MJ's place to boogie

[MJ]

Thank you TK! I figured later that it might not have been the best idea to post it on a wednesday when the following thursday we were giving people their Courting fix... I kinda thought no one was going to read this one, so glad you did though!

Here's what you wrote:

By the heavens, this is easily the scariest and, in a way, also saddest piece that you have written so far (next to "The Void"). The mere mental image of a Maeve who's been cheating death for a good year appearing like *this* in front of Rumina... that truly is a nightmarish picture and something I am glad neither of her loved ones had to see.

I know right? I just had this gruesome zombie-like image in my head of what she would look like and I purposely didn't elaborate too much to keep from grossing people out. Can you imagine if Dermott or Sinbad had seen her like that? Completely unable to help her and having that be the last image they had of her?

At the same time, it's so incredibly sad, knowing the Lass dedicated not only her life but also her afterlife (sort of anyway) to freeing her brother. And while I can imagine she found peace at the end, it still seems to me like a life unlived. And in this regard I also pity Dermott. It must've been hell for him watching her forsake every chance at happiness, risking her own well being for him. You know, when I read what you had Dermott tell Sinbad - that he didn't even mind being a hawk, that it was way worse for him knowing his sister was so focused on her mission than it would have been to remain a bird till the end of his days... for a moment I thought that Maeve was kinda selfish there. I know, I know, one would usually argue that she's the exact opposite, not thinking of herself while she is dedicated to free her brother. But your little story here rather gives me the impression that she selfishly chases the witch just because she feels she ought to, or because she has set her mind on it, paying no intention to what Dermott actually wants. And with this she hurts those who love her more than she would ever know. It's what makes this little story so very sad.

Thanx a whole lot for sharing this with us, dear. It certainly was an interesting read!

It is hard... I think she felt like Dermott was just saying that he didn't mind being a hawk because he loved her and didn't want her to suffer. I also think that Dermott being transformed wasn't the only crap that Rumina pulled. I mean the only way a young woman goes on a quest like that alone (in the 5th century) is if there is no male relative. So what happened to the rest of Maeve's family?So I don't think she is exacting revenge only for Dermott but also any brothers/father/uncles/counsins that might have tried to come between Dermott and Rumina and paid the price for it. AND I think that when Maeve left home she burned her bridges, there were probably people who told her she should stay and that if she left she would never fit in there anymore... So her sacrifices have to mean something and they only mean something if she can free Dermott. In that way it isn't even about Dermott himself and so she can't just stop her quest just because he asks her to... If you get what I mean. And yeah, there is certainly an aspect of selfishness about that.

I found it very hard to turn Maeve into some kind of water-zombie.. I like her too much to relish doing things like that to her What I personally did like is that she made Rumina relevant again. I tried to sketch this image of Rumina settling for being her father's little pet and then when Maeve actually opposed death to come and kill her she also gave the message that Rumina was a source of evil in her own right, not just an extension of her father...

Thank you for reading and reviewing dear! You know it means a lot

[Doubar]

You're most welcome, dear. You know I always am interested in your creations, it's just sometimes I need some time till I can actually sit down and read them.

Oh, and the zombie-like image... truth be told, I was mildly creeped out by it. It's really a good thing you didn't elaborate too much on her looks 'coz what you wrote down already sufficed to make me imagine that creature and it was pretty hard having that image of your childhood-hero in mind. >.< But anyway. Once again this was a highly creative move and nothing I have ever read about before. So, kudos to you for that one. Still, I am SO grateful you spared the boys seeing her like that. Because I really don't want to imagine how that would've felt like for'em.

And as for Maeve: Wow, I actually didn't see it that way but now that you explain it... it makes her seem much less selfish indeed. Rather, it's horribly tragical. Ah, those poor two kids. Lost everything they had, and at last they lost each other, too (in this story at least that is). *sniffles*

Now, concerning Rumina: aye, that's true indeed. With your move you made her be relevant again - relevant as who she is as a person, and not just as Turok's daughter.

Again, as sad and tragic as the shot is, it was totally worth the read. Thanx a lot for sharing!

[MJ]

So I was way late for TK's birthday so I felt a little bad and I made her a happy little pressie!

She liked it and was like: Put it on ffn! And as I always do exactly as I'm told, I complied:

www.fanfiction.net/s/9644459/1/Waterworks

[Doubar]

Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy. Favourited right away. ;D Also left a review of course (which, admittedly, is just a slightly altered version of what I sent you as an immediate reply - I hope you don't mind). Still love this piece so much. It's awesome and funny and .... just great. ;D

[MJ]

Thanks Doubs! Sry for the late reply. I love that you've enjoyed your present Thank you for the review, it's very nice, but since I already responded to it via PM, and I lack the brain-power to go and copy it out from there... well this'll do.
Thanks for reasing and reviewing!

