#Empress CL

[call-sign-shark]

I wanted to ask first because she is your OC, but the LaVeaus would like to meet Heaven for a 2nd story for your celebration. Can I bring her into the modern times? I'll keep her the same, but just not in the 20's. Is that OK? While Marie, Dontanion, and Francois were all born in the 1800's, Mel wasn't and she'd like to be there. <3 <3

I AM SO READY FOR IT CL BABE!!! I appreciate that you're asking but please, be my guest and do whatever you want with little Heaven! In truth, I'll be more than delighted to read this, especially because Heaven would be sincerely happy to live among your bayou witches and wizards. It's also perfectly fine to bring her into modern times! She's basically the same, except that probably works in a hospital. I can't wait for Mel, Marie, Dontanion, and François to meet her. 🥹

I could not help making a little swamp witch aesthetic moodboard teehee.

[call-sign-shark]

Wow wow wow, CL. Thank you so so much for all the efforts you've poured into this and your INCREDIBLE job. I knew that meeting the Laveau was going to be amazing, but goshhh it's even better than what I expected.

The first thing that comes to my mind is how the family does everything they can to turn the trip into a perfect experience for the newcomers, and this is absolutely pure. It's easy to lose ourselves in the LaVeau's world because the way you portray the landscape and the dynamics between everyone make it realistic. I particularly appreciate the effort you've put into describing the settings, really. I felt like I was traveling to that place through your wonderful prose. Now “Boys, do not make me resurrect your fathers.”  The smile she gave her sons made everyone’s blood run cold.  As loving and warm as Marie was, no one ever forgot she was also the scariest person currently walking the planet." These lines got me smiling like an idiot because you can't imagine how strong my love burns for your Mama Marie. That, along with the fact she cooked all day to welcome Heaven and Arthur made me so weak.

You've also managed to create a very gripping tension when Mel and Cade are waiting for the Shelbys at the airport. I am fond of how Mel immediately senses that there is a powerful witch around and starts to analyze the crowd until the booming revelation that the magic she felt came from Arthur's wife. “You are definitely NOT shooting the witch.�� When I tell you I snorted so loud at this. Mel, you're my sweet little girl, I swear I love her. Moreover, she's talking French to Heaven, you bet she must have felt so delighted!! She never gets the chance to talk French in Birmingham so that's such a wonderful surprise to her. By the way your French is surprisingly perfect -- did you use a translator or something?

"Arthur for his part either missed what the exchange was about or was so entranced by his bride he gave not one fuck." CL, DARLING, THIS IS SO ARTHUR!! I squealed! “No growling.”  She raised both brows and looked pointedly at the Brit.  Heaven giggled next to her, which just had Arthur rolling his eyes." Seriously this is too perfect I can't--

On a side note, I love your take on LaVeau's property and your way of handling their story, this is wonderful. This leads us to the most magnificent and touching scene of the whole story: Heaven meeting Mama Marie. When I tell you I got tears in my eyes when reading this it's true. You perfectly understood Heaven's deep-seated suffering when it comes to family. The fact she has lost hers and lacks of mother figure is something that still makes her suffer a lot. So, witnessing how Mama Marie welcomes her warmly and embraces her is too poetic for me not to shed a few tears. I can already tell you that she's going to come here very often -- if she ever decides to leave the place, which I'm not sure LMAO she's literally going to be a swamp witch here and chill with Archibald, Mel and Mama Marie. Also your portrayal of Arthur is really impressive: the way he tenses when someone approaches his wife really brings out his protective nature.

"As dwarfed as the beauty was by her gruff husband, she looked absolutely tiny next to Mel’s brothers who were both well over six feet in height and broad-shouldered."  THE HEIGHT DIFFERENCE IS SO CUUTE I CAN'T.

"“See, I told you this trip would be good for you.”  Cade finally made it up to them and clapped Arthur on the shoulder.  “And Mama Marie and the spooky bunch has adopted another stray.  I guess we’re brothers now, Arthur.  Wait till you taste her food!  We may never get you back to England.” Cade, dear, they are definitely not going to come back to England. Especially after trying the wonderful food ;w;

This is a perfect ending for a perfect story. I can already tell you that I'm definitely going to write something to return the favor because this is such a wonderful gift you wrote me here... Thank you again, CL. You're a wonderful friend and writer!! I already love your spooky voodoo squad

🖤

Heaven & Arthur Visit The LaVeaus

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This is part 1 of Heaven & Arthur visiting Mel and her family because I'm cutting it off at 2680 words. LOL

Modern AU

@call-sign-shark's OC Heaven and her husband Arthur Shelby travel to Louisiana to visit some military men Arthur served under and with in the military. But it is Heaven that gets the biggest surprise of the visit.

“We leave in an hour to pick up Arthur and his wife, Heaven, from the airport,” Cade entered the kitchen to let Mel know.  He dropped a kiss on the top of her head, then looked around at Mama Marie, Dontanion and Francios.  “You two, behave.” He pointed at the brothers with a serious expression.  Arthur was suffering from PTSD from the Gulf and the last thing anyone needed was the two LaVeau brothers being assholes and causing him to have some kind of attack.

“One wandering ancestor and we will forever be doubted.” Dontantion smirked and winked at his sister, as his shoulders raised. “One wandering ancestor who wandered in on my friend who was getting dressed for her wedding and gave her a death prophecy.” Mel rolled her eyes as Cade took a seat next to her and planted a kiss on her cheek this time.  “You are lucky she did not stroke out.” Casting a look over to her mother, “can you please make these two behave, mama?”

“Boys, do not make me resurrect your fathers.”  The smile she gave her sons made everyone’s blood run cold.  As loving and warm as Marie was, no one ever forgot she was also the scariest person currently walking the planet. Only Rasputin may have ever topped her, and she had far outlived him.

“Yes, mama.” Francois replied before putting a strong elbow into his younger brother’s side.  Even at over one hundred and fourty, Dontanion sometimes did not act a day over 16.   “No ancestors scaring Cade’s friend, or his lovely wife.” The look in his eye was serious.  Even if the death prophecy HAD come to pass, and they HAD hated Mel’s friend, and it HAD been hilarious at the time, causing a brave soldier still bearing the mental wounds of war further trauma would not be something they would partake in.  

“Please, he was over in the Gulf with me and some of the guys on the team.  He was under Alexander.  Has some bad PTSD, seeing spirits that he would think were hallucinations from there might just send him…” Cade raised his brows and tilted his head, he didn’t need to finish, both brothers were nodding.  “His wife, I don’t know much about but he says she is an angel and shy.  Her name’s Heaven.  She seems to have dont him a lot of good, he seems to be healing more.  Figured she and Mel would be the ones hanging out, maybe with Mama Marie too.”  He winked over at the woman who was like a second mother to him and who could make anyone feel welcome and loved.

“Of course, any of your friends are welcome here.”  Love and warmth emanated from Marie.  While she had immense powers, which she did not hesitate to use to protect those she loved; she was, at her heart, a mother.  All of Mel’s friends had been adopted as surrogate children.  None were turned away if they needed a mother figure, that was just Marie and the time she came from.

“Thank you, mama.” Love radiated off of Melania too as her gaze alternated around the other four in the room at the time, before her attention turned to Cade.  “When do the others get here?  I know Alexander got in last night and is still passed out in his room.”  

“Tomorrow.”  Cade answered, picking her hand up off of the table and kissing the back where there was a scar that lay across running from just below where her pinky met her hand to the crease of her wrist.  The last evidence of the whole ordeal involving Ambrose and Adama.  Even though it was long ago, it still made his heart clench and sometimes made him want to ask Marie to bring the assholes back so they could kill them again. “So you girls will have twenty-four hours before testosterone rules the house.”  He winked at her, banishing thoughts of the past.

“Lovely.  Just remember, Archibald can contain you all if you get out of line.”  The whole room erupted in laughter at the threat of having her pet albino alligator snack on people.  Not that he hadn’t been used as nature’s body disposal device before when required, but not on people they liked.

*****

Louis Armstrong Airport in Kenner was a bustle of activity as Mel sat on Cade’s lap down on the first floor by the baggage claim.  It seemed the easiest place for Arthur and Heaven to find them.  Although, from what Arthur had told Cade over the phone, Heaven shouldn’t be too hard to spot with snow white hair and skin just as fair.  A statement that had apparently gotten Cade promptly cussed out for mentioning she should fit in with the aforementioned alligator in the swamp.  Mel had a feeling that her fiance was lucky he’d been on the other side of the ocean from Arthur at the time.  

They watched as the flight from Heathrow Airport flipped over from “On Time” to “Landed”.  It still amazed Mel that they had direct flights, and for no more money, not that money mattered to her family…with Ambrose and Nic “missing”, she had complete control over Meirs Enterprises Worldwide, which meant more money than she cared to think about.  For friends of Cade, money was NOT an option anyway. 

