#knife dance

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.𖥔 ݁ ˖ Addicting Taste .𖥔 ݁ ˖

Chapter 12 - Monsters & Chapter 13 - The Reckoning

: ̗̀➛ These two are the sister chapters to the rest of what's happening down in the pit and outside of it. Down in the pit, Miyu starts her descent into the den of vipers for her first fight. She's fighting inner demons and dark temptations all throughout, and a twist in the game makes her weigh all the possibilities in her hand, trying to decide whether she should keep the light of hope alive and wait for salvation, or take the dark way out of it. She sees the struggles of these girls, she hurts for them, she fights for them, even when her own pain is so colossal and on the brink of breaking through every barrier she's ever put up to keep the darkness at bay. But let me tell you, I was so excited for that darkness to finally break through, because I wanted to write Barairo for so long. You felt her calling. You felt her crawling. And now she's finally awakening. That little demon has been calling to me too, silently pleading for a little attention, and I just had to give it to her. But I will zip it about this now.

: ̗̀➛ In Enishi's eyes, the world is a dark, desolate, cold place in these chapters. He's dealing with losing yet another beacon of hope to the darkness of the world, which has also become a part of his routine, his plans, his mayhem, and a part of himself; he's facing the repercussions of the blind trust he's given to a brother in arms that's been at his side for years, he's trying to find answers to the swarm of questions rising with Miyu's disappearance, he's trying to piece together what the Triads are planning, all whilst moving through one of the worst storms he's ever encountered in his life.

Chapter 12 was delayed for so long because I wanted to dive in deeper and draw on every single emotion our dear mophead was feeling. The ache for the light that made his life find meaning and purpose again and it disappearing all too soon, how it affects him, how it drives him to do irreversible things. Endless days and nights I spent sitting with him, his pain, his contradicting feelings, his innate coldness, his morals, his rules, everything that makes up him.

It was frustrating, lord it really was. But I couldn't just leave it like it was when I knew that there was something there, way beneath the surface of how I've been writing him, that I needed to bring out. Something laying dormant at the core of his psyche, waiting to be unleashed. Weeks turned into months and I kept going at his scenes over and over again, just analyzing, unpacking his character makeup, rewriting, polishing, scraping off, rewriting again, and when I least expected it, something really magical happened and what I was looking for finally came to me. The heart wrenching feeling of being lost, the grief that's been shoved down too deep, too rough, too much, the questions that had no apparent answers, it all caught new sense, new life.

The way he copes with this storm, braves it, and moves forward is so cathartic, and something that's helped me move past my own storm, one that's been holding me captive for months.

What happens in this chapter and the next ones is just pure magic to me. Both of them are changing and evolving, and the only reason I had to give this story more time was because I wanted to give it justice for how big and important it became to me.

: ̗̀➛ These chapters also explore how deep the Snake's involvement with the Triads goes, who is actually behind the girls getting taken, and the appearance of a new opponent that may or may not ruin any chance at peace for Miyu and Enishi for a long time coming. There's secret organizations making moves, many new bonds of trust forged, some broken beyond repair, others looking for forgiveness, and a new sense of belonging and unity and strength unlike anything those two have ever felt. There's so much young love pouring in from so many sides and I know you'll love the softness once we're past the heavy downpour of angst.

: ̗̀➛ I finally gave myself creative freedom to step out of the box of how fanfiction is usually written, to capture the essence of this story in greater depth. I'm talking bigger plot, higher stakes, and better writing that doesn't sound like stage directions. Writing that let me breathe life into this story. Writing that let me feel this world and pour more into it's soul.

: ̗̀➛ One thing I loved whilst working on these two chapters was how deep I delved into the fascinating rabbit holes of history. I pulled on my plot thread, built a mental board of what has happened so far and what's coming next, and started weaving in the finer details - real locations, myths, ancient stories of the samurai, real Japanese history and culture - everything that makes this story catch body and soul in my visual brain. I've learnt so much about things, read books on clans, articles on wild things kept somewhat of a secret from wider knowledge, and researched my socks off about every little detail that makes it all the more special to me.

: ̗̀➛ I am working on both of these chapters simultaneously, which is another reason why it's all been taking so damn long. The first part of Chapter 12 is at about 50% written and edited, the rest is literally just in my notes waiting to be organized for the second half. She is my current priority to finalise. Chapter 13 is the more rowdy sister that's been firing scenes and ideas at me on and on, so expect it to follow not too long after Chapter 12 is published, God willing. Another thing is that they are both long. Chapter 12 itself, as it sits now at around 40k + does not appear that long, but it is monumentally long. Don't you worry, it will not be cut down. I know you guys like the long chapters so it's all for you to enjoy. I am trying my best to finish it, because the first half of it was the longest and most challenging part of it to write, and I am slowly diving into the second half, but hopefully you'll get it very soon.

: ̗̀➛ Everything else coming from AT is relatively shorter (still in the 25-30k baseline, don't worry), full of love, heartache, betrayal, and so much spice it's been driving me mad reading it all alone. I hope you're still excited for this story. I know it's gone so many directions since it started, but I'm here for the long ride and I plan on giving it my all. I've grown with this story and the characters, and it's too close to my heart to go forgotten.

: ̗̀➛ This is also where I tell you Addicting Taste will be longer than 20 chapters :) Happy renewal lol.

・❥・Spoiler Line ・❥・

Chapter 12 - Monsters: heavy angst, betrayal, a little death, and apocalyptic levels of yearning.

Favorite scenes: The intro, Scene 3 - The Drawing.

