#because they were still officially the main doctors even when the show was hiatus

[thenotoriousscuttlecliff]

Panini have published a new anthology collecting all the Fourth Doctor comic strips from DWM, no doubt because the The Star Beast has been adapted.

Even though this is an obvious 60th cash in, I do hope we get more anthologies like this as many of the previous collections are now out of print. Not sure how they'll do the Fifth Doctor though since there aren't really enough stories to fill an anthology. Might be best to bundle them with the Sixth Doctor stories and release one bumper volume.

[wardenamatus]

Kirsa and Harvey's Bookstore Scavenger Hunt Date

Chapter 35 of The Courage to Fly , "Kiwi's New Boyfriend" is officially posted after a long and unplanned hiatus! Kirsa and Harvey are on the first (technically second) date and doing a scavenger hunt in the bookstore that Kirsa's parents own - The Literature Closet. It was a LOT of words that weren't really necessary for the chapter, but I still wanted to share them somewhere that people might find them. So here you can find their scavenger hunt and their notes about the books they chose.

Bookstore Scavenger Hunt

Rules:

Books can only be used once - no repeats.

If you pass your partner while searching for a book, you must pause to interact with them; exchange a kiss, a hug, talk for a moment, etc.

Make sure to write down the books you chose for each question so you can remember them later.

Purchase at least one book you picked out.

Find a book that is one of your all-time favorites.

Kirsa: The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood – what a fascinating story that feels a little too close to real life sometimes. I loved this book because it is utterly captivating, relatable, and mildly terrifying while also being an excellent read.

Harvey: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky – while the story can be heavy at times, it’s one of the most relatable books I’ve ever read. Charlie manages to be hilarious and devastating all at once, and the book never fails to hit home.

Find a book that was a favorite when you were a child, or one that holds a special childhood memory.

Kirsa: The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery – this is the first book I remember Dad reading to me. He used to read it to Leo and me all the time as a bedtime story. There’s something about searching for what’s really important in life that always stuck with me.

Harvey: The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams – Dad rarely read books to Heidi and I, but Sybil did, and this was the story she usually picked to read us when we were little. After the accident, I latched onto the idea of being loved even when you aren’t the most appealing.

Find a book featuring a main character with the career you wanted to have when you grew up.

Kirsa: The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton – a book I read in high school on Papa’s recommendation. I think he wanted me to give up the whole doctor thing, but the suspense and high stakes of this story only served to fascinate me more.

Harvey: Catch-22 by Joseph Heller – a pilot in a war novel? That was everything I ever wanted as a kid. Right up until I realized I was terrified of heights.

Find a box set of books in a series you love.

Kirsa: A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin – I actually started reading Game of Thrones when the show came out, but I never got through it because of med school and work. When I joined the military, Papa sent me the set after I said I finally finished the first one during training so I could read the others. I ended up reading the whole series before I hit my first anniversary in the air force. My set is super worn now, because I’ve reread them so many times, so this nice leather-bound set is tempting.

Harvey: The Sherlock Holmes Collection by Arthur Conan Doyle – what can I say? I was always captivated by the mystery, trying to solve it myself as I read. I haven’t seen the entire series together with these vintage style gold-foil embossed covers.

Find your favorite banned book.

Kirsa: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury – it will never not be funny that they ban a book about the dangers of censorship. I will never stop laughing about it. It’s one of Papa’s favorites, too.

Harvey: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee – I know what you said about picking this one – which is absolutely why I picked it. Because it IS banned in schools a lot of the time, but also because YOU told me we couldn’t choose it for our list.

Find a book you love to reread that is different from your favorite.

Kirsa: Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne – I’ve always LOVED these stories and go back to them a lot, especially lately. I just love reading about Pooh and his friends, even though I know most of these stories by heart.

Harvey: The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien – Landon was the one who got me into this whole series, insisting I read The Hobbit a few months before my car accident. I liked it but hadn’t gotten around to the other books yet. I practically inhaled them when I was recovering, and somehow I dragged Heidi into reading them with me. Which morphed into ALL of our friends plus Sybil reading them around the same time. Fellowship was the first movie Heidi and I were able to go see in theaters after the accident – it was a whole ordeal. I’ve got at least four different sets of the series, but this leather one is incredibly tempting.

Find a book with one of your favorite tropes.

Kirsa: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – a dystopian setting with a Friends to Lovers trope? This checked ALL the boxes for me and I can never say no to those particular tropes.

Harvey: Eragon by Christopher Paolini – I’ve got a soft spot for The Chosen One stories, especially when they have an epic quest they have to go on in order to save the world.

Find a book that made you cry.

Kirsa: Me Before You by Jojo Moyes – I read this book in a single sitting, flying back from a short-term leave at home. I picked it up in the airport, figuring it would be an easy read after I finished the books I’d brought with me. I did not expect to fall so in love with the characters and be completely devastated. There I was, a high-ranking military officer ugly crying on the plane at like three in the morning, angrily shushing Hayden every time he asked me if I was ok. We got a lot of strange looks.

Harvey: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr – I was absolutely glued to this book and couldn’t put it down until I finished it. Even though it was emotional, I’ve never regretted reading it. 

Find a book you HATED reading in school – or one that you were supposed to read but never did.

Kirsa: The Awakening by Kate Chopin – the ending makes me irrationally angry, every single fucking time. How does one walk ambiguously into the damn sea. God I hate this book. I’m kinda mad Papa even carries it.

Harvey: Animal Farm by George Orwell – I just never read it. I was supposed to, but the week after we started it I had a procedure on my shoulder that turned into a bigger surgery and landed me in the hospital for a little over two weeks. By the time I was back in school, we were about to have a test on it and I still hadn’t actually read it. I just read the Sparknotes and asked Heidi and Will to help me study for our test.

Find a book in your least favorite genre.

Kirsa: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn – thrillers are never my first choice. I’ve got too much anxiety for that. But I wanted to read the book before we watched the movie, and I really shouldn’t have. I was both hooked and horrified.

Harvey: Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley – If you think I’m friends with Landon without having read the most iconic science fiction book ever, I don’t know what to tell you. He insisted Will and I read it. Still a lot too close to horror for my comfort, and honestly I wish I’d never read it.

Find a book ‘everyone’ has read – except you.

Kirsa: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams – my entire squad has read this stupid thing, but I can’t get more than halfway through it. I just get bored. Gavin tries to convince me to start it again like every six months. 

Harvey: Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson – I skipped it as a kid because it was a little too close to home with what Heidi and I went through. I’ve heard it’s a great book, but I never wanted to read it. 

Find a book with one of your favorite love stories.

Kirsa: The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks – is there any more iconic love story? It makes me believe in that kind of everlasting love even when shit’s hitting the fan.

Harvey: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green – one of those painfully real love stories that rips your heart out and stomps on it. But it’s so very relatable.

Find a book with a color in its title.

Kirsa: The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne – come on, you can never go wrong with the iconic red A. It’s a classic.

Harvey: Black Beauty by Anna Sewell – who doesn’t love a story with an animal protagonist? Besides, this horse is living his best life despite countless hardships.

Find a book whose movie or TV adaptation was actually good.

Kirsa: The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot – I fucking love this book and the whole series, but the movie makes the whole story a lot more cohesive. And the whole scene with Mia’s gym teacher where she’s like “I can’t do this, I’m a girl.” And the teacher is all “What am I? A duck?” is just perfection.

Harvey: Holes by Louis Sachar – Shia LaBeouf made the perfect Stanley Yelnats, Sigourney Weaver as a villain was iconic, and “I’m tired of this Grandpa...” “Well, that’s too damn bad!” is a scene that will never stop being funny.

Find a book BASED on a TV series, movie, or video game.

Kirsa: The Stolen Throne by David Gaider – I only started this book because Hayden wouldn’t shut up about it and he was pissy because I laughed at him for sobbing his eyes out at three in the morning when he finished it. Of course, I got completely enraptured by the story and read the entire thing in less than five hours, also ugly crying. Hayden got mad because I stole the next book from his pack while he was still in the middle of reading it.

Harvey: The Rise of Kyoshi by F.C. Yee – I picked it up when it came out but haven’t read it yet. After loving The Last Airbender so much, I figured this would be a good read. Plus, Kyoshi seems like an avatar who would have an interesting story to follow. 

