#All Creatures Great and Small dvd

[spryfilm]

DVD review: “All Creatures Great and Small” (1978-1990)

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#All Creatures Great and Small #All Creatures Great and Small dvd #All Creatures Great and Small dvd review #Carol Drinkwater #Christopher Timothy #dvd review #James Herriot #John McGlynn #Lynda Bellingham #Margaretta Scott #Mary Hignett #Peter Davison #Robert Hardy #television

[movies-tv-more]

TV Show & Movie Collections for March 12, 2024

#home video #physical media #all the answers #all creatures great and small #akiba maid war #aquaman #colt 45 #curious caterer #ghosts #ghosts uk #great pretender #i don't like my brother at all #the legendary hero is dead #looney tunes #one piece #rick and morty #the shining 1997 #the shining #sonic prime #dvd #bluray #cover art #march 12

[servants-hall]

All Creatures Great and Small: Samuel West on his Yorkshire heritage, meeting his fellow cast members and finding Siegfried

All Creatures Great and Small actor Samuel West talks to Stephanie Smith about his Yorkshire heritage, first meeting his fellow cast members – and finding Siegfried Farnon.

paywalled article - full article copied below

If there is a magic formula for making a hit TV drama series in the 21st century, All Creatures Great and Small has bottled and then gift-wrapped it. Values are key and, says Samuel West, the upcoming Christmas Special spreads a much-needed message of decency and kindness.

“It’s about people coming together in difficulty, to support each other, at a time when so many terrible things are happening in the world,” he says. “It’s got absent friends, people who are missing, people who won’t ever come back, just like life.”

Samuel plays Siegfried Farnon, the Yorkshire Dales vet with a short fuse and a huge heart. It is a role that he has more than made his own, even for those who remember Robert Hardy in the original BBC series that ran from 1978 to 1990.

Samuel West and Peter Wright in All Creatures Great and Small Meets The Yorkshire Vet. Photo: Channel 5

The “new” Channel 5 adaptation launched amid a pandemic-crippled UK back in September 2020, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the publication of If Only They Could Talk, the first of the James Herriot bestsellers penned by Thirsk vet James Alfred “Alf” Wight. There have now been four TV series made (and we are talking to mark the release of a DVD box set of them).

All Creatures has been a great success for Channel 5, with viewing figures for the fourth season peaking at 3.7million. Samuel saw the show’s potential from the off. “I was already thinking about Channel 5 as a good place, because they had given up Big Brother and so they had to fill about 250 hours a year of schedule, and they started filling it with drama, which was delightful.”

When approached to play Siegfried, he was already a respected actor, with a rich and varied career mingling theatre, TV and film, radio and voiceover work. Nominated in 1993 for a BAFTA for Howards End, his film credits also include Jane Eyre, Van Helsing and Notting Hill, while his TV work includes the BBC’s Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell (filmed in York in 2015), Waking the Dead, Any Human Heart, Slow Horses, The Crown, Small Axe and four series of Mr Selfridge. He was artistic director of Sheffield Theatres from 2005 to 2007.

He learned that Golden Globe and BAFTA award-winning production company Playground was making the new All Creatures. “I had just finished watching Playground’s Wolf Hall, which I had adored, and that period stuff is hard to get right, and expensive to do well,” he says.

The treatment he was sent included a back story about Siegfried, written by lead writer, Ben Vanstone. “It was beautiful,” says Samuel. “Almost sort of Chekhovian in its detail and the cables that ran through the man. They had set a lot of things in this past that had made him layered, and I realised, just from thinking about the man, and looking at the books and remembering Robert Hardy’s performance in the 1970s, that he was going to need a lot of playing. It was going to need vocal and physical size. But I thought, if I am on the right track and I know where I am coming from, I think I’m quite good casting.”

He met Nicholas Ralph (James Herriot), Rachel Shenton (Helen) and Callum Woodhouse (Tristan) on the train from Leeds to Skipton for a couple of days’ rehearsal. Samuel says: “At the end of the journey, I thought, what lovely people, and at the end of the rehearsal, I thought, this ensemble really works, and then they cast Anna Madeley and she was the icing on the cake that was already rising.”

Siegfried is often spotted reading The Yorkshire Post. “Quite right, too,” says Samuel. “ I also love the paper. I think your editorials are sometimes some of the most sensible things I read all week.”

In this series, Siegfried is a widower, a detail not in the Herriot novels but echoing the life of the real man who inspired the character, Donald Sinclair, whose first wife, Evelyn, died of tuberculosis. He was married to his second wife for 53 years. She was called Audrey, which just happens to be the lesser heard name of Anna Madeley’s character, Mrs Hall.

Samuel discovered more about Donald Sinclair when he teamed up with real-life vet Peter Wright while making the programme All Creatures Great and Small Meets The Yorkshire Vet, which airs on Channel 5 just before the All Creatures Christmas Special on December 21. He also visited The World of James Herriot with Alf Wight’s children, Jim Wight and Rosie Page, and has incorporated into Siegfried’s portrayal some of the details they passed on. “My father says, do as much research as you can because, even if only 10 per cent is useful, the more you do, the bigger the 10 per cent is. Except he says I say that.”

Samuel’s father, actor Timothy West, is Bradford-born. Family legend has it that Timothy’s father (actor Lockwood West, known as Harry) was on tour there at the time. “It's not true,” says Samuel. What actually happened was, in pre-NHS days, he and his wife, Olive, also an actor, had been told of an inexpensive maternity home up in Yorkshire. Samuel says: “They were playing in Eastbourne at the time. She went by train to Bradford, had the baby, and Harry continued to do eight shows a week.”

Samuel - who has two daughters, aged nine and six, with his partner, the playwright Laura Wade - plans to save the All Creatures Christmas special to watch with his father and mother, fellow actor Prunella Scales. “My father, in particular, is quite cross that he’s not in it, but he can’t be in everything,” he says. “And we would have to be related - we look increasingly like each other.”

The All Creatures Great and Christmas 2023 episode will be broadcast on December 21, at 9pm in the UK on Channel 5 and My5.

#all creatures great and small #acgas 2020 #acgas spoilers #acgas interviews #acgas s4 #samuel west #siegfried farnon

[eating-the-inedible]

Here is a list of the inedibles that will be in this bracket

Lava

Orbeez

Orange Joe (fictional "beverage" that's a combination of orange juice and coffee)

Doll shoes

Dirt

Pen caps

Mercury

Watermelon tourmaline

Comet/scouring powder

Moss

Paper towels

Play-Doh

Drywall

Marbles

CD

DVD

Dice

Kinetic Sand

Coins 

Fiberglass insulation

3DS Stylus

Plastic Bottle Cap

Chapstick

Babybell Cheese Wax

Paper

Bouncy ball

Human meat

Venus (planet)

Cascade dishwasher pods

Acrylic Paint

Magnets

Molten glass

Pens

Sea glass

Silica gel packet

Leaves

Cocoa butter lotion

Antifreeze

Pencil Toppers, the lil eraser things

Sand

Tumbled amethyst

Rubber Ducks

The rubber balls from the game Cranium Cariboo

Polly pocket clothes

Poison Dart Frog

Snow

0.1 uF Film Capacitor

The sun

Metal

Eraser

Tide pods

Phone charger wire

Those free wooden pencils you get at ikea (just the wood shell not the lead)

Liquid nitrogen

Aquarium gravel

the weird science juice in the beakers in those stock images

Origami star

Styrofoam cup

Sticky note

Collar of shirt

This submission form

Plastic straws

Glow sticks

Oil paintings

Candle wax

Glass

Nickel sulfate solution/Nickel plating solution

Silicone wristbands

Seatbelt

The wax paper under your Poutine

Forearm (doesn't have to be one's own)

Asbestos

Candy wrapper

“Okay so technically this is edible but I’ve had urges to just take a huge bite out of certain sea creatures before. Like just a chunk from an orca or dolphin or great white or seal, etc.”

