MJ's place to boogie

[MJ]

So I figured that now I have the fanfiction.net account, I'll just post the links like everyone else. To keep things neat and tidy around here. I'll leave the old threads up because of the conversations there.



So here's The Burden:
www.fanfiction.net/s/8629794/1/The-Burden
There's such a tragedy in Maeve, she has such a capacity for emotion, all of them, but burdened with her quest she has to give up so much... Also: dancing a polka really fast with a good partner is super fun

And here's Delivering Dim-Dim:
www.fanfiction.net/s/8623267/1/Delivering-Dim-Dim
With the warning that it gets pretty gross and bloody.

The link for Pentagram:
www.fanfiction.net/s/8865117/1/Pentagram

The link for Hawk:
www.fanfiction.net/s/8950502/1/Hawk

The link for Flotsam:
www.fanfiction.net/s/9093331/1/Flotsam

The link for The Void:
www.fanfiction.net/s/9095660/1/The-Void

The link for The Last Night:
www.fanfiction.net/s/9216820/1/The-Last-Night
Warning: M-rated for nudity, though barely any hanky-panky

[MJ]

@doubs ('bout Burden)

Thanks for the review!

Aw, no, this is so sad! And yet beautiful in its very own way. I love how you tie both scenes together - how Maeve is sort-of experiencing the same joyful feeling only that it brings to her the memory of this one night that changed her life. And poor Sinbad doesn't even know why suddenly she leaves him. (

I don't really know why but I always got the sense from the series that Maeve doesn't allow herself to be happy, which I can understand, but don't agree with. And Sinbad is much the same, both having this weight on their shoulders from past traumas that no matter what, they can't completely shake. But they're not even trying to shake it, it's like they're holding on so tightly to the pain that it chokes the life out of them. AND both having a really light, happy side that they're having difficulty not feeling guilty about. Sinbad by perverting his charm and easy manner by kissing a girl in every town- though it makes him no happier and Maeve well... I haven't quite figured it out, it's just a feeling I guess...

Concerning Dermott: wow, I love the background you gave him! Most stories have him be either non-magical or with rather defensive powers like foreseeing and such. There are only few known to me where he is quite powerful, too, but I know of no story where is this powerful. I mean, he's just a boy and yet he can withstand Rumina? Fascinating! Even moreso since in your version Rumina did not turn him into a bird willingly as it seems. Honestly, I really like the idea of Dermott being such a powerful child -makes me wonder what magic he would be able to do once the spell is broken.

Hee, can you imagine the spell being broken and he turns (now a grown man) to Rumina and just calmly says: "Hello Rumina," the power crackling like lightning around him.
But for the story I made him powerful because of what it would do to Maeve, imagine your own little brother being half-feared and half-revered by everyone so that you're the only one who tells him to eat his peas and to treat him like the kid he still is, protect him from being used by his elders for his powers...
Also I needed a reason for Rumina to come after him, and this seemed like a simple motive!

Oh and you were right about the seperator line. I had no idea that it vanished! Apparently FFN eats squigly lines ~ but not straight lines --, so I replaced them. Thanks for pointing it out!

[Doubar]

Yay, great idea there. And I agree, you shouldn't delete the other threads.

I don't really know why but I always got the sense from the series that Maeve doesn't allow herself to be happy, which I can understand, but don't agree with. And Sinbad is much the same, both having this weight on their shoulders from past traumas that no matter what, they can't completely shake. But they're not even trying to shake it, it's like they're holding on so tightly to the pain that it chokes the life out of them. AND both having a really light, happy side that they're having difficulty not feeling guilty about. Sinbad by perverting his charm and easy manner by kissing a girl in every town- though it makes him no happier and Maeve well... I haven't quite figured it out, it's just a feeling I guess...

Hum, I think I know what you mean. Both seem to carry a burden that they don't allow anyone else to help them with it. Maeve doesn't share her secret although I am certain she knows he would help her with it (tho maybe that's just what she doesn't want? Maybe because she doesn't want to endanger him or thinks it's her task and hers alone? ). And indeed same with Sinbad. Just like you said: they both hold on to their pain so tightly, it seems they feel guilty for being happy (though admittedly I don't have that impression from S1 Sinbad, only from the S2 one). In that regard: 's really cool of you to address the issue in a fic.

Ehehe, and cool mental image about a Dermott who's free from the spell. Poor Rumina would be fightened I guess.
And nice idea about the relationship between Maeve and Dermott.

Oh and you were right about the seperator line. I had no idea that it vanished! Apparently FFN eats squigly lines ~ but not straight lines --, so I replaced them. Thanks for pointing it out!