Find a book with multiple points of view.

Kirsa: As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner – I think I was the only person in my class who actually liked this book. The whole thing being told by various narrators in a messy and confusing timeline made it all the more interesting to me, trying to piece the story together as I went.

Harvey: Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte – we never read this is school like most people, and I finally got around to it last year. I honestly loved the whole love story recounted from multiple perspectives. I didn’t think I’d like the book as much as I did.

Find a book with a one-word title.

Kirsa: Matilda by Roald Dahl – a classic, and one about a nerdy girl trying to navigate a complicated life. I related.

Harvey: Dracula by Bram Stoker – don’t ask me why I read another horror book by choice because I don’t know. But it’s one of the great masterpieces of the genre, and for good reason. It took me ages to get through it, but I’m glad I eventually did.

Find a graphic novel that interests you.

Kirsa: Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe – I kinda forgot this was being printed now and I NEED these books. I’ve been reading the webcomic for years. I’ve gotta ask Papa to put me on the preorder list for the releases of the hardbacks.

Harvey: The Sandman by Neil Gaiman – I keep telling Landon I’ll read this series, but I keep not actually buying the book. He insists I’ll enjoy it, and I’m sure he’s right, I just keep finding other things to read.

Find a book recommended by one of the booksellers.

Kirsa: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas – you don’t understand how hard this was for me. Papa and the rest of the staff know my book preferences like the backs of their hands. They sent my whole squad care packages once a month with new books to read based on what we liked and didn’t like. But Madeline told me this is a good enemies to lovers story that’s basically a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, so we’re gonna give it a shot. It’s up my alley.

Harvey: The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss – I'll be honest, I don't remember who I talked to about this, but they asked me what stories I liked most and instantly pulled this book off a shelf and handed it to me saying ‘trust me’ and after reading the back of it? A story about a fantasy hero but a Chosen One narrative that’s flipped on its head a bit? Seems like a book I’ll enjoy.

Find a book you think your partner might like.

Kirsa: Airframe by Michael Crichton – I figured a thriller set on a plane would be up your alley. Harvey: HA. It IS up my alley, but I’ve already read it and it so did not help my fear of heights. I now have a lifetime of extra white-knuckled anxiety thanks to that book.

Harvey: The Night and its Moon by Piper C.J. – based on what I’ve seen you read, the summary on the back sounded like it would interest you – lovers who will do anything to reunite? That’s all you. Of course, I opened the book and meant to read the first few pages, but snorted as I read the dedication and figured you’d appreciate the book for that alone if nothing else. Kirsa: Oh this sounds delightful. I need to read this. But also oh my God that dedication.

Find books that have titles beginning with one of your partner’s initials (3 books).

Kirsa: Heidi by Johanna Spyri – Harvey: Funny. You’re funny. Kirsa: Oh come on, it was right there. I couldn’t help myself.  Walden by Henry David Thoreau.  Lord of the Flies by William Golding.

Harvey: Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen – Kirsa: I fucking love this book. Harvey: I remembered you telling me she was one of your favorite authors, I thought it was fitting. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. The Martian by Andy Weir.

Find a book with a title that describes how you feel about your partner (funny, serious, silly, etc.).

Kirsa: The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain – after you telling me about your childhood and knowing you lived on microwave meals for years before I moved to the farm? It’s perfect for you.

Harvey: Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein – when the world ends, where do you go? You went to the farm and found a new path. It seemed fitting.

Find a non-fiction book about something that you’d like to learn more about or something that you’d like to learn how to do.

Kirsa: National Geographic: Birds of The Ferngill Republic – I keep seeing all kinds of different birds around the farm and it’d be neat to be able to identify some of them.

Harvey: Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson – I know a decent bit about space thanks to spending so much time listening to Maru go on about it. But talking to you about the meteor shower a few weeks ago made me curious. And it'd be nice to talk about it in more detail with you.

Find something to do together on a future date.

Kirsa: Incredible Paper Airplanes – Dad dragged me to see this kit when he finally found me in the store earlier. It’s cheesy as hell, but it actually looks kinda fun. There’s a ton of different models to make and all kinds of origami paper.

Harvey: Galaxy Watercolor – Paint the Universe – I was stuck on this question for a while and Hannah found me trying to find something you’d like. She suggested this but didn’t give me much of an explanation, so if you hate the idea – No! I love it! It looks fantastic.

Find a recipe to make together (a drink, a meal, a dessert, etc.).

Kirsa: Melon Salad – I’ve got like six varieties of melon seeds to plant this year and this recipe is just a bunch of melons in a fruit salad. I thought it sounded fun. 

Harvey: Cookie Pig – I couldn’t resist the sugar cookies decorated like pigs. They look like the ones Harry had.

[klbwriting]

Center of Two Worlds

Chapter 1: There’s More of Him?

Fandom: DCEU

Pairing: Orm x female!Reader

Warnings: none really, Orm is a little shit but that’s to be expected

Summary: Orm has been put under house arrest by Arthur after being imprisoned for a year.  He finds a shipwrecked woman who is amazingly like Arthur and part Atlantian, the product of a banished high noble long thought dead.  Arthur charges Orm with helping her understand her Atlantian culture and the city while also hoping Orm himself can learn something in the process

Note: This is not a request and not exactly the end of my hiatus simply because I am not sure that my writer’s block for other characters isn’t fixed.  I just thought of this after seeing Aquaman 2x within two days and officially declaring myself Orm’s bitch pretty much.  Hopefully this will become a good series but not sure how long it will last but I have 2 chapters already so we will see.  Enjoy!

Tag @downsideright

               It had been a year since Arthur had found the trident and become king of Atlantis.  Orm had sat in a prison for that time, missing his power and mourning his losses, but he mostly just missed his kingdom, missed seeing Atlantis in all its glory.  So when Arthur came to offer him a deal, be released from the cell but with a monitoring tracker implant he agreed right away.  He was willing to mend ties if it meant that he could be free to see his old kingdom again.

              That was how he found himself swimming just above the city, looking down upon it, only a few meters from the surface, when debris came cascading down through the water around him.  Orm looked up and saw someone floating down towards him, saw them trying to swim and getting hit with a plank from the boat that had clearly wrecked.  He swam over, expecting to find a dead surface dweller but instead found someone breathing, knocked unconscious but still breathing underwater.  This person was Atlantian, or as least a half-breed like his brother.  He thought for a moment before pulling the young woman to him and swimming back down to Arthur’s chambers.  He knocked on the door to the living area and Vulko answered.

              “Orm, what is this?” he asked, looking between the ex-king and the woman in his arms.  Orm pushed past Vulko and set the girl in Arthur’s arms.

              “This thing is like you, she must be to be a surface dweller who can breathe under water,” Orm said, folding his arms.  Arthur cocked an eyebrow.  “It is your problem now.   Halfbreeds should stick together.”  Arthur chuckled some.  Orm was a little shit, decent, but still highly prejudice against a people he had barely even encountered.  So Arthur got an idea and moved quickly, placing the girl back in Orm’s arms.

              “She’s yours, you will take care of her and when she is ok again you can teach her about being half fishperson,” Arthur said, noticing the annoyed twitch that Orm got when he said ‘fishperson’.  “That’s an order…little brother.” Orm fully glared at that but started when the girl in his arms opened her eyes some and looked at him.  She was dazed, eyes not quite focused.  All Y/N saw was white and then this beautiful man looking down at her with amazing blue eyes.

              “Is this heaven?  Am I dead?  Are you an angel?” she asked, voice slurred a little from what was probably a concussion.  Orm’s mouth opened and closed, unable to answer since his people had no idea about a religion that had a ‘heaven’ or ‘angels’, what was she talking about?  Arthur looked on, highly amused by this interaction.  Orm didn’t get rattled much but right now he was completely out of his depth and Arthur was doing everything he could to keep from laughing.  Y/N smiled a little.  “I’ve always wanted to kiss an angel…” and before Orm could do anything she popped up just a little bit and pecked his lips, passing out again from the effort.  Orm’s face reddened and he wasn’t sure whether he was disgusted or entranced.  The kiss had sent a bit of a shock through him and the look on his face was alight with confusion.  Arthur couldn’t hold it in anymore and laughed big and loud, making Orm collect himself and glare.

