I’m working on a Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes AU where Lucy Gray didn’t escape Snow, and I am SO SCARED of misrepresenting the characters or world building!!!! Any fanfic writers out there willing to share some advice for accuracy, or getting over this fear?
Please reblog even if you don’t have suggestions so this reaches more people!!
It is currently year 2067 in London, England where superheroes and normal civilians live under a dystopian society. The origins of the abnormal abilities that started popping up in people’s DNA all trace back to an unethical procedure called the Hero Experiment that took place in 1984, causing most of the human population to gain superpowers. It was conducted by the Virtue Administration in hopes of turning humans into weapons.
After a societal shift in advanced technology and increased focus on preserving Superhuman genetics occurred, Sectors have been established based on status, wealth, and value. Adam Saliba, the main protagonist, is a former superhero turned vigilante who “betrays” the Hero Agency and the Administration after breaking the Creed.
He took the life of his ally to save a civilian, which led to his reputation to become tarnished and cause him to rebel against the system. After the brutal killing of Lady Eyrie, he forms an undercover group with his two friends Nicole van Dijk and Diego Maliksi to oppose the corrupt Administration and take down Crimson Eye, who is responsible for the Villain Uprising. However, he falls into a complex and downright obsessive relationship with his nemesis.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
—
Summary: Eirwyn thinks back to the time Bernadette had punished him after lashing out in anger, reminding himself that he would rather have a family that loves and hurts him than none at all.
He struggles to figure out how to deal with Vincent over breakfast, instantly pushing back on Panya’s preferred methods.
Word Count: 6,700
Content Warning: physical abuse
—
“So, you deliberately disobeyed me. Is that what you’re saying?”
The smart thing to do would be to admit it. To say that he did disobey, and that he had no other justification for it. Arguing with his sister instead of taking accountability for something he did meant there would be no room for mercy. And Eirwyn knew better than to argue. Surely.
She provided him with a home! Food, shelter, a community. All he had to do in return was follow simple directions. It wasn’t that difficult to behave.
But some days he couldn’t ignore the tight feeling in his chest. Or the simmering pain in his stomach as his muscles tensed. There were only so many times Eirwyn could control himself whenever Bernadette snapped at him or ordered him to— Ah, no. Reminded him not to speak out of turn. Because it was impolite to do so and he needed to know his place.
“Simple respect is all I am asking for dear,” Bernadette said with a heavy sigh as she rubbed her temples. In her right hand she held a glowing green whip, and the mere sight of the weapon was enough to make Eirwyn stiffen.
“The least you could do is respond when I ask you a question.”
Despite the whip being in Eirwyn’s peripheral view, he remained kneeling down in front of her with his head held high. Taking a deep breath and remembering to choose his words carefully. He forces a placid grin on his face, one befitting of Bernadette’s right hand man.
Right hand man…It would be funny if it wasn’t so delusional.
He was actually her servant. Her rabid dog put on a leash. That’s what everyone else in their organization would call Eirwyn.
“You’re right sister. I should’ve known my limits instead of taking a risk like that,” he explained, doing his best to keep his voice at a calm level. “But in my defense, I didn’t realize how heavily guarded the club was. I thought it would be easy to take her out and get the DNA we needed before—”
Bernadette raised a hand up, and Eirwyn’s lips were immediately shut. Her gaze was cold. Unamused.
“You know that’s not what I asked.”
Of course. Eirwyn knew that. And he could tell by how Bernadette’s normally quiet voice hissed that his answer was unacceptable. The plastered smile on his face fell as he feels his energy dissipate, unable to keep up the facade. His fists tightened, resisting the urge to tell his sister that he didn’t even finish and that he was getting harsher treatment compared to his colleagues. He worked harder than any of those good for nothings thugs, and was far better at strategizing. But the single moment he made a mistake, it was apparently the end of the fucking world.
It was ridiculous. He was so loyal, so dedicated to her, and this is what he got in return for carrying all of these useless layabouts—
“…!”
A sharp crack of a whip broke the silence. And that strike just happened to land on Eirwyn’s face. The harsh welt was enough to make him reel back and fall to the floor, leaving a fiery hot sensation on his cheek.
He choked back a sob, rubbing the bloody red spot on his flesh as he trembled. Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Those words repeated in Eirwyn’s mind while slowly lifting himself up on the ground, despite his head pounding like hell.
It took him a while to process the pain, along with realizing everything he was just thinking was said out loud. He covered his mouth, unsure if he was trying to told back another whimper or stop himself from saying anything else that could get him in trouble.
“You really do have some nerve.”
The woman’s icy words somehow had a way of crawling up Eirwyn’s spine and keeping his body frozen in place. He didn’t look up, not wanting to meet her vicious stare.
