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Welcome to the 2024 Review Blitz self-promo thread! You can use this thread to...
- Advertise your stories!
- Set up review exchanges with other people!
- Indicate what stories you'd most like reviews on, which of your stories qualify for the weekly theme, or give any other info on reviewing your stories that you would like!
Want to hype up somebody else's fic and let everyone know they ought to check it out this Blitz? Hit up the Hype and Fic Recs Thread.
For full information on what Review Blitz is and how to participate, instead look to the Information and Rules thread.
Another year, another chance to bring out an old Review Blitz friend:
Why not review something by? He's got
Dragonspiral's Children - 90k words of cutesy slice-of-life starring man-sized agamas with wings and families with literal placeholder names. Also, Halloween extras with wizard lizards and anniversary epilogues spent skulking around Dragonspiral Tower.
Context Switch - 22k words of easy reviewing points Game Freak making "Pokémon games" in the Pokémon world and more game beta and programming easter eggs than you can shake a stick at.
Fledglings - A million and counting words of a little big bird stumbling into a little big Rescue Team in a little big PMD world that's a solid "7.8 - Too Much Water". Also starring a spinoff consisting of 57k words about Cheeriest Cranidos™
[NO AUDIO] - 6300 words of found footage format story following perfectly normal™ gas stations just south of Eterna City and the perfectly normal™ attendant that works there.
Once a Thief - 320k and counting words about three PMD Outlaws getting seriously in over their heads and getting into a cross-region pursuit arc with the strangest Axew they've ever met. Oh, and Xenoblade references.
Hunting Game - 9600 words of a Flygon wholesomely helping her trainer on her day job destroying other Pokémon's lives. Wholesomely in a second-person perspective. /s
Like a Dragon - 55k words of easy reviewing points 15 one-shots about "unusual dragons" doing dragony things. Wholesomely in a second-person perspective, but unironically. Mostly.
Village Pokémon - 42k words of PMD fare with a Hidden Elf Village dynamic and a secret for keener-eyed readers to suss out as they go along. Spread across 6 chapters for 2 fairly easy-to-earn repeat bonuses.
Just West of Paradise - 19k words of easy reviewing points 9 bite-sized chapters showing life in Post Town through the eyes of its Kecleon shopkeep.
Grounded - 30k and counting words of Hurt/Comfort and Slice of Life following a Salamence's very inauspicious start to Salamencehood and attendant flight challenges while sitting in on an amateur tournament.
I'm also open to doing review exchanges, too! I will generally prefer doing roughly word-for-word exchanges for reviews and am fairly flexible about what I'll give and receive in return. Thus far, the following users have entered into review exchanges with me either just before or during this Review Blitz:
Nothing yet! Make me an offer!
Also, like last year, I'll be making a point of attempting to reciprocally review anyone who drops me a review on my stories even if it takes a while. So if you still needed a reason to check out my fare this year, there's that, too.
Are you looking for shorter stories? Goodness knows I am! But I also write a lot of shorter stories so if that's what you're looking for, I've got what you need!
In fact, here's many of them! SVtember Drabble Collection has 31 stories of only 100 words each! (more or less. Me and the word counter sometimes disagree as to what constitutes a word) All of them are about Scarlet and Violet, most of them about the base game. Some of them are canon compliant, some are AUs, some are just me freewheeling, but I hope that all of them are fun reads. MOST of them are standalones, but some tie together. You'll know which ones those are.
Reunion of a Divergent Timeline probably takes longer to say the title than it does to read. Another 100 word story about SV, following two characters after their respective endings.
Compared to these, All The Time In The World clocking in at 7.1k words is downright girthy! This is, yes, another SV fic but it takes place years before canon and can be read without knowledge of SV itself because of it. In it, two young scientists travel to Wyndon for a conference and get to know each other a little better.
Double that at 14k, is, yes, another SV fic. The Future Between Us focuses on Arven as he tries to fix one of his father's mistakes and offer another of his father's victims a new chance. This won Best Fanfic at Kumoricon 2023 and was praised for its depiction of the grieving process (so, content warning I suppose, for grief and loss, but the loss has already happened). This was written before the DLC came out so some things in it make it an AU
By this point you may be thinking "is SV all Blackjack writes?" And no! Here's my most popular fic, about XY! Answering Machine is under 600 words and focuses on Sycamore calling Lysandre.