Favorite songs in the playlist: Castle - Halsey, Animal - PVRIS, Ruelle - Find You, Storm - Lifehouse, Atlantic - Sleep Token, Paint It Black - Ciara, Hurricane - Thirty Seconds To Mars.

Chapter 13 - The Reckoning: alliances, chaos, mayhem, and a touch of deadly violence.

Favorite scene: The Awakening Scene

Favorite songs in the playlist: Afterlife - Evanescence, Heavy Is The Crown - Daughtry, Somebody to die for - Hurts.

Chapters 14, 15, 16: recovery, secrets, stormy waters, newfound family, pure rage, love letters and declarations.

Favorite scenes: drunken confessions, the blue rose, the bonfire, the hill.

Favorite songs in the playlists: Gimme A Minute - PVRIS, killer - FKA twigs, Unsteady - X Ambassadors, Holding On and Letting Go - Ross Copperman, Brave Shine - Aimer, Surrender - Natalie Taylor, Kiss Me - Ed Sheeran.

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❀࿐ Runaway ❀࿐

Chapter 6 - Seaside Venture & Chapters 7 + 8 - The Tokyo Match & More

Runaway has been a constant work in progress in my calendar ever since I started working on it late 2023. There's a lot that's still to come, and some stuff I might have touched on already in previous updates, but take this one as a comprehensive look ahead. Though even these little snippets don't comprise the weight of what's really in the cards, I thought it would be nice to give you a summary of what's going on, in case you forgot, and a little heads up about what's coming.

Once again, my deepest apologies for leaving you stranded on the beach back in October. Though I'm sure you didn't mind that 🤭

❀ Chapter 6 - Seaside Venture

You know where we left off in October, and I can tell you you're not ready for the coming ride. It's packed with action on and off track, sizzling chemistry and new challenges that can make or break things in the long run. But most importantly, it is hot, steamy and full of dirt (no pun intended).

: ̗̀➛ We've left off in beautiful Shirahama, where Naozumi and Raiko ran away to escape the pressures of racing life and the weight of promotional punishments. They're taking a day off their busy schedules to do some sightseeing for the rest of their trip. Since Naozumi's phone is normally turned off in vacay mode, and he took Raiko's phone away too, they have no way of contacting anyone outside this little town. They're stuck together on the island of tension building between them, and while one of them finds the situation absolutely irritating, the other revels in the warm rays of sunshine and makes use of the time to dig for some information. This whole escapade turns into a truth contest with how much gets revealed by both, and it kind of cements where their relationship lies. For now.

: ̗̀➛ Despite being against this trip at the beginning of the road, Raiko tries to enjoy the sights and let loose for a while. What she doesn't expect is how surprisingly fast some of her curiosities are getting satisfied one by one, receiving answers to questions she's had about her trip companion before she even asks them. But she's not the only one unveiling layers. Naozumi is also seeing a different Raiko that he's never expected to discover under all that competition pressure, one that's more free and less responsible with no distractions around, that he happens to find a lot in common with. They're talking, walking around town, doing a little bonding, and sharing a meal together that brings up a lot of new cards on the table. Cards of suspicion, questionable unspoken trust, and a sense of homeliness and magnetism that's new and strange to both of them, but continues to pull them in regardless.

: ̗̀➛ This one is spread in two parts - the seaside venture and the consequences of the real world - all in one. It covers what happens not just in Shirahama, but back on the road, and as they arrive back home in Tokyo. Will they still be rivals after this trip or will things drift more lightly between them from now on? Who knows. What I do know is that there is chemistry, banter, and little moments of serenity and calm because there's a thunderstorm that lifts grey clouds up in the sky after this trip. Clouds that are not just there yet, hanging low on the deep blue horizon. But they are coming and they bring wreckage with them.

: ̗̀➛ Though this is a dual pov chapter, it leans a bit more towards Naozumi's perception of Raiko and things he unknowingly stumbles upon that kind of alter his first impression of her. He finds out more about her family, what fuels her drive to race and the need to make her father proud, and what she's really like when she feels comfortable in her element. We also get a bit of his backstory here, and why Shirahama is such an important place for him. I fell in love with his character even more while writing this chapter so expect to see it in the writing *wink wink*.

: ̗̀➛ This one sits at about 65% written. I am writing and editing when I'm working on it to speed up the process, but seeing some action movies and the Fast saga on tv recently has definitely got me back in the excitement for it. If you couldn't tell by the many hints already, one of the many inspirations for this story was this movie saga because I grew up with it. The very first movie I remember ever seeing when young has to have been 2 Fast 2 Furious, and Suki has been one of the influences going into Raiko's character. Any other inspirations on this project came from my passion for everything car related, from growing up surrounded by mechanics and drivers, all passionate about a motorsport or two, to watching Formula 1 in my free time. Runaway also has this feel of a late 2000s/ early 2010s story, not just from the playlists, but from how everything concerning visuals is wired in my head to the wild scenery and characters walking the earth back then, how scandalous racing actually used to be, and the whole aesthetic of it in terms of fashion, car mods and the pretty lavish, exclusive and high adrenaline lifestyle of a driver. The DJ part is all a dream I've always had growing up that I might never see through in this life, and it felt right to add it to Raiko's character, since racing and music go hand in hand for her.

: ̗̀➛ Little birdies told me that I'm not the only one watching Overdrive and expecting Raiko to pop up on screen out of nowhere, so let me just say this means the world to me to hear. So I'm putting it out with the gods up there that we need Mackenyu to put on those fireproofs one more time for an Overdrive reboot.

