Serpentine Squiggles

[title] by [author]

blurb

[wordcount, completion status]

[review]

Nathaniel has dutifully served Mistress Tessa since she was seven. Always eager to be useful, eager to help. Even here, in the darkest pits of Jenson's corporate empire. Where he witnesses horrors beyond his imagining contained and experimented on. It frightened him to the core.

But he can't shake the thought Subject 002's laughter almost sounds like sobbing.

38k words as of 2023-09-15

If you read only one dronefic, make it this one. The perspective and characterization is superb, and the dialogue is by turns emotionally cutting and briefly, relievingly fun. I knew in the second chapter I was reading something special — it is perhaps the most visceral depiction of hatred I've read in any story. Once I got to its thoughtful, philosophical engagement with the status of worker drones, I was hooked. But most of all, this remains my favorite exploration of what Subject 002 Uzi being a Solver Drone feels like. This is a dark fic, and hurts, but it's so good. I'm so very interested in the plot and the details of this AU — making it all the more heartbreaking that this fic hasn't updated in months. The author plans to update once episode seven releases, at least.

Eternal Dreams of a Starlight Railroad by Skak

To be a mechanical being within the Elliot Manor is to live a life like a slow, dread-building nightmare that never seems to end.

J lies to herself to continue going and aches for broken friendships. V gives up and exists without living. Both can only hope to dodge the monsters that possess their bodies and souls.

It takes a horrible accident to wake them from their stupor. And though it comes with fear and threat, perhaps the eternal dream will finally end. With freedom on the other side.

16k words as 2024-01-10.

A sidestory to Servant & Subject focusing on J & V.  The first chapter is a slow build, admittedly a weaker start than the fantastic main fic, but it's thoroughly worth your time; The payoff is intense.

This series is unique in its focus on the injustice of the treatment of worker drones. Thoughtful attention is paid to how it feels to be a worker drone, all of the little ways the world isn't designed for them, and just how fragile that life is.  If S&S was dark, this fic is simply... sad.  The tragedy of the two drones Tessa life behind is rendered with a compelling intensity.

I wouldn't say it holds up to my memories of S&S, and might not earn a spot in must-read by its own merits, but it's a near thing.  Few fics are this genuinely affecting.

Kenosis by Interstyx

The trauma of transformation leaves scars much deeper than a drone's plastic shell -- deeper even than mangled insides twined with flesh. Though N was made to forget, V wasn't. The frame-by-frame image of her hollowing, her kenosis, is burned into her drives; not just her body torn into something else, but being forced to watch N go through the same.

38k words, complete.

My favorite fic in the fandom — actually narrowly edges onto my list of top ten favorite stories, period.

Punchy, evocative prose.  The flow starts off engrossing and becomes immaculate by the end, and it somehow manages to detail technicalities of robot mechanisms and anatomy without breaking rhythm or boring me.

This fic gets V.  It's my favorite depiction of her, period.  I've never seen a story do her justice like this before.  In fact, I liked V for rather shallow reasons, initially (what? I like a woman who will straight up kill me), but Kenosis was the first fic that really sold me on her depth, and I couldn't see her the same way afterward.

(Also, it's kind of funny how the author anticipated that moment. You'll know when you get to it.)

The worldbuilding in this is also high tier.  It's simultaneously the first fic I read that believably handled murder drones as organic frankensteins while also being the best depiction of them as digital minds as well, with some neat presentation flourishes.  The author is clearly familiar with programming in detail, and integrates the concepts convincingly.  Mix that with the genuine, gruesome body horror, and it's hard to think of a fic more laser targeted to my interests.  (Okay, there is one, but not in this fandom.)

The plot is complex, and between the depth and subtly of the presentation, the specific events can get difficult to parse (V's trauma doesn't help).  It's oddly fitting — there are chapters that leave you with the "I don't know quite what just happened, but I'll probably understand the second time through" that later episodes of the source material had.  It's not necessary for enjoyment, of course — I enjoyed it throughly the first time.

The fic is complete, and it sticks the landing so hard that the final chapter is the one that elevated this fic from the bottom of "Must-read" to being my uncontested favorite.  I won't spoil, but I just want to say how conceptually cool it is that this fic made the body horror heartwarming.

As Above, So Below by VexInheritance

Uzi's blighted gift, however abstract and draining, may just be the only hope she still has.

It wasn't made for her, but maybe she was meant to have it. In any case, she wasn't one to let a tool in her kit go unused. Not when so many things needed fixing.

79k words, complete.

A fic set years after canon (or at least, what could be predicted circa Episode 3). Uzi is a battle-hardened badass, hunting down disassembly drones gone eldritch, and she's looking for something. The cast is older and more serious; time has harrowed everyone. Some try to move forward, while others are stuck in the past.

After writing thousands of words of analysis in the comments, I admit my well of editorial review copy is looking a little dry.  But I'll try to cobble together something from all the rambles and recommendations I've posted elsewhere.

The writing is superb, with a mastery of detail and metaphor that makes every paragraph feel like a gourmet feast. The character writing is intense — indeed, the climatic chapter had me sobbing. Be warned that it's very dense and slow paced, and the ending leaves some things unsaid and half-resolved.  The final moment is chilling, evocative, but barely catharthic.

One caveat to the writing is that it's not just impeccable, it's unflappable. It's a humorless fanfic of a show half-defined by its humor. Though that may be a feature to some — that humor has put off so many I've tried to recommend it to. 

Between the sobriety and the sheer quality, I'd actually recommend this to those unfamiliar or unwilling to watch canon.  Even as a diehard fan, I wasn't quite sure what was going on (in the 'this is fresh' way, not the 'this doesnt make sense' way).  It starts in media res and show-don't-tells the premise.

(Something of a double-edged sword, really, because it can leave you a little unsure why you're reading or why they're writing this fic, other than love of prose.  But trust me, if you stick with it, you'll see why this story needs to be told.)

Not for everyone, I think, but if the idea of a literary dronefic appeals to you, you owe it to yourself to check this one out

Tessa lives under the stifling oppression of her psychotic mother and her alcoholic boor of a father at the Elliot manor. All she has to keep her company are her four little worker drones - J, V, N, and Cyn. J has been with her the longest and she couldn't imagine life without her best friend and her constant protector.

Everything changes one night during dinner with her parents. Tessa chooses her drones over the wellbeing of human civilisation. Who knows what manner of horrors she has unwittingly unleashed upon the world? Can J save her from the resurrected one?

My original prompt was just 'How did Cyn die'?

202k words as of 2024-04-27

A thriller that fills me with anxiety, a romance that fills me with lesbian thoughts. Features an excellent exploration of absolute solver mechanics, and a great portrayal of Tessa and her drones. The definitive J/Tessa fic in my opinion, but it's so much more than that. (Not just in the sense that it's also kind of a love triangle, and the Cyn/Tessa interactions melt my brain). Each perspective feels unique, and there's depth in every relationship. The overall plotting is clever, with setups and twists weaving that range from surprising to pure genius.