[Doubar]

I'm the one who has to thank you. ;D And no worries about a reply. I wasn't exactly creative with my review either. xD

Thanx again for writing it, and uploading it.

[Doubar]

Wheeee, MJ, another story!!!! How awesome!!!! Gah, you guys are so creative these days. I hardly know how to keep up with reading. There's so many updates pending to be checked out on anyway, and now the list becomes even longer. xD

But I'll try to read as soon as possible. I bet this story is another fantastic one!

[MJ]

Wheeee, MJ, another story!!!! How awesome!!!!

Thanks, here's the link:

www.fanfiction.net/s/9740339/1/Storm

It doesn't have a plot as such, just a string of things all happening one after another in one stormy night on the Nomad. I kinda like it though, I wrote most of it in one go, not thinking about anything at all, just let my fingers walk over the keyboard, extracting what feelings they would. Two months later I found it on my hard-drive, edited it and gave it an end.

This story really has everything: Shirtless boys! Deadly situations! Narrow escapes! Fire! Water! Wind! Concussions! Half-dressed Girls! Competent Captaining! Despair! Joy! Magic! And did I mention Shirtless Sinbad completely Soaked?!

Hee, just had to do that ;D Would love to know what y'all think, so review when you get a chance, that would make my day.

[Doubar]

You wrote most of that in one go? O.o But... but... it's about 6000 words. Takes me hours to get a 1000 word paragraph written and you just so write such a long thing? And such a detailed and greatly written one (like I said, I didn't yet manage to give it a proper read but what I scanned so far looks awesome!) at that! *worships* You really are amazing!!!!

[MJ]

*Basks in the glow of worshipping* ;D

What can I say, I had a lot of time on my hands two months ago. And I didn't have to keep track of a plot, which frees up the brain, I just had to go: oh and then THAT happened! Oh Oh Oh! And then THAT totally happened too! Which is always fun. Just throwing every plotbunny still floating in my head at the thing and some of them stuck

(And you taking your time to write is because your stories are actually well-crafted, not slap-dash, cobbled together When was the next Rise coming, you say?)

[Doubar]

Whoot, whoot, there's now a review waiting for you to be read. ;D

Ah, and what a way to write. How utterly awesome. ;D Wish I could do stuff like that, but it never works with me for some reason. Either I already have the complete plot in mind (needn't yet be fully detailed, but I need to know where it's going to before I can start to write) or I won't even begin working on it. Not really the creative way I know, but what can I say... that's just how it works with me.

Haha,but if only it were for that reason that my writing takes so long, but no... mainly it's simply because my vocab and language skills put up a mutiny. And then I'm stuck seeing the scene unfold in my head, but I can't find the right words to describe it. Or I suddenly realize that what I had in mind doesn't work because it doesn't fit the characters or whatnotelse. xP

Aaanyway. Thanx for the lovely words. It's nice knowing you actually think my stuff to be well-crafted.

When was the next Rise coming, you say?

Soon... hopefully... Right now I'm a bit stuck after a whole page got deleted and since I absolutely hate re-writing stuff 'caus you'll never get it to be as good as it was before, I don't really have the drive to write on. However, I shall certainly try and get the chapter finished soon. You guys have waited long enough after all.

[MJ]

*Flying tackle hug!* Thank you thank you thank you! ;D I don't have the time right now to properly respond and do your very thoughtful and detailed review justice but I will soon, promise!

[Doubar]

*hugs back* As always, you're welcome. ;D It was my pleasure, and I'm happy to see that I'm not the only reviewer.

Take your time with the reply though, there's no rush. I'll still be here tomorrow. ;D

[MJ]

Finally have time to respond!

Whoa, now that I call quite a ride!

;D

This was awesome - so full of action and unexpected turns. I mean, first we only got an upcoming storm, then we suddenly have the burning mast, then THE spell finally broken, then they go missing and then... seriously, as a reader you hardly get a breather in this. Which is actually good though, since the characters don't get one either.

It was exactly the same for me! Everything was happening at once so the characters are just reacting, never having a moment to think. And then Bryn has all that energy in her hands and she HAS to get rid of it pronto without doing more damage so she just hurls it at the one spell that seemed resistant to everything and it works! I was totally surprised when that happened, that Dermott's release from the spell was a side-effect from something else.

And mentioning them: I love how you stayed so true to them all through this mess. You captured their voices so very well and each of them was important - each had their duties and their tasks.

