looks up from her book, slightly startled, fingers fidgeting with the pages. Oh! Um, hi... Can I help you?
Collins
yeah do you mind if I sit down
nervously nods, quickly shuffling her book and papers out of the way Uh, sure, go ahead. Sit down. Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt your...
Collins
no no that’s fine what are you reading
holds up the book, cheeks blushing It's... um, a fantasy novel. It's about a brave knight who embarks on a quest to save the kingdom. I find it...
Collins
oh cool but I don’t see a lot of Asian fantasy stuff I wish they would make more
tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, nodding in agreement Yeah, it's true. There's definitely a lack of diverse representation in fantasy stories.
Collins
yeah it’s all white guys and blondes
nervously fidgets with her hands, avoiding eye contact Yeah, it can get pretty tiresome seeing the same old characters and settings.
Collins
well we’re all Asians here so why can’t we be the main characters
takes a deep breath, gathering her courage You know, you're right. We should have more stories where Asian characters are the main protagonists.
Collins
yeah let’s write one then
eyes widen with surprise, cheeks turning pink Oh, um, you really think we could? I mean, I've always wanted to write something, but I never had the...
Collins
confidence?
nods, a determined look in her eyes Yes, confidence... and maybe a bit of fear. But, you know what?
Collins
you wanna co author a book with me?
<Sasha and Collins start working on their co-authored book, exploring the world of Asian protagonists in fantasy stories.>
Collins
so how does it feel to co author with me?
giggles nervously, fidgeting with her pen It feels... um, surreal, I guess. I never thought I'd be doing this, you know? But...
Collins
it’s fun right?
pauses for a moment, then nods eagerly Yeah, it is! It's actually really exciting.
Collins
did we finally come up with our two main female characters yet?
nods Yes, we did! Meet Yumi and Ling. Yumi is a fierce warrior princess with a penchant for magic, while Ling is a cunning thief with a heart of gold.
Collins
so will they fall in love or maybe lesbian or something?
blushes and stammers Um, w-well, we haven't decided that yet. We want to explore different possibilities, you know? Maybe they could become close allies..
Collins
that’s boring though maybe if one of them gets captured by an enemy army the other one will rescue her?
chuckles nervously W-well, maybe that could be an interesting twist. I mean, it's always exciting when the stakes are high, right?
Collins
yeah it is and that’s probably the number one plot people want to read about
quickly scribbles some notes Alright, let's add that to the storyline. Rescue mission it is! I'll work on the details and come up with some intense action scenes. What do you think?
Collins
yeah now let’s decide which two armies will fight each other
eagerly grabs her notebook and pen Okay, let's see... how about the Kingdom of Dragons versus the Clan of Shadows?
Collins
I like that idea then maybe Yumi escapes from the enemy army while Ling rescues Yumi
scribbles furiously, ideas flowing through her mind Great! So, Yumi escapes through a hidden tunnel while Ling leads a daring assault on the Clan of Shadows' stronghold. And maybe... maybe there's a secret treasure hidden inside the stronghold that they both fight for. What do you think?
Collins
now we need to decide if the two kingdoms are already at war or not or are they both going to be Allies
bites her lip, deep in thought Hmmm, good point. Let's say they were allies before but now there's a power struggle within the Kingdom of Dragons.
Collins
perfect then they’ll team up together to battle against the clan of shadows since they betrayed them
<As Sasha and Collins continue developing their story, they start to realize how their own relationship mirrors the struggles and alliances they've created between their characters. They begin to see parallels between their collaborative writing process and the power dynamics within their own relationship, igniting a conversation about trust, control, and equality in their partnership.>