"Hello, my dear wonderful, beautiful, and absolutely fantastic readers! I have come to you today to tell you amazing news!"
A man screams excitedly at you! The audience! In what appears to be a grand living room full of richly adorned furniture and luxurious trinkets from all around the multiverse.
He radiates an infectious energy that is impossible to ignore, pulling every pair of eyes towards him as he dashes around the room with the enthusiasm of a child on Christmas morning.
"On the Ninth of Tuesday at 4:00 pm EST, you can ask me! The author! Any questions you may have And I shall answer in real-time in story form!!!" His eyes sparkle with anticipation as he points dramatically toward an ancient grandfather clock against the wall. "Precisely then! When the hand of time kisses Four!"
His voice rings out through the room, echoing off the high ceilings filled with splendid chandeliers, lending his words an unmissable air of importance.
He comes to an abrupt halt in the center of the room, beneath magnificent stained-glass windows that drape him in a myriad of colors.
"Whether you're curious about my work, my characters, their likes, and dislikes!" he suddenly stops pacing and strikes a pose like someone from a heroic myth, "Or even asking the characters themselves!!!"
Poof!!!
…
…
…
"…What just happened?" Alastor, the Radio Demon himself, began to say before he was cut off by the author who pulled him down to his level to give him a noogie.
For reference, Alastor is seven feet tall while the author is a measly five foot five…
"So! Be there or be square!" he concludes, teleporting Alastor away before he could bite his arm off, the demon blinking in confusion.
"Just imagine it!" he continues with a flourish of his arm, gesturing at the crowd like a showman presenting his finest act. "Behind-the-scenes! Unveiling secrets! The origins of ideas! You can ask all about it!"
Suddenly, he leaps onto a nearby coffee table adorned with trinkets all forms of entertainment. He raises his fists high and shouts, "The power to question is yours! Let your curiosities run wild!"
He hops off the table and goes over to an ancient typewriter sitting on an antique desk. As he clickity clacks away on it, words materialize in mid-air in front of him forming an invitation:
"The Ninth Tuesday at 4:00 pm EST and ends at 10:00 pm EST. An extraordinary Q&A round with your favorite author and favorite characters!"
He takes a step back admiring his handy work then beams out at his audience once more.
"See you then!"
BOOM!!!
Alastor blasts him with all his power, the room lighting up with an explosive surge of red and black energy, the force of it rippling through the room, shaking the very foundations of the grand estate.
The author's body vanishes, leaving only a silhouette of golden dust fluttering in the air.
The resounding silence in the room is broken only by the clattering of his glasses as they drop onto the antique desk with a metallic clang. The typewriter stands alone, its keys silent and still.
"Another good question I see!" He read the question and studied it with amusement. "Ah, the cynicism. You see, this is not 'without purpose'. It's a beautiful intermission, isn't it? An opportunity for you to get to know your favorite characters outside the constraints of their narratives."
He got up once again and began pacing around the room, each step deliberated and calculated.
"This is not without purpose as you said because I write for the fun of it."
He paused for a moment, letting his words sink in before he continued.
"And as for answering only one question, that's not entirely accurate. The purpose of this little session isn't just to answer your questions but to bring these characters to life outside their stories. To give you a glimpse into their personalities beyond what you read in the chapters, learning more about me is just a bonus."
He paused to take a breath before continuing.
"And those questions weren't made up, they were asked by real people over at AO3."
He sits down, grabs another paper, and waits for another question.
"Whoa! Sorry about! Forgot you were there!" The writer panickily apologized.
"I-It's alright." the young boy accepted his apology for looking around the room for a spot to sit.
He stopped looking when he noticed Kimiko beckoning for him to sit with her on the boys side of the room. She had a welcoming smile on her face as she nudged Noir to move over to make room.
"T-Thank you." Izuku gave a small sigh of relief and made his way to join them, sliding into the space Kimiko had created. The author cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention back to him as he addressed the question at hand.
Reader #209: Where u from? Will Soldier Boy and Homelander meet? That's the questions I have.
"Ah, from where do I hail?" The author mused, tapping a finger on his chin. "Well, that's a good question. I am from the Land of Inspiration and Creativity, born amidst the pages of countless books, raised by the strokes of multiple pens, and nurtured by the flow of endless ink."
He leaned back with a grand smile, satisfied with his amazing answer.
"If that's how you say America then I don't want you to continue writing our book." Maeve's voice cut through his satisfaction, her words sharp as a knife.
This caused the whole room to agree with her.
