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popculturebuffet · 3 years

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Ducktales: New Gods On The Block! Review or THE INCREDIBLE STORKULES: COCKBLOCKER OUT OF MYTH!

We’re back, and i’m doing away with intros, for now, i’m trying to see if offering people a bit of the review makes them more receptive to reading it and now we’re nearing the end of this hellyear, and the trump presdency, i’m going into this one with a ton of energy, so let’s get quackin!

We open with the Scrooge and Kids on a quest to get a golden helmet he’s been after for years and has been one of his lifelong goals using a carefully crafted plan with all the kids skills needed. Okay i’ll admit that last part is unique to this show: given how interchangable the boys are outside of this continuity, I assume he’d just throw them at the monster like Pikmin as a distraction while Donald grabbed the helmet and just grow new ones in his vast venture bro style clone mine if they happen to die. Thankfully there’s no Child Death but there is Child Failure as the team comes back sad and defeated and doubting themselves.. Della having a confetti cannon ready to celebrate dosen’t help. Though it does bring me to the subject of Della being out of focus this season. It’s a mixed bag for me: On the one hand I do get it, as she was the main focus of last season, even more than Louie, and now we’ve gotten to know her, she can sit back and play more of a supporting role, especially since Donald , who himself was more of a supporting character the past two seasons, is now getting more screentime and Beakly’s getting fleshed out more. Their trying to balance a rather massive cast, so it’s natural the one whose already got a ton of focus at this point would take a back seat and all around the show’s done a far better job giving everyone screentime this season. Launchpad has been lacking of late but given a Darkwing Duck spinoff is probably in the cards, and he’s had tons of episodes at this point compared to Donald and Beakly, i’m understanding of it.

On the other.. there’s still a lot of stories to tell with her: We still haven’t had her deal with Scrooge basically erasing her for a decade at all nor Donald hiding her past from the kids.. he had reason and all, but he still made their mother a stranger to them. They had no stories, nothing to really go on for 10 years. That’s gotta have impacted both the kids and gotta hit della hard at some point that her father-uncle and brother both just kinda.. erased her to the kids. Plus we don’t know how she’s been adjusting to have a life OUTSIDE the kids especially since she’s been sitting out so many adventures, likely to let Scrooge have time with them and be a good daughter and mother and what not, but still there’s a LOT of ground to cover they simply haven’t yet. The Donald and Della plot we did get, while glorious, didn’t really add anything to either’s likely strained relationship and it’d be nice to give the two a subplot to work this out. Granted this might all be coming in the Castle McDuck Episode for all I know, but I can’t pin all my hopes and dreams on that one. And this all COULD’VE easily happened off screen.. but it’s something the audience really wants and needs. I’m not sure if we’re getting it and that worries me. But again theirs a large chunk of the season to answer this if this is the last one, and another season possible if it’s not, so i’m willing to wait for it. I’m just getting impatient is all.

That being said this episode makes up for the Della Deficet as she’s one of the main driving forces of this side of the episode. I’ll get into that more in a second but Della’s been on the rare misfire adventure and knows Scrooge’s stages of grief and that he’ll come out of it with a better plan. Unfortunately for the kids that plan dosen’t include them and Scrooge runs off to assemble a better team leaving the kids utterly devastated. One of the other main driving forces besides depressed children and the greek gods is scrooge being really bad with people, but i’ll get to that.

Point is the kids understandable emotional devastation and Della trying to mom for all of them at once because Launchpad had to get to his other job and is taking Beakly this weak to teach him and Drake how to raise a child, is interrupted by said Zeus ASSHAT RAPIST OUT OF MYTH! Along with Storkules COCKBLOCKER OUT OF MYTH and Selene, DELLA’S FIRST TIME WITH A WOMAN OUT OF MYTH! There here because Zeus has lost his powers, as the Gods all collectively decided he was a dick and voted him out of office.. er stripped him of his powers. Sorry an asshole, narcacistic, sociopathic racist getting removed from his position of power happening a few days after the election was called.. the timing just could not have been better. But yeah Zeus is out, roll credits. Join me after them and after the cut for the rest of the review.