“Those stupid wooden spoons”

Furbies

Scotch tape

Artificial grapes (the wax/plastic ones for display)

phone

THE FLESH OF MY ENEMIES

Crystals

Fire

The goo inside  Stretch Armstrong

Headphone wire

Raw steak

Art

Small colorful rubber bands 

Tinfoil

Pencil lead

Cattails (the plant)

Foamy soap

Liquid soap

Bar soap

Flourite

Shiny rocks

Grass

A hunk of random fish swimming by

A live goldfish

Toothpaste

Styrofoam

Price Tag Fasteners

The moon

Pool noodles

Smol frog

Destroying angel mushroom

the smoke coming out of the grain refineries two Mike's out of Gary, Indiana, Usa

Popsicle sticks

Cardboard

My hat

The tiny rocks in school playgrounds

Gasoline

Blue laundry detergent

Spray foam insulation

Battery corrosion

Fiber optic cables

Packing peanuts

Your mother

Pond water

Dry ice

Alkali metals

Chocolate shampoo

Ping pong ball

Bricks, like the stuff you'd build with. Minecraft bricks even, if you want

Hoodie drawstrings

Horse treats

Chalk

Copper (II) Sulphate Water / Blue Science Rock + Blue Science Juice

Ink

Floam

Fabric Paint

Oil paint

that one art piece of the banana taped to the wall

the hotdog somebody encased in resin

“the thin lego plates not the base plates but like the lego piece thats like 2x8 and they kinda look like hershey chocolate bar pieces”

One of those little hamsters

Model magic

Battery Acid (the drink)

manchineel apple

Rubber band ball

The lava lamp liquid

Blood

Rosin

Wax apples

That cake decoration that came with your slice and you're like 90% sure it's not edible... but what if ?

Soap bubble

Lush cosmetics' products

Plushies

Strawberry Shortcake's dolls with scented hair

Wood

Glue

Salt lamp

People who think children are not worth their consideration

Tarmac

Shampoo

Pennies

Poisonous berries

Chunky soft yarn

Crayons 

Rock

“whatever the Chuck E Cheese Ticket Muncher Machine is eating (it's not the tickets) (or the sound itself but that's neither a solid nor a liquid so this is just kind of holding hands with the hypothetical ticket muncher food)”

Snow globe liquid

Chisel tip whiteboard marker

Raw dough

Raw fuckin cactus. alive

Grape agate

Car seat

Succulents

Keys

Lock pick

Scrub daddy

Molten sugar 

Allergens

Lightning bolts

“Bark dust. Like the dirt/bark dust that's under the bark chips on a playground. Not the chips themselves. The dust.”

Clear deodorant

Apple earbud wires

Eggshells

Squinkies

Hello kitty sweatshirt zipper

Preshredded mozzarella cheese

Scrap metal

Rose

All of the rocks at a crystal shop

Origami polyhedron model

Bubbles mixture

Cupcake liners

Hair gel

Curtain rods

Incense sticks

Incense cones

Metal thing that attaches eraser to pencil

Windshield wiper fluid

Plastic pencil grips

Wooden ice cream spoon

Book

Tree

The liquid in levels

Vanilla extract

Aroace flag

Coil incense

California state testing “next question” button

Spackle

Forbidden coal iron french fries

Garage doors that look like chocolate bars

Plastic takeout box

Velvet

Weird anime girl hair

Freezable gel ice pack

Clouds

Necklace chains

Nail polish

Pencil Shavings

Pool floats

Bao Dumpling

Spray deodorant

0.1 uF Ceramic Capacitor

Vanillish (Pokémon)

Fondant

Really fancy pillars

Computers

Favorite song

Tumblr

“THE LITTLE ORBS IN THE MOUSE (aka trackballs)”

“Any cutesy anime character like Chopper or Pikachu”

Wooden fan blades

Balsa wood sticks

Those blankets that look like tortillas

Microwave

Milk and golden honey softsoap

Batteries

1x2 lego pieces

Light bulbs

Slightly melted lounge chair

Cork (the material)

Pineapple coke

Fingernails 

Sparkly lipgloss

Race Car Tire Marble

Gold trophies

Konjac sponge

Shirt

Mandy the Slayer / Orange Spyderco Dragonfly Knife

Malachite

Heater

Glasses Temples

Typewriter keys

EVA foam

Airplane

Sword

Crumbs in the couch

Children

My wife's arm/shoulder

Records

Yellow ACE bandages

Neon Signs

Scented candles

#Im pretty sure i included everything that was submitted #eating the inedible #not a poll #sorry this is a bit chunky #masterlist of inedibles

[lunaremy]

BOMBERMECHANICS 102

Because we all wanted a second one! (wheres the first 100?)

Starting off: EATING!! How do they Eat!

It would take so long to explain like all the headcanons and stuff that would lead to them consuming food but to make a long story short: Humans eat food, yes? So, why not model these robots to eat food as well? For the most part, they use the DVD method i mentioned in some other post. The screen briefly slides open to allow food, food goes in, screen closes...it's seamless and technologically advanced. To make the act of eating food enjoyable, the Bomberman Bros (and other mechanical lifeforms) all have taste receptors that are slightly randomized (the younger bros were inclined to avoid vegetables the way a child human would but Aqua is fine with them), and to be more specific, the parts that locate taste are somewhere in the throat area of a human, to compare it to their terms. Besides tasting good, it also gives a small boost of energy. It should be noted that they don't strictly need human food to live (White says you should eat for energy, but I've only seen him eat when he's relaxing), but not eating regularly is designed to make you feel really uncomfortable in order to encourage that they do eat food.

...Also, there's a similar philosophy for power ups found in battle. Those little plates with icons on them can usually be taken directly though the hands, as they're nothing more than collections of data. The name of the game is endurance! If someone like Green were to try and, i dunno, make eight bombs with max fire, it would likely exhaust him instantly. Those data chips stop you from nuking yourself when you try to do a little extra in combat. Same for skulls- like a computer virus! Also, they seem to taste absolutely horrible.

SO IF THE BOMBERMAN ARE DESIGNED TO SAVE THE UNIVERSE, WHY DIDN'T THEIR MAKERS MAKE THEM ALL-POWERFUL?

Humans are social creatures. It's only natural that the intelligent folks who designed the prototypes for the eight would want them to experience the ups and downs of being truly alive. It's why they have simulated tear ducts, why they have to eat or else they get uncomfortable, why they're all a family. The things that get in the way during combat facilitate the reason we fight in the first place. The humanity instilled into White keeps him going, no matter how hard it gets.

(Go piss, girl!)

SPARE PARTS, PLEASE?

Getting damaged is to be expected when everyone uses such an explosive tactic. Be it an arm or a leg, it's usually repairable.

To start, the internal systems usually get temporarily shut off. There's actually like 2 or 3 spare sets of limbs, and a couple of vital parts for all the bombers somewhere in HQ, but any damage is usually recovered, so it's as simple as welding the missing part back into place or running some bug fixes. (Also, you should probably find a way to turn off pain receptors. I know they're there to keep the humanity rule in check, but a tiny part got loose in White's head once and it hurt like a BITCH)

It's usually White who monitors the physical health of his siblings, but Blue often has to step in and help with more technological aspects. Actually, Blue often teaches White that there's more to their abiltiies that meets the eye.

RESPAWNING!!

Hurts like a bitch before your body comes back because the pain of getting blown up takes a while to go away, but you get used to it. You don't get rebuilt- you just get rejuvenated. Kinda like a quick system refresh. Feels great. Lets you spring back into action. Also, the "STAGE CLEAR" areas in a level have the same effect.

AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE FORGOT!

Some of the siblings have a tendency to stutter over their words in emotionally taxing situations. That's actually just the voice chip getting a little weird due to all the processes running at once. Yknow how your laptop screen goes black and gets laggy when you have too many apps open at the same time?

Thanks to their synthetic skin, the siblings are all more or less immune to accumulating rust. White's not a big fan of water, but he trucks through it for the sake of whoever needs him.

Sorry, but that's it for tonight. Kinda sleepy again.

#bomberman #super bomberman r #remyrambling

[thanatasia]

Great Con-Junction 2022

This past weekend was very busy but a lot of fun!