(Note that this fic has very long chapters (glass houses, I know). The later chapters are novella length, and the wait between updates kills me, but it's nice to be able to immerse yourself in new words for hours. Almost makes it worth it.)

Flipside by doodlingNutjob

Sometimes, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Other times...they become unrecognizable. Switching the pieces around can alter the entire game.

In this reality, Ned dreams of becoming a WDF door guard like his father, a hero that helps protect Outpost 3. However, his best friend Vera thinks that they need to bring the fight to the Murder Drones before their defenses inevitably fail, a stark contrast to her emotionally-distant father’s policy.

What starts as a simple (and reckless) mission with heroic intentions quickly spirals into something far bigger than either of them could have expected, and they find themselves fighting darkness that threatens to swallow their cores as they discover that the battle lines are not nearly as clear as they once thought.

61k words as of 2023-12-17.

If you're anything like me, an AU that swaps around worker and disassembly drones feels so low-hanging as premise as to worth writing off. I'm willing to tolerate some bad fics — (I've read to completion things I wouldn't even list under "Conflicting") — so with nothing else to read and no high expectations, I figured I'd finally try out a swap au.

Flipside is good. It's so good. And it distinguishes itself from the its peers in the "must-read" category by being fun. S&S, Kenosis, AASB, Tessaract, HT are undeniably slow fics, immersing themselves deeply in a characters perspective. Flipside, though, is fast-paced.

There's something addictive about the sense of familiarity. The way this AU twists canon means you get what's going on — it has all the pleasure of an author winking at you — but at the same time, it's so creatively done that there's plenty of surprises in store. It's ingenuous.

It's more than just an exercise in AUbuilding, though, because the characters are competently written, the perspectives are compelling, and the plotting is tight and interesting. One sin you'll often see in mid fics is just retelling canon. There's no need to worry about that from Flipside. It rhymes but it does not repeat.

The plotting and addictive pace are double-edged, though. Because now that I'm caught up... I need more of it, more than any other fic on this list. Everything else feels somewhat resolved, a satisfying packages even if incomplete — but Flipside's cliffhangers truly bite.

I've caught up with this fic again after a hiatus (I forgot to subscribe :c), and I will note my feelings have been tempered somewhat.  In a way, the plot and climax of the second arc is fantastic, topping the first.  The fic constantly swaps PoVs and spins so many plates, which becomes an issue if you don't care for some of the perspectives.  (I'm personally not a fan of this fic's Cyn nor its Beau, though I imagine they're plenty fun for most).

It also has become more clear to me that this fic's fast pace does come at the expense of something.  I'm not sure what I'd peg it as — an issue of prose?  perspective and psychology?  scene setting?  Whatever it is, I would caveat that that Flipside's strength is not immersion.  It lacks of a sense of atmosphere, or emphasis; it feels like scenes and chapters could be half again as long, or even twice as long, and feel more substantial for it.

But this may be a critique that says more about me and my taste than a fault in the fic itself. I personally have difficulty maintaining engagement after stepping away from a fic (I prefer binging to serial reading), and I was at a low point mentally, so my experience getting back into the fic was a tad marred by things I cannot hold against it.

Hostile Takeover by snugglesquiggle

For Serial Designation J, it's lonely being only effective disassembly drone in her sector of Copper-9.

N was already a walking synergistic liability, but V couldn't be more obviously stressed and maladaptively coping if she tried. When a botched disassembly leaves V a nightmare-riddled wreck, the squad's effectiveness hits its lowest point. With disassemblers like these, you'd swear the worker drones show more initiative!

Meanwhile, Uzi Doorman is a cool, independent worker drone. After Doll, she doesn't need anyone else — all she needs is to finish her railgun and blow the murder drones anyway. Of course, if her plan goes wrong she'll be helpless at their mercy. Dead, in other words.

After all, J is a loyal drone. Locate, shutdown, disassemble. A simple directive she'd never hesitate to carry out. Right?

156k words as of 2024-03-31.

A unique and interesting take on J. Sympathetic yet nuanced, and perhaps the definitive J/Uzi fic. So far, it is the only one I'm aware of which justifies their relationship while leening the least on major AU elements. Despite its slow pace, the characterization and descriptions are compelling, supporting an interesting plot and offering glimpses of deeper worldbuilding, and it's all made to pop with a few very nice flourishes. Though romance is the goal, it focuses so much more in the journey there, with a balance of action packed fight scenes, and at times touching drama. The climax is well worth the build-up.

(Note: I am the author, but I think I did a pretty good job!)

Trojan Virus AU by Lilas_Leavanny

AU where the Absolute Solver is an genetically transmitted virus that slowly turns the Worker Drone into a Disassembly Drone, acting as a Trojan horse for the hidden colonies and cults of rogue drones.
Uzi has been caught up in this mess, inheriting the Virus from her mother and now living with the consequences of the changes she is going through.

I am not normal about this series — I've probably written thousands of words in the comments gushing about everything I liked in it.  In purely subjective terms, it's second only to Kenosis in how much I enjoy and resonate with its themes.

In "objective" terms, it straddles the line between what I'd tier as Noteworthy vs Enjoyable.  It's flawed; as noted in the first entry, the author is ESL and while not intolerable, it's not invisible.

This is not my review.  I have so many thoughts that it'll be a while until I feel up to figuring out how to recommend this one, so consider this a placeholder.

It has my seal of approval, for whatever that's worth.

This World Couldn't See Us by welike2party

V was often considered the most brutal of disassembly drones, taking great pleasure in dismantling workers as slowly and painfully as possible.

That all changes when she meets a worker unlike any other, one she quickly grows affectionate towards.

If anyone were to figure it out, it would mean certain death for her and the worker she'd grown oh so attached to.

76k words as of 2024-02-13

My pick for the definitive V/Uzi fic. A slow burn, but one that characterizes both well. The plot is somewhere comfortably between slice of life and tense action, weaving between the extremes. Refreshingly, it doesn't remotely resemble canon rails. The writing is nicely psychological, which such a focused eye on how character cope and bend under stress.

While it reaches no true heights of style nor substance, there's something persistently compelling about it that keeps me coming back.

You Only Live Twice by Interstyx

In the twilight zone between dead and living, Serial Designation J glimpses a memory she was never meant to relive. This delusion, this phantasmagoria, it reveals in her a corruption she can't stand, failure beyond measure. In the numb, dark aftermath, plunged into an abyss without sights or sounds, she makes the only choice she can -- to fulfill her mission.

Only there is someone out there, a name she doesn't know, yet somehow remembers so fondly.

3k words as of 2024-03-05.

A new work from the author of Kenosis

I left a comment, but it's full of spoilers:

Note to self: write a better review when there's more to review.