So yeah the Gods are fed up with him, and Selene and Storkules are there to pick a worthy inheritor to his Laurel Wreath, his lighting bolts, and his collection of playboys he keeps alphabatized in his mancave.. also his mancave will also go to the winner. Storkules however, having a one track mind, notices Donald isn’t there and goes to find him. The kids are all eager to try but Selene is there for Della, which they all agree makes sense: I mean she has the disposition and sexual appitite of a green god but without all the rampant sex crimes and murder, and given most of them have clearly copped to the times except Zeus, that’s a plus. Plus she and Selene have already been together before so the fact they can smooch into infinity along with all the fun stuff is a nice bonus. It’s not like Storkules isn’t selecting his candiate soley with his 13 inch penis, so ther’es a precident. But Della, seeing the kids clearly need this more than she does, convinces her once and future girlfriend to let them try out. I really do wish we got more of the two this episode but what we get is great, and Selene reluctantly agrees after Della makes the valid point their STILL more mature than her dad. The fact Zeus punctuates this by getting into a “No you” contest with an 11-12 year old probably helped. As for where Donald is he’s preparing for a date with Daisy! Horay. I’ve been waiting for Daisy to come back since the last time she was here, and Donald has naturally been considerate: Setting up a bunch of hearts, flowers, some punch that is likely just box wine and sprite, he has a budget and throwing all his garbage in the pool with bricks because he’s still Donald. Romantic, a good dad.. but still a disaster of a person who dosen’t know quite how to live like an adult... which naturally I immensely relate to and hope i’m lucky enough one day to have a lady or fella to hide all my garbage from. I mean i’m probably dying alone, but that’s likely my old buddy crippling depression talking. Oh you old scamp.. please fuck off an die. But enough chilling looks into my psyche, point is Storkules barges in to ruin it, and eat his carefully made grilled cheese. As though Storkules may be incredible he’s also STORKULES, GOD OF NOT REALLY READING THE ROOM. Daisy comes in, and we find out it’s their second date.. and i’m assuming their first wasn’t that time they ended up in a direct to video sequel to Die Hard that’s still far better than Die Hard 5.. then again a colonoscopy is preferable to that movie so I Dunno. But she’s nice, friendly, if put off by the big sweaty man suddenly in their date. Storkules COCKBLOCKER OUT OF MYTH, does not help matters by, upon hearing that seeing how in love they are, and finding out it’s the second date assumes their getting married and hugs them in THE SWEATY ABS OF STORKULES. Do me next.

Back at the God Tests, god I love a job-ish thing that lets me say that, Louie is up first, and being Louie has thought up a plan that benifets him wether he wins or looses but one that has serious underlying issues he hasn’t thought of. Naturally it turns out to be a gold touch which, as with Midas, works out about as well as you’d expect.. with Dog Murder and mass murder to follow. Selene undoes it, So Louie gets nothing. And yeah this has been a major issue this season that while I talked about it back in “Let’s Get Dangerous” bares repeating: Louie feels like he learned NOTHING from the events of last season. He still likes, he still dosen’t think plans through, and he still cheats. In contrast Dewey DID grow from his season.. it’s subtle, he’s still the same loveable trainwreck and pre-teen Hank Venture he’s always been, but he no longer hides secrets or family stuff and is more of a team player. Still an egotsitical one, but it’s there. But Louie.. hasn’t changed at all. He’s still conviving, still thinks only in short term.. it’s only once or twice like with the Impossibin the events of last year really seem to have sunk in. It feels like the writer’s couldn’t figure out how to write a smarter Louie and just gave up. It’s really disheartning especially when most other character development, subtle and otherwise, sticks.

While Huey sweats over his turn and Della tries to encourage, we cut back to the date which is going okay, Daisy’s trying to roll with it but Storkules, TERRIBLE WINGMAN OUT OF MYTH really isn’t good at talking Donald up or letting them get to know one another. While things breifly get better when Daisy brings up her career and Donald talks it up like the loving soon to be boyfriend he is, Storkules FUCKUP OUT OF MYTH screws things up by saying, when she explains to him she hasn’t made any Toga’s because she works primarily in dresses that she can “work up to them eventually. “ As proof this is the best Daisy she dosen’t dump Donald immidetly despite none of this being his fault and him trying to explain he didn’t invite him, but instead just makes an angry, and understandably so , face and goes to powder her beak.. which is clearly code for “Scream Obscenities into Donald’s Mirror for the next ten minutes”. Which if it already wasn’t abundantly clear they were perfect for each other this would be the clincher. Donald wants Storkules to go and TRIES to tell him, but Storkules just assumes he wants him to make a big romantic gesture for them and goes to “let Cupid’s Arrow” strike her. Donald understandably wants conformation he doesn’t mean that literally. Spoiler alert: He does.

IT’s Huey’s turn next at playing god and he decides to be God of Intuition, gaining future sight so he can know everything and prevent tragedy. We instead get a damn funny scene where after adjusting to his powers he tries to prevent a breakup.. only to play both parts himself and cause it anyway. Just some great acting from Danny Pudi there. We get some more as Huey slowly melts down from the information, traumatizing a kid and nearly getting beat up with a guy who wants to “Beat up the freak for making everyone uncomfortable” which..