It was so nice to be able to be in the same room as so many people who made TDC:AoR and the original TDC film. So much so that it was a bit overwhelming lol

I believe my rambling became the star of the show when talking to fellow artists and people involved with the film and series. My best friend @yellowtribalwolf and I were lucky to get tickets to the lot party and tour. I'll share this gem because I've got this song stuck in my head. Maybe I'll share some more photos. Maybe stuff from the Henson Lot and Creature Shop

I was so lucky enough to meet @sifanjewel and I was so so much fun talking with you and going to different panels and the workshop! I still can't believe we got to hang out out there lol

One of those panels was a quiz where whoever got the last question right would win a Stone-in-the-wood prop- my head heard a question related to the Trial by Stone Podcast where they spoke with one of the writers who spoke of a scraped scene where there was going to be a fight on Rek'yr's Sandskimmer with SkekMal. This scene was replaced with Seladon's Gothic transformation. In my head I heard, flight and Seladon and- got the question wrong. The funny thing is they gave me a second chance, I got tongue tied and almost said; Flight of Passage 🤣 I was close to owning a prop but it's a funny story I'll get a kick out of lol

I got to meet Beccy Henderson! She said my Elf/Gelfling outfit was lovely. She also recognized my artwork because I gave her a Stonegrot sticker. I felt so happy! I will die happy getting complimented by her. I even got an autograph from her...but my dad who also went along but explored on his own lost my autograph before my friend and I got to the Henson Lot party

Gelfling are TINY! I always knew they were small but they are literally the height of a young child lol

I couldn't take pictures but while at the Creature Shop I saw the SkekTek prototype puppet used for the initial idea of puppet Skeksis and CGI Gelflings. There was also a Podling head sculpt that was nicknamed, Stoned, I thought that was hilarious.

Continuing from the Creature Shop tour I saw a prop used for the deleted scene of the Emperor's Funeral in the original film, as well as Crawlies. I think everyone who watched the TDC documentary that's included in the bonus features of the DVD knows the Crawlies were basically wind-up toys; I couldn't tell what they were beforehand but they were very flakey and delicate

My friend and I got to puppeteer an animal tail. It was both weird but mesmerizing seeing it move to how you moved the handles

I got my artwork reviewed by TOBY FROUD?!?! I wish I had original art but 1) I haven't completed any 2) most of whatever original art I make is depressing. Regardless, he said my art was, "very lovely" and that I should consider storyboarding

I wanna make another post regarding the drawing workshop with the amazing artist, Cory Godbey. That Mystic I drew came out pretty good...profile views are all we'll see from me. Hearing his input about his experience in art and getting work was very informative. He has a nice calming voice which made the workshop relaxing. My only criticism of the workshop is that it was a paid activity but the event organizers didn't provide paper and pencils. Excluding that it was a great class!

Lisa Maxwell had a fun time talking to my best friend and I because we share the same name but there's one letter in our names that are spelled different. She called us, Clever Girls and I will die happy being complimented by her

A buddy of mine couldn't attend so while passing her art to Stephen Garlick (Jen), Lisa Maxwell (Kira) and Victor Yerrid (Hup), I had some sweet conversations. I even got a picture with Stephen Garlick. Victor Yerrid said my online name was really cool. Again, I will die happy getting complimented for my interesting art name.

I got to meet @feusus , @candythemew and another artist named R0b0crazylady (IG, please correct me if she does have a Tumblr) at their art tables. It's still surreal I got to have conversations with you all. Albeit I was rambling way too much (or maybe I'm too hard on myself) I hope you all had made a great profit. Tbh I think I was more excited matching faces to online profile pictures. You all are very sweet people and I'm so happy to have met you

TDC museum they installed was lovely! SkekSil and SkekOk were there in all their Skeksis glory. Which surprised me- mostly SkekSil I did not expect to see him. If we include the lot party I met my sister's favorite Skeksis, SkekEkt.

At the end I had gotten a picture with Lisa and Cheryl Henson. Mostly for my mom's sake because she would've figurativly killed me if I didn't. I also wanted to, I mean now I can say I got to meet the daughters of Jim Henson who helped keep TDC alive and helped get AoR running

The ending ceremony was an experience. Reciting the Gelfling prophecy was a fantastic end to a great TDC convention. I truly hope there is something again in celebration for AoR

I could probably write more but I'm drawing a blank, and maybe I'm rambling lol

Idk if Thames Con has a Tumblr but thank you for setting this event up. Thank you Trial by Stone Podcast for the coverage and amazing episodes to your Podcast, I was too shy to say hello lol

My only regret is not mingling/networking during the Henson Lot party. I had gotten about 3 hrs of sleep the night prior because I was excited like a child on Christmas Eve. So by 8pm I was getting sleepy lol

#thanatasia #great con junction 2022 #dark crystal #i didn't ask many questions to the puppeteers/actors lol #I'm not the kindest person to myself and think I make a fool of myself in front of people I admire so a lot of that is on me #but that doesn't take away from the fact that I did have an amazing time #dark crystal age of resistance #for anyone on IG get ready for my monster description in tomorrow's post lol

[below-average-fangirl]

There are all these streaming platforms with the newest of new shows, and yet the only things I have heavily invested in are old school terrestrial television programming like Ghosts and All Creatures Great and Small.

The only exception was Ted Lasso, but I hate that I can't just buy series one on DVD to watch as many times as I want. I resent endlessly renting , because that's ultimately what a subscription is, being the only option. At least Ghost and All Creatures have had DVD releases.

#streaming platforms just make feel tired #like i'm not looking through all that #and i'm sure that a lot of streaming shows ate great and that I would love but can we just go back to studios licensing thete stuff to tv #i resent the admin of streaming

[sigmastolen]

on the phone with comrade d today, she wondered if they were going to make any more jurassic park movies (she wants to get a dvd box set with all the films, but not yet if they're going to make more). and i replied that my idealistic side would say 'no' because they've done the big reunite-the-cast film and come to a story conclusion, but my much louder, cynical side says 'of course they will because they can make more money from it, especially from merchandising' and that endless milking of cash cows for diminishing artistic returns is part of my current detachment and disillusionment with today's media landscape (in which the only things i am "keeping up with" are jeopardy!, the pbs airings of all creatures great and small, my favorite canadian sheep farmer youtuber, and a handful of npr podcasts).

and my thoughts keep coming back to that, and i can't tell if i've disengaged from all these things i used to really enjoy (or at least be very invested in) because i'm busier than i used to be (or in a different way than i used to be), or because of depression/depression-adjacent patterns, or my attention has always been this fleeting, or if things are actually worse. realistically, it's probably a combination of things, but am i using media crit sound bytes to excuse/cover for personal problems? or is it just that i've read too much criticism and become a snob? (lbr i was always a snob tho; there's even a tag) idk i sometimes feel like i no longer know how to act when someone is really enthusiastic about something i used to and no longer like. this happens very frequently with hp because i work at the library, but also because it was such a foundational text for my generation -- so many of my age-and-social-class peers are deeply devoted potter fans, still, even with how much joanne has shown her ass (and even before that, i was the one saying, no, i'm not interested in pottermore or anything else she has to add, my way of doing fandom is ~*~different~*~) -- but it also happens when i have to say i stopped watching got well before it ended, or that i have no interest in rings of power, or that no, i haven't watched the most recent [x] installments of [y] franchise (this also happens with things i still legitimately like). and feeling nothing in the face of someone else's enthusiasm, enthusiasm i would once have shared, is so uncomfortable. it makes me wonder what's wrong with me, why i can't just enjoy things any more, why i have to bring myself down like this, am i broken?

well? am i?

#leaving tv shows or movie franchises unfinished is my new hobby -- #incl. teen wolf leverage star trek star wars jurassic park mcu dctv svu project runway #actually literally every television show i used to follow; i haven't Watched Television since like 2018 #i haven't even managed to finish rewatching some shows for literal years-- #i drifted off in the middle of buffy angel torchwood ctm ent leverage and now tcw #:///////////// #vanitas vanitatum et omnia vanitas #fandom is serious business #thinky thoughts

[kaleuh]

the reason we have family photos

this is the first time anything like this has ever happened to us. my family has always been in very good health, save for a few heart issues here and there. i expected there to be more crying. there was crying, but it was mostly...talking. half the time it wasn't even about him. we talked about recipes, pets, law degrees, All Creatures Great and Small, J.R.R. Tolkien's devout Christianity, the aunt we don't talk about, James Michener, Holden Caulfield, animal hoarding, slicing a cupcake in half and spreading the icing in the middle like a sandwich, how grandma keeps every flavor of tea that everyone likes in the house, and Don Quijote.

"i wanna sweep the garage"

"why?"

"it just feels like the thing to do"

and i watched her bravely get on both feet, and scuffle over to the garage. my poor grandmother. everyone followed her (as it felt like the thing to do) and my uncle took the lead, taking the broom and starting to sweep. then my grandma got indignant over having her own task taken from her, so she took the broom from him and started to sweep. then she got a phone call, so my cousin took the broom from her and started to sweep. then my cousin wanted to go and make tea for everyone, so she handed me the broom and i started to sweep, because when someone dies, you don't ask questions and you just sweep the garage.

then, it started to feel like a weird holiday. like thanksgiving, or someone's birthday, but warped. we started to take out the photo albums. all by him. every single event recorded in this family had been created and put in an album by him. From the 1970's to now. It was rare to see him standing in front of his camera, and you'd have to convince him to position himself in a family photo. i always thought it was maybe because he didn't like pictures of himself, but grandma says he just liked taking pictures of everyone else more. he took 30 years to propose to his wife. he had a stack of samurai jack dvds in his apartment. he also wrote, like me.

last week when my grandma turned 90, we had a party unlike anything we've ever had, and we each took turns telling stories - he did too. He ordered an Old Fashioned, and had a great time with every single family member. Everyone. Then a few days later, he went to church and was blessed by the very deacon who'd married him. Then, a few days later, he died.

