TwiLyghtSansSparkles

Let's hope it's distracting enough that he's still taken in by Autumn's promise to take him to "the best healer in The Dalles."

Hey, there's always the chance that Backtrack could not believe them, or that Reader could narrow his eyes and say they know nothing about the city. Which I'm really hoping happens, because I had Autumn's whole "torture Backtrack without knowing it" speech written in my head.

Please. His OTP is Murphy. Everyone knows that. I tried one before, but hated the way it came out. I'll sneak one in when I can make it sound less cheesy.

The battle cry of a character who had spent an inordinate amount of time searching for the nearest Moral Event Horizon and is now sliding through it with glee. This is going to make things even more awesome than they already were.

How do you think he and Remington will get along, once Paladin learns Remington was the one who killed Koschei?

Guys, I think I figured out what's going to happen at the Empire/Thoughttown meeting. The leaders sit down at the Sadrys' table. The air is tense; Team Funacid can feel the tension between Lightwards and Altermind. Nathan, knowing he and the other vanillas will be the first to suffer if the meeting ends poorly, asks Altermind what made him choose to lead Thoughttown. A moment of silence passes; his illusion's expression remains impassive. Lightwards glares at Nathan, but before he can draw his pistol, Altermind says in a slow and thoughtful way, "You know….it wasn't my first choice." Lightwards is incredulous. "You? An Epic, who doesn't wish to rule?" Altermind pauses, draws a breath….and begins to sing.

First of all, the world sounds really cool. Second, if you're worried about making it sound too much like Allomancy, it might be helpful to think of the plants as plants, with all the alternative uses plants provide. For example…. What happens if you cover the leaves in oil or water and make perfume? Does it negate the magical properties, grant the magic user the same sort of powers as when the leaves are crushed/eaten, or do something else entirely? Say there's a magical herb that tastes like basil. What would happen if you chopped it up and put it on pizza? Do any of the plants have fibrous stalks, can these stalks be turned to cloth and woven into clothing, and does that clothing offer the wearer protection from spells? If there was a flower somewhat like lavender, and it had the ability to make you fall into a sounder sleep, would that only work if you crushed the petals in your hand, or would drying them and sprinkling them on your sheets achieve the same effect? Speaking of drying, can the leaves/petals be dried without losing any of their magical properties? If drying changes them, does it change their effect entirely (i.e., fresh lavender acts as a sleeping potion, while dried lavender makes you more alert) change it slightly (fresh is a knockout drug, dried is sounder, natural sleep) or negate the effects entirely? Say a peppermint-like plant increases the user's capacity for memory. Would brewing the leaves into a tea have the same effect, would it sharpen the effect, negate it, or change it?

...I honestly hadn't thought of it that way, but there's just one more reason this is a trifecta of terror. Three healers in one game, and every single one of them is evil. On another note, there is a haunted house in my area. Everyone raves about it, and this year, my dad got us tickets. Wild guess what it's called. Yep. The Slaughterhouse.

Nighthound and Koschei. Simon's with Empathy.