Yeah it’s not acceptable for what looks like a grown adult, or even a Teenager if that was an intent, to whale on a CHILD, let alone ANYONE for being “a Freak”. I mean yes Huey did screw up big, not mass murder bit but still.. but he’s still a fucking child. As someone who was prone to breakdowns at that age, and up to present day... I take this personally, especially since I see Huey as high functioning autsitic. So this hits home as i’ve had many people just tell me to get over it instead of trying to help. So yeah fuck this guy, take off that Gizmoduck shirt you do not deserve it. We fans do though, I hope that becomes real merch.

But yeah Huey failed and Zeus is gloating..mostly because in his already considerably warped brain, he thinks that if they all fail he dosen’t get it. Selene explains basic logic to him: If they fail to find a new god here, they’ll just keep looking. Zeus naturally has a tantrum as Scrooge enters, wondering why the kids care about god powers and Della, being a supportive mom, tries to get him to encourage them. He instead focuses on his team. Again, we’ll get to him trust me. Selene also calls her dad out on the fact he hasn’t done anything good since defeating the titans centuries ago. Naturally being THE GREATEST SHITHEAD IN ALL OF GREEK MYTHOLOGY Zeus takes the exact wrong lesson from this and calls his brother Hades to whip up a titan for him to fight because that was her point and not that your an irredemible dick tip who their desperate to replace and who was dethroned because no one liked you, not even your horrible presumibly now ex wife. I mean unlike DC Comics Zeus he’s not planning a cou but only because he has no powers. Hades however is well aware his brother has no powers, as the gods have been talking about it and laughing about it because Zeus sucks eggs. Also Hades has a great goth look and personality here as well as muscular arms to hold my bi ass at night. A-Plus character design. I may also have a thing for goths and emos I never realized I had. Just an observation.

Back at the boat Donald and Daisy are enjoying drinks, which again has to be wine.. I mean again box wine, Donald needs a lot of booze after a hard days nearly getting murdered and Costco has great deals on it, but still booze. They cuddle a bit and it’s fucking adorable.. and Storkules WHO JUST KIDDNAPED HIS COUSIN CUPID AND STOLE HIS SHIT naturally ruins this moment by first trying to fire one date rape arrow at them, then takes donald’s rampant headshaking no as a sign to fire all of the arrows... with Daisy ending up in the water and unsettling the garbage. Granted Donald COULD’VE prevented this by explaning things to her.. but i’m betting he didn’t simply because he’s.. tired of this shit. He’s tired of adventure, tired of it intruding on his life and just hoped Storkules was gone and out of sight and didn’t have a chance to prepare for that till it was too late. NOW Daisy storms off.. but unlike say Cabs Daisy, whose a living nightmare, or Comic Daisy, whose not a great person but has her moments depending on the comic, she has VALID REASON. Donald lied to her about garbage and dind’t just take it out like a normal Duck, and didn’t just outright yell at his friend to leave on their date, a friend who just attacked her and already insulted her. IT’s understandable, especailly given a line coming up she’d WANT to leave and leave Donald behind. Donald however is naturally miserable and it finally gets through Storkules thick skull he messed up and he runs off to cry while Donald miserably floats among the garbage and my heart both relates to that nad breaks seeing it. I mean .. Daisy meant a lot to him: After years of presumibly avoiding dating, or if he did not doing so for long, to focus on the boys, after a year of putting their needs ahead of his and living with his demanding uncle, of being dragged out of a normal if miserable life and into a less miersable but adventerous one he didn’t want, of being stranded in space and on an island wondering if his kids would be okay.. he finally not only has time for himself, and his sister back after years of thinking her dead and thus someone else to take care of the kids needs for a while without feeling any guilt over it or worrying about them, but found someone special. She’s talented, beautiful, charming, and understanding. And most importanlty she LISTENS to him and throughly likes Donald for who he is. And he looses that only PARTLY due to his won incomptence but mostly because someone he already barely allows in his life came in and ruined it. Once again the adventure and everything took something from him and while not nearly as big as loosing his sister, it still fucking hurts to once again have one small bit of something just for himself, one bit of normalcy, one person who loves him for who he is now through and through.. and it’s seemingly gone. It’s why I like this relationship even if this part panes me: Donald can FINALLY be happy... finally have someone who genuinely cares about him. This also boils down Storkules character and why I don’t ship the two of them: He’s a good god, he’s brave, compasionate, carring, and generally wants the best for donald and does genuinely love him.. but he also dosen’t care really what DONALD wants half the time. He’s the embodiment of Donald’s biggest gripe with his life: No one listens to or repsects him or what he wants. Storkules wants Donald the adventurer, Donald the brave, Donald the undaunted, DONALD THE IDEALIZED VERSION THAT ONLY EXISTS IN HIS HEAD. He dosen’t really get Donald isn’t the same person, and even that person wasn’t into him. Not because he’s a man, like his sister Donald could easily be bi or pan.. but because he’s just SO MUCH and Donald’s family is already SO MUCH.. and that was BEFORE the kids and the launchpad. Donald has made peace with adventuring but it’s still clearly not his faviorite thing while for Storkules adventure and experince is his life. Storkules needs someone like him and Donald needs someone down to earth, someone who can HANDLE the amount of chaos that follows him and the famly, but someone whose .. normal. And Daisy is that. If you ship then fine fine, but I just don’t because they just don’t go together and both deserve a partner they can truly be a partner with, not someone they clearly don’t understand or someone they DREAD visiting. They both deserve better than that.