              “Make sure she sees a doctor and then she stays in your suite in the extra bedroom,” Arthur said.  Orm looked like he might argue but the king cocked an intense eyebrow at his sibling and Orm just glared, turning and stalking away.  

              He had taken the girl to his suite and put her in the other room as ordered and requested a doctor visit.   They confirmed that she was concussed and also that she was half Atlantian, annoying Orm even more.  How many halfbreeds were out there?  Were they all going to show up now that Arthur was on the throne?  He hoped not.  He couldn’t deal with it.  He was in the main room of his quarters when the girl wandered out of her room, wearing a long sleeping gown that had been dug up from some of his mother’s old clothes.  She blushed when she saw him, her cheeks turning a shade of red that he wasn’t sure he’d ever seen before.

              “I um, I kissed you didn’t I?” she said, voice clearer now that she had some rest.  He nodded silently, still confused by the feelings he had from that kiss.  “I’m sorry, I was delirious, thought for sure I was dead.”  He nodded again.

              “Who are you?” he asked.  He was running names in his mind of those high borns that could breathe are who would dare to travel to the surface to mate with a surface dweller.  He wasn’t sure if anybody would.

              “My name is Y/N and I guess I finally found my father’s home,” she said, looking towards the large window he had overseeing the city.  She stared in silence for several minutes, taking in everything around her. The colors and the creatures, just absorbing and matching it to the stories she heard growing up, the stories her father would still tell her over the phone when she called him and mom to ask about his home.

              “Who is your father?” Orm asked, joining her at the window.  She looked at him, noticing how tall he was, how imposing.  He must have been a general or something, and he looked annoyed, probably because he had to babysit her.  He caught her staring and she quickly looked out the window again, her blush flaring again.  Orm found himself smirking at the effect he seemed to have on her.  It warmed him to see that she was blushing because of him.  He had always been betrothed to Mera and had little experience with other women.  He had complimented Mera before, tried to get her to blush or give him a warm smile, but she never did.  After years of wooing and courting she had run to his half-brother, never feeling anything romantic for him at all.  But this girl, after only a few minutes with him was blushing and staring, and he found that he liked it.  It made him feel good to know she was affected by him.  He didn’t notice that he was now staring and when she turned to lock eyes with him he cleared his throat and looked out the window, feeling his own cheeks get warm.  So the effect seemed to be mutual he noted.

              “My father’s name is Velka,” she said.  “He said he was banished from here.”  Orm nodded, a little surprised.  Velka was Vulko’s son, and someone who had helped his mother escape to the mainland before her marriage to his father.  Velka was found guilty of treason and banished, not to the Trench like Atlanna, but to the Deserter nation where it was assumed he would die.  Apparently that hadn’t happened.  Vulko would be glad to hear his son still lived and he had now had a beautiful granddaughter.  Orm stopped his thoughts.  She was beautiful wasn’t she?  He couldn’t deny that.  He pushed the thought away.  She was a halfbreed, below him and insignificant.

              “He was, for treason against…,” Orm said.

              “A corrupt tyrant who wanted to control a woman who wanted nothing to do with him instead of just hearing a sound no and moving along with his life,” she finished, venom in her voice.  Orm looked at her shocked.

              “How dare you speak of my father that way,” he said sharply, turning to face her completely, eyes full of fury.  She turned and looked at him with annoyance.

              “That asshole was your father?  So what, you’re the king? Another dictator who wants to destroy all and control all and throws a fit when you don’t?” she asked.  They hadn’t noticed Arthur, Mera, Atlanna, or Vulko entered.

              “That is exactly what he was,” Arthur said, earning him a look from his mother.  “What?”  Orm and Y/N looked at the group, Y/N with a small chuckle and Orm with a glare.

              “While his father was a tyrant, my boy was a good child, loving and passionate, he was just misguided by his father’s anger,” Atlanna said, moving to Orm and touching his face gently.  He leaned to her hand, still in awe of her touch and how happy he was she was back in his life.  Y/N watched the interaction, noting the softness in Orm’s face and how content he seemed and wished that she could somehow make someone feel that happy when she touched him.  Ok, not him per se but someone, right?

              “So he can still learn and not be such a dick?” Y/N asked.  Arthur laughed again.

              “I like her, she’s awesome,” he said to Mera who was trying not to laugh but couldn’t stop a small smile and shook her head.  Orm just glared, folding his arms much like an angry child.  He felt a nudge and looked to Y/N, who was closer now, pushing him gently with her hand.

              “Chill fishman, I’m sure you’re not so bad under the scaly shell,” she said.  Orm looked away, pretending to be annoyed but a small twitch at the corner of his mouth said he wanted to smile.

              “Vulko, I have news for you,” Orm said, causing the vizier to swim closer to them.  Y/N looked at Orm and then at Vulko.

              “Grandpa?” she asked, staring now.   She saw it, saw her father’s eyes and ears, along with his smile that spread onto Vulko’s face.

              “You mean, my son?  Velka?” he asked, staring at her as if he was afraid to believe.  She nodded.

              “I’m his daughter, he’s alive, works at an aquarium of course,” she said, smiling wide.  Vulko moved over to her and touched her face.  He now could see the shape of her eyes, her hair and nose, Velka was her father and he was alive.  

              “Can you tell me about him?” Vulko asked, voice excited.  The others looked on curiously, Atlanna breathing a sigh of relief.  She had been unable to stop her husband from banishing Velka and was glad that he had survived his punishment.  

              “He’s wonderful, he says that in the desert he got lucky, he found an airfield and someone there gave him a ride for some gold coins he had smuggled with him in case he needed them.  They took him to Egypt where he met an American scientist studying remnants of ancient civilizations for a theory about Atlantis actually.  They fell in love and got married and here I am.  They live in California, on the coast.  He likes to sit in the shallow water, where he taught me to swim,” she said.  Vulko’s eyes were misty now and he pulled her close, hugging her tight.  She hugged him back just as tight.

              “Is he happy?” he asked after a few moments, still keeping her close.

              “Yes, but he would love to see you again I’m sure,” she said.  “He’s near San Francisco, just outside the city limits on the coast.”  Vulko nodded and turned, looking to Arthur.

              “Go, you deserve to see your son after all this time,” the king said and Vulko hugged Y/N one more time before swimming off.  “You just made him very happy.”  Arthur turned to look at her.  She smiled.

              “I’m glad I got to finally come here and meet him,” she said.  “And you must be Queen Atlanna, my dad talks about you a lot, how you were his friend as kids and he helped you escape.”  The queen nodded and smiled at her.

              “I will have to also pay his a visit in time, after he has gotten a chance to reconnect with his father,” she said.  She looked to Orm and touched his face again.  “I’m going to go see to some matters for Arthur’s coronation gala, don’t let the boys fight too much while I’m gone.”  She kissed one son and then the other before departing.  Y/N face wrinkled in confusion.

              “I thought you were already king?” she asked.  Arthur shrugged.

              “He is king but there is always a celebration to announce the official coronation,” Mera explained.  “This gala just took a while to come around since instead of passing the throne down with no conflict an entire war was fought over it and we’ve had to rebuild.”  She and Arthur were eyeing Orm with annoyance.  Y/N looked at Orm who averted his eyes some but didn’t look down.  He was too proud for that and they wouldn’t shame him for trying to save his people from the fate they would suffer if the surface dwellers didn’t change their ways.  He was happy that Arthur was working with other metahumans as they were called to get change started on the surface world but Orm still thought conquering it would have been faster.

              “Can I come to the gala?” Y/N asked and Orm was shocked at her audacity. She had been here for one day and already wanted to act like she were some noble born Atlantian?  Well, she is noble born Atlantian a voice said in Orm’s head and he dismissed it.

              “Ya sure, why not,” Arthur said.   “Hey little bro why don’t you show her around the city?  Let her see where her dad comes from?”  Orm could tell by the tone that this was not a request but an order and although he hated taking orders Arthur was king under their laws and he respected the law of his nation.  He rolled his eyes but nodded.

              “Of course my king,” he said, voice dripping with annoyance which made Arthur laugh.  He and Mera swam out together and Orm looked to Y/N.  She bit her lip.

              “How about today I just stay here?   You can go out and do what you want and I’ll just stay here and watch the city?” she said.  She was giving him an out and Orm was going to take it.

