Blitz 2022: Hype & Fic Recs Thread

[Negrek]

I definitely didn't get to read nearly as many one-shots as I wanted to this week. -_-; On the plus side, that means I can shout them all out without it getting ridiculous!

"Curse" is a classic tragedy with a side of existential horror. A classic case of people making a series of reasonable-seeming decisions that ultimately end in disaster, this fic is good if you enjoy cute pokémon/trainer interactions and don't mind getting your heart ripped out when things fall apart. If you like stories that play around with the implications of pokémon game mechanics and also a little bit of spoop, this one's for you!

"motivating objects" is that rarest of creatures, a fic about Bianca that treats her as a complex and nuanced person. Bianca's thesis project, centered on a method for determining pokémon sapience, is being proposed as a new standard for the Pokémon League to determine which pokémon can't be captured without their consent. It also has several noticeable, large flaws. Will Bianca stand behind it, even knowing that it may harm some pokémon, or will she renounce it and give up everything she's worked towards for years? A thought-provoking read, especially recommended if you enjoyed kintsugi's chapterfic the envy of eden.

"redundancies" follows the breakup of a decidedly unheroic rescue team as its former leader begins to recognize all the warning signs she shouldn't have ignored. This one is short and sweet, with wonderfully clear prose and a depiction of a mystery dungeon that's as beautiful as it is eerie. Great if you'd like a bite-sized read that gives a glimpse into the darker side of the rescue game.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Weekly fic rec (week 2):

Nameless by HelloYellow17 is a fic I knew nothing about going into it earlier tonight. It's a Colo fic, unsurprisingly, but that doesn't really cover it. It's an exquisite piece of pokémon-POV dark fic, it's tragic to the point of breaking my damn heart, and it's written very well indeed wih strong motifs that really got me. It's the kind of fic I wish I'd had to read when I was younger, because it really demonstrates, in this cat's opinion, how to do dark pokéfic properly and with a mature hand. I loved it, and I hope so bad that its protagonist ends up okay somehow in OSAS.

 

[Negrek]

All right, Week 2 of Blitz has officially come to a close! Wonderful job, everybody--the reviews were flying thick and fast all this week, and I hope everyone got to check out a one-shot or two that they'd been meaning to read.

In Week 3, the theme is hidden gems--you get a bonus for reviewing any chapter or one-shot with fewer than four reviews at the start of this week! To help you get started with that, I have as usual compiled a list of stories qualifying for the bonus that have been posted since November. Those that are one-shots are marked by an asterisk, and for those that are chapterfics, all of the chapters qualify for the bonus, so you can read as many or as few as you like!

There of course are many other fics out there with one or more chapters that fit this week's theme, so don't count them out! This list is just a starting place. If you have a story or two that qualifies for this week's theme, feel free to shout it out in the self-promo thread!

Once Upon a Wintertime*
Of Ghosts, Idols, and Haunted Washing Machines*
Sparks of War*
The Lilycove Museum*
Electric Soldier Scooby-Doo!
The great krungler's foods and services!
The White Board
Violet Snippets: the Sorceror's New School*
It's Cold Outside*
Playfield*
Darksteelshipping World Trip Stories
Irreflections
Wonderful Winter Wishes*
Pokémon Pokemon mystery dungeon: Rogues of Light
The Devil You Know
Remember Not the Children
As They Were*
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Extra Fiction
Lifetime Achievement Award*
When the Bell Tolls*
The Heart of the Glades*
Will I Follow?
Exploded View*
To Speak Again*
tarnishing
redundancies*
Go*
Stable, Predictable, Safe*

 

[Flyg0n]

Looking for a short but deeply impactful fic to read?

Pano's Final Gambit is a masterclass of a tale, a story that keeps punching and punching, and will draw you on an emotional ride from start to finish. It's tense, powerful and nail-biting. Hoenn's Elite Four and Champion Steven take front and center. In a world with no intrepid and plucky young trainer to save the way, what options remain? Steven and his allies face the wrath of a god and make one final desperate attempt to save Hoenn from doom. But just what exactly does it cost to save the world?

Every chapter just keeps ramping up, and these short chapters are absolutely worth the ride. Definitely worth reading this blitz.

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Hey, didn't get as deep into my target list as I would've hoped before making a recommendation, but I think that I've seen enough to be able to give one in these last hours of Week 3.