Back on the god plot, it’s Webby’s turn as she becomes Goddess of Friendship. And helps the mood at the pier by spreading sunshine.. and then deals with the pier’s greatest menace and my honorary uncle, because he’s really not much worse than some of my actual uncles...

GLOMGOLD, SCOURGE OF CHILDREN’S KIDDIE RIDES. Because of course a seemingly regular habit for Glomgold is hogging a children’s ride he somehow fits into. Of course it is. It’s cheap and he’s not the best human being but I love him anyway. Webby heats it up to scare him then tries to get the kids to hug before having a breakdown at everyone not being happy. This does fit with her personality.. I didn’t think so at first but thinking back her first response in any friendship crisis is to panic and overreact. Her reaction to her best friend telling her she may have to stop sleeping over with her and her sister/webby’s giflriend because of magic danger is an implied death threat. She’s getting BETTER with people, but she still dosen’t have the life experince to fully deal with it and naturally upon seeing things get worse and worse goes on a lighting filled rampage Selene thankfully stops and likely undoes. Though Glomgold is likely on the moon now. He’ll be fine.

Dewey is last and auditions.. but forgets the god part and fails which fits him perfectly and is a great bit. The kids have all washed out and are depressed about it. While Della is hopeful when talking to Selene, Selene gently explains to her girlfriend she shares with a space alien that the kids just aren’t ready and that maybe the power of a god just isn’t the thing you give to a kid for a self esteem boost. Della MEANS well here, she just wants her kids, Webby very much included, to feel good and get their self esteem back after Scrooge swallowed it whole. But Selene is right that this is just too much power, and given it nearly drove Huey insane and nearly made Louie and Webby murderers, she has a point. It’s a good thought, but Selene needs an actual replacement for her dad. Sadly though this breaks the kids further after this and they slink off and Selene gets she messed up.. while she was right to reject them, she missed WHY Della was trying so hard. However credit where it’s do unlike her brother, while she dosen’t try to fix her issue, it’s likely out of emotional maturity: she knows just saying nice things to the kids wouldn’t help them or would wring hollow and their mom is better for that. IT’s things like this that are going to make her a good step mom.. yeah i’m shiping Della with both her girlfriends at once. Just because I gave up on her and Launchpad dosen’t mean poly’s off the table, and frankly selene is strong enough to win Penumbra’s favor and Penumbra has the kind of pepper and violence a greek goddess likes in her women. They’d be cute all together. I likes it.

Less cute is ZEUS, SCHEMING BOWL OF ELEPHANT PISS OUT OF MYTH!, who realizes his greatest gift isn’t his powers: I’ts manipulating his children.

And since he found a sad STORKULES POOR SAD BOY OUT OF MYTH. , and hears his issue, with Storkules hilarious sitting in his poppa’s lap, he spins it into getting what he wants: Saying since he and his wife, and Storkules mother in this version apparently I dunno, fell in love with battle, summoning Chronos will do just that for Donsy. Granted for most people your dad’s tale about how he met your step mom who tried killiing you a bunch and who he’s cheated on dozens of times would raise a red flag, but STORKULES IS THICK AS A BRICK.. in both senses of the word and calls forth Chronus.

Daisy meanwhile is driving her car away, but is battling with herself. On one hand she doesn’t want to play mother to a guy who can’t dispose his trash or his weird friends. On the other she admits she can really be herself around Donald. We then get the most telling line though.. “You do not need to fall for another man who needs saving!”

