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crystalcityrpg · 3 years

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❝ A Woman is made by her beliefs, As she believes, so she is. ❞

ALL ABOUT CHHAYA

NAME: Chhaya Bhatt GENDER/PRONOUNS: Cis woman, she/her DATE OF BIRTH: December 1st, 1991 BIRTH PLACE: Mumbai, India CURRENT RESIDENCE: Downtown OCCUPATION: Escort and Cyber security expert FACE CLAIM: Sonam Kapoor

BIOGRAPHY

tw Abusive and manipulative family, Sex work, violence

Chhaya Hemani Bhatt was born the third daughter, and fifth child of seven, in Mumbai India. She was raised in an incredibly wealthy family, where image, empire, and legacy were everything. Growing up she was want for nothing, so long as it did not shame the family. Her mother and father made it clear to all the children that their studies and success were of paramount importance.

All the Bhatt children went to boarding schools and spent their holidays traveling around India, soaking up as much of their cultural history as possible. Chhaya was never particularly close with her sisters who were 8 and 11 years older respectively. While her sisters took school very seriously Chhaya was easily distracted and more interested in the creative aspects of her education. She always volunteered to be in school productions, and dances.

The daughters were expected to do more than just marry well and were held to an even higher standard than the boys which put an immense amount of pressure to succeed upon them. If Chhaya’s brothers messed up they would get scolded, but when Chhaya brought home an average grade at the end of a term all pleasure privileges were revoked and private tutors were hired to get her on track. Despite the fact that the children went to boarding school Chhaya’s parents always had a harsh eye on the children’s movements.

While her other siblings seemed to take well enough to this lifestyle Chhaya struggled. She wanted to dance, not study. She loved Bollywood, learning the dances and the music, but her parents thought it was perverse and inappropriate for a young woman of her social standing.

The Bhatt family were devout Hindu practitioners, and Chhaya was able to find immense joy in traditional Bharatnatyam dance. She danced at temple, religious ceremonies, and weddings. She truly loved to participate in this traditional dance. Painting her feet red with Atla dye and putting on her ankle bells never failed to brighten her day. But she often found herself getting into trouble when she would mix more modern dance moves into her practices. When her parents inevitably caught her doing this there was always harsh punishment. But she was always able to talk her way into going to temple where she could pray and dance.

When it came time to go to college Chhaya was able to find freedom by emigrating to the United States and going to MIT. At MIT she studied computer science, with a focus on Cyber Security and white hat hacking. She didn’t have a passion for Computer Science, but was good at it and her parents were insistent that she get this high level of education.

During her time at university, Chhaya fell in love with American culture, especially the high social side. Dancing in clubs, going out, and laughing as loud as she wanted, drinking and eating what she wanted. Not worrying about what others thought of her she loved every minute of her freedom. A friend at University introduced her to the sugar baby life and it was like a whole new avenue of life opened up before her. She quickly got the hang of things and found that she went to it like a duck into water. She could afford to be as picky and demanding as she wanted, and soon found herself a pretty jewel on the arm of many desperately wealthy men, and women, who had more money than they knew what to do with. In order to protect her privacy, and distance herself from her family Chhaya used the nickname Rani. In this way she was able to live a double life of sorts. Chhaya was the proper and dutiful daughter, but Rani got to spend the night out on the town, owning her sexuality and living for herself. And herself only.

After she graduated with her master’s degree Chhaya was offered an opportunity with a tech firm in Crystal City. She kept some of her old clients who were rich enough to fly her out to wherever they were, or fly to her when they wanted. But as she began to settle in and find new clients she found herself treading in very deep water, with no floatation device.

One fateful night she met with a new client at LUX nightclub. She liked the club, enjoyed the vibe, and felt it would be a good place to vet a new client in a discrete and yet still public place. This turned out to be for the best, because when Tanner Todd, her potential client, got too deep in his cups, and he turned mean. Rani had none of it. She tried to leave politely, without causing a scene. But like the drunken trash he was Tanner took a swing at her which was more than Rani could politely wave off. Throwing her drink in his face she grabbed two fingers on his right hand and bent them back ‘til she felt his tendons pop and he fell to his knees with a pathetic squeal of pain. The commotion did not go unnoticed and Mr. Todd was quickly, and roughly removed from the premises.

Embarrassed, and a little shaken, she slid back into the private booth she had reserved and attempted to hide as she calmed her nerves. And that is when the enigmatic Elias came into her life. After a bit of explaining on Chhaya’s part they came to an understanding. And thus a beautiful partnership was born. Chhaya was free to conduct her business as Rani, with the security of knowing that she had the protection of the Morgan family. And in return, she pays her dues into the family funds pot. Plus, it’s always handy to have someone on hand who can seduce a pesky politician or over-eager policymaker looking to clean up the mean streets of Crystal City.

Chhaya has been living in beautiful Crystal city for nearly three years now and is living her best life. She is fun, bubbly, and loves to make new friends. Chhaya is incredibly sex-positive and believes that everyone should own their sexuality and find comfort within themselves. She may be kind and charismatic but she is not afraid to utilize pain compliance to bring anyone to the floor if they think that consent is not imperative, or think bringing pain into a dynamic without pre-negotiation is acceptable. Chhaya’s profession and lifestyle has meant that relationships have not been a focus, but who knows, she just might fall in love.

#chhaya bhatt #sonam kapoor #all #downtown

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renaroo · 4 years

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Some Times (Time and Time Again) (8/8)

Disclaimer: Booster Gold, Blue Beetle, and associated characters are the creative property of DC Comics. Warnings: Canon shaken not stirred, Heavy canon references to Booster Gold (2009-2011) and Blue Beetle (2016-2018) Pairings: Boostle Rating: T Synopsis: Booster Gold and the rest of the Time Masters are still straightening up things in the wake of the most recent universal Rebirth. But Rip Hunter is still missing in the aftermath, leaving Booster in charge with Skeets, Michelle, and Rani. But there’s a distraction for Booster, one he can’t keep himself from ignoring.

Ted Kord, miraculously, is still alive. And that makes everything more complicated than Michael could have ever imagined.

A/N: We’re finally here! After such a long wait, we’ve finally come to the end of this fic. It’s been a wild ride, fueled at the end here by quarantine and anxiety, but I really have loved writing this story. I adore these characters, miss the Time Family in the comics, and hope I did them justice in this story. I hope it is something enjoyable for all of you, too.

As we wrap up this long journey, I absolutely must thank all of you for coming along with me. And, of course, a wonderful and appreciative thank you to @babybatbrat, @spiralcass, @shibascarf, @mcbangle, gaymage, Schw0099, GeorginaNadia, @secretlystephaniebrown, and arouraleona for your lovely comments and supportive words <3 I appreciate them so very much!

Michael Jon Carter

Booster Gold is not new to being a superhero.

He’s been there and seen that. His current “job” interview was him watching the rebirth of the multiverse after a giant mind-controlling worm tore everything to hell. He fought with the bravest and greatest men and women he ever met against the monster that killed Superman. He actually got to confess his feelings and act with them for the friend that he couldn’t stop from dying years beforehand.

And he is still unprepared for the twists and turns before him now.

From underneath a metal I-beam, Michael Jon Carter stares in silence at the shimmering black metal of Black Beetle. He heard Rani’s accusation, but what is more deafening is what comes after.

Black Beetle stands in silence rather than correct her.

Ted, on his back still behind Rani, looks around multiple times before squinting at Black Beetle. “What’s a Boppy?” he asks cluelessly.

“Nothing,” Black Beetle insists, scooping forward and grabbing Rani’s wrist before retching her away from his line of fire. “Not anymore.”

A wild spark of protectiveness takes possession of Booster as he realizes what’s about to happen. Even with the pounding in his chest and ears ever-growing -- god, Rani can’t be right, she can’t -- he knows he has to save Ted first and foremost. He pushes and shoves at the heavy metal laying across him when it rather unexpectedly gives way.

Blinking in surprise, Booster glances over and sees Michelle across the other side of the lab near the transporter platform. She’s weary, but her hand is reaching forward outstretched toward the I-beam, using her suit’s magnetism.

“Mike, go!” she coughs out.

His family, his loved ones, are all in pain around him, and Booster can’t figure out a way to heal all of it outside of the most direct way first.

Clenching his fist, Booster flings himself forward with the force of his flight ring. He tackles into Black Beetle’s waist and takes him into the nearest wall before he can fire at Ted.

Then, before either himself or the time-traveling menace can catch their breath again, they are enclosed in a thick bubble produced by the forcefield belt.

“Boost!” “Mikey!” “Michael!” muffled yells cry from outside.

For the moment, Booster ignores them, pushing up to his feet one foot at a time. He can feel a trickle of blood down from his nose yet again, but he ignores it, focusing instead as Black Beetle stands back up.

“You think you can keep me trapped in here, Gold?” he snarls.

“I don’t know, it worked for Guy Gardner before,” Booster only half jests. He stands tall, meeting Black Beetle eye to eye. “And like it or not, he has a lantern ring. Is that blaster stronger than the most powerful tool in the universe?”

Black Beetle snarls and begins to readjust his suit’s weaponry. “Then I’ll take that belt off of you and free us both.”

“Maybe,” Booster admits, “but you should at least answer some questions for me first.”

“I don’t owe you anything,” Black Beetle growls.

“Yeah? So sure about that?” Booster taunts, stabbing a finger at Black Beetle’s armored chest. “Is Rani right? Is whoever is inside that black tin can Rip Hunter?” He squinted at the little exposed face he could see and felt a sickening lurch in his stomach. “Are you my missing friend?”

“You and Rip Hunter were never friends,” Black Beetle says coldly.

“We were friends to me,” Booster says gently. He searches Beetle’s face and feels his chest clench. “Rip. C’mon, Rip. It’s you. Please, just. Take the helmet down. I haven’t seen you in months. Years, it feels like.”

For a moment, there is no response from Black Beetle at all. He stands, stoically, nose to nose with Booster before tipping his head down. All at once, his armor responds, cryptically unfolding and reforming away from his head regressing back into the torso of the suit.

Booster sets his jaw, his heart still aching at the reveal no matter how much Booster attempted to prepare himself.

Rip Hunter’s face is unmistakable, from his firm brow to the stern lines of his jaw. His hair is returned to the dirty blonde, no longer dyed or shaded as Rip has taken to. But, what is not the same, is the haunting glow that now envelops his eyes. It permeates out around him, rotating in a colorful display of the rainbow lights Booster has become so familiar with from the timestream.

“What’s happening?” Booster demands immediately. “You wouldn’t do all of this without a reason, you wouldn’t… None of this would be happening unless Rip Hunter had a good reason. No matter how crazy he is. You are. Whatever. What I’m trying to say is...” Booster looks down to his hands which seem to be shrugging back at him in confusion before he throws them up in defeat. “What the actual fuck!?”

Scowling at him in a way that only Rip Hunter can, Black Beetle glares back into Booster’s face. “I am doing what Rip Hunter always must do -- correct the timestream, preserve events, make the tough choices.”

“Were you always Black Beetle?” Booster asks. “Either you need an Oscar or Rip -- my Rip -- didn’t know anything about this when you first showed up.”

“A Rip Hunter is always Black Beetle,” he answers cryptically.

“You really are Rip, because only Rip can make me that infuriated in a sentence,” Booster groans, rubbing a hand across his face only to flinch at the pain from his nose. “Why are you trying to kill Ted? Time has changed -- you yourself used to talk about it being fluid! Everything’s stable! Ted doesn’t have to die to save the universe!”

“He has to die for Rip Hunter to exist, that is obvious!” Black Beetle snarls, the chronal energy beginning to shine through even his mouth. “Each moment takes me closer to being rewritten, closer to impermanence! And without me there will be no protection for time itself! The universe will never survive!”

“Wow, you egotistical jackass, I’m right here!” Booster shouts back, gesturing to himself wildly. “You trained me! And I wasn’t going to sit back and let you disappear before I knew you were going to have this chronal temper tantrum, and I’m definitely not going to do it now! Give me some credit.”

“You will be too content to see me come to existence,” Rip declares, beginning to fold in on himself, his body convulsing in a seizure that was all too familiar to Booster after his own bout of chronal leprosy. “I will never come to be.”

“What a terrible thing to think of your family,” Booster jokes gently, moving to catch Rip’s now bulking shoulders. He falls to his knees on the floor with him.

“You don’t even know how much family we are,” Rip chokes out. “You may never know.”

