vega

they/them • writing blog • ao3: the_starlit_sea • main/personal tumblr where i just reblog shit: shifty-as-a-swinging-trapeze

[the-starlit-sea]

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

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: The Mysterious Mr Quin - Agatha Christie Rating: General Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Harley Quin (Mysterious Mr Quin) & Mr Satterthwaite (Agatha Christie), Harley Quin (Mysterious Mr Quin)/Mr Satterthwaite (Agatha Christie) Characters: Harley Quin (Mysterious Mr Quin), Mr Satterthwaite (Agatha Christie), Hermes the Dog (The Harlequin Tea Set) Additional Tags: First Meetings, Pre-Canon, Pre-Relationship, Animal Death, (see notes for more details), Song: Abstract (Psychopomp) (Hozier) Series: Part 1 of abstracts Summary:

psychopomp

n. a guide of souls to the afterlife

[harrimaniac27art]

TIME & TIME AGAIN - CH 2 - PG 5

<<< START COMIC || << START CH 2 | < Page 4 | Page 5 | Page 6 >

<<< START COMIC || << START CH 2 | < Page 4 | Page 5 | Page 6 > View the transcript for this page (Ao3)

Alright!! Physical evidence time!!! Lads. Do we think Poirot saw Hastings holding that tricorder??

SO happy I get to confuse Poirot so much on this page. I LIVE for that. And now I get to confuse Japp and Hastings at the same time!!! So fun for me >:)))

Shoutout to @darthlenaplant, @soldhissoulforrocknroll, @rain-shoshana, @pinetreelady, and @shifty-as-a-swinging-trapeze for encouraging these shenanigans, and thanks so much to everyone who's been reblogging the pages!! (Let me know if you'd like me to add you to the shoutout so you'll be notified when I update!) You can also bookmark the story on Ao3! Comic updates at 12pm EST Monday (Patreon), and Tuesday (Tumblr & Ao3)!

Background lore/teaser post (See where it all started) Chapter 2 Cover Page (Go here to read chapter summary / jump to any page) Cover Page (Go here to read comic summary / jump to any page)

Hi, there! If you like this story, please consider dropping some pocket change in my tip jar on ko-fi, or subscribing on Patreon! Donations, subscriptions, and downloads of the PDF help keep the story going!! Patreon subscribers get to see the pages early!! 👀

[harrimaniac27art]

TIME & TIME AGAIN - CH 2 - PG 4

<<< START COMIC || << START CH 2 | < Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5 >

<<< START COMIC || << START CH 2 | < Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5 >

Ooof I thought this page was gonna be late, but I just BARELY got it done before Monday!! Go me!!

Finally!! The CRIME SCENE!! To be honest with you I have been overthinking all the tiny little details of this scene for a whole YEAR... but apparently I'm just overthinking in the footsteps of a long line of my fellow detective authors! I hope, in this webcomic, I can do even a sliver of justice to the wonderful complexities of Agatha Christie's storytelling genius (and hopefully I've got a decent handle of her characters...with a little help from the show, at least).

Oh!! Hastings DOESN'T recognise the victim... whoaa... why does she look so much like T'Vesek??

Shoutout to @darthlenaplant, @soldhissoulforrocknroll, @rain-shoshana, @pinetreelady, and @shifty-as-a-swinging-trapeze for encouraging these shenanigans, and thanks so much to everyone who's been reblogging the pages!! (Let me know if you'd like me to add you to the shoutout so you'll be notified when I update!) You can also bookmark the story on Ao3! Comic updates at 12pm EST Monday (Patreon), and Tuesday (Tumblr & Ao3)!

Background lore/teaser post (See where it all started) Chapter 2 Cover Page (Go here to read chapter summary / jump to any page) Cover Page (Go here to read comic summary / jump to any page)

Hi, there! If you like this story, please consider dropping some pocket change in my tip jar on ko-fi, or subscribing on Patreon! Donations, subscriptions, and downloads of the PDF help keep the story going!! Patreon subscribers get to see the pages early!! 👀

[harrimaniac27art]

TIME & TIME AGAIN - CH 2 - PG 3

<<< START COMIC || << START CH 2 | < Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 >

<<< START COMIC || << START CH 2 | < Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 > Read the transcript for this page (Ao3) PREVIOUS PAGES REFERENCED: CH1, Page 35 CH1, Page 40

oooOOOOOOoooooohhh Now Poirot has TWO fun puzzles for his little grey cells: 1) Who is this strange, green-blooded murder victim, and 2) What the HECK is up with Hastings??? Listen. As an Author? There are few things I love more than confusing the HELL out of Poirot with Hastings' Strange Behaviour^TM