But yes lately my thoughts have been taken up by SV and if you've noticed a common thread between the SV fics so far is that I really like the AIs. But how do you write a character like that without making up an entire timeline for them to exist in? Well heck you bring them back to the present. That's the Gakutensoku series, named after a peaceful automaton. I'm still working on this series and I expect it to last quite a while, but as of right now it consists of four stories:
-Safe Passage, where AI Turo reconnects with Arven, who thought he had put the past behind him
-All Together Now, where Arven's friends are brought in and help out in their own ways (this one has fanart! You get to see my Juliana design!)
-Cultivate The Vine, where Clavell meets with the AI
-A Little Something Extra, where Penny works on the AI, Nemona works on a new project, and Arven and Juliana work on their issues (and YOU YES YOU could be the first review on this!)
Juliana is a semi-self insert in this, my first attempt at one, though rather than being "me", they're written as how I played the game, reflecting the choices I made and how I felt about the characters.
But is this really the only "save the AI" fic I could possibly have written? Absolutely not because here's Time All At Once, a Pokemon Masters fic focusing on Penny as she and the other Gadgeteers have a mission! This one is introspective on Penny's part and gets into her thoughts about the multiverse, her friends, and her relationship with her family.
And let's wrap things up with another not-so-short fic, The Devil You Know. Do you like when Pokemon gets dark? Do you like when it explores more mature themes? Well here's a Team Galactic fic that explores the cultlike and terrorist elements of the gang, especially under Charon's leadership in the later volumes. Because this fic takes place in the Diamond and Pearl Adventure! continuity! It can mostly be read canon-blind since I know most of you haven't read that manga, just know that things don't happen the same way they do in the game. 32k, the result of two years of work, so please enjoy!
Synopsis: When a dreepy princess, two classmates, and their servants are sucked into an alien world ruled by a tyrannical deoxys, they kickstart a disastrous chain of events stretching further than they can possibly imagine. Can they unravel the mysteries at their heart of their world or will everything fall to oblivion? Type: Epic, in-progress Average chapter length: 4-4.5k words
My main project. An original PMD fic with a twist: it draws from the main line games, anime, and Pokéspec manga. Heavy emphasis placed on things introduced in Sword/Shield, Legends Arceus, and Scarlet/Violet. Yes, there are mystery dungeon, but the A plot shapes up closer to a journey fic with expies of badges and other key items that mark protags' progress in such stories. It's a fic with a diverse cast of characters who have to learn to lean on one another as they fight for their futures. A story about what it truly means to live.
I know folks have seen me talk about it a lot on the Discord, because with a few exceptions people who read this do so silently to the best of my knowledge. So, it would mean a lot to me if you'd give it a chance. Even if you popped in once because you had to for a catnip. It's got plenty of chapters, so it's not only ripe for multi-chapter bonus points but for the catch-up sprint week 2 theme!
XxX
Assorted, Completed One-Shots
"Free to a Loving Home" Synopsis: Rumor has it that the theft of top-secret research notes led to a new instance of this pokémon being created in the Galar region. Word count: ~7k
My submission for the 2023 one-shot contest. Mixed reviews from the judges as it did not really adhere to the "myths and legends" theme of the contest. I was focused more on the "bizarre artificial life form" part. But if you have no interest in PMD or large chapter fics, maybe you'll get something out of this one.
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"Restarting" Synopsis: Following his unplanned return home, Gladion must confront one of the worst decisions he made before leaving. Word count: ~5.3k
An old Serebii one-shot contest submission from 2017. I do not consider it a representation of my current writing abilities, but if you like fluff pieces about everyone's favorite Alolan Silver SuMo edgelord, give it a look.
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"Dark Winter Night" Synopsis: On the night of the Winter Solstice, Darkrai gets an unexpected visitor and questions whether they really need to be alone. Word count: ~1.8k
An old gift one-shot from 2019. Again, I do not consider it a representation of my current writing abilities, but if you want a short fluff piece about a certain brooding lord of nightmares, here you go.
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"Plan for Progress" Synopsis:Espeon has spent a week trying to pass through a dungeon and get a gift for her brother, Umbreon. But each attempt has ended in failure. After her latest defeat, her frustrations get the better of her and she ends up in an argument with Umbreon. Will the two be able to reconcile or has a permanent rift formed in their relationship? Word count: ~3.5k
An old PMD: Gates to Infinity gift one-shot written in 2018. Another short fluff piece, but this time it's eeveelution flavored!
So I've got a few things I've written myself - three of which are new additions in the past year. All are PMD fics - I alas have not stepped into mainline fics just yet.
Here's what I've got on offer, if you're curious...