Booster’s chest clenches at that and he presses his forehead to Rip’s. “I think, buddy, I’ve got a clue,” he remarks gently. “You’re sick and you’re not thinking straight, Rip. And if you think you’re not coming into existence in this universe, you’re so wrong it’s laughable. Really! When you’re old enough, I’m going to give you such shit for it. The great Rip Hunter, bested by Booster Gold.”

“Bested by Michael Carter,” Rip says weakly back, his skin beginning to crack and shed chronal light more and more. The crevices of his suit shine brightly with it. “Will you promise? To make sure?”

“Of course, Rip,” Booster says, leaning back and away far enough to look fully into Rip’s face. “I’m good on my word to my family. Always.”

He waits, watching as Rip and Black Beetle in one disappear before his very eyes, pieces of chronal energy breaking up bit by bit and folding in on itself, disappearing from visible existence as if it were never there. Michael clutches his fists and tightly squeezes his eyes together as his chin drops to his chest. A surge of emotions he hasn’t let himself feel for Rip rush through him at once.

After a long breath, he lowers his field and releases a long sigh.

“Chalk that one down,” he says miserably, barely glancing over his shoulder at the three standing in shocked silence behind him.

“Chalk what down, Boost?” Ted bothers to utter as Michelle and Rani hug and let tears run down their faces.

“Well,” Booster sighs, pushing up to his feet, “I promised whenever he’s reborn and old enough, I’m going to give him shit for being wrong for once. That is a father-son promise that absolutely I am going to keep.”

He’s wobbly in his knees as he steps over to Ted and the others, but he tries his best not to show it. He’s already feeling weak in a lot of other ways and he doesn’t feel like letting any of them show.

Ted is banged up and holding onto his right shoulder rather tenderly. But his face is more concerned than pained.

“Are you okay?” Ted asks.

“Of course not,” Michael answers back. “You?”

“I’m, honestly, really confused,” Ted says, scratching at the back of his head. “But I’m also, just, really glad. Glad’s a weird way to be right now, isn’t it? I mean I’m relieved. Nope, not any better. I’m, uh. I’m…”

For just a moment, Booster raises a finger to hush Ted and tilts his body enough to look Michelle and Rani’s ways.

“Girls? Are you guys going to be okay?” he asks tiredly.

“Yeah,” Shel answers, wiping at her eyes with the hand not gripped by Rani. “I-I’ll be okay.”

Rani nods, sniffling. “Boppy’ll be back. So I’m okay.”

Nodding, Booster takes a breath and then immediately slings his arms around Ted’s shoulders and pulls him into a full-body hug. “This is the weirdest, wildest, dumbest reunion of all time, but I don’t want you to ever doubt that…” he looks ahead, searching for his words. He blinks in distraction. “Don’t… want you to…”

Holding Ted and arm's length, Booster stares ahead at Skeets and, more specifically, at the chalkboard just behind Skeet’s floating form.

Where before Ted Kord is KEY was written by itself, there is now a giant checkmark

“That… That dramatic son of a bitch!” Michael cries out, forgetting his weariness to stomp over to the board and examine. “He’s-- He does exist in this universe and has been writing on the board! The whole time! He could have-- why did he want--”

“Michael,” Michelle clears her throat before stiffly nodding her head toward Ted. “Maybe he… needed to make sure… things happened.”

Ted, for his part, looks utterly lost.

“Come here,” Booster groans, reaching over to grab Ted’s wrist and yanking him close before planting a kiss to his cheek.

“God, you could just ask me to take a few steps forward,” Ted chuckles into Booster’s skin.

He then grabs Michelle and Rani and pulls them all close. “My family is all here,” he says confidently. “Even if one’s hiding out in the timestream like a jackass right now.”

“Language, Michael, really,” Michelle says with no heat to her words at all.

“And I’m always going to do what’s right for all of you,” he promises.

They hug him back, every bit of his body held close by the people he loves most in the world at that moment in time.

Then another I-beam falls ten feet ahead of them causing them all to jump and yell in surprise.

“Okay,” Booster says, slow and drawn out. “What’s best for our family next step is probably fixing this place up before doing any other time shenanigans because I think I’ve put that off for about as long as the old Lab’s going to take it.”

“Well, not to brag,” Ted says before reaching up and pulling his goggles down over his eyes, “but I’m actually kind of a genius with labs.”

Booster feels his face melt into an affectionate smile, looking over Ted so fondly. “I know.”

“Ew, is this what love looks like,” Rani says, sticking out her tongue.

“Come here you,” Booster laughs, grabbing her sides and pulling her into a bear hug so that he can nuzzle her neck while she struggles and shrilly giggles. He flinches and lets go to check on his nose.

“You deserve that, brother-o’-mine,” Shel baps him on the head.

Ted, though, is on his knees and holding out his hands to study the bandage over Booster’s nose instead. He smirks and shakes his head. “You do know that promise goes both ways, right?” he asks, gently putting his hands over Booster’s. “I’ll do anything that’s best for you, too.”

“I know,” Booster says.

He knows there’s a lot of work still left to do, and that this new universe has a lot of things left to fix, but he feels in his soul more than he ever has before that on the track they’re on, there’s no place he’d rather be in that moment. For once, he can’t wait to see what the future might bring.

#Boostle #Michael Jon Carter #Booster Gold #Ted Kord #Blue Beetle #Rip Hunter #Michelle Carter #Rani #Rani Carter #writing #dc fic #DC: Some Times (Time and Time Again)

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paigenotblank · 5 years

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Hey! Sorry to interrupt: for the ship thing could you do Theta and Koschei? Hope you’re feeling better soon!

So since I am not really into the expanded universe of Doctor Who, I totally based this list off my knowledge of Doctor/Master from TV canon. (And thank you! I am feeling a lot better!)

who hogs the duvet - Neither of these two sleep often, and when they do their sleep schedules very rarely line up. However, on those extraordinary instances when they do, their battle for the covers can only be described as “the Enmity of the Ages.”

who texts/rings to check how their day is going - Theta often likes to check in to see how Koshei is doing. Koshei has a secret tracker on Theta’s phone.

who’s the most creative when it comes to gifts - I’m going with Koschei on this one because he is always trying to devise very complicated ways to kill Theta and sometimes he does so hidden within extravagant gifts. He definitely gets an A+ for creativity.

who gets up first in the morning - Again, they both sleep so rarely, but Koschei definitely likes to use the early morning for plotting. Theta when he sleeps likes to luxuriate in all the blankets and pillows on the bed.

who suggests new things in bed - Koschei is always suggesting they try new things, but the last time Theta fell for it he ended up handcuffed to the bed, naked, and abandoned for two days, while Koschei went off in the TARDIS to take over a planet. Theta is a little more discerning of Koschei’s propositions these days.

who cries at movies - Koschei cries when the villain fails but he will murder you if you even think about mentioning it!!!! Theta cries during cartoons.

who gives unprompted massages - Theta is very tactile and can often be seen touching Koschei. Koschei heard about this spot on the shoulder that if pressure is placed there, you can make a person lose control of their legs. To say Theta ended up a puddle on the floor is accurate, but perhaps a tad misleading when it comes to “massages.”

who fusses over the other when they’re sick - There was one time that one of Koschei’s plots to kill his boyfriend was a little too close to succeeding and Koschei was absolutely beside himself. He nursed Theta back to health and neither ever spoke of it again.

who gets jealous easiest - Not to say that Koschei doesn’t get jealous - what’s his is HIS, but Theta was nicknamed “the Oncoming Storm,” after a long night of drinking ginger beer and the Rani said something to Koschei that Theta absolutely took as an attempt at a pull HIS nemesis/boyfriend his inebriated state.

who has the most embarrassing taste in music - Koschei wrote “Mysterioso Pizzicato” for himself and then made sure it played every time he entered a room.

who collects something unusual - Koschei has a room of torture devices he wants to test out on Theta. Theta has a collection of turtle toys.

who takes the longest to get ready - Koschei because he never leaves the TARDIS without making sure his pockets are full of gadgets he might need to help him take over the planet they are visiting that day.

who is the most tidy and organised - Koschei again. I mean he has a plan A through ΘΣ for everything.

who gets most excited about the holidays - Theta because he is a pure bean who loves immersing himself in the cultures of others. Plus, presents.

who is the big spoon/little spoon - Koschei is always the big spoon because he cannot show any sign of weakness and being the little spoon is weakness in his eyes. However, Theta snuggles up behind him and comforts him whenever one of Koschei’s plans goes awry (which is nearly every day), so basically, Koschei is never the big spoon.

who gets most competitive when playing games and/or sports - Koschie thinks failure is unacceptable and therefore is very competitive. However, very rarely does Theta actually lose. (He is secretly the most competitive, but hides it well.)

who starts the most arguments - Koschei. It is how he shows he cares.

who suggests that they buy a pet - Why would they need a pet? Koschei has Theta.

what couple traditions they have - Sundays are boring and as such they take a break from planetary domination and attempted murder. They usually go bowling.

what tv shows they watch together - TV? TV is for losers (unless it is close circuit TV footage of watching your lover sleep). Koschei only watches films produced during the French New Wave.

what other couple they hang out with - No one is allowed to know they are dating. Brax and Romana.

how they spend time together as a couple - Try to take over a planet, be averted by your significant other. Try to kill your significant other. Fail. Repeat.

who made the first move - Koschei saw Theta walk into the Academy crying and sad that he had to leave his family, and decided he wanted to kill him then and there.

who brings flowers home - Koshei, but only if they are poisonous…or contain a sex pollen.

who is the best cook - Koschei poisons the food. Theta has taken to eating only food dispensed by the TARDIS food replicator.

#theta x koschei #thoschei #doctor x master #ship ask game #doctor who #asked and answered #Anonymous

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esonetwork · 3 years

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Timestamp #220: A Christmas Carol

New Post has been published on https://esonetwork.com/timestamp-220-a-christmas-carol/

Timestamp #220: A Christmas Carol

Doctor Who: A Christmas Carol (Christmas Special, 2010)

Three spirits, a Christmas miracle, and a sonic shark.

A passenger liner is plummeting toward the surface of an unknown turbulent planet. The captain cancels Christmas as she attempts to save the ship, and as she detects a distress signal from the honeymoon suite, Amy and Rory race in wearing their fun costumes of a kiss-o-gram cop and a centurion.

The distress signal they sent summons the Doctor who signals the ship with a simple text: “Come along, Pond.”

On the surface is a village in the throes of a Christmas Eve celebration. The planet and the artificial storm when the cruiseliner is trapped are owned by Karzan Sardick, a wealthy and heartless man who acts as a loanshark through a business he inherited. To secure the the loans, he cryogenically freezes family members of the borrowers as collateral.

As one family begs for their family to be thawed for a day, the Doctor arrives via chimney. Sardick has denied the cruiseliner permission to be rescued, and the Doctor’s attention bounces from the poor family to the storm machine and the frozen girl. Sardick says that the girl is not important, but the Doctor replies that he has never met anyone who wasn’t important.

The machine’s controls are isomorphic and coded to Sardick alone. The Doctor tries to appeal to his better nature, but Sardick ejects the family and the Doctor with a bout of violence. When Sardick refrains from striking the young boy as the family leaves, the Doctor sees a crack in Sardick’s façade.

The Doctor touches base with the Ponds before being warned to seek cover for the night. After all, the fish that swim through the clouds are particularly fervent tonight. The Doctor is inspired by a Christmas carol playing on the loudspeakers and launches a plan to save the cruiseliner.

Sardick awakens to find his dream projected on the wall of his study. When he was twelve, he wanted to film one of the sky fish, but his father punished him by striking the boy and sealing his window. The Doctor plumbs the depths of this memory, then boards the TARDIS and travels back in time to Sardick’s boyhood, right into the film being projected.

Acting as young Sardick’s babysitter, the Doctor decides to make the boy’s dream come true. Using the sonic screwdriver, the Doctor lures a sky fish in through the window while he and Sardick hide in the wardrobe. The boy is interested in seeing the fish because he missed his chance by being sick at school on the day his class got to see them. When the sky fish nibbles on the line, the Doctor leaves the wardrobe to investigate. He surmises that the fish travels on electrical currents generated in the atmosphere’s high water content. His investigation is cut short by a large shark that eats the little fish and chases the Doctor back into the wardrobe.

