#this is probably the last time we'll see julia for a while

[thebramblewood]

Julia made friendship bracelets for her and Helena to swap before Helena left for college, and the friendship bracelet fist bump interaction is so cute I nearly died. Also, goofbumps:

[tokiro07]

Undead Unluck ch.196 thoughts

[Lucky Number Seven]

(Contents: speculation - power system/lore)

"I'll talk about Unbreakable vs. Unbreakable next week," I said, "surely it'll wrap up then," I said...I say it every few weeks, but I really need to stop trying to predict what's going to happen next...ah, am I Untrust?

Funny thing about this week's chapter: last week, I had the thought completely unprompted:

"Huh. y'know, even with their Rules, there isn't any good reason that the Negators are superhumans most of the time. Like just because Andy can't die, that's no reason he should be able to control the flow of his blood. Shen and Feng's martial prowess and inhuman strength are completely unrelated to their Rules, same with Billy's trick shots. I wonder if maybe their non-Negator abilities are somehow tied to their souls"

And I considered bringing it up last week, but it didn't really seem super relevant to what was going on, so I omitted that section cus I didn't want to get super sidetracked, especially with something that was just a wild shot in the dark

AND NOW IT LOOKS LIKE I'M JUST TAKING CREDIT FOR A PREDICTION I NEVER MADE!!! TOZUKA, YOU'RE MAKING ME LOOK LIKE A JACKASS FROM ALL DIRECTIONS!!!

Anyway...this is such a sick development!!! It's a subtle change, but the difference between using one's will to activate their abilities and using one's soul carries such a significant implication for how the power system will develop going forward

For one, the ability to manipulate, shape and project the soul changes the meta drastically since it adds a completely new wrinkle to how battles are fought, basically adding a new tool to everyone's kit in addition to things like Artifacts and teaming up with UMAs while also adding a potential new weakness to every encounter

I get the impression that souls are meant to be immortal since people get reincarnated between loops, but Ruin said that anyone he kills as a Regulator is removed from the loop, implying he can completely kill souls. But is this a unique trait to him, or is it something that anyone can do if they're able to target souls and he's just familiar with the technique?

Then there's the fact that Fuuko was able to impart Unluck without any tools, simply using her raw soul to go straight to meteoric levels. What can everyone else do to augment or circumvent their Rules? Could Chikara project his vision through his soul to lock down enemies from multiple angles without needing to worry about his eyes drying out? Or could he see a target's soul and prevent them from using their powers entirely?

Can Rip damage souls directly and keep them from recovering? Can Billy learn how to copy Rules better by witnessing them directly? Can Shen get a better read on his opponent by seeing their soul's intentions? Can Haruka harden her soul into armor OR harden her body since it's technically external to her soul? Can Sean make his soul Unseen or project parts of his soul to turn others invisible at a distance?

It'd be pretty boring if everyone just started generically making soul chains and soul guns, but if everyone is able to level up their Rules in unique ways, that'd be a great way to further develop the power system beyond what we've seen so far! I honestly wouldn't be surprised if we found out that Juiz has been using her soul to read peoples' visions of justice this whole time, and we'll probably see that in more detail when Julia gains Unjustice

As fun as it is to develop the power system, though, the real question for this chapter is who were those souls with Fuuko? I think it's fair to say that most if not all of us have concluded already that they're the previous holders of Unluck, who have presumably followed Fuuko to watch over her, but that raises a bunch of questions in and of itself

We know that Juiz and Victor never had families, so their continued existence between loops changed nothing (side note: this is a good indicator that Ruin has in fact been present since Loop 1 since he claims to have been created by God directly, which just further goes to show how hard he sucks as a villain), and that Juiz's eventual death led to her soul being incarnated as the child of a childless couple. From this, we can conclude that because Fuuko did not die in L100, her parents didn't have children in L101 as her soul was not present to be born. If these other six Unlucks have been staying with Fuuko this entire time, then that means that none of them were born in L101, as the chain of succession for Unluck could not be reset. How sad! Their ultimate fate was to not be able to live the lives they wanted even in the final "perfect" world! I guess that's still true of any given Negator prior to the current lineup, though, but still, that's tragic in and of itself, isn't it??

Secondly, though, what do they mean they chose Fuuko? All this time, I thought God picked the Negators based on what would cause the biggest tragedy for them: the world's greatest doctor inflicts irreparable wounds, the world's greatest psychic can only tell lies, the world champion ends his career by killing his opponent, a child drops his only living family from a cliff, a husband's only memory of his wife is her death...you can't tell me that these are because of the previous Negators!!! The Gods making those choices makes sense because they're both sadists, but the Negators themselves??? No, there's something more going on here

The Isshin family makes sense, at least, since their ability doesn't carry tragedy in and of itself, though it's possible that they're just maximizing its effectiveness by keeping it exclusive to smiths. I suppose the previous Untrust going for Latla also makes sense in that regard since giving it to someone with inaccurate predictions wouldn't change the trustworthiness of their conclusions. Unrepair is best used in the hands of someone with an understanding of anatomy, Unstoppable is best used by someone with good reaction time, Unchange is best used by someone with a strong desire for consistency, etc.

I think what it might be is that the previous users are also trying to find who can best make use of their powers in the interest of defeating God in the long term, it's just that God still decides when the power is transferred. I don't know what the previous Unlucks saw in Fuuko, but I highly doubt they said "that girl sure loves her parents; wonder how good she'll get with Unluck if we kill them." No, they probably heard her say or saw her do something that implied an interpretation of luck that they saw potential in, and didn't anticipate just how much destruction that she'd be able to cause

Bear in mind, there's no indication that Juiz ever executed any of the previous Unlucks, nor was she particularly worried about who would get it next after Fuuko. This implies that Fuuko's potential for Unluck is uniquely dangerous; the ability isn't a threat, she is, and whatever it is that made her that way is what made the Unlucks choose her

This brings us to the matter of the loop itself: why do the same people get the same abilities every time? My original thought was that either A) God designed the system that way for consistency so the looper would be able to make decisions based on experience, or B) once someone became a Vessel, the Rule was inextricably tied to their soul, so it would be drawn to them specifically if they were available when the ability next transferred. There may still be some truth to these ideas, but with the understanding that the previous Vessels have at least some say in the line of succession, it seems likely that upon reset, the first user gets it back and then deliberately passes it on to their chosen successor upon their death because they know it'll eventually lead where they want it to

This in turn further suggests that memories are carried in the soul. We've seen this multiple times, with Julia remembering Juiz's life and Sean/others choosing to be born earlier/later, but for the Vessels to consistently choose the same successors, it gives the impression that once they revert to being souls they remember everything and know what they need to do next. I wonder if they communicate with each other at all to coordinate their reincarnations and selections?

If nothing else, we can conclude that Remember probably accesses the memories present within the soul rather than psychometrically reading their past or storing the memories itself like other Artifacts do. I wonder if Remember's reverse ability actually erases memories or just suppresses them? I'm inclined to the latter, since one could feasibly use the obverse in a later loop and get erased memories back as well, and Victor's memories weren't actually erased. That said, Victor may be a fringe case since losing his memories completely could be a form of ego death, and therefore would be negated by Undead. Victor's not a very good sample for understanding the mechanics of Remember, is the point

I won't guess how long it will be before Tozuka revisits this concept and explains it in more detail, since again, I'm always wrong in these things, but I'm very excited for when he does! I've seen a lot of people concerned about the implications that the Vessels are responsible for the tragedies, and I would like that misunderstanding cleared up ASAP

Until next time, let's enjoy life!

[randomperson99sworld]

Ruffled Feathers 🪶

~ Part 5 ~

Summary: Julia Morgan, Bobby's niece, has always been a royal thorn in Dean Winchesters ass since the day they met 1 year ago at Bobby's memorial. She wants to be a hunter, he thinks she's a dumb kid playing dress up. Will she always be seen as an unwanted load in Dean's eyes or will he see something more?

Pairing: Dean x OC

Warnings: Age gap, language, sexual themes (used lightly), physical abuse (Not by Dean).

Word Count: 944

A/N: This is my first story ever so please go easy on me. Also, this story is cross posted on Wattpad, I made a last minute decision to share it on here too. Happy reading! ♥️

The Impala cruised down the highway, the sound of the engine filling the silence that hung heavy between them. Sam flipped through his notes again, while Julia stared out the window, her hands fiddling with the hem of her jacket. She was trying—trying not to let Dean's attitude get to her, trying not to snap back like she used to. It was Bobby's voice in her head, telling her to keep her cool, to focus on the job and not the people who doubted her.

But it wasn't easy.

Especially with Dean.

She glanced up at the rearview mirror, catching Dean's eyes for a brief moment before he looked away, his jaw clenched like it always did when she was around. It had been a year since they first met, and no matter what she did, no matter how much she tried to prove herself, Dean still looked at her like she was the same inexperienced girl he'd met that day at Bobby's memorial.

"So," Julia began, trying to break the tension, "you think this werewolf sighting's legit? Or just another crazy local seeing things?"

Dean scoffed, not bothering to look back at her. "Probably another local with too much time on their hands. But we'll see."

Julia bit her lip, keeping her voice steady. "Right. I'll keep an eye out for anything strange."

"Yeah, you do that," Dean muttered, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Maybe stay out of the way this time, huh?"

Sam shot Dean a warning glance, but Julia spoke before Sam could intervene. "I can handle myself, Dean. You don't have to keep treating me like I'm a screw up."

Dean's grip on the wheel tightened, and he shook his head. "It's not about treating you like a screw up. It's about not getting us all killed because you think you're ready for something you're not."

Julia let out a slow breath, forcing herself to stay calm. "I've been on hunts with you guys for a year now. I've trained with Sam. I'm not saying I'm perfect, but I'm not clueless either."

Dean's laugh was humorless. "Right. You've been on a handful of hunts, Julia. You think that makes you a hunter? That you've got it all figured out?"

"I don't think I've got it all figured out, but I'm learning—"

Dean cut her off, his voice harsh. "Learning's not enough. This isn't some college class. You screw up out there, people die. And I'm not gonna sit back and watch you get Sam—or me—killed because you're too busy trying to prove something."

Julia's fists clenched in her lap, but she kept her voice steady. "I'm not trying to prove anything. I'm just trying to do the right thing. Bobby saw something in me. I don't know why you can't."

Dean's jaw twitched, and for a moment, there was silence. He wasn't going to get into the Bobby argument—not now. Bobby's faith in her didn't change what he saw right in front of him: someone who wasn't ready.

Sam, sensing the conversation was about to go south fast, jumped in. "Julia's been doing good, Dean. She's held her own. You've gotta give her some credit."

Dean shot a look at Sam, his eyes hard. "Credit's not gonna stop a werewolf from ripping her throat out."

Julia opened her mouth to respond, but Sam put a hand on her arm, giving her a look that said, Not now. She bit her lip, turning back toward the window, trying to ignore the sting of Dean's words.

The rest of the ride was silent, the tension thick enough to choke on. Julia stared out the window, her thoughts racing. No matter what she did, no matter how much she tried, Dean wasn't going to see her as anything other than a kid playing hunter. She'd saved his ass more than once, and yet he still looked at her like she didn't belong.

And maybe, deep down, that was what hurt the most.

Not his harsh words, not his constant belittling, but the fact that Bobby—the man who had meant so much to all of them—had believed in her, and Dean couldn't even try.

They pulled into the small town a few hours later, the sun setting low on the horizon. The streets were quiet, too quiet for a town supposedly dealing with a werewolf problem.

Dean parked the Impala outside a local diner, killing the engine. He stepped out without a word, slamming the door harder than necessary. Sam and Julia followed suit, the air still tense between them.

"So, what's the plan?" Julia asked, trying once again to break the ice, her voice steady despite the knot in her stomach.

Dean glanced around, his eyes scanning the area. "Sam and I'll talk to the sheriff, see if there's any truth to the sightings. You..." He pointed toward the diner. "You stay here. See if anyone inside's heard anything."

Julia blinked, caught off guard. "You want me to sit this one out?"

Dean rolled his eyes. "No, I want you to question the locals. Just keep it simple. Stay out of trouble."

Julia swallowed her frustration and gave a tight nod. "Fine. I'll ask around."

As she turned toward the diner, she couldn't help but feel the sting of his words again. Dean didn't think she could handle more than asking a few locals some questions. But she'd prove him wrong. One way or another, she wasn't going to screw things up.

But as she walked away, she couldn't shake the nagging feeling that no matter what she did, it would never be enough for Dean Winchester.

[optimusxmello]

Drawtectives is this weird place, and honestly, so much respect to Julia <3

I was thinking about how we'll learn what Buzz and Don have been up to in season three. They were such a hit in season one and seeing Don pop up in season two was one of my favorite moments!

We don't know yet what the plot for season three will be, how much time has it been since the last case, Eugene is such a special and beloved baby I can only imagine he'll HAVE to be included BUT...will he be as present as the main three or will he be like a Jancy? There but somewhat toward the background? Or junior intern detective joining his parents?

Like, seeing how Eugene will adapt and maybe getting more insight on the trios backstories is something we all hunger for.

But I went off on a tangent. Though this is a show...it's so indie and self indulgent like...I CAN probably expect some of the previous favorites to come in in some way. Yet...new story, new narrative, who knows what the location will be, and what will be allowed in the space.

