Hello again!

Sorry I haven’t written back sooner but I just haven’t gotten around to it until now! I have been getting your replies and your PMs, which as always have been great to read. It’s really uplifting to know that other people share the same passion that I do for television, especially “genre” shows and the ones that seem to go a little under the radar. “Tru Calling” is one such show, and as you said in one of your PMs, it is such a natural show in terms of its progression and execution. It’s not a show that tries to prove something each week/episode and it’s very unpretentious, which is a true testament to the creators and writers and actors considering its subject matter and major themes. Although some episodes are definitely executed better than others, and as a result those are the better episodes overall, the show has such a different vibe and feel to it than a lot of others and that really sets it apart. It is a shame in a way that it isn’t (wasn’t) as mainstream as other shows, but that is really part of its charm for me; that it’s not a well-known show and yet it’s a lot better than a lot of the other stuff out there. Now on to the chapter review!

The beginning sequence of this chapter is so beautifully written that it almost has a kind of poetic feel to it. Your descriptions from paragraph to paragraph, the interactions between the characters and the subsequent dialogue that flows between them is so powerful and striking it’s hard not to be moved by it all. You’ve really established the power of the connection that Tru and Jack share, and it is especially evident in this sequence where they share and kiss and Tru is able to see into the future to see Clarity. I also love how you depict Jensen, and I know I’ve said this many times before, but I can really feel the “creep-factor” when he’s around; he’s such a powerful and menacing force in Tru’s life and it really shows.

The one thing that I think stands out in this chapter is the way you’ve written Clarity in the future sequence Tru experiences. I have to say, I think your decision to depict Clarity with a physical disability – and also to base her a little bit on your own experiences – is a particularly courageous and admirable one. You said that you’ve been wanting to introduce a character with a physical disability into your fanfiction and original fiction, and I must say that I admire this. I know I not only speak for myself in saying this but for others as well, I do not know much about cerebral palsy and I think through this work of fiction and through my interactions with you, I can begin to understand it a little better. It’s definitely something I’ve been thinking about lately, about how there is so much out there that so many people aren’t particularly aware of, and I definitely think that through this story and the effort you’ve put into it, that can change. So I thank you for this, because I think by doing this, you’re doing good work.

Carrying on from what I said above, I like how you’ve introduced the element of the Powers that Be and that they find Clarity unfit to carry on the role of Life and Tru’s reaction to this – this is such a great reflection of reality, as we feel for Tru and Clarity and understand how they might be viewed by others. It also adds many more dimensions to this power Tru and Jack possess, and who/what it’s governed by, and who/what decides who receives it in the future generations.
I also like the link up to the previous chapter, where Jensen and Kira visited Richard – it shows continuity in the story and makes for really good storytelling because all elements of the story are linked up in some way; nothing gets lost along the way.

I found the ending of this chapter to be really powerful, with the explanation of how Clarity was born premature and Tru’s spiral into oblivion made both physical and psychological. And Jack’s voice and love will (hopefully) bring Tru back to him…right? Well, let’s hope so :)

Well done on another great chapter, this story really is so powerful and is growing stronger with each chapter :)

Peace.

Well, first of all, I would like to congratulate you on promoting disability awareness by utilizing your unique writing talents. This kind of awareness is something we all need to have and who would be a better teacher than someone who has first hand experience and knowledge in such important issue. In my opinion, reading medical articles and reports on the subject would never give it justice or give people a full idea on the struggles, challenges and feelings that accompany a disabled person. So, with your fiction, you give us not only a beautiful story but also interesting details on the humanitarian side of the disabled person and the family's experience and point of view. Once again, I congratulate you and thank you with utmost respect and appreciation.

As for this chapter, you once again prove that you can magically turn a few written lines into a screen 'showing' the readers what's going on and engaging them in a world of unexpected twists and turns that makes us thirsty for more. And still you make it look so easy!

Great job!

( Hm, Thanks for the cherries ! )

Hey hey!

Gotta say first off, love the title! Needs was one of my favourite Dollhouse episodes to date and it’s great that you’ve integrated those connotations into Eliza’s first show through this fic. Seeing Eliza in Dollhouse just makes me wish even more that Tru Calling had a full second season, or even a third and fourth. The mythology behind the show and behind the two main characters (Tru and Jack), while explored quite a bit in the first season, I feel needed to be further picked apart and explored. And from what various producers have stated since the demise of the show, they definitely had more of this in store for later in the second season. And it completely sucks that FOX decided to scrap the show after six episodes of the second season (which actually brings some apprehension now that FOX have picked up Dollhouse for a second season…I hope they don’t do the same thing to Eliza twice)!

