#the way shona would lOVE HER

[fictionformed]

Zane couldn't sleep, granted he didn't sleep much, he couldn't eat, but he didn't do much of that either.. the nagging sensation of dread and feeling powerless had taken over. Usually when something weird went down in Evermore he consulted Dipper and Jack.. but now his friend was part of the building mystery and Zane was hellbent on solving it. Or at least.. trying to. His feet made light work of the forest he so frequently visited, as he continued looking for any signs of struggle or life nearby. He sighed approaching the person, he was shit out of luck or answers by this point. But maybe they could help each other.

"I mean I guess.. but that's assuming they even left town in the first place." Zane mused, laced with the hopelessness creeping over him. "There's got to be more to it.. I just can't figure out what that is."

LOCATION: the edge of town FOR: open !!! @evermorehqsstart

Staring at the line of trees, Wendy stood with one hand on her hip, a very large stick gripped in the other, hanging over her shoulder. They'd tried three times now to go through the woods, but at some point, they always ended up... on the other side of town, somehow, dazed and confused. Which was actually really kind of creepy, and no doubt something Dipper had already investigated. Which was why she was doing this, of course. She was lazy, but sometimes she cared enough to override the amotivation that was so deeply ingrained in her. Hearing footsteps, Wendy turned to their newfound company, bewilderment dancing across their features. "They had to get through this, right?"

[oceanblueeyes03]

Love the idea of Lukola Anonymous!

Ego anon is bang on the money about all this. However even now the little scraps of boundaries/protection NC is having to put in place is still giving more outrage to the fandom than LNs actions which is mind boggling.

I don't agree NC was mildly baffled though, this is her close friend and workmate of 5 years. Her work husband! She will be internally devastated, distraught, stressed and gaslit to fk by this egomaniac.

Imagine her internal conflict, LN would never try and roll me over like this would he? He's my friend. LN probably moaning and crying to her aboit the paps (he called himself) following him and Antonia and the fans turning on him and how everyone hates him and he would never do anything to jeopardize their friendship (while continuing to leech off her goodwill and good name)

I will bet its slowly been dawning on her that if he can't fuck her physically he will fuck with her another way instead. Sometimes you can't see when you are being taken for a ride and it's easier to see it happen to others. She's often said she has imposter syndrome and she's too nice and the soho squad has taken advantage. She looked stressed AF at the BAFTAS and was probably bricking it having to go on stage with LN if they won. I'm glad they didn't win.

I don't think all this is for show and there is some secret conspiracy between them. If they did ever become a thing inhe future I would be disappointed because selje deserves better than LN and his behaviors towards her (and Antonia in some respects too)

It's clear as day Shonda can see the hard work NC has put in for the WT and professionalism she has had to exhibit while LN just floated on through hence her being hyped up by Shona. People can see the real NC including many of the fans who are on her side. Sometimes women do support women!

I think anyone would be disappointed with their coworker if something like this happened. It was a stab in the back

I think Nic finally woke up and has realized who the real Luke is hence no pics at BAFTA

[justsomemusingsandthoughts]

Now about season 3 of Bridgerton....some thought from a Greys Anatomy fan of the first hour cause I need to get it off my chest :)

I was really excited to see Polins story unfold even though I didn't watch Bridgerton before or read the books but I was swept up by the excitement on tiktok and got invested in their story.

But as soon as I heard Shona was involved I was like okayyyyyy, I gotta keep my expectations in check cause the women is not one to write healthy and lasting relationships and reasonable men who communicate well😬

Looking at how the season played out, I completely understand why so many people are disappointed cause there was so much potential wasted, so many scenes that could have made clear to the viewer what was going on in Colins head. I think I filled in the gaps in my mind but there are still some moments, some things he said and did that were almost character destroying, specially the comment about the entrapment, cause dude, she didn't even know what sex was🙄 Also, not even trying to have a converation with her about why LW started and has such significance to her was not sth Colin would do.

And that's the crux of why I think for many die hard fans, the season was a let down. They didn't show any true discussions or enough moments of passion alongside the argument cause in truth, there was no time with all the unnecessary side plots and so few episodes. If you saw the season you know, I won't list them all but I will say they better put a proper Polin side story and spicy scene in Ben's season cause the amount of pointless threesomes I had to skip through is almost offensive, especially cause it should be clear people want intimate scenes of the main couple😮‍💨

But looking at all of it considering this show is part of Shondaland, I am not the least bit surprised. The number of downright character assasinations I watched on Grey's (and other shows of hers) after over a decade watching the development of some of them is kinda ridiculous. The number of ruined relationships and the horrible ways most of them were ruined (I almost cannot believe I'm saying this now but thank god they killed off Derek before completely undoing who he actually was and what Meredith meant to him😭).

Untimately, Shonda loves the drama and the angst and very clearly doesn't think there is much entertainment value in showing happy couples resolving their issues in a healthy way. If you watch a project she's involved in, you gotta be prepared for the couple to not make it and in that way, Bridgerton fans are rather lucky considering no matter how the seasons play out, it's gonna end with a happy couple that's not gonna split up again.

She also was never gonna just take books and keep to the narrative cause I don't believe that would be any fun to her. Especially this season, since she has said that Pen is her favorite character. I was immediately thinking Colin will be taking a back seat and have moments viewers will hate him for to have Pen in the forefront individually.

I guess I'm gonna take away and rewatch the beautiful moments, even some of the angsty ones and wait for what little side plots Polin will have in future seasons. I don't believe I will watch the entirety of future seasons cause I'm not interested to be disappointed by Shonda Rhimes' story telling anymore. Been there done that����

But my little obsession with Polin was still worth it cause they're just an amazing fictional couple and I might just read their book now☺️

And I have definitely found a new actress to follow along for her future roles cause Nicola is just amazing as an actress and as a person🥰

(Also find it deeply offensive to make an audience wait for 2 years (!!!) for 8 episodes but that's for another day😅)

[madwolfxiii]

Season 3 of Bridgerton. Holy shit. I loved it. As a fan of not just the show, but also the books, I am excited with some of the changes they are throwing in. But everyone on the Bridgerton fb group I am in are not. Should I be shocked since it's people on fb??? But I just had to share my little rant review that I posted in the group for all of the people being salty. Spoilers below!

What can I say about those final 4 seasons of Bridgerton except WOW. And it's a good wow. I was upset that it was split up but the season was still amazing. Romancing Mr. Bridgerton has been my favorite of the books (so far). And I feel like they really did it justice. They had the main story beats while still doing something different.

Moving onto the Francesca stuff. You know what. I am actually excited about the change to Michaela. At first when people were spoiling it I was just like, why do they have to do that? I feel like genderbending an established character is just lazy. But I can forgive it because I think it would definitely make their story interesting! Now I could be saying this because I haven't finished her book. I started it before watching season 3 and just got to where John died and Francesca had her miscarriage. So I am not so invested in her and Michael as people who have read the book and may consider it their favorite. But I can see why people would be bummed with a major change to their favorite couple.

But I HIGHLY disagree with everyone saying that the show will be unwatchable now. It's still the same story. Just Michael is Michaela and that will just present more obstacles for them. I do realize a big part of Francesca's storyline is her infertility and wanting children. That really doesn't need to change just because she falls in love with a woman. She can still have that struggle. They can show it during her marriage with John before he dies. Maybe they really struggle to get pregnant then they do and he dies and she loses the baby. Michaela can help her through that and they fall in love and maybe adopt!

But before I hear the "well their relationship can't be public because it wasn't allowed back then." Are you really looking for historical accuracy with Bridgerton? Mixed couples were DEFINITELY not allowed back then but the Queen is poc. Bridgerton is presented as like an alternate timeline to history. The real Queen Charlotte was not of color. None of the couples in the books are mixed. But Shona created this world where it is accepted in earlier times then real life. Not without scrutiny and struggle, obviously, as we see in Queen Charlotte when skin color is commented on throughout the season. But some people are okay with that inaccuracy but put their foot down with a main couple being a gay one? On the topic of them being accepted and being able to be public, well that may be part of the storyline and maybe the Queen helps them out. In the novelization of Queen Charlotte, her and George knew about Brimsley and Reynolds and they were okay with it. I'm sure the Queen would have found a way to let them be together if the story wanted to go that direction. Sadly we never found out what happened to Reynolds.

Also people are saying that Michael is supposed to be one of the hottest love interests and their book is the steamiest. Uh it still can be. Michaela looks pretty hot to me and I am as straight as they come. If seeing two girls be intimate on screen makes you uncomfortable then that's your problem. I am ready to see Franny get down and dirty with her lady love.

Also I totally saw Benedict as bi since season 1. He always came off as a little bi curious and I was so happy that he finally accepted it. Good for him for having a threesome. The only complaint I had about that particular storyline was how we would be watching some Whistledown drama then it would suddenly cut to the threesome. It was sort of jarring, as hot as the threesome was. But I thought it was cool seeing Benedict explore his sexuality because like I said, in actual history that was not allowed. But Bridgerton isn't following actual history to a T. It's paving its own way and I am fine with that. With the mention of the masquerade ball next season, Benedict will FINALLY get his love story. Maybe Sophie would be down for a threesome. Who knows.