Now. If you'll allow me to be insane for a moment: *HIGH-PITCHED SCREEEECHING*!! FINALLY!! THE!!! TIE!!! SCENE!!!!! I HAVE BEEN WAITING TO GET HERE FOR A WHOLE!!!! YEAAARRRRR!!!!!! I WROTE THAT SCENE IN MARCH OF 2025 AND WE'RE FINALLY HEEERE!!!!!!! ASJHSDKJAGDUSJKAHDJK!!!!!!! Okay. I'm done. The dastardly Webcomic Time^TM strikes again ahahaha

Finally, a few small wins: I am SO proud of that last drawing of Japp!! That's HIM! Also, I did not have to trace that panel of Whitehaven Mansions! I drew it from reference pictures!! I'm very proud of it, even though it's a bit wonky in places!! In doing this page, I have learned, however. That I am TERRIBLE at drawing hats. I don't know WHAT that is, but it is NOT a Homburg hat *facepalm* OH WELL I'll do it better next time no better way of learning than by doing!!!

Shoutout to @darthlenaplant, @soldhissoulforrocknroll, @rain-shoshana, @pinetreelady, and @shifty-as-a-swinging-trapeze for encouraging these shenanigans, and thanks so much to everyone who's been reblogging the pages!! (Let me know if you'd like me to add you to the shoutout so you'll be notified when I update!) You can also bookmark the story on Ao3! Comic updates at 12pm EST Monday (Patreon), and Tuesday (Tumblr & Ao3)!

Background lore/teaser post (See where it all started) Chapter 2 Cover Page (Go here to read chapter summary / jump to any page) Cover Page (Go here to read comic summary / jump to any page)

Hi, there! If you like this story, please consider dropping some pocket change in my tip jar on ko-fi, or subscribing on Patreon! Donations, subscriptions, and downloads of the PDF help keep the story going!! Patreon subscribers get to see the pages early!! 👀

[harrimaniac27art]

TIME & TIME AGAIN - CH 2 - PG 2

<<< START COMIC || < CH 2, Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 >

<<< START COMIC || < CH 2, Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 > Read the transcript for this page (Ao3)

Oh... Oh god. It appears that The Hound^TM has begun stalking its prey... Why doesn't the ambassador seem worried about it???? If this was any other time, Commander Lemon wouldn't be worried about Klingons stalking them, but... Ambassador Poirot's presence.... complicates things. He was at the peace talks with the Klingons recently...

Commander Lemon side eyeing Ambassador Poirot lmaooo

And why is Ambassador Poirot going to speak to T'Vesek at a time like this??? THE CAPTAIN IS MISSING and he seems to KNOW where he is, WHY WON'T HE JUST SAY SOMETHING???

Commander Lemon thought Poirot was a silly little ambassador when he first showed up, but now? She's regretting trusting him.

Shoutout to @darthlenaplant, @soldhissoulforrocknroll, @rain-shoshana, @pinetreelady, and @shifty-as-a-swinging-trapeze for encouraging these shenanigans, and thanks so much to everyone who's been reblogging the pages!! (Let me know if you'd like me to add you to the shoutout so you'll be notified when I update!) You can also bookmark the story on Ao3! Comic updates at 12pm EST Monday (Patreon), and Tuesday (Tumblr & Ao3)!

Background lore/teaser post (See where it all started) Chapter 2 Cover Page (Go here to read chapter summary / jump to any page) Cover Page (Go here to read comic summary / jump to any page)

Hi, there! If you like this story, please consider dropping some pocket change in my tip jar on ko-fi, or subscribing on Patreon! Donations, subscriptions, and downloads of the PDF help keep the story going!! Patreon subscribers get to see the pages early!! 👀

[harrimaniac27art]

TIME & TIME AGAIN - CH 2 - PG 1

<<< START COMIC | << Ch 1, Page 40 || Page 1 | Page 2 >

<<< START COMIC | << Ch 1, Page 40 || Page 1 | Page 2 > Read the transcript for this page (Ao3)

Eyyy WELCOME BACK TO THE STORY, FOLKS!! Happy to be back in the swing of things))

Well CRAP. The captain is missing!!! NOW what are we gonna do???

AND POIROT??? You knew ALL ALONG that this was going to happen, didn't you??? HOW DID YOU KNOW THAT?? But of COURSE you won't tell anyone what's going on!! And this may be the first time anyone has ever seen Commander Lemon angry before. Scary.