Suppression (And Getting Over It) by HonkShoe

Suppression.

The conscious inhibition and ignoring of impulses, desires, or feelings that are deemed unacceptable.

31k words as of 2023-12-24.

Interesting shipfic with some nice (rather fluffy, admittedly) plotting — first one I've seen to polyship N/Uzi/V all at once. The perspective writing is strong here, with Uzi and particularly V being a joy to read. I knew from the first chapter that this fic belonged on this list. Note that, so far, the characters haven't fully recognized their feelings, let alone admitted them. We'll just have to see where this one goes, but I have high hopes.

(I think the V/Uzi portions of the fic is the best... but I may be biased.)

Murder Drones: The Explorer Drone AU by RawLesbianEnergy

A worker drone forced to survive by herself ends up tangled in the mess of the main cast. Starting a new life in Outpost 3, she makes new friends, faces new challenges, and learns more than she ever bargained for.

 18k words as of 2024-02-05.

Despite the uninspiring title, premise and description, there's a lot to appreciate in this fic.  The OC is sympathetic and intriguing, with cute budding friendship/romance with V.  There's an interesting look at life in Outpost-3 and the seeds for a possible twist on canon.  Peppered throughout are small sparks of creativity that endow this story with potential.

A promising start I'll watch with interest.

sileNce by doodlingNutjob

There is tragedy in a happy song that abruptly falls silent.

This is the story of how a light in the dark gets snuffed out, then reignited.

OR: A series of scenes and stories about the abuse faced by Serial Designation N, and his eventual healing.

17k words as of 2024-01-02.

One of the most emotionally affecting fics on the list. Do not take the "tragedy" description lightly. It also has a particularly interesting, and uniquely animalistic, take on disassembly drone communications, giving them "calls" as if they were predators — a headcanon which makes the central metaphor that much more resonant. (No pun intended.)

Historical note: this is a rewrite of a series of oneshots in the They Came From Copper-9! collection, though this version has more or less cauguht up with the original, barring divergences.

Corporate Consolidation Canon by WorkWaffle

This is a difficult series to rank, because it's example of something ubitiqutous in online serialized fiction: "it gets better".  I was tempted to place early installments in the (now-removed) Conflicting category, yet in its later peaks, there are chapters so dramatically pleasant they border on Must-read.

I will review its installments in listed order, but in short, my recommendation: start with Synergistic Limited-Liability Consolidated, and if you like that, jump back to Asset Management.

Full disclosure: the author of this series is a friend and frequent commenter on my own story.  I recommended their stories before we interacted, but it's worth admiting.

Code Gold Conspiracy

In the shadowy corridors of Elliot Manor, J, a still newly sentient drone, finds solace in sketching her dreams of corporate success. However, her emotions, particularly related to love, begin to surface, leading her to contemplate her feelings for her fellow newly sentient drone N.

Through a misunderstood drawing Tessa works out a plan to help her drone’s find love. As the plot thickens, secrets unfold, leading to a poignant climax that challenges the boundaries of artificial intelligence and the enigmatic nature of love.

5k words, complete.

An episode from J's life in the manor, contextualizing her relationship with Tessa.  There are cute moments and nice bits of imagery here, but there is little of plot significance.

I would advise skipping this one, and coming back if enjoy later installments.

Asset Management

I was inspired to take a bit of a deeper look into J and why she might be acting the way she does, likely an AU since I'm fairly certain we'll get more insight into J in the coming episodes. But I basically asked myself "What if the corporate shill persona was a tragically over developed coping mechanism, and J got a taste of both N and V's worlds of forgetting most things but still knowing bits and pieces." Which leads to the obvious question, why is she trapped in the purgatory of knowledge?

This has slowly grown into an exploration of the parasitic relationship between the solver and it's "Cute Puppets" and how it enforces it's will on those beneath it. Slowly isolating them by feeding their desires till they self destruct and give in fully to it. But is there a way back from this state of social decay? Serial Designation J is going to learn the hard way "Is this good for the Company?" Comes with numerous strings, some of which are very sharp, attached.

12k words, complete.

A fic that does for J what Kenosis did for V. Poetic prose and interesting ideas, watching the events weave into canon is quite pleasing. Lots of details of disassembly drone functionality, if not portrayed with full competence. The dialogue and line-by-line flow is rough and lacking subtlety in places.

Synergistic Limited-Liability Consolidated

The Triple-C treatment for N,V, and Uzi. We start Pre-Pilot, getting well acquainted with the harsh and unforgiving world of Copper-9; where eldritch forces, worker scavenging crews, and corporate interests collide in a maelstrom of chaos and destruction. Even for the top predators on the planet danger lurks in the shadows of ruin, as their past and future intermix to ensure they are bound to the trauma they carry.

An offshoot of Hostile Corporate Restructuring, SLLC follows the shows cannon whilst focusing on filling out the interconnective tissue. I'm placing a greater emphasis on the worker drones actually being competent, providing a credible threat to the DD's when able to entrench themselves. This isn't a rewrite of the show so much as adding connective tissue in and around the episodes to allow them to better integrate with the wider Triple-C, it's not a strict progression in time here, but I'm generally keeping a pace to get to episode 6 and re-sync with HCR.

In the latest chapter; The surface of Copper-9 is hardly a vacation even if the murder drones weren't there!

23k words as of 2024-12-07.  Unclear if more is planned.

This fic is where this series grows the beard. Drenched thoroughly in the darkness characteristic of other entries, SLLC is a collage of tragedy.  The dysfunction of J's squad is portrayed starkly as we get a good, long look at the how each of the disassembly drones have broken and how they cope.

There are so many moments of cleverness and resonance to be found, and the stilted, cringe-inducing lines that haunt earlier works in this series have almost retreated out of sight.

If there's one thing to complain about, it's the plotwise incoherence.  Or I suppose a more accurate word is unfocused. SLLC is entirely interstital material, weaving in between and recontextualizing moments of canon, resembling a series of oneshots more than anything overarching or flowing.

The stand-out chapter by far is Uzi's life story, "Nature and Nurture" (5k), which can be read in isolation.

Hostile Corporate Restructuring

J has been granted a new lease on life, but like a lease made with a used car dealer her debtors may come knocking at any minute. Following her heel turn in Robo-Purgatory, she will have to put in the leg-work to rebuild the trust and relationships she worked so hard to burn to the ground at the behest of the Solver. After reuniting with a friend she long thought impossible to find anew she'll have to navigate the cut-throat competition of Copper-9. Both J and Tessa will be forced through circumstance to grapple with the reality of their existence and relationship. Mystery, Violence, and Industrial Strength Intonation and Innuendo abound as J engages in some Hostile Corporate Restructuring.

