"SO, BASICALLY," TONY RECAPPED after the Cap, "basically what Capsicle here means to say is that we aren't really ordering you, a small-time hairdresser, into rooming with the evillest supervillain of the universe who is also immortal and slightly--just a teensy bit--insane...what he means to say is that we are giving you an opportunity to save, not just one world, but worlds." Nazneen looked at the two men and one God in front of her with a quirked eyebrow. Tony quickly added with a charming smile, "Plus, Loki is handcuffed with this little baby I cooked up, cuts off his magic like a fuse, very genius of me, I know--okay, Dr. Selvig helped with like 12% of it. So, basically what we mean to say is...will you babysit Thor's little brother for the weekend while we go beat some baddies and clear the air? C'mon, what possible harm could come of this?" In which a small-time hairdresser gets entangled with what could be the biggest challenge to the Avengers just yet, while managing to piss off several Gods along the way. [ an mcu avengers novel nanowrimo2016 @circularities, 2016 ]

❝Tell me a story, love.❞ In which, a slave girl tells a bloodthirsty king a story in exchange for her life. [07.15.16] all rights reserved ©2016

*THE UNEDITED VERSION* Beware of typos, errors, and general mistakes. This is a very, very rough draft. "I live in a place called Compound 4. We are one of ten different compounds placed at strategic locations around the US. It's been thirteen years since the virus overtook humanity, turning about ninety percent of us into zombies. I'm not sure how it started exactly; that's classified information. I do know that in order to save what was left of the human race, the president at the time took a bunch of really smart people and kids and relocated them into new 'protected' cities. My father was one of those really smart people. I was only five at the time, but I knew what was happening." Within the walls of the compound, Jay makes stupid mistakes, mistakes even she doesn't understand, putting everyone inside at risk. All because she can't shoot someone. All because she misses the wind in her hair, the flowers on the hillsides, the sound of crickets at night. All because she's different, the only person untouchable by the Virus. When the mistakes begin to duplicate, and a girl shows up who knows her name, everything begins to change in Compound 4. Highest rank in Science Fiction: #9

The world as we know it ended 209 years ago. From a desert wasteland springs a single kingdom, ruled by a tyrannical King and trapped in an endless war against the shadowy desert warriors. As a desperate bid to save what remains of humanity, society has been split into two distinct classes, nicknamed the Court and the Commons. For an oppressed population on the brink of revolution, a common thief could be the last hope. Up until now, Kay has survived by her wits alone. Reckless and impulsive, wanted by the King's guard, Kay has become known as the Runner. Using the city's rooftops as her personal domain, she manages to keep one step ahead of the King with one hand buried in the purses of the courtiers. Driven by the plight of the commoners and the unjust death of her family, Kay seizes the chance to graduate from small-time thievery to full-scale rebellion. Her opportunity comes in the form of Will, a wealthy ex-soldier with a dark past. Plucked from the streets and thrown into the shimmering palace court, Kay must use her every strength to blend into a world where she doesn't belong, closer to the enemy than she ever thought she would be.