On the one hand, the Doctor is pleased because he has a better understanding of the clouds and can analyze the readings (once he retrieves his sonic screwdriver from the shark). On the other hand, the shark rams the wardrobe and pins its occupants against the wall. The Doctor bravely dives into the shark and retrieves half the sonic, but he and young Sardick lament the fact that the shark is dying after being out of the clouds for so long.

As a life support measure, the boy takes the Doctor to the vault where all of the collateral is kept. He travels forward briefly to get the code to the door from the older Sardick, then enters the vault with the boy in the past. The shark has followed them, lured by the fog emanating from the open vault. After a brief chase, the shark is lulled to sleep by the song of Abigail Pettigrew, one of the frozen who has been freed.

The Doctor realizes that singing induces a sympathetic harmonic that the fish like, which is the same principle that drives the cloud machine in the future. The Doctor puts the shark in Abigail’s box and takes his new companions on a ride in the TARDIS. Meanwhile, in the future, Abigail’s portrait has appeared on the elder Sardick’s wall. The shark is set free and Abigail is returned to her box with a promise that they will return every Christmas.

Sure enough, the Doctor and Sardick awaken Abigail one year later, unaware of the countdown on her box. They call the shark with the sonic and take a sleigh ride. The tradition continues as Sardick ages and his future self marvels over the new memories, ranging from New York to the Pyramids.

One year, Abigail asks to see her family again. She weeps as she watches her family have the life she can never have, and Sardick consoles her. The Doctor arranges a small celebration with Abigail’s family. Abigail explains her situation and vouches for Sardick’s character, and the group shares a holiday dinner before Abigail returns to her box with a kiss for Sardick.

The next year brings a Hollywood party for the trio. Abigail nearly reveals the truth about her life to Sardick, but they are forced to leave early since the Doctor has inadvertently become engaged to Marilyn Monroe. Abigail knows that there is nothing to be done, and as Sardick returns Abigail to her box, he tells the Doctor that he’d like to break the tradition in favor of working on the cloud machine.

The Doctor is sad that Sardick hasn’t evolved from his future attitudes, but gives the man his broken sonic screwdriver as he leaves. In the future, the portrait reverts from Abigail’s to Sardick’s father. One year later, the Sardicks complete work on the machine, and while the younger man considers calling the Doctor and resuming the tradition, he turns away.

The future Sardick digs the abandoned sonic out of his drawer, rejects another plea from the cruiseliner, and then meets the Ghost of Christmas Present… or rather, Amy’s hologram. She projects the crew and passengers into the vault, singing Silent Night as a further plea for their lives. The Doctor has told Amy about Abigail and Sardick tells her about Abigail’s terminal illness. The countdown has been tracking the number of days Abigail has to leave.

Amy and Rory reverse the transmission to bring Sardick’s hologram to the ship’s bridge. When Sardick is not swayed, he’s returned to the vault to face the Doctor. The Time Lord apologizes, but then brings the cruel man face to face with his twelve-year-old self. The elder’s heart is broken and he apologizes to his younger self.

The elder Sardick attempts to save the ship but the machine no longer recognizes him since he’s changed so much. Sardick flashes the sonic screwdriver and the Doctor realizes that the other half is still in the shark. Unfortunately, to lure the shark, they need Abigail’s song. The Sardicks release her, knowing that her death is imminent, but Abigail is overjoyed to spend one last Christmas with the man she loves.

Abigail’s song is broadcast into the clouds through the sonic screwdriver, drawing the two halves together. The resonance induces a Christmas snow to fall. High above, the cruiseliner stabilizes and everyone aboard celebrates. As the Christmas mood spreads through the village, the Doctor takes the younger Sardick home.

Some time later, the Ponds reunite with the Doctor. The Time Lord rejects a phone call from Marilyn Monroe, absolutely convinced that it wasn’t a real chapel after all. As the travelers depart for their next adventure, Sardick and Abigail sail the skies in a shark-drawn sleigh.

Steven Moffat promised that this holiday story would be the most “Christmassy Christmas special ever” and “all your favourite Christmas movies at once, in an hour, with monsters and the Doctor and a honeymoon.”

Mission accomplished.

There have been countless adaptations of Charles Dickens’s famous novel, and this one adds a Doctor Who flair to the timeless tale. Karzan Sardick takes the Scrooge journey courtesy of the Christmas Ghosts: The Doctor takes the role of the Ghost of Christmas Past, Amy is the Ghost of Christmas Present, and Sardick himself becomes the Ghost of Christmas Future (or Christmas Yet to Come). In a sense, Abigail fills the roles of Jacob Marley and “Tiny Tim” Cratchit.

The redemption story is touching and drew me in because of the unique take. We get to watch Scrooge evolve and grow as the Doctor brings the trademark love and compassion to bear. The tragedy of the love affair is heartbreaking, played so well by both Michael Gambon and Danny Horn as both versions of Sardick live through the memories. Katherine Jenkins absolutely sells the empathetic Abigail.

I love the nods throughout this celebration. We’ve heard about the Doctor’s friendship with Albert Einstein before (Time and the Rani), the sonic screwdriver gets destroyed (The Visitation, Smith and Jones, The Eleventh Hour), the psychic paper once again proves not to be infallible (Army of Ghosts, The Shakespeare Code, The Vampires of Venice), and the Fourth Doctor gets a beautiful yet subtle tribute with long scarves as Abigail’s clock ticks to 004.

I could have sworn that Silent Night had been in Doctor Who before now, but research says that I was wrong.

Finally, I’d be remiss not to note Dumbledore. Okay, okay, not quite the wizard, but definitely Michael Gambon, who was far more sinister here than in his five appearances in the Harry Potter films. I love seeing actors I know in productions and roles that are so different than what I’ve seen from them before, and this was no exception.

Rating: 5/5 – “Fantastic!”

UP NEXT – Doctor Who: The Impossible Astronaut & Doctor Who: Day of the Moon

The Timestamps Project is an adventure through the televised universe of Doctor Who, story by story, from the beginning of the franchise. For more reviews like this one, please visit the project’s page at Creative Criticality.

#Doctor Who #Timestamps Project

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ralphlayton · 3 years

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LinkedIn’s Ty Heath: 3 Enduring B2B Marketing Trends #MPB2B

While MarketingProfs B2B Forum's Ann Handley was introducing Ty Heath, director of market engagement at The B2B Institute at LinkedIn*, for her keynote, “Evolve your Strategy: 3 Mega Marketing Trends to Outperform Your Competition,” she shared that one of the advantages of holding the event virtually for the first time was that you could be three places at once by being able to watch all sessions once the conference concludes. 2020 marked Ty’s third year speaking at #MPB2B, and her first keynoting the event, and for the occasion Ann shared her hand-drawn portrait of Ty. Ty began by explaining that LinkedIn’s B2B Institute serves as a think tank for accelerating B2B marketing and creating more value for B2B marketers, and then started her exploration of the three big trends that won't necessarily change over time — trends savvy marketers will want to invest in over the next decade in order to see their organizations thrive. A key point prefacing her three major trends was that marketers shouldn’t ask what everyone else is doing, but instead should be asking about what nobody is doing, and the importance of both doing what nobody else is and — equally important — being right about it. B2B marketing is largely a long-term game, Ty explained, noting that the three trends she would focus on during her #MPB2B presentation came from a robust collection of some 30 marketing trends that LinkedIn has researched over the past five years, available in report form in “2030 B2B Trends: Contrarian Ideas For The Next Decade.” Let’s take a look at the three mega-marketing trends Ty explored in her insightful MarketingProfs B2B Forum #MPB2B 2020 session.

Trend #1 — The War on Brand

Ty shared the importance of B2B marketers striking just the right balance of short-term activation versus long term branding, pointing out that one of brand-building's truest strengths is its effect on long term sales. While it often takes six months to begin seeing the effects of a B2B brand campaign, only a paltry four percent even measure beyond the six month mark, Ty explained, pointing out that smart B2B brands should be investing at least 50 percent on branding initiatives. Ty noted that in today’s B2B landscape, more buyers are doing their own research, but only on the brands that they've heard of. Branding can do so much more than activation alone can, Ty explained, including:

Delivering better short-term results

Increasing sales from future customers

Using brand investment's powers to raise prices

Acquiring and retaining the best talent

Ty took a look at the traditional sales funnel and shared how LinkedIn has benefited by flipping it sideways, allowing for observations of growth over time and a better visual understanding of in-market and out of market buyers.

Trend #2 — Blockbuster Marketing

Ty explored the power of creative effectiveness, using several film examples from Disney. Creativity isn't some magical state that exists off by itself, Ty said, however there are some general creativity principles that can work in more general terms. One tenet of blockbuster B2B marketing is betting big, as small bets are inherently risky, while big bets can be very profitable, Ty noted, showing examples of the dramatic differences in return from a variety of Disney films. Why are big bets more profitable? One reason is our attention spans, Ty observed, noting that big bets can be among the only ways that brands can break through today. Another is the role of familiarity, pointing to the success of movie sequels, and the fact that these are stories we know and are comfortable connecting with. Since at least 2015, Salesforce has used its "State of Sales" initiative to successfully build on familiarity through tactics such as reinvesting in existing creative and updating reports with new data to stay connected and keep these campaigns fresh, Ty explained. B2B marketers should also focus on the consistent distinctiveness of their efforts, Ty noted, with a unique look and feel that has been built and invested in over time. "Look like yourself and no one else," Ty urged, by using a logo, colors, and visual elements in advertisements that are recognizable. She also pointed out the power of total merchandising, by bringing the same creative to different channels, and used the successful Star Wars franchise — with its $33 billion galaxy of revenue — as an example. B2B marketers are well-served by making creative ideas into extensions of the franchise, Ty explained, such as by using total merchandising and through using the same creative in both online and traditional efforts, with each piece building on the last.

Trend #3 — The Death of Hyper-Targeting

There has been a major change in distribution effectiveness, as over the last decade B2B marketers have become obsessed with hyper-targeting using laser-like precision, Ty noted. This move to narrowly target tiny audiences has been taken to an extreme and has swung too far in that direction, Ty noted, explaining that "We've gone way overboard in the direction of hyper-targeting." This isn’t to say that account-based marketing (ABM) no longer has a place, she noted, suggesting that it still has a place in complementing an overall plan. In B2B it’s important to go broad, but not too broad, Ty observed, and then took a look at relevant reach and why it matters, suggesting that marketers also read LinkedIn's “5 Principles Of Growth In B2B Marketing” report. Reach is just as important in B2B as it is in B2C, depending on your competition, Ty noted, and used the example of Occam's razor — the thirteenth-century philosopher’s principle that entities should not be multiplied unnecessarily — to reinforce that in marketing, reach equals growth. A very real problem that arises with hyper-targeting is that it is sometimes — perhaps more often than we might expect — based on assumptions, which can lead to dangerous marketing problems, Ty noted. Such unsafe assumptions often include inaccurate data, and Ty shared a personal example of several websites she used that attempt to find demographic information from web browsing history data, each missing the target wildly in her case, with much incorrect data. Another peril B2B marketers face is assuming that we know precisely who to target, Ty observed, and suggested that we don't often know, but that we should let smart systems start to help us predict where we're going to get the best value. Hyper-targeting is usually more expensive while broad targeting can be more efficient, and the better value, and Ty noted that “Category reach is the most important thing." Wrapping up her insightful presentation, Ty urged B2B marketers to invest in brand building and in creating blockbuster franchises, and ended by asking “What's your share of voice? How does that compare with your market share, and how can you apply these three big trends?” In the post-session question and answer period, Ty expanded on methods for computing a share of voice (SOV) measurement, a metric she believes is greatly underrated and which can be quite telling, and which can also successfully be used to make the case for investment. Ty also expanded on the merchandising concepts she'd mentioned earlier in her presentation, noting that it’s an area where B2C marketers do an especially good job, and she urged B2B marketers to take stock of where their assets lie and to work towards building fame, uniqueness, and the other elements that make your brand special. Be sure to check out our additional #MPB2B 2020 coverage listed below:

Adobe’s Rani Mani: 5 Tips For Creating Your B2B Influencer Marketing Love Affair #MPB2B

10 Must-See Sessions at MarketingProfs B2B Forum 2020 #MPB2B

25 Top B2B Marketing Influencers To Follow In 2021 #MPB2B

* LinkedIn is a TopRank Marketing client.