Poirot what do you MEAN "La boucle est enfin bouclée"??? EXPLAIN YOURSELF!!!! Also. His little self-satisfied face after Commander Lemon tells everyone to carry on???

SIRRR!!???!! I love him so much He LIVES to be annoying!!!

Also Hmm... Wonder what Imbak just saw...

Shoutout to @darthlenaplant, @soldhissoulforrocknroll, @rain-shoshana, @pinetreelady, and @shifty-as-a-swinging-trapeze for encouraging these shenanigans, and thanks so much to everyone who's been reblogging the pages!! (Let me know if you'd like me to add you to the shoutout so you'll be notified when I update!) You can also bookmark the story on Ao3! Comic updates at 12pm EST Monday (Patreon), and Tuesday (Tumblr & Ao3)!

Background lore/teaser post (See where it all started) Chapter 2 Cover Page (Go here to read chapter summary / jump to any page) Cover Page (Go here to read comic summary / jump to any page)

Hi, there! If you like this story, please consider dropping some pocket change in my tip jar on ko-fi, or subscribing on Patreon! Donations, subscriptions, and downloads of the PDF help keep the story going!! Patreon subscribers get to see the pages early!! 👀

[teaboot]

“So this fic has been abandoned but you should read it anyways because…” hold up. Have you not been reading all promising fics regardless of completion this entire time

[teaboot]

Today I learned that an alarming number of yall are filtering fic by “completed works only” which is WILD to me because some of the best shit I ever read was incomplete. Just like how some of the best friendships fade, the best experiences end, the best partners pass away before you’re ready. Nobody wants good things to end but they do and that doesn’t make them less meaningful. And sometimes a tree must be nurtured before it can grow

[sentientsky]

repeating this to myself forever and ever

[bitchfitch]

writing advice for characters with a missing eye: dear God does losing an eyes function fuck up your neck. Ever since mine crapped out I've been slowly and unconsciously shifting towards holding my head at an angle to put the good eye closer to the center. and human necks. are not meant to accommodate that sorta thing.

[bitchfitch]

other things I'm bitching about but which could still be useful as writing advice for 1 eyed characters:

2. they're going to favor their sighted side, obviously, but it doesn't always manifest in the way you think. when I walk down a hall I walk much closer to the wall on my sighted side than on my blind side. which is the opposite of how it might seem logical to do that bc it means the world at large is on your bad side, but the reason is I can't fucking See the wall if it's right next to me in the blind side and I end up knocking into it.

3. door frames and poles are my enemy. If your character is smart this will not be a problem but for me it is. I am King of walking into shit I could absolutely see but couldn't tell how far away from me it was. on this note, their blind side hand is getting bashed into every jutting out thing in a 5 mile radius.

4. having 0 depth perception is less of a big deal than you'd think it is. Especially with driving. I've become a Much safer and more wary driver because I can't tell how far the other cars are from me. however I fucking suck at parking now. because I can't tell how far the lines are from me either.

5. you know how people who lose limbs get phantom pains? that happens with eyes too but like. phantom sights. for me it's like. a lot of bugs. like every so often my brain will just put something suddenly skittering beside me there. hate that.

6. it is completely possible to "get stuck" somewhere because your ability to tell how wide a space is is just Gone. shopping isles especially where bumping something or Someone is matter of embarrassment or potentially breaking something. it can be legitimately paralyzing and also irritate everyone around you because they can tell there is Plenty of space for you to get your cart through even if you can't.

7. if the eye is still in their skull it can still be the normal kind of painful. Glares off of shiny surfaces causing weird sharp pains you can't figure out the cause of are genuinely one of gods greatest tests of my patience.

[thehungwizard]

I too am missing my eye and have advice. But first:

OP I've been missing my eye for 18 years and because of you I'm just now noticing that my neck does in fact list left. Now I will live with that knowledge forever.