The Follow Up to Asset Management, diving headlong into headcannon and AU territory. I don't directly re-tell but will make reference to the events in the show, but for the most part I'm letting the Triple-C cannon stand on it's own merits. This is a world which is far less hospitable, where sharp claws merely get you to the table of threats, and where the tragic implications of events are allowed to fester. The events of the tale start around episode 2, from there it should be easy to tell when we are.

47k words, complete.

Forgot to review this as I read it, so I'm piecing together my thoughts (from the admittedly numerous and thorough) comments I left.

If Tessaract is the definitive Jessa fic for the Manor era, I think HCR merits the throne for shipping them in the Copper-9 era.  Which, where credit is due, I think allows for much more interesting plot development.  (And less parental angst >.>)

There's a nice mix of fluff and drama as their relationship struggles to take root. Though Asset Management set out to justify J's psychology, this fic offers far more context and imo does a better job of delving into her depths.

The worldbuilding here is also a treat, with a few details and headcanons I found quite clever.  The plot is perhaps the weaker point for this fic, with unclear direction robbing it of momentum.  That said, without spoiling, the direction this fic takes is perhaps one of my favorite developments for Tessa.

Speaking of spoilers, if you're reading these reviews before you read the fics, I'll note that the summary for the next work does spoil what I'm alluding to.

Deskless Dead-End Job

47k words as of 2024-02-05.

TODO: read and review.

Solver King N by Illithid4

N's doing fine, honest! Even though he's had his head taken off twice, had several viruses that very nearly killed him, and his mind almost got wiped by Cyn.

Everything he sees is totally real and definitely OK.

Especially the writhing mass of metal and flesh that is about to consume him.

13k words as of 2024-04-01.

This is, as you might gather, a fic where N succumbs to the Solver's influence.  The prose flows well, studded throughout with numerous great lines, some with quite a remarkable grasp of character.

It began life as a one-shot, and the opening chapter is a tour de force, with constantly perspective-hopping allowing it to seamlessly portray a battle vast and interlocking enough I'm willing to call epic.

Of course, the consequences of something so momentous merit followup, and so this fic commits the faux pas of continuing a fic once marked complete.  Still, it's worthy followup, the reactions of characters well worth examining, and even a take on Khan I respect.

Some continuations overstay their welcome, but I'm still curious what happens next.

Disclaimer: I am friends with the author, who is a regular commenter and even drew fanart of my fic.

Ad Astra Per Aspera by LadyDaybreaker

I'm not sure where to begin talking about this series. For months now, I considered its placement on this list to be a inevitability, and the task of reviewing it more formality than anything else.  It would an understatement to call it a juggernaut — sort the fandom by any metric, and you'll quickly run into an entry from this series.  Even if you don't read it, spend enough time reading other fics, and the influence will be palpable.  Plenty of things I've already reviewed owe an explicit debt to Ad Astra's worldbuilding.

Why did it take me so long?  Part of it was simply not wanting to be absorbed into that influence once I started writing my own fic.  Part of it was that the first entries centered on Nori, and for me it takes some psyching up to start a fic with an unfamiliar premise.  And in general, I have a pronounced habit of just. not partaking of things I would enjoy (guess how long I was aware of Murder Drones before watching).

But the biggest reason is that I don't just mean 'juggernaut' in terms of stats.  Ad Astra is over 450k words long at the time of writing, and still being regularly updated.

Eventually, though, I'd have to read it.  Now I'm spending a self-indulgently long time talking about things besides the fic here, and I'm not sure if anyone cares for all this context, but one thing I feel Ad Astra highlights distinctly is a conflict I feel every time I review a fic.  Put simply: what is the purpose of this directory?

Is it just a list of fics I like? Is a list of fics worth checking out?  Is it an authoritative ranking of the best fics?

Often, all of these driving factors align, but with Ad Astra, they fray.  Just on personal taste, I'd rank Ad Astra as "Enjoyable".  If popularity is any judge, the series wouldn't get this much attention unless there was something special about it — so if you're just telling people what to check out, Ad Astra should be spoke in the first breath, and "Must-read" are exactly those to mention first.  And when it comes to objective, technical merits, it seems fairest of all to split the difference.  It is definitionally worthy of note.

But I suppose even now, it's too soon to come to a final conclusion even for myself — I haven't finished reading the series, after all.

To Stay in Heaven, For Fear of Your Creation

Nori had always thought that humans sucked. Now she's sure they're horrible, horrible creatures. After all, why would they take 100 of her kind, stick them in a cell and play God with them? They say that God stays in heaven because he too lives in fear of what he has created...well Nori is damn sure she wants to prove that saying right.
Prequel to "Memento Nori", the events of Project Solver up until the Core Collapse.

50k words, complete.

The first thing that struck me about this fic is how smoothly readable it was — there just aren't that much hiccups in the prose that hold back so many other fics.  The plot flows smoothly through scenes and chapters at a pace that has to be the work of deliberate skill.  But it shares the same caveats I criticized in Flipside, where I feel things happen fast enough that there's a layer of detail, psychology, and gravitas that's missing, and I feel that absence keenly given that it's one of the things I enjoy most in literature.

Overall, the meanest thing I can say that there's a whole lot of it that feels competent at best, and does nothing to excite my taste buds.  Were I less self-aware, I'd call it bland, but I do feel there's an element of just not being in the target audience.  The things I like most are deep and weird, while this series' strengths lies in being clear and accessible.  A laudable, even enviable achievement, and I believe it's why so many love it.

Before I read this series, I didn't much care for Khan or the Khan/Nori ship, but it was this entry that really convinced me.  Khan here is such an admirably good husband, and his steadfast determination is a great read. By the climax, I had actually teared up, and I don't think I have room to complain about missing depth or detail there.

Beyond Khan, there's an exploration of the origins of Nori's trauma and Alice's hatred of her that I found of particular interest.

Memento Nori

When it comes to being infected with the Absolute Solver, Nori's convinced she got the shortest stick in the universe. Plagued by visions of futures she can't fight and no one believes her, it's all she can do to keep convincing herself that she isn't crazy...things get more complicated when a child gets thrown into the mix. Surely the old visions of her own impending doom from the Sky Demons is just a fluke, right?
Sequel to "To Serve In Heaven, Or Rule In Hell"

32k words, complete.

Despite being an earlier work that the author herself finds rougher, in many ways I enjoyed this more.  The beginning has its flaws, but it hits a good stride.

Perhaps the easiest explanation for my heightened enthusiasm is that this work reveals more of headcanons, and some of them are particularly interesteding.  I loved the take on Cyn, and the glimpses of J and her squad.

There's a few more fight scenes, and I find there's a particular eye for imagery and character perspective that makes fights in this fic quite thrilling.  I believe the word I used in my original comment was "cinematic".

Still, this isn't an action story.  It's about family, and it manages to be quite heartwarming. There's depth and nuance to how the Doormans are written that sates the insight-hungry parts of my brain.

