#shrapnelwrites

Title: if you're looking for a fright (turn off the light) Fandom: Pokemon Sword & Shield Rating: T Relationships: none Length: 2.8k words Where to Read: Archive of Our Own Notes: I wrote this piece for the Pokegeist Ghost-type Pokemon Zine! Leftover sales are open now, so you can snag your copy of the zine if you missed preorders!

The sun’s final rays stretch across Stow-on-Side Stadium, gleaming along the surface of the water encircling the gym. A cool autumn breeze flows through the town, and Allister shivers slightly in the chill air. 

“This research project better be worth the time, Hop.” Bede’s arms are crossed as he leans back against the dilapidated wooden fence. He’s squinting in the late afternoon light, his head turned so he’s looking into the Glimwood Tangle.

Hop scowls for a moment before he schools his features. “It will be. Sonia’s been looking into ghosts around the region ever since she got back from the Crown Tundra. She wants me to compare and contrast between authentic and phony Sinistea for the project. A worthy endeavour — see if we can figure out the differences other than the stamp alone.”

“S-so we’re looking for Sinistea.” Allister tilts his head as he looks at Hop. The teen had asked for his help two nights prior with a “Ghost-type research mission” in the Glimwood Tangle, with a promise to share details when they set out into the forest. Allister’s knowledge of ghosts, he’d said, would be of invaluable help to Hop and Sonia’s research. 

Hop grins brightly and laces his fingers behind his head. “Yeah! Our main goal is to find a Sinistea colony. Once we find the colony, we’re to observe them in their natural environment, and catch an authentic Sinistea.

Title: alter the course Fandom: Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core FFVII, Pokemon Rating: T Relationships: none Length: 2k words Where to Read: Archive of Our Own Notes: I wrote this piece for Of Fantasy and Monster, a Final Fantasy VII/Pokemon crossover zine, as their guest writer! It was super fun to get to explore this fusion universe, and I'm super stoked to eventually write more for this AU (I had so many ideas, it was really hard to figure out what lore to cut and what to keep!)

Tifa had tried to make light conversation, at first. She’d stopped pouting when Sephiroth and Zack entered the reactor, instead asking Cloud what his name was, and how he liked Midgar, and what did he think of the SOLDIERs?

Cloud kept silent, heart hammering in his chest. His stomach in knots, he clenched his hands on the grip of his rifle to keep them from shaking. He didn’t dare to open his mouth, instead resolutely scanning the treeline and leaning his weight towards Zack’s Leafeon.

He cannot speak to Tifa. His throat feels dry and thick, like the words will stick. He hasn’t lived up to his promise, yet — how could he face her? He’s merely a private who’s failed the SOLDIER exam twice. He can’t even keep his squad safe; he winces at the thought of Evans, lost to the Nibel Mountains. There’s no way he could be the hero Tifa dreamed of. His face burns in shame at his boastful words two years ago.

Leafeon butts her face against his leg. Zack had proclaimed she was there to assist Cloud with guard duty. Cloud knows she’s really there to soothe his own nerves.

Tifa has given up on conversation now. She’s leaning against a tree, arms crossed and eyes closed. The noon sun shines brightly overhead, making Cloud sweat under his helmet. Tifa’s Sentret — a familiar face — and Machop — that one’s new to Cloud — are play-fighting nearby. He misses his Shinx, left in his Ma’s care when he left home. Maybe he’ll visit his Ma tonight.

An odd stillness settles over the clearing. Cloud tightens his grip on his rifle and scans the treeline. A shiver goes up his spine, and the hair stands up on the back of his neck.

Something isn’t right.

(ask me about my WIPs)

AHHH THAT ONE! :D

That fic was gonna be for a MB big bang like... a year ago? 2 years ago??? and i dropped the event bc i was so busy with school + zines and it was my lowest prio (plus was slipping out of sk8 writing at the time).

my initial idea inspo was one of those twitter "QRT with pics based on your zodiac/birthday/battery %" things, which gave me the prompt: Immortal AU | Mutual Pining | “Listen to me, just this once.” my essential idea: Kaoru is posessed by a demon (Carla) who grants him eternal health + youth + life in exchange for her getting to live in his body + occasionally use it as her own (gets her a "get out of Hell free" card). Kojiro is a vampire. The two meet in Venice, have an on-again-off-again situationship for a few centuries, until they meet up in modern day when Adam (a demon possessing the politician Ainosuke Shindo) appears and decides, hey, he really wants to be a dick to Carla, so why not get the pretty body she's got while he's at it?

featuring high drama from Kojiro, who refuses to let Kaoru be possessed by Adam, Kaoru who has a demon and a vampire as his forever family, Carla who is a snarky demon shit, and amateur demon hunter group comprised of Reki/Langa/Shadow/Miya who are investigating this super sus politician, Ainosuke Shindo.