A 330k-word longfic featuring Arian, an amnesiac Riolu, and Elvira, a melancholy Treecko, as they battle against an oppressive tyrant who's taken over their home country of Selenia. A medieval fantasy-esque setting with inspiration from Fire Emblem and Xenoblade, with a big cast, backstories and worldbuilding galore.
PMD: Dual Wills - Paralogues
All finished with Dual Wills but still itching for more? Then this exists: a little collection of small oneshots taking place in Ardalion, the world of Dual Wills, featuring characters from that story. Mainly a place where I dump my ideas that wouldn't otherwise fit into the story, or that expand upon Dual Wills' characters.
A 7.8k-word oneshot that takes place in the world of PMD: Gates to Infinity, where Rampardos Feldino, Post Town's resident Box Buster, grapples with his feelings for Cinccino Alva, the owner of the Gift Shop. Fluffiness and feelings of love abound in this one, so if you like that sort of story, as well as canon PMD, this might be right up your alley.
Three entries of a Drabble Bingo that I, er, still haven't finished. ^^; Remind me to get on that sometime in the New Year. This series of three small drabbles (about 1.5k or so each) takes place in the same Gates to Infinity-verse that A Rock and a Heart's Place takes place in, and expands on that world a little bit. Plus I've now split each of the prompts into three chapters, so that could net any potential readers a bit of a bonus on the points side of things.
A 7k-word oneshot that features Zeraora Skye battling to defend their dying lord and lover's manor from a horde of Savages and their king with mysterious powers. This oneshot's a bit more grim with blood, death and warfare in it, and tragedy in love as well.
Have fun reading, if you do decide to choose one of these! I'd greatly appreciate any eyes on my stuff, as any writer would.
Chaptered Works Places We Call Home is my primary fic. It follows Haru, A hard working and Stubborn Bidoof, and Nip, a Sneasel with a troubled past present as they struggle to navigate life as their worldviews are shattered and danger beyond their comprehension rises. This is on the darker side, so if you like pmd works with a bit of a darker setting than canon, this might interest you! My Blacklight Prize Oneshot collection has two 1k word short stories that are quick and easy to review.
If you're open to non pokemon, I have a couple of additional chaptered works that have enough posted to count for the multi-chapter review bonus.
The Heart of a Hero is an AU of Ocarina of Time in which Link is slightly older when he's brought to the forest, but he ends up lost and becomes a skull kid. While it follows the basic plot beats of OOT, there are some notable differences, including a big shakeup about halfway through the story. 10 chapters are posted here currently, but this is a complete story offsite, clocking in at about 230k words.
Origin is my attempt at a reimagining of the webcomic Bravoman, trying to piece it into a more coherent story rather than a series of one-off pages. It follows nerdy salaryman Hitoshi Nakamura, a back-office insurance worker, as he stumbles across an alien that grants him superpowers. Currently about 8k words.
Oneshots
I have three new oneshots that were written in the last 6 months.
Perigee is a short story about a clefairy visiting her old home. Only about 700 words!
The Way to Cinnabar is a short fic about a trainer and his rhydon as they try to figure out how to cross the ocean to reach cinnabar. About 700 words.
Day By Day is a story about a Buneary dealing with trauma and grief, written in the form of journal entries. It was originally written for TR's oneshot contest, and placed second in its flight.
With regards to older works...
Seeking Chivalry, a story about a Farfetch'd's encounter with Celebi.
As for non-pokemon oneshots, I have two Namco High oneshots, A Little Less Lonely, and What's a Name to a Science Experiment. The former is a short romance story about two young adults aware that they're trapped in a timeloop while everyone else goes through the same motions around them time after time. The latter is a coming out story that is fairly friendly to coming in fandom-blind.
I do have a few other fics floating around that you're free to review, but these are my primary ones.
Talk About It More: An epistolary chaptered fic (just) about two childhood friends on their Pokèmon journeys, told through a series of letters, postcards and drawings. It follows both the arc of a traditional Gym challenger and a Contest trainer trying to make it as an artist. It focuses on LGBTQ+ themes through a coming of age narrative, cool electric spiders, and pretty sappy romance. Word Count: 9k(ish)
Got A Taste of the Good Life: A one-shot about a girl who, after doing a pretty good job of ruining her own life, has run away to her grandfather’s old hut out in the grasslands. Whatever peace she finds there is disturbed by the strange movements of the earth beneath her feet. Focuses on finding relief from burnout, my passion for overly descriptive language, and mild creepiness. Word Count: 2k(ish)
Hey all, here's a selection of some of my stories here. You can also probably look up stuff on my Fanfiction.net profile (same username) and correlate any there to their ports here as well.