Weekly Fic Rec: Week 3​

In Beta by @Namohysip

Okay, I'll admit, part of this is being carried to a decent extent by personal bias since A: my day job is not far removed from the protagonist's, B: I've written a piece of my own that similarly mixes programming and Pokémon, but even putting that aside, it's a really well-done one-shot that starts with some jokes at the expense of the grind of the less sane parts of programming as a profession and winds up touching on thoughtful questions about the ethics of AI and creating life.

I mentioned elsewhere on the internet earlier this week that this story is close to a must-read as a Pokémon fan if you program as your day job or else do it extensively on a hobbyist basis... but honestly, I would extend that to fans writ large. Namo might be better-known for Plot Twist Simulator 2017 Hands of Creation, but the level of attention to detail and knowledge of the story's subject matter and the way that it's seamlessly tied in in an imaginative take on what the creation of the first Porygon might have been like help it take its place up there as one of the seminal works of his portfolio, if one that flew strangely under the radar up until this year's Review Blitz.

Seriously, if you have 5200 words of reading bandwidth to spare between now and the end of Review Blitz, or even sometime afterwards, go and read it. It even has cute puppers as a bonus.

Honorable Mentions:

Final Gambit by @Panoramic_Vacuum , Weaversong* by @Adamhuarts , The Champions by @Joshthewriter , and Remember Not the Children by @zion of arcadia

 

[Namohysip]

Weekly fic rec, week 3:

I'd like to recommend I'm a Marionette for a somewhat more unique reason. First, I'd like to preface this by saying that it's a very heavy story and quite divorced from what we'd expect of the characters involved canonically. However, if you can move past that and read it for what it is--and you can handle the heavy subject matter of body image, self esteem, abuse, and so on--I think the reason I want to go out of my way to recommend this fic in particular is for the growth it has shown from the author.

Torchic's writing as the fic progressed has evolved substantially from a fairly straightforward depiction of a victim of circumstance and poor social circles with a small friend group, to a more nuanced look at how one person's suffering can affect those around them. And not only that, but after taking some feedback, I've seen a shift to expand that not only to then "human" element that so many stories already do, but the "Pokemon" element as well that you can only find in, well, Pokemon fanfic, a unique environment where humans and non-humans of different intellects, and their unique societal bond, can be expressed.

It's a powerful mix of fantastical monsters and grounded tragedies, and seeing @Torchic W. Pip grow as an author to harness that flame and become more experienced in the nuance and flaws of the characters, perhaps even learning from it too, has been a delight to read.

 

[Starlight Aurate]

Week 3 recommendations

I have two fics to recommend this week. They are Final Gambit by @Panoramic_Vacuum and The End: Rekindled by @DeliriousAbsol.

Others have already recommended Final Gambit, so I won't elaborate too much on it. This fic is short--only 7 chapters, and the longest chapter is four thousand words, so it's easy to digest pretty quickly. It's also filled with tense, dramatic action as Steven, his best friend, Wallace, and the Elite Four try to prevent Kyogre from drowning the Hoenn region and potentially the whole world. This story is also filled with emotion as Steven makes difficult decisions and delves into his past. I personally binged the whole thing in one day because I wanted to find out what happened next. You'll never be bored.

For those who are interested in PMD, I recommend The End: Rekindled. In a world ruled by the evil Hydreigon, Dark types have ravaged the place in order to spread his dominion. Those who do not follow Hydreigon are labeled as Heretics or Outcasts. A Meowstic named Cleo and her Dedenne companion, Spark, are doing what they can to save the world and make it a peaceful place to live in again. The story is well-written, and each of the characters are brimming with life and personality of their own. It reflects a lot on morality and explores different allegiances, and that many Pokemon aren't malicious--just broken and hurting, and acting out on the way they've been wounded. This is a much lengthier fic, with 66 chapters to date, so if you're looking for something to occupy you for a while, then I strongly recommend giving this a read!

 

[Arukona]

My fic recommendations for this week are:

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: The Phantasmagoria, by @Z2H. It’s a story about a human, Liam, who had a turbulent life as a human but starts in the world of Celestic with a clean slate. Over time, though, he begins to recall memories of his former life, and in Celestic, new mysteries begin to crop up that he, his Vulpix partner Gloria, her brother Roark, and the Cosmic Quilt Guild have to contend with. All the while, there’s that mysterious Shiny Lucario Guildmaster named Jackson that seems driven to achieve goals of his own…

Warring factions, exploration, mysteries that yearn to be uncovered - it’s all here, and I would definitely recommend giving it an in-depth read. The characters are engaging, and for the sake of uncovering the mysteries of what’s really going on in both Liam’s memories and the Pokémon world, it does compel you to keep reading.

