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I did get a good laugh out of it, though. Also, and I know this is really petty of me: *Ascension.

Suffice it to say, I'm very excited to see more of Ce'rana and Alex.

...that was exactly what we were going for. At least in Ce'rana's case.

It's something of a character point. Something that will have to be worked on and, one day, overcome. There are behind-the-scenes reasons why Alex tolerates her stabby ways instead of telling her to knock it off and doesn't she know that hurts people?, but not everyone has those reasons. Someday - probably someday rather soon, in-universe - someone else will be around and see this, and they will have Something To Say about it.

But on the other points:

We were having so much fun with those. I'm honestly especially proud of the catchup; we like to copy badfics into GDocs and annotate them, which usually ends up with us reading it many, many, many times - which is the only reason we found the incest - but I didn't notice that until we got to that scene while writing. And it just sort of hit as an amazing thing to throw in. You'll have to ask Mikel for his favorite, though.

As for the massive explosives - me too, Ix, me too. The only reason Ce'rana seems upset about it is because she's a Dryad and those things may not light fires, but they do still explode her tree. Which hurts. A lot.

I could tell you guys were having fun with the Words literally interpreting the various typos.

Personally, I’m a fan of the TNT everywhere ending. Imagining that explosion gave me joy.

I do feel like pointing out—Ce’rana and Alex... have me a bit concerned with how their partnership will end, because of their willingness to threaten (and use) violence against each other. Ce’rana especially, with how she “seriously considered stabbing her partner” several times—there’s a certain point where physical violence crosses from being funny to being concerning, and right now I’ve come out of this wondering if Alex is going to wake up one day with a pencil in his heart.

(This is the same issue I had with one Sue who thought beating someone over the head with a frying pan made for good slapstick. In a cartoon, yes, but not so much in Middle-earth.)

Just something to keep in mind going forward, because I’m sure you two are going to have a great number of future missions.

Cal and Mikel's recent (and totally great) mission inspired me to finish my own request, and I just did that, so all I need now are some betas. Anyone who wants to help out gets my undying appreciation and some e-cookies! :D

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CyjKKYmomjm7F1t1ZUoioLesI9X7T2AnwAZlQdF7w0w/edit?usp=sharing

You can share a link to it with me here if it's in Google Docs, otherwise my email is writermcwriterlyface@gmail.com. I'm best for SpaG mistakes, but I can also help you with PPC canon and general flow.

Feel free to hit me up, and I look forward to reading your thing!

I finally read this, and I became a bit confused, because there’s a continuity problem:

Before he talked to the child, the Detective stepped into an annex of the waiting room, so I supposed he found the boy in this annex.

But then, he’d taken three steps toward the waiting room annex... Huh? Wasn’t he already there? When did he leave again?

And after turning on the spot and talking to the boy again, the Detective turned around and was returning back toward his seat in the waiting room, leaving the kid delightedly poking new, random shapes into the neon plastic pins in an excited frenzy.

I guess, when you wrote three steps toward the waiting room annex, the Detective actually attempted to leave the waiting room annex on his way back to his seat.


Also, there’s a word missing in ... had something his hands that might have been an Etch-a-Sketch ..., and "your" should be "you" in It was a good play, but usually you’re more successful if your don’t start celebrating until after your mark’s out of earshot.

And I noticed some pronoun confusion on the first page (referring to the Detective by "he" when the last male person mentioned was the boy).

Don’t get this wrong; I liked the story, especially how the Detective appears to be alien but not inhuman.

HG

It's worth noting that Galadriel and Treebeard have met before, though not for a long time. From RotK:

Then Treebeard said farewell to each of them in turn, and he bowed three times slowly and with great reverence to Celeborn and Galadriel. ‘It is long, long since we met by stock or by stone, A vanimar, vanimálion nostari!’ he said. ‘It is sad that we should meet only thus at the ending. For the world is changing: I feel it in the water, I feel it in the earth, and I smell it in the air. I do not think we shall meet again.’