Here are my two most recent short stories for easy reading. Note, all of my stories can be read without the context of any of my other works, so don't feel like you need to know much to follow it all.
Steamed Yams - if the title sounds familiar, yes, it's a joke. Yes, the fic is the joke. Yes, it's technically canon to my larger body of work. No, I'm not sorry. Don't expect this one to be serious.
Curse of Void - On the exact opposite side of the spectrum, Curse of Void is a horror "found journal"-style document exclusive to Thousand Roads. Even though it's split into three posts, it's actually no longer than a medium-sized oneshot. This one's also an easy read.
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If you're looking for a longer work, you can try Death is Lonely, which is a four-shot I wrote back in 2020 that I'm still happy with. It's a story from the perspective of Yveltal, partners with Xerneas, as they swap roles for a day.
And finally, my main work is Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Hands of Creation. It's a very, very long and ongoing story about a Charmander who finds himself in the center of a divine conspiracy with world-shattering consequences, possibly literally. If you're a fan of JRPG-like plots, this story may appeal to you. Also, as a special note, this will be the final blitz where this story is ongoing. By the end of 2025, it will be complete. So if you're a binge reader, now's a good time to pick it up for the blitz, as you won't have to wait long for its conclusion!
I guess I really only have the one (there's Crashing Fate, which you could review if you really felt like it, but it's not my priority right now and I'm likely to give it a polish before picking it up again), sooo...
Do Psychic Cats Dream of Electric Sheep? Three very unlikely friends - Tricky, a hyperactive fennekin, Goomy, a shy student with a stutter, and quiet newcomer Espurr, who'd really rather not be here at all - must work together to uncover a dark plot wrapping itself around their small village. As they get closer and closer to the truth, they soon uncover a much larger scheme concerning the whole world... and unless they stick together, none of them will make it out alive.
This is an AU of Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon (the last PMD game), which focuses on side-character Espurr. It's similar in tone and pace to a lot of middle-school novels, particularly the Harry Potter and Lemony Snicket series, and can be read without knowledge of PSMD. The chapters are on the shorter side (averaging about 4.5K per), and the first book will be complete this Thursday at 17 parts. If you want to read a proper middle-school mystery/thriller with lots of illustrations and some horror on the side, then this fic is for you!
Also known as my magnum opus! This is a psychological horror thriller with some darkly comedic elements, focusing on my version of Red from the first playthrough of Twitch Plays Pokemon. TPP knowledge is NOT required - the overwhelming majority of this fic's readers and fans have little to no TPP knowledge, so I promise you that it's not a problem.
This version of Red is the sole modern worshipper of HELIX, a primordial god who values strength and ruthlessness above all in his followers. As is customary for a priest of this cult, Red seeks out young women to abduct and ritually sacrifice, earning him the title of serial killer. However, in this story, his last murder goes awry as the victim returns from the dead as a Yamask, and Red has to find a way to kill her before she can snitch on him. Killing a ghost, though, is not an easy task... especially for someone who's already struggling to keep it together.
You should check out Hunter, Haunted if you're interested in any of the following:
- villain protagonist
- hopelessly pathetic protagonist
- strong narrative voice
- blood, gore and body horror
- dark story that still isn't overly grim
- surreal dream/illusion/hallucination sequences
- exploration of mental illness (from an author with personal experience)
- ghost Pokémon
- talking Pokémon in trainerverse
Hunter, Haunted is completed and also has an ongoing sequel, The Bringer.
In terms of Blitz bonuses, there are a LOT of people who can qualify for the second week's bonus, reviewing a story you've reviewed before. I'd love to see you return for more!
Keeping with the theme of serial killers in the Pokémon world, we have Kills-Other-Humans. The protagonist of this one is Andre, a young Galarish-Kalosian painter with a secret: every few months, he seeks out a new abuser to kill. For the first time, he happens to target a trainer, and finds out that there are consequences to murdering a trainer, no matter how abusive he may have been. Things aren't helped by the fact that a little Shuppet has witnessed the act and taken an interest in this humans who "kills other humans".
This one is more of a drama than a horror or thriller. If you'd like to read a short chapterfic that, in addition to everything mentioned prior, explores the concept of Pokémon citizens in a trainerverse society, you should really pick this one up. It's completed, and if you've read any of The Bringer, you'll find out more about a character already familiar to you.