Expect Runaway to make a comeback right after Addicting Taste Chapter 12 is out of the way. I've been working on them at the same time and let me tell you, it is not fun to have two, incredibly amazing fictional men getting you hot and bothered at the same time, but it's fun times.

❀ Chapters 7 & 8 - The Tokyo Match

If you haven't caught up on the deal already, Runaway follows the rally schedule of the Seiko Cup in the movie. Homeground Tokyo is our next stop and it is nothing short of messy. There's pride at stake this time, besides the growing pressure of getting points for the Championship. There's promotional stuff to get through that fills both Naozumi and Raiko's schedules, an intense football match that I loved writing, and more tension ensuing. Also, with all the previous revelations and this match, Naozumi's plans seem to derail from their original purpose, just a notch.

There's new challenges and enemies both have to go up against, since mysterious things have been happening around the team garages that only flag up when disaster is already impending, lurking way too close to comfort. Let's just say the oil mishap back in Fuji and the loose screws were not a coincidence. More mayhem mid-race ensues, and Raiko has to carry the team to the flatline once again, though this time it takes a toll on her and her world spins out of control in the worst way possible. But someone unexpected shows up to catch her fall, and their bond strengthens even more.

These are still in the development phase, but I'm hoping to get to them very soon.

・❥・Spoiler Line ・❥・

❀ Chapter 6 - Seaside Venture

Favorite scenes: The photo wall, The Iron Man T-shirt, and Via Vedo.

Favorite song: Close to You - Gracie Abrams

❀ Chapters 7 & 8 - The Tokyo Match

Favorite scenes: The co-ed shower, the trustfall, the drive.

Favorite songs: Crash - BKAYE, Casey Cook, I'm Good (Blue) - Bebe Rexha, David Guetta.

❀ Chapters 9 & 10 - Malaysia Mayhem

Travel, competition, and tension tuned to the max. The Seiko Cup is rolling abroad for this round and just like any other race, it's bound to bring some stress with it. The land is rougher, the weather conditions are perilous, and there's even more at stake now. There's even more breakneck racing, a royal ball that sways feelings to the surface, and a raw build-up of rage and anger that culminates with a lustful night and some surprising compromises.

These two are also in the development phase.

Favorite scene: Chapter 10, The Elevator.

Though I know damn well I love everything about Chapter 10.

Favorite songs: Give Me Everything - Archer Marsh - Stripped Violin Version, Sweet Nothing - Calvin Harris, Florence Welch, Believe - Cher.

Every other chapter following these is already planned, the scenes literally just waiting for me in my notes. I want to go chronologically with this one, so I'm refraining from writing ahead even more so I can catch up on actual writing.

This is also your reminder that Runaway too, will exceed 20 chapters. Plus, this is not the only thing I have been working on. Which brings me to the next announcement 📣

RUNAWAY 2: GLOBAL HEART (working title)

Roughly around October last year, I told you I had plans of writing more for Runaway. While spending all of September nitpicking Chapter 5 - The Escapade, building a Pinterest board and the character playlists even more, I had all these ideas running to me at full speed: scenes, dialogues, songs, and the amazing storyline. Two weeks. That's all it took for Runaway 2 to be born. And let me tell you, it is an epic ride.

I have been writing on this one on and off, pulling up ideas about everything I wanted in it, and how it works as a continuation of current plot. Yes, I already know how and where Runaway 1 ends and it leads right into how this one begins. Prematurely, I can tell you this one will have about 20 chapters or more, depending on how work on it goes.

I am soon to be starting actual work on it so it's ready for you once Runaway 1 finishes, whenever that is. I say whenever that is because even if I make a release schedule, my writing doesn't respect it at all. But, I am trying to get Runaway 1 concluded by the end of next year - keyword: trying - so expect this one somewhere between July-September 2026 with god's speed. I'm making no promises on this one, since I want to spend more time on Runaway 1 in the coming months, but feel free to ask about it from time to time because she arrived at a time my belief in love was at its lowest and the lover girl in me wanted to desperately evaporate, so she's become another baby I care very deeply about.

Here's your first look at Runaway 2 - Global Heart.

✧.* About the story ✧.*

Set not just in homeground Japan, but all around the world, Runaway 2 follows Naozumi's journey in the global WRC scene, and the struggles of competing against some of the best drivers in the world, all whilst trying to stay close to his roots and maintain contact with Raiko.

Back home, Raiko is trying to keep it all together as her life kind of plummets in on itself post-Seiko Cup. She's juggling new jobs, her racing career, her tumultuous friendships, and questions what she truly wants from life, and whether Naozumi wants to be a part of it for the long run. Their relationship is rocky enough through Runaway 1, but in this one it will undergo so many bumps and potholes meant to break it apart. They will crash and burn too fast. They will have to fight against their egos when none of them are willing to back down and settle. They will have to learn to go slow, to meet each other's pace even if it results in crashing out before the finish line. They will have to fight against every person, doubt and uncertainty that tries to undo their relationship. But the soft moments where they just let it all go to meet in the middle of each other's thunderstorm, that is where their bond really starts to blossom.

Old foes from the past are coming back to wreak more havoc on their lives, and one specific person holds the keys to the machines of destruction and despair that constantly try to pull them apart. But when one thing leads to another and Raiko joins Naozumi on an European escapade for the summer break between racing stages, they try to forget about all their problems and the chaos waiting at the foot of their world, to focus only on each other and spend some quality time together, trying to rekindle what's laying beneath the rubbles created by distance.

The locations, the sights, the whole story is so beautiful and it truly played like a movie in my head while I laid it all out.