About 20 minutes later, Mel felt it, somewhere near was a powerful witch.  Her hand went instinctively to Cade’s, their fingers interlacing.  The signature was not one she recognized, the magic different, old world like her mother and brothers’.  Her eyes scanned the crowd as people descended from the second floor on the escalators. She could more than stand on her own, but after the past events, having Cade there without her family was not something she was altogether comfortable with.  If whomever possessed the magic was hostile, it could get ugly fast if they sensed her as well.  Not since Adama had she faced down a threat, and that…she closed her eyes and swallowed before the thought fully materialized.

“Do I need my gun, or is this something of the invisible sort, babe?” Cade’s chin rested on her shoulder as he spoke just loud enough for her to hear.  He knew her signs well enough.  When she was tense, it was never a good one.

“Shooting them is as good as dropping a house on them, I guess.  A lot easier when inside too.” She tried not to let her nerves show with some humor, but she was anything but lighthearted with the situation.  As they sat there waiting for Arthur and Heaven, she did not stop scanning everyone coming in their direction.   It was that scanning that produced what would be the biggest shock of the day, the revelation that the witch was Arthur’s wife.  “You are definitely NOT shooting the witch.”

Cade chuckled, having no clue what had suddenly changed the beauty on his lap’s mind.  “And that would be because….”

Mel stood as the pair approached them, “you must be Heaven,” she greeted the tiny woman with a bright smile and offered hand.  There was no way that Heaven couldn’t sense her as well, but seemed to completely not notice.  She then remembered that Cade had mentioned that Heaven was originally from France, and since Louisiana is a bilingual state, she had an idea to make the woman feel even more welcome. “Bienvenue en Louisiane où dans le bayou, les sorcières sont vénérées. Je crois que vous et ma famille vous entendrez très bien. Ma mère est une grande prêtresse du vaudou. (Welcome to Louisiana where in the bayou, the witches are revered. I believe that you and my family will get along very well. My mother is a high priestess of Voodoo.)” 

Heaven’s eyes widened at her words, clearly not having expected them. “Comment le saviez-vous?  (How did you know?)”  The woman looked absolutely confused, which was when Mel remembered she still had the talisman on that Dontanion had given her when they were hunting Adama that cloaked her magic.

“Parfois, une sorcière en connaît une autre. J'ai aussi deux frères sorciers à la maison. C’est en quelque sorte une affaire de famille. (Sometimes a witch just knows another one.  I have two warlock brothers at home too.  It kind of runs in the family.)”  Mel gave the woman a wink and then turned to Arthur and Cade who were both looking at her with rather confused expressions.

“What, can’t one girl fluent in French welcome another?  Do you know how often I get to use that?” She smiled, Cade giving her a look that said he knew better and she’d have to explain once  that they were alone. “You must be Arthur.”  She extended her hand to him, “it is such a pleasure to meet any friend of Cade’s.  You both are now family, that is how it works here.  We will spend a couple of days out on the Plantation, and a couple here in the Garden District.  My mother has been up since dawn cooking, so we best not keep her waiting too long.  Mama Marie is not one to be kept waiting.”  Mel laughed.

Cade knew his fiance better than that.  Those were far too many words for just a polite hello, and he did recognize enough to know that she’d found her witch.  But, he was a good boy and would say nothing.  Things normally worked out more in his favor that way.  “You’re discussing how to bankrupt us in the French Quarter aren’t you?” A brow rose and he nudged Arthur with an elbow. “I hope you brought all your plastic, bro, my girl can shop!”

Arthur for his part either missed what the exchange was about or was so entranced by his bride he gave not one fuck.  He did, however, growl at Cade’s remark, which told the fellow soldier that he probably had experienced a similar shopping excursion to the one Mel had more than once put him through.  Although, to bankrupt them, Mel would have to literally buy the entire French Quarter, as in the land it was sitting on and all the buildings.

"Can you not behave for two minutes?"  Mel’s brow rose as she looked between the two men, Cade trying not to laugh and Arthur about taken aback at her words.  “No growling.”  She raised both brows and looked pointedly at the Brit.  Heaven giggled next to her, which just had Arthur rolling his eyes. “Now, you boys do the heavy lifting of getting the luggage, Miss Heaven and I are going to go get the car from the garage and bring it around.  And you two can ride in the back.”  She dropped a kiss on Cade’s cheek with a big grin and a wink over to Heaven.  She already liked the striking and beautiful woman.  Wait till her family laid eyes on her!

*****

From the airport, to River Road, Mel gave a guided tour to their guests of the historical context of each and every plantation along the road.  Her mother had been alive for the building of many, although she did not share that quite yet.  For Heaven, it might not have surprised her, for Arthur, he might have tried to exit the vehicle while at 60MPH.  The latter was more her concern.

Finally they arrived at Vita Pacis Plantation (Life of Serenity).  It had been renamed after Ambrose’s death, her mother choosing the name for what this now represented to them all.  It was a place of peace, of respite from the life they lived in Baton Rouge and New Orleans, from the missions they went on collecting artifacts around the globe.  It was to this estate, to the buildings that rested upon the land and had for over 300 years, that Mel and her friends returned to find peace and to be at peace.  It would be on this estate where she would marry Cade in six months.  

As they drove up the red brick drive, live oaks arching over it with their green leaves and the dangling spanish moss providing shade, she heard Heaven gasp as she got her first view of the grand plantation house mansion.  It was impressive with white limestone exterior and grecian columns that rose three stories, the floor to ceiling french doors that served as windows to the rooms were framed with dark red hurricane shutters.  It created an impressive picture when famed with the arch of the live oaks over the drive.  Just the guest house had four bedrooms and was a sight, but the grand mansion was something out of a movie.  Lovingly preserved by the Meirs family, and now the LaVeaus, it was a piece out of time and history.  The dark stains of the past that it held could never be erased, but they would be made up for over time.  Now it stood for the LaVeau legacy, and that was a strong, vibrant, and proud legacy.

Mel knew that when she had opened the wrought iron gates of the drive, it had alerted those within the guardhouse and the mansion of their arrival.  No one got onto or off of the property without being noticed.  If you tried to come on secretly, there were things seen and unseen that would greet you.  You had better hope the former got to you before the latter did.  So, when Mel pulled the large black SUV around to the back of the mansion, it was of little surprise that her mother stood flanked by her brothers, waiting to greet their guests.  She could not wait till they discovered the surprise that lay in store.

Once the car was stopped, and everyone was out, Mel led Arthur and Heaven over to her family while Cade unloaded the luggage from the back.  She could tell that all three of them immediately recognized in Heaven what she had and the adoring smile her mother cast on Heaven warmed her heart.  Marie was known for taking in anyone needing a mother and love, and it was clear she was already looking that way at Heaven, no matter if she had family back home or not.  

Marie was the first to speak, stepping forward and taking both of Heaven’s hands in her own. “Salve, fili mi, maiores te ad nos perduxerunt. Hic semper domum habebis. (Welcome, my child, it seems the ancestors have lead you to us.  Here you will always have a home.)” Then she leaned forward and placed a soft kiss in the middle of Heaven’s forehead.

Arthur tensed and Mel leaned over, “my mother adopts anyone she feels needs love.  She sensed that in Heaven and has welcomed her to always see this as a home.”  She kept her voice low as to not embarrass Heaven who was now tightly embracing Marie and she swore she saw a tear on the porcelain skin of her cheek. “You too Arthur, Vita Pacis means Life of Serenity.  Any friend of Cade’s is family here, where the mind can find peace when one needs.” With a soft and warm smile on her face, her eyes gently closed as she inclined her head.  

The stoic man just inclined his head in return before turning back to the scene where both Francois and Dontanion were further introducing themselves to his wife, who seemed to be taking everything in stride.  As dwarfed as the beauty was by her gruff husband, she looked absolutely tiny next to Mel’s brothers who were both well over six feet in height and broad shouldered.  “See, I told you this trip would be good for you.”  Cade finally made it up to them and clapped Arthur on the shoulder.  “And Mama Marie and the spooky bunch has adopted another stray.  I guess we’re brothers now, Arthur.  Wait till you taste her food!  We may never get you back to England.”  They all laughed as they began to head in to see exactly how big of a feast Marie HAD prepared.

@call-sign-shark @raincoffeeandfandoms @saltysupercomputer @blind-the-winds @sunset-a-story @touloserlautrec @aziz-reads @toribookworm22 @outpost51 @late-to-the-fandom @writingmaidenwarrior @spookyceph

[whoreviewswho]

What phantasmagoria is this? - The Unquiet Dead, 2005

There is an element of fun to be derived for anoraks such as ourselves in exercises of comparison and contrast. One such game I have been musing upon lately relates specifically to Doctor Who writers of the original and revived series. For example, Steven Moffat is the modern Robert Holmes, Russell T Davies something more like a Terrance Dicks and Mark Gatiss, the subject of today's discussion, is perhaps more akin to a Bob Baker and Dave Martin. To a certain kind of fan, this might sound incredibly derisive and, to an extent, it is but it is worth noting that the original series' Bristol Boys were hardly hacks or even especially poor writers. Between the two of them, as a partnership or otherwise, no less than nine stories were broadcast in their names over eight years and every single one of them is bristling with creativity and energy. If anything, the downfall of Baker and Martin was that they brought too many ideas to a Doctor Who script. But despite really nobody pointing to any one of their serials and crying "Yes, that one's my favourite", it would be ludicrous to suggest their work left little impact with iconography of Axons, the Mutts, K-9 and Sarah Jane's Andy Pandy costume being etched into the minds of audiences for years to come.