Now for my newest story, Cor Daemonis! This is actually original fiction rather than Pokémon fanfic, but it has roots in Hunter, Haunted considering that it's an AU of it. In this story, Red is a demon and Andre is an angel, and they've both done some things that have gotten them sentenced to a criminal rehabilitation program in Hell. They don't get along, but for the sake of the program, they'll have to work together, or both of them might end up in real prison. Things get strange, however, as people start disappearing, and it may fall on Red and Andre to figure out why before it's too late.
I'm trying a lot of new things with this story, so I would really appreciate feedback on it. There's only one chapter up at the time of me writing this, but I will be uploading the second one sometime during the Blitz. Big thanks if you choose to check this out!
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Then for some oneshots, which can net you extra points during the third week!
There's Into Light, the third place winner of TR's 2022 Villain POV Oneshot Contest. It's about a man whose wife was taken from him by ghosts trying to get rid of a new troupe of Misdreavus that's arrived in Ilex Forest. As the contest title suggests, this one has a villain protagonist.
There's also Judgment, a story I'm very proud of. It follows the HH character Samson, who is an Arcean priest, as he performs the first and last Arcean blessing for a Chandelure sentenced to die by exorcism.
Finally, I'll offer Whine-Yelp, a story about a Houndour named Iwai from a feral yet sapient pack of Houndoom living in the outskirts of Castelia. During an attempt to prove his worth to his pack, he meets face to face with the enemy - a human.
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If these stories don't catch your interest, or they do and you want to see more from me, check out the links in my signature! There's even some PMD stuff on there, if that's more your speed.
"It feels like I'm not a real trainer until I do this."
Chris Nakano has worked hard to become a trainer his dad would've been proud of. But his plans for the Indigo League slip sideways when he discovers a strange girl lying in the snow.
Journey fic. Bittersweet & cozy. Chaptered & ongoing, new chapter posted recently; average chapter length 5.6k words. Includes a 1.3k interlude that could be read alone if you want a low commitment taste test. Overall rating is PG, though death and grief are major themes, and there is some blood and a few brief mentions of controlled substances.
Not many reviews here on TR yet, but it's got a solid following on FFN if you want a 3rd party endorsement.
You love Johto and Gen 2. There are entire chapters for Jasmine, Clair, Suicune, and other legendaries, plus some less commonly represented gen 2 pokemon like lanturn, girafarig, and heracross. (Some surprise visitors from other regions though!)
You like time travel and specifically time displacement. Get ready for conversations about the exchange rate of dollars to mareep wool!
You enjoy mythology and storytelling.
You want a story with small, personal stakes. No saving the world, no evil teams, just two people trying their best to do the right thing.
You've previously read Postcards and got really into the nature writing.
You've been wanting to go camping or start a garden.
You like pretty pictures~
Your playlist this week is full of gentle, wistful indie singer-songwriter tracks.
You want to see a slowpoke in a flower crown and a delibird stealing socks.
One-shots for week 3:
Ballast - 🏆 3rd place TR contest 2021. SAD. A girl makes one final journey to spread her friend's ashes, but a drifblim has started following her.
The Chatot and the Honey Tree - Light-hearted! A girl makes arts and crafts to scare shiny hunters out of her small town.
Basic Mineral Components - SAD, discussion of death & decomposition, but also kind of sweet? Probobass POV xeno.
Work Ethics - 🏆 3rd place TR contest 2024. Light-hearted! For folks with frustrating office jobs.
Sure. Drop a review on me and I'll try to return the favor, even if you're not what I usually read!
Nori Carino: Training a Demon
The first story in my metaseries, although you don't have to read it first. Nori Carino is a 12-year-old boy living with his mom in the Veilstone City trailer park. He has no interest in Pokemon, but ends up with one through a twist of fate: the infamous Demon of Veilstone, who was scheduled to be put down if ever captured for her rampant assaults on trainers' Pokemon. People are astonished that someone with no Pokemon experience is getting a dangerous Pokemon, especially since the near universal consensus was that a Poke Ball and being a talented trainer wouldn't be enough to tame the Demon. And it's not like those that might would even want to do so. But there's a question that some aren't speaking: is putting down a Pokemon that no one conventional can handle really ethical? Or imprisoning them forever? Maybe an unconventional approach could work...
It's seven chapters, and is sort of origin storyish. Not my best work as I was finding my groove at the time.