Wow that means so much! As I said, this wasn't a very thought-out fic, but I always try to write in a way that feels right for the character, like you can't just grab a lone from one of them and make another say it, because they all have their rhytms, their own priorities... That being said, I did want to reflect that they're all experienced sailors so when Doubar, being the first mate, didn't see to the safety precautions (which was fair enough, him having the tiller) Firouz immediately jumped in to do it simply because he saw that it needed to be done.

And it was awesome to see Maeve and Bryn work together like this. It's actually an interesting idea to think that they can help each other through a difficult spell.

I wanted to show them really complementary to each other, completely trusting each other and amplifying each other's powers. The pose the girls strike when Maeve starts the spell and Bryn talks her through it, is arguably the most intimate embrace in the whole fic. Bryn literally just grabs Maeve, one hand on the belly and one around her hips and their entire bodies flush against each other. And Maeve doesn't even blink.

I really wouldn't have wanted to be in Bryn's shoes there though - having to watch your friend suffer and be the one to push her even further. It's no wonder she felt somewhat guilty afterwards, but luckily Doubar was there to remind her of why she did it and just how important it was that she had.

*shudders* it would be horrible to see a friend go through that, let alone to make a friend go through that. Sometimes, even though you know you've made the right choice, you just really need someone to confirm it and Doubar is sort of the voice of sanity, immediately starting to clean up the mess, both human and Nomad.

Oh, I'm so sad now though. The Nomad being broken beyond repair... that's just so... so... unthinkable. Though really the ship's only been given to Sinbad at the beginning at S1 it just belongs to the show and the crew. But at least she brought them home safely (it's so sad though that two men died, but seeing how this storm raged I guess it has to be considered a miracle that they didn't lose more men in this).

I was so sad about the Nomad too! I debated with myself wether to put a warning up for character death!The poor dear is such a fixture in the show, the idea that the crew would be sailing on another ship just feels wrong!

Now, to sum it all up: this is another great work of yours. I really enjoyed the read. And thanx for sharing it! TK

Thank you so much TiaKisu, your continued support means a really really big lot *hugs* If it wasn't for wonderful people like yourself I would never post my writings online.

And I just realized we forgot to put up the next chappie of Courting. Guess what my next stop is?

[Doubar]

Oct 12, 2013 13:08:08 GMT -5 MJ said:

It was exactly the same for me!

Hah, I can imagine! And how awesome to know that breaking the spell wasn't even intended and just so happened. Must be awesome to have a story develop like this, and take you on such a surprising ride.

Wow that means so much! As I said, this wasn't a very thought-out fic, but I always try to write in a way that feels right for the character, like you can't just grab a lone from one of them and make another say it, because they all have their rhytms, their own priorities...

Yep, that's definitely true. They all have their unique voices, their own way of speaking. In fact, sometimes I struggle the most with keeping that one up. While often I find it easier to determine what the character would do, it's sometimes hard to decide on what they would say and how they would say it. But the latter of is what decides about the success of your portrayal. If the character acts naturally but his voice is wrong, then the whole thing just doesn't fit and work.

That being said, I did want to reflect that they're all experienced sailors so when Doubar, being the first mate, didn't see to the safety precautions (which was fair enough, him having the tiller) Firouz immediately jumped in to do it simply because he saw that it needed to be done.

... which was way cool if you ask me. Also, it did really fit this experienced crew.

I wanted to show them really complementary to each other, completely trusting each other and amplifying each other's powers.

Oh, and you definitely reached your goal there. It was great reading about how well they work together.

Sometimes, even though you know you've made the right choice, you just really need someone to confirm it and Doubar is sort of the voice of sanity, immediately starting to clean up the mess, both human and Nomad.

Which is so very him. Always the big brother to everyone.

I was so sad about the Nomad too! I debated with myself wether to put a warning up for character death!The poor dear is such a fixture in the show, the idea that the crew would be sailing on another ship just feels wrong!

Just like that, aye! The mere thought of the crew sailing on a different ship than the Nomad... *cringes*
On another note, isn't it just weird how attached you can get to an imaginary ship? O.o I mean, the Nomad isn't even real and yet we love her just like we love the whole crew. Hah, and we bestow a pronoun on her, making her be an almost-person even in the way we speak. :3

Thank you so much TiaKisu, your continued support means a really really big lot *hugs* If it wasn't for wonderful people like yourself I would never post my writings online.

You're welcome, dear. And it's a pleasure, really. Your stories always are so creative and unique that I really enjoy reading and reviewing them.

Guess what my next stop is?

Yayyy. Thanx, MJ. ;D