Snippet below the cut (this is long but i legit forgot i wrote this and it *slaps*) cw for: threats of violence, blood drinking, loss of control of body due to demon possession

The moonlight shines on the water’s surface, and Kaoru breathes the salty air in deep. Venice reminds him of home, with the ocean air rolling in and the markets full of freshly caught fish. It’s been nearly sixty years since he left home, but Kaoru still finds himself most at peace by the ocean.

☄️ Preorders are OPEN for Of Fantasy and Monster, the @ff7pokemonzine! ☄️

Preorders are OPEN for You're Not Alone: An FFIX Zine! I wrote a caper featuring Eiko teaming up with Tantalus! Check out the other previews over at @Ff9Zine & on Twitter @ FF9zine and secure your copy ASAP! 

🛒 Shop: http://yourenotalonezbigcartel.com 

🛒 UK/EU: http://etsy.com/shop/Ff9Yourenotalone…

🛒 PH GO: https://forms.gle/J8KRBfxYuwJ22EwF9

Title: remember, remember (this is now) Fandom: Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity Rating: T Relationships: none (Link/Sidon if you squint, mentioned canon Mipha/Link) Length: 3.8k words Where to Read: Archive of Our Own Notes: I wrote this piece for the Homemade in Hyrule Zelda Cookbook Zine! Leftover sales are open now, so you can snag your copy of the zine if you missed preorders!

The siege lasts three full days. A seemingly endless onslaught of Guardians and Moblins and those horrible dark shadow-mockeries of the Champions are, at long last, defeated. Princess Zelda awakens her holy powers, cutting through the enemy lines as swiftly as any Divine Beast.

And, at the end of it all, Fort Hateno stands strong.

Sidon sits on the trunk of a fallen tree, looking around at the walls of the stronghold. Soldiers mill about, bandaging the wounded and taking stock of the supplies salvaged from the Fort. In the distance, Zelda sits, Impa by her side, hearing Kohga’s account of Astor’s callous sacrifice of his kin. He cannot make out what is being said, nor what the soldiers near him are saying, over the hollow ringing in his ears.

“You’re bleeding.”

Sidon looks up with a start. Mipha is frowning down at him in concern. Her hand hovers in the air over his shoulder, wavering uncertainly. Sidon looks down at his forearm. He is bleeding. It’s probably a bad sign that he hasn’t taken notice of it.

“It’s just a scratch,” Sidon says, and his own voice sounds distant in his ears.

finish reading on ao3

Fandom: Our Flag Means Death Rating: T Relationships: Edward “Blackbeard” Teach/Stede Bonnet Length: 1.2k words Where to Read: Archive of Our Own Notes: I wrote this piece for the OFMDZineTalentShow prompt, “Design a Flag”, hosted by the @ofmdzine​ - check them out for more fun pieces!

Edward runs his hands over the cloth with a cautious reverence, hesitant to touch the fabric. Heavy brocade, crisp dupioni, delicate chiffon, all pass between his slightly shaking fingers. It seems such a shame to carve up each piece the way they would need to. “You’re sure you wanna use this for your flag?” His eyes snap up to meet Stede’s, thumb still rubbing delicately over an intricately crocheted lace.  

“Yes,” Stede says. “It’s scraps, things that are worn beyond repair. More where they came from, anyhow!” There’s a flippancy in his voice as he waves at the fabric that Edward doesn’t quite understand – one more thing in a long list of things that drives home the difference between Ed and Stede.

Fandom: Pokemon Sword and Shield Rating: G Relationships: none, gen Length: 1.6k words Where to Read: Archive of Our Own Notes: Written for the Champion Time Zine - check out the other pieces at their twitter here!

Perhaps Leon shouldn’t be so skeptical of Opal selecting Bede to be her successor. Bede had taken the early stages of the gym circuit by storm, showcasing his skill and dominating the challenges. Opal had helped him to hone that potential despite his arrogant attitude.

Leon scans the paperwork, filled out in Bede’s blocky print and countersigned in Opal’s loopy cursive, and lays it beside his proposals for Battle Tower challengers.

Bede is rigid in the squashy chair opposite him, half his face cast in golden afternoon glow.

Leon clears his throat. “So, you were endorsed by Rose, correct?”

“Chairman Rose, yes.” Bede’s posture stiffens further as he corrects Leon.

Leon frowns. He’s had to remind himself often that Rose was responsible for his own actions. It seems Bede needs the reminder, too. “Ex-Chairman,” he says gently.