Nori Carino: Blade of the Blackout Killer Prema Kannagi: Memory of a Ghoul
These two took on an experimental style where I wrote two concurrent stories concurrently, although they don't rely on each other for any context. But if you do, they're an excellent read together if you want to take full advantage of pointcounting mechanics due to their nature of occasionally spoiling stuff for the other fic, making short bursts ideal. In the first of these, Nori Carino receives his first assignment as a Pokemon Rehabilitator: a Pokemon formerly owned by a serial killer. And in the other, Prema Kannagi, the heir to the Kannagi Shrine, must travel to an abandoned warehouse to perform an exorcism. Both face hardships along the way and can't really support each other like they normally would.
These two are both tightly compacted plots, and also complete.
Nori Carino: Abyssal Despair
Current and ongoing one. The beloved nature show host, the Krookodile Tracker Pete Stephens, tragically passes away in an accident. The culprit is an abandoned Sinnohian Qwilfish, who is given to Nori in a farcical attempt to placate the public. It goes badly: his friends splinter, enemies old and new come after him, and even Prema can't help because her father was friends with the guy and is grieving hard. But those issues are mild compared to the task of rehabilitating her. He has a crippling fear of water, and his new assignment has severe trouble outside it (both from lack of training and generally being a little neurotic). What does it take to care for a Pokemon?
This one is heavily character driven and slower burn, and has smaller chapters.
al-Bahar the Beacon Engineer Buddy: Fixing Burnt-Out Wires
Two blackout bingo one-shots set in the same universe, although only maybe in the first case. Quick fics made in the span of a few days. The first is a fun and wild romp, the second has more drama and is more of a setup for a later fic.
Summary: Terra is the lone Golurk that manages The Fossil Cafe in their owner’s stead. Even after their latest master’s passing, Terra continues serving humans as they have done for thousands of years. But as their body begins to break down, they start to grapple with their own mortality as the fate of the cafe and the staff who depend on it hangs in the balance.
This story’s a pretty sombre affair, but I guarantee it’s a well-earned one that’s pretty near and dear to my heart in terms of its subject matter. Outside of the contest, I’m curious to see what people on TR think of it; as with a lot of my works, I recommend it to people who enjoy slow-burn fics that focus on Pokémon in the trainerverse rather than humans.
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Dreamdiver
Dreamdiver is a collection of episodic stories that each follow the adventures of Jung: a Hypno therapist who reads the dreams of distressed Pokemon in order to help treat them, each story following a different patient or problem. While this is an ongoing series, you don't need to read the previous stories to enjoy this one as they're self-contained, though it also enhances your reading experience if you have caught up with everything.
Currently there are 6 stories in the Dreamdiver series:
I recommend The Inalienable Dreamless if you want to be thrown right into the surreal deep end since most of it is told through dream sequences. Teamwork Makes The Dream Work focuses more on the therapy process and is more grounded as a hurt/comfort story. The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters is the longest entry in the series and has a mix of dream sequences and sections that tackle the prejudice levelled towards the Hypno species and is the most centred around Jung.
An ongoing longfic about a raven that becomes Latios,. Plus all the other mortals and legends that have to deal with that alongside the purpose of their own existence. Sort of meandering, thoughtful fic that's there for anybody interested in long character studies and a lot of dysfunction.
My ongoing PMD longfic. A dysfunctional guild has to keep itself together in the face of a much more powerful guild coming to take charge. Once again, meandering character focused fic, PMD edition.
5K short story about a pair of pokemon discovering a mystery dungeon and regretting every second of it. Tonally very sad fic with a lot of focus on imagery.
Around 10K oneshot. This time about an eevee becoming Latios and trying to understand life and his place in the world throughout. More melancholic, though there are some sad moments along the way.
When the dust had settled in the clearing at Illex the 'dex holders had seen a miracle. A Legend-born curse had been beaten back by the divine mechanisms of another Legend. A soul on death's door was restored to full health...
And normally that'd been a reason to whip out the banners and party. At least that's how things were supposed to go when "good things happened".
No one was celebrating once the light show died down. Not when the recipient of Celebi's had been -per Red- the world's greatest foe.
That was the start of the insanity... When Pryce and Lance slipped from the shadows, denouncing the miracle and its recipient, declaring the Rocket had done crimes far worse than their own... And when Red and the others had started listening...
Green remembered. Lance with a laser of death meant to wipe out all humanity. Pryce and his icy prison trying to hollow her out one day at a time. Those two mad men starred in the bulk of her nightmares...
And these were who the good guys were listening to? They'd lost their minds.
Green was done, let the League, Legends, Rocket, and Regions have each other... She was taking Silver, and heading home. And so they went, trying the novelty of"safe" for a while...
