20 years of X-Project - Marlena
May. 17th, 2023 08:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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x_projectMarlena joined in 2009 with Megan Gwynn, aka Pixie. She "rebooted" Pixie for the Phase 2 relaunch. She also one of our artists, contributing buttons and plot posters.
1) What brought you to X-Project?
A friend! Fondness for the X-men 90's cartoon and early 00's movies.
2) What keeps you in X-Project?
XP peeps have been a continual source of support to me through my life, from dealing with stressful events in my life to encouraging my writing and art. They are the best!
3) What's a moment that has really stuck with you that you wrote?
Lately I was thinking about the time Pixie went evil in P1 (alternate reality). The alternate realities are great fun.
Tightening her lips into a straight line, she walked forward and dropped the bag into Belasco's waiting hand. It lay there, tiny in the giant, leathery palm.
"You get what you ask for," she said, something flickering in her own eyes.
"Indeed I do." Belasco's hand closed over the bag. "As do you you, witchling." He nodded at someone behind Amanda and too late she began to turn.
There was a quick blur of motion behind Amanda's left shoulder. A dagger, its blade faintly glowing, appeared. Then it was plunging through the witch's chest. Although it was incredibly sharp and possessed of magicks, Pixie still had to push it forcefully through her chest cavity. Blood welled up in the point of entry immediately and still further it went, twisting muscle and cartilage. Pixie's wings buzzed with effort and her hands grew slick with the spurting blood as she drove the dagger home. She was also screaming, which she hadn't realized she'd been doing until she ran out of breath. Then it was done, and she wrenched the blade free again.
The physical injury was bad enough, but worse was the impact of the soul blade on Amanda's magic. All the stored mystical energy in her system went haywire, exploding outwards from the bloody wound in a lightshow of multi-coloured beams, neon, traffic lights, street lights, airport warning lights: the sound of traffic and construction and millions of pairs of feet on the pavements of New York; sewerage, hot dogs, exhaust fumes, subway stench, body odour, Central Park... every sensory experience was reflected in the energy bursting from the small blonde woman who was dropping to her knees at Pixie's feet. Blood leaked from between her fingers, clamped over the injury.
Belasco smiled thinly and tightened his hand over the small bag. With a small "pop", the stored up magical energy inside was released as he crushed the contents.
"I knew you would attempt to cheat me, witchling. And your attempt to assassinate me with the contents of this bag has failed." He gestured to Pixie, indicating she should come perch on the arm of his throne. "And as you see, I have no need for the bloodstones. I have a new protegee now."
Pixie nodded and moved toward the throne. Suddenly everything was moving very slowly, but her heart and her thoughts were racing. She stepped over the pool of blood and it seemed like it took a year to find passage to the other side, over tiny cracks and bumps in the floor. In the meantime, she was forced to relive old Pixie’s life — her entire life, every moment, but sped up. Some parts of it didn’t make any sense, like in the beginning—when her mum was going away—but that wasn’t her mum. Some of it was painful, like watching old Pixie’s powers manifest for the first time. Some of it was boring, like the parts about school. But she felt mostly numb. It was all necessary, of course, to bring her to this present point in time.
A drop of blood slid down the Soul Dagger and fell to the floor. Suddenly she was catapulting forward in time. She felt like she was falling, and instinctively fluttered her wings to correct her balance. She landed on the arm of the massive throne in a graceful movement despite her unfocused state. “Yes. It was known all along. This was meant to be."
(Full log here)
4) What's a moment that has really stuck with you that someone else wrote?
Recently I re-watched the Doctor Strange movie and then watched Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. I really enjoyed the younger Stephen Strange played by AJ, I hope he comes back. I think about X-Project and its players all the time!
Ancient One had asked for a brief word with the young Stephen Strange. "I have a question for you Mr. Strange, if you don't mind me going a little personal."
"Well, we just spilled blood, fought the forces of dark and evil, scored one for the good guys, whatever you wanna call it," the teenager gave the man a grin, adrenaline still coursing through his system, "Ask away."
"With your knowledge now, about Dormammu and his threats to Earth. Would you still have gone in to save Clea and Topaz?" Ancient One asked him casually but was studying the young man's face.
Stephen didn't even have to think about it before he nodded, "Yes. Part of me wants to say that they're my friends, but it's more than that." He turned to face the man, his gaze calm as he caught his eyes. "With the threat Dormammu poses, taking Topaz and Clea would only help him, if he's that dangerous he can't be allowed anywhere near earth, near the people we choose to protect."
"Would your answer still be the same if they were strangers?"
The question caught Stephen by surprise for a moment, the barest pulse of seconds before he shook his head. "No, if they were my friends or not I'd still have come. If someone needs my help I can't do anything less can I? Could you?"
The Ancient One looked towards the window of what should be the skyline of New York but was completely something different. "I've seen many things, perhaps living for as long as I have has changed my perception on many things. Don't change who you are Stephen. There may come a day when it will be needed." The glimmer of a certain artifact caught Ancient Ones eye, "And one day you will need your allies to stand by your side, regardless of the choices you will make."
Stephen twisted his head around, a grin spreading across his face as he smirked at the old man, "Well that goes without saying, they're my friends and friends are meant to be there for you no matter what happens." The boy reached up to run the back of his head, "Well mostly, it's a two-way street, but that's what friendship is."
"I expect great things from you." He said and lead Stephen out of the room, "Shall I lead you back to your friends?"
(Read the whole log here)
5) What is something about X-Project that you really like/enjoy?
I love it when people reach out to me to play. I always feel so included even though I'm absent a lot. Also, It's been fun to see how the game has evolved in comparison to the MCU movies. We come up with some GREAT ideas and writing.