Also to all the people STILL saying Polin was unconvincing...you need your vision checked because their love and their happy ending had me in tears. I was really happy with how well it did follow the book while also changing it up enough to make it interesting. Because if I want the beat by beat story of the book, I will just read that again. That's the thing people. WE STILL HAVE THE BOOKS. They are not going anywhere. This show will not "ruin" them.

[wildshona]

Girly Night Out

So Tammy and I went to Ku-Bar and met up with Bai and Yina. Bai means Purity apparently and Yina means Joy. Lots of joy in Yina but not a lot ofpurity in Bai hehe, I guess Bai is in her mid twenties, lovely long Chinese blue-black hair and brown eues with multiple ear piercings and a tattoo of a tiger of a spirit of some sor on her back - her whole back. Yina was a little younger maybe the same age as Tammy who is 22. So I was the youngest as usual. Yina has a septum ring and her tonguw was pierced.

So we had about three cocktails at Ku-Bar and lots of snogging which i guess you American followers were called making out. Then Bai said it was time to go - she knew somewhere. I would really like to tell you guys wheerabouts we went but once we were in the taxi I was concentrating on Bai's hand which had found its way up my dress and past my thong.

So anyway we arrive at an alleyway off a High Street of some sort and we go down some steps into a basement. There is a bar and a seating area all alcoved - i guess it had been a storage cellar at some point cos then it went into another cellar that had low lighting - well, lower than the seating area that had futons on the floor. I didnt get much chance for a look cos Bai had me by the hand and pulled me into the toilets. Well thats quick i thought. She had both hands up my dress and pulled my thong off

you don't need these and threw them into a toilet stall. o well easy come easy go and then we were back into the seating area where Yina and Tammy had got the drinks in.

this place was far more of a happy contact place that a bar or night club, happy contact place was what a giggling Yina called it. so we had a couple more drinks and then Bai led us back into the other room where we managed to get a large futon cos some girlz were just leavin - did i mention this was all girlz. anyway Bai was on me and i had my dress up and down round my waist while she pulled me down on her. it wasnt long before i discovered the pierced nips and the pierced clit and fuck did she taste good. it seemed that i was to be Bai's partner and Tammy was for Yina although afetr a while it became a bit all in and it was difficult to follow after a while whose tongue and whos e fingers were quite going where especially when the girlz from the next futon seemed to just join in.

I was definately getting hazy with all the cum but there was certainly a very big titted black girl and a another girl who was about my size in height - or length as were all lying down but had even less tit than me. So u could say there were 6 of us except it was very difficult to follow and girlz came and went. I had almost lost my self in the amount of times i had cum when Bai pulled me to my feet. we were in the alley before i had even got my dress pulled up/down but the mini cab driver seemed used to it - she was a woman so i guess there was an arrangement with the happy contact place. There was just me and Bai. Yina was taking Tammy to her place, i had assumed bai and Yina lived together but obs not.

Bai lived in a small flat somewhere. and i mean small, a studio that had a big double bed taking up most of the space and i was on my back again and then face down and there were toys and it was so fucking amazing.

eventually i fell asleep or passed out whatever and eventually we were up and there was fesh coffee abd some sort of Chinese breakfast dim sum things, the doorbell rang and Bai kissed me and said she would see me again and there was the same minicab driver who Bai paid to take me to Waterloo.

Now ive showeerd and naked and my fingers would do some work but i am so sensitive i think i am going to give my cunt a rest today. my jaw is sore too. hehe.

Chris has made me a cup of tea and will no doubt fuck me tonight while i tell him the details.

hope youve enjoyed the latest adventure of fucked up Shona.

[siewmai]

20 questions for fanfic writers (stolen from @chainofclovers ages ago, and finally getting around to it because why not)

1. how many works do you have on AO3? 299 at the moment! we'll see what my 300th fic will be...

2. what's your total Ao3 word count? 970,469

3. what are your top five fics by kudos? they're so predictable (except the astrid x rachel) because all the gays were crazy about ocean's 8.

smite me, i'll come back for more (ocean's 8, debbie x lou. i am proud of this one because to this day it is still the ocean's 8 fic with the most kudos in the entire fandom tag and it's my only fic with over 2k kudos)

show me you understand me (baby don't waste my time) (ocean's 8, multiple)

wind me up tight, convertible nights with you (ocean's 8, debbie x lou)

when i open my eyes, hope i see you shine (crazy rich asians, astrid x rachel)

be your shelter, be your storm (ocean's 8, debbie x lou)

4. what fandoms do you write for? this is hard to answer because i've written fics for 80+ works of art and media. inspiration strikes everywhere. the top ten fandoms i've written work for are: mission impossible, ocean's 8, person of interest, bad sisters, this way up, charlie's angels, military wives, the mcu, brooklyn nine-nine, and agents of shield.

5. do you respond to comments? why or why not? not very often. i like being able to scroll through the comments on my works without them being clogged up by my own annoying replies to people. on the rare occasions i reply, it's usually to acknowledge that i'll be taking on a fic request someone comes up with in the comments, or if a comment really touches me, or if it's a clown offering dumbass criticism and i want to snap back.

6. what's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? i tend to write happy endings because i'm a softie. probably anywhere, anywhere, take me (mission impossible, grace x paris), since that features major character death. oh, or moment's here, moment's gone (crazy rich asians, eleanor x rachel), which also features character death, and people have said it made them cry which obviously delighted me. lol

7. what's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? i'm gonna go with just love me the way i are (this way up, charlotte x shona) because not only does it have a happy ending in the fic, it provides a happier conclusion for charlotte and shona than the second series of this way up did, which soothes my very upset soul after the wtfuckery that was those six episodes.

8. do you get hate on fics? i haven't gotten hate since i wrote black white rhythm (agents of shield, jemma x melinda) in 2014. i was so affected by the comment i deleted it, which i regret now, because i would love to look back on it and laugh. i remember it just being so fucking stupid and the kind of hate that could only come out of someone projecting real fucking bad onto a 16-year-old who was just writing femslash inspired by a play her schoolmates had written.

also not hate but the unwarranted audacity that i got on believe it beloved (mythbusters rpf, adam x jamie) by (of course) a usamerican. "storeys is spelled incorrectly" actually i speak and write british english the original english so maybe stfu. these fucking yanks...

9. do you write smut? if so, what kind? of course! but not a lot - only 20 out of my 299 fics have been smut. it's mostly femslash (who is surprised). and usually self-indulgent fulfilling my own fantasies. special shoutout to ocean's gay-t (ocean's 8, multiple) which is still my most ambitious work ever. how i wrote fifty chapters of smut in the span of two weeks i will never know.

10. do you write crossovers? not super often, because i rarely get the muse. but i have written three crossover fics - nobody said it was easy (lavery's frozen + sharma's off centre), you can feel the light start to tremble (gravity + the proposal), and my favourite one, when i'm away, will you wait for me (gravity + the martian). sometimes ideas just come to you. but generally i prefer playing with just the canon universe.

11. have you ever had a fic stolen? no. i don't think i'm popular enough a writer nor do i write for fandoms that are big enough and have nonsense drama like that.

12. have you ever had a fic translated? yes! i have had people offer to translate two of my fics - yours for a thousand lives (maleficent, aurora x maleficent) and and the timing's never right (person of interest, root x shaw) - into chinese, which was awesome and humbling. especially since i'm a chinese speaker but my chinese is SHIT; i could never write a whole fic in chinese but i could read and understand the translated versions and enjoy the way my words were expressed quite differently in another language.

13. have you ever co-written a fic before? eh, not officially. i've bounced ideas around with friends or worked on an idea that we developed together but i'm way too independent and impatient in my writing to properly co-write something because i just want to get the words out and get the story out there for people to enjoy.

14. what's your all time favourite ship? this is like asking me to choose a favourite child. lmao. i mean i could probably narrow it down to three - siu-yau and tim from forensic heroes (because they were my first ship, EVER, and even 18 years later i am still obsessed with them), alex and nikita from nikita (because they were my first ship from western media and they're the reason why i engage with fandom the way i do today), and charlotte and shona from this way up (because i have seriously never been insane for a ship like i was and am for them).

15. what's the WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? (laughs in looking at my hard drive folder absolutely chock full of wip ideas that i will never touch again) the curse of having ten thousand ideas and not enough time and muse to write them all... i deserve a sabbatical year to just write all the fics i want tbh.

16. what are your writing strengths? i think i'm very good at one-shots - building and delivering a whole narrative in one go and capturing a great story and character development in shorter pieces. i haven't done any deep analysis into my writing style in years though, so i couldn't pinpoint exactly what i'm doing right in, like, academic terms or anything.

