Saga - PT The Sad, Sad Story of Porfozald Marballees! (Pre-Rebels; mostly OCs) | Calm after the Storm

Oh. My. Freaking. Goodness.

I've been meaning for ages to come and get acquainted first-hand with His Eminent Creepiness Porfozald Marballees, whom I had heard a lot about, but holy cow, this is light-years better (or worse) than what I expected. He is just So. Positively. Infuriating. that it's a sheer delight. I had the misfortune of meeting a few dudes like this in my life, and I saw from one of your replies above that you had RL sources of inspiration as well.

(Speaking of replies, the reading experience on the boards is very, very much enhanced by the reviews, which is arguably true in general, but even more so in the case of this story. It was very cathartic, after the exasperation of reading a chapter, to see that everyone else was just as exasperated.)

I could quote lines and lines and lines of the Duke of Chauvinism's most aggravating entries but I don't want to get all worked up again when I go looking for quotes (honestly, I want to know how you let out steam after writing this!) so I'll limit myself to stuff I picked up during my read.

Look. Who's. Talking. Hel-LO?

What the blazes did he... I just can't even.

I love how you extended Porfy's unlikeableness to Every. Single. Aspect. of his worldview. He's just such a snob, and so full of himself, and... yikes!

Okay, this was priceless in all its scholarly pettiness

Chukwu is the only one here who seems to see the world as it is. It kind of makes me wonder why he's friends with Porfy in the first place – but I'm going to assume that he's just a long-suffering classmate.

Oh dear, where to even start with this sentence? I don't know whether I'm supposed to laugh or scream.

Go Shumla, errrr, Shulma! Is it bad that I wish his ear-hairs got singed?

This felt so, so good, I just loved it. It's too bad Porfy fainted, because I would have liked to see that "honourable bout of fisticuffs", and most importantly its anticipated result.

I felt so bad for Shulma in the little epilogue. It's so typical that she would feel that she has done something wrong, and worry that Zeb might be angry at her – and it goes to show that she doesn't fully realise yet how truly honourable a man/Lasat he is. At the same time, it was lovely to see her interacting with her friends and seeing them care for her.

This was a wonderful image, especially in contrast to The Supreme Jerk's earlier musings about the tomb. It's nice to see that Wise Chava's earlier appearance wasn't entirely by chance, and that what came across as a polite dismissal of Porfy banging on the door was actually very well thought-out.

And I haven't even gotten around to comment on your Lasat fanon and worldbuilding, but I know that I'll get the opportunity in the future as I make my way through the series!

This was truly a superlative read, @Findswoman, thank you so much for sharing!

 

After reading @Chyntuck 's marvelous review, I had to reread this myself. Just as fantastic as it was the first time! Zeb and Shulma rock and her friends are wonderful!