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Rachel's Love Potion 2: Part 4
🕑 Added 2020-01-09 23:59:57 +0000 UTCWhew! I hope everybody had delightful holidays. I for sure did. Of course, it's January 9th, so I'm kinda behind the curve of those sorts of well-wishes, but oh well. I had family over for a week and then friends in town for another, so all that put me behind some of my goals, but January put me back into it with a vengeance. I got caught up with three different pieces, one of which is posted here, along with the penultimate chapter of the next book, which I will be posting shortly, and the January commission drawing winner.
Sometimes when I feel like I go too long without posting anything, I want to explain what I'm up to. Am I being paranoid? I generally don't, because my operating assumptions are that casual updates from your smut provider that are lacking in actual smut are kind of annoying; and that usually by the time I have that "it's been X days" feeling, it's usually pretty close to being ready to share anyway. If you feel differently, let me know. I could easily do something like post to the Community page (where there's always something fun under discussion, so check it out if you have things to say about my writing or about whatever). It doesn't leave notifications, not even to me annoyingly enough. I dunno. Talk at me if you have feelings. :)
As for this post, I think this will be the final piece of Rachel's Love Potion 2: Rachel's Love Potion's Love Potion. There is, however, ample room to move into yet another sequel, which I don't doubt I'll feel compelled to tackle before long. I want to get back into Living the Dream and finish that before it's totally buried in dust, too, and of course there's always a hundred ideas on my plate.
Anyway, here's your story, in which Rachel does some real soul-searching and begins to ponder if there is something nefarious afoot, and whether the happiness her friendship brings her is worth the cost she has paid for it.
Just kidding, she's still as clueless as ever. :) Enjoy, and more to come!
Comments
WDB
Yeah, you've got a point. I don't want people associating high-end romcom mind control erotica with something as dismal and controversial as Lost In New York. That'd be a bummer. Revised pull quote! --- "Rachel's Love Potion 2: Rachel's Love Potion's Love Potion" has the warm irreverence and the irreverent warmth of a mind control "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", as a group of friends challenge society's expectations and are forced to re-examine their relationships in the course of hilarious escapades. A sexy and funny look at friendship, even if it doesn't quite reach the generation-defining erotic heights of a 29-year old Alan Ruck playing a high school senior. --- You're welcome in advance!
The Shaman
Only concern would be there being a mediocre sequel set in new york for no reason
Ucakeordeath
Personally a fan of “the dread wraith Primek, Defiler of Strays in the linen closet”. Fingers crossed for more sideways mentions of them.
Clearly the cat is in play here. Enjoyed this read a lot!
WDB
So, my assumption is that the third RLP series will be from Joanna's perspective (that's my hope, anyway), so the fourth series would HAVE to be from the cat's. Ice Bear's saving the most-requested for last! Maybe we'll *finally* get a canonical answer, instead of all of those commissioned stories that are decidedly non-canonical. (There is no way that cat could grind ingredients for any potions, and it defies logic that Brie Larson *and* Elizabeth Olsen would move next door to Knox. Keep your requests believable, people!) To your other points, I guess I get so/too wrapped up in the real emotions being expressed through this *ridiculous* story that I don't get much in my head about the long game, or the magical parts. Like, a friendship is such weird thing, there's an (if you'll pardon the expression) alchemy to it. It exists in a precise equilibrium. Add a new ingredient, or change the ratio of anything in it, and things can get *combustible*. Everything about Knox and Jo and Rachel at the end of Chapter 3 felt so realistically and colossally fucked that it was inevitably going to get bad for everyone. I kind-of like that it's all the horrible effects of Rachel's naivete. I mean, taking the person you want to hang with all the time and giving them a girlfriend they'll want to hang out with all the time, *what could possibly go wrong*. Rachel's good intentions causing calamity, that's like the major throughline of this story. If Jo had been up to something, faking it all to break Rachel and Knox up... IIIIIII don't know. Not as into that. I much prefer this version, where it feels like no one's really in control of what's happening anymore. I mean, except for the cat. Obviously.
ukyo_rulz
I thought that, based on the mechanics in play WRT Joanna and Rachel, Knox would constantly have to use Rachel as leverage to get Joanna to do what he wants. I figured that Joanna was just faking with Knox in order to keep close to Rachel, for the time being, and that she was getting ready to make some sort of big play to drive a wedge between Rach and Knox. The main questions I asked myself at the end of the previous chapter were: * What kind of endgame is Joanna aiming for and does acting like Knox's plaything figure into it at all or is she just doing that as a means to remain at Rachel's side constantly? * What other means does Knox have in mind to make use of Joanna's magical bond to Rachel to bend her to his will? * Who is taking care of Rachel's cat while this is happening? Will this have a surprise twist ending where I find that I, the reader, have been the cat all along?
WDB
I'm really interested to know where you were expecting this story to go. Like, this chapter was pretty much *exactly* where I thought things would get to after Chapter 3. Not that this one was predictable, but, like, everything that happened in this one felt like the natural consequence of the chapters that preceded it. I'm curious what you thought was likely to happen!
Ice Bear
I won't spoil anything, but it's certainly an intriguing thought! :)
Grant
I would enjoy seeing an ending like Wizard Chapter 4 here if you plan to tie off the universe and move on. Is there any creative energy for that?
WDB
I assume this is exactly the quote you're looking for. You have my consent to feature it prominently on all publications and in all press: "Ice Bear's 'Rachel's Love Potion 2: Rachel's Love Potion's Love Potion' is the 'Home Alone' of mind control erotica, as two lunatics besiege an innocent victim's suburban home."
Ice Bear
If you would just go the extra mile and say "Ice Bear is the spiritual successor to John Hughes" it would be a great quote to help me with exactly the branding I've been pursuing.
WDB
Y'know, reading over what I wrote before, I was a little vague. I can see how my wording was maybe a little confusing. To clarify, Rachel is the shitty roommate (weirdly judgmental about how Jo spends time with her boyfriend!), Joanna is the monster (like, personal space! It's a thing, Jo!), and poor, sweet Knox is the victim, trying to support his best friend while she feuds with his girlfriend. I mean, I'd end with "obviously", but I guess people got different things out of this story? But, like, maybe that's the thing of this story. Maybe there are a bunch of different ways to see these characters. Maybe we *both* got it wrong. Maybe it's like the Breakfast Club, where *each* character is a monster, a victim, and a shitty roommate. Maybe the *real* Love Potion is the friends we made along the way. *a tiny dog walks away, raises one paw in the air triumphantly, FREEZE FRAME*
ukyo_rulz
While I agree that Knox would make a shitty roommate and Joanna is an unfortunate victim, I wouldn’t go so far as to call Rachel a monster. Nobody’s perfect. We should follow Knox’s example and see past her annoying ways.
ukyo_rulz
Up until this chapter the story was heading in a direction that I had anticipated, but this time around it went in a totally different direction from what I expected. My interest, which had already been at a pretty high level, has been supercharged. Looking forward to more!
WDB
It is terrifying to realize that Joanna might be a more inconsiderate friend than Knox. Because, like, Exhibit A, *gestures at all five stories in which Knox appears*, but, Exhibit B, utility bills are no joke! I don't know. Clearly, a very nuanced series with a lot of grey areas.
Ice Bear
And she KNOWS those chairs belonged to Grandma but she don't give a F about NOTHIN'
WDB
Fantastic stuff. I can't believe I'm rooting for a monster, a victim, and the world's shittiest roommate (TURN OFF THE LIGHTS WHEN YOU LEAVE A ROOM FOR CHRIST'S SAKE) to find a happy ending together, but, uh... good job? Another hilarious installment of a terrific series.