              “Fine, tomorrow I will show you some of the city,” he said, swimming out the door before she could answer him.

[bluboothalassophile]

Yee Naaldlooshii

Okay, I’m loving this little expansion fic as I plot it out, so here’s the only other spoiler to be shared until I’m posting it officially. I thank @impulse-goblin for enduring me as I chatted her up. And I hope you all enjoy the expansion of the Hopes for a Bastard Universe! =)

Jeepers!

The world was a weird place. Weird.  Magic, aliens, metas, monsters, and other weirdness. It was a nice change from when she’d been a kid, she could admit that, this world was so much more interesting. Two of her business partners were in Boston, currently handling the solving of their recent case. It hadn’t been that hard to figure out, two childhood sweethearts; Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm, had eloped in Las Vegas, rather boring if one were to ask her.

Sighing she stared out at the rain, her Colonial style home was warm and safe.

Sometimes she would wonder how it was she was still home in Coolsville, Maine, rather than becoming a reporting genius like Lois Lane, Iris West, or Vikki Vale. No matter, she had a good business with her ex-fiancé, and childhood friends. Her wiry companion grumbled as he walked into the kitchen. It’d been about twelve years since that vicious fight that busted up their group the first time, twelve years since that accident. Twelve years since metas were a common thing in the world, thanks to the Particle Accelerator blowing up. Her friend was one such meta, though that was between herself and her wiry companion, the dog was the obvious meta. Scooby was an obvious meta, as were most the dogs from his breeder, talking dogs, with thoughts and ideas, and ways to communicate these ideas and emotions.

Finishing with her business communications she opened her private email; the one for family.

Her sisters’ careers were so successful in comparison to her own, it was at times both saddening and remarkable. But Daphne knew she was not the pride of the family by any means with her unremarkable career and failed engagement to her business partner.

The Blake cosmetics was run by Dawn and their cousin Danica. Both were highly successful, Dawn informed her of the latest love of Danica, while Danica bitched about some French photographer who was annoying her. Dusk had completed a merger with Jetson Aviation, it was a break through movement for space exploration from humans. Daisy had written about her break through on genetic therapy and gene mapping. Delilah was a member of Intelligence, working for the DoD, she didn’t even talk about her work, just that it was going well and she was up for a promotion. Her mom, Elizabeth wrote to say the family business was well, and how much fun she and dad were having on a cruise. Daphne blinked twice at the email from Shannon, her cousin in Scotland, and opened it to chuckle.

“Shannon’s getting married,” she announced to her sleepy companion; as his dog yawned; Scooby was a unique meta with an extended life span as far as they could tell. She scratched his ears as Norville ‘Shaggy’ Rogers opened the fridge. “To Angus Haggart.”

“That’s groovy Daphne,” he said. “Pancakes and waffles in celebration!” he declared.

“Rannon!” Scooby wagged his tail and Daphne chuckled at the dog’s excitement.

“I’m happy things are working out for Shannon,” Daphne mused. Since her disaster of a wedding, with her running away from the alter and from Fred things in her family had been awkward. However, she and Fred weren’t on bad terms, they were great friends, still business partners, and their fall out was mostly for their family, and Daphne’s parents’ shame at her for running out of the church. Wedding gown and all.

She found she was much happier in her tentative relationship with her best friend, Shaggy. A shock to her, believe her, it was a hell of a revelation to realize she was in love with Shaggy.

“Hm… there’s a mystery,” Daphne said as she stopped her musings seeing an email from Fred and Velma; they were both in Boston and apparently it had been heard by them of a large group of missing kids in New Mexico, particularly from a small towns on the Navajo Reservation.

“An omelet for you, and a feast for me!” Shaggy cackled.

“I think we’re going to be meeting up with Fred and Velma in Albuquerque, they found us a case.” Daphne mused absently as she took a bite of Shaggy’s cooking. His particular meta ability had him and Scooby always hungry, the amounts of food they could eat had her envious, because she couldn’t do that. And he was still thin as a rail. She envied him.

Shaggy’s meta ability was speed, and a super high metabolism. He wasn’t a speedster like the flash, but even she knew he was faster than the average human, and as she and the gang had learned the hard way: his eating rate was not to be messed with. The doctor; a Caitlyn Snow, had said that it would be fatal for him if he didn’t eat so much, that’d he’d pass out. Of course S.T.A.R. Labs had done specialized searches for meta ability and the meta gene, it’d been break through science that her sister; Daisy had leapt into saving Shaggy when Daphne had been nearly breaking down. Switching Daisy’s specialty from pediatrics to gene therapy.

“WHAT!?” he sputtered, nearly dropping his bite of food.

“No monsters,” she promised. “There’s a large portion of missing kids, no one’s investigating it, according to an Alice Roth, who emailed Fred about this.”

“Oh, good,” Shaggy breathed, then he tensed up. “No, sorry, I mean, not good, like it’s a shame for the kids, but… zoinks,” he groaned. Daphne completely got it, the curse of the mummy horrors were still heavy on all them. And Omar’s use of the ancient magic had been ingenius, but putting Omar and Velma together to scare people… well, Daphne got why she, Shaggy, and Scooby were on hiatus in their home town in Maine; where NO Monsters were.

“No, I get what you’re saying, I think we’ve had enough weirdness, for the year,” she agreed. The news showed the Justice League bringing in the Legion of Doom for their trial.

“Yummy!” Scooby hummed, devouring his food.

“Oh, Thorn, Dusk and Luna wanted to thank us for saving their New York show,” Daphne said. Shaggy and she chatted about a few trivial things as she looked over the case information.

[weekendsinmaine]

Somehow my short break from blogging turned into a year and a half long hiatus, with a few occasional feeble posts to make me feel like I was somehow still engaged. I kept up a little better with my social media accounts and still spent a lot of time thinking about my blog but just didn’t get around to posting that much.

Maybe that’s the natural ebb and flow of a hobby blog. I don’t know. This is my first blog. I can’t feign that life was too busy. My empty nest meant I did have excess time to devote to my blog, but I found other things to fill the time instead. There were a few major life events during my break including the loss of my mother and a change of jobs. The first certainly a large stressor, the latter more of a minor transitional period.

In the end, I don’t think it was any specific incident just a temporary loss of interest.

To celebrate my return to blogging, I thought I’d dust off a post I drafted a long time ago and share some random facts about me as a way to reintroduce myself.

Ten random facts about me:

My favorite food is lobster. I’m a true Maine girl! Spoiler alert, it’s likely not the last time you’ll hear about lobster during this A to Z Challenge.

I collect mini-mates and even have a hand painted set depicting the cast of Firefly. My husband once told me that shopping for me was like shopping for a ten year old boy.

I celebrated my last milestone birthday with a trip to Machu Picchu, which had always been my top bucket list travel destination. It did not disappoint.

My childhood dog won a blue ribbon for best trick at our local dog show. He could balance an empty soda can on his nose, flip it in the air and then catch it in his mouth.

Each Christmas I create a geek inspired gingerbread house. I’ve made the Tardis from Doctor Who and the Enterprise from Star Trek.

My first car was a Volkswagen Cabriolet. Sadly, it was totaled in a fender bender a few years after I bought it. I replaced it with a  Volkswagon Fox. The Cabriolet was cooler.

I have never ridden a horse. A high school boyfriend was going to take me horseback riding once, but for reasons I’ve long since forgotten we never made it.

It’s A Wonderful Life is my favorite movie. My husband can recite almost all of the lines. It’s one of the reasons I fell in love with him.

My favorite TV show is Supernatural. I’ve been watching it since it debuted fifteen years ago. Sam and Dean are my boys. My friend and I went to a Supernatural Convention in Las Vegas a few years ago. We enjoyed it so much that we spent more time than we had planned there.

I still have all the negatives from every picture I have ever taken. Even in our digital world, I can’t bring myself to throw them away.

I also was nominated for a blogging award a few years ago, although unfortunately I wasn’t able to accept because I had stopped blogging at the time. I thought it might be fun to go back and answer the questions that had been posed to me.