So I guess that what I love a lot about the Drawfee fandom. Either on episodes or streams, but also fans themselves...we get to see in between moments drawn and explored while giving Julia the chance to expand her amazing world.

I'm just very excited for season three y'all <3

[mzannthropy]

I absolutely agree that Camilly>>>> Daisybilly. Also Edmila. I'm just gonna pretend none of the cheating happen. Also, what do you think about fics that make Billy a bad father? I hate them lol. Billy was there for Julia's plays,soccer games, and to see her grow into an adult. You can tell he loved her.

(This got long...)

Thanks, it's good to see someone still cares about Billy x Camila! Tbh I've been thinking that I probably misunderstood the story, which is not unlike me with the way my mind works, but the thing is, I was only in it bc of Sam Claflin. I would never have had picked the book up if he hadn't been cast in the series. I barely care about real 70s bands, never mind fictional, and I didn't know anything about Fleetwood Mac (in fact I only started listening to them bc of DJATS and, funnily enough, I saw that 1997 performance on TV which they just happened to show at the time when the filming of DJATS was going on--but I didn't think anything of it. Don't those two hate each other?). That's my kind of longwinded way of saying that I had no idea I was supposed to ship Daisy and Billy, especially as I rooted for Camila right from the beginning. I'm also much older than majority of the fandom and have one failed marriage under my belt already, so I see things differently.

I think that Camila liked the rockstar side of Billy, hence why she was able to overlook some things (after all, this was the 70s), bc she knew he would always come home to her. Relationships are laundry and taxes, not omG tHE wAY thEY LooK aT eAcH OthEr on stage, but I guess that's not cool enough for the show. I'm not a fanfic person, actually, I read maybe about three a year (and that's only short ones) and with the exception of Jane Eyre, I don't write any (I prefer writing original). Occasionally I check AO3 for some particular piece of media or a ship, just to see what's there (in fact I did so twice in the last week, once for a particular pairing in a L.M. Montgomery book and once for all The Count of Monte Cristo fics, Sam's next project). I've never looked at any DJATS fics ever and I'd rather not know. So I didn't know there were fics that made Billy a bad father. I suppose people can write what they want, if they need to make Billy worse for their preferred ship to exist, well, they're free to do so, if it makes them happy. I loathe cheap, lazy plot devices and villainisation for the sake of making the protagonist look better, or making the reader/viewer care about the author's favourite pairing. I tend to feel the exact opposite of what the writer(s) want me to feel. So merely hearing about the Billy as bad father fics makes me hate them, lol.

It's not true, anyway. The show didn't exactly do Billy any favours with erasing the twins, bc in the book, he was with Camila while she was giving birth to them, holding her hand etc, in contrast to Julia's birth. But even so, we have some evidence of him being a better dad, like when he rang Camila while on the Aurora tour and wanted to hear Julia just sleeping. They could have done more and I suspect they really did, that there were more scenes that they eventually cut. Idk, but this picture just makes me think there must have been more. Who knows...

So while he may not have been the world's best dad, he was not a bad one either. After all, as I started saying lately, (about real people but it goes for fictional too), people can be more than one thing.

Saying that, Eddie gives me mild incel vibes. If Camila wanted to be with Eddie, she'd be with him. "I'd choose you over everyone" means nothing, it's just words. It was a bit of a lazy shortcut for Camila to cheat with him, but that's just one of the show's sins. They gave Camila a creative profession and then did a fuck all with it, like why couldn't she have connected with a fellow photographer? Like that dude she talked to in the dark room or whoever it was.

I wonder if soon we'll start seeing articles on Screen Rant et al about how "wrong we were to ship Billy and Daisy and how emotional affairs ruin the lives of everyone around them" or something similar. More likely, though, the show will fade into obscurity which I will honestly be thankful for. I'm glad that Sam got what he needed out of it (he talked about it in interviews) and I'm glad Camila got some recognition, she just won a breakthrough award at Critics Choice and I'm glad Suki and the others got to be in it and the songs are good, and I wish them well, and I wish the writers a very hope your pens break and drafts get deleted and I hope Hello Sunshine burns down.

[sunnyie-eve]

11 | Paralzed

Series: Indispensable | Teen Wolf

Paring:  (Stiles Stilinski x OFC Martin)