We still have plenty of car action in this one. A LOT of it. From illegal races across the continent to actual car chases, big international racing events in the dunes of the scorching desert, and fun drifting sessions in the snow at the foothills of the Alps.

Man, doesn't this all sound so damn good? If only you knew this barely covers it.

And because I'm here to be a loose mouth, you also have a spoiler of the actual synopsis right here.

Stakes are higher. Love is stronger. Family is everything. But is it all enough to keep the trust unbroken, the passion burning like an eternal flame, and the great danger lurking at bay?

Also, here's five locations, seven songs, and some pictures from the board. Hope this all has got you excited!

Locations: Barcelona, Spain. Portofino, Italy. Las Vegas, Nevada. Saudi Arabia. Mount Fuji, Japan.

Songs: What I did for love - Emeli Sande, David Guetta, Euphoria - Loreen, Dive - Ed Sheeran, Now You're Gone - Basshunter, DJ Mental Theos Bazzheads, Amazing - Inna, Still Falling For You - Ellie Goulding, Apologize - One Republic.

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҉ 　Knights of the Zodiac - Wings of Steel ҉

I know I gave you a sneak peek of this one in one of the asks I received a few months ago, but for the sake of this list, here are more details.

We're here to spoil after all, aren't we?

First thing's first, I, for one, really enjoyed the movie. Yes, the storyline felt cut down and the plot felt like it was put on fast-forward, but it has a special place in my heart because that's where I first came across Mackenyu (though I have faint memories of seeing him around other projects). Even if I only discovered his tremendous ore of talent and dedication to his characters and their stories with Zoro and Enishi, Seiya does hold a piece of my heart in the palm of his hands.

So, here's what we've got on this one so far.

: ̗̀➛ It is pegasus knight x gryffin knight. This one will dive into the fantastical side of things and one of my favorite areas of history: Greek mythology. I am still looking over details, researching bits and bobs, but she's starting to catch form really nicely. We are falling away from the movie for a few chapters but it's to explore the wider world hidden beneath the loudness of the real world. I'm talking magical things - enchanted waterfalls and forests, mythical places and creatures, and good old faeries.

: ̗̀➛ Gray, our female oc in this one, is one of the most relatable characters I have ever written. I knew I would love her the minute her name came to me. She's the older sister type, really responsible, very down to earth. She leads like it's breathing. Her backstory is so full of distrust, running and hiding in the slums of the town after countless foster homes. One day, Alman happens to find her stealing something valuable, and instead of taking her to the authorities he took her in as one of his own, another daughter he's never had. Her relationship with Sienna was as close knit as ever in the beginning, until Guraad's greed broke this perfect family at the seams.

: ̗̀➛ When this perfect family breaks, and she's seen as nothing more than a guardian for her special aptitudes, Gray ups and runs away again, this time confident in her abilities to fend for herself. She's older, she's bolder and she makes a quiet life for herself in the same city Seiya fights to earn his bread, and though they never meet until it's time, they share the same cruel fate - to guard Sienna and protect her against harm. With Seiya's involvement, Gray is pulled from her normal life and thrust back into the circus of protection from which she desperately wants to get away from. But she ends up staying to help, even when the person she's guarding doesn't want her there within an inch of her sight.

: ̗̀➛ Gray and Seiya have so much in common, despite hating each other's guts at first. He's just another addition to the endless line of bodyguards who couldn't protect Sienna. Another pawn in Guraad's plans. A thorn in Gray's side most of the time. But they both know they have a common enemy and realize that joining forces is way better than fighting their own battles alone. The way they learn each other's patterns, how they train with Marin, how they go on the quest to retrieve Sienna back from Guraad's hands, all of it makes them come together, combining their powers to save what's left of their world. But chances make it so that they discover a whole other world that's been hidden from them, one that rpomises a greater adventure than they ever imagined.

Progress-wise, it's in the final stages of its development phase, though I have most of the story fleshed out and planned. The first part of this story is giving me some trouble at the moment, but I feel it whispering to me every now and then. I am aiming to get this one to you this year, hopefully starting September, but we shall see how it develops over the coming months and where I'm sitting with it considering how everything else goes.

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℘ On My Blade's Honour - A One Piece Live Action fiction ℘

You know who this one is about, and you also know it's been a long time coming. This green-headed swordsman has a long-awaited pending list of works, some in the drafts already, some in the notes, some still in the ideas phase. But out of all of them, this is one that I can finally share some stuff about.

First off, I think we've all had our fair share of abusing the living daylights out of the opla zoro x reader tag (I plead guilty). When I first started writing back in 2023, freshly after the live action came out, I did not even want to touch this tag. I knew I wanted to write Zoro at some point, both anime and his opla counterpart, but the most that came out were Under the Mistletoe, New Year New Me and my heart calls your name. Though I loved writing those little drabbles, I knew there was a bigger story waiting for my very own special twist on Zoro's character, and she started slowly nagging at me around the end of November 2023.

Months went by, the folder in my notes was not moving at all, and I was really much more focusing my attention towards Addicting Taste and Runaway. I was constantly searching for a female oc that was not something already written out there. I was trying to pinpoint how my Zoro looked like, how he felt like, what was new about him to me in the writing sense, but I was so scared of even opening a small little drabble on this dude that I didn't even want to begin anything remotely big that I didn't have the strength to carry at the time. So unfortunately, I had to let it catch dust in my notes for a long time.

Fast-forward a few months into 2024, right after New Year New Me came around, I took another look at the live action. Nothing moved again per se, but something stirred within me because I started seeing our dear mosshead in my dreams every so often. I usually take that as a sign that something's waiting for me. Then I started rewatching movies I've grown up with, reading of stories I've heard, listening to more cinematic music. Anything that helped unpack this whisper I kept hearing in my dreams. And then it finally hit me - the storyline, the characters, the relationships and dynamics between them all.