The post LinkedIn’s Ty Heath: 3 Enduring B2B Marketing Trends #MPB2B appeared first on B2B Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

LinkedIn’s Ty Heath: 3 Enduring B2B Marketing Trends #MPB2B published first on yhttps://improfitninja.blogspot.com/

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124globalsociology · 4 years

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Intersectional Feminism

By Alexis Williams, Anna Oh and Graham George

Jerilyn Hassell Pool / papersashay.com Custom Printed Protest Posters

There was, and continues to be, a racial divide in feminist perspectives between white and POC feminists. This divide dates back to first-wave feminism during the 19th and early 20th centuries and follows through to the second wave of the 1960s to the early 1990s and continues to today. Much of the feminist world felt that feminism predominantly focused on “Caucasian, able-bodied, usually heterosexual women from the economic North, who were often middle class, although sometimes working class,” (Intersectional Analysis A Contribution of Feminism to Sociology). In a push for a more equal and inclusive feminism, all sides came together to create “intersectional feminism” a term coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw. Kimberlé Crenshaw is an American lawyer, and civil rights advocate. She is a professor at the UCLA School of Law and Columbia Law School. Crenshaw is known for the introduction and development of intersectionality.

According to The intersectional turn in feminist theory: A response to Carbin and Edenheim (2013) by Gemma McKibbin, Rachael Duncan, Bridget Hamilton, Cathy Humphreys, Connie Kellett, “…intersectionality is a common feminist voice which claims to simultaneously acknowledge diversity and recognize that gender is not the only dimension critical to identity and oppression.” They state how intersectionality allows social researchers as well as policy makers to be able to understand the various experiences of disadvantages in the diverse group of women that involved in feminism. It is important to recognize the intersectionality in feminism to be able to conceptualize the system of oppression through multiple identities, hierarchies of power and privilege.

Mrs. James Rector, Mary Dubrow, and Alice Paul (left to right) hold center banner that reads: “No self respecting woman should wish or work for the success of a party that ignores her sex.

Intersectional feminism is exceedingly important. It has the potential to allow for more progressive feminist debates as it is more encapsulating of a wide variety of struggles and assures that the feminist movement gives equal voice to marginalized women. It is a tool which will “enable collective solidarity and for progressing feminist theory and practice…” (McKibbin, Gemma, et al). Furthermore, “An intersectionality-type lens can thus be deployed to emphasize that we are all differently and differentially implicated in the conditions that structure and uphold a matrix of domination,” (Sharma, Nandita Rani, and Cynthia Pfaff Wright). For example, in Concerned, Meet Terrified: Intersectional Feminism and the Women’s March, Sierra Brewer and Lauren Dundes express the concern on priorities of the community of white women had during The Women’s March on January 21,2017. There were reports questioning “the genuineness of white women’s commitment to feminism as noted by Ijeoma Oluo (editor at large of feminist website The Establishment). He said, “seeing these women ‘so excited — buying plane tickets, knitting hats [the pussy hats], doing all of these things, getting ready to get out and march in the street, and you’re wondering, where was that need to get out and say something when we were being shot?’” (Richardson).

The “Vessels of Genealogies” exhibit by Firelei Baez features drawings of dark women with cascades of hair, the ghostly descendants of African, Latina and Caribbean great-great-grandmothers and goddesses. (Gallery Wendy Norris photo)

Furthermore, many white feminists are unable to see their status as “both oppressed and oppressor.” This so called “class and race unconsciousness” among some white feminists (Roth, 1999, p. 99) resulted in a feminist treatment of sexism as the ultimate barrier without considering how it intersects with class, race and other hetero-normative-based oppression, “an insensitivity with lasting repercussions for a more racially united feminist movement.” It’s a call for need to take into account the impact of race; however, American author, professor, feminist, and social activist Bell Hooks suspects that racial hierarchy will remain because of historical reasons: “Prior to slavery, patriarchal law decreed white women were lowly inferior beings, the subordinate group in society. The subjugation of black people allowed them to vacate their despised position and assume the role of a superior,” (Brewer, Dundes).

But regardless of the racial differences among feminists, it would be wrong to dismiss the efforts of white women in general, either historically or contemporarily. In other words, despite conflicting positions on the meaning of feminism, the wish to creative positive change and to work through differences allows for progress towards unity, even in the presence of divisions by class, race, and sexuality (Valk, 2010).

Intersectional feminism applies to class for many reasons. First and foremost, it’s a global issue, meaning it affects everyone, from all across the globe. Colonialism spread the patriarchy and even established it in some places. For example, indigenous women had equal roles in their societies, but, “Colonial policies and practices tried to end Indigenous beliefs, customs, language and culture. These attempts had dramatic and mostly negative effects on Indigenous women’s role in society,” (FemNorthNet). The lasting effects of western colonial patriarchy never wore off and women are consistently subject to harsh inequalities. Some women were given a louder platform to speak out against these inequalities whereas others were told to be quiet. Intersectional feminism combats not only the colonial patriarchy, but also the racist traditional feminism. It is an effort to give marginalized women an equal voice. Intersectional feminism has and continues to face backlash, such as individuals deeming it ineffective and nonsensical; nevertheless, it persists and will continue to do so.

Important intersectional feminists:

Chrystos

Kimberlé Crenshaw

Laverne Cox

Lizzo

Bell Hooks

Audre Lorde

Frederick Douglass

Gloria Anzaldúa

Other types of feminism:

Liberal Feminism: An individualistic form of feminist theory, which focuses on women’s ability to maintain their equality through their own actions and choices.

Radical Feminism: a perspective within feminism that calls for a radical reordering of society in which male supremacy is eliminated in all social and economic contexts.

Marxist and Socialist Feminism: Socialist feminism is a two-pronged theory that broadens Marxist feminism’s argument for the role of capitalism in the oppression of women and radical feminism’s theory of the role of gender and the patriarchy.

Cultural Feminism: Cultural feminism is a variety of feminism which emphasizes essential differences between men and women, based on biological differences in reproductive capacity.

EcoFeminism: A branch of feminism that sees environmentalism, and the relationship between women and the earth, as foundational to its analysis and practice.

Further readings:

What does intersectional feminism actually mean? | IWDAhttps://iwda.org.au › what-does-intersectional-feminism-actually-mean

What is “Intersectional Feminism”? | Women’s & Gender Studieshttps://denison.edu › Academics › Women’s & Gender Studies

PreviewPreview12:30Intersectional feminism | Living In Colour

Bibliography

Brewer, Sierra, and Lauren Dundes. “Concerned, Meet Terrified: Intersectional Feminism and the Women’s March.” Women’s Studies International Forum, Pergamon, 30 Apr. 2018, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277539517301449.

Denis, Ann. “Review Essay: Intersectional Analysis: A Contribution of Feminism to Sociology - Ann Denis, 2008.” SAGE Journals, Sept. 2008, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0268580908094468.

McKibbin, Gemma, et al. “The Intersectional Turn in Feminist Theory: A Response to Carbin and Edenheim (2013) - Gemma McKibbin, Rachael Duncan, Bridget Hamilton, Cathy Humphreys, Connie Kellett, 2015.” SAGE Journals, 2 Feb. 2015, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1350506814539445.

Sharma, Nandita Rani, and Cynthia Pfaff Wright. “A Feminist Approach to Decolonizing Anti-Racism : Rethinking Transnationalism , Intersectionality , and Settler Colonialism” Semantic Scholar 20-15 www.semanticscholar.org/paper/A-Feminist-Approach-to-Decolonizing-Anti-Racism-:-,-Sharma-Wright/05657ee11a8bd1cdf19e74ef8864b1d81445a1c9.

#submission #publicscholarship #global sociology #intersectionality #activism #feminism #colonialism #crenshaw #racism #art

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ramajmedia · 5 years

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Doctor Who: Why Each Doctor Regenerated | Screen Rant

Here are all the monsters, injuries and mishaps that have caused the Doctor to regenerate in Doctor Who. Recasting a title character can be risky business for most TV and film franchises, but for Doctor Who, it's an integral part of the mythology. In a unique trick, Time Lords have the ability to cheat death, renewing every cell in their bodies when they are gravely sick or fatally wounded. From a real-world point of view, regeneration provides Doctor Who with a legitimate way of continuing the show when the lead actor has had enough or, in some cases, is given the boot.

The rules and lore surrounding regeneration have changed and evolved over the years, with the term itself not introduced until the era of the Third Doctor. A Time Lord can regenerate a total of twelve times, but can also be afforded a brand new regeneration cycle by the Time Lord council - a gift bestowed upon the Doctor in Matt Smith's final episode. More recent additions to the regeneration concept have shown that the process can alter gender and skin color, and Time Lords also have the option to refuse regeneration, should they wish.

Related: Doctor Who: How Jack Harkness Becomes The Face Of Boe

Regeneration is one of Doctor Who's most innovative and useful concepts, but the process has been wildly different on almost every occasion. The Doctor's regenerations have also been caused by a wide variety of different threats, some considerably more dramatic than others.

Doctor Who's early creative team cooked up the idea of regeneration after William Hartnell, the original actor to bring the Doctor to life, began to struggle with memorizing scripts and delivering lines. Seeking to continue the show with a younger star, the Doctor would "renew" himself and transform into a completely different man. Throughout the First Doctor's final adventure, "The Tenth Planet," the Time Lord appears weakened and frail, sometimes being forced to rest as he battles the Cybermen for the first time.

After helping save Earth from the deadly emergence of the Cybermen's home planet, the Doctor wearily returns to his TARDIS and collapses, regenerating into his Second form. Although not explicitly addressed, the generally accepted reason for the First Doctor's regeneration is old age. The Doctor is already several hundred years old before the start of Doctor Who and his recent adventures have evidently taken a toll on his ailing body.

When it came time for Patrick Troughton to move on from Doctor Who, the "old age" excuse wasn't going to work, with the Second Doctor not only younger and more cheerful than his predecessor, but far more sprightly. Instead, Doctor Who introduced another element to the mythology that would form a core part of the franchise for decades to come: the Time Lords.

Although clearly of alien origin, the Doctor's background had never been previously addressed, but "The War Games" revealed his heritage and established the Time Lord code of non-interference. The Doctor was wildly in violation of said code, but a dire situation forced him to call for aid from his Gallifreyan kin, even knowing that punishment inevitably awaited. Charged with various counts of meddling, the Doctor was forced to give up his current regeneration and was exiled to Earth. Most heartbreakingly of all, the Second Doctor's companions were forced to completely forget their adventures in the TARDIS.

Jon Pertwee's Third Doctor was the most human version yet, driving a jaunty car, joining U.N.I.T. and taking down baddies with his Venusian aikido. However, the Third Doctor's eventual regeneration was definitively alien in nature. Having previously stolen a blue crystal from the planet Metebelis 3 for study, the Doctor discovers that a race of mutated giant spiders have taken over and are seeking the return of their crystal. While this sounds like a reasonable request, the spiders seek to use the crystal as part of a larger plan to dominate the galaxy.

Always a step ahead, the Doctor knows that the crystal's overwhelming power will kill, not enhance, the spiders' leader, and handing back the stolen crystal will therefore save the day. Problematically, the spider's cave is teeming with lethal radiation but, in a noble effort to protect the universe, the Doctor ventures into the cave of the Eight Legs and hands over the crystal, defeating the spiders. Upon exiting, Pertwee's Doctor barely has enough strength to pilot the TARDIS back to Earth and regenerate.

Related: Doctor Who: River Song's Timeline Explained

Tom Baker's regeneration into Peter Davison is unique in that it requires the cooperation of a mysterious third party. In "Logopolis," the fabric of reality is beginning to unravel and the Doctor is forced to team up with the Master to save the universe. Although the unlikely duo succeed, the always-opportunistic Master threatens to restart the collapse unless control of the universe is handed over to him. Ascending a high radio tower, the Doctor manages to disconnect the dish broadcasting the Master's ultimatum. With the Master tilting the tower's gantry, however, the Doctor falls to the ground below, triggering his next regeneration.

Having been followed by a strange white figure known as "the Watcher" for the entire story, the dying Fourth Doctor reveals his stalker to be his own future incarnation, and the two Time Lords merge together during the regeneration process. Why the Watcher is a necessary component of this particular regeneration isn't clear, but wider Doctor Who media suggests that seeing a Watcher is an occasional phenomenon that befalls Time Lords who are nearing a regeneration.