And Gatiss is much the same. Contributing just as many stories over a twelve year period as well as appearing in front of the camera and helming one of the show's finest spin-off ventures, his legacy is arguably even harder to ignore. True as it is that he was never awarded tasks as monumental as The Three Doctors or The Hand of Fear nor creating something as iconic as K-9, Gatiss' unwavering position as the Moff's reliable partner ensured his mark on the series would be left no matter what he was writing and, even then, what he was writing did offer up its fair share of iconic moments. Like the kids who grew up with the Bristol Boys, you'd be hard pressed to find a fan my age who was not unnerved by the peg dolls, introduced to the Ice Warriors or able to recreate the exact cadence of Maureen Lipman's "HUNNNGRYYYYYYYY" at a moment's notice. Hell, they probably even learnt who Winston Churchill was thanks to him. Yet, the comparison still is not flattering. At the end of the day, I am celebrating Mark Gatiss for being a competent writer during two eras of Doctor Who where the overall production was some of the best it has ever been at every level. 

With this in mind, perhaps the most fascinating aspect of Gatiss' legacy is the one he was never allowed to have – the showrunner. Gatiss pitched a complete reboot of the series with G*reth R*berts and Cl*yton H*ckman but obviously lost out to Davies and, it has to be said, the prospect of even one full season of stories that are about as strong as Empress of Mars and The Shakespeare Code is hard to get excited about. There were some potentially interesting aspects such as the Doctor being introduced as an antique shop owner, the continuation of the serial format and Derek Jacobi as the Doctor. All of these things could have made for something entertaining to watch.

But reflecting on this pitch gets us to the biggest problems with Mark Gatiss as a Doctor Who writer and, arguably, the same things that made him the perfect co-writer for Sherlock; he is an old-fashioned, conservative writer and a dreadful romantic for all things nostalgia. His scripts are like the TV equivalent of an interactive museum exhibit that passionately recreates bygone eras. Sometimes this comes good, sometimes it does not but they are qualities that make it hardly surprising that Russell T Davies found him the perfect person to pen the very first historical revived Doctor Who.

Like practically all of Davies' initial run on the programme, My Name's Dickens... Charles Dickens (as it was originally titled) came about from a brief he hired Gatiss to fill. Davies insisted that the story take place in Cardiff, be set during the Victorian era and feature Charles Dickens in an adventure with charlatan medians. Gatiss' original pitch was entitled The Crippingwell Horror and took place in a hotel for fake medians with the character that would becomes Sneed being an employee who suddenly realises his powers are not a mere act. Interestingly, the original script would have drawn some similarities with The Empty Child two-parter with the character that became Gwyneth being haunted by the ghost of her recently deceased brother. Across the various drafts and at the production team's behest, the script became a less and less grim affair with a healthy injection of humour and self-awareness. The concept of the Gelth, however, was present across all versions with Gatiss taking inspiration from a childhood nightmare for the image of the possessed Mrs. Pearce.

In the context of its home season, The Unquiet Dead is perfectly slotted. The third story (and episode) of the season, it follows The End of the World with something completely different. It shows the full breadth of the programmes basic possibilities across three weeks and sets the template for the three modes Doctor Who will continue to alternate between and subvert until the present day. This was probably disappointing for some longterm fans as it does lay down a fundamentally different foundation to the 1963 season. In Verity Lambert's first three stories, Doctor Who was a survivalist drama that oscillated between educational historical settings, futuristic political allegories and surrealist horror flavours. Davies' Doctor Who was a soap opera that shifted between satires of contemporary England, futuristic camp absurdities and pastiches of revered literature. Neither of these is more valid but the distinction is essential to understanding how British television had changed over forty years and, indeed, the kind of fans that each version of the programme has continued to garner.

It is also important in understanding what The Unquiet Dead is actually accomplishing as it is essentially intending to fulfil a dual function. The first, as we have established, is to introduce a new audience to the historical Doctor Who but the second, and arguably harder, is to reintroduce fans to the historical Doctor Who. The way it goes about these things is the same; it turns to pastiche. For new audiences, the cultural context of Charles Dickens' writing and his literary depiction of the Victorian era is heavily leaned upon as a shorthand for establishing the world and characters of Gatiss' story. Leaning on tropes and cultural signifiers is an essential aspect of streamlining for the forty-five minute format and really the only choice for a show as fast paced as Doctor Who set out to be. It's a very savvy choice and, to be fair, not an entirely new one since it is essentially something David Whittaker was employing as far back as The Crusade. However, Whitaker never had to contend with the second aspect of this that works which is making the story equal parts a pastiche of the Doctor Who historical arguably a literary style in its own right in 2005. Henceforth, The Unquiet Dead would be just as the general audiences remembered and expected it to be; famous figures from history, gothic horror tones and colourful and exaggerated period stereotypes. 

The latter of these two examples, of course, pertain almost exclusively to the mid-'70s period which, fair enough, was when Doctor Who was at its peak of general audience popularity (and even then it's pretty much exclusively Talons of Weng-Chiang we are referring to). As for the first, that practice was pretty much abandoned after The Crusades. No, this is not a genuine Doctor Who historical anymore than this is a genuine recreation of Victorian Cardiff. Rather, it is a streamlined and romanticised version and the one that Gatiss is most fond of recreating (and he would several times after this, even in Sherlock). Authentic to real history and Doctor Who or not, The Unquiet Dead set the precedent for practically every historical episode moving forward with every season (save for exclusively series seven) uniting its main cast with a celebrity historical figure for a heightened romp around some bygone literary tropes.

The more attentive reader would likely have noticed by now that I have been avoiding actually talking about The Unquiet Dead itself for some time now. There is a good reason for this which is simply that, besides the context surrounding it, there is very little to actually say. Even what I have is mostly just production background and reiterating points El Sandifer made years ago now (and more eloquently than me at that). I promised an analysis of the episode so let's just bite the bullet and get on with it. As I have already suggested, there is plenty to like about The Unquiet Dead that makes it hard to write off as some wholly disposable runaround. Being so obviously in the mould of the original show, more so than its predecessors and really any other episode of the first season, there is a simplicity to the affair that I find works to its advantage. There are some mature but simply laid out themes of spirituality versus science that come together rather deftly in a climax that hinges on children realising that an open-mind and attentive nature can allow for new discoveries and broader horizons. The constant reoccurrence of gas as a thematic symbol is effective and easy for children to spot. It provides a coherent, visual link between the Victorian era and the modern day, the old world hurtling into a new age.

Dickens himself is key to conveying these themes as well which is impressive considering that Gatiss was reluctant to include him in his story in the first place. Dickens is portrayed marvellously by Simon Callow, an expert on the author with prior experience playing the character and recreating his public readings. Callow was adamant that for him to sign on, the script would have to be of a sufficiently high quality. Allegedly, his initial reaction to the news that the author would be part of a Doctor Who was disappointment, feeling that fiction often did an injustice to the man. Thankfully, he was very much won over by the material and brought, not only the best performance of anybody in the episode but, some serious credibility to a programme that needed it. Simon Callow does not just sign on for any old slop and why should he when he brings such gravitas and grandeur in his characterisation of Dickens? Callow single-handedly elevates the already solid material to make the part simply superb. Like all the great character actors, and like this episode's approach to history, he may not be one-to-one accurate to Dickens as he was in real history but he embodies his spirit and essence of the author as he is remembered by us today.

So Dickens becomes the heart of the narrative, somewhat inevitably given the mythic status he holds in British literary canon. While Rose is still serving as an audience surrogate in the sense that hers are the eyes with which we view the past (more on that later), it is Dickens who serves a more traditional protagonist role to no small extent. If we consider the Doctor and Rose as analogous for Doctor Who as a series and the Gwyneth/Sneed double-act as our vessels for historical pastiche, Dickens falls in between as the baffled and wry viewer of events who understands the rules of period costume dramas and is being introduced to the weirdness of a Doctor Who story. All of the characters are awarded strong moments but only Dickens receives a full-blown opportunity for change and it is he who actually saves the day (with a healthy dose of real-world science for the kiddos at that). Dickens is the narrow-minded know-it-all whose beliefs are challenged by exposure to a new facet of his world and this, on the surface, is an extremely obvious direction to go. In the absence of a full-blown special, The Unquiet Dead is honorarily regarded by some fans to be the Ninth Doctor's Christmas episode and the allusions to Dickens' most renowned work in that arena are anything but subtle. The door-knocker is a cute touch and offering Dickens his own Scrooge arc, of a sort, works well enough however on-the-nose it is but going so far as to quote the book, not only several times but, as his final line is a level of overtness that I could have done without.