17. what are your writing weaknesses? i rely way too much on dialogue and description. sometimes i read fics that have a lot more abstract, symbolic use of language and i'm super awed; i would love to do something like that but it's very difficult as i tend to fall back on what i do best. also in direct contrast to being good at one-shots, i'm not great with multichapter fics. i do not have the patience to build a story over time, lol.

18. thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in a fic? if i include it in full sentences and proper conversations, i usually only do it for languages i have some familiarity with (chinese, french, singlish). i hate relying on google translate - it feels forced and artificial. i'm proficient at writing english and i'd rather write a good fic entirely in english than make it read oddly in a language i'm not familiar with (hence why i wrote you can't explain a love like ours (forensic heroes, multiple) in english and not cantonese for example).

19. first fandom you wrote for? unofficially, in my childhood diaries, WITCH and warrior cats and forensic heroes and also a whole bunch of other hktvb dramas, lol. officially, nikita on ffnet; i'm pretty sure i've deleted the first ever fic i wrote for that because i was fifteen when i wrote it and it was dogshit. the fandom that took me onto ao3 was gravity and i'm forever grateful for it.

20. favourite fic you've ever written? this is also like asking me to pick a favourite child. i think my top three ever would be - and this sounds insanely egoistical but, oh well - the three fics i've written for smaller, underrated fandoms that i truly and genuinely believe are the best fics in their fandom tags. namely, made of our longest days, which is a magic school bus fic; after all these days, which is a bloomington fic, and putting it all on the line, which is a game night fic. but i'm pretty proud of everything i've written. it came from the heart and my own damn brain and my effort, so what else could you ask for?

--

tagging @ensorcei, @skivvery, @delilahprofitt and anyone else who wants to do this!

[kira-lindocruz]

Crackship - Zephcora

Based on Stamp created by one of my followers, @MoonlightTheGriffon

Zephyr met Zecora through his sister, Fluttershy, and there was no "instant connection" or love at first sight. They were just mutuals for a while, with Zephyr starting to enjoy Zecora's company more and more, because she was not judging him and instead, provided him with meaningful advice on his struggles. Zephyr also was fascinated by her mane, which had different properties than horse mane. Zecora was happy to share more about zebras and her culture as Zephyr turned out to be very patient, active and very interested listener. Their bond grew day by day, despite some age gap. Zephyr even visited Zecora's homeland with her many times, slowly becoming in love with her culture and her as well. They became a couple and a family. They are not married, but their relationship is stable, loving, happy, healthy and strong. Together, they have 3 children, all of them are half zebras of course, with names chosen by their mother:

1. Sefu ("sword" in Swahili)

Sefu, the oldest child and firstborn son, is exactly what you would expect from the oldest sibling: he is caring to his younger siblings, he protects them and teaches them. But he has one major conflict with his father: army. Zephyr Breeze, despite serving in army, is not fan of army, he is a pacifist. But Sefu wants nothing more than to join army, to serve his country and be a soldier. At first, Zephyr tried to stear his son to other hobbies, but as Sefu grew older, he was only more and more certain that he wants to be a soldier. Sefu and Zephyr nowadays often get into fights, which is farcry from once a very strong father-son relationship. Zecora tries to interviene, but both Zephyr and Sefu don't want to admin they have partial blame on this divide - Zephyr for shooting down Sefu's dream and Sefu for digging his hooves in despite not having any plan what exactly he would do as a soldier.

2. Thabo ("happiness" in Sotho/Tswana)

Thabo is, as his fitly chosen name implies, very happy-go-lucky. Thabo is very clumsy, sometimes he feels the wings being too big for him. He laughs at his clumsines, always taking it like a champ. He is complete momma's boy and loves spending time with his mother creating healing potions for others and is very talented botanist. Thabo really wants to make his older brother proud, so he started parroting his "I wanna be a soldier" spiel pretty quickly and is actually willing to go through with it, but only for his brother. Thabo doesn't like when his father uses him as example of what Sefu did wrong, but he knows damn well he would make a terrible, miserable and sad soldier. But he still wants to make his brother proud. Thabo has problems with making new friends, because his dark stripes often scare ponies off, but if you give him a chance, he'll make sure to make you smile every single day.

3. Tendai ("be thankful" in Shona)

Tendai is the youngest child and only daughter. She is shy, observant and is often babied by her brothers, which doesn't help with her shyness at all. Tendai is quite close with her dad and is very proud to have zebra heritage from her momma. Tendai often suprises everyone, because despite her shyness, she is clever, thinking outside of the box and can find suprising ways to overcome problems. She is very studious would like to study more about nature, but not really sure what exactly at the moment, as she is good in many fields relating to nature such as botany, chemistry and geology thanks to her mother's influence. Tendai loves when her dad styles her mane, she loves dancing with him and gets along with him very well. She is also able to talk him down from being angry at her brothers, often playing a mediator, as she loves her whole family and wants them to get along even if their ideas on some things are not always allied.

[samhainmade]

@shadxwmoonlight

Whenever Shona pictured death it was a welcoming embrace. A cool, comforting hand that walked you through the veil and into the eternal slumber with a gentle touch. It was kind, peaceful and there was no pain, worrying or suffering, only a quiet darkness that let you drift away to what comes next. But she had been so wrong, so stupid, foolish and pathetic to imagine anything other than the pit of despair she'd been trapped in. Hell. That was the only word she could use to describe it, the darkness that fed off of her pain and then filled her with more to gorge itself. The noises of the town and voices of passing loved ones who were just beyond her touch, not knowing she was there. Not caring... not remembering? Just moving on in her absence, like she never mattered at all.

At first it had been difficult for Shona to distinguish between what was real and what had been a hallucination of her own mind. Memories and nightmares blurred into one never-ending loop of her life. Her biggest regrets, deepest fears, most hopeful dreams all banded together to tear her apart, piece by piece as she could only accept it. Accept the torture until it finally put her out of the misery, but the darkness liked her too much. It should have been obvious but it had taken her some amount of time to join up the dots in her head, this was no mental prison, this was a cursed existence, one she had been fighting her whole life. She should have recognized the pull, that feeling of intuition that had sat with her through her entire life, that the only way she was getting out of here was to fight it with every bit of repressed magic she had.

Shona had flirted with a few tricks and spells over the years, never anything elemental or powerful enough to break a hold like this, so sinister and hungry, leeching onto the world like a fuckin' parasite but she also knew she had to go home. That she couldn't stay another second in this hell hole, not when she had too many things to do before she died, too many people she'd learned to love. Too much to fight for even if she wouldn't be fighting it for herself. They didn't need her, but she needed them. In the enclosing darkness Shona pictured her home as clear as possible, the smell of Vitani's perfume, the sound of Zelda's laugh. The kid-like smile of Barrett when he got giddy, and the comforting drinks in silence with Luis. Slowly she sketched out a path to follow, the sound of a beating heart in the void.

As Shona mentally pushed on she thought of the Casino and her friends, expensive aftershave and the smell of cigarettes', a lush penthouse with a shared bedroom. Warm hands on her waist, whispering secrets in hallways, slow dancing in the foyer, green eyes staring into her soul and telling her everything would be okay. Oz. Her entire heart, her world, her salvation. Exhausted, she prowled through her fondest memories of them, the ones that clung to her soul and pushed against the restraining grasp that held her back, she was going home to him or she would die here trying. Something like a scream and glass smashing vibrated through her as she stumbled into a dark room-- her heart thundering against her chest. She was alive.

Squinting as her eyes adjusted from what felt like a lifetime in the dark, Shona's gaze settled on the familiar figure of Oz in the apartment, she wanted to run to him, to embrace him, and cry and tell him all the things she was too stubborn to say before, but instead her body stood frozen as she forced herself to call out to him. "Oz" she croaked, voice breaking with emotion "Oz! -- please tell me you can hear me-- see me even... tell me its really you."

[cjbolan]

How I Would Rewrite Emily Windsnap and the Siren's Secret

Inspired by @aquaheartgirl and @deepestphotoshopwonderwomanpaper 's E.W. rewrites. I have a love-hate relationship with this book. Re-reading it years later, and knowing it might get adapted into a movie, I can think of a million ways it could be better. My biggest issue is all its inconsistencies with the previous books, so for each issue I proposed several solutions...

*WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD*

The Sirens made the story way too unfocused. They are the title characters and should've gotten way more focus. They should have been introduced much earlier in the story. The first half of this book kept switching conflicts and adding subplot upon subplot, and the Sirens don't come in until Chapter 9. Up to that point they are briefly mentioned here and there, but the Sirens really should have been the main focus. This story had so many conflicts happening at the same time, I really don't know what the main conflict is. My proposed solutions are...

A) Have all the Sirens appear in the prologue instead of just one. That way their appearance in Chapter 9 doesn't feel completely out of nowhere.

B) Have the Sirens actually try to help Emily save Shiprock while she's trying to rescue them at the same time. Maybe they could each have different solutions and differing opinions about humans. The moment the Sirens arrived, I feel like we suddenly started a completely different story. It's quite jarring.