In his final story, Peter Davison's Fifth Doctor stumbles across a battle between various political and military factions for a valuable natural mining resource called Spectrox on the planet Androzani. While inspecting the Caves of Androzani, the Doctor's assistant, Peri Brown, becomes entangled in an unknown sticky substance that is later revealed to be unrefined Spectrox. Both Peri and the Doctor make skin contact with the Spectrox and soon begin to exhibit symptoms of poisoning. The Fifth Doctor embarks on a mission deep into the caves to find the only known antidote to their condition and although he succeeds, he can only retrieve a single dose, curing Peri at his own expense.

Colin Baker's departure from Doctor Who and the BBC was an acrimonious one, and this resulted in the most abrupt regeneration sequence ever seen on the series. At the very beginning of the season 24 premiere, "Time And The Rani," the TARDIS comes under attack from the planet Lakertya at the Rani's command. After a barrage of energy blasts, the TARDIS is caught and boarded, where the Rani witnesses the Sixth Doctor regenerate into the Seventh.

The exact cause of Colin Baker's regeneration isn't made clear, and fans can only assume that he sustained severe injuries following the assault upon his ship, although subsequent audiobooks have sought to fill in the gaps of the Sixth Doctor's demise.

The classic series of Doctor Who was cancelled while Sylvester McCoy's Seventh Doctor still held the keys to the TARDIS, but his story continued in the 1996 TV movie, which offered a regeneration sequence grounded in stark realism. Thanks to the Master, the Doctor's TARDIS unintentionally materializes in 1999 San Francisco, right in the center of a shootout between two rival gangs. The Doctor's sudden appearance spares the life of a young man named Chang Lee, but the Time Lord himself takes a barrage of bullets.

With dual hearts and Gallifreyan physiology, the Doctor actually survives the shooting, but is killed by well-meaning surgeons as they attempt to open the Doctor up and save his life. Aimlessly fiddling in a Time Lord's body, Dr. Grace Holloway kills the recovering Doctor and he later regenerates in the building's morgue.

Related: Doctor Who Has Different Opening Credits In The US To The UK

With his only appearance coming in the ill-fated movie, fans were left guessing as to how Paul McGann's Eighth Doctor regenerated. Answers finally arrived in time for Doctor Who's fiftieth anniversary in the short film, "The Night of the Doctor." Written by Steven Moffat, "The Night of the Doctor" sees the Time Lord desperately trying to avoid partaking in the burgeoning Time War spreading across the universe.

Travelling alone, the Doctor comes across Cass, the pilot of a doomed ship, and attempts to save her life. Unusually for Doctor Who, Cass refuses, not wanting to be saved by one of the Time Lords currently destroying galaxies with their endless war against the Daleks. For his part, the Doctor refuses to leave and with both passengers remaining stubborn until the end, the ship crashes, killing both. Fortunately, the Doctor seems to have landed on Karn, a former colony of Gallifrey introduced in the Fourth Doctor's era. The planet's natives, known as the Sisterhood, give the Eighth Doctor an elixir that will supposedly allow him to fully control the characteristics of his next regeneration.

Appearing in the 50th anniversary special, John Hurt's War Doctor was a fleeting but welcome addition to Doctor Who canon and was seen regenerating at the end of "The Day of the Doctor." Making reference to his body "wearing a bit thin," the War Doctor's regeneration can be attributed to old age, for the first time since 1966. However, it could also be argued that the War Doctor's function was merely as a soldier in the Time War, and once that conflict was over, so was the War Doctor himself.

For the second time, the Doctor sacrifices himself to save an assistant. Under assault from the Daleks, the Ninth Doctor sends his assistant, Billie Piper's Rose Tyler, away in the TARDIS for her own safety. Rose refuses to accept being unable to help the Doctor and strives to find a way back to him, eventually absorbing the heart of the TARDIS and gaining God-like abilities. Rose saves the day but is rapidly becoming unstable, forcing the Doctor to absorb the power himself via a painfully cheesy kiss.

After restoring the TARDIS energy back to its original location, the Doctor begins to feel the effects of saving Rose, later claiming that no Time Lord is supposed to take in that much power. He promptly regenerates into David Tennant.

David Tennant's demise was a long time coming in Doctor Who, with the "he will knock four times" warning coming well in advance of the Tenth Doctor's final episode. Viewers were misled into believing this prophecy would be fulfilled by the Master or Rassilon but, in the end, it was Bernard Cribbins' Wilf that heralded the end of the Tenth Doctor's reign.

Related: Doctor Who's Dalek Redesign Is Perfect For The Jodie Whittaker Era

During the dramatic final confrontation of "The End of Time," Wilf selflessly frees an innocent worker from a two-man radioactive chamber, locking himself in until another person can take his place. When the dust settles, the Doctor hears the gentle knocking and realizes he must sacrifice his own life to save Wilf, absorbing a deadly dose of radiation in the old man's stead. After a whirlwind tour of his old friends, the Tenth Doctor delivers an emotionally devastating final line and regenerates in explosive fashion.

For the third time in his life, the Doctor died of old age when his Eleventh incarnation resolved to protect the planet of Trenzalore for hundreds of years, guarding a crack that separated the hidden planet Gallifrey from the amassing Dalek fleet waiting to resume the Time War. And since the Tenth Doctor had avoided a regeneration through the use of a preserved severed hand, Smith's Doctor was already out of lives.

After deterring the potential conflict for the remaining years of his Eleventh iteration, the Doctor consigned himself to a death of the permanent kind, but was spared this fate by the Time Lords, who granted him a brand new regeneration cycle.

Peter Capaldi's regeneration was special in the sense that it was triggered by damage accumulated throughout the Twelfth Doctor's final adventure. Coming up against a powerful army of Cybermen and two incarnations of the Master, the Doctor's first major injury arrives in the form of Cyberman electrocution. Although the Doctor survives, he spends several weeks recovering from the attack and is unable to heal a cut on his forehead, with golden regeneration energy beginning to brew from his hands.

Delaying his forthcoming renewal, the Doctor later engages multiple Cybermen in combat and endures several energy blasts before detonating an explosion that not only wipes out his mechanical enemies, but puts paid to any chance the Doctor had of recovering from his previous wounds. Capaldi's regeneration marks a rare occasion in Doctor Who history that a major villain has succeeded in directly killing the Doctor.

More: Doctor Who Season 11 Saved The Show From Steven Moffat's Mistakes

Doctor Who season 12 premieres in 2020 on BBC and BBC America.

source https://screenrant.com/doctor-who-every-regeneration-reason/

#screenrant

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leftovercakecrumbs · 7 years

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Okay so I’ve been wanted to draw out my own YJ dream team, but the drawing process takes forever so I’ll just write it out for now. YJ pics thus far can be seen here. Feel free to look through this post, but it’s mostly for organizational purposes so everything’s in one place…

The team’s initially started by Damian (who acts as leader…for now) and a few others, but later the League takes over and puts in some regulations so not every super powered kid the team comes across can join (”It’s for safety reasons” says Batman). Members are a mix of kid characters who’ve existed pre and post reboot, alive and dead characters, developed and having little to no development. A definite mixed bag. Also some personal interpretations of characters which is a given.

A lot more info about the team under the read more [13 members in total+7 allies]:

Note: sidekick and protege are similar, though for the sake of this list sidekick means that they work alongside the person stated, while protege means that they are being trained by said person

Requirements for joining

Have to be under a hero’s mentorship or recommended by a League member

Minimum 3 years experience in the field

Has to agree to go through further evaluation and background checks to join because the last thing the team needs is a potential mole or double agent.

The official roster of members [in order of initiation]:

Damian Wayne [15] | Robin | Leader of YJ and a Founding Member | Son and sidekick of Batman

Powers/Abilities: He’s pretty much Batman, but smaller.

Strengths: Very intelligent, determined, ambitious | Weaknesses: Loves to gloat, stubborn, argumentative

Likes: Proving people wrong, his pets, spending time with Dick | Dislikes: Being wrong, people questioning his authority

Lian Harper [16] | Speedy | Second in Command [becomes leader after Damian later hands over the position] and Founding Member | Daughter and sidekick to Arsenal

Powers/Abilities: Expert marksman and weapons expert, advanced deductive reasoning

Strengths: Compassionate, resourceful, works well under pressure | Weaknesses: Altruistic, has a guilt complex

Likes: Sparring, spending time with her dad, cooking | Dislikes: Failing others, being alone, rats

Milagro Reyes [14] | Green Lantern | Founding Member | Sister of Blue Beetle [Jaime Reyes] and sidekick protege of Guy Gardner

Powers/Abilities: Green Lantern Ring: Allows her to create constructs from her imagination.

Strengths: Courageous, strong morale, empathetic | Weaknesses: Runs on emotion, tends to be impulsive, confrontational

Likes: Hanging out with friends, writing music, playing pranks | Dislikes: Loud mouths [Guy’s an exception], cowards, the color yellow

Iris “Irey” West II [15] | Impulse | Founding Member | Daughter and sidekick to Flash

Powers/Abilities: Speed force [superhuman speed, agility, durability, etc.]

Strengths: Quick to react, fast learner, works well under pressure | Weaknesses: Somewhat scatterbrained, lacks patience

Likes: Candy, adventure, teasing her friends | Dislikes: Being underestimated, being seen as stupid, bugs [ALL bugs]

Jai West [15] | Velocity | Founding Member | Son and sidekick to Flash

Powers/Abilities: Superhuman strength, speed force conduit

Strengths: Cool headed, analytical, team player | Weaknesses: Workaholic, can’t relax to save his life, overthinks

Likes: Video games, fighting crime, hard candies | Dislikes: Being useless, being bored, tea

Jon Samuel Kent [12] | Superboy | Son and sidekick to Superman

Powers/Abilities: Kryptonian Physiology [superhuman strength, speed, durability, flight, etc.]

Strengths: Intelligent, team player, compassionate | Weaknesses: Impulsive at times, sensitive

Likes: Having down time, hanging out with his family | Dislikes: Bad attitudes, being the butt of the joke

Cynthia “Sin” Lance [16] | White Dove | Daughter and sidekick of Black Canary, protege of Huntress

Powers/Abilities: Expert level martial artist; marksman

Strengths: Works well under pressure, cool headed, resourceful | Weaknesses: Aloof, lacks social skills, only works with others if she’s absolutely needed

Likes: Spending time with her mom, tea, shopping | Dislikes: Confrontation, working with others, people forcing friendships on her

Maxine “Max” Baker [15] | Little Wing | Daughter and sidekick to Animal Man, tag-along kid to Vixen

Powers/Abilities: Avatar of The Red, allows her to use raw red power and can gain animal abilities/turn into any animal

Strengths: Powerful, thinks outside of the box, always honest | Weaknesses: doesn’t always take things seriously, tends to run off and do her own thing, risk taker

Likes: Goofing off, girls, trying new things | Dislikes: Playing it safe, things not going as she planned

Arthur Curry III [16] | Ocean Prince | Son and protege of Aquaman and Queen Mera

Powers/Abilities: Atlantean physiology [ enhanced abilities, superhuman strength]

Strengths: Confident, charismatic, skilled fighter | Weaknesses: Somewhat easy to fool [with flattery], short tempered, bratty

Likes: Being the center of attention, showing off, kicking ass | Dislikes: Being made a fool off, having his patience tested, anyone who bothers Cerdian

Cerdian [15] | Son of Tempest, protege of Queen Mera

Powers/Abilities: Atlantean physiology and magic

Strengths: Observant, very skilled and powerful,always follows orders | Weaknesses: hesitant, lack of agency

Likes: morning swims, Arthur, human foods | Dislikes: Deep sea creatures, having to lead, being teased

Amistad Ervin [16] | Soaren | Son and protege of Rocket, godson and unofficial sidekick of Icon

Powers/Abilities: Inertia belt which gives him power over kinetic energy [just like his mom’s!]

Strengths: Courageous, practically fearless, intelligent | Weaknesses: Judgmental [pretty black and white view of the world], needlessly brutal, prefers to work alone

Likes: Looking good, beating up bad guys, cute girls | Dislikes: “Idiots,” back talk, being seen as a bad guy

Colin Wilkes [15] | Abuse | Under the supervision of Batman, no official mentor

Powers/Abilities: Bane-esque venom that allows him to transform into a more superhuman form.