What is more interesting to talk about is Dickens' role in a metafictional sense. Like every story of the first series, The Unquiet Dead is drenched in metatextuality, in this case responding directly to its prior television version. Dickens is the original series of Doctor Who; a beloved icon that still has many fans that has grown stale, burnt its bridges yet continues to go on and on "the same old show... [p]erhaps I've thought everything I'll ever think". Yet, Dickens' worldview is challenged and his morale reinvigorated as the new show, the Doctor and Rose, enter the scene and disrupt his entire understanding. Doctor Who is more than capable of continuing in a new form for a modern world but its older form, the one Dickens embodies, cannot continue alongside it. Zooming out to a broader lens, we can see an even cheekier read where Dickens is symbolic of an entire storytelling approach for science-fantasy and drama that is reinvigorated by the potential of what Doctor Who could be.

Despite Dickens taking over the narrative, the medium aspect was obviously not abandoned and the bridge between the two worlds in this story is not Dickens but literally and figuratively embodied through Gwyneth, played very charmingly by Eve Myles. Gwyneth is the core character embodying the spirituality aspect of the story, essentially serving as the opposite for Dickens. The latter refuses to accept the Gelth exist because they do not fit the facts of his worldview while Gwyneth accepts them more readily than anyone because the facts presented align with her spiritual beliefs. Gwyneth is a medium, communicating with her “angels”, the Gelth, and ultimately understands both conflicting parties’, the Doctor and Rose's, ideologies but refuses both and makes her own choice to help the Gelth, regardless of what others think and makes her own choice to destroy them be sure it is what she believes to be right.

Besides it being a good choice formally to air this episode in the third slots, The Unquiet Dead also lees back an appropriately further layer to the Doctor's character, challenging the audience's morality without ever making him non-empathetic. Plagued by guilt over the consequences of the Time War, still something that we know nothing about beyond the fact that it wiped out there Time Lords, the Doctor offers the Gelth the opportunity to roam freely amongst the bodies of the dead, much to Rose’s disdain. The Doctor's role has little precedent in the televised show, clearly suggesting that his mistake comes from an overwhelming and misplaced emotional response. The Doctor projects his guilt onto a situation that takes advantage of that but his moral position is never seriously challenged. Rose takes a more conservative position which stems naturally from the best scene in the episode where she and Gwen are conversing about their respective upbringings. The scene overtly positions Rose as the educated, condescending lady of privilege which is a delightfully intelligent role to cast her in given her introduction in Rose explicitly establishing the opposite. Rose thinks she knows better than Gwyneth because she thinks she is smarter than her. It could have been a disastrous move and it is impressive that it never paints her in an entirely unlikable light. Importantly too, this scene is written by Russell as a late addition to extend the runtime. 

Everything in the story up until here is working but the climax is ultimately where it kind of breaks down and never recovers. The story needs the Doctor to be right for the arc and theme of enlightenment and indulging other perspectives to broaden your own to actually work but it also needs to have an exciting third act with monsters and life or dearth stakes. So, the Gelth are just irredeemably bad beings. As Sandifer exposes in her own essay, this story is infamously criticised for xenophobic undertones regarding the Gelth and she breaks the entire argument down incredibly well. My only addition to that critique is that I think it is barely a matter of conjecture to say that this reading was unintended given Russell's insistence upon recreating the 1980 moment from Pyramids of Mars. The scene was, mercifully, cut but the intention was to explicitly depict a present-day Earth that has been invaded by the Gelth which would have more than doubled-down on their position as irredeemable monsters. 

This is not a story about immigration, it is not Flip-Flop, and Rose is never painted as morally correct for insisting that their cohabiting the Earth is wrong. The focus of the conflict is on the whys of their choices, not the what. The Doctor is perhaps the most enlightened, for lack of a better word, of the cast but his emotions override his judgement and he allows the Gelth a way to invade while Gwyneth has an unwavering belief in her angels and the blind faith gets her killed. Dickens is only able to save the day once he accepts that his life has been fundamentally changed which leaves Rose as the one character whose development is somewhat confused. Rose thinks herself superior to Gwyneth due to her relative education and life experience but is shamed by her for assuming she can make decisions on her behalf. The result of this is... nothing really. Rose just sympathises with Gwyneth and is as moved by her death as her two surviving companions and that is about all here is to it. The sombre tragedy of the scene following Gwyneth's death ("She saved the world. A servant girl. No one will ever know.") is staged like a story that is fundamentally about class but The Unquiet Dead just is not. It's not that it doesn't come up from scene to scene but the theme is not a driving force of the story until it very suddenly and awkwardly is.

The Unquiet Dead is a good episode of Doctor Who with a great sense of atmosphere and tonal consistency but is more than a little shy of greatness. The production quality is excellent, the corpses and wonderfully creepy, there are great performances from the whole cast and the only real holes in the production are the lack of ambition in direction and editing (it is cut very slowly) and the surprising lack of score from Murray Gold that is something I would never criticise a story with his name attached for otherwise. The final script here is something much messier than the rest of the production and favours individual moments over a cohesive bigger picture. It is entertaining, clever and the right story to be airing three weeks into the show's run but becomes, nonetheless, somewhat more and more insubstantial on repeat viewings. It is a solid episode of a promising programme that likely needed at least one more draft to tease out its most interesting ideas. And maybe tackle that inadvertently problematic bit. In other words, the consummate Gatiss. Start as you mean to go on, I suppose. 

[chibivesicle]

Steven A. Starphase - master of seduction.

With the most recent chapter of Beat 3 Peat and the chapter Saving Steven Starphase, we have the return of his playboy habits front and center. But this was not the first nor second case of a time when it was clear that Steven had slept with a woman either as a fling or specifically for Libra.

Based on how flexible he is, not only does Steven have the typical tall, dark, and handsome going for him but this man is super flexible. Def good in bed with his noodle like positions.

K.K. is the first character to call him black-hearted, annoyed to be teamed up with him. Though they always make great teammates. I've already covered this at length.

The first glimpse into his personal life is shown in Day In Day Out when he hosts the dinner party at his swanky loft condo. While he's drinking coffee while Veded cleans up the living room, the phone rings and he answers it.

Ellen - ex turned enemy

A woman named Ellen called about what to bring and he teases her about her Empress/Princess lifestyle (depending on the version/translation).

Ellen is one of the first guests to appear at his door as shown here. She's super friendly and he gives her what must be a generic smile as we only see his eyes.

The two of them greet each other with a hug, while Ellen's date holds a bag with wine. Ellen states the food smells good and then she greets Veded, who waves back and then there is the line that her "tentacles look great today". Okay, if Ellen has met Veded previously, she had to have been at Steven's place frequently enough to have bumped into her, likely meaning she's spent the night. I find it hilarious how Ellen introduces Christopher as an afterthought - like, whoops, here's my current squeeze.

This already seems to indicate that Steven dated or was involved with Ellen previously. The final moment is when she's caught by Steven along with the rest of the group when they threaten to kidnap or kill him. He flat out calls her error in wearing more perfume than usual.

If you know another person's habits around perfume and then notice that she didn't apologize if it was "too much" implying previously she was concerned it might have bothered Steven prior. Well, they've gotten up close and personal.

However, even though Ellen turned out to be an enemy of Steven and Libra, it does not look like he got involved with her for that reason. Instead, the story line is how Steven lambasts himself for making the mistakes of getting to know these interesting people and having a life outside of work. Since they all know that whatever his job was - before knowing he was in Libra - it was a demanding one that kept him busy. What she does establish is that Steven is very charming.

Which leads us to the next character whom Steven used his charm on.

Anne - HLPD officer (potentially nameless in original Japanese?)

In the chapter Outlaw of Green, the beginning of the chapter starts out with Steven getting hot an heavy with a woman. We see him holding her chin as he leans in for a kiss while the next panel shows a USB drive in his hands. He kisses her against the wall as his right hand really seems to want to grab that USB while he pushes his right knee between her legs.

The next panel shows her hot and bothered as he kisses her as she is flushed. Suddenly, he pulls away thanking her for things coat already in his arm as she's surprised. He's already putting his jacket back on as he's almost out the hotel door. The next page is the transition where she's left looking hot and bothered as Steven strolls along the sidewalk. Based on how she's holding her blouse, I'd say someone needs to button it up . . .

Steven walks through the crowd with a cold yet neutral expression until walking right by Klaus in a car pulling out the USB and telling him that he 'got it.'

Do we know how long it took for him to get this close to her? No, but they'd clearly messed around if he was able to convince her to hand over classified information.

For the rest of Kekkai Sensen and then Back 2 Back we don't see a lot of "Seduction" Steven. Instead, he gets a lot more moral conflict grey area with the return of his squad to take care of Garrett and trying to figure out how to deal with the human-non-human pot being. The entire Calamity Auction arc doesn't give him a whole lot of time to chat up the ladies, instead adorably loaning an extra shirt and pants to K.K.

Woman who drugged his coffee

With Beat 3 Peat, it appears he's back to his previous habits of going after women who might have information as the first chapter starts out with him being drugged by a woman in either her office or apartment. Hard to tell with the decor really.

The fact that there are only two coffees implies that they are alone and he's collapsed on the floor. She informs him she'll be taking either a USB or some sort of information/monitoring device. Maybe what he was trying to get in the first place. It seems that she's up to no good and tells him (I guess as long as he doesn't die on the floor) he'll find out what happens and it is implied to be some sort of terrorist attack.