That.. is clearly setup for the future. It MIGHT be Gladstone but it could be anyone. Hell it could be someone entirely new. She also could have a kid like we’ve all wanted. We could get a canon version of Juinor.. not named Donald Juinor because 1) He’s not donald’s son and 2) that name’s been forever tainted and we all know which living bottle of axe body spray to blame. I.. genuinely can’t wait to find out who this is and I expect we will before the season’s up and i’ts nice to see Tress, like last time, get to dig into some emotional complexity with the character instead of just yelling at Donald or talking about bows and stuff. Here she grapples with herself as she does love Donald but the past has burnt her a lot. But as a wise pansexual once said “ But I think it's important for us to remember that sometimes, sometimes it does work out. And even though everything inside us is telling us to protect ourselves, when you've got it, don't let it go. And I am telling you, that you have got it, if you want it. “ Love is hard, love is messy, maybe that among many other things is why i’m alone. But it’s worth it when you take the time.. and upon seeing a giant monster heading for Donald’s house, Daisy realizes he is worth it.. or that frustrated with him right now or not she dosen’t want him to die. Either way she’s a coming and i’m gathering hornets in a box in ancipation of finding out who hurt her so I can mail them to him. I popped an H on there so I know it has hornets.

Back at the mansion the mood is bleak as heelllllllllll with Louie ordering pizza minus the toppings and Della’s attempt to give the kids hot choclate just getting an ow from Webby. It does make sense: Scrooge and adventuring are their lives.. if he dosen’t need them.. how would they ever do it themselves? Plus their 11 and 13 and at that age kids are very fragile so having their mentor and grandpa reject them like this really hurts, not helped by Scrooge proudly announcing his new team and trying to awkwardly bounce not getting this is his fault, though Della is staring at him with a look that just screams.

But before Della can stab her Dunkle, we cut to a depressed donald who switches from one natural state, Depression, to another, fearing for his life, as Chronus arrives and Huey rightly wonders how he’s here. The kids all defer to Scrooge while Della continues to just be the best. Seriously for the entire episode her only throught is her kids, and their emotional well being and had this crisis not popped up she probably would’ve stabbed scrooge then yelled him out for hurting her babies. She’s graduated from trying to be a mom but having issues with it due to mentally still being in her 20′s, to genuinely being GREAT at the job. Good on her. Daisy is naturally horrified to arrive to find Donald being eaten while Storkules is overjoyed. I WOULD say his stupidity’s overplayed this episode.. but he’s never displayed good judgement before why start now? It fits his character and his joy turns to distress when Chronus eats donald.. and has a cage in his tummy. with glass walls. I dunno, it’s a cool design. Daisy is understandably pissed and yells at it for eating her boyfriend, which gets an adorable oh boy oh boy from donald> Again love is rough, but one jackass screwing with you does not equate to every man or woman or person you date being a jackass. Daisy has realized this. Storkules is overjoyed, but soon finds himself and his sister fihgting Chronus and honestly both are damn impressive doing so. Seriously when the justice ducks form.. give htem a call. I mean She has moon beams and he’s a greek god.. plus Drake and Launchpad could use a third.. I mean he fits better there and Drake is already dating one manchild, and is one to a smaller extent, another won’t hurt. Just consider it shippers.. or foursies with Morgana because as this episode shows Storkules is bi as he is mighty. he’s Bighty. But the god squad fails, and gets eaten and Zeus’ time to shine predictably ends with an “I’ve failed immediately”, to no one’s suprise.