Strengths: Mediator, observant, open-minded | Weaknesses: not knowledgeable about the world around him, paranoid

Likes: his bear Rory, going on adventures, making friends | Dislikes: being taken advantage of, being abandoned

Nell Little [15] | Spoiler | Sidekick to Batgirl

Powers/Abilities: An elite athlete and acrobat, competent detective skills

Strengths: Charismatic, resourceful, creative | Weaknesses: Doesn’t work well under pressure, lacks experience compared to the rest of the team

Likes: Gymnastics, dancing, a mission going well | Dislikes: Stress, not performing well, the dark

Allies of YJ [were unable to become official members for one reason or another, but are allowed called on for additional help]:

Maya Ducard [16] | Nobody

Reason for Rejection: Given the chance to join by Damian but refused to be a member due to her dislike over the idea of being watched over and investigated by the League. She took the offer to be an ally however due to her loyalty to him.

Mia “Maps” Mizugochi [15]

Reason for Rejection: Recommended by Damian but due to her lack of hero experience and mentor, she was rejected but was more than eager to accept the offer to help YJ whenever she can.

Cliff Baker [18]

Reason for Rejection: He’s technically dead [but his “spirit” lives on through The Red]. Somewhat acts as Maxine’s spiritual support and keeps her powers in check.

Rani Carter [16]

Reason for Rejection: Was given consideration to join from a recommendation from Booster Gold but he later retracted it after she ended up causing trouble.

Ramsey Robinson [17] | Manhunter Jr.

Reason for rejection: Lacks actual experience and his mother didn’t approve of him going into a hero team where she couldn’t regularly watch over him.

Traya Sutton [15]

Reason for Rejection: Lacks hero experience and isn’t under any kind of mentorship. However her intelligence and computer smarts make her valuable to YJ [Also Jai has a big ‘ol crush on her].

Klarion [???]

Reason for Rejection: Aside from the obvious, he’s only an ally because he’s somewhat “loyal” to Batgirl [Stephanie Brown] and in turn Nell and Damian…on a good day.

Mar’i Grayson [16]

Reason for Rejection: She’s currently displaced in time so there isn’t much legitimate and provable info on her at the moment. For now she can only be an ally until further notice.

Overseers/”Den Mothers” [watch over the kids, regularly check on them, gives them mission reports and evaluations, etc. etc.]:

Dick Grayson | Nightwing: Directs and plans training sessions, gives mission reports, gives out evaluations, embarrasses Damian, etc.

Chris Kent | Nightwing: “Den Mother”; lives in the base with the team, attempts to keep the peace, big-brother figure

Dinah Lance | Black Canary: Everything Dick does, acts as the main trainer, is the counselor, the only reason Sin is still involved with the team

#do i really wanna tag all of this...#damian wayne #lian harper #iris west #milagro reyes #sin lance #colin wilkes #cerdian #mar'i grayson #Chris kent #Maxine baker #Nell little #maya ducard #mmmmm #das it

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atopvisenyashill · 4 months

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i had a sadder “the dreams that just won’t be” line for sansa and ned bc i’m obsessed with the way they both handle grief and trauma in the same way

THIS WORLD I’LL NEVER SEE

MY DREAMS THAT JUST WON’T BE

#ned stark #sansa stark #genuinely made myself get teary aksjsjjs #fathers and daughters #getting on my soap box #rani attempts to be creative

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thewingedwolf · 3 years

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All I’ve been taught

And every word I’ve got

Is foreign to me

The Queen’s Thief Appreciation Week, Day Five —> Thick as Thieves

#qtappreciationweek #megan whalen turner #costis ormentiedes #the queen’s thief #kamet kingnamer #Costis x kamet #rani graphics #rani attempts to be creative #idk if anyone gets this but I made myself sad. colonized people trying to relearn how to be themselves solidarity with me and kamet ✊🏼✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿

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srbachchan · 7 years

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DAY 3267(i)

Jalsa, Mumbai Mar 8/9, 2017 Wed/Thu 2:22 am

MY OPINIONS ON THE FILM SARKAR 3

Amitji, Sarkaar 3 is your first release of 2017. What makes Subhash Nagre so powerful as to be the only character of yours to be seen in three films?

ANS//

Gosh .. !! I had not realised this, but thank you for bringing it up.

Where there is continuity, there shall be desire to revert.You succeed in one vocation, you continue with it. Your team construct wins a series, a game, you continue with it. You build a happy association, you nurture and harvest it again. SARKAR 1 was a success, but I doubt very much whether SARKAR 2 was prompted keeping the success factor in mind. It was done more for the continuation of the story, from where it was left off in 1.

The character, the circumstance and the environ of the story of SARKAR has been alluring. It has begged desire to revert and to continue. It’s like those bed time stories that your Mother narrated when putting you to bed to sleep ; they all started with ‘ek tha Raja, ek thi Rani ..’ , and then invariably they would doze off and we the young were wide eyed and anxiously questioning ..'phir … phir kya hua ..?’ . SARKAR’s narration has invoked similar questioning at the end of each sequel. SARKAR 3 therefore is a natural revert to that childlike question, at the end of the previous film.

BUT .. in my very limited opinion SARKAR is not just another name .. ‘SARKAR ek soch hai' , it is a condition, a reality, a state, an order. A condition state and order, that exists in every home. SARKAR is authority, governance, politics, not just in its much renowned truest self, but one that reflects its meaning in every day life, more so in a domestic application.

Each individual is a human. He or she may have the benefit of power through political process, in a country, but these individuals have a domestic life as well. And this is what has intrigued me ; does individual domestic circumstance influence in any manner, decisions that are taken by such individuals for State, Country and Governance ? Decisions, that could affect a billion people and their lives ?!

There is a SARKAR in every home - one that guides, takes decisions, masters and commands either servility or compassion. Who rides favour with the Master, who questions, who poisons their countenance to what end, are some of the several obligations that these heads face each moment. What goes on within the closed walls and drawn curtains and for what reason, is complex and many a time unknown to the outside world. Its a politics of a different kind, often referred to as ‘Palace Politics’. Derived presumably from the era of Kings and courts and Emperors with their inner coteries and subsequent intrigues, today, every home is a ‘palace’ and every home has its ‘politics’, the nature of which is guided and abetted by the ‘politics’ it conducts !

There is a Subhash Nagre in every home and that is why he becomes such a versatile, vulnerable yet respected and an acceptable character. Subhash Nagre is powerful not just by the presence of his conduct, to behave in a manner that he believes is right - ‘mujhe jo sahi lagta hai main karta hoon’ - but because he commands a system that has existed from time immemorial. The power of that depiction is dynamic and most attractive and loved. Negativity sells, but when you make it credible and right, it endears even more. It’s tough to pull something such as this in film and story .. but RGV and his conviction of the character, has succeeded in doing so. Which is why it attracts continuity .. and my convinced association !

Having played the character twice before, how easy was it for you to recapture inner life of this politician-gangster?

ANS//

I have reservations about the way you express the character - ‘politician-gangster’ - of SN in this particular question. I hope I am wrong, but to me it breathes, vicious negativity !

Politics compels you to take a stand, a stand that attracts disagreement and debate. Not all are expected to toe your thought or vision, but those that do become your ‘party’ of part of your ‘gang’. In normal terms ‘gangster’ invites crime, terror and all that is violent and against social and moral norms. But would you address all such ‘gang’ partners, or what you notify as a ‘gangster’, to only be defying moral and social norms. The British Raj identified freedom fighters as 'violent gangsters’ and hung them. Daku Man Singh and Veerappan were revered by the locals they served and looked after. Their means may have been wrong, but to them their act was right and for their own reasons - legal constitutionality not withstanding. Once that is understood, the act of performing is eased out by the concept devised by the director and the writer. My professional conviction is guided and operated by the Director and in turn the Writer. They have already ‘recaptured' it in their initial discussions. I merely attempt to enumerate their final discussion and design it on film.

Ram Gopal Varma is a very strange filmmaker , if for no other reason then the inconsistency of his output. Having done so many films with him. how would you describe your working relationship with this director?

ANS//

You are so right - inconsistency is indeed ’strange’.

It is ‘strange' because consistency is downright boring and static - for some. Not all, but for some. If one were to ‘consistently’ wear black, how would they ever discover the presence or the beauty of an alternative colour. Whether they like that range of difference is another matter, but deprived of it would be, to them, discomforting.

RGV is inconsistent because he is a restless creative mind, willing and deliberating continuously, to search valuable seed through his ‘outputs’. To have made me a part of that desire is a privilege for me. It challenged me, provoked me - a condition, I am absolutely convinced, every creative artist pleads for.

RGV’s ‘inconsistency' may not have given him the desired results he expected, but which artist, maker, producer, director has been able to achieve consistent box office success. Has that stopped us from admiring and applauding their efforts.

Every ‘inconsistent' offer that RGV included me in, found me striving to live upto his vision. They have all been exercises of great learning. Positive learning.

Stanley Kubrik, "cited as one of the most influential Directors in cinematic history” has had the most diverse and ‘inconsistent' temperament in his choice of films. From the iconic and revolutionary ‘2001 Space Odyssey’ made in the 60’s, to a period film, to ’The Shining’, ‘Clockwork Orange’ ‘Dr Strangelove’ is the genius of an inconsistent Director. Inconsistency has ridden with the more recent creators too. Spielberg shifted from an extra terrestrial experience to the Holocaust. Would you call that inconsistency questionable ??!

Yes .. ‘inconsistency' is 'strange’ !!

Ramu has gone on record to say he regrets doing all the films he has done with you except the Sarkaar franchise. Your comments please?

ANS//

This defeats the argument of the previous response. He is wrong. I wouldn’t mind being part of his further regrets !

Abhishek was with you in the first two Sarkaar films. Did you miss his presence in the third film?

ANS//

This is an obscure question ! Abhishek’s character dies in SARKAR 2 ! How can he be present in SARKAR 3 !! SARKAR structures have differing circumstances and stories around it, but the family is the same ..

Amitji, you continue be exemplary for the Indian mindset with your conduct and your statements. You recently said your wealth would be divided equally between your son and daughter. What prompted you come forward with this exceptional declaration?

ANS//

No I am not exemplary with my conduct and mindset when I declare the gender equality for my children. It is a natural belief of mine. I express it because if my face and voice can sell cement, I hope it can cement this social and moral belief of mine, among my countrymen !

Do you feel that the gender inequality that plagues our social order can only be repaired by a patriarchal willingness to right the wrongs that cause the inequality?

ANS//

This question, questions the very tenet of gender equality. Please do not even journalistically attempt to suggest that gender equality can only be repaired by a patriarchal willingness. It should be willingly repaired and accepted if it is propagated , matriarch-ally too !!

Amitabh Bachchan

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renaroo · 4 years

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Some Time (Time and Time Again) (5/8)

Ted Kord, miraculously, is still alive. And that makes everything more complicated than Michael could have ever imagined.

A/N: I love writing character dialogue so I let this one get away from me but, hopefully, you all will be understanding lol

And of course a wonderful thanks to @spiralcass, @secretlystephaniebrown, @babybatbrat, @mcbangle, @shibascarf, and @tardigradetheking for your lovely feedback and support!

Ted Kord

Ted is concerned about Booster’s condition long before he lands chin first into the concrete.

All the teams and all the fights that they had been through together over the years had shown Ted that Booster is as capable of taking a beating as any other hero. But there was intimate brutality to the fight between Ted’s mysterious attacker and Booster Gold that left far more questions than there are currently answers.

Of course, Booster’s fall is a helpful kick into high gear for switching between fight mode to oh shit mode.

Even though Ted is closer, he reaches the unconscious Booster’s side at nearly the same time as Michelle.

As if that isn’t weird enough on its own.

Without hesitation, Ted begins checking vitals and timing Booster’s pulse. The swelling and bruising are already looking nasty beneath the splattering of blood from Booster’s cuts and nose.

“Oh my god, can we move him?” Michelle asks, clear panic in her voice.

“Yeah, carefully,” Ted answers, using a momentarily free hand to point toward the steel locker by his desk. “I stocked a stretcher in the first aid cabinet. If we’re getting him out of here without messing with his neck then that’s going to be our biggest help.”

“I’m on it!” she yells, propelling from the floor and straight to the cabinet. She is back in the blink of an eye. “Tell me what to do.”