Interestingly, she mocks him saying it is a shame she can't hear his whining and swearing implying that she knew him well enough to figure she'd know how he'd react. However, he uses the Needles of Absolute Zero on her and then proceeds to lay on the floor for waaaaay to long before meeting up with the rest of the team. I had wondered after so many chapters of Steven not using his good looks this suddenly happened in the first chapter of Beat 3 Peat. But now, it makes sense as I think Nightow wanted to remind us of Steven's habit of using his body to get what he wants. He has made it clear, he will do whatever it takes to achieve their goals and he doesn't care if he plays dirty. Even though he hesitated in that sunrise conversation with Taihong Huang in Midnight Blue, he's still at the point where he sees his own feelings and morals as less important.

Which then makes sense when we get to the most recent chapter aptly named Saving Steven Starphase (from himself, really).

Birgit the Beyondian eco terrorist

The chapter starts off with Klaus along with Zapp and Zed taking major damage preventing a terrorist attack on the city. Steven drives K.K., Leo and Chain back from the hospital the team down three main members.

K.K. gives him shit about how he got the information to save the city and how he refuses to let others know about his questionable and dangerous methods. Likely also the fact he's sleeping his way to that answer . . . which wouldn't quite agree with the married sniper.

After the car is attacked an totaled, his phone is kicked out of his hands by Birgit, the leader of the eco-terrorists.

She starts off by calling him Carlos (again, what's with the lame fake names Steven!) and she captures him at least leaving the rest behind when he surrenders without a fight. On her helicopter where his feet are sealed in some sort of block, she spends four pages talking about how he used her and that she still has feelings for him, even though she knew he was the one who betrayed her! She's at one point on the verge of tears and blushing as she controls her emotions and he admits he's the type of person to do whatever it takes.

Yet, his smooth talking ways annoy her as he keeps up his sweet talking even when he's in a shoe block and his hands are tied. She decides since her plan failed, they should die together tossed in the the Eternal Hollow in the center of the city, cursed to keep falling until they die and she does it dramatically by kissing him while Chain gets quite upset. This is interesting since it is the reverse of our previous scene with Steven and Anne all the way back in Outlaw of Green.

I love this. She's holding his face with her hand as she gets to call the shots. Honestly, it would appear that this is not how Steven expected things to go. Which means that this might be the first time that he was out smarted by one of the women he used.

I find his internal monologue to be interesting as you can see that his emotions are torn stating that he was starting to feel pity for her but at the same time comes back to the fact that he protected the city and thousands of innocent lives. Steven A. Starphase, man of internal conflict.

What I found most hilarious is that when he thinks he's done for all he can do is see Klaus and the rest of the team apologizing to Klaus. I think it is safe to say that for the entire manga the person that Steven really really really cares about is Klaus. Yes, he cares for the rest of the Libra team and he respects them, but his relationship with Klaus is far deeper. Nightow, you can give us their backstory anytime. I mean, Steven is willing to sleep with women for Klaus among many other things.

Chain comes to his rescue both to save him as a Libra member but also due to her crush on him. Without missing a beat, he's over the moon that she's there to save him and lays on the praise pretty thick. Does he care that much about Chain? Eeeeeh hard to say, Steven is very good at telling people what they want to hear to do things. She's not only able to save him but also Chain saves Birgit as well.

When it is all said and done, Birgit approaches Chain to thank her for saving her life but also to remind her that the dinner with Steven is likely a thank you for saving his life. She already knows his moves which [sighs] means Chain should be a little careful.

As cute as Chain going on a dinner date with Steven is, it is one of those plot points where I hope he continues to be oblivious to her unrequited feelings. Steven is likely not going to turn over a new leaf and stop messing around with other women to get valuable intel.

I love Chain and I love Steven but I'm not a fan of them dating. My biggest issue it around the idea of dating your boss. I mean she's in the Werewolf Bureau; and she's got more than one boss, but behind Klaus, Steven can and does give her direct orders. I don't like the concept of dating your boss and the power imbalance; though Japanese media seems much less concerned about an early 20s woman ending up with a 30-something boss. I just don't get it.

Anyhoo, aside from my rant on why I don't like characters dating their bosses it is clear that Steven is truly Mr. tall, dark, and handsome and will not hesitate to use his body to get what he wants. Does it come at great risk? Yes, it does and this is our first case of it backfiring dramatically. Does he appear to have a thing for blondes? Perhaps. Though I am dying to know what color Birgit is and her hair color as well. We welcome a chaotic bisexual character and as I've already stated, I think we will see more of her as the story moves into the next direction.

I think back to the extra chapters when the DVDs for season one were released and Steven and K.K. have to discuss love and relationships. K.K.'s responses are adorable, very well thought out and honest about her own relationship. Steven - he pretty much says he's terrible for whomever he dates because his purpose is to find the best way to serve Libra and Klaus. A personal life isn't something that fits into his vision. K.K. drags him off to a bar saying that is terrible but really? We'll see if he actually changes his ways. Right now, since KKSS is not a romance and Nightow states he doesn't write romance, I'm gonna say Steven will continue to do Steven things.

[justalittlebluetiefling]

Some of my favorite sci fi/fantasy stand alone book recs for you!

The Past is Red by Cathrynne Valente (post-climate apocalypse sci fi)

Even Though I Knew the End by CL Polk (historical urban fantasy)

Empress of Salt & Fortune by Nghi Vo (technically part of a series but all the books stand alone just fine, high fantasy)

Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson (high fantasy)

Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson (high fantasy)

Severance by Ling Ma (sci fi)

Unnatural Magic by CM Waggoner (high fantasy)

I love that your list is so detailed! Thank you for sending these over!!

[kilenavictwrites]

SOVIESHU'S HAREM

Empress Yǎ jìng Clan: Hada     Banner: Plain Yellow

Imperial Noble Consort Wenxian Clan: Niohuru     Banner: Plain Yellow

Noble Consort Rong Clan:       Yi              Banner: Plain White

Noble Consort Clan:                   Banner:

Consort Chún Clan:  Gūwalgiya           Banner: Bordered Yellow

Consort Yi Clan:        Irgen Gioro           Banner: Plain Red

Concubine Wei Clan:      Fuca             Banner: Plain Yellow

Concubine Lan Clan:        Gogiya                 Banner: Bordered Yellow

Concubine Zhen Clan:       Ula Nara                     Banner: Plain Red

Concubine Qin Clan:         Yehe Nara             Banner: Plain Red

Concubine Qinglian Clan: unknown   Banner: unknown

Concubine Shu Clan:       Sartu                    Banner:  Plain Blue

Concubine Fei Clan:         Zhen                  Banner: Bordered White Noble Lady Ru Clan:        Giyamuhun           Banner: Bordered Blue

Noble Lady Shui Clan:        E'fu        Banner: Bordered Blue

Noble Lady Cui Clan:       Oroqen              Banner: Plain Blue

Noble Lady Li Clan:        Khorchin               Banner: Plain Red

First Class Attendant Mei Clan:         -             Banner: -

First Class Attendant Yumei Clan:        -                 Banner: -

First Class Attendant Lian Clan:              -            Banner: -

First Class Attendant Yue Clan:            -                Banner: -

First Class Attendant Xin Clan:    -                          Banner: -

Second Class Attendant Lingzi Clan:            -                  Banner: -

Second Class Attendant Huanxi Clan:          -                     Banner:            -

Second Class Attendant Min Clan:    -                            Banner:  -

Second Class Attendant Hui Clan:         -                     Banner:         -

Summary of Banners and Their Associated Women

Plain Yellow Banner

Empress: Belonging to the prestigious Hada clan, the Empress holds the highest rank in the harem and is a symbol of supreme authority. The Plain Yellow Banner was the most elite and reserved for imperial consorts and close relatives of the emperor.

Imperial Noble Consort Wenxian: From the influential Niohuru clan, Wenxian's place under the Plain Yellow Banner signifies her immense status within the imperial harem. The Niohuru clan was known for its strong political influence in Qing court politics.

Concubine Wei: As a member of the Fuca clan, she is aligned with the Plain Yellow Banner. The Fuca clan was a highly regarded Manchu family with strong connections to imperial consorts and empresses throughout Qing history.

Bordered Yellow Banner

Consort Chún: Hailing from the powerful Gūwalgiya clan, Consort Chún's position in the Bordered Yellow Banner places her in a position of significant influence. The Gūwalgiya clan was one of the most prominent families within the Qing aristocracy.

Concubine Lan: A member of the Gogiya clan, Concubine Lan's presence in the Bordered Yellow Banner reflects her noble lineage, though with slightly less prestige than those in the Plain Yellow Banner.

Plain White Banner

Noble Consort Rong: As a woman of Korean descent, Noble Consort Rong is linked to the Plain White Banner, which was often used for consorts of foreign or non-Manchu ethnic backgrounds. Her clan is listed as Yi, reflecting her Korean heritage.

Plain Red Banner

Consort Yi: Belonging to the Irgen Gioro clan, her position in the Plain Red Banner signifies her noble Manchu heritage. The Irgen Gioro clan was a prominent family with connections to Manchu aristocracy.