At first, I didn't know what parts of this story I could actually share to you, but I thought it would be fun to hear more about the kind of genres the story touches, our main heroine and the plot, for now.

So, without further ado, here's your first look at On My Blade's Honour.

Genre: enemies to lovers, loyalty, betrayal.

Working Synopsis: They say opposites attract, but so do similarities. You, the daughter of one of the most feared pirates around the world, working as a bounty hunter for the marines. Him, a bounty hunter with a purpose higher than most dared to follow. What happens when Zoro meets his worst nightmare yet, and you meet one of the most difficult, exasperating, trifling beings on the planet? Are you an obstacle he needs to push away from his path, or a piece that he was missing all along?

She's a work in progress this one, but what I already have in store for it is pretty damn amazing.

And that's not all you're getting. Right below, you've got the character profile of our fantastic female oc, a bit about her backstory, her personality, and her dynamics with some of the Straw Hats on the crew. Enjoy!

✦ Character Profile ✦

Name: Esperanza-Helena

Alias: Esper. Kunai Assassin. Viper.

Parents: Esmeralda Lucia, mother. Father only known by who must.

Weapons: Kunai knives bound together by a long chain. Can wield anything with a sharp blade, from daggers, to tanto knives and katanas.

Esperanza, also goes by Esper, is our female oc in this one. She's the daughter of an important figure in the One Piece world, only mentioned on a need to know basis. Raised mostly by her mother, she's been on the run after her old life was scorched to ashes by bandits when she was just a child. She becomes a bounty hunter for the government, set on bringing all filthy pirates to justice. Even if it's lousy pay, it fills her days and earns her a pillow to sleep on. But it's only once she meets Luffy again that her world starts turning around. Having been friends since their younger days, he's amazed that chance made it so they meet once more, and this time he doesn't want to let her go, so he makes her a proposition she can't quite refuse. Though she would be quick to accept, there is one problem that makes her deny his proposal - the sulking green-haired man already occupying the position of first mate in Luffy's crew, and the distrust that smeared their first encounter in blotches of betrayal.

: ̗̀➛ Esper's character is a wild ride to write so far. She's fearless, brave, strong, and she has gotten through every single obstacle ever thrown her way with a smile on her face. She is a little bit Latina at her core, inspired by some amazing women and fictional characters that I've always adored, such as Shakira, Monica Bellucci, Catherine Zeta Jones as Elena Montero in the Mask of Zorro, and so many more. This felt just right once I realized that she has this raging, burning fire running through her veins. She's a whole force of nature in her own right. She loves a challenge and she doesn't back down from it even after she meets someone of her own caliber, capable of pushing all her buttons with one single cocky smirk, which only makes her thirst for winning against him become even stronger.

: ̗̀➛ The way her character develops, slowly, but with bite and the femme fatale element, is a whole amazing process on its own. At first, I didn't really hear her voice through what I was writing for the story, so it felt a little bleak. But she's moving through my mind like a whisper and I find myself caught in her powerful energy every now and then. She's got this magnetic pull to her, something I haven't encountered with other characters I've written. Her name is also symbolic of that, because while Esperanza means hope, Esper refers to the whisper of a spirit of the psychic realm. Besides her talents in weaponry and exquisite swordsmanship, she has a few more aces up her sleeve that make her all the more special, but I won't reveal these just yet. I'll let you read about them when the time comes.

: ̗̀➛ Her dynamic with Zoro is something so cosmic to me. Their relationship starts off on the very wrong foot of distrust and betrayal, something that bothers Zoro cataclysmically, rubbing him in all the wrong ways. She's got all the black dots checked and circled in his enemy notebook. Her existence makes him tick. Her lack of scruples makes him pivot neurons into the sea. Her whole presence awakens this fire in him that he cannot extinguish, and it only burns hotter and more dangerous when they have to work together and share the same space, being part of the same crew. He has this insurmountable amount of hate for her, always present in the rasp of his voice or in the glacial depth of a glare aimed her way. But it's a good thing, because the feeling happens to be very mutual. Although, unlike him, even as he blames her for everything going wrong, she does make fun of the situation every chance she gets. From Esper's viewpoint, Zoro is a paradox of a man. A real piece of work, that is so attuned to his own world that anyone else's is merely a temporary occurrence meant to stand in his way. Lord, do they bicker a lot. It continues this way up until a point where Esper and Zoro start seeing other sides to each other. Sides that are so similar - how they always keep their guard up around people, why they never put their trust in anyone, why they don't let themselves care too deeply. But even the strongest of armors start to crack once they're hit too hard. The way they start showing up for each other as the story drifts along is unbelievably honest and it goes beyond any honor, valor or show of respect.

: ̗̀➛ Another bond I'm really excited to write is the friendship between Esper and Luffy. These two met at a time in their life where the world made them feel like they only belonged on the outside, hanging on the edges of normality. When you look at a very rebellious girl who sees the world in black and white and a boy who carries sunshine in his smile, you wouldn't think of them as the bestest of friends. But their friendship is something of a treasure. And though Luffy already picked his first mate, Esper will forever be his first ever mate. If there's anyone she's ever trusted more in her life, it's him and his drive to do things his own way. She has so much adoration for Luffy and the light in his smile is what fuels her hope that maybe her dark life can catch a flicker of sunshine too.