C) Have Emily's parents be extremely worried about her disappearance when she comes back from saving them. That would make the story much more coherent. The Sirens subplot and "unite two worlds" subplot would better fit together. Mary especially would notice Emily is missing longer than usual (she doesn't do much in this story), she'd panic, maybe even start regretting how harsh she'd been with Emily (more on that later).

2. The Windsnaps being homesick for Brightport then being sent on a mission there feels like a contrived coincidence. Again this contradicts the Book 3 ending of Neptune giving the Windsnaps freedom to go where they please. My proposed solutions are either...

A) Have the Windsnaps decide to move back to Brightport themselves (seriously what is stopping them?). Then Neptune gets word that they're in Brightport and gives them his mission.

B) The Windsnaps instead are just on vacation to Brightport. Being on vacation means there's no reason for that pointless retconning of Emily's school situation. In this scenario, Emily would sneak into Shiprock School to see Shona because Shona is too busy to come see her. So you could still have that whole scene where Emily is kicked out for being half human. By the end of the story, with everyone getting along and realizing how much they are missed in Brightport, the Windsnaps would decide to stay in Brightport.

C) Mr. Beeston enlists the Windsnaps' help instead of Archie and Neptune. It would demonstrate his fragile friendship with Emily's parents and effort to make amends with them. It would also be in character with Emily and Jake's rule-breaking tendencies, by doing something they weren't assigned to do. It could even demonstrate Mary's kindness and proactiveness, by going out of her way to help hundreds of innocent people when she didn't need to. Even if that means having to work with an old enemy.

3. This book completely undoes the ending of the previous books. Book 3 ended with Emily's parents declaring they'll travel wherever they please and started actively planning a balanced human-mermaid school curriculum for Emily. But in Book 4 they’re completely back to where they started. Back to staying in Allpoints Island, Emily's back in mermaid school school only, Mary's back to being miserable on Allpoints Island, Jake is back to wanting only mermaid school, Mary is back to wanting only human school. For some reason this book brings back a bunch of conflicts that were solved earlier and should've stayed solved. My proposed solutions...

A) Have it open with the Windsnaps actually sailing all the seas...you know, like they said they would! They're so focused on spending quality time as a family that they're not even thinking about school, so nothing they do is actually contradicting everything. This would be a prime moment for Mary and Jake to repair their relationship, Mary could be momentarily happy with the family's newfound freedom granted by King Neptune, and then later realizes she misses Brightport so the Windsnaps decide to go home and that's where the story picks up.

B) Have it open with the Windsnaps coming back to Allpoints Island from a long vacation across the seas.

C) Have it open with the Windsnaps back at Allpoints Island actually planning a vacation.

D) Have it open with Emily's parents still discussing and trying to figure out Emily's school situation.

E) Have it open with Emily actually being homeschooled. Maybe homeschooling doesn't work for Emily or maybe her parents become too busy with Neptune's mission to homeschool, which could justify them wanting to send her to either Brightport High or Shiprock High.

F) Have Emily in Chapter 3 fight with Jake instead of Mary. Imagine Jake saying he wants Emily in Brightport school instead of Shiprock school. No doubt it'd be a hard choice for him to make. But it's consistent with his Book 3 arc of deciding to balance her human life and mermaid life, and trying to be a stricter parent, and trying to listen to his wife. Especially if his wife is there watching him and he's trying to show he can be a firm parent when needed. Book 2 showed Jake being stern/firm with Emily several times, and losing his temper near the end, so them fighting wouldn't be that out of character. Neither of them would want Brightport High, but only Jake is mature enough to understand it might be best for Emily. And when Emily rants about her being bullied and shunned in Brightport school, it makes more sense for Jake to be dumbfounded because he was gone for most of Emily's life. Because I REFUSE to believe Mary would be dumbfounded at learning this. This woman, who could always tell when something's bothering Emily...wouldn't know her daughter is being bullied at school?! And by her daughter's former best friend, whom Mary often saw and would surely have noticed Emily and her ex-friend not hanging out anymore?! Also the "we're your parents" line feels super out of character for Mary, who was always able to establish her authority without ever having to pull the "I"M YOUR MOTHER/PARENT" card. That's the kind of parenting mistake a new parent like Jake would make. Honestly everything Mary says during that argument is more in character for Jake.

I don't normally rewrite stories, but since this rewrite is just changing and adding some words, here's what I would have written. Swap out Mary for Jake, add Mr. Beeston (Beeston is Jake's only real friend and I think the only person Jake would say all this to), and you have the following:

"'Well, Mary wants her to go to Brightport High of course. Normally I think she should go to Shiprock School, but for once I agree with Mary.' Dad was pouring cups of tea for himself, Mr. Beeston, and Aaron's mom..."

"'Of course you'll have some say," Dad replied a bit sharply. "But we're the ones who will have to make the final decision.'

'Why?" I asked. I bet Mom made him say all this.

'Because we're your parents!' Dad snapped. Maybe I was embarrassing him by arguing with him in front of everyone, but I didn't care...'

"Dad looked at me. 'We'll have to see what your mom says first.' I sighed in relief. I can't believe Dad just said I should go to Brightport High..."

4. Emily kind of forgot the Rainbow Rocks can restore people’s memories. Instead she went through so many complicated loopholes to restore her grandparents' memories and reunite with them. My proposed solutions when she learns they got their memories wiped...

A) Have Emily bring her grandparents to Rainbow Rocks. After the failed first attempt to reunite them with Mary, this would've been a much quicker solution and they wouldn't have to walk on eggshells around Mary. I think the moment the grandparents regained their memories, they'd immediately go to Mary and reconcile with her without Emily having to arrange this whole elaborate meeting for them.

B) Have Emily TRY bringing her grandparents to Rainbow Rocks, but a bigger problem stops her. In the books all it took to stop her was just seeing her picture in the newspaper. Are you fucking kidding me, Emily?! You've been in far worse situations than this and just a photo is gonna stop you from saving everyone? Maybe Rainbow Rocks gets destroyed. Maybe Mary P. overhears Emily discussing plans to bring the grandparents back and stops her because she's still mad at the grandparents. Maybe Mary P. overhears Emily's plans and, realizing she's been way too proud and stubborn just as Emily said, decides to contact the grandparents herself. Maybe Emily is about to bring them to Rainbow Rocks but gets sucked in by that whirlpool to where the lost Sirens are.

5. Jake turned into a cowardly Henpecked Husband. Jake seems strangely afraid of his wife. Which is pretty out of character for him. Up to this point they were always very direct with each other. Here he's suddenly a spineless doormat to Mary letting her harshly berate both him and Emily. When Mary very firmly lectures Emily for wanting to contact the grandparents, I would’ve liked to see him intervene in some way. But nope. Instead he just keeps his mouth shut until after the ordeal has blown over , and quietly mumbles to Emily : “You know what your mom is like…”. I REALLY lost all respect for him in that moment. Like he’s Emily’s scared little brother instead of her dad.

This guy who…

unapologetically tells his wife exactly when she’s being unreasonable,

bravely defied Neptune’s laws for a long time,

angrily grabbed and screamed at Neptune’s enforcers,

screamed demands at King Neptune in a fit of both rage and grief.

…is suddenly too scared to stop a family squabble inside his own house. Also in Chapter 4 he's WAAAY too calm/indecisive. Jake suddenly lost his protective parental instincts here. Hard to believe the guy who viciously assaulted Beeston to save Emily and snapped at Mary for disliking Emily’s mermaid school, would be that calm when Emily’s being bullied BY A TEACHER. I get Jake not wanting to confront the school because he always tries to avoid conflict, but…the fact he didn’t have any other ideas just pissed me off. Even a bad idea would be better than no idea, because it would’ve shown he ultimately cares for Emily. Jake SAYS he won't let Shiprock make an example of Emily, but his delivery is way too calm and makes his words seem false. Even worse Jake's inaction leads to positive outcomes. I think this sends a terrible message to kids that it's OK to let your romantic partner treat you like crap. My proposed solutions are...

A) Have some chapters written from Jake's POV. Like how Book 2 was from both Emily and Mandy's POVs. If we can go into his inner mind, we can better understand why he's acting so out of character.

B) When he sees Mary tell off Emily, he backs up Mary by telling Emily “listen to your mom/your mom is right”.

C) OR when he sees Mary tell off Emily, he interrupts Mary telling her to go calm down and let him talk to Emily.

D) Have Jake be completely absent during Mary and Emily's fight in Chapter 5. Because why would Jake seriously just back and watch his daughter keep antagonizing his wife by bringing up painful memories?? He should've been trying to stop Emily when she kept pushing the subject. And Jake KNOWS that HE'S the reason Mary's parents cut her off, he really should've expressed some opinion about those parents!! You could easily write him out of that scene and have him be busy working with Mr. Beeston.