“Okay, when I say so, let’s lift him up just enough to slide the stretcher over and —“ he catches himself in the moment and then looks at Michelle curiously, “We have somewhere to take him, right? I’d say a hospital but—“

“No, we’ve got somewhere that Black Beetle shouldn’t be able to follow us,” she immediately replies. “Um. Hopefully. It’s the first time I’ve been in charge of moving places and cloaking us without…” Michelle shakes her head violently and then looks back at Ted with fiery confidence in her eyes. “We’ve got somewhere. If Skeets can help out with the transport.”

“Of course, Michelle!” the robotic voice drones.

Ted glances up and sees Skeets. The robot has an appendage out from his compact body and is using it to rather securely hold the wrist of the little girl from before. The girl has her free handheld tightly over her eyes, two clear streams of ongoing tears crossing her cheek as she breathes unevenly.

There is still so much that Ted can’t even comprehend enough to ask proper questions about, but he focuses and compartmentalizes as best he can be given the circumstances. Later. There has to be a later.

And beer. God, is he going to make Booster hold up his end of the deal so far as the beer is concerned.

Securing Booster’s neck and then securely taking hold of his shoulders, Ted takes a deep breath and looks to Michelle. “Okay, if you can get his legs, lift on three.”

Quickly, Michelle gets hold of her brother at his knees. “Ready!”

“One, two, three,” Ted presses, lifting Booster’s limp body up and using his foot to slide the stretcher closer to position before they lower him again. Booster is a lot heavier than the last time Ted can remember having to carry him — and it’s all hard muscle. Which is definitely something considering that Booster was never one to lack tone, to begin with.

The jarring of Booster’s body elicits a low, throaty groan from him, but it is only momentary. He is still completely out when Ted reaches up and brushes back blonde hair to feel and better see Booster’s forehead and face.

The adrenaline is wearing thin and the horrors and near-misses of everything are starting to catch up with Ted. His chest feels tight and on fire.

“I am going to transport all of us to Time Lab, but it will require some calculation considering the relative size of our party compared to… the limited surface area available at the moment,” Skeets announces.

“Just do it, Skeets!” Michelle begs.

Ted takes another moment to look her over and can’t help the commentary he has been holding back.

“Hey, so, fancy seeing you here,” he says. Michelle looks to Ted’s face, curious where this is leading. “Haven’t seen you since your funeral. You look good.”

“Thanks. Haven’t seen you since yours,” Michelle counters quickly.

Blinking with surprise, Ted turns his head slightly but any verbal response is cut off by the winding up and BOOM of their transportation, followed by the bodily jerk of material displacement and replacement.

They go from Ted’s utterly destroyed personal lab… To something that looks to be in a fairly similar state.

“You have a laboratory?” he asks, taken aback. “What does Booster need with a laboratory? The closest I’ve seen him to 'experimenting' is whatever he put together from the fridge’s leftovers.”

“This laboratory and compound are originally the property and creation of Doctor Rip Hunter,” Skeets’ voice offers as the robot flies past them.

And that is a name which Ted has not heard from in a while. It’s enough to make him take pause just before helping Michelle lift Booster’s stretcher. He’s still trying to put in place the variables he knows together but the time travelers just keep throwing new ones at him.

Figures.

Realizing he has no concept of where he’s going, Ted gives Michelle a look. “Uh, where’s a good place to—“

“Michael’s bedroom is down the hall, but the living room’s closer if you think a couch could work,” Michelle answers.

“Yeah, closer the better,” Ted agrees before allowing Michelle to lead the way.

He continues thinking — medical supplies to list out for them, monitoring his swears for the literal child present, concerns about the safety of this lab both from its broken nature and the transporting assassin after him, so on and so forth. But some things are drawing together.

“So… Michael lives with Rip Hunter… in a laboratory where he can… transport places and fight with guys infringing on my copyright,” Ted puts together as they reach the couch.

“Among other things,” Michelle says almost cryptically.

They slide Booster onto the couch and the failed attempt at conversation gets shelved. There’s pressing matters — all that other stuff on Ted’s mind.

Ted immediately checks on Booster’s neck. He didn’t like the way Booster’s head hit the ground, let alone the other times he crashed headfirst into the Bug. Or any walls. Or the Bug again. And the bruising was already purpling. Maybe there is a stake when being fashion-forward because Ted can’t imagine that the popped up collar would have let Booster’s neck jerk in that fashion.

The thought crosses his mind so naturally that he almost doesn’t question it, just smirks to himself in amusement. But then Ted does think about it.

When did Booster ever have a popped collar? Why is he thinking about that? How bizarre…

“I’m going to need some supplies—“ Ted begins to say.

“I’ll get them,” Michelle answers, getting to her feet.

“Do you need me to tell you what we need?” Ted asks as she leaves the room.

“I’ve got a good handle on what we’re going to need, Ted,” she replies before disappearing out into the rest of the lab.

Ted’s at a loss for words by the time Michelle gets back and they get to work taking care of the immediate stuff. A neck brace, ankle bandaged and up, a few scrapes closed up, a few scrapes stitched up. Cutting off the tethers of Booster’s ruined suit, the works.

It’s no Doomsday fight — which, Ted reminds himself, they weren’t there for, were they? — but this Black Beetle really did a number in a short amount of time.

It almost makes Ted question how badly he would be looking if Booster hadn’t shown up at the right time and place. He’s not sure he would like the answer, especially after Michelle’s commentary about funerals.

“That’s the most immediate stuff,” Ted says, spooling leftover suture. “But, uh, if I still know Booster—“

“You do,” Michelle says almost fondly.

“Right,” Ted answers awkwardly before coughing into his fist and looking back at her. “Well, he’s going to have a lot of complaints if his nose is crooked when he wakes up.”

Michelle throws her head back and laughs. “Oh, yeah. Definitely.”

Ted waves to Booster’s face. “You want the honors?”

“Please,” Michelle continues laughing, shaking her head. “I am but a lowly twin sister. I mess that up and it will never be forgiven. I’ll hear about it forever.”

“What, and I won’t?” Ted asks, already changing out his dirty gloves for a new set.

“He’s going to be so happy to see you when he wakes up that I think you could probably get away with a lot more than a crooked nose,” Michelle says warmly.

Slowly, Ted frowns as he examines his gloves. So many variables. More every minute. But they’re beginning to get distracting.

Almost as distracting as the fact that he hasn’t talked to his best friend in years, and the first day they’re back in each other’s orbit, everything goes to hell in a handbasket and Ted almost has to watch Booster die.

Some things just can’t be ignored any further.

“Listen, I’m playing along with this because, even if I’ve not been in a suit myself for a while, I’m familiar with how this hero game goes,” Ted says lowly. “Prioritize then summarize. I’m not even expecting to walk away today knowing half the stuff I probably need to. But I think… I think I need to know something that’s going on. Because I almost watched my best friend die today, and that only happened because I was almost killed.”

Michelle stares at him for a moment, looking genuinely sympathetic. “I’ll be honest, Ted,” she says, finding a seat on the coffee table just behind him, “I’m not sure what I can say and what I can’t. Booster and I were trying to figure that out already before… Well, before all of this happened and left us ungrounded.”

Ted furrowed his brow. “So, what? Just trying to figure out if It’s worth telling me the sister I went to a funeral for was actually alive? That there was a reason I haven’t heard a peep in years? That he has a kid — and, by the by, Jesus Booster has a kid?”

“Hey! It’s all a lot more complicated than just not telling you things,” Michelle argues.

“You told me you went to my funeral,” Ted points out. “I’d like that implication ironed out. Please and thanks.”

Michelle blinks in surprise, putting a hand to her chest. “Oh. Did I say that? That is… almost exactly the thing that Mikey would have preferred to put on the back burner.”

“Oh, great,” Ted sarcastically spits back. “That’s good to know.”

“No! I mean. Oh, shoot, I’m…” Michelle takes a breath and pinches her nose. “Dammit, Carter temper!” She then looks at Ted apologetically. “What I’m trying to say is, first off, I’m sorry if I’ve been. Um. Short with you. It’s just that… Michael’s literally the last person I have left who’s family. Hell, who’s known I’ve been alive for the past few years. With Rip gone and Rani still so young… All I’ve got is Michael. And he’s being…”

“Booster,” Ted offers.

“Exactly,” she yells, throwing her hands up. “Idiot! He’s got all this shit he’s in charge of and all these people counting on him and he goes up against Black Beetle with his force field projected onto someone else.”

Ted flinches at that. “Me.”

“Well, yeah,” Michelle groans, rubbing her face. “Big dummy. Big idiot. God. I hate how stupid he is sometimes.”

“Yeah,” Ted utters, glancing back at Booster. “Well. He saved me with it this time. And most of the other times it involved pranks I initiated. And I guess he’s the dumbest when it comes to having a big heart about stuff. Maybe. Actually some of the things with making money, we were also pretty dumb about. But in general, it’s the big-hearted stuff.”

He trails off in thought, realizing his grin is one he hasn’t worn in quite a while. His ears heat up, no doubt turning an awful shade of red, and Ted ducks his head slightly as if it would help.

When he feels the weight of Michelle’s gaze, Ted can’t help but look her way. He sees a bit of hesitation in her face and she tucks strands of blonde hair behind her ears carefully.

“This is going to sound like I’m putting off answering any of your questions,” she admits slowly. “I promise I’ll answer what I can, but to get a proper frame of where to start, I need to ask you something that seems probably obvious to you. Something I bet Michael’s never going to get the nerve to ask.”

“Oh, okay,” Ted answers, feeling a catch in the rhythm of his heart yet again. He’s not certain he’s ready for this.

And he certainly isn’t prepared when he hears her ask, “Can you tell me exactly what it was that you and Michael had a falling out about?”

Ted blinks, frankly surprised. For some ungodly reason, he has been stressing about a much more intimate question.

This seems both easier and harder.

“It’s kind of a misnomer to call it a falling out exactly,” Ted admits, a little more reluctant than he expected of himself. “We didn’t fall out, we had just this period of, well, not clicking. Which is weird. Because it’s us.”

Michelle nods in a way that might seem like she understands what us can entail. But Ted feels, coldly down to his core, that even if she’s Booster’s twin sister there’s certainly no way she can understand this feeling he means. There’s not anyone Ted thinks can fully comprehend what he’s talking about with him and Booster.

For a long time, he liked to think that Booster understood.

But years of silence has made Ted begin to think it could very well just be on his side after all.

No one gets it.

“It started out with just little things, not meshing,” Ted continues. “And I was… well, I started getting more irritable. Everyone says so, I didn’t think so at the time. Maybe I did. I was having a hard time and Booster is usually so good at getting what I’m feeling and he just wasn’t. And after a while, I moved cities. Lost my company to corporate espionage. Went into cardiac arrest.” Ted can’t help the flare-up of anger he feels as he adds, “Booster never checked in. I didn’t bother reaching back out.”

In response, Michelle looks positively horrified. “When did this all happen?” she asks quickly.

Ted raises a brow in her direction. “I don’t know. Two years ago? Little more?”

She bites onto one of her fingers and turns her head, holding something back with all her might. Then she gazes back at Ted, apologetically. “I… I think there’s been a misunderstanding in all of this,” she admits. “Because Mikey… God he would never miss being there for you again.”

Squinting, Ted can’t tell how much he’s being played anymore. “Again?” he presses.

“Dammit!” Michelle grabs her hair and pulls. In her frustration, Ted thinks she couldn’t look any more like her twin if she tried. “I hate keeping track of this time travel shenanigans! I hate it! I don’t have a knack for it like Michael.”

“Calm down,” Ted tries to say evenly and politely. “I’m sure there is something else going on. Hell, I know there has to be because… look where we are… look who we are. That’s what I’d like to get to the business of, honestly, because this is making my head spin and I’m worried more and more each second you’re letting me fill in my own blanks.”

Michelle inhales sharply and closes her eyes. After a few moments of furrowed brows and mixed expressions, she nods her head and looks at Ted. “Look, honestly, I want Michael to be the final word on what is shared and what’s not. But you’re almost being assassinated by time travelers, and you met Rani, and you know I’m alive, and Michael — allegedly — spills his guts any time he’s around a fifth and you, so… Here we go.”

Easing back into a more comfortable position, Ted tilts his head and looks at Michelle expectantly. “Here we go,” he agrees.

“Well, we work… kind of like Time Cops,” Michelle announces in wind up.

Which is already enough to make Ted take pause.

“I’m sorry, did you say Time Cops?” Ted asks critically. “What does that even mean?”