And Celeborn said: ‘I do not know, Eldest.’ But Galadriel said: ‘Not in Middle-earth, nor until the lands that lie under the wave are lifted up again. Then in the willow-meads of Tasarinan we may meet in the Spring. Farewell!’

Significantly, Galadriel's line here quotes Treebeard's song back in TTT, which means she's had contact with him since the First Age. Add in the fact that the forest is literally named after him, and she definitely knows he lives there.

So, knowing that Saruman has turned, would Galadriel consider taking Isengard out of the picture? With Eowyn at her side, she could definitely pull together a three-pronged attack (Rohan, Lorien, Fangorn) - and with Goldberry (and movie!Arwen) there, she might be able to count on the River Isen itself helping out.

Of course, doing that would require some assurance that Sauron wouldn't move against Lorien while the army was out - Dol Guldur is close enough to do that. And this is where EAIUO's point comes in: what about the guys?

Well, how about we send out a second Fellowship, with a different goal: to contact Mirkwood and Erebor (and the Beornings, for that matter) and get them to attack Dol Guldur. That's something Gandalf could do - he's got Gimli and Legolas to hand, remember - and it's an excellent way of drawing Sauron's eye away from the Ringbearer's party.

We know from canon that both of these attacks could work: that Erebor+Mirkwood were able to at least hold off the armies of Dol Guldur, and that Rohan+the Ents were able to defeat Isengard. So this could be an opportunity to weaken Sauron, distract him, and keep his attention away from the Ring (now hurrying through Rohan).

Slight problem, though: when Sauron gets stirred up, he's going to start moving armies out of Morgul and Mordor. That could mean Gondor gets hit, unsupported in this timeline. It could also mean that the full strength of Mordor moves north, waging a war of annihilation on the Lonely Mountain and the Woodland Realm. At minimum, it means the Mountains of Shadow are going to be crawling with Orcs, leaving the Fellowship without an obvious way in.

Hmm... one possibility is, rather than crossing Rohan, the Fellowship could keep going south. The bulk of Gondor isn't under much threat (at least while Minas Tirith stands), and if they cross Anduin and head up the Poros, it looks like the mountains might be low enough to let them cross into Nurn. That would let them sneak into Mordor 'the back way', while Sauron's armies were all heading out the front.

Of course, this is now becoming a longer and longer journey. I estimate it as at least 1500 miles. The canon trip from Rivendell is around 1000 miles, and took 3 months; this would take nearly 5. They might succeed, but I'm not at all sure there would be a Middle-earth left to save.

hS

Voila.

-----
It was a long day at work. Writing clickbait titles and BuzzFeed quizzes could only be so satisfying. Camille was tired, and unfulfilled. But after years of research, things would finally look up. It was astonishing how little real journalism there was on demonology.

She stopped by Whole Foods on her way back. Microwave-safe ramen (too many fires) and some fruit (notably three different types of apples), it was a short walk from her studio apartment. She opened the gate and walked up the stairs, unlocked her space and shut the door behind her. The deadbolt slid back with a firm click.

The space had been prepped in advance. Candles, chalk, a little potpourri. The whole shabang. She took out an apple out of her bag, and spoke some old Latin words. She took the blade in her left hand, and cut into the apple. A thick, deep red blood began to ooze out. She nearly dropped the knife. Nothing happened.

She waited. And waited. And waited.
"Well, sh-"
A rumble shook her room. She nearly fell.
Bigger and louder, they increased. She braced herself.

With an explosion and fire, the side of her wall burst open as if it were a portal, and twenty void black humanoid creatures rushed in, and started tearing the place apart. Twirling and swirling, inspecting every nook and cranny. Looking deeply and curiously at this new human they had been met with.

A louder explosion, and they all dropped to their knees. A young woman, oozing with power and status walked through the wall, bearing a briefcase. She opened it, and the contents were glorious. Camille reached for it, but was restrained.

A contract. A quill. A signature in blood.
Then came the burning onto Camille's back of a sigil, a black rune of power. The pain was almost unbearable, but it was worth it.

And with a bang, everything disappeared but Camille, laying on the floor. The only trace of what had happened was the destruction and the smell of burning.