1) depth perception issues are more severe if you lose the eye on the same side as your dominant hand. I lost my left eye and am right handed, and only have problems with close-up things. Like pouring water or threading a needle. Sometimes putting the pump in for gas. Walking down stairs is a huge problem I have (walking up is fine), but unlike OP I don't have issues with doorways. Depth perception is different for everyone

2) I've completely lost my eye and need to wear eye patches, no fake eye here. People like me do still rub their "eyes." We also usually say "eyes" and "contacts." Except for comedic effect

3) the people that are in your life with regularity just... forget you have only one eye. Even if, like me, you wear obvious eye patches. This means they get confused when people asked what happened. They'll walk on your blind side and get snippy when you run into them. When my sister learned how to cross her eyes she ask me if I could do it, and it took so much coaching for her understand why my answer was no, and that I would not be "just trying." So don't write everyone around them constantly noticing. Most people don't

[dathen]

Still obsessed with Arthur Conan Doyle’s letter to Bram Stoker gushing about how wonderful a book Dracula is, but particularly how it makes such a good template for leaving fic comments, so I’m gonna to a BREAKDOWN:

Just say you loved reading it - “I am sure that you will not think it an impertinence if I write to tell you how very much I have enjoyed reading Dracula.”

Comment on a detail of the craft or structure that impressed you - “It is really wonderful how with so much exciting interest over so long a book there is never an anticlimax.“

Comment on how it emotionally affected you - “It holds you from the very start and grows more and more engrossing until it is quite painfully vivid.”

SHARE YOUR BLORBO FEELINGS - “The old Professor is most excellent and so are the two girls.”

Show appreciation for them as an author - “I congratulate you with all my heart for having written so fine a book.”

Next time you don’t know what to say on a fic you enjoyed, just use the ACD method~

[incandescent-creativity]

Do you ever write a sentence and then realize “Nah, that’s too self aware for you” and backspace a bunch of times.

[incandescent-creativity]

[theaftersundown]

the holy grail types of fanfic

[teaboot]

Friendly reminder that these only happen slowly, carefully, with lots of reader encouragement, engagement, reflection, and support, and an ending is never a guarantee.

Writing communities are gardens, not subscription services

[theglitchywriterboi]

I hope every writer who sees this writes LOADS the next few months. Like freetime opens up, no writers block, the ability to focus, etc etc you're able to write loads & make lots of progress <3

[stevviefox]

Passing along for all the writers out there!

[skribblegurl]

some people think writers are so eloquent and good with words, but the reality is that we can sit there with our fingers on the keyboard going, “what’s the word for non-sunlight lighting? Like, fake lighting?” and for ten minutes, all our brain will supply is “unofficial”, and we know that’s not the right word, but it’s the only word we can come up with…until finally it’s like our face got smashed into a brick wall and we remember the word we want is “artificial”.

[heywriters]

I couldn't remember the word "doorknob" ten minutes ago.

[bumblewyn]

ok but the onelook thesaurus will save your life, i literally could not live without this website

[breelandwalker]

REBLOG TO SAVE A WRITER'S LIFE

[myfairkatiecat]

LIFE SAVED

REBLOGGING TO SAVE ANOTHER WRITERS LIFE

[sirowsky]

I use this every time I sit down to write. It's the best tool in the world and I would be lost without it!

[ninjasmudge]

worlds slowest fanfic author tries really really hard

[ninjasmudge]

everyone in the notes we are all holding hands. everyone who hasnt worked on a wip in weeks or months or years, its okay. we are going slow but we are going

[nomorezerocomments]

"commenting is hard i never know what to say" this is an actual comment i left on a fic last night

you can literally write anything you want

[nomorezerocomments]

this comment being from 2:35 am adds to the atmosphere i think

[teaboot]

When people leave this sort of thing on my fics it makes me cackle evil like a wicked creature. 10000000/10 do it do it do it

[blackheartbiohazards]

"I don't want to read this" is totally valid.

"This is disgusting to me" is totally valid.

"I don't want to read this because it is disgusting to me" is totally valid.

"I don't think anyone should be allowed to read or write this because it is disgusting to me" is authoritarian.

[blackheartbiohazards]

"I don't think anyone should be allowed to read or write this because it is disgusting to me" is authoritarian.

[spellscarred]

Bro, blocking someone and then using their tag like this is, all offence, weak as fuck. Like all you had to say was, na bro I don't promote pedo protags on this here blog, because I wholly agree with the premise of your argument given contexts (i.e., writing abusive relationships to show the evils, great; writing abusive relationships to show the romance, yikes).

This response is so, so comically shitty within the context of that tag, oh my god.

[blackheartbiohazards]

"I don't think anyone should be allowed to read or write this because it is disgusting to me" is authoritarian.

[blackheartbiohazards]

"I don't think anyone should be allowed to read or write this because it is disgusting to me" is authoritarian.

[blackheartbiohazards]

"Censorship of some topics in fiction and art is good and I would be happy if it were to be enacted in a way I approved of"

and

"some things should be banned from ever being written or read about in fiction"

are both authoritarian viewpoints to hold and express, even if you don't have the power to enact them.

