Character Question 28

Character Question 28

What is their perception of redemption?

Zach: there is a tipping point for him (intentional, maliciously intended killing), but other than that, he will help anyone fight their way back into the good graces of society. If he cares for the supposedly "irredeemable" person he will drag his name through the mud to help their life improve.

Freddie: maybe people can be redeemed. Ruining a person and not making an effort to improve themselves will completely tarnish themselves in his eyes. Just, show respect and he'll be cool with you.

Bella: She famously gives people second and third chances when they make mistakes. (Can this be toxic? Yes. Will she keep going? Yes. Is this because she doesn't want to ruin her carefully crafted reputation if someone speaks badly about her even if she feels like she deserves it? Also yes) But if you take advantage of her and her patience runs out? You're dead to her. She'll tolerate you, but you will never regain her good graces.

As an Aussie with a healthy respect for the sea, please be careful when swimming in the ocean. Be aware, educate yourself, and swim between the red and yellow flags😊

As someone that has grown up surrounded by beaches and done surf life saving, I know how the sea works. Lots of people dont. Every summer multiple tourists die here because they don’t respect the sea, if you’re going to the coast, here’s a thing I saw on Facebook.

Joy Under the Stars

Summary: A super cute date between Nala and Fera, where they discover a surprising new aspect of Fera's powers.

The day had been fantastic. The plan had been to have a picnic in the park, but naturally, since it was a sapphic date, it didn't stop there. Fera had worn in her favorite dress - a featherweight white dress with delicate vine embroidery on the hem cinched with a red belt that matched her mushroom necklace. Nala's hair was tamed in a ponytail, tight ringlets spilling every direction. She wore a dark green flannel over a white t-shirt and black slacks. Luckily, they both had the foresight to pack the food into a cooler since they ended up talking about nothing and everything for an hour, before finally setting up and starting to eat. 

Nala was a reliable source of reassurance, used to her girlfriend's almost constant second-hand anxiety. They talked about Fera's garden, Nala listening intently and bringing up Fera's favorite flowers, warming her heart with her acute memory. In turn, they talked about the upcoming finals for Nala's team. Watching her girlfriend's eyes light up, Fera almost lost the sensation of passerby's stress. Almost. Nala's enthusiasm was infectious, evident in how Fera now followed her favorite teams and went to every single one of her girlfriend's games. But for now, she just enjoyed the fiery passion in Nala's intense chocolate eyes as she rested in her lap, Nala's fingers running absentmindedly through her hair. She sighed contentedly, picking at a curl, trying to dispel someone else's anger while remaining in the moment.

"Hey," Nala's voice was tender, a sharp contrast from her enthusiastic monologue moments before. "Are you okay?"

Fera found her concern touching. She reassured her, "'m fine. It's just the usual."

"Okay. Do you want me to get you a drink? Maybe a snack? It's getting late," Nala commented, glancing at the reddening sky.

"Only if you're hungry too," Fera insisted. "Do you want me to come with?"

She chuckled, "That's very sweet of you. Stay put. Try to relax. I'll be back before you know it." With that, Nala bent down and kissed her forehead making Fera squeak as her cheeks almost matched the sky. Gently moving her girlfriend's head to the picnic blanket, Nala jumped to her feet and stretched, before heading to the café they'd passed on the way over. Letting out another happy sigh and simultaneously trying to expel more of the second-hand negativity, Fera realized something. During the past few minutes watching Nala gush and listen to her own interests, she had barely felt any stress. Odd. Other than being completely isolated, she hadn't come that close to peace since before turning ten. Smiling fondly, Fera watched the sunset as she waited for her beloved to return.

The last of the sun's rays were peeking over the horizon as Nala returned with two hot drinks and a giant muffin. Fera attempted to work the creases from her brow; there was a lot of tension, anger, and melancholy from the 9 to 5 workers that passed through the park. She knew her girlfriend wouldn't mind, but it was always nicer to return to a smile, or at the very least, not a frown.

"Thank you, sprite!" She called, as Nala approached the edge of the blanket.

Nala handed the hot drink over with a peck, "Anything for you, cutie."

Fera took a sip of the drink. Rich chocolate surged over her tongue, not quite hot enough to skald her mouth. A puff of whipped cream escaped the small opening, its sweetness making her sigh in contentment. She broke a chunk off the muffin, revealing a cream-colored inside, punctuated by clusters of blueberries. Feeding it to Nala, she gave her a questioning look. "Any good?"

Nala nodded enthusiastically before swallowing, "Of course! I only get the best for you."

Fera blushed, barely registering the anxious presence that passed beside the pair as she ate her own piece of the muffin.