Word Count: 2.3k

A/N: Might be a few mistakes

| MASTERLIST |

~~~

As I get dressed for school in the morning I hear my mom gasp loudly so I rush to Lydia's room. "What happened?" I ask seeing Lydia's sheets and hand bloody. "Lydia, sweetheart. Why did you do that?" Mom asks as Lydia stares at the broken mirror. Mom leaves the room to get something to clean Lydia's hands.

"Looks like I'm no longer the weird sister, huh. How funny is that? I love this feeling." I joke with her but deep down actually mean it a little bit. "Are you okay though?" I ask her.

"Fine. Thank you for asking." She smiles as I leave her room.

At school Stiles updates me about what happened last night to him at the shop and I wasn't happy about a new threat. Right now at this very moment I was sitting with the guys watching Stiles rehears an apology with Scott. "We'll get through this. I know, because I love you. I love you more th- Oh My God! I can't- you Allison just have to find a better way to communicate." Stiles snaps making me laugh which earns me a slap.

"Come on, you... and Julia... are the ones we can trust. Is she coming to the game tonight?" Scott asks and we tell him yes. "He thinks that's Allison's family keeps some keeps of, uh, records of all the things that they've hunted. Like a book." Scott tells us.

"He probably means a Bestiary." Stiles claps his hands confusing Scott.

"He said a Bestiary." I say making him laugh.

"I think y'all mean Bestiality."

We stare at Scott with a straight face, "Nope." We both say.

"Pretty sure I don't." Stiles tells him.

"It's like a encyclopedia of mythical creatures." I explain to Scott and Stiles points at me nodding his head.

"How am I the only one that don't seem to know anything about this stuff?" Scott get upset with himself.

"You don't study about yourself or things like you?"

I get Stiles hand over my mouth while he explains his reason, "You know, you're my best friend, you're a creature of the night, it's kind of like a priority of mine." He removes his hand now.

"Okay. If we can find it and they can tell us what this thing is." Scott stars.

"And who." Stiles says.

"We need that book." All three of us say at the exact same time and look at each other before leaving.

Later in the day I accompany Stiles as he's being a messenger for the two secret couple. "I think you mean-,"

We cut her off, "No, we mean bestiary." She gets quiet.

"And the two of you, I don't want what's going on in your heads." Stiles adds.

"Okay, um, can you describe this thing?" She asks.

"Probably like a book. Old, worn-,"

She cuts me off, "Like, bound in leather?" She asks so we nod our heads. "Yeah. I've seen him with something like that." We leave to go tell Scott.

"Okay, to make this easier for us. We stay halfway. You tell Scott, you tell me what he asks, I run to Allison tell her, then run back to you, tell you so you can run and tell Scott. Back and forth." I suggest to Stiles.

"Still gotta run but shorter distance, sure." He runs off. "Where does he keep it?" He tell me so I run to Allison outside and ask her a little out of breath.

"It would have to be in the office." I nod my head and run back to Stiles. I trip in the hallway thanks to some asshole who stuck their foot out but Stiles catches me before I faceplate the floor. "Thanks... She said office." I stand up then he runs off.

Stiles comes back using an inhaler making me laugh, "Can she, get it?" I take off while Stiles leans against the wall.

"You know, drug dealers have been using disposable cell phones pretty successfully for years." I say out of breath.

"You know my parents check every call, email, and text message I send. Trust me, they'd find it." She reminds me.

"All right. Can you get it?" I ask her.

"Not without his keys. I'll get them tonight at the game and get them to you and Stiles." She tells me so I go tell Stiles and we tell Scott.

~

"You'll keep an eye on Allison so we know when, right?" Stiles asks as we stand next to each other by the bench.

"That's the plan." I hold myself because it was cold and I forgot my jacket at home.

"Okay." He leaves me alone walking off.

"That's rude." I mumble going to sit down on the beaches behind the players but make sure I can see Allison.

"Here." Stiles comes up to me holding out a jacket. "I noticed your shirts sleeves aren't thick enough. I had my jacket in my locker so here." I take it from him putting it on.

"Thank you." He nods his head going to take a seat with the team.

As some time passes I see Allison look over at me so I get up tapping on Stiles shoulder. Walking ahead of him taking the keys from her then hand them to Stiles as we leave the field. As we get up to the school we see Lydia crying in her car. "Go check on her. I know you want to." I take the keys from Stiles leaving him.

I search through the office and can't find any old book. "Did you find it?" Stiles finally comes in.

"Nothing." I tell him and he pulls out his phone texting Allison.

"Hello Stiles... Julia." We look at the door to see Erica. She grabs Stiles and me walking us towards the pool and we see Derek. He asks Stiles about what he saw at the mechanics garage. Derek didn't care for Stiles bullshit answers so he deflates a basketball with his claws then grabs my wrist pulling over to him.

"Let's try that again." Derek keeps a hold on me.

"Really?" I look at him.

"I won't actually hurt you. I like you...but he will think I will." Derek leans down to my ear whispering to me.

"You won't hurt her." Stiles eyes Derek's claws around my arm.

"You believe that?" Derek puts his claws at my throat actually pressing tight but not to were it would really hurt me. I groan at the uncomfortable feeling and Stiles tells Derek what he wants to hear. While he was explaining what it looked like, we see it above him. Stiles looks back then steps back towards us pulling me awake from Derek. "Run!" Derek shoves Stiles then gets cut on the back of his neck.

"Grab him." I shove Stiles to get Derek as he falls.

While we rush away Derek falls into the pool. "Can't we leave him?" Stiles asks but I jump into the pool going to get Derek. "Julia!" I hear Stiles then he jumps in helping me.

"You know, even though we're in water... you're still heavy." I groan trying to help Stiles keep Derek's head above water.

"Where did it go?" Stiles looks around. "Maybe it took off." He adds but it screams out of our view.

"I'm gonna say no it didn't." I spit water out of my mouth.

"Will you get me out of here before I drown?" Derek asks.

"You're worried about drowning? Did you notice the thing out there with multiple rows of razor sharp teeth?" Stiles struggles holding most of Derek's weight.

"Did you notice that I'm paralyzed from the neck down in eight feet of water?!" Derek shouts at him.

"Did you never learn to float on your back? This would be easier for us mostly Stiles since I'm not much help at the moment being small." I huff at him.

"I don't see him." Stiles starts to swim some but Derek says stop. We watch the lizard thing crawl around the pool. "What's it waiting for?" Stiles asks.

"I'm gonna go out on a limb and say us." I get sarcastic with him.

"That sarcasm was my thing?" Stiles glares at me.

"Well I'm around you a lot so I'm taking after you." I smile at him in a bitchy way.

"Would you two stop it." Derek shouts at us so we watch the lizard.

He puts his hand in the water then backs away quickly, "He's scared of water so he can't swim..." I suggest hoping I'm right.

I look around and see Stiles phone on the side. "You're crazy." Derek tells me.

"I gotta call Scott." I let go of him swimming over to the edge keeping an eye on the lizard. As I reach for the phone it's claws cut my arm making me quickly swim away with the phone. "

Julia!" Stiles let's go of Derek making him yell and sink to the bottom.

"Why did you let go of him?!" I yell at him.

"It cut you! How are you not paralyzed?" He shouts at me.

"I don't know! Help him!" I call Scott as he dives for Derek. "Scott!" I shout as he answers the phone.

"I can't talk right now." He hands up on me.

"Rude!" I shout as the guys come back up and I drop Stiles phone.

"Tell me you got him." Derek sighs.

"He hung up on me and your phone is now at the bottom of the pool." I let them know.

"Why did you let go of me?" Derek asks Stiles as I help hold him up again.

"It cut Julia and I thought she was going to sink." Stiles explains to him.

"So you were going to let me drown to save her?" Derek says making me laugh.

"Duh." Stiles sighs tired.

"Why didn't it paralyze you?" Derek asks me.

"I have no idea." I sigh tired too.

"I can't stay up any longer. I need something to hold on to." Stiles struggles.

"Diving boards." I start to swim that way and Stiles starts too. I grab onto it but Stiles can't starting to sink with Derek but Scott shows up pulling them out. He then pulls me out too and I lay beside Stiles out of breath.  "Sorry I couldn't help you that much." I sit up helping Stiles sit up then Derek. We watch Scott with the lizard before it runs away. Stiles stands up first then Derek does. Derek puts his hand out to me so I take it and he helps me stand up.

Outside we look at the book on the laptop but they can't read anything because it wasn't in English. "How are we supposed to figure out what this thing is?" Scott asks.

"It's called a Kanima." Derek walks up with Erica.

"You knew the whole time?" Stiles huffs.

"No, only when it was confused by its own reflection." He tell us.

"It doesn't know what it is. Or who." I speak up.

"Well, what else do you know?" Stiles asks Derek.

"Just stories, rumors." He says.

"But it's like us?" Scott asks.

"A shape shifter, yes. But it's, it's not right. It's like a..." Derek tries to find the right words.

"An abomination." Stiles says so he nods his head before leaving but Scott tells him we need to work together but Derek wants nothing to do with the Argents.

Stiles says nods up taking me home and the whole way I could tell he was still confused to why I didn't get paralyzed. "I told you, I don't know why it's venom didn't work on me." I say as we get closer to my house.

"But it should've if it worked on me and Derek. What makes you different?" He looks over at me for a second.

"Because I am." I mumble looking out the window.

"What?" He asks as we pull up to my house.

"Remember why we're friends now? Because I saw the other half of the body... Well, I went looking for the other half of the body without knowing. That night I woke up for some unknown reason and snuck out of the house. My feet ended up leading me to Beacon Hill Preserve. I had this feeling that I get at times that I'm still not used to. That's when I saw the body. I'm what you call a Banshee which I still don't fully understand. It's a supernatural power to sense and predict when someone is about to die. Often referred to as the, Wailing Women, due to the fact that we unconsciously scream to announce when someone has died. But the scream can also be used for other purposes." I just explain to him.

"That night at the school... You let out that powerful screamed right before and as the janitor was killed by Peter." He eyes her.

"It started when I was ten because I got attacked by an alpha when we were on vacation. I only looked more into and knew what I was three years after it. That's the main reason me and Lydia don't exactly get along because I'm odd to her." I tell him, "I wanted to tell you guys sooner but didn't know how because I still don't understand myself. The only other person I've told is Derek. You're the second." I sigh.

"You told Derek first over me?!" He gets slightly loud.

"I was saying we became friends be I was looking for his sister but not really trying to at the same time, more of an instinct, so I had to explain to him." I explain to him.

"I can't believe you told me seconded." He scoffs, "But your secret is safe with me. I won't tell Scott... I'll let you do it when you're comfortable to tell him as well." He gives me a smile so I lean over to give him a hug.

"Goodnight, Stiles. Thanks for letting me borrow your jacket." I take it off then get out of his Jeep.

[fallloverfic]

I was thinking about it a bit and had a lot of thoughts for it.

I kind of like the idea that it's just to spook him. "Here, I'm not doing anything antagonistic, and I know it's going to freak you out because the last time I saw you, you were frozen in fear". I don't think he legitimately expected Richter to take his hand/let Olrox touch him on the chest (he actually seems to kind of be angling to touch Richter's shoulder/chest). But it's funny to say, "Haha I made you run by offering an open hand." Like yeah, he probably could have done it by just standing and/or talking, but this makes it extra amusing to someone who's into that.

It's also a way to show he's intimidating? He can make the hero characters run without doing anything to them (or at least Richter, anyway). Not that he really needs to demonstrate it, but it's a nice way to introduce yourself, I suppose. Especially if the Belmonts are still well known as monster hunters (whereas the Renards and Annette are not).

Alternatively, while he isn't actually making the snapping gesture, I wonder if the idea was to spark Richter's memory of it, and make Richter think Olrox was attacking him, potentially causing Richter to either run or fight back. I genuinely think, based on the last time they talked after Olrox killed Julia, that Olrox wants to give Richter a fair shake at revenge of his own (perhaps why he says he'll come back when Richter is an adult (and potentially trained to fight), though that might just be Olrox not being into murdering kids), as one person who took revenge to another. Giving Richter the chance to strike the first blow (even if he misses because Olrox is stronger) because Richter thinks Olrox is attacking him and would respond in self-defense is kind of... fair play? I guess?

Additionally, for making another show for Drolta + Co., if he doesn't actually want to kill Richter at this point (for whatever reason), it's unclear how much Drolta + Co., know about what Olrox's powers are and how they work (Erzsebet calls him a dragon, so she seems to know something about that, but what exactly is unclear). He could say this was him attacking Richter. "See? He fled. It worked." Alternatively, "I mean I tried but he fled before I could do anything". Who's gonna argue with him? The guy who's sleeping with him? The Abbot who doesn't want to get eaten/get his people eaten? Or Drolta, who didn't even see it? I can easily see Mizrak being like "yeah, he tried attacking the Belmont, didn't work" and Emmanuel nodding along or something if questioned. Assuming Drolta cares to ask, anyway. If he hadn't lifted a finger to do anything, and Richter had run, I think Mizrak would have had to lie for him, and I don't think Olrox expected that of him (and I don't think Mizrak would, and I certainly don't think the Abbot would).

Also interesting: Olrox doesn't step in until after Mizrak steps in front of Emmanuel to protect him from Richter's threat. Richter says to Emmanuel: "Or maybe we'll protect the world by killing you." Mizrak steps in front of Emmanuel to protect him (in a, "you'll have to go through me first" way), and he and Richter glare at each other (well Mizrak is protective/guarded, Richter glares). And only then does Olrox materialize.

Considering what we the audience know about Olrox's past lover and Julia, as well as Olrox's behavior in the abbey to protect Mizrak later, this kind of feels like, "Give me an excuse", if Mizrak's life is on the line against Richter. Olrox knows what Belmonts do to people he cares about, after all. Assuming Olrox doesn't actually want to kill Richter at this point, I think if Richter went through Mizrak to get to Emmanuel, or tried to, Olrox definitely would have a reason. And even though Olrox might have no reason to attack Richter, if Richter must attack someone in pursuit of Emmanuel and must thus go through Mizrak first... well he can fight Olrox first ("to get to [Mizrak] to get to [Emmanuel], you'll have to go through ME first"). The open hand feels like a, "Well? What are you waiting for? (if you want a fight)" In a way this also puts off focus on why exactly Olrox is stepping in then/brings attention to himself rather than Mizrak. He's not defending Mizrak, you see, he's just making contact with an old enemy/following up on revenge (this is the view that Richter, Emmanuel, and maybe even Mizrak might have). In this sense, he's putting on a show for Emmanuel, who probably has no idea Mizrak is sleeping with Olrox. If Drolta questions Emmanuel and/or Mizrak about it, they can honestly say, "Olrox looked like he was dealing with Richter."