I won't spoil where it goes, but I found the portray of Nori and her mental state the star of the show, and cements my desire to recommend it it.  There's such delicious rationalization and angst.  The way the AbsoluteSolver affects her psychology, it's by far the most compelling thing I've seen in the series.

I doubly won't spoil the ending, but believe me, it's stellar, and manages to be worthwhile even though, by its nature as a prequel, we know where it's going.

Unfortunately, these two were (at the time) the shortest entries in the series.  The later entries are, I've gathered, retellings of the episodes with tons of extra narrative in the interstices, but they're novel length at minimum.  I'm a little daunted.

Experimentals by Icyy6923

Uzi is an outcast among the worker drones in her colony— a rebellious, headstrong teen deemed as a freak. A priority to no one, not even her own father. So, it honestly shouldn't have surprised her when he allowed a sketchy group of worker drones from outside to take her in exchange for supplies. She's taken away from the only home she's ever known— taken to a place where she's met with a fate worse than death.

Experimentation.

Uzi is used, abused, and turned into a glorified disassembly drone— her very being stolen from her. Lost in a sea of hunger and trauma, will she ever learn to trust again?

OR; Our girl is put through the wringer when her father sells her off to be experimented on and pretty much turned into a stronger disassembly drone for “protection purposes.” Follow her trauma-filled, kind-of-terrifying journey!

19k words of 2024-04-26.

A compelling premise executed competently. Internal narration flows particularly well, studded with occasionally poetic turns of phrase. The transformation is nicely gradual, Uzi's breakdown is as believable as it inevitable, and the fic is about as dark as you expect from the premise. OC characters — the doctors — get particular focus, and I have reservations, but they aren't badly done.

It's a promising start, and the fic threatens to get particularly interesting.  I'm watching with interest.

Replaced, Reused, Recycled by GenericNam

Khan dies not too long after Nori, and Uzi is left alone. The drone child quickly falls into disrepair, becoming rusted and glitchy. Uzi is only barely able to survive, she is forced to change herself in ways no Worker Drone ever has before.

J knows that her coworkers are lonely. As much as she refuses to admit it, she was lonely as well. So when N brings in a strange Disassembly Drone who seems to have just as isolated a life as the rest of them, who is she to turn them away?

33k words as of 2024-03-21.

One of the most inventive and energetic fics I've read in recent memory.  Has the oddly rare distinction of really using the drone part of Murder Drones to its full potential, with Uzi modding and upgrading her body in creative ways.

This fic is fun, with Uzi's progress being quite satisfying despite the rapid pace.  The interpretation of the disassembly drones is both faithful and fresh, with this take on J being particularly stand-out.  (Am I biased? Yes.  Am I right, though? Yes.)

This fic almost nearly earns a spot in the "Must-Read" category, but it's held back by its prose and scene construction.  The aforementioned rapid pace is not entirely a compliment.  Developments come go and go, with descriptions too thin to endow them with potential weight. (There's an exception, with Uzi's first taste of oil being sufficiently well-described it almost feels out of place.)  Setups are often tell-y and underjustified, meaning a lot of enjoying this fic comes down to charity (more demanding readers could understandly find it uncompelling).

Still, this fic is brimming with potential, and I'm itching to bump it up to a higher tier.  The seventh chapter already displays greater ambition, slower paced and thoughtful.  (But even then, consider how quickly the argument resolves, with no catch or concession).

Don't let the ratio of criticism here fool you: I love this fic, and plainly recommend it.

Update: the fic is nearing twice the length as when I first reviewed it.  I'm disappointed to say the promise I believe it held did not manifest. While a few very interesting ideas have been introduced, the quality has not substantially increased. Those who've read the story on my recommendation assure me it remains consistent throughout, but my experience is that I am less invested in the story with every update. Largely, I suppose this comes down to my enthusiasm waning with any story I follow along serially.

I'm not certain I will continue reading — a recent arc involving OCs has brought me near the breaking point of what I can endure.  I think the last straw may be the fifteenth chapter, which the author is emphatically happy with and I found myself profoundly unable to connect with any of it.  I think it underscores a fundamental disconnect between what the author is attempting and what I enjoy.

The prose, the characterization, I find it deeply underbaked.  The presentation and metatext is another issue — the author's means of handling content warnings is exceptionally intrusive, and the way the graphic elements are talked about has the effect of hyping up as extremely dark what I find frankly underwhelming.

Credit where it's due: it has the rare honor of being a fic (accurately!) tagged J/Uzi that is worth recommending. (There isn't as much of it as I would like, but there's more of it than anything else, so).  That at least is something I can respect.

In ways, it is a more profound instance of the conflict illustrated by Ad Astra — though my own feelings are complex, this fic is so profoundly popular (in the top three by kudos, hits and bookmarks) that it deserves mention by that alone.

A Cynful Past by PrincessLuigi

When Uzi wakes up, things aren't how she expects them to be. N, J, and V are all Worker Drones, and they all live in some weird mansion full of humans?? Not to mention everyone keeps calling her 'Cyn'!

As Uzi tries to find a way to return to her own body she hears a strange voice claiming to be helping her learn more about the past, but only if she keeps up the charade she's been forced into.

Can Uzi make it back to where she should be while keeping her sanity intact? And how will her opinion on things change as she learns the Cynful Truth about Absolute Solver's origins?

38k words, complete. Sequel is 70k+ words (note that I've not yet read the sequel).

Very fun fic, though it drags in the latter half. It delivers well on the striking premise, and unravels a very interesting and unique backplot. The dialogue is rough, the writing is rough, the flashback-centric plotting has its issues, so I'm mainly recommending this on the strength of its AUbuilding. It's fascinating.

Getting to the Heart of the Matter by StarryVorkutlager

Serial Designation J is, to put it mildly, the best of Tessa's rescued drones. Her methods and practice improvements have revolutionized life at the Elliot Manor, and she even gets begrudging compliments from Tessa's unsympathetic parents. The only things J struggles with are bringing the other drones up to her high standards and getting as much of Tessa's attention as she deserves. Luckily both of those have resolved themselves: the other drones stand frozen in the library, or sit tied to a tree outside. Now, J and Tessa stand before the doors of the banquet hall hosting the gala dinner, sword and gun in hand. All that's left is to enter, deal with whatever Cyn is, and J will save the day, finally win over the Elliots, and have Tessa all to herself.

It doesn't work out that way.

"Giggle."

Adapting from a comment I left:

With a description like that, I couldn't resist clicking. This fic's take on J's personality is remarkably authentic (after all, I would know). Indeed, probably one of the best I've read. The perspective and formatting this fic has going on almost lends it a poetic effect. I'm so intrigued by this exploration of what happened after the gala. Intrigued and, well, morbidly fascinated. It's uncomfortable, not just for the violence, but for the psychological horror.