“…Get up.”
And so he does, shaking a little and trying to recover from the whiplash. Stay composed. You’re stronger than this.
Bernadette spreads a soft smile, tilting her head as if she was training a pet. Pleased at watching it successfully follow a command.
“Good boy,” she purred, reaching out to gently stroke his cheek. The delicate touch made his skin crawl. “Now, let us discuss fixing your little error.”
-
The warm smell of fluffy pancakes fills the air, and for some reason the sweet aroma interrupts Eirwyn from his line of thought. It’s a strange time for him to linger on such a memory. He didn’t think ill of his sister or judge her for putting him in line when it was needed. But then he thinks about the other night with Vincent, another person he loved who would hurt him without any sympathy.
They were both his family. All he really had in this world. What right did he have to complain when they’ve treated him so much better than his birth parents ever did? He already knows he’s unworthy of love. It’s a miracle they even paid attention to him in the first place.
…He shouldn’t care about how much they hurt him. Because at the end of the day, their love and care make up for everything.
Panya sets the plate of food in front of him, and Eirwyn thinks it almost looks appetizing. Usually he loved to indulge in sweet things. He rarely ever got the chance to. But right now, it didn’t feel so comforting.
He takes a small bite that’s drizzled with syrup, and does the best he can to swallow it without having any nauseating thoughts. Trying to think of ways he could apologize to his boyfriend. Without making him so angry he’ll beat him to a pulp again.
“You don’t have to go back to him you know.” Panya suddenly speaks up, taking a sip of her coffee. Eirwyn is silent and starts picking at the rest of his pancake with a fork.
“I mean it. You can stay here for a while if you need to.”
What is she going on about now? Eirwyn thought she was making a way bigger deal out of this than it actually was. Sure, Vincent was more violent with him than usual that day, but he was just in one of those moods. The man was actually a sweet person underneath. He didn’t understand why Panya couldn’t see that.
“No thank you,” Eirwyn replied, wanting to scoff at the mere suggestion. “I’m going back to his place to apologize. I’ll get him a gift or something to…I dunno.”
The boy wasn’t entirely sure what he could do to make up for…refusing to have sex with him one time. But he could figure something out. He watched Panya let out a huff, firmly putting down her cup on the table.
“I’m sorry, but that’s not an option.”
“Excuse me?” There’s a sudden look in Eirwyn’s eye that becomes wild as he meets Panya’s gaze.
“You don’t tell me what to do. I do what I want.”
The darkness in the boy’s tone doesn’t appear to phase the woman, who simply hums in response.
“If you want to fight me, then go ahead. But I’ll do anything to make sure you don’t do anything stupid and put yourself in danger again.”
That didn’t make any sense. She shouldn’t even care. She had to be doing this for some kind of benefit in some way, Eirwyn just couldn’t figure it out yet.
“I can’t just hide from him forever Pon, that’s pointless. We’re still allies working under sister, we’re going to have to talk to each other eventually.”
“…There’s one solution to that problem.”
There’s a pause.
“Don’t kill him.” Eirwyn would probably beg, but he was far too tired for that.
“He hasn’t given me any reason not to so far.” Panya grunts, her expression growing intense as she looks at the firearm placed on the kitchen counter. That’s enough to make Eirwyn lean in with a deep scowl.
“If you kill him, there’s no telling what I’ll do to you.”
The threat in Eirwyn’s tone lingers in the air for a moment. Panya just looks at him with disappointment, but it’s not similar to the look his sister would give him. It’s a different kind of frustration. Not, ‘Oh, I can’t believe you failed me.’ It’s more like, ‘I wish you made better decisions for your sake.’ It was weird, and Eirwyn couldn’t make sense of the feeling it gave him.
“And I’m sure you’re serious about that. I’m willing to take that risk.”
Eirwyn shakes his head in disbelief, laughing a little. “Why? This has nothing to do with you in the first place.”
“Your pancakes are getting cold, boy.”
He looks down at his plate, dropping his fork to the side and crossing his arms. “I’m full actually.”
Panya pushes his plate forward a little. “Don’t be like that. You have to eat, remember?”
Actually, he didn’t have to do anything at all! Eirwyn stuck his tongue out at Panya, only to earn an eye roll and a simple sigh.
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I’m alive yay! So um, I’ve found a choice making game tool and it’s really cool and it has now become a little personal project. But I need some help! I need your opinions regarding certain things about this interactive choice game/ story project I’m making.
So here’s a survey containing more information about this project and questions which will greatly help me with the progression of this. It would be greatly appreciated if you can spare a few minutes to take this survey.