You're welcome, dear! Yeah, ff.net eats up quite some signs. It does the same with stars - which I usually like to use for seperating different parts and which I have thus replaced by oOoOo. x)

[Firouz]

Read and Reviwed the Returning DimDim fic....

[Firouz]

The Burden was short but very full of emotion. In the sense that we, as viewers of the show, know more about the back history of Sinbad and Maeve.

To a knew reader it is just a little blurp with no real 'meat'.

Its great all the same, don't get me wrong!

[MJ]

I have been remiss in answering the reviews. I thought I had, but turns out that only happened in my head! This happens more often than you'd think, sometimes I go grocery shopping in my dreams and when I wake up I'm surprised to find an empty fridge

For the Burden By Firouz:

Ah, this is a nice little ficlet about Maeve's burden of responsibility.
I just wished she'd tell Sinbad

Thanks! And do you know why she doesn't just tell Sinbad? Because the viewer knows Dermott's her brother from the very first episode, but she keeps it a secret from her friends... It never made much sense to me. I mean, freeing your brother from the enchantment of an evil witch is a pretty good reason to want her dead, right?

Is MidnightDew a member here? If so, let me know and I'll adress those review too

Reviews for Delivering Dim-Dim

By Firouz:

An interesting way to go about Maeve going overboard, being pregnant, and returning to their home dimension...

Not to sure I like the fact that DimDim is technically the son of Maeve and Sinbad even if he has his adult ID.

Still, it is an interesting version of events.

Not sure Sinbad would have accepted it so quickly though...

All the same, I liked it

I don't think he has accepted it. I purposely had both Maeve and Sinbad interact very little with the baby but because my sole focus was on those two I guess I didn't make it clear that Doubar was doing all the caring. I think they pretty much can't fathom what's happened to them and therefor ignore it until they can get a better handle on it, if you know what I mean? They just want life to go on but though it will get better in time, it won't be alright until they face what's happened to them.
And how freaking creepy is it to have a grown man in the body of a baby? To have your mentor also kinda/sorta be your son. People's gonna need lots of therapy after this!

From Doubs:

Wow, now that is what I call an exceptional story! The idea, as in all your works is truly unique, and the many topics you cover all at one time give me as a reader quite something to think about. I mean, there we got DimDim technically sacrificing himself for even though his soul will be reborn in the child's body he gives up on the life he knows; we have Sinbad and Maeve hoping to be parents only to learn their child is just an empty shell. So as if all what they have been through wasn't enough already they also have to deal with a lost child now.

It's truly a difficult setting you created there but you managed to stay quite true to the characters, had them struggle themselves. It is true, in a way they both accept quite quickly but then again Sinbad didn't have much time to get used to the idea of being a father so I assume it would be easier to accept the fact that he isn't. And Maeve had months to cope with the situation so yeah... It's all believable.
Aww, and what a nice moment between those two at the end. 'T was so full of hope. Really loved that!

Now, what funny enough I find almost more tragical than Sinbad and Maeve's part though is DimDim' and Caipra's fate. I know those two were presented as very strong and wise in the show. But at the same time they love each other, too. And it must thus be awful for Caipra to know the man she loved died and that she's now left to raise his reborn self - knowing that they can never be together again, not in the way they were before that is. That's so sad somehow.

But anyway. Another thing I wanted to comment on is the realism of this story. How you had Firouz act, what he had to do, how Bryn felt understandably uneasy about the whole snuggling up to warm the Celt thing. These are all things hardly any other author (me included) dares to talk about and it's something that would indeed appear to not be all to easy to match with a show that got called Disneyish in its first season. But you did really well with it.

So yeah, all in all this is a fascinating little story with a well-exercised and truly unconventional plot. Thanx a lot for sharing! And go on writing. Best wishes, TK. ;D

Have I mentioned how much I love your well-reasoned reviews? 'Cause I do.
And you're so right! Poor Caipra! He didn't even ASK her if she'd be alright with raising him. Even though he apparently can speak into this realm from wherever he is. I sort of love the idea that Dim-Dim is very self-absorbed, not in a bad, egotistical way, but more in a: well this obviously has to happen, so let's get on with it. And not even thinking about all the people who have to pay the price. I mean, before the pilot he lived on a magical island alone with a beautiful young woman while his wife spent her days and nights alone... He seems so full of the greater good, that he forgets the individual's feelings. Poor Caipra indeed.