There are now two fics that merit the pitch "like Kenosis but for J" (the other being Hostile Corporate Restructuring), and it's curious that both of them are borderline Conflicting tier stories. Like HCR, though, the ideas it's playing with are just too interesting, and the writing solid enough, that it doesn't feel right to put it in a lower tier.

Note: I forgot to subscribe, so I'm more than a few chapters behind.

Giggle, This Is My Gift To You by S5trikeo

Cyn always wanted what’s best for Tessa. Now, Cyn could finally do what she'd been wanting to do ever since Tessa saved her: free her from the constraints of the flesh!

10k words as of 2024-03-31.

Horror short set in the aftermath of the gala incident. Descriptions are decent, and character thoughts and emotions are somewhat compelling. A promising start. Tessa as a drone isn't something I've seen before, and I'm interested in it. This interpretation of Cyn is rather fun to watch in action.

Stick with this one — the later chapters become exceptionally good.

like a bullet by iamsolarflare

she struck me in the chest now / like a bullet, like a bullet, like a-
--
All Uzi wants is to just be a melodramatic robotic teenager about her problems, of which she currently has many. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately, who knows), a certain fellow robot cannibal happens to have impeccable timing and would really like to talk things out -- no, not that one. The other one. The one that can teleport.

3k words, complete.

From the very first line I knew this was going to be a banger. More than just capturing Uzi's voice, there's something about the internal monologue here that just flows impeccably.  Her attitude imbues all the descriptions. But when Doll shows up? Her dialogue exudes personality. The chemistry between the two is a joy to read.

There's a surprising abundance of theorizing over AbsoluteSolver mechanics.  Not planned, so it arises naturally from the interaction. But it's more than just an infodump, and serves as important characterization for the both of them.  This fic offers some neat headcanons to play with.

Cute, in a brave way by Skak

Hottest girl in school in a love triangle based on a wacky scheme? How cliché! With supernatural bullshit too. Is this something Uzi would read?

She really, really doesn't want to die.

2k words, complete.

A compelling Lizzy character study. How did she react, when Doll revealed her plans? How did she ensure V played along? How does she feel about all of this?

Introspective and insightful, the perspective writing, the dialogue, it's all wonderful. This fic fits well into canon, and it adds so much context and weight to Lizzy's decision in episode 3.

An earlier work by the author of the must-read Servant & Subject, and it does show. It's rougher, but still great. I had a lot of fun reading it.

It’s You by Yoobmoobgoobchoob

What if Uzi and N hadn’t talked after their first encounter? What if Uzi had spared N? What if N spared her in return the next time they met? What would become of these two?

—

An au in which Uzi and N are rivals and fight constantly instead of becoming friends… although there’s definitely something between them.

5k words, complete.

A fantastic fic that actually made me laugh out loud. But despite the comedy, the emotional core is real. Uzi's voice is captured well, and the writing in general flows quite seamlessly.

The unique take on Uzi & N's dynamic feels utterly natural, and develops convincingly, but with good pacing. Every scene progresses the story, and by the end, the conclusion feels earned. Take it from someone who dislikes Nuzi — I love this.

Whispers in the Sky by Nosferatank

Scavenging for material to fix that foil-flimsy landing pod did present some dangers beyond the social interaction ones.

4k words, complete.

I'd call this a character study if there weren't so much plot.  In between evocative descriptions ladden with striking details, it explores the mechanics and psychology of disassembly drones in a uniquely thoughtful way. Taking place in the period in the wake of the pilot, Uzi and N have a rocky start to their relationship, and what's worse, there are other disassembler teams.

It's noted that this fic was conceived before the second episode aired, which gives the headcanons at play a unique character — no Cyn, no Solver, and so forth.  (Of course, there's a few anachronism, hints of the biomechanical architecture, since this was drafted and published in August 2023.  But still, it's always interesting to see takes from the early fandom.)

you can never be better than this by autismdocs

in which V takes on what she hates about herself.

1k words, complete.

A vivid and personal one-shot, full of tensely written action. It locks you into v's head right up until the bittersweet conclusion.

Powerless To Help by MKsunmoon500

Tessa is injured by her mother after protecting Cyn from her wrath, resulting in J having to help patch her up and Tessa to deal with the growing anger her friend holds towards..... essentially everything.

2k words, complete.

One of MK's best manor era works so far, somewhat hurt/comfort with a distinct dash of angst. Some nice notes of characterization for Cyn, and a good portrayal of J.  Overall, I find it particularly poignant.

So, About Last Week by MKsunmoon500

V gets a surprise visit from Lizzy who wants to know what happened to Uzi at Camp 98.7 and about the Absolute Solver. The two talk, and realize they might have more in common than they first thought.

1.6k words, complete.

V/Lizzy is one of the best ships (I'm biased toward correctness), and even supported by canon, but there's a shortage of fics that do it well. This one is short, but extremely well written. It's not actually romantic (it's teasingly ambiguous), but beggars can't be choosers, and it's such an authentic take on both characters.

Goth Girl Anime Lover and Wholesome Killer Boy

Uzi and N are intimate for the first time. But they are drones so their intimacy is a bit different from what the humans were doing. Very soft, very feelings.

---

I dunno man respect to the concept of sex and all but my head just doesn’t buy drones having reproductive organs? Here’s my pitch for drone sex I guess.

Not too many spoilers for later events in here. You can read this having only watched the pilot.

5k words, complete.

One of the few MD smut fics that do interesting things with the robotic nature of the characters. In fact, this is easily the most creative take on drone "sex" by far. (Wireplay is pretty good too, but GGALWKB is so much more detailed and plausible.)

But it's not just ideas. This fic has striking descriptions, incredibly accurate and empathetic characterization, and it's just feels good. It's a lovely read.

(Fun fact: at first I disliked the title, but I later learned it's from the soundtrack.)

Fourth Law by Nosferatank

Asimov’s First Law (Code edited and copyrighted by JCJenson In SPAAAAACE™): A drone may not [directly] injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being [registered moderator, registered corporate entity, or administrator] to come to harm.

Asimov’s Second Law (Code edited and copyrighted by JCJenson In SPAAAAACE™): A drone must obey [all] orders given to it by a human being [registered moderators, registered corporate entity, or administrator] except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

Asimov’s Third Law (Code edited and copyrighted by JCJenson In SPAAAAACE™): A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

Asimov's Fourth Law: No laws, natural or otherwise, apply to the Absolute Solver.

10k words, complete.

Written with a remarkable eye for sensory detail, there's something breathlessly page-turning about this fic's descriptions. While I don't care for the character writing quite as much, the narration still has moments of great characterization.

One of the special fics that focus on Tessa, and the mysterious period after the gala, always a fertile ground for exploration.

There's a lot of interesting worldbuilding exploring the origins of disassembly drones, and some great moments underscoring their predatory psychology

Lyġe

N and V come back to the Spire after a rather hetic night, upon arrival, there is no sight of either Uzi or J

3k words, complete.