E) Have Jake act/sound much more angry when Mary berates him during Chapter 4.. It would show how much Jake fiercely cares for his daughter's well-being and normally would raise hell, but is also frustrated at the supposed restrictions of his new job. At this point Mary really doesn't deserve his patience. Here's how I would rewritten his response:

"'Look, I understand what you are saying,' Dad said, trying and utterly failing to stay calm. "But we're going to have to tread carefully. I'm NOT going to sit doing nothing while Shiprock makes an example of Emily...I'll do something. But I want to make sure that whatever we do, it's the right thing! IF WE GO CHARGING IN THERE SHOUTING OUR GILLS OFF NOW, HOW'S THAT GOING TO HELP OUR CAUSE?!" Mom turned away. Dad took a deep breath and tried again..."

6. Mary P. became a bitch. I HATE her in the 4th Emily Windsnap book . I used to admire her stubbornness and perseverance. But here it’s made her really bitchy to everyone: her daughter, her husband, her daughter’s school(though that’s completely justified), her friend, basically everyone she cares about, for all sorts of reasons. Literally all the characters walk on eggshells around her, because she’s that difficult to reason and be honest with. And seeing how much Mary’s parents actually missed her, her going no-contact seems like a big overreaction…

I think to justify her refusal , we’d need to SEE Mary’s parents being awful to her — without Mr. Beeston’s intervention— and not just hear about it . Like how we saw Mandy’s parents being awful, to better understand Mandy’s awful attitude. Even worse Mary never learns or grows from her stubbornness. There’s no moment where she decides to change her behavior, no moment where she realizes she made a mistake. Everyone else seems to learn from their mistakes , except her.

In fact, Mary is rewarded for her stubborn attitude! By forcing Emily and friends to bring Mary’s parents to her.

Even after she’s told contacting her parents could save Shiprock, she STILL won’t do it. She’d rather let that entire town get blown to smithereens. She essentially said “LET THEM DIE 🧨 🧜‍♂️🧜‍♀️ 💀 ☠️ “

I get why she cut contact, but seriously Mary? You’ll let innocent people die just to avoid your parents? Damn gurl that’s cold. Also kinda weird we don’t see Mary apologize later for her stubbornness. That felt out-of-character to me. Yes she’s stubborn, but never too stubborn to apologize. Until now. And like the complete bitch she is, Mary P. is only nice to Emily after immediately getting something she wants (her old job,returning to Brightport, reconciling with her estranged parents).

I think another reason this angers me so much is , after reading the book… let’s just say I had some Book 4 Mary Penelopes in my life. People who are absolute saints to strangers, yet horrible to the people closest to them, and who conveniently bring up their personal drama as an excuse for their bad behavior, instead of just admitting they were wrong. So I guess rereading it years later brought back all those unpleasant memories. Even after Mystic Millie eventually calls her out, there’s no visible sign of Mary showing remorse or realizing her mistakes.

Yet somehow she forgives Mr. Beeston for doing far worse to her than what her parents did.

Oh and unlike the other characters, she did absolutely nothing to save Shiprock. Except hold hands in a group for a few seconds. I swear everything in this book was resolved by just holding hands 😆.

Also she’s a lot more gullible than ever. Somehow she believes all of Emily’s lies, and not once does she ever suspect Emily is hiding something. Again unlike the previous books. Where she’s still gullible, but not stupid. Earlier she often realized something was off about Emily, and would come pretty close to discovering the truth.

Worst of all is her interactions with her daughter Emily. She’s just suddenly much more impatient and snappy with her than usual. Mary P., this woman who…

hugged and comforted Emily when caught stealing their houseboat and driving it through dangerous waters, without ever acting angry.

comforted and gently assured Emily “I understand” when caught forging Mary P.’s signature to skip swim lessons at school.

calmly and gently asks Emily what’s going on, right after Emily angrily yelled at her out of nowhere and accused her of keeping secrets about her dad.

would always try reasoning with her daughter first for at least several pages, only getting firm with her as an absolute last resort.

would always calm down to reassure and be gentler with Emily , IMMEDIATELY after the few times she was firm with her.

…is now snapping at Emily for interrupting a conversation and for bringing up uncomfortable topics.

All this makes her both a nuisance and possible threat to Shiprock.

If Liz Kessler wants me to hate Mary P. Windsnap, congratulations she succeeded.

My proposed solutions are...

A) Add some scenes of Mary P. apologizing and admitting her mistakes to the people she was mean to (mainly Jake and Emily). One of my favorite things about Mary P. was that she always owned her mistakes.

B) Write some scenes from Mary P.'s POV. That way we could understand why she's acting so out-of-character. Even if she never says sorry, we could see her clearly feeling sorry via some internal monologue.

C) Have a subplot of Mary P. trying to find and apologize to Emily. Kinda like The Little Mermaid 2 when after their first fight, Ariel feels really guilty and goes searching for Melody so she can make amends with her.

D) Have Mary P. tell Emily all about her grandpa, instead of Mr. Beeston telling her. There was a good scene of Mary about to answer all of Emily's questions about her grandparents, until Mr. Beeston arrives and she tells everything to him instead. I think if Mary was the one telling Emily about her grandparents, it would show more of her positive traits as a patient mother with open communication skills, and it could be Mary's way of making peace with Emily after their tense conversation in Chapter 5.

E) During Chapter 5, have Mary finally snap at Millie instead of Emily. Mary has shut Emily down before. But this was WAY harsher than she normally does it, without even consoling or comforting Emily afterwards like in previous books. Also it was Millie who brought up and kept pushing the subject (contacting estranged parents)...so shouldn't Mary be mad at Millie instead of Emily? Emily only pitched in because of Millie. Here's how I would've rewritten the scene:

"'No buts,' Mom said firmly. Then she turned to face Millie. 'I'm not putting myself through that again. It took me long enough to over what they did. I don't intend to give them the chance to do it all over again. Subject closed. Now let's have some breakfast.' And with that she got some bread out of the cupboard and started to slice it. I opened my mouth to say something else, but Dad shook his head at me.

'Best leave it,' Millie said softly. 'You know what your mom's like when she's made up her mind.'"

(I think that mean-spirited "You know what your mom's like..." comment sounds way more in-character coming from Millie rather than Jake. Millie was always very blunt.)

F) Have JAKE say the angry “No buts…” to Emily instead. Imagine the dramatic potential of Jake, in a misguided effort to help his wife, lose his temper at their child, immediately regret it, and then try comforting his child with his much gentler “Best leave it…” line.

7. Mary P. kind of forgot she can scuba dive. Seriously her scuba diving skills would've helped avoid a lot of conflict. My proposed solutions...

A) Have Mary P. scuba dive to Shiprock School. She could've just dove to Shiprock School herself to give them a piece of her mind, instead of bitching at Jake to do it for her. Maybe Mary and Jake would argue not because of Jake's inaction, but because Mary went ahead and confronted Shiprock School without him. Jake is a guy who tries to avoid conflict, so he would be upset at Mary causing a huge confrontation.

B) Have Mary P. scuba dive with Jake and the other merfolk. She could've gone with Jake to meet with various merfolk and they would've found solutions much more quickly. It'd be a great chance for Mary to show how much she really loves and supports Jake, and care about Neptune's mission to unite the 2 worlds. Also it'd be a great test for the merfolk to see how well they can really get along with humans, when they meet one face to face. Because in this book only Jake is doing most of the hard work and giving any support for Mary.

C) Have Mary P. scuba dive searching for Emily. Remember when I suggested Mary having a subplot of searching for Emily? What if after not seeing Emily for a while, she realizes Emily is out somewhere at sea and decides to scuba dive to find her? Then in the end Emily and Mary could reunite at sea, with Emily seeing her mom in full scuba gear then realizing how much Mary goes through to keep Emily safe? It would be a great way for Emily and Mary to reconcile.

8. Too many subplots. The subplots about the mermaid hunt, Millie initially staying behind in Allpoints, didn't add much to the plot IMO. My proposed solutions...

A) Cut these subplots out entirely.

B) Have Millie still try helping the Windsnaps even from Allpoints Island. She could've easily borrowed a shellphone.

C) Have the mermaid hunt be for JAKE OR SHONA, instead of Emily. That way Emily has no excuse to completely abandon her mission and run away from Brightport. Imagine Emily's horror at seeing Jake or Shona's picture in a newspaper article placing a bounty on their heads for their capture. She'd have to swallow her own fears of exposure, to save someone she loves from a similar fate. Seeing a bounty on her loved one's head should make Emily even more determined to unite the two worlds.

9. Jake sabotages Emily's speech in the end. I do love Jake's big speech to Brightport, I just don't like that he interrupted Emily to give it. Especially since Emily was supposed to give that speech. This is yet another BIG retcon, completely undoing Jake's Book 2 arc of learning not to treat Emily like a baby. I know old habits die hard, but then shouldn't Jake give Emily room to talk after he interrupts her? He doesn't just interrupt his daughter, he completely takes over her speech and ruins her moment to shine. It reminded me of Kanye interrupting Taylor Swift. Here are my proposed rewrites...