It had been a long last day at work. Camille got up, renewed, and walked out the door.

-----

A character I've been thinking about, but haven't really used ever. Maybe I'll write more later. Hope you enjoyed.

-Helsinki

Oh, gods, this has been a Project. But it's worth it.

And so, without further ado... welcome, one and all, to Response Center 369!

Galadriel is there to say "No, that's a terrible idea. No really, we have long suspected that some evil of the ancient world sleeps there, and it's right next door to my house. Let's not wake it up, please."

I don't know about Éowyn being able to assure them the Gap is safe, though. I'm not sure how things stand in Rohan at the time she would have left in this version, but my sense is that it was bad and getting worse for some time before the Three Hunters turned up there in canon. And even if things were okay when she left, and she fully believed they would have nothing but support, she would be wrong by the time they got there. And they would still have to deal with Saruman, either way.

And, if we go this way, do the Ents still get involved to help defeat Saruman? How?

~Neshomeh

I'm working on a Permission request and I was wondering if anyone could have a quick look before I post it, particularly with regards to the agent bios (they're not my strong suit in terms of writing).

I'll give you virtual chocolate chip cookies! Thanks!

Yes yes, I like them very much.

I would particularly recommend the blends of Cara McGee. Her Tea for Travellers set is very good, and Phobos especially likes Moriartea from the Sherlock set, IIRC. Also, I met Cara at a con once. She's a nice person, and her artwork is very cute. ^_^

~Neshomeh

My Middle-earth knowledge isn't as good as it could be, and my movieverse knowledge is virtually non-existent, but I'll try anyway.

I have a feeling that they might take the Gap of Rohan to pass the mountains - after all, that is (presumably) where Eowyn's going and she could reassure the others that the Rohirrim aren't working for Sauron or Saruman.

That could lead to a different route to Amon Hen, and beyond that it depends on whether the individual members want to go to Minas Tirith or press on to Mordor... that's assuming they even get that far!

Writing-wise, I liked what you did with the bit in the italics. It gives off a good "being seriously injured in the ER" vibe.

- Tomash

I think Gandalf would still insist on accompanying the fellowship as Sauron was his Enemy. But another thing that might have changed is, there may have been two of Elven Rings of Power in this new fellowship.

Galadriel has Nenya

But it is possible that both Vilya and Narya may have changed hands. If Gandalf could not accompany the fellowship, given that Cirdan gave Narya to Gandalf because he knew who he was and what his goal was and that it was given to him to help defeat Sauron, he may have passed it to another possible wielder, possibly Goldberry.

It might also not be to far to believe that Elrond may have transferred Vilya to Arwen, though perhaps not. Having all three Elven Rings in one party might be a risky idea.

I do think that if they still had to go through Moria, I think that the encounter with Durin's Bane would be different. Galadriel could solo it like Gandalf, but given the way Goldberry/Tom Bombadil are portrayed they appear to be somewhat close to the Maia, so Goldberry would probably be able to help. Also the Elves are strong enough that alone Arwen (without Vilya) would probably not be able to, but with Tauriel the two Elves may be able to assist. Alternatively if Arwen was granted either Vilya or Narya she might be able to help as well. But short version Durin's Bane would be facing between 2 and 4 opponents, quite possibly keeping all 9 members together for Amon Hen.

I do not think Angelica would be able to resist the influence like Frodo did, because we know it is incredibly corrupting and we do not know enough about her to make a decision. However, with both Goldberry and Galadrial present I think it would be able to be resisted.

I dunno about you, but I'm already shipping Eowyn and Arwen. Sorry, Aragorn!

Also, your depiction of Angelica is absolutely precious and I want to protect her.

So, I was looking through old bookmarks today - mostly because I was trying to find a thing - and I ran across a link in my Merch folder to Adagio Teas.

I clicked in, remembering very vaguely what it was, and discovered a website full to overflowing with tea blends based off of fandoms. You name it and it's probably there.

In the interests of sharing this beauty with all of my fellow fandom nerds, here it is!