PLA/Submas Fic: Electric Trains are the Future Chapter 19: Whimiscott-al Adventures

Previous Chapter (18) - Current

Chapter Summary: Elesa and Emmet enjoy breakfast, then the gang discovers the world's first escape room. Chapter Word Count: 5450

THIS WAS POSTED ON AO3 IN APRIL. FUCK. Consider this a warmup for Chapter 20 in a bit.

Elesa has hated waking up in the morning since she was a kid, and even since getting ‘grown up jobs’, she still loathes waking up before 11. It isn’t helped by the fact that all three of her partners are early risers for work, leading various branches of transportation, though Ingo does like to stay in bed late himself when he’s able. So even as the sun peeks into the small house as the morning progresses, Elesa resists the signs of what she should be doing and stays on her little futon.

Surprise Electric Trains Status Update!

No, this is not me saying the next chapter is coming out this week, nor am I ending the story. This chapter is taking awhile - I know that, and I am honestly annoyed about it too. The cause boils down to I have less and less free time compared to when I started the fic!

Since I last posted in April, my work time (40 hours a week) and stream time (8-14 hours a week) have stayed roughly the same, but I have picked up additional projects. Back in April, I was accepted into In Pursuit of Victory, and while I am soooo glad I was in that, I wrote two chapters worth of fic for it, which put Chapter 20 on hold (Together, those were just shy of 8000 words, which is about 90% of what I expect Chapter 20 to be). And after I finished work on it, I was pretty burnt out with writing. I also took 2 vacations since then (a family vacation in July, which was when I finished my second zine piece, and one in September to visit my girlfriend), where very little work got done. I've also been posting my stream VODs to Youtube for the first time, so I spend a lot of time after work or on days off editing and rendering videos, making thumbnails, and recording outros. I also have several D&D games going on, so there are several nights where I just... Can't do anything else. I have also started about 6 WIPs in that time, some ranging from a single paragraph, and others being several pages long.

I plan to get Chapter 20 out by Thanksgiving (Nov. 28th), and will endeavor to have Chapter 21 (hopefully shorter) out by the 2 year anniversary for the fic (Dec. 23rd). I also have a few companion posts to put up for the fic, mostly Elio's Team and I believe Akari's Team. This fic isn't dead, I promise you! I'm just very worn out and taking it slower than I'd like.

And, as a peace offering, have a sneak peek at Chapter 20! (ft. a cameo from Zisu and Wenton)

We stay winning. All aboard!

Sam's "I Have Extra Nimbasa Trio" Giveaway Reminder

It's still active, and I'll be going live in less than 30 minutes over at https://twitch.tv/sam_leonhart! If you want to watch some Archipelago randomizer, and get the chance to win a set of Nimbasa Trio mini-charms, sign up and drop in! Sign up here!

Rules

1. You must be 18+. This is honor-based, as I have no way to verify, but I do not want to collect names and shipping info for minors as a non-storefront entity. 2. You don’t need to watch the stream! I’ll have the entry method down below for everyone to join. I will pull the winner at the end of the randomizer multiworld. 3. If chosen, you must give me a valid shipping address. This is obvious, but still needs to be stated. 4. If you do not respond to the check-in I send after you win within 3 days, I will re-roll. I only have three sets, and want people to have a chance to get them. This also applies for invalid shipping addresses. 5. Only enter once! If I see multiples or similar names and can’t verify they are different, all extra entries will be deleted. 6. This is completely free, so donating bits or subbing does not add extra entries. Since both Wayward and I got the charms for free (it was a manufacturer error), I refuse to accept payment for the charms myself. If you would like to donate or sub anyway, you’re free to do so!

Sam's "I Have Extra Nimbasa Trio" Giveaway!

I'll be hosting the giveaway on my Twitch Channel (twitch.tv/sam_leonhart), but my friends will also be streaming their sides (twitch.tv/grimnovalis and twitch.tv/dinkstery)! I will have a Sheet for you all to sign up on, and when we wrap up the multiworld, I will announce the winners on stream!