A) Have it be planned for Jake to give the speech instead. That way he can have his moment without ruining his daughter's. MAYBE Mr. Beeston tries to find Jake but Jake is running late, so he makes Emily fill in and stall for time until Jake shows up.

B) Have Jake and Emily take turns giving the speech together.

C) Have Jake secretly help Emily give the entire speech herself. Like how Elinor helped with Merida's speech in Brave.

That's all I got for now. If you have any other ideas, disagreements, etc. feel free to share.

[lolbeech]

Emily Windsnap characters’ favorite Katy Perry songs

Emily - Part Of Me - Being a semi mer is a special part of Emily that she loves

Shona - Teenage Dream - This song has a girly vibe and romanticizes love just like Shona.

Aaron - The One That Got Away - Emily dumped Aaron at the end of book 8 and he always seemed more invested in their relationship than Emily did.

Mandy - Choose Your Battles - While this song does have a romantic theme, it represents how Mandy spent so much energy on picking fights with and bullying Emily

Mary Penelope - One Of The Boys - She participates in some traditionally masculine activities and does not like Emily getting a feminine focused education in book 3

Jake - Resilient / Daisies - Both songs represent how he had to push through his time in prison and and stay hopeful

Millie - Chained To The Rhythm - The song has an eccentric and obliviously happy vibe just like Millie’s personality

Mr. Beeston - Tucked - He has feelings for Mary but keeps them tucked away because she is married

Neptune - Ghost - Lyrics represent how it felt for him when Aurora died

Aurora - Legendary Lovers / Double Rainbow - Legendary Lovers represents how Neptune and Aurora’s relationship went down in history for several reasons. Double Rainbow describes how Aurora did not marry Neptune for money but love and it also mentions northern lights.

Njord - Rise - This song has an epic feel and represents how Njord momentarily gained power after being unfrozen

Archie - Roar - This song represents how Archie set his and Njord’s plan into motion and betrayed Neptune after working for him for so many years.

Seth - This Moment - Seth and Shona didn’t know how long their time together would last because she and Emily needed to escape from Njord

Jeras - Only Love - This song talks about regret and represents how Jeras felt after Aurora and Fortuna’s deaths and how his character evolved from a depressed bad guy into a hopeful hero

Fortuna - Who Am I Living For? - She struggled after Aurora died and eventually ended up succumbing to her pain and loss of trust in Jeras

Terra - Dark Horse - This song has a goddess vibe and represents how she treated Jeras when making a deal with him and afterwards

Ella - Hey Hey Hey - This song represents Ella’s potential to lead but her inability to do so because she is a woman

Joel - It Takes Two - This song represents how Joel, and everyone else on Forgotten Island, realizes they need to work together to stop the earthquake’s damage

Saul - Not The End Of The World - This song represents Saul’s belief in the Prophecy and how Emily and Aaron would come to save Forgotten Island

Jakob - Waking Up In Vegas - This song talks about money, which Jakob loves, and it represents his arrogant attitude when it comes to his treasure

Michele - Pearl - She chose not to start again with Sam and stay with her husband. From the way Jakob acts, he probably held her back throughout her life and she hasn’t been able to be true to herself or her sons

Sam - Lost - He felt very lost in his childhood due to being part of a pirate family with morals opposite to his

Noah - Swish Swish - This song represents how cocky Noah gets by bullying Sam and winning rounds of the competition to get the Trident’s Treasure

[pluralzalpha]

This sort of thing happens on most shows but Doctor Who does seem to have an unusually large amount of these problems which affect its stories long-term.

If Paul Abbott had been able to write his S1 proposal then Rose's character arc would have been vastly different.

Twice Upon a Time has no reason to exist in retrospect but I'm so glad it does.

I think "RTD wanted Kylie to focus on her music career" is an odd way to put it. It's more that she was an internationally successful popstar who cost an absolute fortune to hire and they were never likely to get her back again, so he might as well kill her off to get the most drama out of it.

I never knew Oxygen was going to be a prequel to Mummy, that's cool. There are some others like this - The Lodger was at one point going to be a sequel to the bizarre classic series story Meglos, with an evil shape-shifting cactus as the villain.

Actor availability often changes the way stories go. They wanted Timothy Dalton back as Rassilon in Hell Bent but he wasn't available, so they regenerated him into Donald Sumpter, which totally changes the dynamic with the Doctor. John Barrowman's fall from grace meant he didn't reappear after Revolution of the Daleks - it's rumoured Captain Jack was meant to have a big part in Flux.

I love Jenna Coleman but I do wish she'd stuck to her guns and left after Last Christmas. The rewrite ruins a wonderful ending and we were robbed of Shona as a companion.

How Behind-the Scenes Issues Affected the Writing of Doctor Who (Both Good and Bad)

Doctor Who is such a fascinating show to look at from a Watsonian v. Doylist perspective. Like, entirely just from an episode writing point of view:

Twice Upon A Time feels so slow and meandering and even boring in places because Chris Chibnall didn't want to start his run as showrunner and Steven Moffat didn't want the show to lose the coveted Christmas timeslot (ironic, I know) so he bumped the Twelfth Doctor's regeneration from the end of The Doctor Falls (where it makes sense) to the end of the Christmas special

Boom Town (my beloved) only exists because originally there was going to be an episode in its spot explaining that Rose had been molded to be the Doctor's perfect companion (by the Doctor, gross) and the writer didn't have the time to commit to the show

The ending of Last Christmas feels like one inside-a-dream too many because originally Jenna Coleman was questioning whether she was going to leave the show or not and the ending was rewritten after the first readthrough when she decided she wanted to stay for another season

The first five episodes of Season 7 feel like each one takes place in a different genre because that's literally how Steven Moffat pitched it to the writers; for example, A Town Called Mercy was literally pitched as "Doctor Who does a Western"

Not so much a weird one but one I find cool: Eleven's first words and Thirteen's first words were literally written by Moffat and Chibnall respectively, as they were brought in to write the first words of the first Doctors of their runs so as to make it cohesive

The reason why Fourteen isn't wearing Thirteen's clothes when he regenerates is because Jodie Whittaker is much shorter than David Tennant and Russell T. Davies didn't want it to look like he was making fun of the genderfluidity of the Doctor (still think he made the wrong decision, but eh)

Wilfred Mott isn't in the Runaway Bride and Donna's father isn't in Partners in Crime because the actor who played Donna's father, Howard Attfield, died after filming several scenes for Partners In Crime, leading to the character of "Stan Mott" from Voyage of the Damned being written into Partners In Crime as Donna's grandfather

Astrid Peth doesn't die in the original drafts of Voyage of the Damned, but Russell T. Davies wrote what is generally considered one of the most emotional deaths in Doctor Who just because he wanted Kylie Minogue to be able to focus on her music career

Originally Oxygen was written as a prequel to Mummy on the Orient Express, where a corporate representative appeared on a monitor. Said representative was fired for his fumbling of the station and would later live on as the company computer, Gus

During Season 11, Chris Chibnall had to do some major rewrites for many of the one-off episodes, therefore The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos ended up being a first draft that made it to screen. He later admitted it was his least favorite episode of the series

And this is only a fraction of what I found in terms of major behind-the-scenes writing reasons. Though I am still totally willing to critique the product that made it to our screens, finding out the reasons behind some of the more badly written episodes of the show really made me feel sympathy for every showrunner of the show as well as appreciate a lot of the good episodes that ended up here despite the short production schedule/unexpected problems (once again, Boom Town my beloved AND everyone's favorite companion Wilfred Mott only exist because of unforseen problems). Absolutely bonkers, isn't it?

[rangamberi]

Of carrot cake and grief

Hey there Big Sis,

If you were here, you’d do that thing of laughing at me until your tummy aches. But tell you what; this thing you made me experience – this thing called grief – is not funny at all. I swear if you laugh, I’m telling!

First of all, no, you don’t “get over it”. No. You just learn to live with grief. It’s always there, like Dexter’s “Dark Passenger”, always in the shadows.

It’s been a year since we lost you. What I find strangest, sis, is how it pops up in the most funny and unexpected moments. The small triggers that bring it up, making me grieve again. Let me tell you.

I know you would laugh at me for the small things that remind me of you. These little things that make me weep again and laugh at the same damn time! Funny thing that.

Sis, the other time, I bought myself a slice of carrot cake. I opened the box and took a bite. Then I wept again, sitting in the car, the same way I had that morning when the news came. Why? Because this was ALWAYS your gift to me. When did I ever tell you I was coming to your house and you didn’t bake one of these for me?

Who knew cake would make me cry? That time you laughed at me saying, “ah, little brother, you are eating my business literally”?

And that’s the other thing; this odd sense of humour you had. There are jokes that I knew only you would find funny. I’d send it, and you’d reply with a voice note, laughing hysterically – even when you were in pain. These days, I come across that sort of joke. I glance at my phone. I know just the person who would laugh at this. Then I cry again. Then laugh.