Here’s the link to the survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdHsym_o7tYmKQ27v8SMuwl6PDUQ215oHAv8_5JdRaoG_7Jyw/viewform?usp=sf_link
Your answers will be kept confidential.
And here’s the link to the choice making game tool: https://www.choiceofgames.com/make-your-own-games/choicescript-intro/
Feel free to drop in an ask/ DM here if you have questions. You can also find me here (email): [email protected]
rapture definition: according to merriam-webster, it is a feeling or “state of intense joy, ecstasy, or overwhelming emotion”. it can be described as something magical, like being transported to another world. it is also an event where Christian believers will be resurrected or brought to heaven during the “end-times”.
this religious/spiritual concept overall heavily relates to the themes of SAVIOR because of superheroes being put on pedestals like literal gods, and when the Uprising occurs and most of them are killed, the world is thrown into chaos and many civilians fall to madness. especially when Lady Eyrie is made as an example and brutally killed. that moment can heavily relate to Jesus Christ being sacrificed on the altar to many of the fans that literally worshipped her.
in this world, where everyone’s lost all hope, people can only depend on those with abilities that surpass the average person. even if it means giving up their own agency and taking actions for themselves, they believe they can only rely on their saviors. because that is what the Administration has conditioned everyone to believe. that they are powerless without their manufactured gods and should risk everything for them to be “saved”.
anyways i made an opening theme song based on this idea, like if SAVIOR were to become a fully animated show basically. there’s even an instrumental on YouTube i picked out that sounds like it would fit, i’d probably record myself singing but i am not the best at it lol. it would be called “The Rapture” and these would be the lyrics so far:
—
i know you said that you didn’t believe
there’s a god up above
but what if i told you one day we’ll
be saved, believe in his love
if you have faith in the divine, then rejoice
turn those cries into prayers, let him hear your voice
purge the tears from your eyes, be a new sacrifice
CW: blood, past trauma, mentions of addiction, binge drinking, suffocation
———
It was a miracle that Adam had managed not to get suspended after the third morning of being late to drills. The structured routine and brutal nature of training at the Academy kept him on his toes, thankfully keeping most of his worst habits at bay. But it didn’t keep him entirely disciplined. As the obnoxious beeping of the alarm blared in his ears, he groaned.
“Time to wake up!” An annoying high-pitched voice chirped, causing him to immediately wave away at the digital Avatar from his screen hovering over him. “It is Tuesday, 6:00 a.m.! Currently a chance of Red Fog. Please be mindful and wear mask due to hazardous conditions.”
Ah, great. Ever since those stealth suits were being developed for members of the Agency, more industries were taking advantage of the resources around them to provide them with the newest tech. Regardless of how the air pollution was impacting communities.
The masks weren’t that effective for Powerless, and most Superhumans were not immune to the fog. But they were less likely to get sick, aside from a few respiratory symptoms. And no matter what, young trainees were expected to follow schedule as usual.
Adam didn’t have to worry too much though. As long as he didn’t further damage his own body…
Maybe it was thanks to his age, or simply his helpful genes that his body remained stable in spite of the substances he put inside of it. He got through most of his high school years with alcohol, and he sure as hell wasn’t about to give it up during his Recruitment Period.
And despite everything, living away from his aunt and uncle, no longer having to worry about being pestered by them has offered him a little more freedom. Especially since they still somehow believed his lie about being a Powerless when he was really just a late bloomer. It kept things easier. Convincing them he was just attending a normal college and living a normal life. Staying out of trouble.
Instead of being a good for nothing waste of space—
A pounding in Adam’s head resurfaced as he got up from bed and got dressed. Knowing that his headaches would only get worse when he went outside, he started to regret his late night drinking.
Once he headed inside the building and joined everyone in his class, he could see everyone far ahead in their laps. A young dark-skinned male zipped right past him, going faster than lightning. Probably one of the youngest in this class. Made Adam wonder if that was the new prodigy student everyone was whispering about.
A raven-haired girl lagged behind him as her body turned invisible, running next to another student and phasing right through them to get ahead.
The instructor blew the whistle. Adam didn’t have to look.
He could feel the piercing glare from them as he subtly joined everyone else, allowing the shadow to cloak his body for a moment as he tried to catch up. Tendrils jumped out in front of him as he jogged, jumping along the track to move ahead. Some of the slower trainees gave him dirty looks, but he couldn’t care less.
Until he was suddenly hit with an energy blast that sent him flying across the gymnasium.
A loud ringing similar to the one he was used to hearing every morning started. The very moment he slammed head-first into the hardwood floor. The metallic smell filled his senses as blood dripped down his nose.
Shit.