The blogger who nominated me is someone I discovered during my first A to Z challenge, Sara Writes: The Crazy Life of a Silly Little Sister. Her site is playful, bright and full of personality. Her A to Z challenges in the past have been fun and full of amazing baked creations. I usually finish reading her posts with a sweet craving.  Her theme this year is a Potterific A to Z. Harry Potter is one of my favorite fandoms. I’m looking forward to reading her posts. Be sure to visit her blog!

While I wasn’t able to participate previously, below are my answers to her original questions.

What is your favorite part about yourself?

One of my posts from my previous A to Z Challenge was on Anna Kendrick’s book “scrappy little nobody“. I used a quote in that post,

“I gave up on being Nice. I started putting more value on other qualities instead: passion, bravery, intelligence, practicality, humor, patience, fairness, sensitivity. Those last three might seem like they are covered by “nice,” but make no mistake, they are not.”

I think in the past I might have described myself as nice, but Anna’s quote really resonated and I’d have to go with passion. I am passionate about many things including hobbies, travel, friends, family…. the list goes on.  It’s probably why I chose the word bliss this year!

If you could be any character in a book, which book and character would you pick and why?

I would be Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice. She is confident, intelligent and fun. While she certainly makes some mistakes along the way, she has a joy for life and is unwilling to compromise for anything less than love. It doesn’t hurt that she ends up with Mr. Darcy either.

Road trip or fly the distance? Explain.

Fly the distance whenever possible. I do not enjoy long road trips. When we were dating, my husband and I drove from Quebec City, Quebec to Saint John, New Brunswick. Once we arrived in Saint John, my husband wanted to drive up to see the tide change in the Bay of Fundy. I flipped out. The thought of spending even one more minute in a car pushed me over the edge. We finished that trip by driving down to Bar Harbor, where we got engaged, so other than the endless car ride it’s a happy memory.

We also rectified the situation this summer by taking a vacation up to the Bay of Fundy, so he has now officially seen the tides change. We realized on our trip this summer that we were only 30 minutes away from some of the best Bay of Fundy tides during that earlier vacation, but since it was before cell phones and GPS, we never knew.

If you could keep a fantasy creature (from books or movies) as a pet which fantasy creature would you like to have?

Scooby Doo. I know he’s a dog and not technically a fantasy creature but he does talk. It would be nice to know what my dog was thinking. Maybe Scooby could play interpreter.

Imagine you can only take one more trip – where would you want to go?

Does an around the world trip count? I actually can’t image only one more trip because travel is such a big thing for me. If I had to pick one, I guess backpacking through Europe. And by backpacking, I mean staying in nice hotels and taking ubers.

How did you end up as a blogger? How did your awesome blog come into existence?

I have always been an informal story teller and memory keeper. I have many scrapbooks and photo albums. I am the family’s visual historian. I feel like blogging is the next step in memory keeping for me. It is also a way to be creative not only with the writing but the website design too.

If you were given the chance to remove any one evil from this world which one would it be?

Killing.

Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, or neither one? Why?

Harry Potter. While both are beautifully created worlds, I am smitten with with wizarding world.  My new puppy is named Neville. He’s a rescue pup so no fancy names needed for his papers, but if we did one it would be Neville Longbottom, a True Gryffindor. Next to the main three, he is my favorite character.

What’s the most important life lesson you’ve learnt so far?

Resiliency. You can’t let roadblocks and setbacks stop you from moving forward. I drive my girls crazy because I’ve stressed the importance of grit to them so much that it’s now a major source of irritation for them. Oops.

Which activity or interest are you most passionate about in life?

I have many, many passions but if I had to pick one, I would go with travel and seeing new things both near and far.

Below is my own question that I will be answering for each of my A to Z posts this month.

Why does blogging bring me bliss? I enjoy the creative challenge and opportunity to improve my writing. I love to learn and expand my skills. Blogging helps me be more thoughtful and reflective about activities and other aspects of my life that I am documenting. I’m a memory keeper at heart and my blog is an extension of memory keeping. When I read old posts, it brings me back to that particular adventure or moment in time. 

Are you a blogger? What do you enjoy most about blogging?

Follow Blog via Email

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Follow

  I’m participating in a Blogging A-Z Challenge for April 2020. I will be posting new content every day this month except most Sundays. Each post is associated with a letter of the alphabet, starting with A and ending with Z. My theme for the challenge is Bliss. To read more of my A to Z posts from this year, click HERE.

My latest blog post... #AtoZChallenge | B is for Blogging and getting personal for my grand return. Somehow my short break from blogging turned into a year and a half long hiatus, with a few occasional feeble posts to make me feel like I was somehow still engaged.

[tenscupcake]

my first, and possibly only, official statement on the new doctor.

i've honestly been truly and thoroughly baffled, and rather disappointed, by the lack of discussion occurring around this polarizing issue. in fact, in my brief experience on various social media platforms, discussion is rarely, if ever, allowed. the tiniest expression of discontent with the new doctor immediately elicits a slew of insults and accusations of misogyny. i have yet to have an actual conversation with anyone about this, aside from close personal friends who share my views, because those who don't share them will not even engage them. they instead immediately resort to name calling and shut down any attempts at conversation i make. honestly, it has driven a wedge between me and doctor who and its fandom like i've never experienced, not even in all my suffering through the moffat era.

i hesitated for a while about coming back on here at all. but i figured it would be wrong of me to not give my friends and acquaintances here a chance to really hear me out, since before i took a hiatus i hadn't really properly articulated my reasoning (for the aforementioned reasons). so to anyone interested in my thoughts on the matter (and let me explicitly mention here that i am referring only to rational people who are willing to either read silently and go about their day or else engage in a polite discussion with me, not people who are just going to send me vicious anonymous asks), here they are.

i’m sure it’s no surprise to any of my followers that i haven’t been actively watching the show for some time now. in fact, i stepped away indefinitely sometime early season 8, not because i had any issue with capaldi, but because i didn’t feel moffat’s writing had improved any since the last season.

so, it may have come as a surprise to many of you that i even had a strong reaction of any kind, be it positive or negative. and i can certainly see where you’re coming from, if that’s the case.

when it was announced early last year that moffat would finally be leaving, i threw a party. i literally did. i got together with my one other real-life friend who watches the show, watched rtd episodes, and made blue cupcakes (that were supposed to be TARDIS colored but turned out more of a pale teal and baby blue combo). i can’t even explain how happy i was at the mere suggestion of him leaving. because in my eyes, he took my favorite show and turned it into something i resented. it was such a slow and painful process to come to terms with the fact that a show i once loved was causing me so much grief, and finally part ways with it (at least in the sense of following along with the new episodes; i’ve obviously remained active in the rtd sect and continue to devote a significant chunk of my life to the doctor and rose *blush*). but i just couldn’t deal with the constant disappointment and rage anymore. i knew it was for the best.

i liked broadchurch well enough, with the exception of the second season, and i thought there was no way chibnall could be worse than moffat. and best case scenario, he could potentially resurrect the show into something i’d enjoy again. maybe it was foolish to hope for such a thing, but i owe far too much to this show after all it’s done for me to not give it a second chance under new leadership. so when, a few weeks ago, they told us the date they’d be announcing the new doctor, i got properly excited again. to put a face to my renewed hope in the series? it was hard not to get excited. the sound of the tardis still makes my heart swell with joy and gratitude. i’m still invested. just look at my room or my wardrobe. i’m a self-proclaimed doctor who geek through and through. if i wasn’t, i don’t think it would be possible for me to be genuinely upset about anything that happened to the show. the things we love are the things that can hurt us the most.

so, without prolonging the inevitable any longer, i’ll try to explain why i was/am upset by the casting announcement.

i really have three main reasons.