"Same here."
"I agree!"
Noir and Kimiko gave a thumbs up, supporting her.
"…As for the second question." The author quickly continued, hoping to change the subject. "Will Soldier Boy and Homelander meet?"
His eyes flicked over to Homelander who was floating in the air. "Well now, wouldn't that be a sight to behold? But alas, dear reader, I cannot divulge such information. It would be unfair for me to reveal any future plot lines or character interactions. You'll just have to keep reading to find out."
A collective groan filled the room at his answer, but he just chuckled and reached for another question in the pile.
"Damn, I wanted to know if I was going to see two of the world's greatest heroes meet each other!" Ground Hawk whined as the others agreed with him.
"Moving on!"
Reader #119: Question for the author: Who is your strongest MC at this moment?
"Oh, come on! Why even have us here if it's just going to be you and that jackass over there answering!?" The hammer-handed hero complained even more, but the author and Alastor chose to ignore him.
"Ah! The strongest main character at this moment, you ask?" The author paused, his finger tapping against his chin thoughtfully. His eyes glanced over the room filled with faces from different worlds and stories that he wrote.
They all waited for his response eagerly.
"Strongest is a broad term," he said slowly, each word echoing throughout the room. "Are we speaking physically? Intellectually? Emotionally? Because each one of the characters I've written has their own strengths. For example, Look at Alastor!"
He gestured towards the red-eyed demon smirking at the corner. "His power in the underworld is unmatched, his natural talent for chaos and manipulation makes him a formidable foe. Or how about Angel Dust?"
His gaze shifted to the flamboyant spider demon who preened under the attention.
"Even when faced with a situation that would break most people, his determination and perseverance to keep moving forward make him a formidable force."
The author then turned to Izuku Midoriya, who was sitting nervously amongst the crowd. "And little Izuku...his unyielding spirit and dedication to his dreams despite all odds are what truly defines strength."
A general murmur of agreement filled the room as they all pondered on his words. Strength wasn't just about power or physical prowess after all, but also determination, perseverance, and even vulnerability.
After leaving the crowd to mull over his profound answer, a loud voice screamed out from the boy's side.
"Physically! Obviously!" someone shouted - likely Ground Hawk, judging by the impatient tone.
The author just chuckled.
"Then I would have to say that would be John… for now."
"Ha! I knew it!" Ground hawk hooted triumphantly, pumping his hammers into the air. The gathered characters chuckled at his antics.
The author noticed Noir's quiet gaze on him. His helmet-empty gaze was fixated on him with an intensity that made him slightly uncomfortable.
Reader #206: Do you plan to make Homelander have a hard fight ever or will he always be op? My idea is to have something similar to Doomsday in the future.
"A-Aw yes! Reader 206! Sorry for not answering your question sooner! I had to translate it really quick before I could!" The author exclaimed, awkwardly laughing as he shuffled through his papers. "And as for Homelander..."
He turned to the hovering figure, his red, white, and blue costume glimmering in the soft light of the room.
The characters relating to his story looked at the author with expected eyes, waiting for him to answer.
"Will he ever have a hard fight?" He echoed the question, stalling for time as he pondered his answer with care.
His mind was abuzz with possibilities, but he knew he had to be careful with his words. Any careless slip could give away too much of the story. He folded his hands together on the table, setting aside the questions to look at Homelander.
"I haven't really planned that far ahead." he admitted, "But I will assure you that Homelander won't always have it easy. Even the most powerful beings have their challenges and as for whether those challenges will come in the form of formidable opponents or internal struggles... well, you'll just have to continue reading!"
A collective groan of disappointment echoed throughout the room as the author finished his answer.
"That's sooo lame!" Angel Dust got up from his couch and headed towards the kitchen, getting tired of just sitting there.
"I personally think it's fine if he doesn't come up with anything." Maeve quietly said to herself, knowing that John already had it bad.
Reader #68: To the Author, with the Oates episode of Helluva Boss out now, will anything change about the direction of the fic.
The author's lips curled into a small smile.
"Ah, the Oates episode of Helluva Boss," he murmured, running a hand through his hair. "That was the episode where Mayberry and Martha hooked up! Funnily enough, I had the same idea, but unfortunately, they beat me to it!"
He paused for a moment, looking thoughtful as he considered the question.
"Change is the only constant," he said finally. "With every episode that comes out, there are new opportunities for expanding the story and introducing fresh ideas. So yes, I believe the Oates episode will influence the direction of the fic to a certain extent."