A Tale from Pinwheel Forest, by @StellarWind. It’s an intriguing oneshot about the bond a Trainer formed with a Sewaddle in Pinwheel Forest. It has a nice air of childhood reminiscence about it, and it captures the way the two worked together to overcome an enemy Venipede quite well, in my opinion. It’s quite a cute little story, short and sweet, and I’d encourage you to read it.

I’ll also recommend BAD EGG by @kyeugh, if you want a oneshot about the consequences of putting an Action Replay into your DS copy of Pokémon Diamond. Let’s just say god complex is a bitch.

 

[Dragonfree]

I'm going to throw in a recommendation for @kyeugh's tarnishing, since it hasn't been done yet. Each chapter is a short but focused snapshot of the life of a canon character we all know, each giving a piece of the puzzle of who they eventually become and why.

There's a lot to the story despite its short length: some lovely child POV, a harrowing depiction of parental abuse, sibling dynamics building intriguingly up towards whenever they might come to a head, crisp worldbuilding on Pokémon battles and training and the systems that are in place, a character struggling with identity. And it's very well written, judicious about what to include and highly evocative when it wants to be. It's not a light read - again, parental abuse and its psychological ramifications are at the forefront - but if you can stomach its themes it's very gripping, and I'm really looking forward to seeing it conclude.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Week 3 fic rec:

Y'all gotta read Batty! by Cani! Batty! is about a young noivern working as a tavern girl when she unexpectedly contracts vampirism. It's a really lovely little fic, one of those 'PMD' fics that's not really about PMD but about civilised 'mon in a world resembling a human one. Humanlike as Cani's pokémon are in this, their fantastical nature matters a great deal, with everything from diet, to flight, to physical proportions, to lifespan and the like all carefully considered with a great deal of thought. More importantly, Batty! is downright charming. It has its elements of suspense and light horror, being about the onset of vampirism, but it's very much a story about the stress of an ordinary life and the angst of losing it, I think. It's variously heartbreaking and hilarious, and Noivern Nella is an adorable protagonist I look forward to seeing more of. Go, go, give it some attention!

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

I drew a shitpost fanart

 

[Negrek]

This week I'd like to put in a good word for zion of arcadia's "Remember Not the Children", a trainerverse story about a kid who decides to run away from home with her trusty cubone partner. zion's always puts a lot of work into her prose, and it really shines here, with carefully-chosen details and a detached atmosphere that reflects the distance of the childhood memories the narrator's dredging up. This is an excellent one for anyone who enjoys grounded depictions of the pokémon world--there are pokémon here, and they're important, but the narrator's problems will largely feel familiar to anyone who's grown up in this world. zion writes primarily PMD fic, so it's exciting to see her branch out into a setting she doesn't work with as often. (Plus, it has Orre!)

 

[K_S]

I drew a shitpost fanart

View attachment 5349

Bite your toinge tjats not a shit post

 

[HelloYellow17]

This week’s fic rec goes to @Dragonfree ’s one-shot, Go. A super charming story that will hit you right in the feels. I especially love the way Pokémon training in general is depicted here, and reading this is like getting a glimpse into a childhood dream come true. The optimistic take on the Pokémon world (and the Pokémon themselves) is heartwarming and gave me so much serotonin, and then the narrator’s frankly relatable and bewildered commentary just made it even better. 😂 I found myself grinning the whole time.

Between Pidgey’s adorable antics and the narrator’s snark and sarcasm, this was a treat to read! I highly recommend for anybody looking for a fun, lighthearted fic to boost their mood.

 

[Phoenixsong]

why ain't more of y'all reading Irreflections smh

Did you like Shiny Phantump's earlier one-shot, "Dark-Clothed Small Human"? Did you maybe want to see Gladion's side of that story in addition to Type: Null's, to see what it was like for him to finally shake off his Aether's shackles and grapple with freedom and setting things right on his own? Did you just want more in general, like, oh, I dunno, maybe even a brand-new chapterfic, such that there will be more more in the future?

Have you not yet read "Dark-Clothed Small Human", but still think it would be interesting to see the beginnings (and eventual continuation!) of Gladion's relationship with the Type: Null he rescued?

Well *gestures in the direction of Irreflections* go! Go on, git! Go get started! It's still just on its first chapter so it's nice and easy to get into, and given everything Phan has shared about her plans for Gladion, Lillie, and Lusamine so far, it's only going to get more intense and awful and fascinating and wonderful down the line.

(Also read "Dark-Clothed Small Human" btw, it is also very sad and very precious and Very Good Bird.) (EDIT: forgot to add a link for the other fic lmao. go read it.)

