#conc talks

[consceleratuswrites]

Empress updates!

Chapter 34 is now officially in progress!

Hey guys, I know it’s been awhile and I haven’t been uploading much on here but I’ve slowly started getting into posting again (without tagging much sorry about that.)

I found after I posted my last chapter (which was very spicy, as some of you know) I had to put 100% of my time into preparing for my wedding and making sure the finances were all aligned there. Then there was the preparation for the honeymoon in which my husband and I went away for the majority of February.

Not only this, but I also had some issues arise at work due to my manager leaving so my responsibilities doubled and became more complicated. I know. The AO3 curse hits strong!

More ramblings below with some details on chapter posting 👇

Anyways, for the longest time, I’ve actually really wanted to rewrite this fanfiction as it’s gone on for way too long and the word count it’s something that frightens me as I have tendency to over exaggerate on the details a little bit. So over Christmas, I was really thinking about stopping the progress and just going back and changing a bunch of stuff (like fixing a few subplots that I think don’t go anywhere and end up being really crap and developing more foreshadowing for the future events as I felt I didn’t do it enough).

However, I’ve managed to resist after really thinking about it and realising well why the fuck not? Why not? Just revise it once we are done with it even though it is a bit of a mess but I’m okay with that.

Truthfully, I really love this fic and I really really wanted to do my best on it as it really matters to me— I haven’t done a project this big since I was in uni. And motivation is something that is always constantly fleeting after all.

However, I really feel for these characters and I definitely think I have a better ending in my head now that is more concrete when I’ve read some things back (and oh Gods, some of the feedback was very painful for me, but that’s okay).

Perfectionism is the death of creation. Remember that.

Anyways, I’m not gonna give any timelines of when this is all gonna be finished by because that’s inevitably going to bite me in the ass as it always does. But I am really hoping to get it done this year. And then I can go through a whole review process about turning it into three separate things altogether. I’ve especially had lots of really fun ideas about the watches more than how I would like to develop their storylines a bit better.

Originally I had a lot more plans for the Watchers in their involvement with Star, especially during that brief period when she’s kidnapped by the Snatchers. But I didn’t want to draw out the fic any longer than it already is and the main focus is Star’s and Emps’ relationship, which is what I’ve tried to maintain throughout writing this— they weren’t even supposed to fuck until the ending. I’m not gonna lie.

So yeah, I think it’s obvious, you can tell that there’s a lot of things rushed in the fic as I had to omit a lot of things and I wanted to focus on Emps more. I feel embarrassed but at the same time this is probably healthy for me so whatever.

I also feel like Star’s overall character development needs better work. For one I’m not too keen on how self-righteous she comes across in the earlier chapters (and I think that stems from once again cutting out a lot of content that I had originally planned in my drafts). But we will get there with her.

So what do you need to know?

I may go over my chapter count a little tiny bit again just to break up some time with the dramas I realised it’s heavy hitting all in one bit at the end.

Remember that pain is just pain. :)

It’s funny because the last few chapters don’t seem very dramatic to me, but they will probably seem very dramatic to you.

Hold onto your butts.

On the rewrite, I really want to make Emps a lot more terrifying and scary. We might see that.

Anyways, thank you for sticking with me. This means a lot that people still read this silly fic even though it’s gone on for such a long time (can you believe we started in 2023?) I hope that you guys like the ending and it means the world to me that you are still reading if you are.

Conc xx

[consceleratuswrites]

Gonna take some liberties with question 12:

What's a song you associate with Ramies?

A song you associate with Guard 76?

A song you associate with Lucio Nebulae or the whole Nebulae family?

A song you associate with The Great?

Finally got around to answering so thank you for being so, so patient with me.

THANK YOU @whimsicalentropy FOR SUCH A GREAT QUESTION.

Once again

What's a song you associate with Ramies?

I have quite a few songs that I equally have characterised with Ramies and Starlight combined (and I think that's due to the fact they're women in somewhat similar situations– by which I mean orbiting around an unstable man)

So I equally would, but Mitski again here, especially 'Drunk Walk Home'

But I also think 'Blood in the Cut' by K.Flay and 'Cup Runneth Over' by Kiki Rockwell. These two are vastly different in theme: one is about self-destruction, the other about trying to understand gender identity within the set standard (which is very much Ramies internal thoughts if I had built upon what my intention was for her and what she represents to me as a writer).

A song you associate with Guard 76?

I have a strong plotline involving Guard 76 experiencing a significant identity crisis as his world begins to fall apart. He is characterized as a loyal, watchful knight and a dedicated follower of the Empire and the state religion. When his facade breaks, it triggers a personal crisis, prompting him to do anything to restore it. While we haven't seen much of this yet (though we will, in some form), it's a focus I find intriguing as I work on my second draft.