Expanding on the offsetting who's the main target... Olrox is most willing to go out of his way for people he cares about. First, in directly going after Julia and killing her as revenge for his dead lover. Second, when he endangers his own safety to protect Mizrak, revealing his hand before Drolta and then seemingly Erzsebet. Otherwise, he pretends, he's stand-offish. He gets the lay of the land (see every other interaction with Drolta and Erzsebet, except when Erzsebet is especially patronizing to him, at which point he glares; he doesn't even shove Drolta's hand away, probably because he's figuring out what will happen if he pushes too far/he knows how dangerous it is). Here again, he is putting himself at risk for the sake of protecting someone he cares about. Even to the point he’s being more physical, because he does care about Mizrak and he would gladly step between Mizrak and harm, especially from a Belmont. He's more open about it because Richter (and Emmanuel) are a lot less intimidating to him than Drolta and Erzsebet. Honestly I really like the idea he's choosing to make himself a target here rather than Mizrak. It's neat.

Also considering how dramatic they are with each other, I think it'd be funny if this is another form of flirting between Olrox and Mizrak. "Oh is the Belmont boy an issue? I scare the shit out of him by existing. See, I even just put out my hand openly without doing anything and he runs away screaming. Didn't even have to kill humans for it :D Aren't I the new sexy >:3" Or "see I can defend you, babe :3"

Lots of options, maybe none of them are anything remotely accurate. It'd be interesting to see an official reason, though.

Okay, so, let’s talk about the scene where Richter and Olrox meet again for the first time since the night Olrox killed Richter’s mother.

A lot of people have already point out how weird it is and it’s got a lot to do with the fact that nobody can figure out what the fuck Olrox was trying to accomplish or what the hell was going through his head.

Like, seriously, why is Olrox reaching out towards Richter? What does he expect to happen? If he were reaching out with like the Nosferatu “Imma kill you” claw hand, it’d make sense. But they have very deliberately drawn attention to the fact he is not making any kind of menacing or aggressive gesture.

Hell, I double checked this scene to see if he were preparing to snap his fingers to summon the fire skulls and I just missed it but no. That’s clearly a relaxed open palm, that’s…there’s really no getting around it, that is clearly the kind of gesture you make when you expect/want someone to take your hand.

And that’s bizarre because 1. Why would Olrox want Richter to take his hand in the first place and 2. Why the hell would Olrox think Richter would take him up on it?? And 3. What the fuck was Olrox going to do if he DID get a hand on Richter?

Now the easiest answer would be to just assume that Olrox is just screwing with Richter, but, well one that’s the boring answer, and 2 even if we do assume that, the scene still feels weird.

And while I still cannot for the life of me come up with an explanation for what the hell Olrox was thinking or trying to accomplish, I have realized something about why it’s so hard to just dismiss it as Olrox fucking with Richter and leaving it at that.

So, regardless of why Olrox did it, the undeniable fact is that he was reaching out towards Richter with the intent of making some kind of physical contact.

And that’s weird because, up until that point and from that point on,

Olrox actively avoids touching anyone except Mizrak.

Seriously in every scene he’s in, especially with other vampires, he’s almost always got his hands behind his back, I.E to himself. Olrox doesn’t seem to really like sharing his personal space, he straight up side eyes Doltra when she casually puts a hand on his back. Olrox does not care for people getting up close and personal with him and subsequently he doesn’t seem to particularly care to get up close and personal with anyone else either.

Now Mizrak is the obvious and notable exception. But we also know exactly why Mizrak is the exception, that was spelled out on no uncertain terms at the start of the very episode Olrox and Richter meet again.

But that’s why this scene is so odd. The show has gone out of its way to show that Olrox does not like going around casually invading people’s personal space or touching them, with Mizrak being the one exception that we already have an explanation for.

And this

Pretty much establishes that Richter is also an exception, despite arguably being the last person you’d think would be an exception.

So, yeah. I still don’t have any clue what Olrox was thinking or what he was trying to accomplish, but I wanted to share this because I’m still stuck on these scene and I think I at least figured out why it’s sticking so much.

[leguin]

12, 20!

12. How many WIP’s do you have in your docs for next year?

hmm good question. let's see... 1) this louis/lestat thing i'm writing via thinking of an argument writing it in my notes app at work and then not looking at it for three days. 2) the last chapter of the long winter fic which is...so close to being done. i don't think i'll manage to both finish it and get it beta'd in a month, but i am tentatively hopeful that it'll be done by...february? that seems pessimistic enough to be possible. 3) the last half of the elsewhere, which i could probably finish tonight if i wanted to, but i need to be in the zone. the evil succession zone. it'll come to me. 4) long winter fic 2: 2 long 2 winter. planning proceeds apace. i need to actually rigorously outline it bc otherwise it'll turn into a multi-chaptered thing and i deeply want it to be like a 20k oneshot. we'll see... 5) untitled kajillionaire fic. i have 2 or 3 of these on the backburner at all times, and i think i will manage to finish one soon. 6) kady/julia space au which i have now rewritten 3 times. i actually have figured out what i need to do to fix it structurally, but i am feeling very lazy. 7-50) many assorted magicians fics, most of which i look at once a month, write a sentence of, and then don't think about until the next month. 51) part 2 of the johnny lawrence high school era series, which i regret making a series bc now i feel honorbound to complete the sequel. another case of knowing what i need to do to finish it but not wanting to.

anyway tl;dr too many things, and that's not counting all of my vague 'currently this is a horrible concept but at any moment it will sprout legs' vampire show ideas...

20. Which work of yours have you reread the most?

in terms of fics published this year, definitely making mountains out of molehills is a good habit to get into, mostly bc i compulsively read and re-read the first 4 chapters while writing the final chapter this summer, trying to figure out if any of it was going to make sense in a way that wouldn't lead to a small avalanche of angry anons with opinions on psychiatry. not that that was likely to happen, but....prelest is also coming in as a late entry, bc i keep accidentally reading it a few times in a row. i like it, but it's got some issue that i've yet to figure out, so i keep reading it thinking i'll discover it this time around.

[ae0nx]

COWHIDE BANGPOTS NETFLIX SERIES RECAP (EP 7-10) - spoilers

EP 1 - 3 RECAP

EP 4 - 6 RECAP

BEST FRIEND SQUAD!

We're the three best friends that anyone can have And we'll never ever ever ever ever leave each other 🎶☺️

...until they eventually do anyway.

Now, that I've finished the whole series... I still really like it. In many ways it feels like fanfiction come to life in a 70% good but 30% bad kinda way and some people may not like that but... I do! However, one of the stand outs for me with this series is that they made the Bebop crew an actual family in how they interacted with each other instead of a ragtag pirate crew who bark at each other all the time. I personally like both but I really do end up leaning towards that family dynamic because I AM SOFT BOI.

Anyways...

-------------------------------------------------------------------

- The fishing scene with Faye and Spike was cute where Faye just had her world flipped upside down cos she had an orgasm last episode and Spike throwing all his fishing gear into the ocean out of frustration lmao. Boobs or butts is definitely a conundrum

- Spike and Jet simping over Faye's mother was hilarious. Spike's mommy kink is not surprising, he just wants someone to step on him - that's all! (Same with Vicious' knife kink 😂)

- Jet being Dad and being the one to desperately hold the family together by making family trips, organising plans to make sure everyone STAYS TOGETHER and organising birthday bowling parties is... chef's kiss. And so cute! I've said 'so cute' at least 15 times during this whole series. Mustafa Shakir continuously kills it as Jet.

This guy was doing the most and I was LIVING for it! I wish we got more from him.

- Spike and Jet continuously having each other's back throughout the show was adorable and Spike literally being thrown about outside while Jet is trying to be there for his freakin daughter was hilarious and CUTE!

- Not Faye's mother using her Karen skills to finesse a car 😂I actually weirdly find the relationship between Faye and her mum a little endearing? Messed up... but endearing. Also, I guess in the future, people dying during role play is ok? lmao

- Also, I never mentioned it in previous recaps but the direction, lighting and editing in this show is all stellar and every frame is almost a comic frame but not in a way that feels egregious or tacky, they really nailed the style of the show. <3

- That younger Faye speech never fails to make me tear up and it was nice that the Bebop crew were actually nice to Faye regarding all of this compared to the anime which made it even more emotional for me, especially with Jet and Spike's reactions to the tape

- Of course, Spike gets strikes during bowling without trying. I hate him <3

- Pierre Le Fou's live action look looks amazing but that first fight between him and Spike didn't feel as iconic as it was in the anime. At times the show, tries to frame the scenes exactly to how it was in the anime and sometimes it works but sometimes it suffers for it and you can definitely see how it didn't exactly work out when they tried to copy the scene where you see (through the shadows on the wall) Spike being beat so hard he's kicked up in the air. I don't even know how that would look good in live action in the first place as it's so crazy but I appreciate them trying, I guess?

- Not them leaving Ein behind!!! 💔 This is probably the most heartless any of them have been during this whole thing! :(

- The Vicious 'execution' scene looked dope and gave me 'The Last Jedi' throne room vibes. And I think it was only then that I realised for the first time that the parallel of Asimov and his girlfriend is actually towards Vicious and Julia and not Spike and Julia

- Nice to know Spike is au natural? This show is fanfiction 😂 But in all seriousness, I really appreciate them giving us a whole episode dedicated to the backstory of Spike, Julia and Vicious. I don't think the backstory about Vicious' lineage and stuff really made Vicious any deeper but it's nice having that information to inform his current actions and psyche. However again, this just added value to the connection that Spike and Julia had and really solidified for me that Spike loves Julia not only because he needs a reason to keep going on but also because he desperately wants stability. It makes me very curious as to what season 2 is gonna look like now that him and Julia are somewhat done

- I also really appreciated seeing Spike be a full on villain and the way that massacre scene in episode 9 was shot and directed was really great. Do I think him dropping his morals and murdering the girl was earned? Not really.

- Vicious really is a cocktail mix of Lucious Malfoy, Draco Malfoy and Scar

- I really love how Julia finally got some decent development in the final few episodes. When she began to have more agency and wants, it made her more intriguing and I really like how her character grew and was 'revealed' through the final few episodes. This was a great development on Julia and I love that she put her own protection first over both Spike and Vicious. But, also it really dug more into the fact that Spike has always thought of Julia in an idealised way and has never really been aware or observant of who she actually is - which is something the anime touched on but never really delved into. I hope they work with this more in season 2

- Eeek, that 'I won't carry that weight' line felt very hand-fisted...

- 'YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO LOVE ME!' *tries not to start singing Dreamgirls* lmao I'm glad Vicious finally said it

- I'm weirdly glad that they left 'Ballad of the Fallen Angels' as the final episode, especially if they were always intending to make this a multi-series tv show. It's one of the most iconic episodes and it just makes sense and all the scenes looked incredible EXCEPT...

..They tried.

Again. It's one of those things where I'm not sure how to make it transfer well to a live action tv show. But, they tried.

But again. I love the fact that Julia is the one to push him out of the window and therefore push him out of the dream. Although, I kinda wish Spike was just left in a sort of comatose state after this and then Ed being the one to find him. Him finding Jet only to be told to fuck off and then getting drunk at a bar felt a bit disjointed from this near death experience and essentially resulting in being a broken, aimless person in multiple ways.

- Jet... as always... is the character I feel the worst about at the end of the series :( I hope he gets a chance to reconnect with his daughter and that maybe even his predicted future time with Ed would have an influence on that relationship! But yeah, Jet's not gonna kill Spike cos they're boyfriends.

- So many people were left alive at the end of this! It's nice... I guess.😈... I'm glad Gren is alive so we can potentially get more of their backstory. I'm glad Ana is still alive because she was so likeable and I love her and Spike's dynamic. I'm even glad Julia is still alive so we can explore more of her character, especially in her new position of power. But, Vicious? I really don't see where else you could take his character but ok... cool cool cool...

I might be the only person on the internet who doesn't have a problem with this kid lol

Am I disappointed that they're not played by a POC? A little. But Ed's always been displayed as a very typically 'racially ambiguous anime character' so, I'm not too bothered. I love that they keep giving non-binary actors roles in this show although, in the interviews I've seen they give Ed (the character) she/her pronouns so I'm not really too sure if it matters for this version or not but it'd be nice! And from the little we've gotten of Eden Perkins as Ed, I really like their performance! ...I really dunno what some of you guys were expecting someone who plays someone as dynamic and wacky as Ed to act like? Lol

But mostly... I'm a little concerned where Spike goes from here. We know they've still got some episodes leftover to go and adapt for season 2 (gimme my 'Mushroom Samba' ep lol) but where does Spike's character go from here? As someone who accepted that Spike dies at the end of the anime series, I've always seen Spike as someone who's death is always there as an omnipresence. And personally... I dunno if I could handle another season of that...

Anyways, I'm probably gonna end up rewatching this show sometime in the near future, I had fun with it and I might just avoid the tag on here for a bit!

Later dayssss

[dtrhwithalex]

TV | Élite: Historias Breves (2021)

Over the course of the week leading up to the release of the show's fourth season on 18 June 2021, Netflix released four instalments of 3-episode Élite short stories, filling in some of the time gap between the last and the upcoming season.

Non-spoiler-free thoughts on the different stories under the cut.

GUZMÁN, CAYE, REBE

I think out of the four shorts, I liked this one best. Probably because it was the most fun with the least amount of (relationship) drama. I also really enjoyed this combination of characters, because if memory serves, they did not generally hang out with each other much. Guzmán had Ander and Polo as well as Lu and later Nadia. Rebe was usually more around Samuel than anyone else. And Cayetana was, of course, with Polo.

I think out of the four shorts, I liked this one best. Probably because it was the most fun with the least amount of (relationship) drama. I also really enjoyed this combination of characters, because if memory serves, they did not generally hang out with each other much. Guzmán had Ander and Polo as well as Lu and later Nadia. Rebe was usually more around Samuel than anyone else. And Cayetana was, of course, with Polo.