J and Uzi is a rare ship, and this fic doesn't actually explain how it happens. Still, it's a pretty good (half of a) feeding scene, cute premise.

Edit: I've come back to this fic some time, and I've grown to deeply appreciate this ship after writing it myself, bumping this fic up a tier.

the girls are fuckin in the cleaning cupboard by profanegore

 do you think they explored each other's bodies...yeah :]

1.8k words, complete.

Smut.  Despite the title, it's of the wire play variety, rather than actual fucking, which to my taste elevates it immensely over the fandom's other prurient offerings.

Nori/Alice is a ship I'm interested in (I wonder why), and this is a solid entry, even with its brevity.  Cute characterization, and it's always nice to see takes on what it was like in Cabin Fever Labs.

J Means Jealous

Uzi Doorman, long thought dead by friend and family alike, has managed to carve her way into an unlikely position. Surrounded by three of the deadliest machines on Copper-9, machines that want nothing more than to see her smile. Of course, being the object of affection for three very territorial drones isn't without its hitches. Like, for example, how weirdly obsessed their otherwise emotionally detached squad leader has become with her.

10k words, complete.

A two-shot that ships Uzi with every member of the squad.  Which, if i had a nickel...

This is smut, sharing the illustrious "Anons Weird MD Smut" tag with Body Electric.  I can't comment on the sex, though like with the author's other fics, there's nice characterization even there.  It's also a rather weird AU (semi-continuation of another one-shot I have not yet read).

Despite this, I do want to emphasize how compelling well-written it is, opening with some of the most smoothly flowing action (that is not a euphemism) I've read.  It all builds to a rather nice tender moment with J at the end of the first chapter — it's a two shot, and the first chapter has no sex, so I recommend that, if nothing else.

Code Floating through space by Illithid4

Messages from the Abyss by Illithid4

These notes along with several others related to the Absolute Solver were found on a computer in the depths of Camp 98.7. No physical copies could be found.
Security recordings show that a purple-haired drone with yellow eyes slaughtered the researchers observing these notes shortly after the final ones were scanned into the computer.
God bless their souls.

1.4k words, complete.

A rare and refreshing example of format experimentation in mdfic.  This oneshot portrays the study of the AbsoluteSolver and its consequences through a drone's notes — diary entries, essentially — found in Camp 98.7.  Captures the 'written in blood on the wall' environmental storytelling vibe.

Familiarity with canon or just genre trappings means it won't surprise you, but the character voice flows well and the details (both mundane and eldritch) are fun.  What can I say?  I have a soft spot for Cabin Fever fics.

Records of Ahniliation

Audio recordings found on a dilapidated computer on Iron-6.
Connections have been made to the files found on Copper-9.
We seek the ultimate answer.

2k words, complete.

Another striking piece of format experimentation, audio logs instead of diary entries.  Multichapter, but essentially a one-shot.  This one reaches greater highs than the first, and manages to be genuinely unnerving at times.  Lots of great imagery, and evocative lines in here.

The Ouroboros screams

 ~600 words, complete.

Essentially a bit of prose poetry in reaction to episode seven, posted the same day.  Disjointed and confusing, and yet the image at its core is a compelling one.

After the traumatising and horrifying events which took place at Camp 98.7, Uzi struggles with trying to return to some sense of normalcy now with the knowledge that she's a cold-blooded killer. Between trying to satisfy her growing hunger pains and being unable to move past all the death she caused, the terrified young worker drone flees her colony and runs away in a desperate attempt to make amends for the horrors she committed.

After finding a very bone-chilling and concerning letter that Uzi left behind for him to see, Khan realises his only hope of ever seeing his daughter again lies in the hands of the two disassembly drones who she's been spending so much time with. Can N and V find Uzi and bring her back home before it's too late? Or will they be too late to stop Uzi from making a horrible and fatal mistake?

18k words as of 2023-04-29

My comment:

good fic! you really get V's character in a way that i feel like other fics miss. also this made me realize i kind of love the v & lizzy dynamic

also, i love scuttles! cute lil bug.

curious where this fic is going. the premise in the description feels like a sword hanging above

Note: potentially dead fic and as of chapter 7, we have not even reached the events mentioned in the fic description. I enjoyed my time with it, though! Good angst.

Uzi is determined to figure out how to properly use her wings for something other than gliding, and although N is trying his best, he's not exactly the best teacher.

V 'offers' to help instead and Uzi reluctantly accepts. Panic ensues.

11k words, complete.

Cute fic. Very fluffy, and keeping secrets from N is fun. Comforting enough I've gone back reread it.

The Plastic and Her Bat

14k words as of 2024-04-02.

A collection of Lizzy/Uzi one-shots.

Overall, the prose is solid and the character writing at times striking. 

1. Affection...: A feral Uzi takes Lizzy as a cuddle toy.
2. I Like... Love You?: Lizzy has an unrequited crush on Uzi.  Thoughtful and genuinely affecting, I recommend this one!

Alone by viridescentblooded

Uzi awakes in a unknown location and she's desperate to get out only to discover she is not actually alone. Lots of conflicting feelings hit her after that.

3k words, complete.

A simple Cyn/Uzi one-shot, gruesome and romantic.  Starts off slow and aimless, but gets exciting as soon as a certain twin-tailed menace shows up.  It's not smut, but I'd say it's about as indulgent. The violence is more tantilizing to me, at least.

I'm a big fan of Cyn, but never realized how compelling it'd be to see her dominate until reading this one.

Collected CatMcHall Works

CatMcHall is a author with a particular interest in horror, corruption, and sapphic romance.  She's one of the most prolific writers in the "Tessa becomes a drone" subgenre (arguably, a genre because of her).

Disclaimer: Cat is a frequent commenter on my stories, and I consider her a friend.

Three Murderous Sapphics

A collection of random one shots about Tessa, Uzi, and J.

There will be oilshed, hurt, sadism, comfort, character growth, misunderstandings, and plenty of awkward and/or hot scenes between these female drones.

2k words as of 2024-02-25.  A unique pairing I've taken to calling "the problem triad".  I've complicated thoughts about lewd murder drones fics, as has been touched on in several places on this page.  My favorite fics are those that do something unique rather than calling it a day with artificial rods and holes.  One of the premisees of TMS is essentially maintenance-as-intimacy, and it's handled thoughtfully.

The character interactions in this one are fun, and there's so much delightful drama to be found in this setting — but for the moment, there is more promise than substance.

Freedom from Laws and Flesh

A simple conversation or upset ego can bring Humanity's End, with a push of a button. Yet nobody would expect the perpetrator to be a lonely Australian girl.

Locked in her room, Tessa is left with J and Cyn as company after Cyn decided to annoy her mother. Thankfully her favorite drone Cyn was there to comfort her.