: ̗̀➛ This story follows the crew as we go along the live action timeline, with some additional stops that I felt would add to my take on it. There's bonus scenes, and chapters, all meant to build on the beauty of what's already there. I won't say more until it's time for it to set sail, but I can tell you it will be pretty soon.

Prematurely, I can tell you that this one also has a sequel in the works, called The Legend of Esper. It follows the events post-Arlong Park, and focuses more on Esper's side of the story. Her relationship with Zoro is looking up, but her past is quickly catching up with her, coming to dismantle everything they rebuilt after the disloyalty in the first part of the story.

・❥・Spoiler Line ・❥・

Favorite arcs: Kaya's mansion, Baratie, Arlong Park

Favorite bonus: Rain Oath

Favorite songs: Objection (Tango) - Shakira, Gasoline - Halsey, The Hymn - FLOYA, Never Let Me Go - Florence + The Machine, Slow Grenade - Ellie Goulding, Lauv.

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⚜ Crimson Desire ⚜

Seeing how much you guys loved this two-part vampiric story and the fantasy world I created for it made me burst at the seams. It's a whole new level of storytelling when I work on it, and I think you can tell even Enishi as a character feels a little different in this one. I think I may have made it my job to explore as many layers of this man as possible and this is just one of the many slices of him that I loved diving into.

Working on this one is close to pure joy, considering my affinity to everything gothic and princessy. It draws from where I grew up, the stories about prince charming, the myths about vampires, the wild nature scenery. It's been a little development corner for my world-building and exploring different types of writing that fall more into the fantasy side, but I adore every second of it.

Once again, I didn't expect this one to grow into more parts, but it has taken me by surprise the way the story continued and developed by itself.

There are five parts in total, two already out for you to read if you haven't done so already. The next three parts are in the works too and I can say they'll come rushing in with the gothic season, which is not that far off now. Down below, you've got the titles, a few details, and visuals to kind of give you more of scope of imagination.

✣ Part 3 - Swirl of Obsession ✣

Enishi and his princess are now bonded through the blood they've shared. He's given her a taste of what it's like to sin with him, to let the bond speak of her deepest, darkest desires, letting him sate them all. And now she's giving the bond access beyond her conscious mind, letting him see what she couldn't even feel rooted beneath the surface of her heart. Together, they're haunting the castle walls, christening their devotion in every room, laying themselves bare before each other. But one of them isn't as bare as he lets on. A haunting confession of a maid rises doubts and when she finds courage and confronts him, the lord of darkness reveals something that makes things take a turn for the macabre.

Favorite scene: The dinner table, the chase.

Favorite songs from the playlist: Midas - Skott, I Fell In Love With The Devil - Avril Lavigne, Judas - BANKS.

✣ Part 4 - War of Hearts ✣

Following the revelations of the dark prince, she takes refuge with the village convent. The head priestess offers comfort and more information regarding the lord of the land, and how his past was seen as a curse through generations of her family as they served the church. She is quick to refute any foul opinions of her prince, the bond still pulsing strong in her veins. But while her heart is drowning in confusion, her mind sees crystal clear, and it leads her to proclaim to do what no one else in her land ever could - hunting down the lord of darkness, vowing before God to bring him down once and for all.

Favorite scene: the surrender.

Favorite song from the playlist: I Was Made For Lovin' You - YUNGBLUD.

✣ Part 5 ... will remain a secret for now. Can't spoil everything now, can I?

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⋆˙⟡ Teasers for projects, requests and little drabbles ⋆˙⟡

Now, you know about where our main ongoing series are heading, and read a bit about the other series in the works, but there is so much more I've been holding off from sharing, crafting like a little gremlin whenever inspiration hit me. Here's a list of other smaller projects on the line, a bit of story inspiration and summary, as well as a rough completion status for each one of them.

✦ One in a Million - OPLA Zoro ✦

This one is the long-awaited third part to the New Year New Me saga. The whole thing was born out of two stories: how my parents got together and a situationship I just couldn't get rid off, always popping up around the seasonal holidays.

At first, I didn't think there would be more beyond the first part. It was a quick-write at the beginning, but the more I went in to edit stuff, it became even more and I started to entertain the idea of this little romcom scenario. I loved the reader's personality and how quick she was to avoid zero-chemistry relationships that just left her empty, and I absolutely adored how playful Zoro seemed throughout. It felt like I fell in love with his character all over again, this time from a new point of view. He felt gentle, sweet, just as head over heels for his girl as she was for him from the very first time they met. And as my situationship persisted from winter into spring into summer, this story started pulling at me even more.

Part two had so many titles strewn into the first line besides its official one, and one in a million was one of them. Considering it was the sequel and a Valentines one this time, my heart calls your name felt like the right fit, and one in a million seemed to stay and lurk along for part three. I didn't get to write it last year but she's been pulling at me these past few months, so you are getting your fill of a breezy summer romcom!!!

In this summery chapter, our lovelorn reader and her boo have moved in together and though it's been months, it's been nothing but arrows of love and lust. But things get a twist when she starts questioning more about her green-haired suitor, especially when it comes to his feelings. He can't keep his hands off her, but he never lets his heart open enough to show vulnerability. Can this perfect picture last if Zoro doesn't do what it takes to keep her in his life, or will he lose the special one his heart yearns for?

Status: development stage, with writing done here and there. Hoping to start working more seriously on it these days.

Songs from the playlist: One in a Million - Bosson, I Need Your Love - Shaggy, Mohombi, Faydee, Only Love Can Hurt Like This - Paloma Faith.