Actually, I think this short is where I liked Caye best so far. Her character always annoyed me during the regular episodes and I've never really taken a liking to her, but she was good fun in these three short episodes. I've always liked Rebe, and Guzmán, while not a favourite, I always quite enjoyed watching. The three of them together did make for a great dynamic, I feel.

I really enjoyed them all completely high, each in their own little worlds, and then of course having to deal with the coke situation in that state. So many fantastic comedic beats in this episode. Caye's final acting bit was absolutely brilliant. The girl's a very talented grifter, I have to admit. Although playing on fear is, of course, one of the easier ways. And damn, those coke dealers definitely did not know how to deal with any of this. Two dead kids, coke everywhere, and a blood-covered hysterical girl screaming for her mom? Yeah, I probably would've bounced too at the sight of that, if I were them.

Yeah, I really like this one. I am very curious to see how the events here get picked up on in the upcoming season.

NADIA, GUZMÁN

I liked very much that this was the second short, that we get that tidbit of Guzmán being worried about the relationship in the first short, and then we get to see them in the second.

This short, overall, was very them. Lovely moments, a lot of misunderstandings and miscommunication, but also quite fun. Guzmán and Nadia have a very intriguing relationship, I think. Their story has always been quite fascinating to me. They are from such different worlds and want such different things, but ultimately, they also really do care for each other and want this to work out.

I thought it was interesting that Nadia is the one to break their promise and goes to see Guzmán. I thought it would be the opposite, and he would show up randomly at her sister's wedding. Which, speaking of, I was not entirely sure I liked much. It felt so random, in a way. Unless I am mistaken -- which is possible as I haven't seen any of the previous seasons in a while now -- we have never heard about a third Shanaa sibling before, right? So this sudden appearance of a sister and the fact that she was getting married, felt very random and, well, sudden to me. But I guess we'll see how it shakes out over the whole of the season.

Overall, I did quite like this short, too. Guzmán trying his best to give Nadia an average date (loved that the blanket was a stained tablecloth. A+ for effort, Guzmán) was absolutely hilarious. And I really loved the phone call toward the end. They're a mess in person, but on the phone they are great. That was a very lovely moment.

OMAR, ANDER, ALEXIS

This one's quite depressing, huh. However, I did very much like that this picks up the mention of Omar and Ander from the first short and tells us what exactly happened.

Alexis is a very interesting character, and I think it gives Ander so much more depth, that we see him care about Alexis so much. I've always really liked Ander, and I thought he was great in this short (Aaron Piper is also just an excellent actor, let's be real).

Of course, we always get our comedic beats, and this, too, had some amazing ones. But largely, this one was a heavy one. Alexis' conversation with Ander in the pool and, especially, the final moment between the two at the hospital carried a lot of weight.

I do wonder how much we'll be seeing of Ander dealing with Alexis' departure during the fourth season, how he handles that goodbye and the knowledge that within two or three months, Alexis will have died.

I quite liked the conversation Omar had with Alexis, about how he behaved while Ander was sick, and how he understands what he is going through now, trying his best to help Alexis, make him happy. I think that will make for a certain solidity in his and Ander's relationship, and how Omar can help him deal with Alexis' departure and certain death.

CARLA, SAMUEL

The woman at the airport may have said that this isn't a Julia Roberts movie, but it very much felt like one. Samu showing up at the airport to stop Carla from leaving (well, not Julia Roberts, but my brain immediately went to LOVE, ACTUALLY), the whole "promise me when I come back you won't be here" bit, the sudden yet inevitable delayed flight, and of course also how the short ends with Carla leaving after all. Big Julia Roberts romcom energy right there.

Samu and Carla were never my favourites, to be honest. I liked Samu especially in scenes with Nano, and then later with Rebe, but I never really cared for his relationship dramas. While I did like Carla especially with Polo during their time with Valerio, I also did not much care for her.

Nevertheless, this short was quite lovely. Although I have to say the airport bit and Carla leaving were probably the parts I enjoyed the most. Samu's meltdown when he thinks Carla has left was also quite good. I do tremendously enjoy the acting in this show. And the language. Spanish is very sexy, even if I don't understand most of it and have to watch it with subtitles.

I wonder if this will be the end of this particular relationship and we get to see both of them move on in the next season, and this short therefore serves to put an actual end to it, or if we will see them together again at some point.

[images taken from the individual imdb pages]

[lezliefaithwade]

A Breath of Fresh Air

The summer after my first year of theatre school, I was sleeping on the living room floor of my cousin's apartment in Toronto, trying to figure out what to do with my life. My cousin had been an actor before he became a quadriplegic in a car accident, and as I unadvisedly bemoaned my unemployment status, he said something like, "Seriously? You're complaining about your life? Don't make me burst a colostomy bag." He was right, of course. I wasn't in a wheelchair, though I did have a stepmother who had rendered me homeless because of her dislike for me. She was always saying things like, "Your hair can't be as ugly as that hat you're wearing." Or simply refusing to invite me to things like Christmas dinner. I always admired people with families. My boyfriend at the time was one of five kids who were always doing things together. Their house was always full of noise and activities. Even as a shiksa, I felt more at home there than with my stepbrothers and sisters, who never lost an opportunity to point out that I was weird. I wanted to stand up to them, but not wanting to cause my father any grief, I held my tongue and sought refuge elsewhere. It occurred to me that perhaps I was using the theatre as an opportunity to say things through characters that I couldn't find the courage to express myself.

The Toronto Star was still open on the kitchen table, and I rummage through the Want Ads, that dirty part of the newspaper near the back where complete strangers will soon become complete assholes in your life by forcing you to work menial jobs in humiliating uniforms for minimum wage.

"Find anything?" my cousin called from the bedroom, where two attendants helped wash and dress him.

"Social services are advertising for camp councilors to work with emotionally challenged kids."

"Oh yeah," He said. "That might suit you."

I'm not sure I knew what he meant but, I was beginning to think I'd outgrown my welcome. My cousin probably would have encouraged me to join the circus if the option had been available. Knowing my living room days were numbered, I thought it best to make an effort and apply.

I had no experience teaching drama—no experience working with kids and no experience going to or working at a camp. Despite all that, I was hired. It's worth noting that it's probably not a good sign if you get a job with no qualifications whatsoever.

My official position was Drama Councillor, and I prided myself that with only a year and half of theatre training behind me, I was well equipped to help others benefit from the wealth of my experience. I imagined myself, Maria Von Trapp, teaching children how to sing while they looked at me adoringly. Somehow, I conveniently blocked out the rebellious early stages she experienced and skipped straight to the good parts. Also, I might add, forgetting about the Nazis and having to climb over a mountain. Still, visions of me biking around camp with a group of happy campers behind me filled me with a sense of self-satisfaction.

As I packed my knapsack with deet and a secret stash of Twinkies, I thought of how only three weeks earlier I'd been in New York walking through Central Park and savoring Cappuccinos at outdoor cafés on Columbus. Now, here I was, ready for something different. The wilderness, I imagined, would be a welcome change—fresh air and loons instead of smog and sirens. I thought smugly about my classmates sweating behind visors at take-out windows shoveling fries into cardboard cups or wrapping sandwiches in tinfoil. Thumbs up to adventure, I told myself. The fact that I'd never once in my life enjoyed the great outdoors didn't factor into my mind. All of this changed with each accumulated minute of the 391 Kilometer drive north.

It was late afternoon when I arrived at the compound. Overcast, sullen, it was a place so secluded you'd need flares to find it. It had that distinct aura of someplace time forgot. A place left behind and neglected. In the brochure, the sun was shining, flowers filled the meadow, and you could practically hear laughter floating off the page. What I was looking at bore more of a resemblance to a situation in a Stephen King novel where camp councilors discover a pack of hungry teenage zombies have lured them to a seemingly idyllic retreat. Situated right in the heart of black fly country, I spent most of my days swatting insects so big they seem Jurassic.

During our orientation, child care workers warned us that children with mental health needs tend to run away - a lot and to keep strict attendance records and all eyes on them at all times. "These kids are resourceful and clever," they cautioned. I couldn't imagine being so determined you'd risk your life by escaping through the woods that surrounded us, but then again, I'd never been around children who weren't allowed cutlery before either

I shared my cabin with three other women with who I had absolutely nothing in common. Delia, a humorless 27-year-old cooking instructor who answered every question with a monosyllabic grunt, Jennifer, a 26-year old tennis instructor with massive blond ringlets who talked so quickly she sounded like a record on high speed, and an older aboriginal woman named Sunny who made us all dream catchers and offered advice about how to heal ourselves on days when we'd feel spent. "Remember, these kids need us," she said while purifying our cabin with sage. As I glanced around my assigned bunk, taking in the spider webs and loose floorboards, I had that sinking feeling that comes when you know you've made a terrible mistake. Before long, I was eating copious amounts of peanut butter on stale bagels amid a never-ending supply of starch. I'm not sure who thought it was a good idea to feed children with challenges like anxiety, depression, hyperactivity, and eating disorders copious amounts of sugar and carbs. It certainly did nothing to help them or me.

On the first day of class, I sat everyone in a circle. "Welcome to drama class," I said with a smile. "Let's begin by sharing with everyone a little bit about ourselves. Anything at all you'd like us to know?" A hand went up.

"I'm Tracy, and I hate my stupid ass brother. He can go straight to hell."

"Okay," I said, "That's a start. Who's next?"

Another hand. "I'm Jonathan, and this place sucks so much I wish it would burn to the ground!"

"Fair enough. Anyone else?"

"I'm Jo. I'm schizophrenic. So sometimes I'm Rachel and Julia. You'll know the difference because Rachel has a British dialect, and Julia talks slang."

"O-kay." I glanced at the social workers who sat on the edge of the room and looked at me with an expression that basically said, "We can't wait to see what you do next."

"Let's write a play," I suggested. "Write anything you want. Once you're happy with the work, I'll shape it into a cohesive piece that we'll rehearse and then present at the end of the season talent showcase."

The kids liked this idea. The showcase was a big deal. It was an opportunity for them to blow off some steam and express themselves to friends and family in a creative way. My only stipulation was not to use profanity. As the weeks passed, I was impressed with how well they all threw themselves into this project—all except Eric, the oldest boy in my 12 to 15-year-olds. Eric often wandered around the rehearsal space, unfocused and sullen.

"Any ideas for your piece?" I ask, checking in to see if I could help.

"I'm thinking," he'd say and then pace.

With three weeks left in the summer, I took my well-deserved week off to decompress. My boyfriend came up from Toronto and drove me to his parent's house at Post and Bayview, where caterers were preparing the tennis courts for an outdoor party. I walked into his mother's living room, and she gasped. "What happened to you?"

I didn't blame her. I hadn't spent much time looking at a mirror the past four weeks, but one glance at the large one in their bathroom told the full story. My hair was ratty; I had scabs on my knees, bruises on my arms and legs, and I was sunburnt. I was wearing a vintage skirt and blouse that was probably more Value Village than vintage and a pair of worn, scuffed purple moccasins; in essence, I was wearing slippers on my feet.

"Please take her to the mall and at least buy her a pair of shoes," his mother said, handing me her credit card and then rushing off to make sure the stuffed alligator would float in the pool. That week I ate my way through rugelach, hamantaschen, brisket, and bagels while his family watched me with awe and disgust.

Back at camp, the smell of burning insect repellent greeted me along with the news that the sailing and tennis instructors were sacked for disorderly conduct. Never mind, I had renewed energy and a sense of purpose. There were costumes and props to make. Sound and lighting effects to create. And we needed to rehearse. It was only a tiny stage somewhere on a remote camp in Northern Ontario, but the excitement was palpable. I was excited. This would be the best talent show ever, and my kids were going to blow the socks off everyone there!!!

"Eric," I said, "How's your piece coming along?"

"I finished it," he mentioned casually

"That's great. Can I see it?"

"I want to surprise you. You're going to love it, though. I promise."

I patted myself on the back. Eric had a breakthrough. All my encouragement and patience had paid off. Perhaps I'd helped him have a developmental breakthrough.

"Can you tell me what it's about?" I asked.

"The Beatles."

"Great. Okay," and left it at that.

Talent Night arrived along with parents and family friends. The lights dimmed, the kids performed, and the audience enthusiastically applauded as each "Mighty Mite" or "Spirit of Paradise" breezed across the stage, acting out skits about fairies and monsters and assorted escapades. Finally, it was Eric's turn. Out he came, looking serious and theatrical. He cleared his throat and addressed the audience.

"This is called, The Beatles Last Recording Session. By, Me."

Three of his closest camp friends filed out and took a space on the stage. The audience was silent.

There was a dramatic pause, then the piece began.

"Fuck you, Ringo,"

"Fuck you, Paul."

"Fuck you, George."

"Well fuck you, John."

Then they bowed and left the stage.

Personally, I thought it was kind of brilliant. Needless to say, I wasn't showered with accolades about my teaching methods or the effect I had on kids. I left there having no catharsis about mental health except that giving people the opportunity to express themselves without censor is probably a lot healthier than insisting they stay quiet. I admired the honesty displayed in the kid's work. If only, I thought to myself, I could be half as brave. Wasn't that what I was spending time and money learning how to do?

A week after being home, I found myself packing, once more, for school in New York. Our term letters had arrived with instructions on where to buy character shoes, leotards, copies of The Children's Hour, and Death of a Salesman. The camp already felt like it was 391 kilometers away - soon to be 659. My father drove me to the train station with my stepmother beside him; she was there, no doubt, to ensure I boarded.

"You going to be okay?" my father asked, giving me a hug and slipping a $50 bill into my pocket.

"She'll be fine." Elsie chimed in. "You don't have to worry about her. Let's go."

But I wanted my father to worry about me. Not all the time and to the exclusion of all else, but certainly the appropriate fatherly amount.