 

[Pen]

For Week 3, I'd like to recommend Persephone's Broken Things--specifically, Arc 4, which hasn't seen nearly as many reviews as it should. If you don't know, Broken Things is a story about a perfect ice fox and her flawed human companions. It is also a deeply nuanced and far-reaching exploration of trauma of all varieties, families of all kinds, and how broken people can heal. Arc 4 starts with the quote that "The only rock I know that stays steady, the only institution I know that works, is the family" and it's an extremely appropriate epigraph, because BT, and arc 4 in particular, stress-test this thesis like nothing else. BT's at 400k right now and is still going, which I know can be intimidating. But if any of these themes interest you, it's an investment that's worth your time and I think you'll find the characters you experience will pay it back in spades.

 

[K_S]

Hi, this is meant to be a preemptive surprise so yeah, mind the date and time on the spoiler tag and all that.'

'

Spoiler: don't open until 1/21 end of contest

So I have extra points and I'd like to donate them to who needs them.

Here's the math
(105.50) total points (last reviews submitted 1.20.2022
purchases (-95)

leaves a remainder of (10.5) up for grabs.

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Hey, everybody. Proooobably should've gotten this together a bit earlier before the deadline to review Blitz, but eh. There's 18 hours to go, so it's not too late to check out this recommendation if it strikes your fancy:

Weekly Fic Rec: Week 4​

FL4K3S by @Cresselia92

Yeah, I know that this story's been recommended in earlier weeks, but it was the highlight of my readings this week, so I'm standing by it. FL4K3S is a more experimental one-shot that's equal parts Wreck-It Ralph, The Matrix, Lovecraftian Horror, and a celebration of early-gen Pokémon in which we see life through the eyes of #831\1, an NPC given the power to see the world around him for what it truly is. Where the fabric of reality becomes progressively undone by a mix of coming to know things that he just wasn't meant to know and Gen 1's trusty spaghetti code and instability in action.

Now, I'm sure that there's a creepypasta somewhere out there that's touched on similar themes, but FL4K3S does it better and in a fashion that better reflects the reality of its protagonist warping around him showing a lot of imagination on the part of its creator. Where not even the narrator is safe from the unfolding chaos of a world that is cascading into glitchy disarray that manages to make you feel uncomfortable at times even without using more visceral horror elements. It also is one of the few stories that I've read to attempt a multiple ending structure, and both of them feel like fitting conclusions to the story, if obviously wildly different in tone. For those in who need a pot-sweetener, the entire story as structured is eligible for a repeat bonus if you read and review everything of #831\1's saga.

My one regret was not having read and reviewed this story sooner, since even if she slips under the radar sometimes, Cresselia writes some good stuff, this story included. And it's definitely gotten me looking forward to crossing paths with some of her other stories later this year.

Honorable Mentions:

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Path of Valor by @Ambyssin , tarnishing by @kyeugh , Making It Big by @Pen , Legends Legacy: A Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Adventure by @BlackHairedPsycho

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

For week 4, I'm recommending @HelloYellow17's Of Sand and Shadows, which is an adaptation of Pokémon Colosseum that develops the lore and storyline far beyond what the game achieves! I recognise this one is already fairly well-known in the community, but which I want to shout out as having been a three-chapter review target of mine since the start of blitz, but which upon getting further stuck into it, caused me to binge it so hard I read 35k words in a day at one point. It's just really fucking readable, y'know? A feature of my megareview for it this week was a tendency to babble about many different good qualities of the fic. It's well rounded in its quality, having everything I like to see in a fic – a compelling premise, attention to detail, nuanced characters, solid worldbuilding, darkness without misanthropy, a dash of whump and trauma, prominent pokémon characters with agency and inner lives, thrilling battles with grim stakes, verisimilitude and plausibility, and more than I care to exhaustively list. My point is, it's a damn good fic, and it's damn well-written! Kudos, Yellow~

 

[canisaries]

Weekly Fic Rec: Dark-Clothed Small Human.

At only around 2k words, it's a breezy read, and the narrator's animalistic description and understanding of things makes it even breezier as the language is simple yet very, very effective. The story is about Type: Null being broken out of Aether's labs by Gladion, but more than that, it's about a creacher discovering many new things, such as a boat, the sky, a bath, and trust in human beings. What makes this story great is its xeno point of view - part animal, part machine, all adorable. If you like xenofiction, or if you just like bittersweet-to-gradually-sweeter fiction, I really recommend this. Read it now, in fact. Right now. That's an order.