The strangest and most beautiful thing of all was the package my grandma had gotten in the mail. He'd signed her up to receive a monthly book of Catholic Blessings. She took this as him sending a sign, that everything was all okay; that he was where he was meant to be, in the thereafter of everything.

I think if I ordered an Old Fashioned, had a big party with all my loved ones, got blessed, and then went home to the mountains with my wife, i would let everyone know that everything was okay too.

#Kayla's personal life #uncle gerald

[humbug83]

Best of 2022

Favourite movies

West Side Story (I didn't watch it until it was on DVD)

Sing 2

I enjoyed Ticket to Paradise starring Julia Roberts and George Clooney

I also liked Lost City, DC League of Superpets and Matilda the Musical at the cinema

Favourite music

Louis' album Faith In The Future, especially Written All Over Your Face

Harry Styles - As It Was, and most of his album.

Lizzo - About Damn Time and 2 Be Loved (Am I Ready)

Camila Cabello - Bam Bam

Sam Ryder - Space Man

David Guetta/Becky Hill/Ella Henderson - Crazy What Love Can Do

David Guetta/Bebe Rexha - I'm Good (Blue)

Sam Smith - Unholy

Made You Look - Meghan Trainor

Favourite TV shows

I'm a Celeb - it was good to have it back in the jungle this year.

Neighbours finale

BGT - I really wanted Jamie and Chuck to win

Platinum Party at The Palace

All Creatures Great and Small

Saturday Night Takeaway

Limitless Win

Paul McCartney's Glastonbury set

I've been enjoying Riptide this week

Favourite books

Confessions of a Forty Something F**k Up by Alexandra Potter - felt like I could relate to it a lot!

The Family Holiday by Elizabeth Noble

Highlights of the year

The Lionesses winning the Euros, especially because my niece and nephew were at Wembley watching it.

Jason Manford's 'Like Me' tour show at my local theatre

#best of 2022 #best of #2022

[merryfortune]

Movie Night in Märchenland

Written for the Winter Holiday Bingo

Prompts provided by @sweetspicybingo

Prompt: Warm Blanket

Title: Movie Night in Märchenland

Ship: Miyuki/Wolfrun

Fandom: Smile Pretty Cure

Rating: T

Word Count: 1,031

Warnings: None

Tags: Post-Canon, Fluff

   As the credits rolled to twinkly music, Miyuki finally gave up and let herself nod off. Something she had not wanted to do as this was her favourite movie and she didn’t want to miss a thing. Even if she did have it memorised to the last stage direction in the script.

   And for what it was worth, Wolfrun thought Miyuki had done quite valiantly to stay awake as long as she had given that her bedtime was what? One hour and seventeen minutes ago. Also yes. Even retired Pretty Cures, saviours of the Human World and the realm of Märchenland had bedtimes. 

   But good thing she had Wolfrun as even being a bad guy turned good guy and he was more than happy to provide her a place to crash to shirk those silly things like bedtimes. Or brushing her teeth. Stuff like that.

   Being a Pretty Cure who had successfully defeated the Bad End Kingdom, rehabilitated Pierrot’s henchmen, and protected the royal siblings through thick and thin, Miyuki was free to waltz between the worlds as she pleased. Same for the other girls. It was all part of their Pretty Cure privileges. They were to be celebrated and cherished, adored by all the inhabitants of Märchenland and yet, for reasons beyond Wolfrun, Miyuki wanted to spend time with him.

   He didn’t really get it. Why hole up with him in a small hut on the edge of town? Especially after everything he did but Miyuki just smiled because it just made sense to her. Of course, she would want to spend time with the big bad wolf! Who wouldn’t?

   Well, in this particular instance, Wolfrun wouldn’t complain that someone wanted to be his friend. Maybe even more than that but he really shouldn’t assume just because Miyuki was nice and cute and friendly and was famously villain crazy. Because just look at him. He wasn’t exactly strutting around at six foot eight anymore. Still, Miyuki liked him for him. The inner him who had been found again after corruption.

   It was just a shame she had weird tastes. Not even just company (him being the point blank example) but in movies, too. 

   Movies were a wonderful invention, actually. The DVD and video player and television set were great. Märchenland was more than happy to welcome them. Recorded reproductions of famous stories to play and replay, they were fantastic. They didn’t replace oral tradition or theatre but instead breathed new life into these revered art forms. The human girls were always bringing their favourites around, it truly seemed there was a genre for everyone.

   And this movie wasn’t too bad. Not really. Even if it was another smarmy fairy tale where the hero defeats the villain at the end of the last act. Aside from that, it had flashy action on the high seas and gawky jokes. It was pretty good but the fact that it was Miyuki’s absolute, all time favourite elevated Wolfrun’s opinion on it overall from pretty good to rather excellent.

   Miyuki, meanwhile, was completely enthralled in contrast to Wolfrun’s mild amusement. He was more beguiled by the novelty of a TV set in Märchenland than anything else but her favourite movie was, of course, nothing less than perfection to her. Perfect paced, witty dialogue, gorgeous animation: it was all poetry in motion to her.

   She didn’t want to miss a thing. Especially since Wolfrun was experiencing the escapades of this movie for the very first time beside her but… She was oh so sleepy.

   Prior to their movie night, Miyuki had had a full day of school and after school activities. She had even wanted to pregame Wolfrun by showing him another of her favourite movies first but time had just gotten away on her. She was too much of a creature of habit. Bedtime was ten o’clock sharp. No exceptions.

   So, for all her bluster full of praise for her favourite movie, Miyuki had been eyes glazed over - but gallantly open - and head slumped forward. Her commentary getting sparser and sparser as she traded whispered observations for hushed yawns. It was rather adorable, Wolfrun found.

   They were both cuddled up on his “lounge”. Furniture conventions between the human world and Märchenland weren’t one to one so Wolfrun’s lounge was a fluffy, comfy hidey-hole in front of the television where they could both hole up. Miyuki was propped against the wall, padded with blankets and pillows and Wolfrun was in her lap. It was all rather idyllic, actually. Soft and cosy, hidden away so they could enjoy themselves in the bliss of entertainment.

   “You can go to sleep now, glitter puff.” Wolfrun murmured.

   He was ready for bed, too, actually. He hadn’t started his night in Miyuki’s lap, rather sitting beside her but as the movie session went on and on, he found himself leaning more and more to the left until flop. He was all over her lap.

   “Thans, Wolfrun…” Miyuki mumbled, getting her words all mushy.

   “Y-Yeah, you can get up an’ use my bed, I don’t mind.” Wolfrun said.

   “S’fine, I like it here.” Miyuki said and she chittered contentedly to herself.

   She practically melted into the soft fluff that she and Wolfrun had been sitting in. She smiled and ran her hand through Wolfun’s fur. Her fingertips sent shivers down Wolfrun’s spine and he quivered.

   “You’re like a warm blanket, it's really… nice.” Miyuki said.

   Wolfrun’s lips pursed together. His ears flicked and he felt flattered to hear that. Miyuki slumped forward another inch and already she was deep asleep, her hand still in the thick of Wolfrun’s fur. He smiled to himself and buried his snout in his paws. Wolfrun closed his eyes and inhaled deep Miyuki’s smell of saccharine body spray. He got comfortable himself then… flomp.

   Miyuki couldn’t keep herself upright anymore and in her sleep, she curled up around Wolfrun’s body. She kissed up against the side of Wolfrun’s face, she nosed through his fur and whiskers and hugged him tight. His heart raced and yet, this was the happiest he had felt all night enjoying Miyuki’s company so he closed his eyes and went to sleep, too.

#writing tag #smile precure #precure #urumiyu #Movie Night in Märchenland

[spiredawmerch22]

Spirited Away Merchandise Spirited away merchandise is a line of clothing, accessories and other products featuring characters from the Studio Ghibli film. These tee shirts are made of high-quality cotton with designs by Hayao Miyazaki.spirited away merch

Hayao Miyazaki is the director of this 2001 animated fantasy. The story follows Chihiro, a 10-year-old girl whisked into a world filled with spirits. She must then find a way out of this world to save her parents.