Rules

1. You must be 18+. This is honor-based, as I have no way to verify, but I do not want to collect names and shipping info for minors as a non-storefront entity. 2. You don't need to watch the stream! I'll have the entry method down below for everyone to join. I will pull the winner at the end of the randomizer multiworld. 3. If chosen, you must give me a valid shipping address. This is obvious, but still needs to be stated. 4. If you do not respond to the check-in I send after you win within 3 days, I will re-roll. I only have three sets, and want people to have a chance to get them. This also applies for invalid shipping addresses. 5. Only enter once! If I see multiples or similar names and can't verify they are different, all extra entries will be deleted. 6. This is completely free, so donating bits or subbing does not add extra entries. Since both Wayward and I got the charms for free (it was a manufacturer error), I refuse to accept payment for the charms myself. If you would like to donate or sub anyway, you're free to do so!

I got a lot of stuff in from @waywardstation's shop over the weekend, and forgot to post about it!

I got the Nimbasa Trio stickers, Gear Station Logo pin, lanyard charms, Submas stickers, and small little phone/keychain charms! They're all beautiful, and such high quality! Wayward's art is already amazing, and now her merch is beating even that! You should go check out the pre-orders she has up right no- Wait.

A brief thought on the parallels of the Subway Bosses, The Tao Trio, and Warden Ingo's place

@waywardstation just made an amazing post on her thoughts of Warden Ingo's parallels to Kyurem. Nothing in the game directly connects the two, just like nothing in the game connects the Subway Bosses to the Dragons in Generation V. But the connections are still there regardless, because Game Freak made sure to fill Unova with so much symbolism.

These are the basic thoughts that connect each Man to their Dragon.

Got @cecilioque’s Unova Sticker Collab today! There’s so many on here to gush about, so here’s my quick favorites!!

@divatheeva friendest friend, I am finding a way to put this on my car. @waywardstation wayway the way that you have the dichotomy of man….. the gnarliest little Kyurem and the cutest puppy dog Haxorus!! @tjs-stuffs benga………….. @acatpiestuff cat cat cat that golurk is so cute Fishman I don’t know if you have a tumblr but your Elesa sticker is blowing my heart apart I feel like a divorced man seeing his ex-wife living her best life

Everyone who worked on this, you did wonderfully! Bravo!!!

Been holding onto this comic dub for @cardinal-crossing for a bit now, but here we go! They did a crossover of Ace Attorney and Pokemon, specifically the Subway Bosses, and I just had to voice it for them.

Short but sweet! Go check out Card's art, it's fantastic!

PLA/Submas Fic: Electric Trains are the Future Chapter 19: Whimsicott-al Adventures

Chapter 17 (Previous) - Current Chapter - Next Chapter

Oh whoops look at that I said the next chapter wouldn't take as long as two months, but it diiiiid. If it's any consolation, this is the third longest chapter in the fic, and has several characters I either didn't have a chance to write for much before, or don't have much plans for later! Part of the reason this took so long is because no only did I apply for In Pursuit of Victory and thus prepare for that in case I get in, but I also spent the last four months studying for and getting my second certification for work. So, despite how tired I am, I'm still going!

Chapter Summary: Elesa and Emmet enjoy breakfast, then the gang discovers the world's first escape room. Chapter Word Count: 5450

As always, read below or over at AO3! Feel free to leave comments or reblog, but never feel obligated (though I do like engagement).

Elesa has hated waking up in the morning since she was a kid, and even since getting ‘grown up jobs’, she still loathes waking up before 11. It isn’t helped by the fact that all three of her partners are early risers for work, leading various branches of transportation, though Ingo does like to stay in bed late himself when he’s able. So even as the sun peeks into the small house as the morning progresses, Elesa resists the signs of what she should be doing and stays on her little futon.

