Smokey
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Bet On Black: Part 5 (Finale)
🕑 Added 2021-04-14 17:01:01 +0000 UTCAnd here we have the final chapter of Bet On Black!
I'm sure the twist at the end is expected, but honestly I prefer to have my twists be predicted by the audience rather than just being shocking for shock's sake. That's why foreshadowing exists after all, right?
While this story isn't one of my longest in terms of chapter numbers, it is definitely one I'm very proud of. I just loved getting to spend so much time in Stepford, and focusing on an un-stepfordized woman who comes to enjoy the town without knowing what it really is. I just figured that there are a lot of women (myself included) who enjoy 50s fashion and homemaking, so why not see how a woman like that sees Stepford? Or rather, seeing someone discover a passion for those things thanks to Stepford making it seem normal, and then having to wrestle with the town's darker side afterwards.
And as far as characters I've written go, I think Mya is definitely among the most fleshed out. Her and Tanya, from Fitting In, both have very distinct personalities in my mind, and I've developed a strong fondness for them as a result. Even as Stepford Wives, I don't know that I think of them as anything remotely approaching interchangeable. With any luck, I'll keep adding more characters to that pool!
Hope you enjoy!
Comments
Jourangela
I'd love to see it if you do get around to writing it ^_^
Smokey
I actually have another story coming up rather soon which features a return for Mya! Not as the main character, sadly, but she does maintain a presence throughout. I may end up writing a sort of bonus chapter at some point which shows how exactly the second bet resolves, but at the moment I’m simply not certain how that happens in detail.
Thomas Tolliver
I'd be fine with just an epilogue 😅
Jourangela
Would you possibly be open to writing another story about the next year Mya experiences? I know you said she’d show up as a cameo but I think that would make a great story. I’d even be willing to commission it
Smokey
Thanks! I really liked the idea of someone who even lives on another continent not being safe from Stepford’s reach, plus it just helps to set her apart from other characters. I’ll definitely be sure to do a before and after with her!
vasily26
Awesome, would love to see it! Really love the character so I just want to see as much of her as possible haha. But when you do superheroes, we don't need a before pic bc we already know what they look like. Since Mya is totally your character it would be nice to see what you think she looks like normally too, and it would further highlight the dramatic nature of her transformation. (Also, I know this isn't a thing that would show up in drawings necessarily, but I love Mya's British accent too! I think it's hot and also interesting to bring in a British character since Stepfordization is obviously so tied up with Americana and American culture) So glad you decided to add in Mallory. Mini-transformations within a larger transformation story are always fun. I also like that even though we got a full transformation within the chapter she first appeared, we also got these little additions and updates as it went, further compounding her slavery. The initials tattoo is a sexy touch
Smokey
Thank you so so much! I actually did have this story plotted out from beginning to end before I went in, and aside from a few small things (I think Mallory I came up with on the spot), I stuck to it all the way through, including Mya making that final bet with Gabriel. As for the drawing, I’m leaning towards just doing her afterwards, but a before and after would be pretty fun! I just might go with that, honestly
vasily26
Perfect ending! From start to finish, this might be my favorite story of yours ever (though I really love Fitting In too and of course all of them are great). This one has just felt so confident, like you knew exactly what you were doing and where you were going the whole time, while still throwing in some clever twists. Even more than that I really love Mya’s character — as you say she feels very fleshed out and unique, but most impressively, believable. We see her wrestling with and processing things in a way that is difficult and rare for a transformation story. I love that there are multiple steps to her journey, first adjusting to Stepford things through her competitive nature to win the bet, then coming to like them on their own terms, then freaking out at the truth while also being strangely aroused by it, and then completing the Stepfordization process by going back to her competitive flirtatious nature from the beginning. She transforms in a way that feels organic. I just love her as a character and can’t wait for her eventual cameos in future stories. Really looking forward to your illustration too — will you be doing before and after? Sorry for the long comment, but this story deserves it! You really stuck the landing