I've got art for this one, yay! it's a bit big though so I tucked it behind a spoiler tag in case any of you are using phones or something...
Summary:
The avian trio of Kanto had been thwarted. First in their Arceus given duties by an uprising of amoral creatures, then in their vengeance. Their elements had been dampened and harvested as tools by their enemy's innovation, their rampages aborted as the humans called Rocket gleefully wielded technology that could catch them.
Twice burned. the Trio tried a different track for revenge. Reaching into an arsenal of ancient times they inflicted a curse upon the human responsible. It was guaranteed to draw its recipient into the personal hell of slow death by declining health. Each symptom was primed to break him down...
The powerful Team Rocket leader would serve as a warning to those who dared tamper with them or their duties.
And again they were thwarted.
Modern medicine had granted Giovanni Sakaki months rather than the expected weeks. And though that time was filled with suffering it was enough to succor an antidote.
Still, let it not be said the Legends were caught completely off guard, nor were they ever to be mistaken for merciful.
Silver's screams were the first thing Giovanni remembered when he woke up. He was healthy, whole, and deaged back to adolescence. A little exploring found himself in an alien region he'd never heard of, surrounded by distorted 'mon. Not only were the 'mon wrong, the world was subtly off, and designed to shenghigh him into a caricature of a journey. His team was reverted back to their starter forms, and besides Bee-Weedle he had no clue where they could be.
The cues laid out in this world were obvious... Gather his team, follow the path, learn his lessons, and repent.
Really, for a God of Time, Celebi should have read up on the Rocket's history, at least He wouldn't have been surprised when Giovanni plotted to make this Never-never land, Alola, burn.
The premiss of Transversal:
When manga Giovanni sought healing from his Kanto legend-born disease, Celibi, Johto healing Legend, decided to go the route of cruel and unusual instead. While Giovanni was healed he was also deaged, depowered, and dropped in a universe very much not his own. For added knife twisting, Gio's son Silver, who was in hiding and recovering from the revelation that Giovanni was his father, and recouping from the torments inflicted on him from the Mask of Ice, was sucked into things too. Both men's teams were depowered, reverted to first evolution, and scattered into these alien Neverneverland regions needing rescue.
1) Grace's final fate part 1 (allusions)
Summary: He had bad days and bad nights in this never never land. When Giovanni dreams of his wife and her death its best to leave him alone.
2) family and plots part 1
Summary: Giovanni was five the first time he did a job for his extended family. It involved a package that oozed red and a firm order to avoid the cops. He buries his favorite sister at eight and slashes the sbarrio who did its tires. Things do not get better from there on out.
3) The clowder Part 1 (meeting Nona and the Madam)
The madam did not want a little boy who talked to worms, or cats, something was mentally unbalanced in the boy. So she shunted him to her mother's branch of the famigla. They weren't enamored with the idea either... Until the clan matriarch ran a test.
4) the clowder, part 2, adjusting
The Madams home was a thing of stillness and silence. Nonas home with its mad rush of Sakaki's coming and going (getting jailed, making bail) was just one type of culture shock Giovanni had to learn to deal with.
5) In ogni caso necessario (lillie giovanni grace) part 1
(By any means necessary)
Lillie gets mugged, or rather Skull tries very hard and fails even when its victim is completely helpless. A mobster would drop a difficult asset, as not worth the time. Giovanni was a father first, a victim of the mob's abuse second, and seeing the patterns he asks some pointed questions.
6) part 2: Gio addresses Lillie's fear of 'mon and training, to mixed results
7) part 3: Lillie decides to do stupid things in the name of learning self-defense, opinions are had.
8 and onward) Corinthians 15:10, flashback-centric, dealing with Grace and Giovanni's relationship, the Kanto mob, and set pre-manga, pre-Silver's birth. without any nods to Alola.
It's not often that I write fiction, but when I do, it tends to show up in TR sooner or later.
So, if you would like to read something that's based on the PMD games, in particular Explorers or Gates, then why not take a look around:
Beyond Today: One-shot Explorers post-canon. Gesta is the leader of a new team who want to graduate to hunting down outlaws some day. But first, they have to tend to "boring" fetch quests with clients such as this Prinplup... who seems to somehow be on the gods' speed-dial.
A Leader's Seating: post-canon for Explorers and for Super, somewhat. A more complete world means more connections and also an interest in commerce. Rhydon from Fire Islands goes to Blizzard Islands to secure a trade bargain. Part of a Drabble Bingo.