Concubine Zhen: As a member of the Ula Nara clan, she shares her lineage with one of the most notable Manchu families. The Ula Nara clan was often linked to high-ranking consorts and empresses.

Concubine Qin: Hailing from the Yehe Nara clan, Concubine Qin is connected to a prestigious family line. The Yehe Nara clan was one of the most influential Manchu clans, with multiple empresses and consorts from its lineage.

Noble Lady Li: Associated with the Khorchin clan, she is part of the Plain Red Banner. The Khorchin were one of the most important Mongolian tribes allied with the Qing court.

Bordered White Banner

Concubine Fei: From the Zhen clan, Concubine Fei is part of the Bordered White Banner. The Bordered White Banner represented a distinction below the Plain White Banner, often reflecting a lower status within the court's structure.

Plain Blue Banner

Concubine Shu: Linked to the Sartu clan, Concubine Shu is part of the Plain Blue Banner, one of the standard banners in the Qing system.

Noble Lady Cui: Belonging to the Oroqen clan, she is aligned with the Plain Blue Banner. The Oroqen were a northern indigenous people under Qing rule, and women from such backgrounds often became part of the imperial harem.

Bordered Blue Banner

Noble Lady Ru: As a member of the Giyamuhun clan, she is positioned in the Bordered Blue Banner, signifying a rank below those in the Plain Blue Banner. Her family origins are likely connected to local or minor noble lineages.

Noble Lady Shui: From the E'fu clan, Noble Lady Shui is associated with the Bordered Blue Banner. Like Noble Lady Ru, her clan's lesser prominence reflects a lower social position.

[bajoop-sheeb]

Gladly! The books on this list aren’t limited to specifically anti-colonial science fiction and fantasy, but they do center related and relevant topics, themes, etc.

Anything by NK Jemisin. She is the best speculative fiction writer of her generation and probably the best speculative fiction writer alive. She is easily one of the best writers working right now, across all genres. That’s not hyperbole. She deserves all the hype.

Anything by Octavia Butler. She needs no introduction. Her short fiction is incredible; “Bloodchild” is one of the pieces that inspired me to write.

An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon. Excellent. Just read it.

The Radiant Emperor duology by Shelley P. Chan. It broke my heart and it'll break yours.

Babel by RF Kuang. You’ve probably already heard of this book because Harper Voyager marketed the shit out of it and was right to do so. Is it subtle? Uh, no. But it’s very good. Kuang writes a compulsively readable story, that’s for sure.

The Unbroken by CL Clark. An exploration of what happens when conscription blurs the line between colonizer and colonized.

The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo.

So Long Been Dreaming: Post-Colonial Science Fiction and Fantasy (anthology) edited by Nalo Hopkinson.

Dark Matter: A Century of Speculative Fiction from the African Diaspora (anthology) edited by Sheree Renée Thomas.

Severely underhyped books of assorted speculative genres:

The Blood Trials by NE Davenport. Given the chokehold romantasy currently has on the public it’s insane to me that this book hasn’t sold a billion copies.

The Vanished Birds by Simon Jimenez. It’ll change you.

The Tiger’s Daughter by K. Arsenault Rivera.

The Lesson by Cadwell Turnbull.

Forged by Blood by Ehigbor Okosun. Ignore the marketing, this book is YA (maybe NA) and you’ll appreciate it more if you approach it as such.

Read widely. Read diversely. People of the Caucasian persuasion need to stop getting pissy when the story doesn’t immediately center them and they don’t automatically relate to everything the character says and does and is. Just let yourself get swept up in the story—even if it touches on (gasp!) racism—and maybe, just maybe, it’ll reveal something to you.

Or maybe not! Marginalized sff authors do not have to and should not have to educate their readers. But if I see one more white person complain about how Black characters are fundamentally annoying because they complain too much I’m going to fling myself into the sun

Thanks for coming to my ted talk I didn’t want to do it but here I am

PLEASE for the love of the universe read anti-colonial science fiction and fantasy written from marginalized perspectives. Y’all (you know who you are) are killing me. To see people praise books about empire written exclusively by white women and then turn around and say you don’t know who Octavia Butler is or that you haven’t read any NK Jemisin or that Babel was too heavy-handed just kills me! I’m not saying you HAVE to enjoy specific books but there is such an obvious pattern here

Some of y’all love marginalized stories but you don’t give a fuck about marginalized creators and characters, and it shows. Like damn

[kmp78]

Momma Leto is the last Empress there.

"I doubt CL has any say in any damn thing JL does… 😂

Or more precisely WHO JL does… 😏😉🔞"

Don't doubt K. Everything and anything is turning around Ms Leto. She is the one and only Empress in Letos life and will be till her death. If Thinn was not there in LV it means she was not there because mum does not want her to be there; under one and the same roof of casa Leto with her in Vegas. And that's it. Thinn does not belong to the family. At least the one with momma Leto. CS is another story. ;) CL knows it went to fast with her. And suddenly everything stopped. Why? Because. Mum has the last word. 

***

Aaaaalright. 😂

While I do enjoy the idea of lil' Norman Bates scrubbing Mother's back in the 🛁, I'm also sane enough to realize he's never gonna date who his mom dictates he can date. 🤭

Come on now. 🙄

[yumenosakiacademy]

me in the f/f16 universe: ok shes a bitch but u gotta admit... empress annabella is kind of a milf. joshua, cl!ve, n d!on staring at me in disbelief/disgust: .

[call-sign-shark]

Omg CL!!! So excited!! Please don’t hesitate to comment or reblog, I’d love to read your reactions 🖤

Heaven In Your Eyes || Arthur Shelby x Reader!OC

Summary:  Beaten with guilt and shame after losing his temper again, Arthur's aimless wandering leads him to church. There she is and, after diving into her heavenly eyes, he is convinced God has sent him His sweetest angel to save his bastard soul.

Words: 2.6k

TW: Blood, a bit of angst, slight blasphemy and bad use of holy water, reckless x caretaker Inspired by the prompt "Where does it hurt? - Everywhere" by @the-three-whumpeteers

Notes:

✞ Timeline: between seasons 2 and 3

✞ Heaven is OP's original character but written with the use of « you » (Moodboard here). Heaven’s voice and song is linked, all you have to do is click on the lyrics.

The stumbling tall silhouette of Arthur Shelby was crossing through the thick haunting mist of Birmingham. As unwelcoming the town was during the day, it was nothing compared to night time. When sun faded behind the horizon, chased by the pale glowing face of the moon, the whole city turned into a cut-throat area. Arthur brought the neck of the bottle he was holding to his chapped lips and gulped down a mouthful of pure Irish whisky. The fire trail the beverage left behind it as it went down his throat reminded him he was alive — he could still feel something, even though it was the alcohol’s burning. An animal growl escaped from his lips when the bottle left them only for him to lean his back against one of the church’s gigantic concrete walls. A loud raven’s croak torn the silent veil of the night, making him swears. The gravel in his voice answered to the dull bird, which was watching him from a tree with his tiny and beady eyes.

« Fooking bird, laughing at me like the rest of ‘em eh? »

The raven — which was rather large for a bird — tilted its head to the side and kept staring at the drunk man with a cunning interest. Its black eyes, shining under the moonlight, seemed filled with both a wise glare and a mocking sparkle. Soon, Arthur’s curiosity for the raven’s unusual behavior turned into a senseless anger when he understood why the bird was focusing on him, his explosive rage strengthened by the incredible amount of alcohol he had drunk a bit earlier.

« It’s the damn blood is it? Stop lookin’ at me like I’m — I’m some kind of monster, or a beast or I don’t fookin’ know what else! Go to Hell! »

The bottle flew towards the raven but it did not flicker, as if it knew Arthur was not in the shape of being quick nor particularly precise with aiming. As the glass smashed into the ground, Arthur hit the wall behind him with the back of his head and let out a frustrated scream. No more cocaine, no more auto destructive behavior nor suicide attempts for two years straight, and tonight he fucked it all up. He was convinced he could get better, and God knows he tried his best to do so. Got sober from every poison he used to take, got a religious wife that was trying to turn the wolf in him into a sheep… Hell, he even brought her flowers every damn day. But then came troubles, taking the shape of his little brother, Thomas Shelby.

He asked him to do the dirty job — again.

With his calloused hands, he took another man’s life. At first Arthur thought he would not be that disturbed at the idea of killing someone, after all he had done that almost his entire life. Just one last time, he told himself, just one last time and I’ll go back to my little peaceful life with me wife.

Yet, the guilt and the shame that struck him after bashing the lad’s head against the edge of a sink until his face became a pile of squishy flesh soon became too much to handle.

As the last spurt of blood spattered his face, Arthur’s clouded mind became suddenly crystal clear: it would never stop. After that epiphany, the older Shelby brother contemplated how everyone he deeply loved tended to use him. For Thomas and the rest of the family he was a mad dog, the combat brute whose only times he could enjoy life without a muzzle were when he had to rip someone’s throat apart. For his father, he had been nothing else than a poor naive hound that would have done anything to receive his respect. As for Linda, her love was a cruel mirage he wanted to believe with all his heart — but the illusion had vanished in smoke. Whether she considered him as her personal test subject for Christian brainwashing or as a tool to get what she wants, Arthur could not tell. What he could tell though was that he knew she did not really loved him. She wanted to mould him at her will, but he was no lamb. He was a wolf, a beaten and lonely wolf, but still one. And there was no love for rabid wolves, only a bullet through the brain to cure the madness.