Chihiro T-shirt Chihiro and her parents are traveling when they mysteriously find themselves drawn into a different world. The world has spirits that appear as animals or creatures. She is trying to escape from a world where her parents have been turned into pigs. Chihiro meets Haku who takes her to the bathroom.

This is the perfect gift for fans of the movie. This durable enameled pin features a yin and yang style with No Face in the black and Princess Mononoke dressed up in her cape and mask forming the other half.

This is a great film and is a must for Studio Ghibli lovers. You can buy it on Blu-ray from GKIDS or Shout! North America: Factory. Bonus features include an interview with the North American voices and a documentary on how it was made.

Haku T-shirt Haku T-Shirt is a necessity for Studio Ghibli Fans. The shirt has a dragon on the front, and is made of heavyweight 100% cotton. The tee was made using an exclusive hand-washing method that embeds an anime print in the fabric, resulting in a durable, long-lasting design. This shirt has a relaxed, comfortable fit. The shirt comes in unisex sizes, up to and including 5XL.

The HBC logo can be found on the shirt in blue, white, or green. Sales proceeds support HBC programs.

No Face T Shirt Cool t-shirt to show your love for this animated movie. The shirt features a black crew-neck tee with a white art print of Lydia from Beetlejuice and the quote, "It is not bad to be unusual or strange." The tee, which is made from high-quality material of cotton and professionally printed for lasting color and print qualities, is made with a professional printer. It can be machine washed for ease of care and maintenance.

This crew-necked tee makes a great everyday choice. Its simple design pairs well to jeans or joggers and the stripes add a stylish touch. The green textured finish adds a stylish touch to any outfit, while the cotton-blend fabric provides comfort for wearing all day.

Sootballs t-shirt The Sootballs look like small black particles. They appear first when Satsuki & Mei move in to the Kusakabe House. The Sootballs like the new family. They start leaving soot all over. The Sootballs look beautiful and are great companions to Satsuki as well as Mei.

For a short time, the Studio Ghibli Sootballs shirt is available from desertcart. The store has been open since 2014 and is a legal business. The store offers customers from more than 164 countries a safe and secure online shopping experience.

Kamaji T-shirt The Kamaji t-shirt has a cute character, with soft round features and lips that are light plum in color. The character has a black hair color and a cream complexion. The shirt comes with 10 modern colors in either signature (fitted to the chest and armpits) or classic (more roomy) sizes.

This collection of Spirited Away tees features artwork inspired by Chihiro, Haku, No-Face, Sootballs and Kamaji. It's time for a little fun!

GKIDS Shout! and GKIDS will be releasing the film on 12 November 2019. Factory reissued the movie on Bluray and DVD in North America. The disc features a Making-of documentary originally broadcast on Nippon Television. There are also interviews with the actors and some comparisons between storyboards and scenes. The DVD includes both the CD and digital versions of the soundtrack. A collector's edition, which includes a book of 40 pages with statements from directors and other studio staff was also released.

[fearsmagazine]

SPACE WARS : QUEST FOR THE DEEPSTAR - Review

DISTRIBUTOR: Uncork’d Entertainment

SYNOPSIS:  Father and daughter team, Kip and Taylor, are space scavengers racing against a band of evil mercenaries to reach the legendary treasures on board a lost mythical freighter, Deepstar.  Their quest will force them to navigate a universe filled with giant monsters, aliens, robots and a mortal enemy seeking vengeance.

REVIEW: In an age where cutting edge digital effects are available to the novice of filmmakers, SPACE WARS : QUEST FOR THE DEEPSTAR has some practical elements that make this film feel reminiscent of the Roger Corman school of filmmaking.

The film looks great. The cinematography looks great as it blends visual effects with passable sets, some interesting props and desert locations reminiscent of the first season of “Star Trek.” The space crafts could have looked a bit stressed given the battle sequences and the creatures were interesting, as were their fight sequences. The sets seem to be rather small and when more than two characters were in a scene it looked cramped and that an actor could easily end up pushed out of the scene.

The screenplay is a basic quest plot with a family angle added. There are numerous “winks” to classic sci-fi films. Everyone is after Captain Kip, and his reputation overshadows his daughter.   The humor is a bit dry and when multiple characters are in a scene it feels flat. It seems that every character has a background story and they all get their moment to fill in the details. I wouldn't say it was bad; it comes off utilitarian and as exposition to fill in the plot gaps.

This is an interesting ensemble cast. Veteran actor Michael Paré anchors and delivers the majority of the one liners. Given his previous screen roles you would assume he would lead some of the action sequences, but ends up with only one fight sequence. His co-star Sarah French, who plays his daughter, gets the majority of the action sequences. Actress Anahit Setian adds some comic relief while Olivier Gruner, with his accent, plays the principal bad guy. The performances lack a bit more energy and I am not sure if it is due to a lack of caffeine or direction.

I enjoyed Joel Christian Goffin’s score. It easily could have been derivative of other sci-fi scores, but has more of an action film feel. It adds depth to the action sequences with lyrical and playful movements and underscores emotional scenes.

This is Garo Setian’s fifth film directing. A filmmaker since 1994, the majority of his credits are in editing. His work on SPACE WARS : QUEST FOR THE DEEPSTAR elevates the production values of the film. The performances could have used a bit of vibrance. The “Space Wars” in the title doesn’t feel relevant, but I understand the reference on several levels. There is an aspect to the film that also reminded me of the classic sci-fi TV series of the 1970’s such as “Space: 1999,” “The Starlost,” or “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century,” to name a few. It’s a family friendly film that might offer you a trip down memory lane while entertaining younger audiences, but sophisticated teens might easily turn to their smartphones given their exposure to more sophisticated film franchises and television.

CAST: Michael Paré, Sarah French, Olivier Gruner, Tyler Gallant, Rachele Brooke Smith, Sadie Katz, and Anahit Setian. CREW: Director/Editor - Garo Setian; Screenplay/Producer - Joe Knetter; Producers - Joanna Fang, Sarah French, Bill Klinakis, Robert Parigi, and Ben Stobber; Cinematographer -  Michael Su; Score - Joel Christian Goffin; Production Designer - Anthony Pearce; Costume Designer - Jean Heathen; Practical Creature Effects - Jeffrey S. Farley; Special Prop Fabricator/Producer - 'Evil' Ted Smith; Visual Effects - CKVFX. OFFICIAL: N.A. FACEBOOK: N.A. TWITTER: N.A. TRAILER: https://youtu.be/GQLDsZ6rses RELEASE DATE: Digital May 2nd & DVD May 9th 2023

**Until we can all head back into the theaters our “COVID Reel Value” will be similar to how you rate a film on digital platforms - 👍 (Like), 👌 (It’s just okay),  or 👎 (Dislike)

Reviewed by Joseph B Mauceri

#film review #movie review #space wars: quest for the deepstar #uncork’d entertainment #garo setian #joe knetter #michael paré #sarah french #science fiction #horror #quest #futuristic #joseph mauceri #joseph b mauceri

[teabooksandsweets]

Good news for Americans: All seasons of All Creatures Great and Small are now on BritBox, not only the first three.

#all creatures great and small #tv recommendations #tv recs #i am not american but i also have the dvds so...

[frmulcahy]

Trying to organize our dvds and vhs tapes.

It’s proving to be very difficult but I have discovered one thing: my family really likes Cary Grant.

#vhs #dvd #films #tv shows #northern exposure #m*a*s*h #the marx brothers #little women #all creatures great and small #auntie mame #cold comfort farm #the music man #the wizard of oz #shirley temple #cary grant

[solarrush]

FNAF AU: Song for a Siren Chapter 1: Welcome Aboard!

Word count: ~5350  (Temporarily posting chapters below the cut until my AO3 is up and running. Please don’t repost this story elsewhere!)

Song for a Siren; Chapter 1: Welcome Aboard!

Just one drop of blood contains billions of strands of DNA — the building blocks of life! It’s a blueprint for building a living thing. As our world faces the extinction of millions of species, the need for new, radical ideas to save those species has grown. That’s where our Faz Researchers step in. 

Using sophisticated technology, our team of scientists have collected and stored tens of thousands of samples from species great and small. Our geneticists teamed up with other like-minded partners across the world to create the first successful clones of endangered species. Through careful planning, animals that faced rapid population decreases, like salmon, would be boosted exponentially over several seasons, improving the overall health of local ecosystems. 