“Well, the time stream has important moments that can’t be changed… but sometimes they get fuzzy, or moments leading up to them get weakened, and people who can manipulate the time stream can abuse those moments to alter history as we know it,” Michelle explains. “Rip Hunter, who discovered the time stream and invented time travel as we know and understand it now, has Mikey go-to moments in time where he’s needed and repair them. Sometimes they make sense and sometimes they don’t, but each moment is important and Mikey — sometimes with my help — goes in, makes sure things happen like they’re supposed to, and comes back. Hopefully with being seen, heard, or felt as little as possible. But sometimes it means punching people. I haven’t figured out which kind of intervention he prefers yet, really. It depends on the day.”

Ted blinks a few times, looks to his unconscious friend, then back to Michelle.

“We’re talking about Booster, right?”

For a brief moment, a flash of protective fury crosses Michelle’s face. She tempers it quickly, though and smirks to herself. “Yeah… well, people rise to the expectations you give them sometimes, you know?” She looks fondly toward her brother. “Rip gave him that chance. Gave it to me, too. Saved me from my death and, through a loophole, made it less of a second chance and more of an opportunity to be someone I was always meant to be.”

Searching Michelle’s forlorn expression, Ted takes a breath and nods slowly. “Yeah,” he agrees softly. “Honestly, yeah. You guys always were great — naturals at this whole hero thing. From the start. Even being thrown off the same way I would if you put me back at the Revolutionary War, I guess. But… I knew Booster was capable of being greater than any of us,” Ted clarifies. “It’s just… last time I saw him, he wasn’t exactly taking those steps.” He frowns and looks off, a bit red in the ears again. “Maybe it was because of me. Maybe he couldn’t take them while we were being goofballs.”

“No, that’s not it at all,” Michelle says, approaching Ted and gently placing her hands on his shoulders. “Ted, he only did any of this from the beginning because of you. Because… Because the time stream is shifted and some of the things we’ll tell you for the next while aren’t going to make any sense with what you know is true, but… our time now is different than the one Michael and I still remember. There was a huge event, a huge change that we couldn’t do anything about, and some of it is still not figured out. But one of the biggest changes is that these few years of you two being apart… for us, it wasn’t some falling out or misunderstanding left on the back burner.”

And, suddenly, it all begins to click into place.

He turns and looks at Michelle with widened, horrified eyes.

“You’re saying I’m supposed to be dead now?” he asks her critically. “That that’s the reason I’ve not seen him?”

“No! Yes! I mean, hold on,” Michelle shakes her head. “Yes, that’s where the confusion is, but… no. No, we don’t think you’re supposed to be dead. You were and now you’re not, and maybe this is how things are meant to be but before they weren’t.”

“This is not comforting at all,” Ted heaves, feeling like he can’t get any air all of the sudden. His heart is racing. “Wait, that assassin… is he trying to kill me because I’m supposed to be dead? Was it the heart attack!? Oh, god, I faced down a lot of alien invasions over the years and if it was a heart attack that got me, I swear to god—“ He pauses and breathes. “Actually, no, okay, that’s pretty funny, Big Guy, a few points there.”

Ted thinks he’s being fairly humorous, all things considered, but when he looks to Michelle for at least a complementary laugh, all he gets is a stare that makes the rounds somewhere between sympathetic and embarrassed. Which is not the reaction he was looking for in either case.

“It’s weird knowing you’re supposed to be dead, but, trust me, it’s not as weird as you feel right now,” Michelle attempts to comfort him.

“Alright,” Ted responds, throat feeling a little dry. “I’ll have to take your words for it.” He then frowns and rubs at his chin in thought. “Okay, but that still leaves the question of this Black Beetle character. What’s his deal? Why does he want me dead? Is it because of the time stream shenanigans you mentioned?”

Michelle frowns and runs a hand through her hair. “Black Beetle is a weird one to explain. He’s… Michael’s been dealing with him for quite a while now, but there’s not a whole lot we know about him. He claims he’s from the twenty-seventh century and he claims there’s something particular about the Blue Beetle legacy he hates. But I never made sense of it.” She shrugs. “Honestly, I can’t fill you in on most of that stuff. It was mostly before I was back on the scene. That’s all Mikey and,” her mouth twitches a bit, uncomfortable and sad, “and Rip.”

“Rip Hunter,” Ted clarifies. “If he’s basically your and Booster’s boss, and this is his lab, where’s he hiding at?”

The very mention of Rip has left Michelle paled, but by the end of Ted’s question, she looks positively heartsick.

It’s almost enough to make Ted regret bringing it up.

“We don’t know,” Michelle admits quietly. “Most of our time for the past year has been split between patching up messes in the time stream and looking for him. But, honestly, with all his secrets, we don’t even know where to start looking for him. It’s like the new universe opened up and swallowed him whole. He’s just gone.”

“So, what, he never existed?” Ted asks. The concept of someone being swallowed up by time and space is enough to make any lesser man stare at a spot on the wall for a few hours in existential horror, but Ted has the pressing concerns of catching up with his best friend’s not-dead sister and dealing with time-traveling assassins to helpfully distract him.

“Well, Michael doesn’t think so,” Michelle says, sounding rather unsure of herself. “At least not yet. He says we would have a harder time remembering him by now if that’s the case. But… Rip’s been a part of our lives for a long time now. He’s… he’s family. It’s hard to think of anything keeping him away like this without any signs.” She pauses. Her finger daintily taps on her bottom lip. “Hm. But he… or someone, at least, gave us a clue of some kind. It’s what got Rani on her little adventure to find you, Ted.”

“Okay, I guess that sounds promising for Rip,” Ted says, though it honestly doesn’t sound like anything to his ears if he’s being honest with himself. “But what about this Rani girl?” Ted asks.

Michelle’s entire demeanor softens. “Rani is… Well, at this point, she’s an anomaly. Michael saved her from a planet which was destroyed and, well, she wasn’t supposed to be. There weren’t any survivors, according to records. She’s one of us, now.”

Ted stares at Michelle in partial horror. “What? Is that… how… Wow.” He scratches his head before continuing, “So Booster’s basically a dad now.”

“Well,” Michelle pauses and then nods reluctantly. “Actually, yes. In a way it kind of. Fell onto him. But he lives up to it beautifully.”

There’s a gasp that Ted can’t retain, despite himself. “He pulled a Batman.”

“Yes,” Michelle agrees.

“S’dop dalkin’ aboud me.”

The words catch Ted so off guard, he nearly jumps to his feet from the floor. For her part, Michelle does jump to her feet.

Booster’s eyes are still closed and he looks positively miserable even then, but there’s an unmistakable control of his breath and a blush of red in his face. He shifts, slightly and painfully, as if beginning to adjust himself before realizing it’s a very poor idea.

After he settles again, Booster’s lids lift up just slightly and he lets out a sigh.

“Seriouthly,” he slurs through a heavily blocked nose, “I’m right here.”

“Mikey! You’re okay!” Michelle yells out with relief.

“D’at’s a sd’re’dch,” Booster continues with a low moan. “I d’ink I go’d hi’d by a d’ruck.”

“Close,” Ted joked, settling back into a haunched position close to the couch. “You kind of hit the Bug. A few times.”

Immediately, Booster’s eyes flicker open and he locks in on Ted’s direction like a honing rocket. His expression is difficult to make out, a flurry of different emotions flooding across all at once. “Ted,” he manages to say carefully enough it’s clear even with his nose in the way.

“Hey,” Ted says back, mouth feeling strangely dry. He tries to think of something more serious to say but all he can manage is, “Sorry I couldn’t reset your nose while you were asleep. I was too busy taking selfies with you while I still had the better face.”

“You always had… d’e be’dder face,” Booster manages with a crinkle of a smile on his swollen lips.

Ted smirks and shakes his head just slightly. “Liar.” He feels the uncomfortable warmth rise up to his face and ears yet again and turns his head slightly to avoid Booster’s gaze just for a moment. But not too long. “Guess it’s kind of cheating to claim best looks after you take a few assassination attempt hits for me just beforehand. Very unsportsmanlike.”

“Very,” Booster says breathily. Annoyance flashes through his eyes for a moment. “Wha’d abou’d my nose?”

“That’s my cue to let you take the brunt of this one, Blue Beetle!” Michelle declares, walking up to the side of her brother and leaning over to affectionately pat his cheek. “Have fun, bro.”

Booster takes his eyes off of Ted for the first time since they opened and and regards Michelle carefully. “Rani?”

“Scared. Fine, safe. Scared,” Michelle recites easily. “I’m going to go check on her and Skeets.”

“D’anks,” Booster mutters as Michelle passes.

It leaves them alone in the room together, and Ted realizes he has wasted a lot of potential questions and conversation starters already and isn’t sure where to go next.

Which helps when Booster chimes in with, “Are you hur’d?”

Baffled, Ted looks at him. “Heard? I don’t know can you hear me?”

“No, I mean…” Booster huffs a short laugh. “Asshole.”

“Of course I’m not hurt, you protected me instead of yourself, nitwit,” Ted says. His hand moves without him thinking, like it’s possessed, and takes hold of Booster’s normally soft and perfect hair. It’s not perfect after a beating, but still soft. He teases it a bit, shaking Booster’s head just enough to make a point without testing his no doubt sore neck. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“‘Course I did,” Booster says easily enough. “Didn’d feel like… losing you…”

“I didn’t want to lose you again either,” Ted says pointedly. “Imagine how I feel now.”

Booster’s eyes sharpened, a little more lucid and serious. “You never lose me.”

“What? You got all the timelines down to a science, Time Cop?” Ted asks. When he sees the brief flash of shock, he realizes that Booster wasn’t awake for nearly as much of Ted and Michelle’s conversation as he thought. “Your sister shared. Just a bit. Still super confusing, though.”

“Dammit ‘Chel,” Booster groans. “Now go’dda kill you.”

“Nope,” Ted says, leaning over, “not letting that happen either. Not even for your nemesis with the very lame copyright infringement.”

“So lame,” Booster agrees, breath a little stilted. He begins to move his head closer but flinches back as his neck strains. “Dangerous, d’ough.”

“I get that,” Ted says. His mouth seems to be the only thing capable of movement. He’s not sure why, but his heart is irregular again, but not in the way that makes him concerned. It’s something, well, a lot more juvenile.

His mouth is still dry so he tries to lick his lips before continuing.

“Listen, Booster,” he says slowly, “I’m going to fix your nose.”

“Oh, good,” Booster says lightly.

“But it’s going to hurt like a you know what and… I kind of want to take care of something else before we get on to that part. Something that’s been bothering me for years. Before this weird… whatever cosmic misunderstanding there’s been between us,” Ted explains, doing his best to balance thorough detail and utter vagueness in a way that would make the Question proud.

Booster looks at him warily. “Okay?”

They stare at each other in silence. Booster is expectant and slightly nervous. Ted is certain he would have lost his lunch by now if he hadn’t given the grease bucket stuff to Rani earlier.

As soon as the awkwardness of hesitation is more than the nervousness of action, Ted launches forward and kisses the corner of Booster’s mouth.

He can feel the touch of their lips, the slight five o’clock shadow forming the outline of Booster’s mouth. He tries to mind Booster’s bruises and aches, but the rush of adrenaline presses Ted’s lips hard into the other man’s skin. It could, after all, be the very last time he even has the opportunity to do this.

When he pulls back with the thrust of a man breaking through water to the air again, Ted feels like he could pass out. He looks, horrified at himself, toward Booster and sees a surprised expression, too.

Booster blinks multiple times before, against Ted’s grunts of disagreement, shifting to push up on his elbows and lift his torso off the couch.

None of this, especially the lack of words, is helping Ted wonder if he can throw up the day before’s lunch in today’s stead.

“Wow,” Booster finally says. “I wan’d my nose fixed.”

Ted feels like he can crawl into a hole and die. “Okay.”

“Bu’d,” Booster huffs, looking at Ted deeply, “firs’d, you go’dda no’d miss.”

For a moment, the comment doesn’t register. Either because Ted is emotionally comatose in the aftermath of his big leap of faith, or because the dulled words Booster has to use with his blocked nose are distracting. Either way, it does finally come together and make sense.

“Oh!” Ted answers. “Yeah. Whoops. Total accident, let’s redo that. I’m sure you understand. Going back and fixing time stuff.”

He leans forward and, this time doesn’t miss.

#writing #dc fic #DC: Some Times (Time and Time Again)#Ted Kord #Booster Gold #Michael Jon Carter #Blue Beetle #Boostle #Michelle Carter #Skeets

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