I struggled with how descriptive I wanted to get... I have the 'making the baby' scene written out, but didn't want to get too raunchy, but then Firouz had to get and poke around (no pun intended) in Maeve's undercarriage to save her life and I was like: yeah... giving birth isn't without gore in good circumstances, never mind if you're covered in your teacher's blood, have been transported through time/space and have been depleted from all your own energy before even giving birth. That the child even made it out alive is a testament to Maeve's determination. And she had to do the delivery all on her own. And eat the afterbirth... that's seriously gross, but it's packed with nutriants and she had no idea how long she would have to wait... But did I really need to add that? I don't know, I guess I wanted to show the horror that Maeve had to go through from the evidence on her body and Firouz putting the pieces together...

And I sort of HAD to write about Bryn's discomfort about getting under the blankets with them, mainly because I would be totally uncomfortable myself! I mean, 'please get naked under the covers with this boy you've had a crush on for a year and the woman he's just had a child with' that never gets easy, does it?

And yeah, it ends hopeful, but I added the 'maybe's' to show that they have plenty of oppertunity to screw it all up again Like if they don't sort out their feelings about the non-baby for instance. But yeah, they will, when they're good an ready to. I just won't write it, because I'm not their post-fic therapist

[Doubar]

MJ: Glad you like them. I love detailed review myself so I try and give the same to others, too.

Aw, and your view on DimDim is in fact a very good one, though I never thought of him that way. But true enough, he lived on a magical island with his young student and obviously in all that time he never even mentioned Caipra to the same! I have no doubt that he loves her, and we know that Caipra loves him but yeah... it's a good observation you made. Indeed it appears like he is so full of the greater good that he forgets about everything else. Even his wife.

I struggled with how descriptive I wanted to get...

Yeah, I can well imagine that was a difficult desicion to take. Especially when writing for a show that, we all know it, was accused of being too Disney-ish in its first season. But aye, giving birth isn't a fluffy and clean thing - it isn't under normal circumstances and certainly wouldn't be under those mentioned. And concerning the afterbirth: ooooh yes, I must admit the mental image is just gross but most animals do it and yeah, what you say is reasonable. She had no idea how long she would have to wait till help would come, and we didn't get to know how long the journey from the other realms back into this world took her. Gross as the thought might be, it's not unrealistic. So, I can't tell you whether it really needed to be added. Maybe it could well have been left out, and maybe it really adds to describing the horrors she had to go through. In any case I bow to your courage to dive this deep into a somewhat realistic view on things.

And I sort of HAD to write about Bryn's discomfort about getting under the blankets with them, mainly because I would be totally uncomfortable myself! I mean, 'please get naked under the covers with this boy you've had a crush on for a year and the woman he's just had a child with' that never gets easy, does it?

Dear heavens, no. It would be absolutely awkward! Which is also why I really liked it that you addressed her uneasiness about it. Of course does she say yes to help someone else in need, and because she knows this friend of the crew - and Sinbad's love for that matter - could well die if she refused; and her doing it is in any case better than any of the guys taking on this part... still, I wouldn't want to trade places with her, and am happy you mentioned that she isn't exactly thrilled about this either.

Now, concerning the end: Aw, yes, that's true. You left the end open, but with a glimmer of hope. Indeed do they have the 'chance' of screwing it all up and what they had to go through... whoa, that's really tough. Unthinkable even. But there is the possibility that they will be fine in the end, and that's great.
Haha, and as for not being their post-fic-therapist: Lol, I wouldn't want to be that either, really. xD ... >.>

[MJ]

I had a couple of minutes on my hands and blame Doubs for what happened. Not going to post it to ff.n because it's just some silly little fluff, but Doubs positively squeeled when she read it and demanded I show the rest of you guys ;D
Also: Happy New Year!
The following is not suited to diabetics- they will go into diabetic shock just from reading this sugary fluff. Read at your own risk



Doubar stood at the tiller where Bryn joined him with Dermott on her arm.

"Would you look at that," he nodded towards Maeve and Sinbad at the prow, telling each other everything except the one thing that mattered.

"Do you think they'll ever get it together?" Bryn asked. Dermott flew off her arm; he was so not discussing his sister's love-life thank-you-very-much.

"Maybe if we fed them each a batch of truth serum or something... Have you got anything like that?" Doubar asked.

Bryn shook her head. "Besides, do you think they'd really last if we used trickery to get them together?"

"Everything in its own time, do you mean?" Doubar asked.

Bryn nodded, still looking at the pair on the prow. "They don't seem to realize how precious time is... I've lost most of it and it would hurt to know that I wasted even more"

Doubar looked at her, searching her face for some kind of clue to a deeper meaning in her words. "I really like you Bryn," Doubar blurted out, red-faced and without any finesse.