His gaze then turned to his Hazbin hotel characters who seemed to be holding their breaths in anticipation.
"However," he went on, "the essence of the story will always remain true to its roots, regardless of episodes and canon changes."
A sigh of relief swept through the Hazbin characters at his words.
"Rest assured," he added with a chuckle, "I'll try my best not to let any changes drastically affect your lives... much."
Amidst the collective groans and shattered their sighs of relief, much to the laughter of the other side of the room.
Reader #12: Who is in the hárèm in your Homelander fic?
The entire room went dead silent at this, all of them turning their heads to look at the author looking absolutely scandalous. Even Alastor's confident demeanor faltered slightly, his eyes widening under his mask.
The author blinked in surprise at the sudden stillness of the room, but quickly regained his composure despite the bolt of sweat falling down his face.
"Oh-ho! Now that's a rather... loaded question, isn't it?" He shuffled some more papers around in an attempt to buy time, glancing around at the various characters who were glaring at him.
"What do they mean by 'harem' hmm?" Maeve asked, as she got up from her couch and began to walk closer to the author.
"…do you think he does that to any of his other stories?" Charlie asked her group, getting a round of shrugs and unsure looks from everyone.
"…" Alastor was dead silent as he thought about his sudden increase in female interaction.
"C-Considering the nature of the story," he began cautiously, also getting up from his seat while keeping an eye on Maeve. "I-I can't really tell you, but what I c-can tell you is that it won't be more than fou- gack!"
Suddenly, Maeve had surged forward, her hands closing around the author's throat. Her fingers pressed into the soft flesh with a ferocity that made his words die on his tongue. His eyes bulged in shock as he gasped for breath, reaching up to try and pry away her iron grip.
"I think it's time for a change of topic," Maeve growled at him, her icy glare freezing the author in his tracks.
"T-Time for a f-five-minute b-break!"
Five Minutes Later
The author, now pale-faced and nursing his sore throat, returned to his chair. He cleared his throat, a painful wince on his face as he did so.
"Thank you for your... patience," he gasped out, shooting a wary glance at Maeve. The woman merely folded her arms over her chest and stared at him with an impassive expression.
"Let's continue, shall we?"
Reader #164: "Inhale"
Now that the flashback saga is done, will Alastor try to give Vaggie some space and meet up with other love interests? Such as Loona, Octavia, or Mayberry? Will you include some backstory as to why Alastor went into a blind rage from Vaggie's perspective? I really love the story so far, keep up the good work. Have a great summer!
The author's face brightened as he read the next question aloud. "Ah, a multi-part question! Let's dive right in."
He glanced at Alastor, who had resumed his characteristic, unsettling smile.
"To answer the first part," he began, "Alastor is a complex character, while he might give Vaggie some space after realizing she wants nothing to do with him, it doesn't mean he's going to immediately jump into relationships with others like Loona, Octavia, or Mayberry. Each interaction Alastor has is driven by his own unique blend of curiosity, desires, and genuine interest, so any potential relationships will unfold organically."
Alastor's smile trembled at hearing Vaggie wanted nothing to do with him.
"But, in regard to your second question," he said, shifting his focus back to the note in his hand. "I can't give too much away at this point, but I assure you that Alastor's perspective will shed light on these matters."
Vaggie got up, no longer wanting to be part of this, and left the room.
"V-Vaggie! W-Wait for me!"
Charlie soon left after her.
A pensive silence settled in the room as all eyes turned to Alastor, now smiling pensively while his gaze focused on the author.
The author took a moment to clear his throat before turning back towards the note.
"Lastly," the author added with a warm smile, "thank you so much for your kind words! I'm glad you're enjoying the story, and I hope to continue delivering content that keeps you engaged. Have a great summer as well!"
A new slip of paper flew into the air and smacked John in the face, waking him up with a startle.
Reader #350: Hello, I have actually 3 questions if that's alright.
The first one is for homelander: which "the boys" material you think is darker? The comics or the Amazon series?
The next one is for Alastor: between you or Lucifer, with no powers at all, who would win in a fight?
The last one is regarding your other fic Multidimensional Spider (which I love by the way, my favorite of yours so far, really hope you get back to it): since Peter meets Bruce (or Bryce for his female counterpart) as a kid, would the story progress naturally or would there be time skips involved? While I do want him to meet other heroines, I'm Kinda hoping for the former because it'd be fun seeing Peter interact with his biggest fangirl in the form of a young Batwoman.
"W-Who? Wha?" He mumbled as he rubbed his eyes, slowly floating back down to everyone else.