Now, Faz Corp’s vision to advocate and educate future generations on our planet’s most important resource — our oceans — has led to the foundation of the Faz Aquarium and Research Center, or The ARC…

ARC? That seems a bit…pretentious. You can feel yourself going cross-eyed as you stared at the black box before you, distracted by its ancient appearance. For a job orientation you half expected a…well, honestly, a show of sorts. This was *the* Faz ARC you’d been hired at, after all; a place where a mad scientist’s dreams could come true. Creatures from children’s stories were brought to life here, for Pete’s sake. 

You’d been surprised when, instead of a grand presentation, your team lead wheeled in this little 90s TV on a rolling cart and popped the DVD in (at least it wasn’t a VHS, you supposed). 

Whatever. You weren’t here to be a part of the Research Team, not the cutting-edge one, anyway. Your job would be in the Children’s Education Center, teaching kids cool facts about the tide pools. 

Like how one defense mechanism of the sea cucumber is forcefully ejecting their internal organs out their ass. 

…Anyway.

You realize you’ve zoned out for a good portion of the orientation video at this point. Whoops. Hopefully nothing you couldn’t Wiki later. Correcting your slouched posture and giving a stretch, the sound of the break room door opening signaled the return of your team lead. 

“Alright, let’s get you your badge and uniform.” 

Vanessa gestured loosely for you to follow as she promptly turned right back around and walked out the door. You had to jog to catch up, matching her pace while soaking in your surroundings.

“Work day starts at 8:00am, make sure to clock in on time and take your breaks as scheduled. Your days end at 4:30, but there might be times you’re asked to swing shift.” She droned, handing over a paper bag with your name scrawled across the top and two outfits within. A badge is activated at the employee check-in desk and snapped to a lanyard, which you take and slip over your head. Keys on a loop are handed over last, snapped to your belt loop for safe keeping.

Exiting the employee building takes you out into the main park where families were already bustling about. The ARC was a massive campus sectioned off into three areas: the public aquarium, the research centers and a restricted zone where only upper management had access. 

The entire campus criss-crossed with eco-friendly, recycled terrain paths and large gardens of native flora. As the name suggested, much of the architecture of surrounding buildings had a vaguely ship-like appearance; abstract enough to go unnoticed by most, but a wink-wink nudge-nudge for those who noticed. 

Down the grassy hill a crowd had begun to gather at the Faz ARC’s main attraction: the Faz Theater. It was nearly 10:00am, which meant the first show of the day was about to start. 

While their story might have started in conservation, what Faz was *really* known for was their “species ambassadors.” The ARC homed four of the only merfolk in the world, better recognized to the populace as the glamorous marvels of bio-engineering: Freddy, Roxy, Chica and Monty.

These merfolk were ambassadors for the species meticulously chosen for them and their purpose was to bring awareness to those species’ endangered status. How exactly the arguably “human” features came about wasn’t something Faz went about sharing, though. 

Following Vanessa down the stairs towards the back entrance of the theater, you’re welcomed by familiar smells and noises of your childhood. A popcorn cart fizzled and popped continuously, buttery goodness wafting out every time the glass door was opened. Greasy hotdogs and tooth-rotting cotton candy delighted and satisfied early-lunch cravings.

From the employee back stage path you could survey the dome’s full layout. Colorful murals depicting the four stars flowed across the walls, up-lit in blues, purples and green spotlights. Facts about the ocean and its inhabitants bubbled up beside the depictions of Faz’s merfolk, little kids hopped up on adrenaline spinning the circular sign installments with “did you know” trivia. Obligatory gift shop to the back left, already full of squabbling kids; bleachers surrounded the massive show tank in a half crescent, echoing with the metallic sounds of hundreds of feet taking a seat. 

“Wow…” You’re hit with a brief moment of nostalgia as you recalled begging your folks to see the merfolk perform. 

“Ya know, when I was a kid seeing this show was all anyone in my class talked about. Some of the older kids would compare stories or what mercy their folks got them. I was always so jealous,” you chuckle, smiling wistfully at the crowd of kids. Vanessa said nothing, sparing a brief glance your way but looking away in the next beat.

“Wasn’t till my tenth birthday did my folks take me to my first show. I couldn’t help but be absolutely captivated by the merfolk and the trainers they worked with.” Ever since then you were dead set on working at the aquarium when you were older. 

Each mer’s dedicated handler and trainer tended to their every need. A round-the-clock position, they oversaw the health both physical and mental of their mer. To the public it appeared to be all fun and games at their shows, not knowing just how much time and dedication the job really demanded. 

That didn’t deter you at all, however. Becoming a handler had always been the goal, and while you were starting small you were still one big step closer to that dream! 

Your gaze zeroed in on the handlers just below deck and did a double take when one appeared fairly shorter than the rest. 

“What’s that kid doing down there?” You ask before the brain-mouth filter kicked in. Vanessa barely glanced up from the tablet — when’d she grab that? — in her hands. 

“Gregory, our summer intern. He’s paired with Freddy.”

“I didn’t know Faz hired interns…”

“We don’t.”

You watched her type away, waiting for an explanation. When none came you cleared your throat. “So…what’s the deal?”

Vanessa gave a withering sigh through the nose before finally lowering the tablet and looking out at the intern. “Management noticed Freddy had taken a particular interest in the kid last summer. Freddy’s always been engaging and amiable with everyone he works with, but something clicked I guess with that kid.” Her face screwed tight momentarily. “Management likes to call it a ‘bond’ of sorts. They’re very interested. So…now we have an intern.”

Lucky bastard, you couldn’t help but think. The chances of that happening seemed a million to one. 

Wait.

Were you jealous of a teenager?

…..

Ok. Yeah, maybe. What, you could admit that to yourself, you were an adult after all!

Gregory appeared to be speaking and gesturing to Freddy, dwarfed almost comically by the mer whose rapt attention was only on the boy. Even when Gregory started walking towards the stairs that led up to the show platform Freddy’s shadow slowly followed along with lazy strokes of his shimmering tail.

You’d been so focused on the pair that the sudden and loud sound of the announcer’s voice over the intercom gave you a jolt. Vanessa merely cocked an eyebrow at you as you flashed a sheepish grin in return.

“Welcome, Faz Friends, to today’s first show at the ARC Theater!” A pause for cheers, background music bumps steadily growing in volume to feed the hype. The lights in the theater slowly dimmed until only the pool remained fully lit, glowing a mesmerizing teal. 

“We’re so glad you could visit us today! Our glamorous mer friends have a wonderful show for you they can’t wait to share!”

All at once the four mer leapt out of the water from the depths of the pool, delighting those in the crowd close enough to get caught in the resulting wave as they crashed back into the water. Colored lights danced over the rippling surface, bouncing off the shimmering scales of the mer as they swam in mesmerizing patterns before breaking apart. From above your perch the massive LED wall lit up with the show’s intro, the narration sounding similar to the orientation video you’d finished this morning.

Well, look at that. Seems you’ll be getting that show after all. 

Nice.

“Here at the Faz ARC, our work with these magnificent creatures provides valuable data for conservation efforts around the globe.”

As the narration droned on your gaze drifts to the handlers. Despite being in shadow you could make out how their black wet suits sported accent colors according to the mer they worked with. Even Gregory wore one, you realized. He stood beside the senior handler, nodding along while pulling treats from the nearby cooler and into the bucket they’d take up. Glancing about, the other handlers are doing the same thing. 

On cue, the handlers mounted their individual platforms and waited as the mer and handler introductions began. 

“Hi everybody!” A young woman with a ponytail of bright red curly hair stepped into the pink spotlight at her platform, waving to the crowd. Her wet suit screamed Chica with pink and green ribs, both patterned accordingly. “My name’s Alexi, and this is my wonderful friend Chica!” The crowd ooh’d at Chica’s twirling launch into the air, splashing the front row before returning to her spotlit platform. 

“Chica is our ambassador for several species of tropical fish and rays.” A sweeping gesture with one arm sends the white, pink and green mer out to swim the edge of the pool in a showy display. “Her tiger-like stripes and spotted scales make her captivating to watch, but also serve to help Chica blend into her surroundings.” 

You hum to yourself as you watch the pool become bathed in leopard-patterned spotlights, Chica’s form occasionally lost amongst the visual chaos. She was the second in popularity for the merfolk, appealing unsurprisingly to little girls in particular. 