As I settled myself on the train, I watched my stepmother pull from father from the platform to the car and thought of Eric's brilliant play. Under my breath, I whispered the immortal words of the Beatles, "Fuck you."

#stepmother #mental health #children #young people #summer camp

[raisedbyfandomwolves]

Well, considering MI8 is Tom's last I kinda doubt they wouldn't give him a happy end? Esp. after the last two movie's kept repeating the Option of going away and getting out (with Ilsa)🤔 And since they actually had him move on from Julia on-screen, I'll keep my fingers crossed they will let Ilsa be his happy end cause DAMN, THEY BOTH DESERVE IT!😭 Btw, I just saw some claims about a possible spin-off movie about Ilsa?😱😱 Haha, sorry? That parallel literally shot in my head right away(TBC)

(TBC:) Lol, yeah, sadly Kara's reaction to the suggestion was nowhere as good as Ethan's😖😭 But uff, imagine post-finale!Kara sitting there with Mon and him being melancholic and either of them saying how they wish they had just run away together all those years agoand maybe him asking again or her telling him if he asked again, her answer might be different this time before someone(Alex or J'onn?)interrupts their talk?😭 But ohhh, yes, Luthor definitely saw it and even pretty much (TBC2) (TBC2) confirmed Ethan was in love with Ilsa when he talked to her in Fallout😍 Ah, Yeah, sorry, but I think the missing thing was just the explanation of the island being full of highly sensitive alien detectors which is why Kara (and Mon) has to take pills which render her DNA temporarily human🤔 Oh, and Mon saving Kara from capture ala Ethan/Ilsa first meeting but not telling her anything about how/why he's there(Mon just fits Ilsa's mysteriousness better with his future stuff IMO)(TBC3) (TBC3) And haha, no, this is nowhere near thought thru😅🙈 About writing it..Hmm…Dunno🙈 (Jup, just gotta find a way about why HE came from the future to help Kara instead of Brainy/Lena helping😅🙈 Uhh, I suppose? Like I said, haven't thought it through yet😅🤷🏻‍♀️🙈) Oh man, but tbh, I did kinda expect her to erase at least one anyway, considering how many message I wrote😅🙈🙈 And haha, okay then😊😊🙈🙈 Still, sorry for the "spam"! …You don't have Discord, do you?🤔(8 messages)

I know but then again look what kind of ending they gave Tony... T_T But yes, the fact that McQ specifically brought Julia back so that he could put that past relationship to rest completely AND he did it without killing her off gives me a lot of hope. YES THEY SO TOTALLY DESERVE THEIR HEA!

Oh yeah, I think I remember reading that McQ acknowledged Ilsa was so good she deserved her own movie and he's talked about it with Rebecca but he also mentioned that Rebecca deserved to have a completely original starring role made just for her so... I guess we'll see what happens after MI8?

...See, you just described an insanely easy AND YET STILL BETTER way the show could have ended! YES I'M STILL BITTER!

Luther probably knew the second he saw Ethan's expression and UGH, that conversation with Ilsa, it hit me right in the feels. BUT HER REACTION. HER REACTION WAS BASICALLY "I understand your worries but I'm like him and he's like me so the best thing I can and should do is come along and help instead of making him think he really does need to protect me" HITS ME EVEN HARDER.

True, Mon-El fits Ilsa's role better (plus Kara and Ethan have that "must save the world!" martyr thing in common) and I don't believe you about it being "nowhere near thought through", I hope you realise that. XD (You'll figure it out, I have faith in you. =P)

She got annoyed with you giving her so many messages, huh...

I do have Discord actually but I haven't used it in a while. Do you and if yes, do you want to 'move' our conversations there? At least there's no Tumblr secretary in Discord... as far as we know...

[nalgenewhore]

omg hey bestie !

i was tagged by @the-regal-warrior too <3

1. How many do you have on Ao3? uh....146. ummm alrighty.

2. What’s your total Ao3 word count? 493,585 😈💯💪🥶🤑

3. How many fandoms have you written for and what are they? ive posted for 1 fandom but written for 2 (tog n percy jackson)

4. What are your top 5 five by kudos?

- slipping through my fingers - too late to turn back now - knowing me, knowing you - supernova - with my life (rip)

5. Do you respond to comments, why or why not? i usually respond to ao3 comments but not on tumblr. uhhh idk y ao3 seems more personal sometimes n like theres more of an effort made into commenting ig !

6. What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending? uhhhhh thats hard. i was a lil bit of an angst demon for a while. probably tho the one where elide died in the dam collapse at anielle n lorcan survived.

7. Do you write crossovers? no n i dont read them either (except for this one by @darklesmylove where kaz n inej meet alina n aleksander)

8. Have you ever received hate on a fic? nooo but i got some anons who rlly hated the way i wrote lorcan n said i was "ruining" his character by making him experience the full emotional range of an emotionally evolved person (i turned the anon function off after that)

9. Do you write smut? If so what kind? i have in the past ummmm it was never rlly any good i dont think n i dont totally love writing it now except when im high. looking back i dont think i ever especially enjoyed doing but i thought it was necessary for the story cause a lot of my writing peers did !

10. Have you ever had a fic stolen? uhhh yeah like last year when someone made that monetised ao3 mobile app ? other than that no lol.

11. Have you ever had a fic translated? nope !

12. Have you ever co-written a fic before? nahhhhh n i dont think i ever will cause i lowkey cant stand working with other ppl especially with something as subjective as writing but like julia said we bounce idea around n i bother lots of other ppl with ideas too <3

13. What is your all time favorite ship? elorcan (wow so unpredictable isa !)

14. What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will? on my hands n knees praying that i will finish star-crossed & moon drunk but we'll see !

15. What are your writing strengths? honestly i have zero idea. id like to think that im good at describing what a character is seeing through their eyes cause i have visions of scenes in my mind kinda like a movie

16. What are your writing weaknesses? action scenes with fighting 100%

17. What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic? ive done it usually with french cause i speak french ig fluently. ive done it badly in the past but i think ive gotten better at using simple phrases or words that are then understood by the 'english' speaking character n answered in english dialogue like in this one

18. What was the first fandom you wrote for percy jackson ! but i have zero idea where it is. probably in some notebook

19. What’s your favorite fic you’ve ever written? ohhhh......i do rlly enjoy writing star-crossed & moon drunk ! i like writing all my fics tho n when im not having fun or enjoying it i stop

tagging: @alifletcher2012 @hellasblessed @darklesmylove <3

Fic writer questions

I was tagged by @punkassbookjockey26

1. How many do you have on Ao3? 5

2. What’s your total Ao3 word count? 406,299

3. How many fandoms have you written for and what are they? Most of my recent are TOG, but I have some written for LOTR and marvel that are probably still floating around somewhere.

4. What are your top 5 five by kudos?

Growth (side note, its less than 90 kudos away from 3000?! omg. expect a lil writing celebration when that happens!!)

One Night Standards

Would That I

Strawberry Wine

“Growth” alternative ending.

5. Do you respond to comments, why or why not? Not really. I have a weird thing that when I see a comment count or number of notes, i like to know its all stuff that ive… idk… earned, I guess? it makes me happy to see if ive made other people happy. but, i read and reread comments ALL THE TIME. 

6. What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending? The alt ending of Growth, even if it was only a oneshot. 

7. Do you write crossovers? I did write a few thousand words of a acotar/tog crossover a while ago, but never posted it.

8. Have you ever received hate on a fic? tbh, i only rlly got one comment since i started writing for tog. but it was scathing bro. and they commented on a really bad day to me so it lingered. so, if anyone is ever on the verge of commenting something not so nice, consider that the other person might be going thru their own shit and ur not making it any better.

9. Do you write smut? If so what kind? Yes. Often. Idk how to describe it tho… i guess i try to keep it tasteful? idk. if someone else could describe my smut, id love to hear how yall would describe it!!

10. Have you ever had a fic stolen? Yes, actually. And they posted it on Wattpad on all places. embarrassing for them.

11. Have you ever had a fic translated? i gave permission for growth to be translated into Portuguese and Russian. idk if they ever followed thru on it though.

12. Have you ever co-written a fic before? Nah, but my twin flame @nalgenewhore and i bounce around ideas all the time. luv u bestie. <3

13. What is your all time favorite ship? it changes, but for the last few years its prolly been rowaelin.

14. What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will? God i hope i finish strawberry wine. I literally have it all planned out.

15. What are your writing strengths? I think i write good dialogue. Ive been told i write good fight scenes and im good at keeping everyone in character. i hope both of those are true!!

16. What are your writing weaknesses? setting. i simply refuse to describe it.

17. What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic? I like it if its well researched, though as a reader, sometimes i find it bothersome if the narrator is supposed to understand what is being said in the other language, but the translations are at the end. i find it puts a fat dent in the flow.

18. What was the first fandom you wrote for? LOTR, i think!

19. What’s your favorite fic you’ve ever written? My most popular is growth, but i think i had a bit more fun writing ONS since it was a bit less serious!

tagging: @nalgenewhore @shyvioletcat @noodlecatposts @miserablesmusings

[duketheman]

Generation 4 Part 4

Skipping ahead seven months

Sunday November 24, 2019

"John Ross comes home for the Holidays"

It's 4:30am & I'm finishing up my cup of coffee & Mary is asleep as she's getting close to the Delivery date & I want her to rest. I'm sure she'll be up before I get back from the Airport with JR! His flight is scheduled to arrive at 6:00am & I'm being cautious as to have plenty of time to park & meet him at the gate! We don't miss Church, so we'll attend evening service tonight! It's 4:45am & I'm on my way to Miami International to pick up JR. Mary is so excited & as for Kellyanne, I've asked George to bring her to the house later! JR wanted to surprise her, so we didn't mention him coming home yet! It's 5:30am & I've arrived at the airport. I park in the Garage & walk across to the terminal to the arrival gate! I go to the coffee shop & purchase a Cinnamon Bun & a cup of coffee, sit down & wait for the flight to land! Ahh, his flight is landing! It 6:15am & late. But no matter, it's here, safe & that's what counts! The airport is just starting to get crowded Thanksgiving holiday & all! It's 6:40am & JR is just getting through Security! I tell: ~JR!!!!~ He sees me & walks towards in my direction. First words out of his mouth: ~Dad, how Kellyanne, God I miss her! Oh you to Dad, how have you & mom been, Is she showing big now?~ I reply: ~We've been fine & yeaaa! She showing real big son! Did Kellyanne tell you she's got a baby sister coming around the same time as you new baby

brother?~ He replies: ~Yea, that's something, isn't Dad! Weird but I like it. They can be best friends! Let's go home Dad, I really want to to see Mom. I miss her so much! Sometimes when I was down & stuck on something I thought I couldn't do; Mom encouraged me & told me I can do anything if I put my mind to it! Just like when I was a kid! She called me allot Dad!~ I reply: ~She's that way son. Always has been. She loves you more than anything! Let's go, she's probably awake & cooking us breakfast as we speak!~ We pick his bags out from the Baggage Carousel, left the terminal & walked across to the garage where my Beamer was parked! It's 7:55am & we're headed for home! We're pulling into our Driveway & it's 9:00am. JR darts for the house! He really missed his Mother! I get the bags & carry them into the house! I open the door & the two of them are hugging each other like it's been years! My wife is crying she's so happy to see her little man! I walk by them with the bags & carry them upstairs to JR's room! I smell food & I welcome it, I'm starving! She's got Bacon, sausage, Biscuits, white gravy, eggs & grape jelly on the table. Grape is JR's favorite! We have Orange juice, milk, coffee & apple juice for Mary. My wife says: ~You boys dig in now, while it's hot!~ Nobody has to tell me twice, I'm hungry! I'm finished eating, & I get up, pick up the table & clean everything up. That gives time for Mary to catch up with JR! Afterall, at 12:30pm, Kellyanne will be here & they're going to be spending an awful lot of time together! I'm done with the dishes, those two are still at it, so I go into the library & read up on seaman regulations! They're constantly changing! Wow, two hours & my eyes are killing me, I need a break! Doorbell is ringing, it 12:25pm. It's George, Lucy & Kellyanne! I invite them in & before I can say anything, Kellyanne sees JR. She yells out in Joy: ~John Ross! 'O John Ross, I didn't even know you were going to be here! When did you get in?~ He replies: ~I wanted to surprise you! I got in early this morning! I've missed you so much Kellyanne!~ She replies:

~John Ross, I've missed you terribly! I'm so happy you're home! How long are are you home for John Ross?~ He replies: ~ I have to leave on January 2, 2020. I'm here until after the Holidays!~ The go into the other room so they can talk! Man, I can't tell who's belly is bigger! Oh well, next month the new ones will be filling everybody's hearts with joy!

Skipping ahead to November 27

It's 7:00am & Mary, myself, JR, George, Lucy & Kellyanne are getting ready to board a flight to Valdosta Regional Airport Headed to spend the Holidays with my parents! Mary's Parents & Julia's Mother will also be joining us at the Mansion! We've checked our luggage & it's 7:30am. Our flight leaves at 8:00am & we're going through Security now! It's 7:55am & we're boarding the plane! The trip is expected to be smooth & take approximately 4 hours with 1 stop. We should be landing at about 12:00pm! I will be happy to see my parents & JR certainly will enjoy seeing all of his Grandparents in one place. This will probably be the last time he'll see his Grandma Rachael! She's been in poor health lately. I'm glad she'll have time with JR! It's 12:05pm & we're landing. We disembark the plane & run through Security. It's 12:45pm & we're heading towards the Baggage Carousel! The ladies are seated so not to put strain on them. They are just about a week from due date! My Father has sent a Limousine service to pick us up because of the amount of people! I spot the Chofer holding a sign with our name on it! I signal him to come & give us a hand! We get a Baggage cart & load the luggage onto it & head for the door. The Car is parked at the loading zone. We help the ladies in the we get in. The Chofer loads the luggage in the trunk! We're on our way to Madison County, just across the State line. About 30-35 minutes from here to the Mansion! It's 1:30am & we're pulling onto the Grounds of Newport Mansion! George says: ~Dang Harry, dis place be beautiful! I ain't neva seen a place be like dis!~ I reply: ~It's just a place to live George! Too big for me!~ My Parents are both outside waiting for us as we pull up! My Mother is quite famous for her Sweet tea & Lemonade! My Grandma Nippy's recipe! She welcome everyone. She kisses me on the cheek & my wife & says:

~We've missed you!~ She shakes the hands of George & Lucy & says: ~You're most welcome here, consider yourselves part of the family. My name is Candace, you may call me Candy!~ She looks at Kellyanne & says: ~Now, who do we have here child? Such a Beautiful young Lady!~ She replies: ~My name is Kellyanne Mam, Pleased to meet you! Mother replies: ~ So polite! Well then Kellyanne, you can call me Grandma if you wish. ~Now everyone, this is Charles, my husband Harry's Father!~ She turns to JR & says: ~Now John Ross, come here my boy & let you Grandma give you some love!~ He walks over to Mother & holds out his arms & my Mother gives her Grandson a hug to remember! She says: 'O John Ross, I've missed you so much! I'm so proud of you & I'm so glad you could make it & spend the Holidays with us!

