Chapter 2

She looked around the square once more, her heart decidedly calmer now. For perhaps the first time in her entire life that she could remember, she was standing in the town square of Munchkin City without a single person giving her more than a passing glance. Munchkins bustled around doing their shopping; gathering in cafes and restaurants; walking in the sunshine with their families or friends. It had been years since Elphaba had been able to stand in the middle of a crowd in Oz without causing panic or alarm.

"Where- where are we?" she asked Klehr, her throat dry. "I mean, besides Munchkinland."

Thank you x

Sure! Here's some fun facts about my upcoming Fiyeraba fic:

It'll be 7 chapters

It's been on my WIP list for literally years waiting for me to get around to it.

It was inspired by a song from a classic movie musical from the 1960s that to me just screams Fiyeraba (which is where the title comes from); and I fused it with the plot of a classic movie from the 1940s (not telling you guys yet, but feel free to guess)

I am dreading writing chapter 6, but I kinda have to for the plot.

Chapter 5 is very obvious what TV show I'm currently in a deep rabbit hole over. There's also a subtle reference to a show that I've been obsessed with this year that I think only @thatnamewill-probably-change will appreciate.

Co-author, Lain, here. Let me start by saying depression sucks. I have been battling it for about two years now, and I’m so very tired. More often than not lately, my wife’s (and co-author) support is the only thing keeping me going. (Medication helps, but lack of funds make therapist appointments impossible, even with insurance.) 

Despite being in a horrible funk and not feeling like doing a damned thing, I finally felt a little spark of creativity again from my muse. Its visits are increasingly fleeting and rare. That said, just today, I had been looking over Chapter 18, checking my parts and readying to attempt finishing my scenes. Then I noticed a new review. I wasn’t worried; they’d all been encouraging and pleasant recently. This one moved away from that trend.

It was critical of several plot points and characterization, but the thing is, it wasn’t cruel. It was done with respect and thought and honesty. The critiques were explained. No hateful words were bandied about, and I didn’t feel attacked. I actually appreciate the time put into it, and it made me question the very things that were mentioned. It has spurred me to take an outsider’s look at things and see if there are any tweaks we want to make in editing later. So, I applaud the reviewer.

That said, as someone who is currently dealing with anxiety and severe depression, it feels like my self-esteem has been savagely beaten. My desire to write has curled up in a dark corner and all but disappeared completely. I don’t blame the reviewer and feel no ill-will towards them. It’s simply awful timing. 

Nothing Comes from Nothing Update: Part 17 Swan Queen Story

Author: parakitty Co-Author / Beta: ­­­Lain Stardust

Summary: AU, Post Cricket Game, Emma casts a not-so-innocent locator spell, provided by Rumpelstiltskin, to find Regina, and the unexpected consequences bring Emma and Regina closer while revealing painful secrets that not only change their lives, but everyone else’s, too.

FF.net / AO3

Lain’s birthday gift to you (posted above a week and a half ago).

The cabin door slammed open, a highly agitated Emma Swan storming in and whirling around to deliver it a swift kick, shutting it behind her. She stalked across the cabin, muttering incoherently as the scowl on her face deepened. She was so caught up in her own head that she didn’t notice when Irene cracked the door open, only to be waved off by Regina.

As soon as the door closed, once more, the former mayor stepped up to her pacing friend and placed a staying hand on her upper arm. “Emma, what’s the matter?” she inquired, not having seen the woman so upset since the night she had discovered the truth about the Enchanted Forest.

Emma turned wild eyes on the woman hovering at her elbow, as if seeing her for the first time since entering the room. It took a moment to truly register her presence, and once she did, the sheriff felt heat blooming in her cheeks. Shaking her head roughly, she looked away, too embarrassed to form a reply.

Brows furrowing in concern, Regina moved to stand in front of her companion, the deep mortification flowing through the bond worrying her. When attempts to catch her eye didn’t work, she placed two fingers under the dimpled chin and urged her to look up. “Now,” she encouraged softly, “tell me what has you so upset.”

Unable to refuse the coaxing tone, the savior bit her bottom lip, worrying it for a few moments before finally mumbling, “I started my period.” Immediately, her gaze found the floor, again, too humiliated to make eye contact. She broke away from the light contact and started pacing the length of the small cabin, once more. Running her hands through her hair, she explained in a rush, “I had felt kinda tired today but didn’t think anything about it. And when I went to the bathroom just now, I discovered…,” she trailed off uncertainly, throwing an anguished look in her friend’s direction. “With everything happening, I didn’t think about how close I was. I mean, everything was crazy, then we were on a boat, and I just…. And now, I don’t have anything to deal with this, and my clothes are probably ruined. And—.”

Regina quickly cut her ramblings off, gently placing her fingertips over Emma’s mouth. “It’s okay,” she assured her frantic companion. “We’ll take care of it, Emma. Just take a deep breath and try to relax.” Seeing the sheriff following her instructions and slowing her breathing, the former queen smiled softly, running through the options in her head. Nodding to herself, she said, “You have two choices. I can create some tampons, or I can use magic to move things along more quickly.”

The last statement made the savior’s head snap up, and she regarded the former mayor carefully. “What do you mean by moving things along?” she asked dubiously. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust her, she was simply wary of anything meant to affect her body.

“There’s a spell I can use that would hasten your menses,” the sorceress offered. Off Emma’s startled expression, she expounded, “I’ve utilized it for my guards, before, if you want to ask someone else what it’s like. Essentially, the spell forces your uterus to expel its lining very quickly.”

Emma’s nose crinkled slightly at the idea. Still, the thought of several days of worrying with her period without modern conveniences, even if she did have tampons, was just too much for her to contemplate. “When you say very quickly, just how fast are we talking about, here?” she queried curiously. It wasn’t a subject she was overly comfortable discussing, though she noticed Regina seemed to be taking it all in stride.

Smiling as she felt the sheriff’s anxiousness start to dissipate, Regina explained succinctly, “It would be over in three to four hours.” She fought not to laugh as Emma’s mouth dropped open incredulously, knowing it wouldn’t be appreciated, at the moment. “I will warn you that the cramping associated with it can be more intense than you may be used to, but most consider it a small trade-off for the convenience.”

Several long moments passed while Emma mulled it over before she nodded slowly. “Yeah. Okay,” she agreed, nervously raking her hands through her hair, again. “How does it work?”

Regina took one of the savior’s hands in her left and made an elegant gesture with her right, using magic to create the items they’d need. Giving Emma’s hand a light squeeze, she walked to the bed where a small stack of black towels now rested. She removed an absorbent pad from the top of the pile and placed it in the middle of the mattress, quickly topping it with a plush towel. Turning to her companion, she informed her, “You’ll lie down there, and once you’re situated, I’ll enact the spell. It’s that simple.”

“Wait a minute,” Emma balked, paling slightly. “You mean I have to lay there while I just bleed everywhere?” The idea was somewhat horrifying, and she stared at Regina in disbelief.

Rolling her eyes, the former mayor placed her hands on her hips and met the sheriff’s stare unblinkingly. “Trust me when I say this is much better to the alternative of attempting to walk around while the spell is in effect.” Her gaze assessed the woman standing uncomfortably before her, and she sighed as she tried to think of a way to calm her. “I’ll stay with you the entire time, if you like, Emma. And it’s really not as much blood and tissue as you think, only two to five tablespoons, at most.”