The sun continued to sink below the horizon, the darkening sky it left behind highlighting the moon that peeked above the treeline. The abandoned take away cups lay on the edge of the blanket with the muffin wrapper folded beneath them. Excusing herself momentarily from the conversation, Fera rummaged in the picnic basket and pulled out four paper lanterns, with electric tea lights to match. She placed them on the corners of the rug before lying down, grass prickling against her back as her phone lay as a last-minute security plan on her abdomen. Stretching out her arm, she feebly tugged at her girlfriend's shirt, whining softly. Nala let out a chuckle before falling backward to lie beside Fera and intertwining their hands between them. Smiling contentedly as the low ambient negativity from nearby apartments faded into nothing, Fera tucked her legs up, resting her bare feet on Nala's legs. Spotting a constellation, Fera eagerly pointed it out and started rambling about its discovery and meaning. She felt Nala's lips curl up as she lined up her face against her arm to see the stars Fera was talking about. In turn, Nala pointed out a constellation she recognized, resulting in Fera immediately explaining all the symbolism. The conversation quickly spiraled into one of zodiac signs, international sky views, and the deep expanse of space.

Nala propped herself up on her elbow, stars brightening her chocolatey eyes. Dimly, Fera wondered if her eyes looked similar. The moon was bright enough to cast shadows, she noticed, as miniature circles wiggled at the top of her girlfriend's brow. A giddy grin spread across her face as she grabbed the darker girl and pulled her in for a kiss. It was slow and sweet, and tasted vaguely of chocolate, distinctly like the truffles Nala had brought.

Fera relinquished her grasp first, falling against the blanket once more, Nala's hands cushioning her fall.

"Wow," Nala breathed. Fera giggled in return. A warmth had spread in her chest, different from what she'd felt before. Being so well versed in emotion, she knew her own joy. It was delicate, like wind chimes in a light breeze, or butterfly wings, and easily overshadowed by others’ negativity. But this, this was different. She knew her feelings towards the incredible girl above her. She smirked and sat up, pushing Nala down. The darker girl obliged, sinking as slowly as she could. With a self-satisfied sigh, Fera put her head on Nala's chest, imagining her girlfriend could feel her smile through her clothes as honey brown fingers ran through her curls. Her love for Nala felt like spring sunshine, bright and cheery, illuminating new buds of flowers aplenty. It felt like a refreshing breeze, blowing through flowy skirts and ruffling hair, cutting through the heat. What she felt now was different. Her love and joy were there, but there was more. It felt like smoldering embers, one breath away from becoming a roaring fire. It felt like a warm summer beach day, with waves roughly caressing the shore. Intuition leading her down a path, Fera decided to follow it. Moving slowly, gently, she kissed Nala's jaw, from her chin to below her ear. The fire ignited, the sun scorched. Fera's jaw dropped, her thoughts freezing in awe.

"Hey, sunshine?" Her question was quiet, still floored by the revelation.

Nala's voice was tender as she answered, "yes, Bee?"

"I think I get how much you love me," she wasn't sure why she kept whispering, but it felt right for the moment.

"Oh," Nala whispered back, "how so?"

"I feel," Fera struggled to find the words. "I feel your joy." She laughed giddily, the situation somehow becoming more real as she declared it. "I feel it here." She placed Nala's free hand on her heart. "Thank you."

"I hope you believe me now when I say I'd give the world to you," she could hear Nala's smile in the words. "I'm so happy for you. Though I do wonder, now you have both sides of the story, who loves who more?"

"Oh!" Her giggles died down as she tried to gain enough composure to respond. "I always believed you. But the way we love feels different. Though I might be compelled to say," she turned to rest her chin in the nook of Nala's neck. "That I love you more," she breathed.

Nala laughed heartily, sitting up and gathering the smaller girl in her lap. "And how do I know you're not lying?" She demanded playfully, gently poking Fera's stomach.

"Then I guess it's your turn to believe me," Fera replied cockily, half-heartedly pushing Nala's hand away.

"No, I don't think I will," Nala said contrarily. This time she leaned in to whisper into Fera's ear, her breath tickling, "I definitely love you most." Before she leaned away, she pulled gently at Fera's ear with her teeth, making her shriek. In protest, Fera awkwardly reached an arm down and scratched at Nala's foot, making her squirm in protest as she fruitlessly tried to stifle her laughter. A brutal tickle war broke out as the moon continued to glide across the sky, ending with the girls panting, lying down together once more, gazing into the other's starry eyes.

"I love you. Your happiness means the world to me."

