#ttin

According to ao3's "published" date, I started this fic on January 15, 2020. I remember writing this chapter lightning-quick (and on complete impulse) in the therapy waiting room haha.

I will say that I do know my writing then is not up to par with my writing now - at least in my perception. I might be pointing out any glaring flaws I take notice of, but I've definitely improved + I can always edit all of it once I get it continued.

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Chapter 1: The Beginning

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Right off the bat, I'm still really proud of this opening scene, which opens on Jordon (irl stage name Charlie Scene) digging in search of ... something. ;)

I feel it creates a sense of mystery, and I'm still absolutely wild for my idea of Randi (Jordon's wife irl) being his imaginary friend.

He snorts, wiping rain from his eyes. “Why are you here, Randi?” he asks, as if he doesn’t already know the answer.

And of course it’s the same answer as always. “You need a friend right now. That’s why you made me.”

Also sets up several plot points that come way far down the line - so far down that I still hadn't really touched on their full scope even by 66k+ words.

Also features Jordon dropping his shovel, which I wasn't paying attention to and had to quickly explain away in... the second chapter, I think?

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Leads into the next scene, which is Dylan (irl stage name Funny Man) stealing some beers from a gas station (this is genuinely not important) and then finding a strange shard of crystal in a metaphysics shop that he's drawn to.

This also touches on an important part of Dylan's character here; the thread of forgetting.

“I don’t think you can take that,” the teenager says with a frown. Dylan blinks. He’d forgotten he was there.

Dylan looks back at the boy, giving him a lazy grin. “Nah, dawg, it’s all good. Forget about it.” He lets the lull slip into his voice, watching the frown fade from the boy’s face, his eyes glazing over as he forgets Dylan.

While Randi being Jordon's imaginary friend was the first touch on the magic theme of story, this theme of forgetting sowed some very important seeds that I had not put any real thought into before starting this fic.

The shard is also quite significant throughout the plot. ;)

He falls asleep with it there, calm but frowning, and he dreams of men he does not know.

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The next scene introduces Jorel (irl stage name J-Dog) as ... a burglar! Lmao. He steals to survive, but steals only from people he knows are well off, which is already being stated.

This scene is also when I put in another very important thread; the chimera cat he meets, who leads him to an abandoned house w/ strange writing on the wall.

On the wall, written in thin, scratchy black paint, are the words KEEP GOING. And then below it, KEEP FOLLOWING. There is chicken scratch in the shape of a heart beside the words.

Eyes impossibly wide, he steps forward and reaches out to touch the writing.

The paint is fresh.

He leaves immediately, running to the studio.

What is the cat's significance? That's my secret ;)

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Then Danny's scene! This one I remember having a lot of fun writing, and it shows what I think is the more blatant of the magics introduced.

She’s nice enough to him, but his typical bashfulness isn’t helped by the fondness he can feel from her. He’s her favorite regular.

Danny w/ empath powers? Yes <3

This is also when more weird shit is introduced; like the rattling of plates that apparently only Danny can see. And also a strange, seemingly faceless customer looking at him while this happens. As one does when seemingly in a horror movie, Danny says nothing and makes a hasty retreat.

He heads down the street, determined to get away from the wrongness he senses. The wrongness that makes his insides squirm. The feeling of eyes on his back remains until the coffee shop is out of sight.

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Aaaaand to wrap up, my absolute favorite and most ominous part of this chapter; the last line.

On a bitterly rainy, gray evening, George searches.

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