Oh, and as for Shona and English homework! My kids here knew Tete always had the answers to school English riddles and Shona tsumo nemadimikira homework. Always! They didn’t even bother to ask me. “You wouldn’t know,” my daughter says. “But Tete does. Not you”. And there you’d go again – laughing hysterically at me for this. How they miss you, these treacherous minions you left!

And, Sis, remember that Christmas Day two years ago? We put up a “scintillating performance” – yes, you liked laughing about newspaper cliches like that one. We sang to Matavire’s Chando Chinouraya, with shades on? These days, it’s hard to hear that song and not think of you.

It wasn’t our first “scintillating performance”. Remember when I was a kid and you were a teen, and we’d pretend-perform Yvonne Chaka Chaka, pretending we were in a stadium? I’d be on guitar and you on the mic. In fact, I always told you that you looked a bit like her, back when you had that afro! How you’d laugh and tell me you’d one day be her backup singer! The other day, the radio played Yvonne’s “Take My Love Is Free” and I laughed so hard, with a tear in my eye. You won’t believe this; I met Yvonne in Harare and took pics. You’dve been so super jealous. If only I could send the pics and hear your laugh.

I miss you, every single day.

Oh, by the way: that cake shop’s carrot cake? Meh! Not half as good as yours. “Too grainy”, you’d say. Obviously, it misses that one key ingredient; your warm heart, your smile, your undying love for people. Your charity, rikave zita rako, dear sis.

Rest.

[barnulv23]

Look what I found !

Story :   After this altercation, Shona needed to get some fresh air; she headed towards the countryside, passing a large arch which adorned the town and marked the separation between hard, cold concrete, and the return to nature, with plains covered with flowers of all colors. Treeless fields, sometimes with them, but Shona decided to go in a direction where nothing would stop her on her way, if she fell into a storm of thought, and she would have difficulty getting out of it... except if she were to hit a tree in the face. She remained silent, inhaling the scent of the flowers that she could smell further away. The smell came from a field of bright red roses, dressed in long thorns that they had learned to use to defend themselves from any predator... But this was not without expectation of Carter, who seeing his friend leaving, followed her discreetly, noticing her eyes heading towards the field of roses without setting foot there ; Carter decided to go there himself. Maybe a few flowers would please her? Far from the fear of being pricked by a hundred thousand thorns, he knew that Shona loved flowers, so he wanted to give them to her. Not without courage to go there and walk on the thorns, one by one. He felt the pain, but he figured that the psychological pain his friend felt was more than enough, so he could allow himself to suffer a little in return. Shortly afterwards, as Shona was preparing to return to town to join the group, she saw a figure hopping in the grass, up to her. A silhouette that scattered rose petals on its path, with a big smile on its lips, full of thorns. -Look at what I found ! Carter screamed, a handful of roses in his mouth. They are for you. Shona blushed and looked down, before seeing some thorns in his crimson fur. -Oh, Carter, you shouldn't have...did you get hurt? -No, Shona. I felt nothing, only the breath of the wind which carried your sweet scent and motivated me to continue finding the most beautiful specimens of this magnificent field. He placed the roses at her paws, scattered with small red spots of blood on his lips, which really didn't seem to bother him, before adding: -Happy Valentine's day.

Commentary :   So that was this years Valentine's day couple :D I should make more decision like that for drawings, it's really nice for events to let u chose some of my OCs :3

Character (c) : BarnUlv23 ​Art (c) : BarnUlv23 © copyright BarnUlv23. You may NOT use, post, replicate, manipulate, or modify this image without my explicit written consent.   

Tumblr : Youtube : ToyHouse : Alternate ToyHouse : Selling Account : ​Interested in a commission ?

[wildshona]

Finding Amelia

One day in August last year (2023) Chris could see i was looking sad andd he doesnt like to see that so he put his arme round me and asked what the matter was. i told him it was my sisters birthday and i love her and missed and her and i didnt know where she was.

he looked thoughtful 4 a while kissed me and got me out of my moodiness by putting his hand up my skirt and well basically took my mind of things 4 a couple of hours.

as so happens wen a problem needs solving and it is beyond Chris he called Richard in so the next day im sitting with richard with a glass of wine in my hand and answering questions.

whays her full name - Amelia Mhairi W.....

date of birth: I told him

when did they go to the states - 21st August 2020

there was other stuff description i said she had just found out she was pregnant wen she left.

there was just her and dad, don't know which airport they went to, i thought dad was going to work in Virginia.

Richard took notes and said he knew some people and he would see what he would so. considering how he had dealt with Michael and Stevie i trusted that miracles wud happen.

it was about ten days later wen i am sitting with richard in his flat and he tells me that he has found Amelia and my dad. They lived near Langley in Virginia and there were now three of then because there was a child called Zoe.

His friend had found the immigration easily and the rest had followed in fact they had the information within 24 hours of him asking. they didnt know what the set up would be at the house so they had watched my dad's routines before approaching my sister when he was going to be away for a while because she didnt go out much unless she was doing soem shopping and only seemed to go out with my father with her. sounds about right i thought. he would be wary after i had run away.

anyway the man knocked on her door and said he had called because Shona wanted to know if she was alright. She burst into tears looked around and invited him in. she was really pleased to hear i was alright, obviously the man didnt know how close to not being alright i had been but still.

he learned that all her post was opened by my dad and that she didnt own a phone or have access to the internet, she was only given enough money for shopping for the house so she had no money of her own not even a bank account and her passport was locked in a safe.

if there was a way would she want me to be in touch

oh yes please.

we'll b in touch.

so Richard was now filling me in. he could arrange a post office box and for her to have a phone and my numbers if i wanted.

of course i wanted how soon

couple of days a week at most. but best if Amelia did the calling on the phone cos she wud know when it was safe.

but she has no money - Richard and his friends would sort that out. and if amelia wanted they could get her a passport for her and Zoe, which was the daughter's name.

i was so emotional it took me an hour to calm down wnough to really thank him they way he deserved.

[daisylikesmedia]

Holiday Special 13: Last Christmas

Heyy everyone, it’s been a hot minute but I’ve got some space between assignments so I wanna get back to writing up some Doccy Who reviews. Luckily enough, this was a draft that had been sat waiting to be finished since January, so it’s time to finish writing this one up. Here’s my opinions on Last Christmas.

Ok let's get this out the way. It’s a Twelve/Clara/Danny story, and our FINAL one. Yeah of course I love how the characters are written here. This story is one that I find to be a super emotional watch, with Clara being ripped away from her dream world with Danny, and then nearly losing her time with the Doctor too. Maybe people will judge me for this, but I think the biggest flaw of this story is that Clara doesn’t leave the TARDIS. Would it be gut wrenching? Yes. Would I be sobbing all over myself seeing her lose the two most important people to her in a one-two punch? Also yes. BUT, I believe it would’ve created some of the most intimate character moments the franchise has ever seen, and I find that the ending feels a little squandered seeing them just get back to business at the end. It’s also a known fact that Moffat originally wrote this script with the aim of Clara leaving the show, but then Jenna decided against it, hence the rewrite and rushed fix at the end of it all. But hey, bar that ending, it’s on point.

Alongside our main three, our side characters are also compelling here. Shona was a possible TARDIS companion according to Moffat, and I agree that I think she definitely has a lot of potential as a character. She’s inquisitive, fun, and thinks outside of the box, which are all lovely character traits for a companion to have. Though hey, if we got Shona, we wouldn’t have got Bill, so maybe I shouldn’t complain too much. She wants to hold on to the dream and her new friends in her final scene, and then her being forced back into the real world and her lonely, messy apartment.. Yea that’s another Last Christmas heartbreaker sdgjkl;. Also Santa (Nick Frost) is fun in this story and like 70% of the jokes land you cannot change my mind on that :3.

Finally, let’s check out our monsters, the dream crabs. Yea they’re cool. I think the dissonance of a fun goofy santa story against these inception-inspired brain eaters works to the story’s advantage, and the way they are used against our characters to target their emotions creates some great moments. I do think they go a bit overboard with the dream crab-ception stuff at the end of the story, and I don’t think the aged Clara scene is particularly justified, but the villains themselves are a good concept that help the story more than they hinder it. And they make a great excuse for us to actually get Santa in a Dr Who story without it getting too silly for its own good.

TL:DR/Overview: Last Christmas is an episode with SO much heart. It reminds us why we care about these characters so much, whilst also teaching us that sometimes we have to move on. The ending does seem to stand fairly in contrast with this message, but I can forgive it for this because with a novel threat, great side-character, a lovely sense of humour AND some amazing character beats, Last Christmas smashes it out of the park regardless. I flip back and forth on whether I prefer this or A Christmas Carol, but today I'm on the side of Last Christmas. Blame recency bias :3

Source: https://thedoctorwhocompanion.com/2018/08/06/last-christmas-shona-was-claras-replacement-as-the-new-companion/

[storytimewithnova]

Fated Soulmates through Stars

Plot Summary: In a world where soulmates are determined by a mysterious connection to the same star and atom, Semi and Shona were childhood best friends who shared secrets, dreams, and an unspoken bond that transcended mere friendship. As they grew up, Semi realized he had fallen in love with Shona, but he was always too afraid to confess his feelings. Little did he know that Shona felt the same way.