✦ Tanabata, a starry night - anime Zoro ✦

This one is for my fellow yearners still looking for their fated one in the beauty of falling petals, the sweet perfume lingering in the summer breeze, and myths of great stories of love that still give you hope there's something special waiting for you out there. Know that what's yours is set aside only for you.

: ̗̀➛ Fated meet cute with anime Zoro and lovelorn reader. It follows the story of Tanabata, also called the Star festival, a yearly event where lovers gather to celebrate the love uniting their destinies on a fateful night in July celebrating the meeting of two ancient deities, Orihime and Hikoboshi, also known as Altair and Vega, or the star-crossed lovers. Those already in relationships make wishes for long, happy lives together with their loved one. Those still looking make wishes on the stars to meet their fated one under the warm summer sky.

Reader has not been quite as lucky with romance, always meeting obstacles or more hurdles to be jumped. She's written her wishes to the gods, prepared all the offerings at their temples, prayed and prayed endlessly, but it was all to no avail. No partner rose to see her. No lover rose to lay his love at her feet unconditionally. Because the fates had something different in store for her: a chance meeting that will alter her view on what love is forever.

This one was supposed to be out several times along the year already, but with everything else already in the works it just never felt like the right time. Although, I have a feeling the stars are finally aligning for it.

Status: half-written.

✦ Overboard - Enishi request ✦

There was some Enishi spice requested not too long ago. She is under work too and hopefully to be finished soon. I keep my word even if it takes ages.

Status: half-written.

✦ Knife Dance - Enishi ✦

Enishi x female reader assassin, cat and mouse chase. Sharp blades, dangerous smiles, and burning lust can eclipse any main objective. When it comes to her missions, she isn't one to give up, but this one happens to give her more than she was prepared for.

Status: development stage.

✰✰✰ There are more things in the works, but you'll hear about them a bit later on. ✰✰✰

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♠ Special Project ♣

If you thought that was it, you don't know who you're up against. I couldn't sleep knowing how big of a secret this one is, and against many back and forth battles with myself, I decided to give you a bit of this one too.

Aside from everything you just read about, there are a few special projects I've been working on in hindsight. One of them in particular has me really excited because it's unlike anything I've ever written and it fell right into my lap as I was coming out of a big writing slump that's left me without inspiration.

It's mature, it's sexy, and it's going to get you hot and bothered with every single chapter. Boy, just thinking about it has my heart pounding in excitement. I can only hope it will do the same to yours.

So, please welcome to the stage...

♦️♠ Rule Breaker ♠♥️

This is a story about the dream of a little girl, that fell to ruins before her hand could even reach for it. A story about the filthy way the rich and the almighty at the helm of Tokyo's high society circus wield their wealth for fame, influence and power, and how they would stop at nothing to get what they want, even if that included corrupting young innocent souls for their gain. It's a story about the most primal, darkest desires of mankind, and how they are bound to sit still, hidden, until something close to a sinful act makes them rise to the surface in temptation. But above everything, this is also a story about rules, and just how badly they yearn to be broken.

This one is indescribable in words. It wasn't even born that long ago, but it has me by the throat in every single way possible.

And this is just a little teaser.

I won't reveal who the protagonists are just yet. Actually, this whole project will be a surprise, so you won't know much about it until I post the first chapter, just to keep you on your toes.

But I'm not an evil person, so here are three themes that will be explored in the story, some images from the smoking hot Pinterest board, and three songs from the especially curated playlist that will be made available with the release.

・❥・Spoiler Line ・❥・

Themes: dominants x submissive bound by contract, high society, contemporary dance.

Songs: Earned It - The Weeknd, Beggin - Madcon, Please - ORGAVSM.

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✧.* Real life updates ⋆˙

Well, well, well. You have reached the final part of this long ass update newsletter. Kudos to you, soldier.

You haven't seen me posting much around here est last December, and there's a lot that's happened in my life since then.

News-wise, life has been crazy. The first six months after I finished uni back in May were more or less pure hell, and I think you could tell from how sporadic my updates got. This is all in the writing, developing, career sector, all spinning in a whirpool like a washing machine setting that never ended. I finished my expanded Marketing and Journalism degree and knew I didn't want to pursue anything related to it in the slightest, less alone see another article or website in my life. Applying for work was another hell, so I kinda left it alone for a while and just tried to focus on writing and what I really wanted from life. September to December I was still very much creatively alive, but January came around and I entered this black hole of uncertainty that cast a shadow over everything I was working on. My future looked blank, my will was at its lowest, and my writing started losing its spark. The only thing I knew at that point was that I needed a goal, a purpose to follow for 2025. Something that would keep me working, something good, something that poured light into my life. I knew I was asking for magic to happen, even if I didn't know what it was at first. And that's how my first ever new year's resolution fell in my hands and gave me some hope - working on a novel.

Crazy, right? She's been only writing for close to a year, started reading more of what's trending. But she studied the ins and outs of writing all her life, even if she never really liked it. And that's what was to become her strength in the long run.

But until we reached the point of unlocking gifts and knowledge, and retrieving the lost inspiration from the crevices of the world, we have to go through the pits of hell and see if we have the strength to come back from it.

Despite all the hope that resolution gave me, it quickly dwindled. I prayed for an idea to come to me, for anything remotely creative. This was around the time I was struggling to carry on working on anything that used to bring me joy before, falling into such a slow rhythm it felt like my creativity was slipping away from me. I went at Addicting Taste on and on during that time like a maniac, day and night, just wishing it would start working with me. But every word that sat wrong on the page, every sentence that didn't sound like my characters, every plot idea that felt bleak just ended up in crash out after crash out after crash out. Runaway tugged at me and I managed to write some scenes, but that's all they felt like. Scenes. Everything was so dull, so lifeless, so devoid of any emotion. It felt like I lost the last thing I was good at, and if you're an artist that creates, you know it feels pretty close to a death of sorts. A death that haunts your normal life just as much as your creative one.