As his skull buzzed with macabre thoughts, whose unpleasant noise reminded him of a furious beehive, a bewitching voice pulled him out of his auto-destructive spiraling. Standing at attention and listening carefully, he came to realize that someone was singing inside the church. Arthur’s eyelids fell on his steel blue eyes and the back of his head gently rested against the cold wall behind him, the same wall he had been previously smashing it with. A sighed escaped from his liquored lips as the angelic and hypnotizing voice, slightly muffled by the church’s heavy wooden doors, plunged him into a soft but oh-so-warm haze.

My heart is pierced by Cupid

I disdain all glittering gold…

Lulled by the sad melody carried away with Birmingham’s cold night breeze, the swarm of raging hornets in Arthur’s brain stopped crashing against the bony walls of his skull. Another sigh — one of relief this time, for the unbearable noisy thoughts and violent buzzing had vanished. His trembling fingers, numbed by the blows he had hit his target with one hour ago and still covered with half-dried blood, slid along his temples and slicked his hair back. The utter and feral anger he had felt was reduced to void, for even his old heart had slowed its pace down in his ribcage.

There is nothing can console me

But my jolly sailor bold…

The tune, embedded with melancholy, soothed his troubled mind and to be honest, he could barely believe it. When that switch in his brain flipped, God knew he was not in control anymore - even dear Linda, who still managed to hush down some of his tantrums, could not tame the beast inside when it broke free a bit more fiercely than usual. Yet, this voice did so. This stranger, faceless and nameless ghost of the night, brought him back to sanity with the sole power of her voice. The words she was singing, with her a juvenile and enchanting tone, were wrapping his heart. Arthur sniffed and fought hard against the dawning tears that were forming delicate crystal beads at the corner of his closed eyes.

If he had been the jolly sailor bold, he would have thrown himself out of the boat to join the siren that was singing.

My heart is pierced by Cupid

I disdain all glittering gold.

There is nothing can console me

But my jolly sailor bold…

She repeated, sadder than she previously sang.

Her song sipped through his heart and filled the cracks with molten gold. Arthur’s lips stretched in an almost invisible grin without even realizing it — By her voice, he was convinced she could repair the damaged creatures like him and make them even more beautiful than they were before they had been dragged through the trenches’ mud and shit. He had barely came to his senses, almost miraculously sobered up, when silent fell again in the church. Arthur reopened his eyes, and shook his head - Had he dreamt? Had it been the whiskey singing to him? No, he could not be that crazy right? Not quite sure if he was starting to hear voices and see things, Shelby decided that he had to found out who had been singing to his very own soul. He wanted to see her, the girl who soothed his foul heart and his twisted mind. He wanted to know, no, he HAD to know, even though his whole being was fragile like a flickering candle flame caught in a hurricane and would probably shatter in million of pieces if she turned out to be an illusion.

Gathering all his remaining strength, Arthur grabbed the handle and opened the church’s door.

[…]

A shiver ran down your delicate spine at the loud silence that floated in the gigantic and empty church. The peculiar sweet yet strong scent of myrrh, wood and frankincense filled your lungs with its holy fragrance. The vibrations of the last word you sang was still echoing in the room, swirling to the high and sculpted ceiling from with marble angels were watching over you. If someone would have told you two years ago that the only place you would find comfort would be a church, you would not have believe it. You had never been particularly fervent about religion, but you did believe in higher forces whether they were good or bad. More than a matter of faith, the church itself was an old friend of yours. A gargantuan friend of stone, holy titan always welcoming you even in the darkest moments of your life. What you liked the most were these lonely moments at night, during which you could light up dozen of candles and sing your sorrow to the status and colorful stained-glass windows. No gossip from the parish, no believers swarming like ants within these mighty walls. There were just you, the candle lights and the soothing silence. For a few hours, you could finally find peace.

Brushing the varnished wood of the altar with your thin fingers and painted-red nails, you let your mind drift and, suddenly, the world around you vanished. You sunk so deep in the abyss of your thoughts that you did not hear the creaking sound of the heavy door opening, nor the footsteps that followed. All you could heard were the « Burn witch, burn! » that hundred of villagers screamed at you in the woeful remembrance of your past. And in spite of your immaculate porcelain skin, you bore the scars of their words deep in your soul.

[…]

Arthur made a few steps before freezing, his body refusing to come closer as if the aura around the creature that was standing back to him , right in front of the altar lightened up with dozen and dozen of small dancing flames, was too sanctified to be violated. Bathed in the soft and warm orange hue of candles, the long white hair of the woman fell down the small of her back like an ivory waterfall. Right above her the pale glow of the full moon coming through the stained-glass window formed a luminous halo around her head.

His breathing stopped, choking in his throat at such a divine vision. The gangster opened his mouth to speak but no words managed to come out. He had never been good with words anyway. Instead he moistened his lips and swallowed, his mouth dry. The white-haired girl had started to hum the same song she had been singing a bit earlier, not aware of his presence — and he did not dare to disturbing her as if he feared God’s punishment. He took another step, the wooden floor creaking under his sole.

This time the angel — because he was convinced it was one — jumped and turned around, an expression of utter surprise veiling her sweet face. Her fox eyes, adorned with two iris so fair it reminded him of aquamarine stones, scrutinized his slightest movements. She remained petrified for what felt eternity for her, but regarding him the time had stopped for good. Arthur finally inhaled sharply, coming back to life.

All those endless nights of crying, all those endless nights of praying in vain for something or someone to save him, and here you were… His salvation.

He had asked God to send him, the most desperate sinner of all, His most beautiful Angel and He had done so.

She was not just pretty. She was otherworldly and vaguely threatening. Almost ethereal in her short white dress whose cut let her naked back for the world to see.

« I waited for ya. » He whispered.

She blinked, her full and juicy lips opening with surprise.

He stuttered, looking down and decided it was better for you if he stopped talking. The gravel in his hoarse voice, as strong as it was, sounded indescribably frail. As if this tall and slightly threatening man could shatter at your single touch. Now he felt stupid, clumsy with words contrary to Tommy and his naturally eloquent and charismatic speech. In addition to the unpleasant impression of being a fool, Arthur’s own whisky-scented breath and the strong metallic smell of blood reminded him of his horrific appearance. Overcoming the awe you infused in him, panic started to kick.

You frowned, and all of sudden he did not look that impressive anymore. Swept away by the wind, your face relaxed and wrapped itself with a calm, almost placid expression. You exhaled through your nose and walked towards the gangster, who had brought his bloody hands to each side of his head and was now pulling his own hair in a desperate attempt to not lose track.

« Where does it hurt? » You asked with a quiet and soothing tone, for you were concerned about all the blood he was covered with.

Arthur raised his gaze toward the petite white-haired doll who had just pressed one of her cold little hands on his. Your ice against his fire made his legs weak and his heart missed a beat. How his breathing calmed down at your touch was a mystery, but it did. Not quite comprehending why you did not seem scared of him, he stuttered again, all flustered.

« Shhh, shhhh. Everything’s okay, take a deep breath and answer with all the time you need. » Your hand gently tightened its grip, willing to show him you were there and you were not going anywhere until he feels better. You waited until you felt him more incline to talk before reiterating the question.

« Where does it hurt? »

« Ev-Everywhere love. It hurts everywhere. »

His hands, his face, his body, his brain, his soul, his damn tortured soul… It all ached too much, and too constantly for him to bear anymore. E-ve-ry-where, that was all he could say because pain was all he could feel.

Without answering, you pulled him to the altar and invited him to sit on the marble stairs. The strong and fierce gangster followed you without the single physical resistance and gave in between your hands, as a rag doll. All he did was looking at you with his charming but oh-so-exhausted blue eyes as you tore the fabric of your dress near your thighs and soaked it in holy water.

« Let me wash away the blood. » Your voice echoed in the vastness of the church, enticing and haunting at the same time — enough to send a pleasant shiver down his spine. You had barely finished your sentence when you started rubbing the wet cloth against his hollow cheek to clean his pale skin from the dark red blood. Once again, he could not help watching you during the whole ordeal all the while enjoying the fresh sensation of the holy water cleansing the dirt of his soul. Not minding his stare filled with fascination, you focused on your task, brows slightly furrowed and fingers blessing him with the softest and most caring touch someone had given him.

« Yer an Angel. I swear you are eh. »

You quickly glanced at him, a sparkle of amusement shining in your cunning celeste blue eyes, before looking back at what you were doing. The weight of his gaze brought fire to your cheeks, for he looked at you like he had just realized what love was.

He looked at you, and to his greatest surprise, found Heaven in your eyes.