So, with that said, although we haven't seen it, I'm very inspired by some more moody tracks for Guard 76 based on this theme. Such as Keosz's 'All I Had To Do' and 'Betrayal' from The Jamie Lloyd Company.

The Nebulae's overall theme centers on revelry, partying, and a sense of personal freedom, which conceals their more sinister activities. They attract the public easily and are extremely wealthy from monopolizing bio-discs, making them performative and flashy while fiercely guarding their own assets.

So, in all honesty, and given Prince Lucio's proclivity for performing live shows, I would really describe the Nebulae's sound as very commercially friendly, consistently summer, cheesy POP and EDM-vibe. This one being the most tongue-in-cheek and silly:

But if I were being very particular and being honest on a deeper level, I listen to a lot of Aphex Twin when writing about the Nebulaes. Mainly because his music has a lot of 'healing frequency' vibes whilst being very firmly of the 90s house genre, and his mixes are incredibly complex. Which I think really frames them well (past all the silly Brit-House-Ibiza-rave crap Lucio plays).

For The Great, I have so many orchestral themes that vary between threatening and somewhat romantic.

The Great [Spoilers] is a version of Siebren that has self-actualised through the trauma of the accident and the severe ego-death it brought. He is the happier, brighter side of a Siebren that, unfortunately, isn't too common. And sadly, he, too, has been absorbed by the Emps' overall plan and rapidly deteriorated for the sake of being a tool.

With that said, there is this sense of secretiveness and hidden warmth behind The Great, so I really utilise a lot of Max Richter's pieces here to convey a sense of being in the presence of a deep yet very silent love, and of being starved of the answers you need. And pairing that with a deep sense of uncanniness and familiarity (especially when paired with Star - that will be important LATER). The Irrepressibles come to mind, especially their more surreal stuff.

Due to the fact it is Siebren, I also have to include Son Lux's 'Let Me Follow'. It's a very deep and personal track which I was heavily inspired by for their first meeting where he isn't a near-corpse.

And for Starlight's personal feelings towards him? I have to use Kelela's 'All The Way Down' (because she's perfect for conveying feelings).

[consceleratuswrites]

Some expression studies of Star I did to help get a firm idea in mind of what she looks like - at least to me as she is a reader insert character. These aren't very good and I will never pen them but i HOPE YOU ALLL LIKE!

[consceleratuswrites]

Guess I'll post some more of these sketchy outfit refs I've done - so here you go. Emps and Starlight (obviously just an interpretation, not canonically what they/she looks like as it's up t reader)

They're at an ambassador meeting of some sort, and they're both bored.

[consceleratuswrites]

Ooooooh this will be fun? For the ask game:

20 for Starlight, 30 for Emps.

EEEEE thank you Shay 💙

20. What do they like that nobody else does?

The poor - lmao just kidding. I think in this case it would be some type of Pratian delicacy like fermented fish.

30. What would they do if they knew it would be forgiven?

Silly answer: eating the last foxes coated in chocolate biscuit without asking.

Real answer:

Everything. No, not really at least. The man blows up planets and splatters internal organs for decoration. So I think the concept of apologising for his brutality is lost on him — that said he doesn’t exactly like using violence. And he repeatedly apologises to Star when he knows he must and out of recognition of his own exploits.

I think this question is easier answered in the next few chapters ~ ohohoho.

[consceleratuswrites]

Chapter 29: The Ache

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Warning this chapter is SPICY and is inappropriate for minors.

For everyone else... enjoy!

[consceleratuswrites]

You know what? EVERYTHING was way better on tumblr and still is. And now we have Blue Sky anyways. I can’t stress the change in mood and clarity that has come to me since deleting the ‘toxic bird’ app from my phone and not checking it - especially in these trying times.

At this point all ‘the app’ does is show gloating imbeciles and rage-baiting losers and the people arguing with them… OR the despair that is encouraged by the algorithm system that feeds on misery.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t despair - the world is substantially worse off now. But we should at least give ourselves the space to surround ourselves with the things we love, the people that bring us joy and the environment that encourages us to thrive. That’s all we can do. That’s how we fight back - by surviving. As we did before the great migration to an awful space that actively use us as target practise for their botched humour and spite.

Just… delete the bird app man. Stop giving Elon money for his Ket habit. You’re funding all the things that actively work against you with looking at the ads and interacting with bots. I promise you that you will be happier.

[consceleratuswrites]

Empress update incoming

Damn you, TikTok has been unblocked now so there goes the AO3 golden age - anways CHAPTER 29 IS ON ROUTE MY BABIES.

it will be spicy!

Edit: can’t take credit for the so3 golden age that was @akoiromanticstudent lmao