Ok, now on to the chapter! It is increasingly creepy how Tru is trapped between different "realities", so to speak. I’ve mentioned this several times before but I just love the battles between her conscious reality and her unconscious reality, wherein both the men in her life appear frequently and alternately, in a kind of power struggle for Tru herself. I love the fantasy angle of this situation, and how even though reality has its boundaries and limits, sometimes these can be broken. It adds a whole element of imagination and “what-if” reality which is great to see in a work of FanFiction. And I also love how you keep integrating the figure that is the “devil Tru knows” into the equation, and you’re constantly reminding the readers of why this is such an important element of the story.

I like how you implemented the idea that Tru’s future pregnancy is a huge problem for the balance of the universe, as pointed out in your previous chapter, because of Tru and Jack’s opposing powers. And Jensen and Richard’s devious plotting in coming into play here when you had Jensen coming in and saying how it will be dangerous for Tru to fall pregnant in her stagnant, unconscious state. Also, the heartbreaking revelation that the child will have a disability if conceived by Death and Life…it adds quite a true element of what happens when you mess with higher powers.

Ooh, a scene with Jack and Richard! Yay, I love the chemistry between these two, both onscreen and on paper (or computer screen, in this case lol). And adding Jensen into the mix makes for some creepy, deathly interaction! With this scene and chapter as a whole, the story is really coming together nicely, and using flashbacks adds quite a lot to the storytelling, especially with the flashback of Tru contemplating having an abortion after falling pregnant with Kira. Having Jensen be the one to tell Jack about this puts Jack relationship with Tru into question. Why didn’t Tru trust Jack enough to tell him herself, or even to consult him about her decisions?

A chilling ending to this chapter, and a cliffhanger no less! The foreshadowing of Jensen’s warning about difficulties with the pregnancy are beginning to come true and I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what happens! I have to say though, the detail and effort you’ve put into this story (and the two preceding it) is incredible and I can really appreciate that coming from the standpoint that sometimes it is so hard to write like that, so congrats, this is truly great writing! And as an endnote, I’m currently reading your recent one-shots and reviews for those will be coming in shortly :)

Until next time,

Amethyst.

Yet another brilliant chapter. a lot is going on here and the emotions everyone is feeling are pertty intense.
Tru considering an abortion and actually coming close to it was very moving in an uncomfortable way. It shows how desperate and unsettled she was at the time.
Jensen seems to know exactly how to twist everyone's feelings and turning situations to his advantage.
I love the rich dialogue that you put into this story. But most of all, I love how you introduced the alarming condition of Clarity. I can't wait to read the next chapter and see what happens.
Thank you for such a deep emotional story.

Hey!

First of all, I have to say that I love the chapter title :) I’ve noticed that I do tend to use the word ‘intrigue’ on one too many occasions, but I do like the word and its meaning. It is rare to find mystery and intrigue in most things these days, not just fanfiction, but it has become glaringly obvious to me that most material I read (or even watch) is boring, monotonous and above all, predictable. It’s refreshing to read something and not be able to guess the direction it’s going to take next, like your stories; they always seem to keep ya guessing ;)

The first section of this chapter was absolutely heartbreaking. The inner struggle Tru goes through when trapped within her own mind is almost painful, because you know the decision she’s going to make is going to hurt somebody, and she’s almost completely helpless under the power of her spiralling (un)consciousness. Her relationship with Jack is straining more and more, and it’ll be interesting to see in later chapters how Clarity’s birth will affect their relationship, and whether it will have a positive or negative influence. And, also, how the child of Life and Death is going to affect the universe and the power of both Tru and Jack’s callings, respectively.

Loved the bit with Richard and Jensen. Whoa. It’s one thing for Jensen to interact with Tru, Kira and Jack, but him seeing Richard sent shivers up my spine. Jensen presenting Kira to Richard is chilling in itself, but Jensen relaying Tru’s decline and foreshadowing her fall to Richard is even more creepy. And the two of them conspiring to kill Clarity before her birth and blame it on Jack is reminiscent of Richard’s meddling on the show, very good characterisation. For me, I find Richard to be one of the most interesting characters that ever appeared on the show. He’s covert, he’s opportunistic and sneaky, not to mention he had his wife murdered all those years ago, but above all and perhaps the most disturbing thing about him is that he appears to actually care about his daughter (and even Harrison, although during the second season he appeared to be using Harrison quite a bit). He may believe in the natural order of the universe and does go to extremes to see that order kept balanced, but he genuinely cares about Tru, and as you’ve described, cares about his grandchild.