Rachael, will be flying in tonight, Will & Laura are driving & should be here soon! Our family keeps growing! Now for you two expecting Mothers, arrangements have been made with Madison County Memorial Hospital! I have a Dr Jameson on call in case of an emergency! I believe your Doctor is Kleinpeter? Dr Jameson says that he knows him!

Dr Jameson has with your permission agreed to take over while you're here? Both Mary & Lucy simultaneously say: ~Of course, & thanks Mom, Mary adds!~ Mother calls for Huntington: ~Huntington, please show our guest to their rooms!~ He replies: ~Yes Mam, (looks at us) right this way please?~ George asks: ~Harry, a Butler, well day beat all! Dis place be Beautiful Harry!~ Mother says loudly: ~We've had a late lunch prepared for you, if you're hungry!~ I reply: ~Yes, thank you Mother, I'm quite

hungry!~ George adds: ~Me too, me belly be achin, really achin! Me be thirsty too! Harry, Rich people drink beer?~ I reply: Yes George, my Father was born in Texas. He enjoys a cold Bud once in a while! But he quite likes his Brandy!~ He replies: ~Me too!~ I leave my wife upstairs to change & come down to say a real hello to my Father: ~Hello Father, I've missed you!~ He turns to me & says: ~Son, I've missed you too! I'm so happy you came to spend the Holidays with us!~ He hugs me & says: ~ I love you Son!~ I've always been close to my Father! He's a Good man & has always done his very best for his family! I ask: ~Father, will my Sister & Brothers be joining us?~ He replies: ~Jaime had to make a choice! She's spending Thanksgiving with Bill's parents! They'll be joining us for Christmas! You're Brothers have to work through Thanksgiving because of some bureaucratic meddling! They'll be joining us this weekend!~ Everyone is coming downstairs, let's go into the Drawing room, Huntington will be serving a late lunch! Just some horderves & little stuff like that to hold you over until dinner.~ We all enter the Drawing room & Father asks: ~Drinks anyone?~ George is ready: ~Bud please?~ Father replies:

~Of course George, Would you be a Seaman by any chance my good man?~ aye, Me would Sir!~ Both our wives reply: ~Sprite if you don't mind?~ The kids have already got Coke! I request: ~Scotch on the Rocks~ In comes Huntington: ~Horderves!~ He's serving us one by one! Shrimp, Caviar, Olives, Rolled Ham, & other various treats! Kids ask him if he'd just make the a couple sandwiches & he happily agreed! We sat, enjoyed each other's company toasted the expecting Mother's & my Parents as well as Mary's & of course Rachael! It's nice being around family & friends. I'm really glad we made this trip!

4:00pm & Mary's parents just arrived from Raleigh, NC. They've got to be tired, that's at least a 11 hour trip; allowing stopping to rest & eat! Straight through, mmmmh, I'd say 8 1/2 hours! Either way, it's hard on them at their age! Mary & Mother & myself meet them at the car, & I get their luggage out of the trunk! Laura looks at her daughter & begins to cry out of happiness! She places her hand on Mary's belly, giggles & says: ~I can feel the little guy kicking in their!~ Mother walks up to Laura & says:

~Welcome my Dear Friend, we're so glad you could join us for the Holidays!~ She replies: 'O Candice, we appreciate you guys so much. I wouldn't miss it for the world, & besides; my Baby is having a Baby! Now where is John Ross?~ I reply: ~He's somewhere around here with Kellyanne!~ She replies: ~Kellyanne? Our Little man is not so little anymore, is he?~I reply: ~No Laura, he's in love!~ She remarks: ~Well, that sounds serious!~ I say: ~Yes, it is!~ Mary hugs her Father & kisses his cheek, hugs him again & says: ~'O Daddy, I've missed you so much! How have you & Mom been doing? Have you stayed well?~ He replies:~Yes my Dear, We've been well! I get quite bored with myself since I retired from the University, but it's worth it to spend more time with your Mother! We've missed you too!~ Candace he says: ~Where's Charles?~ She replies: ~Charles has gone to the Airport! Rachael's flight is scheduled to arrive at 5:00pm from Dallas! They'll be pulling in before you know it! Let's go inside?~ We all go into the Mansion & Mother calls for Huntington: ~Huntington, please show my Dear friends to their room?~ He replies: ~Yes mam~ She adds: ~Will, Laura, We'll let you freshen up! We can talk after!~ Huntington grabs their bags & shows them to their room! It's 6:00pm & Father's arrived with Rachael! Mother & I meet them at the car. I open the rear passenger door & help Rachael out. I hug her & say: ~Mom, I'm so glad you could make it! The Holidays wouldn't be the same without you!~ She replies: ~I almost didn't come Harry, I was hurting, but I want to see you & my Grandson one more time before I join my Baby & Jimmy in Heaven! Where is that boy?~ I reply: ~I'll find him for you Mom! He's around here somewhere, he doesn't know you're here yet!~ Mother asks: ~How was your trip Rachael? How are you feeling?~ She replies: ~The trip was fine Candy, I'm just a little tired! How are you doing?~ Mother replies: ~I'm doing pretty good for an old Lady! Come inside & rest, I'll have Huntington take your bags to your room!~ They go inside & I'm in search of my son! There they are, on the swing! I call out: ~JR! Your Grandma Marcantel is here! Go see her!~ He replies: ~Grammy's here, come on Kellyanne, you'll just love her!~ He takes Kellyanne by the hand & heads for the house to see his Grandmother! She has pancreatic cancer & it's spread beyond control! There's no more they can do! This is the last time he'll see her! She's all that's left of Julia besides my son! I go back to the house & go inside! Everyone is sitting in the Drawing room talking & getting to know each other! I ask George: ~How's it going Buddy, enjoying yourself?~ He replies: ~aye Harry, ya be havin a huge family ya be Harry! Me like very allot!~

It's 7:00pm & Huntington announces: ~Dinner is being served in the Dinning room!~ We all go towards the Dining & are seated! George's eyes have doubled in size! I haven't seen this table filled in years, since my Wedding! The food looks Delicious. Tomorrow is the Big one, Thanksgiving! Mother goes all out! We finish dinner & retire to the Drawing room. It's 9:00pm & my Father offers drinks. The kids are drinking soft drinks. The ladies all, except for Mother, request just water. Rebecca needs to take her meds. The remaining four of us have Brandy! We sit & visit & we are truly family! It's 10:00pm & we're all tired! Rachael calls me over & whispers to me: ~Harry, please take me to see my Julia in the morning?~ I reply: ~Of course I will Mom! First thing.... We say Goodnight & retire to our rooms respectfully! My poor Mary, her legs are swelled up, so I run her a warm bath. I wash her back for her, I love pampering my wife! I take a shower & we both get into bed. I rub her legs for her to make them feel better! We lay down & I put my arm around her, resting my hand on her belly! I can feel the baby moving around inside of her, God is Good! Goodnight all!

Thursday, November 28

Thanksgiving Morning

Julia's Grave

It's early, 6:00am, & My son & I are up drinking coffee! The others are still sleeping. I promised Rachael that I would take her over to the East side of the property to see Julia's grave! JR wanted to come along to see his Mother's grave & asked if he could come along! It's 7:00am & Rebecca has come down stairs. I ask: ~Coffee mom?~ She replies: ~No, but thank you Harry! Coffee doesn't agree with me anymore. Maybe some juice diluted with water?~I reply: ~Sure mom, Apple juice okay?~ She replies: ~That will be fine Harry, Thanks!~ She takes out this pharmacy of medication out & begins to take them a few at a time! She asks: ~Harry, can I have a piece of toast, no butter? Just to settle my stomach!~ I reply: ~Sure mom, I'll fix it for you now!~ I give a plate with toast & she nibbles on it until it's gone! 

It's 8:00am & I borrowed my Father's car! We're enroute to the East side of the property where our Family Cemetery's located! It's about a twenty minute drive. It's 8:25 & we've arrived at the cemetery. I help Rachael out of the car & the three of us walk over to Julia's grave. Rachael puts her hand on the Gravestone & talks to her daughter with tears in her eyes: ~I'll be with you & your Daddy soon Baby! We all miss you so much! John Ross is here! He misses you too Julia! But he's doing fine! You'd be so proud of him, he's grown into a fine young man!~ She closed eyes and said a prayer. JR took hold of her hand & prayed with her. He said: ~I love you Mom, I've never forgotten how you use to hold me! I never will Mom, I promise!~ I too had my own private talk with Julia, I shall keep to myself! Rachael asks: ~Harry, what a beautiful Headstone! I've never quite seen one like this before!~ I reply: ~Julia always loved the Dolphins! I only thought it right to have them watch over her!~ She replies:

Thank you Harry for that! She always thought they were the true Mermaids of the Sea! She had a whole shelf full as a little girl!~ I place an array of Julia's favorite flowers on her grave! I say: ~Mom, you know we all love you. You know JR & I love you. My Parents love you! Mom, we'd like to move Dad from Shreveport & lay him to rest beside Julia with your permission! Mom, we've a spot here for you too! She's got tears in her eyes & replies: ~Harry, we have nobody in Shreveport! Yes, of course you have my permission! Harry, our Julia loved you very much! God Bless you

Harry!~ We get back in the car & ride back to the Mansion! Throughout the day we all had time to catch up. Later that evening......

Thanksgiving Dinner

6:00pm

Huntington rings a bell: Dinner is being served! May I offer my Heartfelt Happy Thanksgiving to you all. Mother announces: ~Today is Thanksgiving Huntington, & you are considered part of this family. You'll be eating with us tonight Huntington!~ He replies: ~Yes Mam, thank you mam!~ I've never seen Huntington smile before, but he's smiling now!

The twelve of us all go to the Dining room & are seated as such: Mother & Father at each end. Rachael is seated on Mother's right & Huntington on her left. Kellyann is seated next to Rachael & JR next to Huntington. Lucy is seated next to Kellyanne & her George next to JR. Mary's Mother is seated next to Lucy & he Father is seated next to George. Mary is seated on my Father's left & I on his right! My Father says Grace over the Thanksgiving Feast. Amen. The table is set in a Formal matter & with a Feast fit for Royalty, everything anyone could imagine. My Mother always does it right!

We eat drink & be Thankful for the food, love of Family & all God has provided us! God is Truly Good! God Bless us all!

We're finished with dinner & all retire to the Drawing room for Drinks & conversation! Mother decides that it's time that we put some Christmas music on! Tomorrow she will be putting up a tree! She has a 21ft Douglas Fur being trucked in from Atlanta in the morning.

We're singing Christmas Carols, we've only 27 days till Christmas! It's 11:30pm. Rachael looks tired. She needs to rest, I help her upstairs to her room! She's in pain & I ask: ~Mom, is there anything I can do?~ She replies:

~No Harry, It'll pass! I just need to rest! Thank you Harry, for everything! I reply: ~Goodnight Mom, Sleep well!~

I go back downstairs & join the rest of the Family! It's 1:00am & we decide to end the night & retire to our rooms.

Mary's Water Breaks!

We say our Goodnights & go upstairs. While in the bathroom, Mary calls me in: ~Harry, it's time,my water broke!~ I reply ~Darling, it's too early!~ I'm quite anxious by now! She has a bag ready & I proceed to take her downstairs, only stopping to knock on Mother's door to let her know & Mary's parents, who's wanting to accompany us. They'll drive since their car is here! Mother's calling Dr Jameson to meet us at Memorial!

We make Madison County Hospital & its 2:15am. Professor Covington drops us off at the Emergency entrance & I grab a wheelchair & wheel Mary in. I'm going out of my mind & Mary is cool, calm & collective. We get her admitted & Dr Jameson arrives. He examines her & says: ~How are you doing young lady?~ Mary replies: ~I'm having a Baby!~ He turns to me & asks: ~Your the Father, Are you going to be in there with her~ I reply I can be there too?~ He replies ~Yes, of course, better hurry & get ready! She's almost fully dilated, it won't be long! He tells the nurse to have me wash my hands, get me a gown & mask. He has Mary get in a gown & lay on a gurney. The wheel her I to the delivery room & I follow. They transfer her to a Delivery table. The Dr asks: ~Want an epidural?~ She replies: No Doctor, I want this to be natural!~ The nurse says: ~She's fully dilated Doctor~ He replies: ~Good, I want you to breathe!~ I'm watching this as he reaches between her legs, gently grasp this little head coming out of my wife!

Friday November 29, 2019

Time of Birth: 4:11am

Harry Jr. 7 lbs 13oz

He's crying as he comes out. I always thought they had to swat the rear end. I'm evidently wrong! He hands him to the nurse who places him on my wife's belly as he cuts the umbilical cord & cleans the fluids out of his mouth & nose! They wrap him in a blanket & hand him to me, while they clean Mary up! He's perfect & healthy & his Mother his okay too. God is Good, thank you Lord!

They're done cleaning her up, I kiss her & say:

~I love you Mrs Newport, he's perfect. ~ She replies: ~'O my Harry, I love!~ They hand her the baby & she's as proud as she can be! She crying & says: Harry: ~His name is Harold Joseph Jr.!~ She named him after me!

They tell they're taking her to the room & will let me know when I & the Grandparents can come in! I go to the visiting room & give Mary's parents the news. They are ecstatic that they have a new Grandson. It's 5:30am & I call my Mother. I spoke to JR & told him he has a new baby Brother. Everyone is excited to hear the news & are making ready to come to the Hospital. It's 8:00am, my parents, JR & Kellyanne arrive to visit Marry! The Baby is in the Nursery for now & can be viewed through a window. George & Lucy will visit later when I come back to the Hospital! Rebecca is not feeling well & is resting in her room. Mother has hired a nurse to stay with us as long as Rachael needs her! It's 10:00am & I kiss my wife, tell her I love her & I need to go get a couple hours rest & check on Rachael! We'll ride home with my parents & I'll return this afternoon. We head home & Mary's parents will follow so she can get her rest. We get home, it's 10:50am. I go upstairs to check on Rachael & find she's in pain. I ring for the nurse & she explains that she just gave her a shot of Morphine & anymore would be dangerous! She get some cool towels so to bring her temperature under control. I ask: ~Mom, how are you doing?~ She replies: ~It'll pass son, thank you~ She told me to get the envelope out of the Nightstand next to the bed: ~Harry, that letter gives you my Power of Attorney to handle any & all my business if necessary! I'm leaving the house to John Ross! It's his Mother's Childhood home! Please see that it's taken care of?~ I reply: ~Mom, you're not going

anywhere!~ She replies: ~Sure Harry, please do as I ask?~ I reply: ~I will Mom!~ The Morphine's doing its job & she falls asleep! She's a good woman & when she's gone, JR's only link to Julia will be too! He loves his Grammy & she loves him! Cancer took Julia, her Father & now it's taking Rachael!

The Christmas tree’s Delivered

It's 11:35am & The delivery truck is here from Atlanta with the Christmas tree. Beautiful tree Mother has them bring it into the house & set it up in the Grand Foyer. She loves to go big! I'm going to lay down for a couple hours so I can get back to the Hospital! It's 2:30pm & I'm headed back to the Hospital, George & Lucy are accompanying me! Lucy's looking pretty tired & I hope she's okay! George is getting excited about having another child! It's 3:00pm & we arrive at the Hospital! We park, go inside & we pass Mary's parents on the way out! Laura says: ~The Baby is perfect Harry!~ Professor Covington adds: ~Yes he is, congratulations my boy! We're going back to the house. See you there!~ I reply: Thanks, I just want you to know, I'm really glad you could be here! Talk to you when we get back!~ We go up to Mary's room, she's breastfeeding the baby! George is immediately embarrassed so she covers he breast & he relaxes! Lucy say: ~How are you feeling Mary?~ She replies~ Alls well Lucy, the baby's healthy & is a perfect little guy! He looks like Harry~ She smiles & winks at me! I'm so happy they're both okay! Mary asks Lucy: ~How are you Lucy?~ She replies: ~Oh, I'm Ooooo, ahh, I'm doing, ohhhhh, George: I think it's time~ as she holds her belly... George replies: ~Time for what me luv? Oh, Oh naw, now?~ He runs out in the hall yelling for a nurse. Lucy calmly walks out & sits in a wheelchair. Mary says: ~Go with them Harry, until he settles down! I'll be fine, not going anywhere!~ I tell George to settle down, & I ask the nurse to call Dr Jameson! Lucy's water just broke & now George is frantic: ~Calm down George, everything is fine. That's supposed to happen! Weren't you there when she had Kellyanne?~ He replies: ~Me wasn't here Harry, Navy, on a