Part two of our compilation post. Saccharine is in blue and Funtimes is in purple. “Pfft, nobody’s taking your clothes,” Funtimes said with a laugh. “Only meaniefaces get their clothes turned into stuff.” Like acid, or gasoline, or tar. That was the sort of thing a meanieface deserved. She should have gone ahead with the quicksand acid shoes. Lightwards’ fear had lasted only a minute, and a short one at that, before anger took over. The sort of thin-lipped anger that said he’d punch Nathan again and again, before moving on to bullets and sending Nighthound after Sam and Revolution. Lightwards would do that. He was a meanieface, and that, she was learning, was what meaniefaces did. There was no way to keep them from acting that way; the only thing you could do was punish them when you had the chance…. The cast on Dr. Funtimes’ face changed to gloomy, and the direction of her gaze could only mean her thoughts were with one person. She is right thought Saccharine, they are meaniefaces, and I can’t leave my Jeffy alone with them! Spying is not enough. My teleportation range is not nearly far enough to poison them from all the way down there. “Doctor,” Saccharine began to ask. “Is there any where up here we could find some fabric? Some towels, or curtains or sheets perhaps?” Up here. In the MoNA, without abandoning her friends to the other Epics. Without leaving Sam or Revolution alone with Nighthound. But where could they find some-- Quickslide--bedroom--left for Lightwards--no sheets for meaniefaces--perfect! A wide grin and mirthful spark lit up Funtimes’ face like a thousand candles being lit all at once. One could almost see the flames dancing in her eyes. Doctor Funtimes jumped and clapped her hands together. “Over here over here over here!” She took Saccharine’s hand and ran for the edge of the jungle. One room, one room with a sign bearing Quickslide’s name, had been left untouched. She ran toward it, threw open the door, and scooped the sheets into her arms. The balloon was much more important than Lightwards’ sheets, and having a sheet-less bed served him right for punching Nathan. The frown was taking over again, so she thought of Saccharine’s geese friends, flapping their wings and honking all the way through the sky. They were so cute and fun and the way they flapped their wings was funny, the more she thought about it, so she thought about it until she giggled. Nathan. With Aldo. Make sure he’s okay. Funtimes whirled on Saccharine, her arms full of sheets. “We need to hide these can you hide these and then we’ll make the balloon?” Saccharine was happy to have such an opportunity to show off her powers. Before Funtimes could say another word Saccharine blinked the sheets right from before her and into the underside of her dress as additional petticoats. Though now this volume leans more toward the belle epoche, I suppose no one here will notice my slight change in style. Funtimes looked to her empty hands and clapped appreciatively, but was stopped short when Saccharine pressed her finger to her lips and hushed her friend. “It may seem that we have gotten away with it for now, but we had better get back so no n notices we were gone and makes the connection. “ Funtimes nodded and allowed herself to be guided with linked arms out of the corridor, before she could take them back to their table and chairs. “I know we could probably get away with construction now,”Saccharine whispered across the lace table cloth while busying herself to look as though they had been drinking and nibbling at her baked goods all the time they were away. “But no one will suspect us if we wait for just a little while. “ But just before Funtimes could agree or disagree, a man approached them. "Hey I'm Wraith." He said uncertainty. "And I'm am interested in joining your alliance. Can I join?" Wraith. That sounded like a fun name, so Funtimes tested it. “Wraith.” She giggled. “You have a fun name. And--” He was there, but he hadn’t been there a minute ago, and she didn’t remember teleporting him there. She stood from the table, knocking over her chair, and scampered back a few steps. “Why are you here? Did Lightwards let you up? Or….” She gasped, snatched the teakettle from the billy and held it by the handle like a weapon. “Tell me who you are and why I don’t know you or you’ll find out why nobody wants to get eaten by a teapot!”

Sadly, the deranged Epic cult leader will have been long dead by the time Paladin arrives, so we won't get to see them play an Epic game of Whack-a-Mole. Though I'm already excited to see how Paladin will react to Frequency.

He believed in Koschei's divinity. That is freaky and terrifying and wrong and I love it. (And I'd been picturing Koschei's band of Epics as something like a cult, so that's perfect.)

I don't know. It could be, given the right circumstances (a small, quiet city with nearby farms, a consistent water supply, and a functioning police department and National Guard installation), leadership (Vondra) and incentive to survive (Koschei). Any human-dominated city would have to be somewhat harsh in order to survive, and I think The Dalles is harsh enough. Definitely a badge of honor.

While calling to confirm appointments for Monday, I reached our sister company. When I said why I was calling: *very flatly, as though I had just asked why I have to wear pants* "He doesn't work here anymore." Well, forgive me for doing my JOB, ma'am, and for not knowing what goes on at a place I don't work at and never visit.

Sounds like a decent system, though. I mean, it's not ideal, but it's worlds better than Newcago. Mary? Um, no. Not even close.

I'll drop her first name before then, but Reader will have the honor of revealing her last name and where she's from.

*makes note to read every single Cosmere novel published once her evil teachers stop giving out so much homework* I can't speak for the Shallan comparison, but it's called an Emotionally Scarring Backstory™ for a reason. I like that song! (Also, reading Frequency's POV, it is clear he did not watch Koschei die. Miracle Max would describe him as "very dead." )

After (quite) a bit of digging, I realized there was more to that reason than even I thought. So the reason she shares is the deeper reason. The original reason has more to do with her backstory.

She tells everything, and…well, you'll see when it's posted.

I have the post where she finally tells how and why she came to rescue Nathan written up, but I can't tell if it will cause Sam to soften toward her, or dismiss it as the manipulation of a truly masterful liar.

It is true that if Sam simply asked Funtimes for another color of non-sparkly shoe, she would make it happen. She might be shocked and disappointed that Sam didn't adore her shiny sparkly pretty pink shoes, but she wants Sam to be happy. Of course, Funtimes is kind of scary and Sam hates Epics, so that's why Sam didn't set about solving that problem.

But Lucentia couldn't order off the breakfast menu 'cause she slept in 'till two!

But she looks so adorbsly adorbsable! The Doctor approves of this change.