Scrooge starts working on a plan as he and Della, naturally scale the colossus. We then get the scene that’s been boiling all episode: When Scrooge wonders where the kids are, Della calls him out pointing out they’ve been plauged with doubts about him replacing them.. because he literally was replacing them, and when Scrooge is earnestly suprised by that Della points out the obvious: Their children, as I said their fragile and as Della puts it, Scrooge puts a LOT of pressure on them, something she likely knows from experince. And this is what i’ve been leading up to and putting a pin in all episode: Scrooge himself. It’s something I thought of days ago but this episode hammers in heavily: Scrooge really dosen’t have a ton of personal social skills. Sure he can work a board room pitch, lead a team of adventuerers, and run a vast empire while never forgetting the human element, for a lack of a better term, he’s not lacking in empathy or the ablility to talk to people, but when it comes to reading them it’s just surface level. He’s genuinely been show to struggle with empathy, with feeling someone elses emotions or realizing them till they’ve already been hurt. He spent a good ten years desperatley trying to bring Della back, avoding his pain and guilt instead of talking to Donald and making amends with him. His relationship with Goldie took decades to get anywhere healthy as he just put his walls up and assumed she’d never change when, as we’ve seen now, she always could she just needed a push. And when confronted by the kids he lashed out and then pushed them away instead of mending the wounds he created. Even on a much smaller level, when Lena and Violet ended up along next week he’s utterly lost when Adventure isn’t on the menu and only picks up from being baffled by two normal ish (One’s a parnaomal expert the other is the paranormal) joining him once it’s clear at least one of them fits right in with his intrests. He can deal with people on a problem by problem basis, but he’s just not good at dealing with their emotional needs or opening up. It’s why this works so well: his oblviousness fits. To him and the way his brain works, the crown is just a problem to solve and he just needs diffrent tools to fix it, not realizing replacing the kids for a mission would bother them or they’d ever think they were replaceable. Until now I hadn’t seen much similarity to Huey but both.. are just not great with PEOPLE. They put them in boxes, try to solve problems that way.. it’s just their specific issues that way are diffrent. Scrooge can anticapte the unknown and how people he’s fighting act.. but can’t anticipate personal hurt and pain well because he bottles all his up. When checking off a problem.. i’ts just something he dosen’t consider and thus his biggest blindspot, the thing he has to overcome time and time again: How his family feels and how he can deal with it. Here however he deals admirably.. now he KNOWS there’s a problem, and in a genuine show of character development over the past three seasons, he apologizes fully, saying their the best team he could ask for, better than zeus and don’t need his powers and they can get the helm together. Instead of putting up walls.. he’s letting his in and showing humility, which given Scrooge’s ego.. is a tall order. But for those kids, for his strength, it’s no small feet. Of course said speech gets Him and Della eaten, but the kids, now reinegized, ahve time to plan, with Daisy further stalling by roaring at Chronus to stop. Because she’s fucking awesome and Storkules finally gets that. The kids however take the leaves and breifly retake their powers, Dewey’s is for dance naturally, and use them together to take down Chronus, freeing everyone else, defeating the titan and throwing him back into the pits. Donald and Daisy reunite and get a RELLY sweet moment, blushing and looking lovingly at one another, getting lava on each other, before kissing. STORKULES, DOSEN’T GET THEY DON’T WANT A THIRD PARTNER OF MYTH, of course interrupts and hugs them hostage for the remaider of the episode. I’m assuming Beakly , when she got home, pried htem out and explained them not wanting a third int heir relationship to him, and it’s a weak end to the plot as Storkules learned nothing and one of the weaker parts of this episode. The rest is stronger as the kids and Scrooge plan to make another run at the helmet and Selene wonders off to “use your shower” and then order pizza.. so she basically just asked Della out. And has used her shower before.

I mean again, she can have two partners. This episode alone has earned that and they seem like they’d mesh. Penny would just have to learn some lessons about sharing and godly vagina’s is all. Nothing wrong with that. And what about Zeus.. no one asked but he gets his wreath back only to fall in the pit, with Hades naturally laughing his ass off.. and likely also taking Zeus’ laurel back. So Zeus is trapped in hell with a goth mocking him. HORAY! HAPPY END. Final Thoughts; This was a pretty good one. It does have it’s weak spots: Storkules learned nothing, the kids stories endings were easy to see coming and there wasn’t enough Dellene. But really despite that. .it’s still a solid episode mostly because it’s REALLY damn funny. The comedic timing is just pitch perfect and while like most of the plots I could see the rhythm of the donsy plot, the reasons for it were all funny and fresh and the scene with Daisy in her car was a nice bit of character building/clear setup for the future. And showing off Della’s own character developement and history with scrooge, the latter without ever having to mention it, really brought the episode up, as did the guest cast’s game voice acting and timing. This episode is far from perfect, but it’s still a fun episode that felt needed despite not being tied into the main plot: Bringing back some old friends, and having an intresting story to tell. Plus we got more Donsy so there’s that. Overall while not the BEST episode of the series, it was a funny, enjoyable half hour of television and sometimes, that’s enough. If you liked this review follow me or more, and if there’s an episode of Ducktales from seasons 1 or 2 you’d like me to cover, you can comission it for 5 bucks, 5 bucks an episode, 5 dollars off your order when you comission more than one, via my personal messages. You can also follow me on patreon at patreon.com/popculturebuffet if you want. NEXT WEEK: FLASHBACK EPISODE! BABY DONALD AND DELLA! BRADFORD ORIGIN STORY! POSSIBLE HORTENSE AFTER SO LONG! MY BODY IS READY!

#ducktales #donald duck #daisy duck #donsy #delumbra #delene #della duck #selene #storkules #scrooge mcduck #dewey duck #huey duck #louie duck #hades #chronus #chronos #new gods on the block!#new gods on the block #ducktales spoilers

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frodos-bizarre-adventure · 3 years

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@gingerreggg bust au brainrot is real

Heads Up- Part 6 (Joseph x Bust! Caesar)

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Suzi awoke on the sofa with a start. It was already late at night, and the TV was still on, already halfway through showing yet another Fast and the Furious sequel. The living room was dimly lit, though she could clearly see Joseph crouched next to her with a concerned expression on his face.