The lights went out and the next platform lit up in pale purple. A young man grinned at his turn, fists planted on his hips. Unlike Alexi, his suit was a solid black and purple. “Hey, guys! My name’s Jax and this rockstar is Roxy!” One fist pumps the air in time with the gray and purple mer jumping into the air, drawing hoots and hollers from the crowd. “Roxy’s got the highest agility of the mer with her leopard seal and mako shark primary genetics. Check out how she maneuvers these obstacles in the blink of an eye!” 

A mechanical hum accompanied by a rush of bubbles from below revealed a version of Roxy’s course, the mer immediately darting through hoops and around pillars with precision. Roxy’s sea leopard face was certainly cute, but she had no qualms about flashing her sharp canines at the visitors who stood by the glass. 

You couldn’t help leaning forward over the railing just a bit as the next mer was introduced. His size alone was a marvel, and, quite frankly, Monty had to be the most badass of the crew.  His handler was petite in an all-black suit contrasted by their cropped, lime green hair.

“Hey folks, make some noise for the baddest mer on the block!” Their stance spread beneath the green spotlight as their arms opened wide, the crowd screaming in delight as Monty’s massive form rose from below and breached to his dorsal spines, intimidating maw snapping shut on morsel suspended from the ceiling. Splashing back into the water, Monty lazily swam back to his handler, swallowing the morsel whole. 

“I’m Jessie, and this big guy is my partner Monty! Monty’s size and thick scales are courtesy of his sturgeon DNA. You might recognize some of his traits as being similar to a mosasaur too — an ancient predator from oceans long gone.” 

Monty and Roxy definitely had the “danger” and “edgy” factor on their side, appealing largely to teenagers and young adults. You’re pretty sure Monty doesn’t have actual mosasaur DNA, but it’s still a very cool comparison. Crocodile seemed more likely. Although, you weren’t sure what they crossed him with to get that oil-slick green sheen over his scales. Eel or sea snake, you supposed. 

An energy had begun to grow in the crowd with each introduction, dripping with anticipation for the final mer. No surprise there, of course. 

Monty’s spotlight went out and at last came a beam of gold light on the fourth and final platform. The oldest handler stepped forward, smiling broadly. “We’re so thankful you all could join us in another celebration of our oceans. Now it’s time to meet our final member of the species ambassadors: Freddy!”

If you’d thought the crowd was loud before, you cringed when the screams doubled at the final mer’s introduction jump. 

Freddy looked exactly as you remembered him so many years ago, dazzling orange-gold scales accented by bolts of turquoise sparkling with every stroke of his tail. He was always the star of the show; second biggest of the four, his gentle-giant personality made him a hit for visitors of all ages hoping to have a close encounter (for a fee, of course). 

All mer now accounted for, the show could commence. While you half expected to be able to watch the dazzling show in its entirety, Vanessa was walking away from you.

“Oh, we’re not staying?”

“No, we have a lot to cover for your first day.” Came the blunt reply, your shoulders slumping minutely as you hurried after her back. 

Casting one last glance back at the show, you felt your resolve harden once more. One day that’d be you up there.

——

“Please don’t pick up the sea cucumber, he’ll puke his guts again and no one wants that,” The plea rolls off your tongue for the hundredth time today as you reach across the tide pool to gently brush away the grabby hands from poor cucumber Larry. 

It’d been a few weeks since you started working at the ARC as the “Tide Pool Guide” for visitors. All in all, about what you had been anticipating; demanding parents wanting their gremlin children pushed ahead of the others patiently waiting, other gremlins snatching hermit crabs from their pools and running off to “show their friends.” Larry was depending on you to prevent another repeat of the birthday kid trying to squeeze it like those water wigglers sold in the gift shop. 

There were only two mer-shows a day, one in the morning and one in the evening, so a good chunk of the day could be spent exploring the rest of the ARC. Which meant, in this case, a manic rush of kids high on mer-adrenaline flooding the interactive exhibits for a solid five or so hours. 

It could be worse, you suppose. You could be still working retail. This was your first big job out of college and damnit you were going to be an Adult™ and do it well. Armed with a plethora of SpongeBob references and fun (gross) facts about the critters you care for, you let yourself get lost in the children’s awe and wonder. 

“See this guy right here?” You wave your hand across the vision of several 8 year olds, directing their attention to the chunky pink starfish. “He’s growing back an arm ‘cause the original fell off,” you point towards some rocks beneath the surface not far away, “and now it’s going to become a new starfish!” 

A gasp to your right and you glance up at the little tike in a Freddy shirt. “Baby starfish!?”

“Yup! Wanna feel how bumpy they are?” Giggles answered as you took the child’s hand to gently pet the starfish. 

“Weird!” “I wanna touch too!” 

You watched with a smile as the kids took turns cautiously petting, some braver than others. Glancing over your shoulder you survey the rest of the tide pools. A few teenagers huddled together filming the sting rays, several visitors were watching the octopus tank and a handful more petting the anemones. This late in the day meant guests slowly started filtering out and wandered off in search of a bite to eat or planning on claiming their seats for the evening show. 

Glancing at your watch, a rush of relief hits you with the realization that soon enough you could close up and focus on your end-of-day routine. While every shift got easier and you slipped more comfortably into your kids “show” persona, getting some quiet time with the tide pool critters was a nice way to end the day. 

When that final call for the show chimed across the intercom you happily led guests out of the tunnel and hung up the chain.

“Not bad, shrimp.” Vanessa appeared from behind you, tapping on her tablet. 

“V, it was one time,” you whined, head dropping back against your shoulders. Almost eating shit after slipping on a shrimp earned you the nickname for the foreseeable future, apparently. 

“One’s all it takes,” came the smug reply, Vanessa glancing up from her screen to smirk. “Full house tonight. I’ll be with the others doing crowd control; you’re on meal prep for the Pools and Cove.” With a taunting wink, she turned and promptly disappeared into one of the tunnels leading out to the rest of the aquarium. 

For a beat you just stared where she’d been, grimacing at the thought of sticking your hands in the cold feed bins. Shivering, you shook the thought away and went about cleaning and locking up the exhibit. You had about an hour before clocking-out, lest the wrath of Faz-god fall upon you for not being on time, so you make quick work sweeping up wrappers, scraping up unnamed (gum? you hoped it was gum) substances from the floor and peeling stickers off the tank glass. 

Food prep always took you a hot minute, still learning the correct measurements and which supplements went to which inhabitant, so you wanted to maximize your time appropriately. Hoofing it back to the “kitchen” through the employee tunnel you run through your mental checklist. 

One drawback to doing meal prep was just how damn far it was from the Tide Pools. You practically went half way through the aquarium to get there and you rarely came across another team member during the trek this time of day. The occasional chatter from your walkie was a welcome comfort on the otherwise silent walk. 

A map caught your eye, easy to pass over tucked in between colorful posters and other employee notes. Peering closer, you skim the employee-only paths to the Tide Pools. The tunnel you were currently walking went out along the outer edge of the building, but according to this there was another route that cut through the Reef. 

Your brows furrow in consideration. The Reef had been a brief part of the orientation tour, more of a “there it is” than anything. You certainly didn’t recall taking a corridor down that way. Maybe you simply missed it?

Glancing at your watch, you decide that now wasn’t the time to stand and ponder the logic of the building’s maze of hallways. Taking a quick snap of the map with your phone, you hurried along to the kitchen. 

When you arrive you can’t help but sigh in relief to see Vanessa had actually already done some of the meal prep, laminated notes left behind for what still needed to be done. Not about to let this gesture go to waste, you're quick to pick up where she left off. 

Thanks to Vanessa’s head start you finish the prep in record time, snagging your feed bucket for the Tide Pool’s evening meal and booking it outta there. 

You must’ve taken a wrong turn, however, because now you’re in a hall you don’t recognize. 

“Uh…” You glance at your watch. 30 minutes till clock out. Calculations race through your head, figuring how reasonably fast you could dump the food in the tanks and head out. Taking the route you’d gone on your way here wouldn’t leave you enough time, but if you were to cut through this Reef area…well, the shortest distance between two points is straight, right?

Chewing your lip in indecision, you decide to pull up the map on your phone again and speed walk in the supposed direction of the Reef corridor. Familiar murals and tanks greeted you, but it wasn’t until you walked past a darkened hallway that you realized a “staff only” sign was hung up at the door. 

Ok, “door” was generous — it was more a pvc temporary door that had been covered in black vinyl and vague reef illustrations to blend into the rest of the murals on the wall. That must have been how you missed it the first time.