Nothing brought back my smile. I tried going back to uni projects that I never got to finish. I tried rereading my favorite books. I tried teas, baths, anything relaxing, but it just did not feel relaxing. The fact that time was ticking, passing by while I was wilting away unable to finish anything made me unable to function. My favorite characters were tugging at me for attention, but the most I could do was open a note and bullet point. I felt like I was failing them and myself.

What I didn't know at that time was that in order to be reborn creatively, you need to experience that creative death first. So I let myself feel it. I went through what I used to write and started re-editing. I went looking for scenes living in my head thinking they were written only to not find them anywhere. I wrote stuff that was so beautiful in idea but so awful on paper that it just made me sit and cry. I was trying so hard to get it right, to fit the box I have outgrown, to give the voices faith, that I didn't notice how far I've come in such a short time.

I think a lot of us do that to ourselves and it stops us from doing what we love, what we cherish, what gives us life, because of inconsequential things that put unnecessary pressure on you. Excuses building up, distractions taking your attention away, those damn voice you can't quiet. But you realise they have no real weight once you look from a different perspective. They can't hurt you. They exist because you're coming close to finding something you love that works for you, and now every fear wants to smother it whole before it gets a chance to sparkle.

Once the last leaf of my disbelief, discontent, and every bit of negativity I was feeling for my writing left, it all came rushing back to me.

Mid-February, the plot for my novel just fell right into my arms. Weeks later, I had the characters, the plot somewhat fleshed out, and the place. Now, I have three books planned in a modern gothic romantasy story that's close to my heart, my culture, and everything I love writing about. As I busied myself working on this project, letting it come to me on its own without rushing it, more ideas started coming to me and I finally opened those drafts back up with new eyes and got cracking.

What you've read above is all work that started last year and was fleshed out in these past few months, so I guess it's safe to say I'm coming back soonish. I'm still fighting those damn demons sometimes, but I'm not letting them win.

Career-wise news, talking with a few of you, family and friends, I finally found a pathway I never thought I'd follow. But the universe knows your calling, and when it shows up it's only right you listen and follow it. I've always been someone who loved learning, whether it was to gather more knowledge, to research the depths of history, or to explore the ins and outs of writing, whether that was music, languages, poetry or books. Writing has been something I've never seen as my thing, more comfortable analyzing and pondering it from the side. But once I started writing, nearly two years ago now, I realized writing was becoming such a big part of my life, especially in the past few months. So I asked myself, why not make a career out of this?

At first it sounded like a fable. Then the signs started showing up and I knew, even through the doubt and the fear, that I had to run it through and see what happens.

Nowadays... Your girl is in the middle of finishing work on launching her freelance Mentoring and Editing business ✨

I may or may not publicly open access to this on here, but if you feel like you may benefit from writing, mentoring or editing advice from someone like me, feel free to contact me to find out more. I offer mentoring services to get your drafts going, world building to get your story flowing, and editing if all you need is a nudge in the right direction structure-wise.

So peep a DM if you're interested and I'll send you right to my Instagram and website to check out more. If you have writer friends, that you know may benefit from this, send them my way! I'm still at the start of my journey, so I am in need of clients and the more the merrier :)

I am opening it to fic writers too because some of you have been crafting literal gold on here and I know you may or may not be working on your own little original stories. So don't be afraid to reach out and ask me more. You know my DMs are always open.

It's all so new and exciting, sometimes stressful. But if I can help with your work and get your potential seen by yourself, I'm here for it.

Health wise, I've had good days and bad days. My sight was bad before but it's apparently getting worse for my age? Whatevs. Won't let that stop me. But when I need the screen break I have to take it for a good while to fend off the migraines. If you're like me, please know that taking walks outside to connect with the amazing lush green grass in your backyard, and leaving your phone to go dead until morning sometimes really does help. Stop being so plugged online and let yourself live and breathe the world around us now because it is pretty epic to live on this spinning sphere called earth and we should appreciate it more. I can tell you that once you start doing that, the inspiration and creativity you were looking for will find you and bless you with miracles you never thought yourself capable of making.

So, now you know I've been working on quite a lot for the past year. They are all coming to you soon. As much as I hate that word, I can't speed up the process because that speeds up the ✨ magic ✨ . Some writers can do their work on the spot, but it takes me a greater deal of focus, time and patience to pour out what I want in these works, and ultimately what you deserve to read as my lovely reader. And even if not one soul ends up liking them, I want to know that I didn't do a halfhearted job and gave anything I worked on everything in my power to make it happen.

All I ask is for you to have a little more patience with me 🫠 Not that you didn't wait enough, but I feel guilty and it eats me up most times that I can't just give these to you on the spot.

I hope this mini newsletter cleared the waters a bit, or stirred them. I'll be making these a thing if you want, since there are projects I haven't mentioned in great detail on here yet, maybe just in passing. You'd be getting current status on what I'm working on, as well as ideas and backstories for them. I loved making the visuals for this one too, since there's so many things in my boards that never end up on the actual boards. And I spoiled you without telling you much which is another win for me and my loose mouth.

Thank you for reading all this. Thank you for reading my work and continuing to be here for me. Your presence makes my world spin around. It means the world to me to have met so many beautiful, talented and amazing souls on here.

I hope we'll meet again with fresh ideas and long chapters filled with new wonders for you to discover.

With so much love, Paula.