If you hold these viewpoints you are holding authoritarian viewpoints.

[averageidiotenby]

DUDE IT’S PEDO FICS EVERYBODY THINKS THEY’RE NASTY

[blackheartbiohazards]

Let me explain this to you in simple terms.

Something being nasty is not a good reason to ban fiction about it.

If we accept that "something being nasty is a good reason to bad fiction about it" then we give a foot in the door for all the people who truly, genuinely believe that queer people are nasty to ban all queer literature.

This is not about defending bad people this is about defending the freedom of good people from tyranny, you moron.

[kawaii-pigeon]

I think if you take it to its logical extreme. Say, banning people from writing stories of sexual abuse. That could then be said "well ANY talk about sexual abuse is bad."

And from that, you could ban books that talk about it irl. Or books like how to recover after being abuse. If its not something to be discussed AT ALL.

[plague-of-insomnia]

The fact that I’ve seen this post in some form on my dash like 100x and each time there’s new idiots who do not get that you can’t have *some* censorship.

Either you’re for it or you aren’t.

The moment you agree that something should never, ever exist in fiction is the moment that anything can be banned.

Remember a while back how Tumblr banned a bunch of tags, including many popular innocuous ones that even people who are for censorship used and were upset about?

When censorship happens, stuff YOU like can and will be banned. That’s how it works.

Remember how a bunch of people had their accounts terminated here only last year for writing about their own sexual abuse?

When you ban “pedo” topics, say, any talk of child sexual abuse in any form, that means people can no longer write about their own experiences. It means people cannot educate others so they can learn how to protect themselves or get help from these situations.

Censorship is authoritarian. Full stop.

Even if “everyone” agrees something is “gross” and “shouldn’t exist,” that does not fucking matter.

Do you know who generally believes queer people are gross and shouldn’t exist??

The same people who are banning books left and right solely because they have queer characters or relationships.

The same people who attack and kill queer folk for simply exisiting.

This is not just some fandom matter or a case of being chronically online.

Protecting freedom of expression is essential, and if you do not get that, I don’t know what to say to you.

[scientia-rex]

And the people who keep bringing up child sex abuse as a reason for censorship are doing it very specifically because everyone feels like then they HAVE to agree with the person in favor of censorship.

It’s not that there isn’t widespread societal agreement on this. It’s that they want you backed into a rhetorical corner where you feel compelled to agree with them.

[ruffboi-mags]

Also, like, we KNOW how this shit shakes out in fandom because it's happened before.

In 2007, Livejournal capitulated to the "pedophilia and sex crimes!" cries of (hate group) Warriors 4 Innocence, and you know what communities got shut down? Slashfic communities. Sexual assault survivor support communities. Authors who'd written non-smut m/m fic even got caught up in it. It was DEVASTATING to fandom spaces. I think pretty much everyone knew at least one person whose account was literally DELETED, or were a member of a community that was wiped off the map because they were considerate enough to include topics like "sexual assault" or "BDSM" in the profiles under the badly-named category of "interests" to indicate that posts on said blogs or communities may include discussion of things like that. Even if it was for a SUPPORT group. And it was because a group of religious bigots came to LJ and said essentially "EVERYONE thinks it's gross and that it's promoting CSA, we should ban it."

Like, strikethrough and boldthrough were a large part of what propelled AO3 out of a more unfocused conversation on one person's blog about hosting a site INTENDED for fandom content, into being an actual archive and nonprofit. And it's a large part of why you won't find AO3 banning topics that you find "gross".

Censorship is authoritarian and it will ALWAYS have more collateral damage than you can imagine.

[nyxelestia]

Going to add that fiction which had sexual abuse and communities which played around with it as a writing topic are the very things that protected me from irl sexual abuse when I was a teenager. I was in a dicey situation, and realized that while my situation did not match up to any of the superficial or textbook cases mentioned in passing (if at all) through school, it matched up a LOT to what I'd learned about irl sexual abuse through works of fiction and the rhetoric of my communities. I got out of that situation and dodged what was, in retrospect, one hell of a nasty bullet. If it hadn't been for that "nasty" fiction and those "nasty" communities, I would very likely have been abused, and subject to further violence spiraling out from that abuse.

[benjis-house-boat]

you can’t have *some* censorship.

[the-real-seebs]

Yup! It really is, in fact, pretty much that simple:

"I don't think anyone should be allowed to read or write this because it is disgusting to me" is authoritarian.