1. the issue of representation.

let me start out by saying i am a passionate advocate for better (i won't say more, because i don't think that's the issue at hand) female representation in media. especially film. i desperately want more intelligent, strong, powerful women in fiction. but what i absolutely do not want is to recycle traditionally male characters into female ones. doesn't this seem counterproductive to anyone else? its almost as though a man always has to pave the way, and only once he's established a character can a woman potentially take over. it’s trite and more than a little insulting.

give me more original female characters who kick ass. give me more natasha romanoffs, more reys, more elle woods, more leslie knopes.

don’t give me more batgirls or supergirls. don’t take a character as prominent and culturally significant as the doctor and morph him into a woman after 50+ years (or 2000+, depending on your perspective).

and you know, i've actually seen people say (addressing people who are upset about the casting): ‘a character’s gender doesn't have to match yours to be a good role model for you.’ you know what? to an extent, i actually agree. as a matter of fact, i strongly identify with and take inspiration from the doctor, even though he's a man. does nobody hear how hypocritical it sounds to say you want a woman to play the doctor purely so girls can have another role model, and then turn around and in the next sentence say gender is irrelevant to role models? yeah, this one really floored me.

but though i do think that one’s role models don’t have to match one’s gender 100% of the time, it is important to have some that do. and i do think there is an imbalance in the number of strong male leads in tv and film versus the number of strong female leads. keyword: strong. i’m tired of sexist stereotyping and failed bechdel tests, too. probably more than most, actually. but i think taking existing male characters and gender bending them is the absolute worst way to go about rectifying this imbalance.

2. the issue of the nature of gender.

i want to preface this by saying that, until fairly recently, i was something of a fundamentalist when it came to gender. but over the years, i’ve realized how problematic such views are. i’ve invested hours upon hours of my free time scouring reddit threads and watching documentaries about trans issues to understand this crucial part of the LGBT community. to learn. and what i’ve gathered from my thorough research, and heard from the many personal experiences of transgender individuals i’ve read, is that gender is something distinct from biological sex that is immutable. the gender you’re born with is the gender you are for life. (and yes, as i understand it this does also apply to genderfluid individuals - they’ve always been genderfluid even if it was not always expressed.) and changes made to physical appearance are merely affirming one’s gender, not changing it.

changing the doctor into a woman flies directly in the face of this very concept. and to me, it really, truly feels like an insult to the trans community.

it’s going back to the regressive fundamentalist view that sex = gender. that because the doctor has a woman’s body now, he must therefore identify as a woman. though this hasn’t been explicitly confirmed in so many words, given the widespread use of feminine pronouns and the term ‘woman’, i think it’s safe to conclude this is the case for the show. and this is so contrary to the whole message the LGBT community is trying to put out.

now. i’ve heard several potential counterarguments to this, so bear with me as i go through them.

first, people say ‘but the doctor is an alien, not a human. our gender expectations don’t apply.’ true. yes. he is an alien. but is the show really about his alienness? i think you’d be hard-pressed to convince me that it is. the truth is, though it’s told through tales of distant planets and creepy aliens, it’s really a show about humanity, and always has been. doctor who has always espoused a meaningful kind of secular humanism. it’s explored what it means to be human in so many impactful ways. and it’s because the doctor looks and acts human much of the time, succumbs to human emotions and has such human flaws, that he is so relatable. yes, it’s a sci-fi show about time travel and regeneration and spaceships, but if the doctor were completely alien and had no human qualities, it wouldn’t have become such a hit. don’t try to deny that. trying to distance the doctor from humanity is a detriment, not a benefit, to the show.

and though some may argue we ought to hope for and potentially work towards a future where gender is irrelevant, the fact is in today’s society gender is exceedingly relevant. and important. transgender people and feminist movements wouldn’t exist - wouldn’t need to exist - if it weren’t.

second, i see people say ‘the doctor has no gender.’ this one admittedly really throws me. no gender? where is the evidence for that?

for one thing, what point would there be to differentiating between time lords and time ladies if gender was not of import on gallifrey?

there is also a plethora of evidence to the contrary: the doctor has in fact consistently identified as a man. starting JUST with ten:

in ‘the christmas invasion’: he says ‘same man, new face. well, new everything.’

also in tci: ‘oh, that's rude. that's the sort of man i am now, am i?

also in tci: ‘no second chances. i’m that sort of man.’

in ‘fear her’: ‘look at my manly hairy hand’

in ‘evolution of the daleks’: ‘the only man in the universe who might show you some compassion’

in ‘utopia’: ‘i was a different man back then.’

in ‘voyage of the damned’: ‘i’m the man who’s going to save your lives’

in ‘the end of time’: ‘even if i change, it feels like dying. everything i am dies. some new man goes sauntering away.’

a couple of these quotes actually indicate that he has an innate sense of being a man that transcends regeneration. depending on his current level of angst, it seems, he sees himself as a different man or the same man, but the ‘man’ part remains the same. he doesn’t say ‘person’ or ‘character’ or anything to that effect. he says ‘man.’

not to mention, the doctor consistently objects to being called a human (or martian), and corrects those who mislabel him as such, but never once objects to being called a man (which is quite often).

and just so that no one accuses me of singling out one doctor too much, here’s a quote from the first doctor from the pilot, an unearthly child: ‘i’m an old man. how can an old man like me harm any of you?’

right off the bat. the doctor has been identifying as a man for literally thousands of years.

sorry for lingering on that sub-point for a while. it’s just so mind-boggling to me because there’s so much freely available evidence to the contrary.

third, i’ve noticed there seems to be some level of collective amnesia of the backlash from when the master made a comeback as missy. given what i’ve observed of people praising the decision retroactively, no one seems to remember the fandom’s response from that revelatory episode anymore. but i remember it vividly. a number of people were furious, the trans community and its allies in particular. and this outrage returned with a vengeance when missy kissed the doctor (12) later on. though i had already given up on watching the show by then (at least as long as moffat’s hellish reign continued), the anger and frustration i was seeing really resonated with me. 

i have never forgotten that, and it is undoubtedly a big part of the reason i’m so angry and frustrated now. i am at least consistent, if nothing else. but conversely, there seems to be a lack of consistency among much of the fandom, as i sense none of the widespread ire from the past making a resurgence now, and it’s unclear why. the same issues regarding gender are at play. it’s leading me to assume that many people are embracing this decision purely for perceived representation, while disregarding potential cultural issues it may raise, which i think is dangerously selfish and shallow.

3. the choice of actress.

i’m not going to pull any punches here, since i’m already putting my blog’s reputation in jeopardy by making this post at all. i don’t like jodie whittaker, specifically. i think she’s a terrible actress.

this is based purely off of watching broadchurch, because it’s the only thing i’ve seen her in. but her performance paled miserably next to david’s and olivia’s, and even some minor characters’. i mean, beth’s life thoroughly sucked, and everything in it went from bad to worse for a while, but i didn’t really care. she didn’t make me care. i think that’s a huge red flag for any actor. because, i mean, compare that to olivia’s performance. i mean, SHIT. miller made me feel things every episode. intense things. and beth didn’t. at all. ever.

so, even IF the other two issues were somehow resolved, i still wouldn’t be happy with the casting choice, because i am not at all impressed with this person’s acting ability. the doctor is a huge role. a critical one. and i’m honestly not sure what she did to earn it.

so, that’s it. it’s not every nook and cranny of my position, but it’s the gist of it.

as my final thought, i’ll reiterate what i said at the beginning, to anyone considering responding to this: hostile ad hominem responses will be resolutely ignored, but (time and volume of responses permitting) polite intellectual debate will likely be engaged. but let it be said that though i’m willing to listen to reason, it’s highly unlikely anyone will change my mind.

i don’t want this to widen the chasm between me and the fandom. i already feel so distant from it already, like i’m hanging on by a thread. in all likelihood, i won’t discuss the subject at all any more after this post, save for when responding to others’ comments or questions about it. and even then, i will do so privately whenever i can. because i really don’t want to dwell on it anymore. i’ve finally sunk myself back into ep after an extended hiatus due to surgery and work, and that’s what i’d really like to dedicate my free time to from here on out. that and my other d/r fics. that’s what makes me happy; not bickering with people who don’t agree with me.

so please! feel free not to respond to this at all. it is completely optional and even somewhat discouraged, because i am tired of thinking about it and being yelled at and insulted for it. i’d love to forget about it and move on, at least until i’m forced to confront it again this christmas. i want to get back to what my blog is all about - nine and ten’s era. david. the fun smattering of friends and parks gifs. but above all else, the doctor and rose. the couple i’ve dedicated the past four years of my life to.

no matter what happens, i’m going to stay with them. whether or not i stick around on tumblr, i’ll continue posting my fics on ao3. they’re my happy place. these characters mean the world to me. and doctor who will always be very dear to my heart, regardless of how the future of the show pans out. i hope my followers never doubt that.

[jokermatt]

Vworp! Vworp? Click-bait of course – we all know the Doctor Who experience will never end! Still though, in one corner of Cardiff Bay, it has.