Their lives took a cruel twist when Shona was diagnosed with a terminal illness, and her days were numbered. As her health deteriorated, Semi couldn't bear to see her suffering and stood by her side, offering unwavering support, despite the pain it caused him. Shona's brothers, Seijiro, Keiji, and Hajime, also watched helplessly as their beloved sister's life slipped away.

On the day Shona tragically lost her battle to cancer, her last words appeared on Semi's wrist, forever etched in his skin, "I love you My Star." As the grief-stricken family and friends mourned her loss, Semi realized the profound meaning behind these words. They were not just a declaration of affection but a testament to their fated connection, determined by the stars themselves.

Semi's newfound understanding of their soulmate bond brought both solace and sorrow. He had lost the woman he loved, but he had also gained an eternal connection with her, as if the universe itself had conspired to make them soulmates. Shona's brothers, too, found comfort in the knowledge that her love for Semi would live on, even after her passing.

As time passed, Semi, Seijiro, Keiji, and Hajime shared their memories of Shona and the significance of her last words. They found strength in each other, honoring Shona's memory by cherishing the deep bond they shared. And while Semi could never hold Shona in his arms again, he knew that they would forever be connected by the same star and atom, and that love would transcend the boundaries of time and space.

In a small, quiet town nestled between rolling hills and meadows, Semi and Shona were inseparable from a young age. They shared secrets under the sprawling oak tree near the meadow, where they often lay side by side, gazing up at the endless expanse of stars in the night sky. Their lives were intertwined like constellations, their laughter a melody that resonated through the peaceful town.

As they grew older, Semi's feelings for Shona deepened. Her laughter became the soundtrack of his life, and her smile was the sun that lit up his days. But he kept his affection hidden, for he feared that confessing his love would jeopardize their precious friendship. Little did Semi know that Shona was grappling with the same emotions, her heart torn between the bond of friendship and the whisperings of love.

Their lives took a devastating turn when Shona was diagnosed with a relentless, incurable cancer. The vibrant girl who had once danced under the stars was now confined to a sterile hospital room, her spirit dimmed by the weight of her illness. Semi, overwhelmed by helplessness, stood by her side, his unwavering presence offering a glimmer of hope in her darkest hours.

Shona's brothers, Seijiro, Keiji, and Hajime, were equally devastated. She was not only Semi's confidante but also the anchor that held their family together after their parents had passed away. Shona was their guiding star, the light that had led them through life's storms. Now, as they watched her frail form, their world crumbled.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. Semi watched as the vibrant spark in Shona's eyes slowly dimmed, but he never left her side. The hospital walls absorbed his silent tears, and his heart ached with the knowledge that he could never be the one to make her smile again. Despite her pain, Shona never once complained, her courage an inspiration to everyone who knew her.

The fateful day came when Shona's struggle ended, and her fragile body succumbed to the relentless illness. Her brothers, Semi, and a few close friends gathered in the dimly lit room, saying their final goodbyes. Shona's last breath was a gentle exhale, her face peaceful, as if she had finally found relief from her pain.

As they mourned her loss, Semi's wrist began to tingle, and a sensation of warmth spread across his skin. He looked down to find Shona's last words etching themselves onto his wrist, "I love you My Star." The room was filled with a mix of tears, grief, and awe, for the entire world knew that the last words of a soulmate would appear upon their partner's skin.

For Semi, the words were a bittersweet revelation. He had lost the woman he loved, but in that moment, he realized the profound connection that bound them together. They were not just soulmates; they were two souls created from the same stardust, destined to share an unbreakable bond. The stars themselves had conspired to unite them.

In the aftermath of Shona's passing, Semi, Seijiro, Keiji, and Hajime clung to each other for comfort. Shona's words served as a beacon of solace, a reminder that her love would forever be a part of their lives. The pain of her absence was immense, but their shared memories and the knowledge that they had been blessed by a cosmic connection brought a unique form of healing.

Semi and Shona's love story, which began under the stars, became an enduring legend in their town. The oak tree by the meadow was no longer just a symbol of their friendship; it was a testament to the power of love that transcended time and space. In the quiet town where they had once laughed and dreamed together, their story lived on, etched into the hearts of those who had been touched by their profound bond.

The passing of time brought with it the ebb and flow of life in their small town. The seasons changed, and life continued its relentless journey forward, but the memory of Shona remained a constant, an ever-present star in their collective sky. Semi, Seijiro, Keiji, and Hajime leaned on each other in the wake of their loss, finding strength and solace in their shared memories and their unbreakable bond.

Semi's wrist bore the imprint of Shona's final words, "I love you My Star," like a sacred talisman. Those words became more than just ink on his skin; they were a lifeline to his past, a bridge to the woman he had loved and lost. He traced those words with his fingers, as if by doing so, he could reach out to the essence of Shona that still lingered in his heart.

In the quiet moments when the town slept and the world seemed still, Semi would venture to the meadow beneath the starlit sky, just as he had done with Shona. He'd lie on the grass, gazing at the same constellations they had admired together. It was his way of keeping the connection alive, feeling that he was still beside the woman he loved.

As the years passed, Semi found himself focusing on fulfilling the dreams and aspirations they had once shared. He pursued a career in astrophysics, an endeavor born from their shared fascination with the cosmos. His research and discoveries about the stars allowed him to feel closer to Shona, as if they were exploring the universe together, separated by time but forever connected by the same atoms.

Seijiro, Keiji, and Hajime, too, found their own paths in life, driven by the memory of their beloved sister. They became pillars of strength in the community, embodying Shona's resilience and compassion. They formed a bond with Semi that went beyond shared grief; they were a family, united by the love and loss of the woman they held dear.

The town, once a witness to their shared laughter and dreams, now celebrated Shona's legacy. They dedicated the oak tree by the meadow to her memory, where a plaque bore her name and the words "My Star." It became a place of solace and remembrance for all who visited, a symbol of love that never truly faded.

As Semi, Seijiro, Keiji, and Hajime continued their separate journeys, they found solace in the knowledge that their connection to Shona remained eternal. The stars that had watched over their shared moments still twinkled in the night sky, reminding them that love, like the universe, was boundless and infinite. Shona's last words, etched onto Semi's skin, served as a reminder that love could transcend the boundaries of life and death, a testament to the cosmic bond that would endure for all time.

Years turned into decades, and the quiet town witnessed the passage of generations. But the story of Semi and Shona, the star-crossed lovers whose love transcended time, remained etched in the collective memory. The tale of the childhood friends turned soulmates became folklore, whispered by parents to their children as a testament to the enduring power of love.

Semi, now a distinguished astrophysicist, had dedicated his life to understanding the mysteries of the cosmos. He had made significant discoveries, even naming a celestial body "Shona's Star" in honor of the love that had inspired his journey. He often looked up at the night sky, wondering if Shona was watching over him from one of those distant stars.

Seijiro, Keiji, and Hajime had each followed their unique paths, yet they remained closely connected, bound by the memories of their sister and the unwavering friendship they had with Semi. They had their own families, and their children grew up hearing the story of Shona and her soulmate, creating a new generation of believers in the enduring power of love.

The oak tree by the meadow had grown tall and strong, its branches reaching out like a protective embrace over the land. The plaque beneath it had weathered with time, but the words "My Star" were still legible, and people often visited to pay their respects. Couples in love would carve their initials into the bark, believing that the tree's connection to Shona and Semi would bring them a lifetime of happiness.

The town had changed in many ways, yet the essence of Shona's legacy remained a constant. Her kindness, her resilience, and the love she had shared with Semi continued to inspire those who knew her story. Each year, a stargazing event was held in the meadow in her memory, a celebration of the stars that had once witnessed the love between two souls.

As Semi grew older, he often reflected on the gift of fate that had made Shona his soulmate. The knowledge that they were created from the same star and atom had brought him pain and comfort in equal measure. His skin bore the enduring proof of their connection, a reminder that even in the vast expanse of the universe, love could be a force strong enough to transcend time and space.

In the end, Semi, Seijiro, Keiji, and Hajime had realized that their story was not just one of heartache and loss, but a testament to the enduring power of love. Shona had not only been their sister, their friend, and their beloved, but also a celestial muse who had guided them through the journey of life.

The story of Semi and Shona remained in the hearts of the people of the quiet town, a tale of love, loss, and the boundless connections that the universe could weave. And every time they looked up at the night sky, they knew that somewhere, among the stars, Semi and Shona's love still shone brightly, a reminder that love could be eternal, even in the face of mortality.