Feeling more confident that this would save you time, you fumble for your keys and unlock the door. 

“Holy crap it’s dark in here…” you slap your hand on the nearest wall, wet and cold, feeling along for the light switch. Stumbling over a few leftover boxes and whatever else, you sigh in frustration and instead pull out your phone once more and shine its flashlight around you. 

“Oh, weird…” These walls appeared to have a character you didn’t recognize on them — a mer with features similar to a leafy sea dragon or perhaps lionfish. None of the glam-mers had these kinds of features. “What is this…?” You slowly walk along the wall, shining your phone on reef facts and across fake coral installments. 

From the amount of materials and boxes strewn about, sporting a thin film of gunky dust, you’d think this part of the reef was shut down. But it didn’t take long to hear the hum of what must have been a significant filtration system, very much on and not at all offline. Having seen what decommissioned tanks looked like, and considering the illustrations, a strange sense of unease began to fill your chest.

“No personnel beyond this point…” You frown at the sign hanging from a chain cutting off your path. Up ahead plastic tarps hung from the walls, giving off very alien biohazard vibes. 

Was it technically trespassing if you worked there?

The sign’s fine print about hazards and construction ahead seemed reasonable. Surely the “no personnel” was just a warning for the general public…

Right? Besides, the aquarium map you found clearly showed cutting through here would lead you back to the tide pools faster than going around. Employees surely used to cut through here all the time before renovation. Shifting your feed-filled bucket to the other hand, you steel your nerves and step over the chain.

“Just don’t touch anything…it’ll be fine.” You attempt to reassure yourself, carefully maneuvering through the plastic curtains. 

It was only a tad darker than the rest of the aquarium, huge fish nets, more tools and random construction supplies scattered alongside the walls. The filtration system’s soft hum and your echoing footsteps were all you heard as you made your way through the winding tunnel. For an abandoned exhibit, you half expected the tanks to be empty. But the kelp fronds and small schools of fish said otherwise as you walked along the glass, the cool, damp room illuminated by the green-blue light of their lights. Jellyfish lazily floated up and over the glass tunnel you found yourself in, bringing you to a pause to watch their white and pink bodies drift by. 

The lights along the edge of these tanks may be on, but staring further into them revealed barely any light — natural or otherwise. 

“Creepy…” Shaking off the feeling, you focus back on the task at hand: feeding time and clocking out. Exiting the underwater tunnel brought you into what looked like a main viewing area, circular in shape and half of one wall essentially glass panels to observe what was held within.

You were almost at the end of the exhibit when a large shadow moved out of the corner of your eye, drawing you to a halt. Immediately your heart leapt to your throat, every muscle in your body holding perfectly still. 

For a long moment nothing moved. 

Then, through the misty, algae-covered glass a shape emerged out from behind a section of reef. At first, watching it move reminded you of a shark. But as it approached its frilled features came into focus.

“Holy shit…” The air was sucked right out of your lungs as you came face-to-face with big glowing eyes. Distantly you felt your watch buzz with a heart rate warning, but you were helpless to do anything but stare back at the creature before you. 

Merfolk might be the ARC’s main marketing angle, but as far as the public (or you) knew, only four lived here. Why was this one separated from the rest in a supposedly closed exhibit?

A soft thump startled you from your spiraling thoughts, focusing back on the creature in time to watch its webbed hand slide down from the glass. Were those scratch marks on the glass?

Without thinking, you placed your hand where theirs had been. The creature’s head tilts to the side ever so slightly, eyes unblinking and seemingly peering into your soul. A mutual curiosity kept you both close to the glass, barely more than a foot or two separating you from something that 10 minutes ago didn’t exist. 

“What….Who are you…?” Your voice sounds strange even to you, tongue thick and mouth uncomfortably dry. The mural from earlier flashes through your mind as you leaned close enough to fog the glass. “Another mer…”

The creature glided back at your advancement, but didn’t stray far. Its feather-like fins flared slowly on either side of its body, a proper display that could easily be interpreted as a threat. 

But you’re instead distracted by the display, both hands now on the glass. “Whoa. You’re the mer from the wall — the sea dragon lookin one. Yeah? Do you have a name? What are you doing here?” You frown as the mer tilted its head the opposite way, seeming to consider you. 

“Ah, hey, wait!” With a flick of its tail the mer turned away, swimming along the glass. You’d think it had lost interest in you if it weren’t for the fact that the mer clearly was glancing back to be sure you were following. 

Stumbling over your own feet and painfully knocking the feed bucket into your knee, you curse as you try to keep up. For the second time in your short career here you nearly ate shit on the stairs you definitely did not see in your distracted state. 

“Oh fu-!” Catching yourself on the railing, your gaze trails up the dark stairwell. “What the hell…” 

Your fishy companion wasn’t in the window anymore, but you could vaguely make out the end  fronds of their tail. Supposing there must be a second level (and you’ve come this far already) you make your way up. 

Pushing through a creaky wood door at the top, you step out onto the observation deck level. It reminded you of a larger-scale version of your tide pool — this floor was basically a huge donut with the tank taking up the center. A protective wire and plexiglass barrier circled the perimeter, tall enough to prevent little kids from falling in. Much like the ARC Theater, this room had educational illustrations on its colorful walls, now muted from dust and mold. Part of it was covered in more plastic tarp, and the wall sported strange gouges that cracked fake coral. 

Your hand brushes over the textured surface as you walk along the length of the room. Finally you came upon the sea dragon mer, taking in all its patterns and spines. “Wow…”

A splash from behind startles you from your thoughts, drawing your focus back to the water. From its surface you could just make out white eyes peering out at you, one fin crest drooped back from gravity. Against better judgment, you find your feet carrying you closer. 

“What are you doing here all alone?” 

The mer didn’t answer, but did glance (you think it did, anyway. It didn’t have pupils) at your bucket. 

“Oh! Are you hungry?” You reach in to grab a handful of smelt, holding it up for the mer to see. A sound like an alligator’s rumble meets your ears, and you can’t help your grin. “I guess the others can share, huh?” You toss the fish up and watch as the mer disappears briefly to snatch the morsels out of the water. 

Your smile fades as you begin to worry. When was the last time this mer was fed? Was anyone taking care of it? You’d seen no evidence of its existence anywhere. One would assume such an asset would be flaunted along with the other mer. 

Judging from the algae growth and just overall unkempt appearance of the exhibit, you weren’t so sure this mer had a handler. Actually, this place looked properly abandoned; posters ripped from the walls and random debris scattered across the floor, plastic tarps sectioning off half of the room from the rest and just an overall dreary vibe. A play area with foam fish and coral to climb had long since faded like the rest of the room. What was probably a gift shop looked like Black Friday gone wrong with its shattered glass doors and cracked display window. 

Wandering that way, you lean down to scoop up a plush from the floor. Its colors were long since muted from time, but you could make out its sunset stripes and sun ray-like head fins. Its big eyes and cat-like mouth screamed kid-friendly. Way more friendly than what was in the tank only a few yards away. 

“Ah, that’s kinda unfair…” you mumble to yourself, shaking your head. Obviously this mer was part of something more kid-oriented, perhaps even a daycare of sorts judging by the play area and registration desk nearby. 

Plush in-hand, you wander back to the tank and startle yet again to see the mer’s head poking out of the water entirely. It watched you in eerie silence, head fins seeming to flow ever so slight even in the open air. Like this, you’re reminded of the Teletubby Sun Baby and can’t help smiling at the creature.

“You remind me of a children’s cartoon sun, ya’know?” Its head tilts one way, then the other, fins flicking. “I’m gonna call you Sunny, ok?” Leaning down to your bucket, you pick up a couple more fish and toss them into the water. They’re gobbled up in seconds. “That cool?”

Sunny gave an indifferent sniff and disappeared back into the water. 

“Alrighty then, I’m gonna take that as a yes.” Pleased with yourself, your gaze falls to the plush in your hand. Perhaps you could take this home and wash it up? 

A buzzing from your watch flashed the 15 minute warning before you’d need to clock out, shocking you from your thoughts.

“Shit! I gotta go, uh, Sunny? I’ll come back tomorrow, ok? Bye!” You don’t look back to see if the mer heard you, racing down the stairs as fast as you dared and booking it down the hall with your bucket in tow. 

So much for saving you time!!

#fnaf au: song for a siren #fnaf mermay #fnaf sun #fnaf moon #uh uhhhhh idk what else to say about this LOL #be gentle i'm a bit rusty at writing fanfics!! #my art