The BBC’s Doctor Who Experience closed this weekend, ending the fourth permanent, but significant exhibition in the world’s longest running science fiction show’s history. A permanent exhibit to the corporation’s premier franchise that’s suddenly become a whole lot ephemeral. But just as its creation was made possible by the show’s huge resurgence in the middle of last decade, as much as the rise of ‘experience’ entertainment, its demise doesn’t signal the end of Doctor Who‘s so-far 54-year journey.

There’s no doubt that Doctor’s Who‘s lost some of the sheen it recovered 12 years ago, just as it waxed and waned over the 26 years of its original run. After its 2005 return, kids were talking about that weekend’s show on the bus to school on a Monday morning, for the first time in decades. Those kids of 9 or 10 are now 21 and 22. Times change, even for an ever-changing show like Doctor Who. Audiences change along with their Doctors. And so do Doctor Who exhibitions.

The Past

The first permanent exhibition to Doctor Who was set up at the seat of the Marquesses of Bath, the stately Longleat. Alongside the growing safari. It set the standard walk-through of costumes, props and exhibit cards that were as close to an immersion that young and old fans could get, whilst ocassionally hosting some events, like the 20th anniversary party in 1983. Longleat was big on those big anniversaries, running from 1973 until 2003, and was my first visit to a Whobition – a word I will never use again.

Like Behind the Sofa at London’s defunct Museum of Moving Image, which I visited during thatsame mid-1990s period, my strongest memories remain, in no particular order, Daleks and the blister packed Dapol models in the shop afterwards. Count them down: Seventh Doctor, Tetrap, Mel… It’s worth noting that my few brushes with Doctor Who as a child it bloody petrified me. Being scared is a great thing. My first memory – although it may appeal to some fans – is Colin Baker land-drowning at the cliffhanger of the penultimate episode of The Trial of  Time Lord. I grew up on the coast, but not near hand quick-hand-sand.

Along the South Coast, Brighton’s Palace Pier (the only one left, horizontal) hosted a small, but prestigious and official exhibition in 2005. The lean years of the show’s prolonged hiatus between 1989 and 2005 had been partially bridged by Longleat and the resurgent Blackpool exhibition. originally open as a permanent installation from 1974 to 1985, that Golden Mile exhibition folded in 1985 not for a regeneration but a “re-evalutation”, coincidentally during the show’s 18-month mid-80s hiatus. Its second life ran from 2004 to just before the show’s anniversary in 2009 – but I never made it to either incarnation.

Back to Dapol, the factory that gave us those distinctive 1980s action action figures, enabling children everywhere to recreate Time and the Rani,  hosted is own exhibition, Dapol Dr Who Experience, between 1994 and 2003 in Llangollen. I never made it to that either, although the figures persist.

In 2008, with the show at peak Tennant and its fourth television series since returning, a well put together show was hosted at Earls Court Exhibition Centre for just under a year. Never intended as permanent, coincidentally that ended in the year of Specials – a hiatus by any other name.

Then in 2011, London Olympia2 hosted the brand new Experience, a new interactive development of the old props and history format. It ran for one year, before relocating to Cardiff to replace the semi-permanent Doctor Who Exhibition Cardiff that at the capital’s Red Dragon Centre that ran between 2005 and 2011. The London Experience was a whole different level. While it ended with a comprehensive tour of props, costumes and merchandise, the main draw was the interactive storyline that dragged willing family groups through a ready-made storyline, combining pre-recorded film with the Doctor himself, animated sets, classic monsters and a ground-breaking 3d segment that recalled early IMAX trips to that new dimension.

Of course, it was all helped by marvelous zeitgeist. It opened in the prime of the new series’ first reboot, with the arrival of the Eleventh Doctor, tying directly into storylines set out by the show’s fifth series and picking up from the three-dimensional vortex promos that accompanied that new era. But as well-knitted into the fabric of the show as it was, enhancing the immersion, it was always going to be the dating element. As the ‘cracks in time’device that effectively brought us into the show collapsed into a tangle of on-screen plotting over inconsistently broadcast series, it became a piece of historical interest far more quickly than the old exhibits ever had. As with many of the new era exhibitions, items would arrive as series were made, disappearing as they were recalled. it was a natural rhythm, when the series ran consistently.

In summer 2012 the Experience opened in Cardiff Bay, in a new 3,000 sq m building at Porth Teigr, handily near to the BBC’s Roath Lock studios, where Doctor Who is produced, aiding the ins and outs of props. Expected to attract up to 250,000 visitors a year, it was hailed as a further coup for the Cardiff Bay development and a further boost for the clocal economy delivered by temporal rift. I visited that incarnation of the Experience once at its opening in London, then in Cardiff, accompanied by, after a rain-soaked run, a trip around the TARDIS studio itself.

And then last month I took a trip to Cardiff for one final, sign-off visit to the Experience.

The Present

With the arrival of the Twelfth Doctor, the dated crack in time plot was deemed just that bit too passé. That earlier trip had served up some nice moments in its guided urgency, not least a trip into the off-screen Dalek civil war which went just a little way to explain the quick repealling of the multi-coloured New Paradigm Daleks in the show. As of 2014, a new storyline written by Joe Lidster brought things up to the Twelfth Doctor, making use of some sets – anachronistically the early Eleventh Doctor TARDIS remained – and twisting the scripted journey, spattered with some great scripting, but lacking the buzz of the television linked original, into a new shape.

As fun as it was – if you ever think it isn’t amazing, picture that desolate ’90s hole when the show’s fire was tended by a mere few thousand fans – there remains something wonderfully BBC about it all. The concept, not as strong in the Capaldi era as the former Smith Experience, was a little tattered around the edges come the end, the staff almost imperceptibly haggard. Camera phones are forbidden on the journey, but there was surely a day when enforcing that rule fell into the concept.

the Experience should haev soared to the end, but that seldom happens in Who. Like the show itself, 12 years on from its glorious resurgence. A trail traipsing between Angels lacked bite, the visit to the underside of the TARDIS was missing some sparkle (really, because it recalls the awful Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS). There was nothing to match the Dalek fighting in the first, but the pepper pots gave it a go, as we sought suspiciously kryptonion shards that could sort the merry temporal mess out. Perhaps the highlight lay in the past. While the 3d finale wasn’t as captivating and centre-stage as the previous version, it ended on Totter’s Lane, where the story began. There it broke through into the exhibition, with the TARDIS set and production notes of 1963, brought to screen for the 50th anniversary with An Adventure in Time and Space.

As Steven Moffat always propounds, a little too much, Doctor Who‘s a show about change. And time for change it is. So the Experience ends with its second and final Doctor. Concept experiences remain strong, perhaps stronger now than when it opened – certainly in London. In Cardiff, although filled by the promotion surrounding its final summer, its shelf-life is apparent. A root around the Experience merchandise shop, highlighted it. Pride of place fell to the new Mr Men tie-in range, but everything else felt flat and familiar. It’s a luxury for the brand, where every T-shirt, DVD and mug once gleamed new.

The trick remains in the exhibition that follows the tour, wonderful, expansive and still continually updating, it’s a far cry from the crawl past zygons and krynoids at Longleat or through Cassandra on Brighton Pier. The fad for the Experience is likely to stick and develop. Doctor Who and BBC Worldwide will return to the theme. But as contrary and awkward as the show it celebrates, it’s the exhibition that retains the ageless class. And unlike the walkthrough, it’s a photographers’ dream. I’ll miss these unscripted trips tothe past. Until the next time. The next Experience.

The Gallery

Out of the Vault

Ring upgrade

Bakers hands

Angel Power

Mummy shake

Morbius claw

Cyber heads

Cyber legion

War Doctor TARDIS

Console

Clara memorial

Recreating The Leisure Hive

Sleepy

Hanging Silents

Mr Sweet

Classic Daleks

Classic Daleks

New Paradigm Daleks

Bloody Monks

New Mondas

Emperor Davros

New Davros

Season 18 Console

Facing the Raven

Special Weapons

Exterminate?

Blue cat future

Console

Blue doors

Console room mood

HDoctor Who Experience – hello Menoptera!ello Menoptera!