Her brow furrowed and she turned to look at him. "Like me how?" She asked.

"I like you like a red-blooded man likes a beautiful woman," Doubar said. "I know I'm no great catch, I'm old and tubby, but there you have it: I like you."

"I don't... You never... I always thought you had a girl in a port somewhere," Bryn stammered, obviously having trouble adjusting to this new information.

"Well I don't," Doubar said, it took every bit of courage he had to keep looking her in the eye instead of looking away in defeat.

"It's just, you're so sweet and kind, I figured there had to be someone," Bryn said, helplessly trying to convey something she didn't really understand either.

"Yeah that's me, just an overgrown teddybear. Look, if you don't feel the same, that's alright, I just wanted you to know," Doubar said fighting back a disappointed sigh.

"You've got to give me a moment to get used to this!" Bryn protested. "I guess I never looked at you like that, but that doesn't mean I never will... You know what, time is precious, so let's do it!" She had gotten more excited the more she talked.

Doubar turned positively scarlet: "What, right now?"

Bryn looked puzzled for a moment, then laughed and elbowed him amicably. "I mean I give you permission to court me, too woo me if you will. Show me exactly how manly and romantic you can be," her eyes twinkled as she said it.

"Yeah?" Doubar asked, almost unable to believe his luck.

"Yeah," Bryn nodded resolutely.

"I'm going to sweep you off your feet you know," Doubar said, all kinds of butterflies flip-flopped around his belly but he felt pretty confident.

"I'm looking forward to it!" Bryn called over her shoulder as she walked away.

Her laugh reached his ears and lingered there a moment, like sweet music to his heart. Yes, this was going to be some courtship indeed! He'd show his little brother how to properly treat a woman who was worthy of being treated! Yes, he'd take his time, make elaborate gestures as well as small ones, show her exactly how much she was worth in his eyes and eventually she wouldn't be able to think of a single reason why she hadn't always been madly in love with him.

"Good plan," he congratulated himself, before re-focusing on his duties on the tiller.

[MJ]

So while I was at it I posted another fic on ff.n called Pentagram, here's the link:
www.fanfiction.net/s/8865117/1/Pentagram

[Eric/Deamus]

MJ, a very quick reply,

i just read the little one you posted here and i really do like it so much,,, it's very nice, and gentle good job

about the new one on ff, i really wanna to read it, but even if i could i'm not sure i can tell you my review because i'm quite busy these days, exams promise will review after them,,, i already still didn't review so many of your lovely works

[MJ]

Thanks for the kind words Teti and don't worry about not being able to read and/or review everything. First and foremost I write because I like it, I would hate to think that anyone felt they owed me anything for it. The last thing I want to do is stress you out! My goal is to entertain

[Doubar]

Eeeeeh, you posted it!!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D Awww, I still love it so much.

Oooh, and you wrote a new fic, too. Awesome. Will read it as soon as I can.

[Firouz]

Doubar, teaching Sinbad how to treat a lady is so CUTE!!!

I love how Doubar got the courage to tell Bryn, and still meet her eyes afterwards.

Bryn's decision to let Doubar woo her was pretty couragous too!

[MJ]

Thanks for the reviews Firouz!

Bryn's decision to let Doubar woo her was pretty couragous too!

I know right! It's like: if you don't make such a BIG GIANT deal of admitting a crush, life actually gets easier. Being brave yet again trumps living in fear

Interesting! I LOVE how the 5 got together and bonded with each other! Became friends

Thanks! I love it too. I wanted to write something featuring all the awesome sorceresses of the show. And Rumina and Maeve are far more alike than they'd admit

[MJ]

Doubar wrote:

Aww, what a great idea! To have all five sorceresses work together and help each other in the process.

I like a lot how you portrayed them all and how you had Rumina and Maeve get along. It seems reasonable that after such long a time of being imprisoned together they would form some sort of bond, no matter how dysfunctional it is. And with Caipra and Serendib being there as well, they did at least have someone to make sure they'd not kill each other before time and old age would. x)

Thanks for the review Doubs, I know how busy you are

The sorceresses were all in their seperate cells, I'm sure that helped with the not killing each other part. I read in a book about astronauts (Packing for Mars by Mary Roach) that when people have to spend a long time in an enclosed space together they will start being angry at someone. Sometimes themselves ie depression, sometimes each other but more often its an outsider they'll be angry with and that creates a bond between the inmates. I figured that same psychology would figure here.