The final part of this chapter stunned me some. I like how Tru is adamant that she wants to have the baby, and Jack is hesitant about it, which is a concern that appears quite a bit in real life with many couples, and that she is sent a warning (is it right to presume Jensen sent the warning?). It’ll be interesting to see in the upcoming chapters how far Jensen will go to stop this pregnancy, and if Tru will finally be able to escape his clutches. Here’s hoping :)

Good work with this chapter, it sets things in motion and can’t wait, as always to read more. Intrigued, much-ly :)

Oh, and on a sidenote, I have been watching Dollhouse every week on the net. There are several sites that stream the episodes and on a slow internet connection it can be quite frustrating but so far I’ve seen all episodes. And I gotta say, pretty awesome! It is great to see Joss and Eliza together again (well, seeing Eliza is great, can’t really SEE Joss, just gotta acknowledge his presence off-screen) and the rest of the cast are great, too. I know there has been a lot of talk about that show getting cancelled in the upcoming weeks but hopefully FOX is generous enough (not that they really have been in the past…) to order a second season :)

Anyway, take care and I’ll be waiting in anticipation for the next chapter, and hopefully begin updating my own story :)
Peace.

Lara,

You have successfully intrigued me to want to know what happens next. I love the idea of this whole story with all its chapters very much.
In this chapter I especially loved the whole Richard/Jensen twist and Kira's sweetness and innocence makes me want to embrace her and kiss her cheeks.
Also, I felt Tru's angst of feeling torn between needing one man, and wanting the other. Lovely!
The dialogue is beautiful, to the point, and stirs the imagination. I feel like I'm watching it on TV.
Great job! Can't wait to see more.

Sonya
"Elizologist"

Hey!

Sorry it’s been quite a long time, but I’m happy to say that I’ve finished all my secondary school final exams! Bring on tertiary education! Lol, it’s just been me and my text books for so long now that it seems an eternity since I’ve connected with the real world. And it feels good :)

First off, I love the beginning with Tru and her not trusting Jack, which kind of brings their relationship to the full circle, I guess. I love the ambiguity of that first sequence, when the reader isn’t sure who Tru is talking to and about, and I love that it turns out to be Jack, because Tru in her future state is obviously trying to resolve her problems but is failing at that. And I also love the plays between Jack and Jensen, and how Tru compares the two often; it’s like she can’t let go of one or the other; she has to have both.

Jack’s continuing spiral is intriguing, as it shows the cracks in his and Tru’s relationship and in such a crucial time, as well…which mirrors perfectly the dynamics between real-life relationships. I love how you can channel the characters and the emotion so effortlessly, and make it seem like this story could be happening (minus the supernatural, sci-fi stuff…) to the neighbours and people you see everyday at the market. That’s truly a gift you have, when you can channel so much reality into fiction; it’s what makes me love fiction so religiously :)

Tru’s helplessness when it comes to Jenson and is controlling power over her is becoming increasingly interesting and disturbing, as this really showcases Tru’s inability to connect with her daughter (as well as reality) in the way Jensen does. Classically manipulating behaviour as far as Jensen is concerned, and again this is something very real that you’ve been able to channel through the characters. And by challenging Tru about her wanting an abortion when she found out she was pregnant with Kira, Jensen is carefully applying guilt to the situation, which you’ve portrayed brilliantly through his telepathy with Tru.

I like how you’ve incorporated the word ‘acceptance’ so frequently because it reiterates and emphasises the progression of the story and of the characters, Tru in particular. And I love the foreboding of the sentence:

“Acceptance always came with a price.”

I really like how Tru’s dreams and hallucinations are slipping deeper and deeper into her consciousness and reality. It shows how the struggle for sanity is extremely difficult, and in this instance – when the problem is something very real like post-partum depression – you’ve depicted Tru’s situation with delicacy and realism.