"It's...it's Caesar," he sighed. "He's quite upset."

Rising from the couch in a worried hurry, Suzi made her way over to the front door, and was greeted with the sight of Caesar, his neck base covered in mud and dirt and the most bitter expression on his face.

"Caesar?" she asked, bending down, trying to maintain eye contact, despite Caesar trying to look away. "Did you try to run away?"

"I can only bounce," Caesar joked half-heartedly. "I don't have feet."

"Well, did you try to bounce away?" she asked again, with the patience of a kind schoolteacher.

Caesar sighed, knowing that trying to break the tension with his usual dry humor wouldn't work.

"There's a big world out there and I'm not even allowed to see it," Caesar lamented. "I'm alive, but I'm just stuck in this little house, because no one can know I exist."

"I just want to be free," he said, somewhat impulsively.

"Look, Caesar, we're just worried about you, okay?" Joseph told his sculpture. "We're just afraid that someone would discover you and take you away. And we can't have that, can we? You're a prized creation I worked so hard on. You're a living, talking miracle. And most importantly, Caesar... you're my friend."

"You're precious in so many different ways," Suzi added.

Without a further word Caesar bowed his head sadly, and began to hop toward Joseph's room.

Joseph couldn't help but notice, however, that Caesar winced and groaned with every hop. It wasn't his usual grunts of effort. He sounded hurt.

"Caesar, let me check on you, will ya?" he asked, walking over to Caesar's side. Gently lifting him up --with Caesar too upset to retaliate-- he inspected the bust's underside, and grimaced.

"Now look what you've did to yourself, Caesar. You've chipped away your paint and got sand into your skin. I'm gonna have to clean and fix you up," he said with a frown.

------

Suzi watched as Joseph worked all night, repairing Caesar's damage that he'd sustained during his little trek in the yard. He skillfully used delicate carving tools and wet brushes to clear away the debris that had stuck themselves to Caesar's underside.

Caesar was leaned backwards against a wooden stand, so that Joseph could inspect his underside without having to lay him down and risking flattening his facial features. Caesar was not too pleased, however, and winced painfully and complained as Joseph got to work.

"I guess he doesn't appreciate you meddling with his butt," Suzi mused.

"I don't have a butt," Caesar grumbled.

"Well, I mean it sort of is your bottom, isn't it? Which would mean that you're technically sitting whenever you're upright..." she pondered.

"Don't you go overthinking everything too much," Caesar retorted, scrunching up his face at the sting of a splinter being pulled out of his base. "I know me existing at all raises a lot of questions I'd rather not answer."

Joseph, however, was more concerned about the fact that Caesar's underside was able to feel pain. "This is why we don't go barefoot on rough ground, Caesar."

Caesar rolled his eyes, as he often did with Joseph and his antics around. "What are you gonna do? Make me wear one big shoe?"

Despite the seriousness of the situation, the mental image was funny enough to elicit a smile from both artists.

"Maybe," snarked Joseph in response, smirking.

Once Caesar's underside was clean, Joseph commenced on repainting it. He coated the base with a pale flesh tone, identical to the shade of the rest of Caesar's clay skin, and, with a few minutes of drying, Caesar looked good as new.

"Hold on, there's one more thing I ought to do," Joseph said, shaking a can of spray-on varnish. "Cover your noses everyone! Uh...or maybe just me and Suzi."

"I don't breathe but I can smell!" Caesar yelled, but too late to block out the harsh scent. Caesar groaned and wrinkled his face in disgust.

With a few loud spritzes and a few moments more for the clear varnish to harden, Joseph finally lifted Caesar back onto the floor. "So, what do you think? Does it still hurt?"

Caesar made a few experimental hops.

"Huh, it doesn't," he said, testing his newly-varnished base like a child with a new pair of sneakers. His thumps sounded a bit squeakier, and he could still feel the texture of the floor, but he felt less of the rough friction of the ground that rubbed against his bottom.

"This varnish should protect your butt in case you go scraping yourself around again. Not that you should be doing that to begin with, anyway." Joseph instructed.

"Yeah, sure," Caesar huffed. "And for the last goddamn time, I don't have a butt."

------

It was early the next morning when Suzi sat on the couch, lazily flipping through channels, when she saw Caesar squeakily hopping across the floor past her.

Her curiosity sparked, and she couldn't resist asking.

