package) he sets out to be what he thinks a superhero should be.
From the haircut, to the "I’m a superhero" voice, to the almighty poses, he uses them all.
And as a result, his superhero persona Starburst is universally mocked by reporters and superheroes alike. Including Blue Ice.
In a confrontation with Blue Ice, Starburst discovers some kind of new ability where violet light auras out of his body and melts everything it touches. He barely manages to stop it after it melts a section of street and sidewalk (and possibly a fire hydrant? I have to go back and reread that scene).
For a second, he’s proud of himself that he managed to get control. He looks up and catches Blue Ice’s–his hero’s!–eyes, and expects some kind of praise or something. Instead he gets derision and a general sense of "Get your shit together."
Vereint continues on as a superhero for awhile, but eventually snaps and decides that if he can’t be a hero, he’s going to be a villain and do whatever he wants. So during the annual Good Day Parade, he robs a jewelry store.
And that’s the start of his criminal career.
Stealing things. Displaying his powers to crowds as they hand off their wealth and goods. Trying out different outfits and looks to the enjoyment of the masses. And obliterating anyone that dares to confront him.
Every time Vereint "powers up," his metabilities grow.
In the Heroes & Villains universe, he falls in love with Warrick and retires from the super-life. There are occasions where he’s forced to power up (and violently kills a bunch of people, sorry to the squeamish) which grows his metabilities. But for the most part, his metabilities are just simmering under the surface, growing, but slowly. It’s more of a natural progression than Kanon-Darkstar’s power growth.
Because Kanon-Darkstar constantly uses his metabilities, his Charm is off the charts. It’s to the point where it’s more than just a registered weapon–his section of Megacity is under permanent quarantine.
Because while Kanon Darkstar can and does leave his Megacity to visit other places, he lives there and sleeps there most nights.
HV-Vereint can "power down," basically damp himself down so much that he’s practically a normal human. More durable, stronger, but at his depowered base he could still push a car or jump onto a second floor roof. It’s when he wants to move heavier things or do more metahuman stuff that he has to tap into his "inner power." But as long as he’s powered down, his Charm isn’t effecting the people around him. There’s not tendrils of influence going out, scrambling peoples’ brains.
Kanon Darkstar has kept himself powered up for so long and for so hard that even in his most depowered state, he can’t help exuding Charm around him.
And, as is revealed in–I think Allies & Enemies or Tuesday Night–one of the stories, a metahuman being around a stronger metahuman can make them stronger. (It’s all about the manna and the nectar zions and all that stuff from Timeline. It doesn’t matter for exposition purposes.)
Kanon-Darkstar is a powermaker.
Him just living in an area, exuding his presence all over, results in stronger metabilities in those that would have Manifested without him, and in metabilities developing in those that would have had a dormant Nor-gene.
In Allies & Enemies there’s statistics mentioned in the news about something like 80% of the population possessing the Nor gene, with most Manifesting minor abilities. Stuff like being able to grow their fingernails or heal their own skin. Minor stuff.
In the Kanon-verse, there are a lot more powerful metahumans because Darkstar is polluting the air around him with his very presence. And the more powerful metahumans there are, the more metahumans they effect and help create.
Kanon Sunfire is stronger than HV-Sunfire, and has displayed a much stronger–and deadlier–photokinetic ability as well as a devastating level of Charm-ability. Meanwhile, Kanon Melissa Kim becomes a superhero, but her powerset is a bit different from Blue Devil’s and she can’t fly.
no Vereint x Warrick = no adopted Melissa Kim = no Blue Devil
HV-Darkstar developed the gaussian blur he’s known for over time. There are clear photographs of the superhero Starburst, though everyone notes they look like different people. They could be brothers, but no one would think Starburst was Darkstar.
This is because while the gaussian blur is Darkstar’s metabilities visibly affecting mechanical equipment, it’s also a proof that his Charm is reaching out from his body. It shows up stronger closer around his head and face, but there’s no doubt that an invisible something is reaching out.
Because everyone that comes into contact with him is effected.