“Sorry about that,” the mocking voice jeered from across the room. “I didn’t even realize you were there.”
A chorus of laughter followed. Adam chuckles a little himself. The reaction was to be expected. He knew his abilities made him seem like a monster. He knew what a lousy trainee he was. His unkempt appearance, the tardiness— He deserved to be treated this way.
But no matter how justified it was, it didn’t make him any less pissed off.
Before Adam could stop himself, his hand reached out and a shadow tendril grabbed at the neck of the boy that attacked him. Wrapping around his neck and strangling him. Choking him as he gasped for air.
The laughter turned into gasps of fear.
He waited, waited, and waited to let go of the boy’s neck. Wondering if he should crush it instead. It isn’t worth it. Adam lets go of the other kid, seeing everyone else quickly surround him with worried expressions. Comforting him. Even the instructor runs to check on the boy, even though he was the one who started it.
Adam touches his bruised arm, the searing pain of the blast feeling more present the ever. He knows to brace himself for a scolding and slowly begins to stand up. Then, he feels a touch on his shoulder.
“Hey. Are you alright man?”
Instantly jerking away from the touch, Adam glares up at the stranger. Only for his gaze to slightly soften once he notices the worried expression on the young man’s face. He also realized it was the same guy who dashed ahead of everyone at high speeds, wearing a confident smile.
The fellow trainee reaches a hand out. Adam hesitates to take it, wondering if this was genuine sympathy or just pity. “I’m fine,” he shrugs, deciding to stand up on his own. “Just caught me off guard is all.”
There’s a slight pause before the stranger smiles a little, raising a skeptical eyebrow.
“Yeah, well. Your arm looks pretty busted,” he replied, putting his hands on his hips as he turned to look at the other student on the ground crowded by his concerned peers. “I’m gonna be honest. I think he got what he deserved.”
It was a nice sentiment, but it didn’t really do much. After all, he could’ve been lying just to make him feel better. Or avoid facing Adam’s wrath if he lost his temper again.
“So what? It’s not gonna matter. I’m still gonna be penalized for this—”
“Don’t worry. I’ll vouch for you.”
Adam blinks, completely uncertain of what that could mean. The other boy waves it off as if to reassure him.
“Now, I haven’t been here long or nothin’ but… I have a bit of influence here based on my Rank. I can’t promise that you won’t get penalized but, I can convince the Instructor to give you another chance.”
Adam narrowed his eyes and tilted his head in interest. The prodigy leans in and whispers, “Pretty sure Teach over there is only biased because that other kid is supposed to be an Elite. Pretty wealthy too—”
The boy glances over at the instructor and the injured rich kid. “So, I would be surprised if someone like me persuading him didn’t work out.”
It wasn’t too far-fetched of a theory. Elites were certainly treated better than most, no matter what Sector you were in. But Adam was pretty convinced it had more to do with his overall performance than status.
“Oh, yeah? And what exactly do you get out of doing this?”
The teen prodigy shrugs, smiling brightly as he did before. “Isn’t it our job to help people? That’s why we’re here after all.”
Adam scoffed. Pretty naive. He was definitely still a teenager. But somehow he seemed pretty sure of himself. The prodigy reached his hand out again.
“Name’s Diego by the way! I see you mostly out on your own most of the time so, maybe we should hang out after our sessions are done.”
Having friends was a completely foreign concept to someone who had spent so much of his life being alone. Completely used to the lack of social connection or any kind of close relationship with anyone. Something he believed was some kind of cruel joke after his parents had passed.
No one wanted to get involved with Adam. Mostly because he was a troublemaker, just like his mother. A scandalous legacy she left behind that he wanted nothing to do with.
But this random boy approached him regardless of what he just witnessed. He should’ve been afraid. And yet…
“Mm. Guess I’ve got nothin’ better to do,” Adam gruffly replied. “Sure, why not. Just don’t get too excited. I don’t plan on spending too much time with you.”
Thinking about it a bit more, as an older Academy student in his early twenties, it would’ve looked rather strange for someone like him to be hanging out with a person like Diego. And perhaps a bit pathetic.
After all, no one closer to his age was willing to be his friend. But at this point, rumors were rumors. He didn’t have much to lose, and maybe once he joined the Agency things would eventually change. At the very least, it didn’t hurt to have Diego as an ally or even a training partner.
“Awesome!” Diego beamed, seemingly uncaring of the dismissive response Adam just gave. “Take out your Pad. I’ll share my Code with you first so we can chat.”
“Aren’t you afraid of being seen with me?”
“Nah. Why would I?”
Adam falls silent. He decides not to push, taking out his Pad as the screen hovers in his hands.