Making the World go 'Round: A one-shot Gates interquel. The "player" Pokémon finds a little shop in Post Town that wasn't there yesterday, and Gamañel, your DLC Assistant, provides you with the cursory information on e-Shops, microtransactions and cosmic meta horror.
Dangerous Upgrade: A multichapter serving as a PMD: Gates gaiden. Following a crossover with @Joshthewriter 's universe, our DLC Assistant has to deal with the Voice of Life, who comes knocking to deal the perceived threat Gamañel poses to the storylin. What's worse: she's brought company.
Regarding exchanges: I'm open to trading reviews on oneshots, but lemme know in advance so I can try to slot it into schedule. Spare time is difficut to come by.
A sampling of Flyg0n works... (copied from last years list)
~Appetizers~
From the Ashes: Sun and rain. Light and dark. Life and death. Everything moves in cycles. Orre was not always a barren desert, and Johto was not always Ho-oh and Lugia's home. A tale of rebirth. Of the past, present and one day, the future. Word count: 9k~. Completed Genre: Drama, legend, fable, action, tragedy. Description: 2023 one shot centered around Lugia and Ho-Oh and the origins of Orre.
Tales of Pokemon: Welcome to the wonderful world of Pokemon! A world of mysterious beings whom we live alongside in many unique ways. Human and Pokemon alike... come, hear their stories. Word count: ranging from 500w-1k each. Complete works. Genre: friendship, drama, angst, h/c, whump Description: Collection of drabbles and mini stories from various bingo challenges through the years
~Main Courses~
Home is Where the Hoenn Is: There's no such thing as a Flygonite. Or so they say. Hana has never been interested in pursuing impossible things. But when her Flygon, Raga, sets her sights on mega evolution, Hana is forced to find out—how far is she willing to go for something she doesn't believe in? And how far will Raga go for a dream she can't let go of? Word count: 4-6k chapters, 25k~ ongoing Genre: character driven, introspective, drama, friendship, non chronological Description: What if a Flygon wanted to mega evolve? What if a Flygon didn't know the artists got art block and gave up designing a mega flygon? And what would happen if said Flygon's trainer was a disenfranchised former trainer dragged back into her old adventurous lifestyle? A meal for those who love Flygon and Hoenn.
Legendary Adventures: Six years after the fall of Galactic, budding trainer Koamaru sets out on his trainer journey with a singular goal - be the first to catch a legendary pokemon. The right way. Then his plan for a Perfect Team is upended by a spirited Zubat, and Koa is forced to reconsider his desires, even as the region fractures under the pressure of mysterious attacks by legendary pokemon and he fractures from the weight of his own legacy. Word count: 6-8k long chapters, ~200k, ongoing (good for that chapter bonus!) Genre: Adventure, Journeyfic, drama, angst, action Description: My take on the classic entree of journeyfics, with a character driven focus on a kid with Issues. Also a very plucky Zubat and a cool Joltik. Original story. Borrows from the anime vibes but tries to be a little more grounded and serious. Big vibes of friendship.
~Dessert~
Canalave Archives: Come, fellow seeker of knowledge, browse the private archives of Canalave Library and read of many things either waiting publication, or not yet shown to the public... Word count: 600w to 1k, ongoing Genre: fable/tale, worldbuilding, 'scientific' Description: A tasty collection of little worldbuilding stories and concepts, presented in the form of in-universe 'books' and garnished with charm.
Blood is Thicker Than Poison: For almost as long as he remembers, Drake has always been a loyal member of the Swords of Justice. Until a chance encounter with a new detective in Orre forces him to tread the line between justice, safety and his loyalties. Torn between the life he knew and the longing for something more, Drake finds himself thrust into a dangerous game of deception and betrayal of all he believed he held dear. Word count: 2-9k long chapters, ~23k, ongoing Genre: Whump, whump, h/c, angst, whump Description: Treat yourself to rich, self-indulgent whump, swirled thickly with ribbons of angst and served with a small side of hurt and comfort. "Orre" fic, mostly centered around a pair of OCs a decade after the events of XD as they navigate their newfound slowly forming friendship... Also mainly whump, especially physical.
The Cake Is Ready: What happens when the very thing holding you back is... Yourself? Word count: 2.9k Genre: Angst, character driven, oneshot
Description: A hearty and rich serving of drama and angst served on top of a delicate bowl of Flygon and character centric nightmare whump. Written for the Adventure Quest RP held some time ago, but can be read on its own. Follows a Flygon chef who must confront his worst fears. Light on physical whump but strong in emotional angst.
