LNH/LUNA/ACRA: The Liminals #6: Bondage and Determination, part 2 [part 1]

[Drew Nilium]

On 11/14/20 5:39 PM, Jeanne Morningstar wrote:
> THE LIMINALS
> #6: "Bondage and Determination, part 2"
> A Classic LNH/Lunaverse tale of trans lesbianism and larceny by Jeanne Morningstar

Hell yeah

> Masterplan Lad was still bound and gagged in a closet. He was frustrated both 
> that he was still tied up and that this story had ballooned into two issues, 
> meaning that #4 and #5 were both "part one."

I love that, personally. :3

> Maria had 
> to move some of the piles of books that sprouted from every surface like 
> mushrooms 

What an evocative simile.

> "Hiya!" said Maria. This was something like an hour after they'd both woken up. 

Yeah, I've had lots of mornings like that.
> I... was wondering about that apartment. It seemed rather... gangsterish."
> 
> "Ah, yeah. See, I'm in a bit of a fix," said Maria. "I made a deal with the 
> Wizard Mafia."

Love it, love it. :3

> "Oh dear." This was a new narrative element, but all the context and history for 
> it snapped into being around Masterplan Lad as if it had always been there.

Yessssss. Seamlessly into the backstory.

> Sex work 
> and hex work."

That's so fucking NTB. :D

> You really think John Constantine got 
> enough money to travel around the world in spite of being working class by 
> selling artifacts? Nope. He was getting fucked in the ass by rich self-hating 
> Tories while he was fighting their occult conspiracies and stuff."

I'm really happy we can put this stuff on RACC nowdays. X3

> She took a deep breath. "I'm not exactly happy working with Vergilio but... he 
> got me out of Hell. Literally.

I mean, fair.

> He should have been angry at Maria for drawing him into this situation, but 
> protecting people and helping them achieve narrative catharsis was what he was 
> for. In spite of barely knowing her, he felt a certain responsibility for her 
> already.

That's super familiar. @-@

> "Well, Luigi Vergilio has an enchanted thousand-dollar bill that has a piece of 
> my soul in it.
<snip>
> "That certainly sounds like a metaphor."

It *really* does.

> The truth was, even as a narratively aware semi-cosmic being, Masterplan Lad was 
> much better at looking like he knew what he was doing than actually knowing it. 

Yeah, that scans. :3

> "I'm brainstorming," she said. "I'm just like, writing down all the stuff that's 
> in my head." He looked at what was written on the legal pad. It was the word 
> "Farts," underlined twice.

X3 X3 X3

> "Yeah, it usually takes a while to get the good ideas.

I mean, legit

> At the 
> end of the shelf was another famous piece of queer history, Robert 
> Mapplethorpe's photograph of the young Eric Morava,

:3 :3 :3

> "Okay!" said Maria. "So we'll go and steal the cursed money. But first, I'll 
> paint my nails."

Hell yeah!

> "So," she said, "do you want me to paint your nails too?"
> 
> "Er... why are you asking?"
> 
> Maria shrugged exaggeratedly. "Just a thought."
> 
> "Well..." The obvious thing to say was 'no', but for some reason Masterplan Lad 
> couldn't quite do it. "Not just yet."

Yesssssssss

> He sat down beside her. "I'm not sure I can describe my music taste coherently."

Relatable

> Not having a clear structure to work form, he found his 
> mind and attention jumping  around more and more.

Also relatable.

> Even the things that were 
> difficult and painful, he wanted to face down now instead of having the anxiety 
> hanging over him for months or years.

YEAH!!

> He thought about the past 
> issues, how some of the best writing had come from the writer just taking a 
> feeling and running with it. Maybe that was what he needed to do more. Maybe, to 
> really control the narrative, in some sense, he had to submit to it.

Yessssssss. :3

> He watched the buildings rushing by. On a wall, someone had spraypainted 
> graffiti that said "U R MR GAY."
> 
> "Hmmm, I suppose I am, at that," said Masterplan Lad to the graffiti.

X3 Love it

Drew "missed 'er by a mile" Nilium