Not even gonna bother linking it. Everybody read it recently.

I figured while I have Gifts up, I'd go ahead and toss this into the pot too.

Didn't even hesitate a moment. Excellently written and a fascinating introduction to the Missing Pieces. Just hoping we get a sight of the Shifter soon.

Even if we did, how would we know?



(Yea.)

Voting yea.

EDIT: Yes, I like this one. All the perihperal characters are engaging, and the fight scene is smooth and compelling. My favorite part of the piece is the Duchess, and the decidedly otherworldly feeling she gives off. Glad we have this.

First, curse you to a fiery pit for not at least linking the story. That was a basic courtesy you didn't extend those who haven't read it yet (like myself), as well as making the Archival of the story that much harder since it isn't readily available as I check the results.

Second, only one issue I had with grammar:
"There, sitting at a table just the other side,"
I believe you're missing an "on", as in "just on the other side."

As for the story itself, I had a blast reading it. I know you mentioned a while back that it ended up becoming longer than you thought it would be, but it definitely doesn't feel that way. Everything just builds up at a very measured pace and the tension slowly ratchets up as it does, never releasing even at the end when she [air quotes] "gets away." All the subtle references to card playing was just fantastic, too, giving the piece a unified theme that fits in perfectly with the Jakkard setting.

This is the second Allessa Rehn story I've read, and I still haven't read her original story, but I do like the way you write her. She's very engaging.

While a little archaic, I think it is actually still grammatically correct.

Deeply glad you enjoyed it, as well as glad you appreciated the card theme. I try and find something like that for every one of Alessa's stories, so it's vindicating for people to like that.

This definitely gets a "Yea" from me. Easily my favorite Alessa story. I still feel the Vash is playing his hand a little fast and loose, but it doesn't hurt the overall story. And these glimpses we're starting to see of the Chessmasters' games are fantastic.