The last sequence with Tru in the mental institution is heartbreakingly sad and disturbing, because – again – it’s something real. These things really do happen to people, people do live in this kind of struggle between reality and hallucination (or really, in Tru’s case, a supernatural haunting). And the admission to Jack that she’s pregnant was brilliant; and to leave that as a cliffhanger…ooh, the plot thickens :) This is going to be interesting…to see the growth of Clarity, a production of Light and Dark, of Life and Death. And it will also be interesting to see the interaction between Clarity and Kira, who is also a creation of different measures. Intrigue, intrigue…

Hope to hear from you soon, until then, peace :)

New chapter! Yay! ^^ Thanks a lot for updating! :-)

I´m sorry you are not getting the reviews you deserve. It´s sad that "Tru Calling" is over and people are loosing their interest in the show. I can´t promise you will receive a lot of reviews for your TC fics, but I can promise that you will always have my opinion on what you write about it :-)

Thanks for sharing your story, Lara! :-)

So loving this story. the whole thing, including the first two multichapter fics. Looking forward to reading more of this one, and i really hope that Tru gets Jesen to leave permenantly by the end of the whole thing. I liked him in the show (kinda) and i really HATE him now.
Anyway, point is, love the story, cant wait for more.

keep on typing
* hannah *

Hey again!

Wow…it’s been a REALLY long time, hasn’t it? First of all, I apologise profoundly for my lack of existence these last couple of months. It’s been an interesting year thus far and as far as fanfiction of any kind goes, I’ve kind of been drifting in and out of a lull, and let me tell you it’s been really frustrating! I’m sure you’ve experienced something of the like before, as I’m sure everybody has, and lack of motivation has been a real ** lately. Still, that’s no excuse for not having already written a review for Chapter 2 of “The Devil You Know”. Apologies once more for my laziness :)

Secondly, congrats on another outstanding chapter! I know you wrote “Caution” a while ago, and I’ve read it several times since you posted it, but each time I read it there’s always something I previously missed that I pick up on upon going over it. And the original poem at the beginning, pure brilliance. Truly, a beautiful piece of poetry, stunning imagery.

I like the transition between the shifts in time; from when Kira is a baby to when she is four years old. Not only does it eliminate the time in between that may not be necessary for the story, it matures Kira into a young girl, which I think was your aim from the beginning. As a young girl, semi-aware of the things around her, Kira is able to be manipulated by Jensen, and this could spiral into something fantastic by the end of the story. I also like how you’ve developed Kira as a character; she has a personality now, a real persona that defines her not only as a character in this story, but as a person. I feel her conflict, I feel her hesitation, I feel her indecision. That’s what a REAL character is, to me at least. And Jensen, pure evil! That’s awesome.

I find it interesting how you’ve developed Jack over these four years that have past. Although the chapter was mainly about Tru and her struggle with Jensen over Kira, the absence of Jack in the bed intrigues me. Not only is he not Kira’s father, but he doesn’t seem to want to take responsibility for Kira…please correct me if I’m wrong. It just seems that Jack, going out to drink at night (my kind of Jack, by the way…) is not really intent on being a good “father”.

The end scene, in italics, was Tru is an institution, right? Will be an interesting ride to see how Tru will end up there, but the thing I’m most excited about is Tru’s pregnancy. It will be interesting to see how Clarity will affect the world Tru lives in, and Kira’s world, and Jensen’s world…not to mention Jack’s estranged world. Looking forward to it :)

Take care, as always :)

Amethyst.

Lara! I´m so sorry it took me so long to read this second chapter! :-(

I have just finished it and it gave me goosebumps! Tru in a mental institution! My God!

I will try to write your feedback asap. I have tons of work to do :-(

Kisses and please forgive my delay!

I´m so sorry it takes me so long to review this! As always, it was great! ;-)

I have just sent you the feedback ;-)

Thanks a lot for sharing!

Hey, it’s me again :)

Something I forgot to mention…happy new year! Hope 2008 brings many good times and lasting memories :p. I guess you’ll be back at school now so hopefully you will find enough time to squeeze in a few more chapters before too long. I go back next week so I’ll have to get my rear into gear and get writing again!

Again with the titles…man, never underestimate the power of a good title! It’s like the old adage, never judge a book by its cover, except kind of in reverse. The title seems to always dictate the path of the story, or at least navigate the reader a little bit. With Smolder, the atmosphere is set and the reader immediately captures a snapshot in their mind about what they believe the chapter will be like. It’s really kinda cool when you think about it :) I was always a fan of the show “Medium”; I liked the idea of a grown woman, one who has established herself in the world, who still struggles with her gift. As you stated, it is very similar to “Tru Calling”, however one difference between the two shows that strikes me (and you, as stated in your review reply) as integral is that Alison, as we both know, is a grown woman. She is older and has a family of her own, whereas Tru is in that awkward stage of being too young to be old, yet too old to be young. The show also adds a little truth to the supernatural side of life, as Alison Dubois is an actual, real-life medium.