Ship!~ I reply: ~Okay old man, everything's good!~ He settling down, Doctor's here & he takes her into the exam room! Been fifteen minutes & the Doctor comes out & asks George: ~It's time Mr Richards, coming?~ I say: ~Go with the nurse George! She'll show you where to wash your hands!~ He replies: ~Fer what? I reply: ~So you can be in there with her!~ He replies: ~Me, in der, me can be wit me Lucy? Ohhh, Okay, Me be seein ya Harry!~ He looks awfully nervous, I sincerely hope he doesn't faint! I tell him to let me know when the baby comes. I go back to my wife's room, she's holding the baby! She hands the little guy to me. He's grabs my pinky finger. His grip is strong. Just like when JR was born! I'm holding a miracle in my arms, a new life. I'm worried about Rachael too, I don't think she's got long. She says she's ready, she wants to be with Julia & The Rev!.......

Friday, November 29, 2019

Time of Birth: 7:03pm

Anabel 6lbs 2 oz

It's 7:15pm & George comes into the room: ~Me little girl be born at 7:03pm. She be Beautiful Harry, but Me need a beer!~ I ask: ~What's her name George?~ He replies: ~Anabel Josephine Richards, after me Mum!~ I reply: ~That's a Beautiful name George, is she in the Nursery?~ He nods his head Yes, & we go to see the Annabelle! She's really quite a beautiful baby. George says: ~She got me mum's eyes~ I reply: ~She's Beautiful George, Congratulations old man!~ He replies: ~Well then, Me be thankful to God, & Harry, ifin ya not be mindin, Me & me Lucy be wantin fer ya & ya Mary to be da Godmuder & Fadder, dat is, ifin ya not be mindin?~ I reply: ~George, we will be honored!~ Next he takes me to see Lucy, she had a rough time of it. She went natural too, but was in labor four hours! She's doing well now! George says: ~Me neva see nuttin like it Harry! Dat der Doctor reach down der & he pull me little girl out! Harry, she be so little, when I be holdin her, be like a bird! Awhh Me be Lovin her Harry & me Lucy too!~ I reply: ~I know old man! You call Kellyanne yet & tell her she's got a new Baby sister?~ He replies: ~Nay, Me ferget Harry! Me do now!~ I tell him I'm going back to Mary's room, there's only twenty minutes of visiting time left. Both our wives need to get their rest. Mary & Harry Jr are scheduled to be released tomorrow. I'm back in Mary's room. The nurse just gave me a ten minute heads up! I say: ~Darling, you sure gave us a Beautiful baby. I love you with all my life!~ I kiss & hold her in my arms for a minute. It's 9:00pm straight up & the nurse reaffirms it by telling me, Visiting hours are over. I say thanks, kiss my wife & tell her I will be here at 8:00am to sign her & the baby out! I meet George out in the hall, head downstairs & to Father's car! We head back to the Mansion. It's 10:00pm & we arrive, followed by my sister Jamie & her husband Bill Langley. They drove in from Little Rock! We step out of the car & greet them. I introduce George & fill them in with the news. Been a busy last couple of days. Jamie asks: ~How is Mary & the baby?~ I reply: ~They're doing well & Jamie, Little Harry is absolutely perfect!~ She hugs me & kisses me on the cheek: ~I'm glad Harry, you two deserve all the happiness in the world!~ Then she turns to George & says: ~How are your wife & baby doing?~ He replies: ~Good, me be thankin ya fer askin~ We go I to the house & our parents are waiting for me. They didn't know that Jamie & Bill were coming in tonight? Mother sees Jamie, & is surprised: ~Jaime, I wasn't aware you were coming in tonight! She hugs & kisses her hello, hugs Bob, he's a man of few words! Jaime sees Father, & like a little girl, runs into his arms: ~Daddy, 'O I've missed you Daddy! How have you been?~ He replies: ~Quite well Jaime! I've missed you too! I wish we could see more of you!~ They hug & my sister is reluctant to release him. She's always been a "Daddy's Little Girl". Mother calls for Huntington: ~Huntington, please show my Daughter & Son in-law to their room?~ He replies ~Yes Mam! He takes their bags & shows them to the room! Mother says: ~Tomorrow's the first day of December Son! Everyone will be here, the girls will be home from the hospital & we're going to decorate the tree!~ I reply: ~Yes Mother, I'm bringing Mary & the Baby home tomorrow morning. Lucy & their little one should be getting the next day! Right George?~ George replies: ~Right, Sunday!~ Mother replies: ~Good then, this is so wonderful, I just love Christmas time! God has graced us once again with two new lives, what can be better than that?, Goodnight you two! We tell my mother Goodnight & she goes upstairs! My Father says: ~You both look like you can use a drink! I reply reply: ~Scotch please Father?~ George replies: ~Me too, please, Me be thankin ya fer it Sir!~ My Father says: ~Very well~ He pours us both a Scotch on the rocks. We toast each other, drink our drinks & say Goodnight! Its been a long couple of days but we're Blessed!

Continued

[bobshollyworld-blog]

Weekly Roundup #4

Happy Monday, everyone! I told myself that I wouldn't hunt as hard this week as I did the week previously, and wouldn't you know it... I failed. 😫 I failed hard. I failed so hard. I didn't mean to get carried away, but I saw one thing that I liked and then another that I could use for project A, and then I couldn't get this without also getting that. You know how it goes. This week's haul was massive. Thirty-six, count 'em, THIRTY-FUCKING-SIX figures in what is the largest bounty so far. ost of them were in multipacks, but that just means I got more bang for my buck. I also got a few things that aren't figures this week as well. That's rare for me, I know, but when yer crafting a tiny plastic world of imagination, you need to, you know, actually craft that world. That's enough of the jibber-jabber; let's check out the haul for Weekly Roundup #4:

First up, we have a single loose figure. He's some sort of knight, judging from his armour, and I'm going to use him as a background piece. He's cool looking. No articulation other than his axe that goes up and down in his hands, but since he won't be the focus of any scenery, he's not hindered by his limitations. This is a Schleich figure, and is probably the only one I've ever owned.

What year is it? 2018? Then why do I keep buying twenty year old toys? Because they're my heart and soul, that's why. I actually already own a Black Cat, loose out of the package, which I bought eight or so years ago. She came in her packaging, so I have all her accessories and everything. I didn't buy these off of eBay for Black Cat. No, I bought this lot simply for the Jessica Drew Spider-Woman. I have this same figure, but the dark blue and white Julia Carpenter version. I don't know if I've mentioned it previously, but I'm not a fan of Spider-Man AT ALL, but I own more of his action figures than any other character. That collection includes his allies and villains, of which this is my second Jessica Drew figure, with the other being an older Marvel Legends figure. I'll likely resell the Black Cats just to free up space.

I'm not super pressed on these WWE zombies, but I told myself that I would buy all of the third wave so I can make an awesome Halloween diorama. I would've waited until closer to that holiday to scoop them up, because Five Below has a healthy stock of them, but as you can tell from the photo these were on clearance at Target. Sure, I only saved a wee bit over a dollar for each figure, but that's three plus dollars that can go towards something more important. I'm only missing one of the set of six and that's the 'Phenomenal One'. I'll own him soon enough and I'll get started on that diorama.

Here's that bit of random that I have to get every week. I saw these little toilets in Five Below one day when I was with my kids, but they were five bucks a piece, and the way my wallet is set up... Let's just say that they stayed where I saw them. Then I saw more at a different store, and they were cheaper, but I couldn't justify the price still. When I saw them in Target on clearance, I grabbed two. I don't know if that's enough. I bought them simply to set up some bathroom scenery. Their for 5"/6" figures, so my new favourite childeen won't get to experience them, but you can't have yer cake and eat it too. The Ready Player One figures were bought at FYE, for dumb cheap. For those not familiar with the slang, in this case "dumb cheap" translates to just over two bucks for them. I had been eyeing them in Target for a few weeks, because they're 1:18 scale and they're not what most people collect, but they were too much at Target, even after they hit clearance. I'm glad I saw them when and where I did. I scooped them right up.

I was trying to post these photos from least excited about to most excited about, and to a certain extent I've succeeded at that, but I'm actually very excited about this lot. They were all bought at Collectors Corner, as was most of the remaining items. I bought both the Mace and Lando as potential fodder for modifications to the Rage I bought a few weeks ago. Sadly, I couldn't get Lando's head off, and Mace's didn't fit onto Rage's body, so I still at the drawing board with Rage. They're cool figures. The Lando is probably my second or third favourite figure that I bought this week. He's damn cool. Lieutenant Yar was just a random purchase. I have some ideas for her, but we'll see.

So here's the thing: you can't collect 3.75" figures without at least getting a whiff of G.I. Joe. That brand is inarguably the one that made the 1:18 scale line what it is. With that being said, Joes are dumb expensive. Like, really bloody expensive. And they're hard to find in the wild. That's why lines like Lanard's The Corps, which has been riding the wave of Hasbro's Joes almost since the beginning, is an excellent fill-in. The two three-packs of figures weren't even twelve bucks. I'm not sure right now, but I don't even think they were ten bucks total. That's insane. Then there's the US Army figures. I didn't even care too much about them, but I wanted their accessories and setting. They'll blend in perfectly with the other soldiers.

We're getting down to the nitty gritty here. Fun fact: I've never typed the phrase 'nitty gritty' in my phone prior to the previous sentence, but auto correct knew that that was what I was going for after only typing in the first word. I digress. If you've been paying attention to the way I do the photos, I typically keep DC figures with their brand, and I do the same for Marvel. This week I've got a healthy amount of each, and I wasn't entirely sure which brand deserved to go on last. Ultimately, I went with Marvel because of volume. Simple as that. Now that that's out of the way, I would like to add that these DC offerings are fine figures. The Hawkman is fantastic. As the same with all the DC figures I've bought, I notice that they lack the same size and articulation as Marvel, but that doesn't stop them from being good toys. Hawkman looks cool in animated form. I honestly can't imagine him being in a more realistic sculpt. By the way, everything in this photo is from Collectors Corner. The last time I was there, there were three of the Green Lantern film two-packs, but this time there were only the two. I honestly only went back to pick up all three. The other characters were Kilowag and Ranakar. I'm disappointed that I missed out on him, but I'll get him eventually, along with some other Lantern Corps members.

Another thing Collectors Corner had an abundance of the first time I went was 3.75" Thor-related characters. Last time I picked up a bunch, but they also had multiple actually Thors that I didn't pick up because I didn't really like the look of Chris Hemsworth. They didn't have any this time, although I had decided to buy them if they had. While I was searching high and low for Kilowag, I came across most of what you see in this photo buried at the bottom of the bin they were in. The Spider-Men are meh, but the Lokis are amazing, and the Daredevil is the best figure I got this week. He actually was on a peg, so he was easier to find. The Spider-Man Homecoming two-pack was found at TJ Maxx, and what a find it was. There were three of them, and I was contemplating getting at least one more but decided against it. I haven't seen that film, but the suit Spidey is rocking is fucking sexy. Vulture is Vulture, and he's cool, too, but I was more impressed with the Spider-Man. It's crazy; although I don't care about Spider-Man, he's still managed to be the most numerous figure in my quickly growth 1:18 scale universe.

Well, there you have it folks. Another week, a other crazy, THRIFTY haul. I'm proud of myself, and I mean it this time when I say next week I'm going to take it easy on the figures. I'll be super busy with work so I won't have any time for figure hunting. 😉. Have a good week, y'all.

-Bob Hollywood, 6 August, 2018

[melonlordheroes]

The Dadlords: Sun, Sand, Sunk (PART 1)

-With the victory of Lyon in the voting gauntlet, Tiki's recent promotion to 5-Star, and all the chaos inherent in the BHBs currently taking place along with the Summoner's birthday happening the previous day... the Askran forces have earned a break. What better way than with a trip to the beach? While Mystery temporarily controls the grill (and occasionally threatens Arvis with the tongs to keep him away) the dadlords have scattered about to enjoy the weather. Hector is currently lecturing Lilina on the importance of sunscreen while she eyes Roy and Eliwood nearby attempting to lure a crab back into the ocean. Julius is plotting to try and dunk Julia underwater until a volleyball bashes him in the back of the head, courtesy Lucina and Seliph's extremely heated match being played with Fir and Siegbert. Finn is staring out over the sea, wishing Leif, Lachesis and Nanna were home with him and feeling a pang of sorrow at their absence. Bartre and Sigurd are watching the group, serving as makeshift lifeguards.-

Sigurd: It's rather nice to spend time with our families like this, isn't it?

Bartre: Heh, it is. ...Bet Barst woulda' loved to come too. Shame Genny came down with that cold.

Sigurd: Perhaps we'll have to all come back later in the summer?

Bartre: Now THAT'S the kind of thinkin' I respect! Good idea, Sig--

-Bartre is cut off by a sudden howl from further down the beach and both men stop to look at the source. Chrom is standing knee-deep in the water, looking pleased with himself, and in his arms wrapped up into the form of the ANGRIEST Nohrian burrito is Leo desperately trying to hide from the sun.-

Leo: CHROM, PUT ME BACK ON THE BEACH THIS INSTANT!

Chrom: Oh, Leo, it's not THAT bad. Look, you're not even touching the water!

Leo: (hissing) Historically speaking, princes of Nohr and the ocean have failed to get along since time immemorial! I REFUSE to go into that, that glorified corrosive bathtub!

Chrom: (soft laugh) Come on, try it. I won't let you drown!

Leo: It's not drowning-- I'm not the one who can't swim! I just don't LIKE to!

Chrom: Not-- wait. The one who can't swim? Then... can Xander not swim?

Leo: No, he can't. (wiggle) Now put me down. I'll go help Mystery cook or something.

-Seemingly too stunned to argue, Chrom steps back onto the sandbar and puts Leo down. As Leo immediately flees to the safety of Mystery's side, Chrom approaches Bartre and Sigurd with a determined look. Arvis also steps over to join them, having tired of dealing with Mystery.-

Chrom: Did you two hear that, by chance?

Sigurd: (frown) Indeed we did. Xander can't swim?

Bartre: Oh, that's just a tragedy... what'll he do if he ever has to travel by boat?! Gods, if he gets thrown overboard...

Chrom: As Xander's fathers, we must teach him. For his own safety!

Arvis: Bah, so he can't swim. What's the big deal? Nohr's probably landlocked--

Sigurd: Are you saying that because you yourself cannot swim, Arvis?

Arvis: ...

Sigurd: (little bit smug) Aha. Got you.

Arvis: Dastard.

Sigurd: (waves a hand) Very well! Chrom, fetch Marquess Ostia and Lord Eliwood and let them know we'll be occupied. Bartre, you'll be our leader for this mission.

Bartre: Right! Heh, leave it to me. Our boy'll be faster n' a ship in the waves when I'm through!

Sigurd: And I'll help teach Arvis to the best of my ability.

Arvis: That is absolutely not necessary.

Sigurd: Do you want to explain to Julia and Julius why you can't come in the water with them?

Arvis: ...Damn it. Fine. You're on.