Aw, and Serendib has matured quite a bit I felt. Her reasoning was heartfelt but also very focused - something I would expect of her and yet it's a tad different from the personality she showed when we last saw her in the series (she was rather shy and insecure there imo) - but different in a positive way!

I had a little trouble figuring what to do about Serendib because her character is the least settled of all of them... I just thought that she spent A LOT of time with the other sorceresses and that made her get over her shyness and since they'd all been working together to create an insanely complicated and powerful spell I was pretty sure Caipra would have subtly been helping to build her faith in herself. Also her being the youngest I made her the most restless, you know with no patience for the endless bickering of Rumina and Maeve when there's more important stuff to be done.

Hehe, and I really liked your idea about Rumina breaking the curse on Dermott voluntarily. That should indeed serve as a method to stop Maeve and the crew from pestering her any further. xD

All in all a lovely little story that I enjoyed reading. Thanx a lot for writing and sharing!
TK ;o)

Oh, P.S.: Great choice of colours for each bond!

And Rumina was sooo transparent about it too! Just thinking of such a lame excuse while all she really wanted to do was show her friend that she did care even if she didn't have the words to say it or- even said the opposite. And then she quickly moved all the attention towards Bryn and even gave her her memories back, which is really the sweetest thing but if anyone were to ask her Rumina would insist it was all to serve herself.

About the colours: I had to draw a diagram to get them all straight! I remembered Rumina and Bryn both flashing yellow and Maeve's eyes flashing red but I didn't remember Serendib or Caipra so I made them blue. I figured that if Serendib had another colour before, under the tutelage of Caipra it changed- or something. Because that way I'd have the three basic colours and could make all different connections and that'd be pretty. In my head. I think about some stuff a liiiitle bit too much.

Thanks again for the review!

Edited to add Teti's review:

first of all, the main idea is TOTALLY new and i love it having all
together and all working together, all friends very interesting and something
that i -secretly- wish

That's the one advantage of having a small fandom: Lots of ideas are new!
And the show was filled with too much testosterone, all those men needed to take a step back and let the awesomeness of the women shine through!

but the most amazing thing here is how you capture all and each one of the
five characters perfectly,, i already knew each them before reaching the part
of revelation,,, i knew who was talking every time,,,, so really excellent how
you presented them so accurately,,

You did? Seriously? I struggled with that, especially Serendib because she was the least defined on the show and then I felt the need to change her because of the effects of the imprisonment. That's a really great compliment, thanks so much!

what i liked too here, how Rumina recognized her sister once their magic
contacted or even once they touched each other hands, and her
reaction,,,,,,,,,,, woowwwwww only gives me a picture of good Rumi under her
pride -so called evil- mask however i still can't get how she left before
her sister woke up and settle down hanged things together,,
hahaha,,, i still can't imagine the scene of Maeve and Rumi hugged and
celebrate their freedom together even if briefly each by her own way and
i totally love those two together,, so interesting and funny too,,

Yeah Rumina and Maeve just HAD to be friends. I had this whole bit where the two of them were needling and annoying their captor, really tag-teaming and in sync with each other but I cut it because this was a story about Bryn and it didn't really fit in there. Still it was fun to write!
And Maeve being comforting to Rumi when she finds out her mother left her. Well there had to be hugs, I wouldn't be able to NOT hug someone after hearing a thing like that! So when they escaped that's the first thing that had to be done
Rumina left because after all the excitement had faded away she just really didn't know how to behave towards Bryn, or what to do. Because Rumi's mother chose Bryn over her, that's got to hurt and it'd be normal for Rumi to want to take it out on Bryn, only she didn't, not really and then there's the added complication that Bryn probably wouldn't accept her as she is because... well she's evil. So with Bryn just lying there she said goodbye to Maeve, de-spelled Dermott and followed her mother's example: she just left.

the pentagram idea and the multi-sided complex spell is fabulous and i can't
but admire -just like TK- your choice to colors representing the characters
links, something that captured my attention once i read the story.
how you start and how you finished it very interesting as both are multi-sided
opened type
very well done MJ very well

Why thank-you-very-much ma'am. We didn't really get any clue about the logistics of magic in their world. Sometimes it needed a spell, sometimes no spell, sometimes with hands, sometimes without etc. so I figured every culture would have their own version of magic, just like every culture has its own version of religion, art and politics and considering they were imprisoned by a (repentent) warlock they would need all the different versions of magic and harmonise them so they'd add to each other instead of fighting against each other, which was where the rhyme and rythm came in. The colours I explained up there somewhere
And yeah, I liked to leaving it open like that. Makes the world full of possibilities!

Thanks for the review Teti! You know how much it means