It is because of Darkstar that Charm is classified as one of the most powerful metabilities in the Kanon universe. So while the Heroes & Villains universe chugs along in ignorance, the Kanonverse understands that Charm is a horrifying and inexorable metability.
After a time, the League of Superheroes and other groups develop the use of "Charm proof" helmets for when they have to come into contact with Darkstar. But it’s well understood that the helmets will do nothing against long term contact or if the complete attention of Darkstar rests on someone. It’s better to not have him power up around people.
Thus the quarantining of Megacity.
He is treated as a god. Given everything and anything that he wants and whatever people think he might desire.
Some want his attentions upon them, feeling the burning glory of his presence against their skin and every bit of being.
Most people dread his attentions, glad to keep him appeased and within the confines of the Quarantine Zone.
"Darkstar is like a bear. A fucking dancing bear. He doesn’t know how to fight. He’s flailing around, punching and kicking and ‘oh look, I did a flip’ when it’s his ability to fly. But if you let that bear get its paws on you… it will fuck you up." — possibly from an LoS meeting where they watch video of Darkstar "fighting" a large group of people.
Vereint in Heroes & Villains has no real fight training. He never bothered to learn more than the basics he’s managed to pick up.
Kanon-Darkstar has more fight ability, but he’s still not "skilled" at it. Mostly because anything he hits with intent is obliterated.
It’s very hard to practice martial arts when you’re so strong that the world around you might as well be made of soda-lime glass.
ParaShift 2: 05 (Gregor Tierney/Dylan Park, mm, scifi, a/b/o, mpreg, State Rule) #HarperWCK
Find the masterlist here => https://www.kimichee.com/masterlist-paradigm-shift-part-2/<=
Dylan felt a bit of pity for the foolish boy but it was overshadowed by his anger. There was a reason he was having no real part of Micah’s case. Others would be assigned to unknot the mess that had been made.
He sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face. He pitied Micah Figworth, but there was nothing he could do for him. The boy had committed the sin the Inquisition would seek answers for. The case was out of his hands.
There was the insistent 5-note beep of a timer alarm. He tapped his ear, finger unerringly finding the implanted mic button. "Magister Park," he said. "End timer sequence. Order the aircar be brought around."
There was the familiar acknowledgement sequence of notes. He could feel the sound vibrating along his jawbone and up into his skull. It had taken him time to become used to the shivery feel of it. Now the implant’s use had become a familiar kind of strange.
It helped that the personal AI within the implant was tuned enough to know when to use voice function or not–he preferred not.
Dylan shrugged on his coat, gathered up his briefcase, and left the office. There was a lot he needed to get done before he could return to Gregor’s side.
And how hard had it been, to leave not only the warm comfort of the bed but a gently breathing Gregor?
After writing Gregor a note explaining where he was going, Dylan had reluctantly left him behind.
If he could have, he would have stayed in the bed, but his extended time off was over.
The Project was essential to the safety and protection of the planet. There was an invisible timer counting down to the next incursion, the next attack of the Outsiders.
Dylan longed to be back in that bed with Gregor. He would love to enjoy a lazy day. Yet duty had been drilled into him from birth and he knew he had an important job to perform.
The start date of his new posting had been pushed back a few days to allow him time to bond with Gregor, but there was a lot to be done. He was scheduled for half-duty to start, then he was to take over command of The Project.
Even with the events of the night before, there really wasn’t time to rest.
They could very well be facing the end of the human race in two years time. And it was up to Dylan to stop it.
Even if he still wished he were back in bed wrapped around a warm, slumbering Gregor.
There were times when he could do nothing but envy the still ignorant masses. They didn’t know it hadn’t been random nature. They didn’t know the Earth had been attacked three times.
They were able to sleep easy with the hope that tomorrows could be better days. They slumbered unaware of the sword hanging over their heads.
But Dylan knew.
And that’s why he’d reluctantly left a sleeping Gregor alone in bed. Because even though he’d wanted nothing more than to rest beneath those sheets, he had a job to do.
A world to save.
TBC…