On a side note I've been suffering from carpal tunnel + cubital tunnel lately. I've not been able to enjoy my hobbies including writing. :-/
1) What brought you to X-Project?
A friend! Fondness for the X-men 90's cartoon and early 00's movies.
2) What keeps you in X-Project?
XP peeps have been a continual source of support to me through my life, from dealing with stressful events in my life to encouraging my writing and art. They are the best!
3) What's a moment that has really stuck with you that you wrote?
Lately I was thinking about the time Pixie went evil in P1 (alternate reality). The alternate realities are great fun.
Tightening her lips into a straight line, she walked forward and dropped the bag into Belasco's waiting hand. It lay there, tiny in the giant, leathery palm.
"You get what you ask for," she said, something flickering in her own eyes.
"Indeed I do." Belasco's hand closed over the bag. "As do you you, witchling." He nodded at someone behind Amanda and too late she began to turn.
There was a quick blur of motion behind Amanda's left shoulder. A dagger, its blade faintly glowing, appeared. Then it was plunging through the witch's chest. Although it was incredibly sharp and possessed of magicks, Pixie still had to push it forcefully through her chest cavity. Blood welled up in the point of entry immediately and still further it went, twisting muscle and cartilage. Pixie's wings buzzed with effort and her hands grew slick with the spurting blood as she drove the dagger home. She was also screaming, which she hadn't realized she'd been doing until she ran out of breath. Then it was done, and she wrenched the blade free again.
The physical injury was bad enough, but worse was the impact of the soul blade on Amanda's magic. All the stored mystical energy in her system went haywire, exploding outwards from the bloody wound in a lightshow of multi-coloured beams, neon, traffic lights, street lights, airport warning lights: the sound of traffic and construction and millions of pairs of feet on the pavements of New York; sewerage, hot dogs, exhaust fumes, subway stench, body odour, Central Park... every sensory experience was reflected in the energy bursting from the small blonde woman who was dropping to her knees at Pixie's feet. Blood leaked from between her fingers, clamped over the injury.
Belasco smiled thinly and tightened his hand over the small bag. With a small "pop", the stored up magical energy inside was released as he crushed the contents.
"I knew you would attempt to cheat me, witchling. And your attempt to assassinate me with the contents of this bag has failed." He gestured to Pixie, indicating she should come perch on the arm of his throne. "And as you see, I have no need for the bloodstones. I have a new protegee now."
Pixie nodded and moved toward the throne. Suddenly everything was moving very slowly, but her heart and her thoughts were racing. She stepped over the pool of blood and it seemed like it took a year to find passage to the other side, over tiny cracks and bumps in the floor. In the meantime, she was forced to relive old Pixie’s life — her entire life, every moment, but sped up. Some parts of it didn’t make any sense, like in the beginning—when her mum was going away—but that wasn’t her mum. Some of it was painful, like watching old Pixie’s powers manifest for the first time. Some of it was boring, like the parts about school. But she felt mostly numb. It was all necessary, of course, to bring her to this present point in time.
A drop of blood slid down the Soul Dagger and fell to the floor. Suddenly she was catapulting forward in time. She felt like she was falling, and instinctively fluttered her wings to correct her balance. She landed on the arm of the massive throne in a graceful movement despite her unfocused state. “Yes. It was known all along. This was meant to be."
(Full log here)
4) What's a moment that has really stuck with you that someone else wrote?
Recently I re-watched the Doctor Strange movie and then watched Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. I really enjoyed the younger Stephen Strange played by AJ, I hope he comes back. I think about X-Project and its players all the time!
Ancient One had asked for a brief word with the young Stephen Strange. "I have a question for you Mr. Strange, if you don't mind me going a little personal."
"Well, we just spilled blood, fought the forces of dark and evil, scored one for the good guys, whatever you wanna call it," the teenager gave the man a grin, adrenaline still coursing through his system, "Ask away."
"With your knowledge now, about Dormammu and his threats to Earth. Would you still have gone in to save Clea and Topaz?" Ancient One asked him casually but was studying the young man's face.
Stephen didn't even have to think about it before he nodded, "Yes. Part of me wants to say that they're my friends, but it's more than that." He turned to face the man, his gaze calm as he caught his eyes. "With the threat Dormammu poses, taking Topaz and Clea would only help him, if he's that dangerous he can't be allowed anywhere near earth, near the people we choose to protect."
"Would your answer still be the same if they were strangers?"
The question caught Stephen by surprise for a moment, the barest pulse of seconds before he shook his head. "No, if they were my friends or not I'd still have come. If someone needs my help I can't do anything less can I? Could you?"
The Ancient One looked towards the window of what should be the skyline of New York but was completely something different. "I've seen many things, perhaps living for as long as I have has changed my perception on many things. Don't change who you are Stephen. There may come a day when it will be needed." The glimmer of a certain artifact caught Ancient Ones eye, "And one day you will need your allies to stand by your side, regardless of the choices you will make."
Stephen twisted his head around, a grin spreading across his face as he smirked at the old man, "Well that goes without saying, they're my friends and friends are meant to be there for you no matter what happens." The boy reached up to run the back of his head, "Well mostly, it's a two-way street, but that's what friendship is."
"I expect great things from you." He said and lead Stephen out of the room, "Shall I lead you back to your friends?"
(Read the whole log here)
5) What is something about X-Project that you really like/enjoy?
I love it when people reach out to me to play. I always feel so included even though I'm absent a lot. Also, It's been fun to see how the game has evolved in comparison to the MCU movies. We come up with some GREAT ideas and writing.
On a side note I've been suffering from carpal tunnel + cubital tunnel lately. I've not been able to enjoy my hobbies including writing. :-/