Maeve moved over and watched as he sat down beside her, a bright smile on her face as she whispered a quick good morning. Noir and Kimiko waved their hands in hello while Izuku nervously nodded his head at him.
"Sorry about that John! Glad you are awake though, because this one's also for you!"
"Is that so?" John replied, blinking away the sleepiness from his eyes. He looked at the author with a hint of curiosity, shifting in his seat as he prepared himself for the question.
"Indeed," the author began, reading from the note again. "The first part of this question is for you, specifically. They want to know which 'The Boys' material you think is darker, the comics or the Amazon series?"
John chuckled softly and scratched his chin in thought.
"Well, they both have their dark moments," he admitted, "But I'd have to say the comics are darker, it has certain… moments that I found hard to read."
"Really? Which moment is that, John?" Maeve asked, completely oblivious to what the boys comic was.
Noir noticed him taking a quick glance at him but quickly looked away, making Noir tilt his head in confusion.
"Let's just say it's not for someone with a weak stomach and can easily be traumatized by comic gore."
There was a pause as everyone absorbed his answer before the author moved on to part two of the reader's question.
"The next one is for Alastor," he said, turning towards the demon. Alastor's grin only widened at being addressed. "Between you and Lucifer, with no powers at all, who would win in a fight?"
Alastor laughed at this, his red eyes lighting up. "Why dear reader, what a silly question to ask! I do confidently believe that would be me~"
He answered confidently. His statement was met with various expressions of disbelief and amusement.
"Wow, that's some confidence you have there, smiles~" Angel Dust laughed.
"Now, now," Alastor grinned, a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. "I'm not one to underestimate an opponent, and Lucifer is no exception. But let's just say I've seen my fair share of brawls and come out on top more often than not."
"And! He is seven feet tall and definitely weighs more than Lucifer who is 5'6." The author backs him up, causing everyone to look at him.
"…he definitely has favorites," John mumbled to himself, his whole team agreeing with him along with Izuku and Kimiko.
The last part of Reader #350's question was more intricate and centered on another work by the author himself, The Multidimensional Spider.
"With regards to Multidimensional Spider," he said, shifting in his chair. "Since Peter meets Bruce (or Bryce) as a kid, would the story progress naturally or would there be time skips involved?"
"Ah, that's an interesting question," the author replied, leaning back in his chair, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. The room fell into silence as he pondered over it. He glanced around at the eager faces, each etched with a different degree of anticipation, before finally speaking.
"The story will," he began, pausing just for effect, "employ a bit of both. A natural progression is certainly needed for the relationship between Peter and Bryce to develop. Their dynamic needs that time to breathe and grow and become what it eventually turns into."
A murmur of agreement rippled through the room at this statement. Noir leaned forward, intrigued by the discussion on narrative progression, and Kimiko beside him shifted in her seat, her bright eyes reflecting her curiosity.
"But," continued the author with a wave of his hand, "in order to navigate through the intricate web weaved by two lives intersecting over several years... some leaps in time are inevitable. Time skips will serve as bridges connecting different stages of their lives as Spidey jumps through universes."
"Exciting!" Maeve chimed in, her eyes sparkling. "But what about interactions between characters? Will there be wholesome moments?"
The author chuckled at her enthusiasm before nodding emphatically. "Definitely! The friendship between Peter and Bryce is one of the story's highlights."
The room filled with appreciative nods and hums at this revelation; even Alastor raised an eyebrow in interest.
The author looks at the time and sees it becoming late
"Ah, it seems we've lost track of time," he said, turning his attention back to the crowd. "I'm afraid I must wrap this up for now."
He waved the silence away with a gentle hand.
"No way! We just got started!" John protested with a playful smile.
Izuku, however, found himself agreeing with the author, the conversation had been interesting, but he had to get back to his studies.
The author's kind eyes twinkled under his glasses as he spoke. "I promise we'll continue this another time. For now, though, thank you everyone for your questions."
"Will there be another gathering like this?" Ground Hawk asked curiously.
"I'm sure there will be," the author replied a little mysteriously.
Izuku blinked in surprise. "Wait...Really? Do you think...Could All Might be there maybe next time?"
The author laughed heartily at Izuku's question. "Who knows who'll turn up next time? Maybe All Might will drop by."
The room burst into excited chatter at that, each one discussing who they hoped would turn up next time.
The author rose from his chair and began to gather his papers on the table.
"It was a pleasure answering your questions," he said, his voice rising above the chatter. "Until next time!"