Sadly, I think I’m going to have to abandon Electric Trains. It’s been a good run, but it’s been 4 months and I haven’t written anything. Additionally, I’ve come to hate my writing, and will be deleting my AO3 after work.

APRIL FOOLS!

Next Chapter goes live tomorrow! If I finish my editing tonight. Which I should! It honestly doesn’t need a lot of work. In fact, have a preview!

Electric Trains Chapter 18 Outline

I wrote the first two paragraphs of this chapter at the end of Chapter 17, then wrote Novembmas Snippets for a month and didn't touch this at all. All in all, I basically kept to the outline and simply embellished from there, there weren't really any major deviations. I edited the Blorbo joke slightly, and leaned into Kamado's accent slipping when he's flat-footed, mostly because I've been playing a lot of Yakuza/LAD recently and I felt another good way of showing how overly formal Kamado can be was the use of "-san/-han" as an honorific (and let me play with Emmet being half-Johtoan).

Oh, except for Akari's Team! That wasn't in the outline and I showed them all in this chapter! I already showed Ember the Typhlosion, Iona the Gardevoir, and Skylar the Staraptor in previous chapters, and had them in the outline elsewhere. But now I've also shown Yama the shiny Snorlax, Oroshi the Alpha Gyrados, and Kuu-chan the Ursaring! I'll probably do a different post down the line to go in-depth on her team, probably after I finalize her Sinnoh-era team.

The next chapter is 19... Except it's not. I have two Chapter 19s in my outline, because I had to fill in a chapter to make sure I hit 25, since I messed up my outline. So next chapter is a breather, with a different focus than usual! A break from Ingo being hurt, from the drive to find family, and from Akari being a gremlin. I hear a certain red head will be joining the group...

Electric Trains Chapter 17 Outline

Back to the actual chapter count! For now... You may remember my post from a few months ago about miscounting chapters.

But this is the reunion! The reunion ass reunion, not the fake out from the chapter before! I had always seen the reunion in my head not as a big momentous event that is the climax (which is a valid way to write it, I certainly still love those scenes!), but instead essentially like the two of them coming off of separate trains and celebrating the timing of getting to meet up between their lines. It's exciting, it's goofy, and it's just two brother's being brothers, while still being emotional. The people that I showed it before the chapter went up all were happy with it, so I'm glad I went that route.

I added the talk about the coffee shops because I found out about a place called "Third Rail Coffee" in New York, and even incorporated it's closure into the fic (I'll post the accompanying picture at the bottom). It also gave me a reason to move Akari and Elesa from the scene, and then expand on the talk between Emmet, Elio, and Ingo. Said expansion also gave a much better transition into the closing of the chapter instead of Ingo just... Getting angry and passing out. Now he's irritated, but goes back to sleep naturally.

Overall, I really enjoyed this chapter! The talks between Ingo and Emmet and then Ingo and Elio were fun, and the subtle threats of Pesselle were good.

And, of course, the Third Rail Coffee closure! RIP Third Rail East Village, I never would've visited but the environmental storytelling is primo.

Electric Trains Chapter 16 Outline

Wow, this chapter came out back in August and I forgot to post this? That's bad.

So, as with Chapter 15, the first thing to note is that I swapped 15 and 16. As I said, it was a better play to get them in that order, so that they actually flow a bit better narratively. After such a emotional chapter, going straight into this, where the emotions are still running, if not muted, would've been a bit rushed and sluggish.

On to the actual chapter though, the first chunk of the chapter is relatively unchanged, which... Was good and bad for me. I had trouble actually writing the entire interaction between everyone, and it majorly contributed to me getting hit with burnout and slowing down in general (the reason for it now is I think health issues? We're looking into it). Once we got off of the mountain top, I ended up expanding the scene with Melli because it was genuinely so funny to imply that he is banned from Jubilife, and then cut down on the rest of the talk.

Overall, a somewhat messy chapter and sparse outline. The next outline is also a little sparse, but I enjoyed the chapter SO MUCH MORE. The outlines will be up either later tonight or the next two days.