I'm super new in the Peaky Blinders fandom, so please bear with me... Especially since English is not my native language. To be honest I am kind of scared to post it so any comment, review, reblog or constructive criticism is welcome. Also, I'll be more than happy to meet people in the Peaky Blinders fandom! In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed some Arthur and Heaven. Still don’t know if I’ll write a full series or snipets of these two love birds.

Tags: @areyenotfondofmelobster

[miyeoncey]

pampers went bankrupt after cl took the met by the storm, it’s chaerinpers now

[brotherslayer]

I kinda sorta vaguely and distantly remembered Penelope giving off rather different vibes in different flashbacks, I don't know what the perspective/vantage difference the two vibes had: the vicious prideful villainess wearing harsh colours and very bold designs, while some panels saw her as more... gentler. Wearing softer colours and more modest clothes (iirc). I wonder which of the two was her true self, or if either of those was her true self at all. Was it Claude projecting on her after the betrayal, was it a straight up personality change, was it the shedding of a mask, or maybe she held both sides within herself— people are complex after all so why can't she?

Vague feelings and thoughts swirling in my head, I wanna explore her in parallel/contrast with Dikita in A Perfect Summer Storm, the role they played in their daughters' origins, the way they haunt. The way they were human.

It could be a mix of everything you named. She wore softer tones and more modest clothes before, but when Anastacius started courting her and possibly sending her extravagant dresses and jewelry as gifts, she really went all out and dressed up to impress him. Her family could have supported her and bought her more expensive clothes than usual, because they expected to gain something from the budding affair with Anastacius. In addition, Penelope was closer to Claude's age. Maybe she deliberately dressed more daringly so that Anastacius would even see her as a potential partner? Couldn't it be that neither the angelic Penelope in Claude's memories nor the femme fatale in Anastacius' were the real Penelope but that the Penelope in the memories of both Obelia brothers were rather a projection of the desires of the men around her? Claude wanted a good girl so she became that, Anastacius wanted the exact opposite so she obeyed his wishes and adapted her behavior as well as her appearance to his suit his taste.

Or maybe she had always been a bit greedy and Anastacius had awakened this hidden side inside her when he gave her a taste of power and prestige through him? She might have felt constricted and bored by Claude, since he was always sitting behind his books and studying, but Anastacius (supposedly) lived a dissolute life and had a lot of fun. At Claude's side, she would always have to worry about any attacks from the aristocracy/Empress' faction and couldn't afford to make mistakes, as they would have a great impact on Claude, and as the daughter of a Count, she didn't really have much power at the Imperial Court. But under the protection of the Crown Prince, she was allowed a lot more. She had more freedom to develop her personality/explore her sexuality, but at the same time there was no one who dared to reprimand her for her behavior and set her limits.

At times I thought it might've been possible that Aeternitas' black magic had an effect on her personality. I guess the theory that Ana/Aeternitas had brainwashed her can be discarded by now, since this would make Anastacius someone irredeemable, as it would mean that Penelope could not give her full consent to have sex with him. But maybe the pregnancy with Jennette and the experiments that she was subjected to had influenced her personality somehow.

Lastly, I must say that Claude very likely suffers from a Madonna/Whore complex. To Claude it might seem like Penelope's mask fell off revealing her true ugly self underneath after she broke his heart, when in reality he was the one who lost his rose-tinted glasses and stopped being willfully blind to Penelope's bad traits. He just went from one extreme to another. Extreme idealization to extreme devaluation. Penelope couldn't have been the embodiement of all evil just like Diana couldn't have been the embodiement of all things that were good. They are humans. Even if Claude saw her as a perfect human being it's impossible that Diana was without any blemish or flaw. There must have been something good in Penelope that made him fall for her that Claude just isn't willing to admit.

[kadenwannagetjamtime]

Looking for an exo fic! Please help if you have any leads. Heres what I remember about it:

Its called eye of the beholder or in the eyes of the beholder

I read it in asianff like 5-6 years ago? Maybe?

Very fantasy, dystopian, heavy story

And its a reverse harem exo fic with very heavy topic like child abuse, child neglect, ed

Its a fantasy world and the author really describes the building in the story. Like massive castles and tall gates and like hundreds of servants.

And in this fic women are more respected than men

And in this the main character is like an assassin as well

And has marking on the forehead that symbolizes the main character as an important person (empress?)

Heres what i remember from the first chapter:

The main character/reader i guess is being auctioned off and CL is the one that gets her

And CL was described to have like a mark on the forehead and unusual colored eyes (i dont remember what color)

If you remember this or knows where i can find it please let me know!!!! I wanna reread it so bad!!!

[call-sign-shark]

Ohhhh that modern version!! I can’t wait LC 😬 I just love the moodboard so much! Moreover your characters are all hot as fuck 🥵🖤 I swear this AU lives rent free in my mind

Can't get these guys to shut up so I can round out the post...but the moodboard is done for having @call-sign-shark's babies visit mine

[from-hell]

              ᴀᴇꜱᴘᴀ - ᴄᴏᴀᴄʜᴇʟʟᴀ ᴘᴇʀꜰᴏʀᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴏᴜᴛꜰɪᴛ ʀᴇ-ꜱᴛʏʟᴇ: ɢɪꜱᴇʟʟᴇ

idk which layout works better~ in either case

I am so disappointed in the lack of stage direction and the commercial outfits SM used for AESPA’s biggest stage. just complete failure to showcase the AE and kwangya ... the outfits were a whole mess. [and I’m not like 100% saying oh mine ideas are so much better - but at least I am trying to do something else]

The WINDOWSEN piece is SUPER sparkly when lights hit and it would just amazing on stage. There is also a G earring and overall game-character? hopefully vibe that ties in with the Savage colour palette~

SM DO BETTER is2g it cant be that difficult to source people to present them in the best way [look at CL’s stage - yes she is the industry empress and royalty and has been doing for some time and that’s why she knows how to direct the stage herself - but then get the girls someone to help]

[tetsuuji]

Okay i just got this idea. Y know how Diluc has his bird? Imagine now the reader being that bird (as in can turn from bird to human like the dude from the Remarried Empress) and they childhood friends. Boom feel free to do whatever with this idea

Pairing: Diluc x gn!Reader

Style: Scenario; Angsty comfort

Word Count: 629

Notes: Even though there are speculations that Diluc’s bird is actually Vanessa herself (since she turned into a bird at the end of Chapter 2 in the manga) as she watches over Mondstadt in that form, I liked this idea! And I had fun writing about it too. Hope you enjoy it, anon!

  It was one of those days where Diluc could not help himself but think of his past. Not that he regrets anything, but more so that he missed certain parts. Being able to trust people was one of those and he struggled with it for years on end. Very few people entered his life and stayed, without Diluc’s barrier stopping them from getting close. He sometimes wished his brother was that exception. And he wished Name was there to help him.

They disappeared one day, no explanations or goodbye left. They just vanished like they never existed, like space erased them from their existence. Diluc tried to find them, but no luck blessed that path. It was hard for him to let go back then, in the time when he needed some support the most. Even Kaeya noticed how bad Name’s disappearance affected him, but he knew very well Diluc would never accept his help in any way. 

All of those occurrences in his life shaped the man he became; an owner of the most successful winery in Teyvat, the wearer of everlasting cold expressions and cynic to his core. Although Diluc hated the position he found himself in years ago, he let it get the best of him and stood high. In the end, only archons knew what could happen if he did not.

Letting the small sigh out, Diluc continued walking towards his house. A loud whistle coming from his mouth broadened the vineyard, as high pitch sound disturbed the few little animals around and made them flee. But as soon as they ran away, the voice of Diluc’s companion filled his ears and he reached out his hand. The corner of his lips rose a little when the eagle landed on Diluc’s forearm, gently curling its claws into his glove. With his free hand, he brushed the eagle’s head, sliding the fingers behind its neck to scratch the feathers. 

“At least I have you to watch over me, long friend.” Diluc’s voice was low, it almost sounded like a whisper. Something inside him cracked again, but he just swallowed the lump inside his throat and moved the hand back to his pocket. Diluc smiled at the bird again, before raising his arm to give some acceleration to it.

He felt the eagle’s yellow eyes on his back as the bird landed on the thick branch inside the tree. Before he entered the house, Diluc turned around and nodded towards the bird’s view. Closing the door, the bird let the small sigh, closing their eyes. Safe from his sight, the bird’s wings grown in the shape of human arms, their body becoming bigger as a whole. No matter how many times Name transformed, it still hurt, both physically and mentally. A sigh of relief left their mouth silently, as they wrapped their arms around their ankles. 

Name tilted their head looking towards his house. Their clan forbade them to reveal their shape-shifting secret, as it would disturb nature’s balance. Not to mention, if some human knew about their power, it could be used for wrong purposes and they wanted to avoid that; so the clan decided to move from civilization. Name really wanted to be able to explain themselves to Diluc, to show them why they went away and left them almost alone in this cruel world. But they could not; not that evening, not tomorrow, not in million years. 

Tears started to gather in corners of their yellow eyes, as seeing their best friend suffer internally reminded them of how cruel that world could be. And there was nothing they could do to change it. Name pulled the knees closer to their chin, their eyes still following Diluc’s figure behind the curtains. 

“Always and forever, Diluc.”