Invasion of Earth

The Beginning

The News 23 November 1963

Out of the Vault

Ring upgrade

Bakers hands

Angel Power

Mummy shake

Morbius claw

Cyber heads

Cyber legion

War Doctor TARDIS

Console

Clara memorial

Recreating The Leisure Hive

Sleepy

Hanging Silents

Mr Sweet

Classic Daleks

Classic Daleks

New Paradigm Daleks

Bloody Monks

New Mondas

Emperor Davros

New Davros

Season 18 Console

Facing the Raven

Special Weapons

Exterminate?

Blue cat future

Console

Blue doors

Console room mood

HDoctor Who Experience – hello Menoptera!ello Menoptera!

Invasion of Earth

The Beginning

The News 23 November 1963

Doctor Who: End of the Experience Vworp! Vworp? Click-bait of course - we all know the Doctor Who experience will never end! Still though, in one corner of Cardiff Bay, it has.

[jbjjkenta-blog]

HELLO ALL WHO IS NEW TO 24K AND WOULD LIKE TO START STANNING THESE WONDERFUL BOYS! firstly thank u for all these lovely comments about our boys, from all 24u's we are grateful and pleased that they are finally getting the recognition that they deserve. THIS IS INFO ABOUT THEM SO OPEN IT IF U WANNA STAN YA'LL THANKS 

a little introduction to 24k is needed: 24K (투포케이) currently consists of cory, kisu, jeonguk, hui, changsun, jinhong, and hongseob. They debuted on september 6th, 2012, under choeun entertainment. The fandom name is 24U and our official fan colours are GLITTER GOLD and YELLOW GOLD. CHECK OUT THE CHOEUN YOUTUBE ACCOUNT 24K ARE MAD they also do vlives, and regularly use their own social medias they also had a sub-unit called 4K that came before 24k but its not used anymore due to the members in it leaving also they called themselves 24k bc they had 4 members in the sub unit 4k and then when they debuted they added 2 more members so 2 4 k??? WOW GenIUses I LOVE THIS CONCEPT 

 on a serious note please support them they dont deserve to still be a ROOKIE GROUP after nearly 5 years they recently had a comeback with their new mini album called 'Addiction' so please check it out and buy it if your interested in these guys they really do make amazing music and are totally underrated so they need all the support they can get to be able to get their first win :D 

also if your staying they're having another comeback in december so keep updated with these guys! (confirmed by cory) 

only you music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPOvNE6y3CE (fun fact cory made that little intro sound for the choeun ent logo) 

bingo mv: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEOo_zSAXxw 

still 24k mv: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPsAtmGofT0 

superfly mv: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnmLjdvTeCE 

hey you mv: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utggP1n2P-o 

 ok so now u know a little about them lets start with the members in this video;

BOTTOM ROW RIGHT TO LEFT 

92 top: cory hong ; november 25th 1990, 26

-leader and main vocalist -cory was born in korea but grew up in oregon so he is fluent in english and korean 

-cory is a meme -cory also LOVES corgi's (CORGI HONG) ksajdhkasjd 

-his dad called him cory because cory if you add 'ah' in korean it sounds like korea (cory-ah) hence his twitter handle 

-cory has tattoos (if you can remember what they are that would help i lost that one photo of him where he showed them) 

-DAD 

-he is the sweetest and you should love him forever 

blue jeans, white top: kim jeonguk ; march 20th 1993, 25 

-main rapper and main dancer 

-jeonguk is from busan 

-jeonguk LOVES the united kingdom because his name jeongUK has the uk at the end (king of the uk dont even fight me on that) 

-theres a cat named after him called catuk who one day he wishes to meet over skype (confirmed at the london fanmeeting) 

-jeonguk has a few tattoos (HES GOT 24K ON HIS CHEST I LOVE THIS CONCEPT, hes bound to 24k now) and im sure he has a gun tattoo too 

-confirmed by cory, jeonguk has abs during promotions but they go on 'holiday' in between these times 

-he likes to delete his instagram photos regularly CAN YOU NOT 

black top, black jeans: choi kisu ; october 2nd 1991, 25 

-main vocalist 

-MUM 

-AN ABSOLUTE CUTIE 

-kisu can speak a bit of mandarin 

 -HES SUPER GOOD AT CALLIGRAPHY SEND HELP WHEN WILL I EVER BE THAT TALENTED 

-his ideal type is guys sadkjhak (this is a joke oh my god please dont take it seriously he said it at the fanmeeting) 

-please dont leave kisu and cory in a room together they'll break everything -kisu is so sweet protect him at all costs 

-correct me if im wrong but im sure kisu mentioned that he would only let his sister date daeil a while ago (does he even have a sister?????//?) 

-DID SOMEONE SAY DOCTOR WHO??? DOCTOR KISU WHERES UR TARDIS FAM, kisu loves doctor who save this child 

he spelt my name wrong on my fansign but we wont talk about that ok i still love him 

TOP ROW LEFT TO RIGHT 

white top, blonde hair: kim jinhong ; january 2nd 1998, 19 

-vocalist and visual 

-A TRUE VISUAL LIKE TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT HIM HES BEAUTIFUL 

-he used to be in a group called aa but left in 2015 and joined 24k with fellow member hui in the 'hey you' era but wore a mask to hide himself on the video for more suspense to who the new members were (-it was the best choice ever-) 

-jinhong is very quiet bUT CAN ALSO BE SUPER LOUD AND I LOVE HIM 

-he likes to delete all his photos off of instagram and unfollow everyone obviously got this habbit from jeonguk 

-his instagram is @in_the_hong 

-i love this kiddo 

-PROTECT HIM PLEASE 

 black top, brown hair: shim hongseob ; january 8th 1998, 18 

-vocalist, dancer AND THE CUTEST MAKNAE AROUND 

-joined in 2016 in the 'still 24k' era with changsun 

-he hates it when kisu does aegyo 

 -hE IS SO SOFT AND WE MUST PROTECT HIM PLEASE WRAP HIM UP AND DONT LET THE WORLD HURT HIM 

-he also does the cutest aegyo (EVeN THOUGH HE hATES IT i love him) 

-hes crazy

-he has a fidget spinner please take it off of him 

-he also likes to dab 

-where does he learn this 

-im blaming cory

i legit have a picture of him with the fidget spinner and then he dabbed after 

red and blue shirt thing: lee changsun ; march 17th 1998, 19 

-vocalist 

-joined in 2016 in the 'still 24k' era along with hongseob 

-HE IS A LITERAL BALL OF FUN -LOOK UP ON GOOGLE IMAGES CHANGSUN 24K SMILE 

-SUNSHINE

-HES MY BIAS I LOVE HIM SO MUCH 

-HE CANT SAY MY NAME BUT THATS OK BECAUSE I LOVE HIM ANYWAYS -hes really good at dancing and the others always say that the 'youngins have better legs than them so they can do all the hardwork'

-he is a work of art like just look at him pleASE 

-PROTECT 

 ok so thats all the members in the video, they have one more member in 24k who is currently in china with family due to visa issues and family business

liang hui ; july 18th 1993, 24 

-vocalist, dancer & rapper 

-he was born in china 

-kING OF CHINA 

-he can speak korean & chinese 

-hes very shy when not on stage but on sTAGE HES FIRE OH MY GOD -he joined in 2015 with jinhong in the 'hey you' era 

-wow hes very cute u should stan 

-HES SO GOOD AT DANCING I CANT EVEN 

-HES SOFT 

lowkey wanna say he also has really soft hands 

as a sidenote, i just wanna mention the previous members too, 

2012 - 2015 yoo sungoh - main vocalist (he looks similar to kim taehyung from bts & he sometimes does youtube stuffs) 

2012 - 2015 kim daeil - main dancer, lead rapper (daeil actually does solo stuff now so check it out, his twitter is @bigone1sthename (hes apparently on hiatus since no official statement was made about him leaving but we all know hes not coming back lmao 

2012 - 2013 hong seokjune - main vocalist (HE DOES FOotball stuffs now) 2012 - 2014 park byungho - rapper, dancer (i have no idea what he does now rip)

if you have anymore questions please ask us 24u's as we'll be willing to help! PLEASE STAN THEM I LOVE THEM SO MUCH AND WOULD GIVE THEM THE WORLD IF I COULD, THANK U AND I HOPE WE WILL SEE YOU AS A FUTURE 24U! <3