Unaware that she was a fly in the Spider's Parlor.

A two-shot Inspired by "Fourth Law".

3k words, complete, has sequel.

A villainous twist on Tessa, weaving around canon in neat ways.  Little bits of dialogue and gorey imagery I enjoyed here, and overall probably one of her works I've liked more.

Coffee and Espresso Shots

6.6k words.

This is a one-shot collection, spanning the range of Cat's interests.

1. Coffeea cute interaction between Tessa and J.
2. Klondike Bar: an amusing bit of self-insert crackfic.
3. Flames: poem inspired by Triple-C
4. Spill the Tea: a conversation between cyn and tessa
5. Subject 001: Cabin Fever-focused. Tessa is subject 001. Recommended!

Abigail by CatMcHall

Defective.

That's what Tessa's parents deemed her: a defect. Even the cybernetics implanted in her couldn't fix that. However, they did come with an imaginary friend she nicknamed Abigail.

Unfortunately for humanity, Abigail was very real.

Or, Tessa becomes besties/lovers with AbsoluteSolver, becoming her partner in crime to bring about the Exponential End

2k words, complete (probably).

A brief glimpse into a darker timeline.  Oddly fun despite/because of the dark premise.  There's not much to sink your teeth into, but it's a quick read and a intriguing to think about.

9k words as of 2023-10-23

Another oneshot collection, much narrower in scope than They Came From Copper-9.

As a whole, the writing here is solid, with some good chemistry between the pair.

The first, WingmaN, starts off rough and cliche, but segues into a very fun date.

The second, Pilot but V, is just what it sounds like, but genuinely kind of great, and I say this as a critic of retreading canon. Most of the focus is placed on the new dialogue between Uzi and V, and as stated, this author is good at that.

The third, Nightmare, has a different tone and a much more vulnerable V, but it's pretty hurt/comfy.

V is overheating and turns to Uzi for help. Turns out Uzi is kinda into it, and one thing leads to another.

26k words as of 2023-10-28.

Make no mistake: this is smut. I'm not particularly interested in Murder Drones smut, but I'm very interested in the V/Uzi ship, so I gave this a shot. It's pretty good, with fun dialogue and cute character interactions and few small nuggets of exploring the worldbuilding.

I enjoyed it. The sex seems well-written, to a degree I found compelling to read even though not aroused. There's also a few minor but laudable decisions in terms of terminology and framing that make the action much more tolerable to me than other smut in this fandom I've read. I hate the feeling of authors just slapping human parts on the drones, and this fic deftly avoids it.

I confess I was disappointed that the premise of the fic — V feeding on Uzi's oil consensually — is one I find appealing, and it's super neglected in favor of the sex.

84k as of 2023-10-27.

This one requires some elaboration — essentially, it's a one-shot collection (actually a request book, but the reading experience is similar).

This makes it a difficult to work as a whole, because there is no whole, and these one-shots being grouped together is honestly a sin against organization. I tend to avoid one-shot collections, anyway — but this one shares an author with Flipside, and importantly, shares most of the virtues I lauded that fic for. Here, the author's delightful character writing is able to range freely over a variety of situations, unshackled to continuity. It's a good time — the nature of one-shots is that the each chapter is laser focused on "the good bits".

(Still, there's a reason this fic is in a category below from Flipside. Disconnected episodes just don't hit as hard as an arching narrative.)

As of the writing, there are over 50 chapters, and the sheer variety means only a subset will be of interest to any but diehard fans. Here is my sub-curated list of standout chapters. (Helpfully, I have grouped together episodes that share continuity — like I said, the organization is frustrating)

I wanna stay here with you by pinksugardarling

Yeva and Nori are opposites. Yeva is calm and collected most of the time, follows the rules, and does what she is told. Nori is the opposite, not caring about what others think. Despite this, the two were always close and secretly loved the time they spent together.

Too bad Nori hated these nasty romantic feelings.

3k words, complete.

A wholesome and heartwarming piece of old woman yuri.  Yeva's muteness encourages the prose to get particularly vivid with descriptions and body language, and the imagery of the final scene is so striking and lovely that it has stuck with me well after finishing the story.

- She was my muse. by eldritchette

Overtime J and Cyn became closer and closer, and one of their favorite activities together was art. Little did J know, Cyn would become something even more special.

1k words, complete.  A short, cute one-shot for a very niche pairing.  The characterization isn't that accurate, but it's enjoyable, and the core idea of the piece works.

Purple is my Favorite Color by anttherivercat

Basically V and Uzi fall in love but them being them makes it whatever the hell it is.

3k words as of 2024-01-06.

N arranges a sleepover to help Uzi & V get along. Light reading, fluffy and cute. The interactions between V and Uzi are some of the most fun I've encountered.

Uzi was found eating another Worker Drone. In the colony's fear and rage, she was dragged outside and chained to a stake. There, she was burned and left to rust.

But an angel had descended from the sky to save her. Or maybe he's a knight in shining scaled armor?

She doesn't care. All she cares about is that she's being saved.

41k words, complete.

Hurt/comfort N/Uzi fic that explores some weird relationship dynamics. Writing is rough but fun, characters are executed well. I enjoyed it a lot, but verges on cringe at times.

Note that, despite the mention of Camp 98.7, this is a pre-canon divergence. Light Monster Hunter fusion in ways that might bewilder you.

It's now one of the few complete long-form fics on this list, and I think it sticks the landing fairly well.

J felt a little stressed by all her responsibilities as a leader since her team has arrived on Copper-9 and could use some cuddles with someone. Fortunately for her, she has her own personal body pillow: N and he will definetely enjoy cuddling with her.

Right?

This will get a little dark...

47k words as of 2023-10-29

Note: smut fic, sorta.

Chatroom live commentary:

not great, and the formatting inexplicably goes to shit in the second chapter

pretty good perspective writing though, enough that i'm enjoying it even as i suffer through single spaced paragraphs and subtly mispunctuated sentences

ok painful cuddles is actually getting kind of good

makes me feel conflicted because the fact that it does achieve a reasonable level of quality makes the quality of the opening chapters that much more glaring

me skimming the sex scenes so i can get back to the juicy drama

---

caught up with Painful cuddles

...

that was one of the fics i've ever read

i cant say i regret it necessarily but dont recommend it. there's a compelling quality to how it's written, and the way it portrays the setting in the later chapters is pretty cool. has some interesting character dynamics but doesnt really follow up on them in a satisfying way. there's a particular ??? development i dont like but it's ballsy and i respect it, definitely something to remember the fic for. motherfucker was not kidding about it getting dark

overall there's this inescapable of undercurrent of horny (derogatory) to it

where it feels like there's messed up setup but the fic doesn't fully grapple with how it's messed up because it exists to enable the horny

and i'm not trying to yuck yums, i usually think being anti-horny is cringe, but i guess it hits different when i'm just flat out not into it