Happy Doomsday.
Title: A Crown of Stars
Story & Illustrations by: irisbleufic & linnpuzzle
Pairing: Ensemble cast; Aziraphale/Crowley, Anathema/Newt, and many others.
Rating: R, for violence as much as for romance.
Warnings: Character deaths. Yes, deaths multiple.
Notes: This story began as a drabble request from miyukis_4, who asked me for something involving Aziraphale/Crowley that ran more to Gaiman's dark style of storytelling. Around that time, I'd just finished reading American Gods, and it turned my thoughts to the Apocalyptic portion of Good Omens. Once I'd finished the first draft, I sent it to linnpuzzle intending the gesture as an offer of casual beta, and the response wasn't so much a beta as, "I want to illustrate this." What could I say to that? There were originally meant to be more than three illustrations for this main part, but the ones that Linn completed were exhausting, and there was a fourth that she wanted to do based on my description of the aftermath, which resulted in a written epilogue. We'll be posting this epilogue and the accompanying picture a day or so after this, as the reality of battle is that you don't know what happens till the smoke clears. Any botching involving the Book of Revelations is entirely my fault, and I'd also like to comment briefly on the structure. Because it covers more than twenty years of time and maneuvers such a large cast, I wrote it in 33 snapshot-like segments. I struggled to maintain clarity and continuity, and again, any faults are solely mine. All credit goes to Neil and Terry for the book excerpt I'm using to open the story. Cross-posted to lower_tadfield and dream_trade.
Summary: 'I think they're pretending it didn't happen.'
'Mine too, I suppose. That's bureaucracy for you.'
'And I think mine are waiting to see what happens next,' said Aziraphale.
Crowley nodded. 'A breathing space,' he said. 'A chance to morally re-arm. Get the defences up. Ready for the big one.'
They stood by the pond, watching the ducks scrabble for the bread.
'Sorry?' said Aziraphale. 'I thought that was the big one.'
'I'm not sure,' said Crowley. 'Think about it. For my money, the really big one will be all of Us against all of Them.'
('What? You mean Heaven and Hell against humanity?')
Story & Illustrations by: irisbleufic & linnpuzzle
Pairing: Ensemble cast; Aziraphale/Crowley, Anathema/Newt, and many others.
Rating: R, for violence as much as for romance.
Warnings: Character deaths. Yes, deaths multiple.
Notes: This story began as a drabble request from miyukis_4, who asked me for something involving Aziraphale/Crowley that ran more to Gaiman's dark style of storytelling. Around that time, I'd just finished reading American Gods, and it turned my thoughts to the Apocalyptic portion of Good Omens. Once I'd finished the first draft, I sent it to linnpuzzle intending the gesture as an offer of casual beta, and the response wasn't so much a beta as, "I want to illustrate this." What could I say to that? There were originally meant to be more than three illustrations for this main part, but the ones that Linn completed were exhausting, and there was a fourth that she wanted to do based on my description of the aftermath, which resulted in a written epilogue. We'll be posting this epilogue and the accompanying picture a day or so after this, as the reality of battle is that you don't know what happens till the smoke clears. Any botching involving the Book of Revelations is entirely my fault, and I'd also like to comment briefly on the structure. Because it covers more than twenty years of time and maneuvers such a large cast, I wrote it in 33 snapshot-like segments. I struggled to maintain clarity and continuity, and again, any faults are solely mine. All credit goes to Neil and Terry for the book excerpt I'm using to open the story. Cross-posted to lower_tadfield and dream_trade.
Summary: 'I think they're pretending it didn't happen.'
'Mine too, I suppose. That's bureaucracy for you.'
'And I think mine are waiting to see what happens next,' said Aziraphale.
Crowley nodded. 'A breathing space,' he said. 'A chance to morally re-arm. Get the defences up. Ready for the big one.'
They stood by the pond, watching the ducks scrabble for the bread.
'Sorry?' said Aziraphale. 'I thought that was the big one.'
'I'm not sure,' said Crowley. 'Think about it. For my money, the really big one will be all of Us against all of Them.'
('What? You mean Heaven and Hell against humanity?')