Fera is one of my favorites. She's an absolute sweetheart and I would kill for her. She's an incredibly strong empath, having absorbed most of the power of her twin, Vera. She only feels others' negative emotions, which makes it hard to be around a lot of people, particularly in high school. She loves gardening and Tiny Things, like miniature clay sculptures, mushrooms, and figurines. She helps out the school counselor, runs the gardening club (which coincidentally coincides with basketball practice), and loves biology. She's super close to her sister, and appreciates all her support, and thinks Vera's protectiveness is very sweet. Also! Vera is @pagesofcursive character that was created with Fera

Nicknames: Fae

Age: 16

Birthday: September 13

Race: Irish-Native American

Sexuality: Bisexual

Power: Empath and pathokinesis, only regarding negative emotions

Hero AU

Zach is 17 and goes by the hero name "Bladed Officer"

his powers are the same as canon (will the name clue anyone in? send in your guesses)

Zach is an independent branch of government protection force chiefly dealing with supernatural threats

it's called Miranda's protection service, after his mother

it's existed for a little longer than 2 years

Freddie is 14 and is infamous under the name "Manic Alchemist"

he's causing havoc in order to make a name for himself

he's overshadowed by his parent's achievements

he's been a villain for about 2 years

after attempting to submit patents and gain fame the "right way" he failed to gain enough traction

so he sourced out Bella, bought some tech, and sent a chemical explosion to a vacant government building

his deed was in every conversation, on the tip of everyone's tongue for weeks

and he loved the attention

so he's been doing it ever since

Bella is 20 and goes by the name "Scarlet Maiden" when doing hero business

and "the Crimson Programmer" when doing more shady business

she has the most experience - 6 years of villain/illegal tech distribution

which means she is the most well known

seriously, she's a household name - her nanites are infamous and used as a bogeyman

"Got to sleep now, or crimson nanites will take your new toy"

she provides tech support for Zach

she's been working with him since the beginning

half the tech is her own invention

and the other half she has tinkered with, improving it in many ways

she wants to get out onto the field, since she has the capacity and the desire to help people

seriously, she has funky tech she's been itching to use

she also continues to help Freddie with tech

almost 3/4 of his stuff is her tech

she intends to cash that in at some point, especially if he starts shortchanging her

all her tech has a manual override button that only she can access remotely, in case anything is used too brutally

unfortunately, her moral greyness in this au is hyped up, so she will take any deal, and can be paid off to some extent to interfere less if she's given a small fortune or access to something obscure

So in an effort to truly dump as much as I can that has been spawned from A New Infection, here is a mostly complete list of all the alternate universes I have. Briar's characters feature in most of these, so go check out her descriptions and other universes linked at the end. Also! Any title in green only includes my characters, or at the very least, they're the main focus.( @pagesofcursive is Briar's blog, or you can click her name above)

- Family AU

Half our characters are toddlers! and are fostered by the other half. This alternate universe is almost purely fluff and fueled by chaos. The adults need help staying sane.

- Fusion AU

Follow all our characters through high school in a world that has laws from both universes; powerless people are the most populous, followed by elementals (Briar's universe) and vigilantes (my universe) at an even smaller population. There's fluff, plenty of angst, new relationships, and plenty of new, tragic backstories to discover. This alternate universe has the most polished stories, which we will be sure to post, as soon as someone is introduced.

- Game Show AU

Motivated by money, fame, friendship, or blackmail, our characters join a game show. There's betrayal, love, and old friendships being discovered, as everyone attempts to survive each weekly trial and not be eliminated before reaching the end.

- Hogwarts AU

We're both Harry Potter (not J.K Rowling) fans, so it was inevitable that we'd send everyone to Hogwarts. When a parent goes mad and threatens the wizarding world, it's up to our characters to reason with the twisted adult and save their community.

- Post-Apocalypse AU

This was created solely because of my indecisiveness; there are a few versions of ways the world would turn after being saved from the canon setting. The first short story I posted is set here, even though it's not explicitly stated. This is probably the least interesting AU, but possibly one of the more useful ones (for me at least)

- Royal AU

Scandals and servants, nobles and naughtiness; we put all our characters in a loosely fantastical medieval setting. Embodying various roles, two of our characters are neighboring princesses and employ the others. There are witches, demons, and mortal peril, and suffice to say, it's definitely an exciting time.

- Superhero AU

A New Infection characters live in a world of heroes, villains, and vigilantes. The characters are age curved, and they serve significant roles in their local metropolis. Living with gray morals, fraying patience unrecognised potential, Bella, Zach, and Freddie, masquerading under the names Scarlet Maiden, Bladed Officer, and Biohacker, strive to make their mark on the world.

- Survival AU

After being thrown in an arena and forced to battle by an unknown external source, the ten main characters plot and escape their prison and are now faced with surviving a winter wonderland and somehow finding their way home.

- The Perfect Family (TPF) AU

Freddie is officially adopted at a much younger age by Violetta and Aster. This alternate universe was formed by a selfish desire to write about more sapphic found families, balance out the angst, and give Freddie the childhood he needs.

So, yeah! These are all the AUs I've created (that I can currently remember) You can find Briar's post here since she and I wanted to create a list of all the universes we've come up with. Eventually, we may flesh out each concept, with character descriptions and roles exclusive to each universe. We'll also post stories set in many of these settings as we finish them, and we'll be sure to link to our respective master posts.