I do like the idea of you “skipping ahead”, so to speak, in the coming chapters to where you can write Kira as a young girl, rather than a baby. I, too, am fond of the character of Kira, though probably in a different way to you, as I don’t have that bond between writer and character ;) Kira to me symbolises what appears to be a paradox; she’s the creation of a force that gives life a second chance, and an opposing force that is, essentially, soulless. It will be an eerie comparison when looking at both the character of Kira, born of Tru and Jensen, and Clarity, the soon-to-be child of Tru and Jack.

I have to say, that last page of writing, where Tru is breaking down, gave me chills. And Jensen’s drugging (so to speak) of her just adds to the creepiness and evil that he is. Especially – “She was suffocating in this inescapable ring of fire.” Suddenly reminded of a Johnny Cash song…the burning ring of fire ;) Yeah, I’m a nerd.

Again, fantastic chapter (but you don’t need me to say that…but I will) that burned with powerful imagery and licked the edges of imagination. It all seems to be breaking apart (again, lol) for Tru and Jack. At this stage, Jensen seems to be winning. Hopefully Jack will be able to bring her back from her darkness (which is kind of ironic when you think about how Jack is pretty much the embodiment of darkness…). And, I must say, I especially loved the exchange between Richard and Jack. Gotta love those two, really.

Another sidenote, haven’t been able to get my hands on the DVD set of “American Gothic” yet, but hopefully I’ll be able to find it again. I saw it for a fleeting moment, hesitated and didn’t buy it, and now I can’t find it available anymore. It’s that the way it always seems to go? Ah well, I’ll find it eventually, be sure of that :) And you mentioned the series of novels by Stephenie Meyer…have to say I have seen those books around but haven’t given them a decent look. Must give them more of a chance the next time I see them ;)

Until next time, take care and peace.

WONDERFUL, once again. Although I wasn't home for any of the fire action, this story served as a wonderful canvas for the obvious anxiety it caused you, and it resonated in me as I read it. Once again, you touched me. And no, I'm not talking about your hand being on my ** while I read it. ;)

Hey again.

First off, APOLOGIES! The late-reply thing is getting a little old, I know, but this time I actually thought I HAD reviewed! It wasn’t until I received your PM that I realised either I dreamt it or was screwing up again. I’ve tried to get my tail in gear and finally review but the holidays have been pretty busy. So, now I’m going to make this review EXTRA special to make up for lost time ;)

Without any further ado, congrats on another great instalment of this trilogy. The title for one thing is very appropriate and suits the whole Tru/Jack/Jensen triangle very well. In the series, Jack always struck me as a guy who was trying to insinuate himself into Tru’s life, either through her directly or through the people she loved and cared for. In my honest opinion, had the series continued through to a third or fourth year, Tru and Jack would have become allies or possibly more. It’s interesting now how in both of our stories that not only have the tables turned on Tru’s relationship with Jack, but also on her relationship with Jensen. And now, instead of Jack being the devil she knows, Tru is faced with the devil in Jensen’s body. Kinda cool, no? :)

The way you described the dread and anxiety Tru feels about her child(ren) is a wonderful testament to post-partum depression. Without ever knowing anyone personally who has gone through that, after reading your words it feels like I have. The paranoia that follows Tru is very apparent and strong; the way she feels she can’t trust anyone, everyone is her enemy (which kind of extends back to the title). Also, the distance Tru feels between herself and Kira in those first couple of paragraphs is extremely potent and saddening; to think that a mother can’t relate to her own child.

I like the connection between Jensen and Jack, with the imagery of the scene inside of the mirror. And the destruction of Tru’s “wholeness” in those last couple of sentences reflected rather nicely in my mind. – “A shattered identity.” –

A year back now, I was doing this assignment where we had to identify the ‘devil’, so to speak, in a medium of media. “Rosemary’s Baby” was a film that definitely struck a chord with me, as it is a story that is so frightening and haunting that you find yourself thinking about it for days after watching it. Just interesting that you mentioned it as having similar allusions to “All That’s Best of Dark and Bright”.

Anyway, I promised myself that I wouldn’t read chapter one of “Devil You Know” until I finished this review so I’m going to end it here ‘cause I’m too anxious to read it ;) Fantastic job again at creating a world that has certainly become more than just fiction to me, and I’m sure to a lot of other people, too. Looking forward to reading more, as always, so now please excuse me, I have a date with the devil ;)

Take care,
Amethyst.