"Do you find hopping around on your neck difficult? I've seen you hop around all day and it looks like a tiring way to get around," she said, with a bit of pity.

Caesar twitched his rudimentary shoulders in what was his equivalent of a shrug. "It's the only way I am able to move, so I'm not complaining. I'm just glad I'm even able to move around at all," he said matter-of-factly.

"Besides, there isn't really much else for me to do, anyway. Hop over here, hop over there, bounce around until Joseph wants something to do with me, it's quite boring, really."

"Say, I've got some books to pass the time," Suzi said, seating herself down. Caesar eagerly hopped over to her side as she pulled out a book from her bag. "You do know how to read, don't you?" she asked Caesar.

"I can," Caesar replied. "I mean, I've only been alive less than a week, but yeah, somehow I can read."

"Really?" Suzi said, intrigued, as she presented him a book on Greek mythology from her literature class. "So there are things you just...know? Like how to speak fluent English? What places and things are called? Joseph's name, maybe?"

"Actually, he was wearing a nametag with 'Joseph' on it when we met, when I first awoke." Caesar corrected.

"But do you remember anything before that?"

Caesar's face went blank for a moment.

"Nothing. I may remember what things are, what words mean, but about me..." His voice just trailed away, and he shook his head sadly.

Suzi's attention was caught by a loud snoring from Joseph's room.

"Poor fella," Suzi said. "He was working really hard to fix you last night. He must be exhausted. He hasn't had a wink of sleep."

Caesar hummed regrettably. He couldn't help but felt guilty at having made Joseph labor all evening to repair the damages of his recklessness.

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

That afternoon, as Joseph and Suzi sat at the dining table enjoying their lunch, Joseph decided to bring up a topic that everyone had been awkwardly skirting around since the beginning.

"Caesar has no body." Joseph said.

"Well, no shit, Sherlock," Caesar quipped, like he did the first day, from the living room floor. He was absorbed in Suzi's mythology book, using his nose to flip through the pages.

"Well, he's seemed to have gotten used to it," Suzi pondered. "He's gotten pretty independent."

"Yes, but he's just a head, and it's my fault! I created him!" Joseph said repentantly. "I wish there was something I could do about it."

Suzi raised an eyebrow. "You mean...make him a body?"

Joseph looked over to the living room, where he saw Caesar struggling to adjust the position of the book with his chin.

"It's the right thing to do, I guess. But...how?"

"We're gonna need clay. Lots of it. And I think I might know just the place."

-----------

(Previous Chapter)

(Next Chapter)

#jjba #gingerreggg #jojo's bizarre adventure #battle tendency #caesar x joseph #caejose #hands of life au #bust!caesar #sculptor!joseph #heads up

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chelsie-carson · 4 years

Photo

Downton Abbey’s Phyllis Logan on a sequel, feminism protests, the struggle facing theatres, and her love of animals

Like most in-demand actors, Phyllis Logan’s diary has been unusually bare these past few months. When the coronavirus lockdown was introduced, it immediately closed down film and theatre productions across the world.

But the Downton Abbey star says no matter how busy her future schedule might be, if a sequel is announced to the period drama’s movie spin-off, she would clear the decks to be part of it.

The actor, originally from Johnstone in Renfrewshire, has been in the primetime series since it started 10 years ago, playing housekeeper Mrs Hughes.

She said: “The will is certainly there with everybody – the cast, producers and writer Julian Fellowes – but no one knows what will happen, especially with this lockdown.

“We’re ever hopeful, so fingers crossed. When it could happen, I don’t know – we could all be in our graves by then if this goes on much longer! But if people are given enough warning then I think most of us would make it a priority, no matter what is in the diaries. I think we would be happy to clear our diaries.”

Phyllis has grown used to fans approaching her to talk about Downton, which saw her character wed Mr Carson, played by Jim Carter, in the final series.

“I enjoy it when people come up and say they enjoy the show, or they like the characters together,” she continued. “It’s wonderful to think so many people have been touched by it in some way. It’s given a lot of pleasure to people and I wish it would continue.

“Although, I do like to think I don’t look like Mrs Hughes off-screen, I’m not quite as fuddy-duddy as her. A lot of people say it’s not me, but my voice they recognise.

“Perhaps that’s why I was given the job in Highland Vet – because of my voice.”

Highland Vet is a new documentary series on 5Select, following the team at the most northern mainland vet practice in Britain. D.S. McGregor and Partners cover Thurso, Wick and Caithness, dealing with farm animals, equine, domestic pets and wildlife.

For animal lover Phyllis, who has had a long association with the SSPCA, being asked to provide the voice-over narration for the series was a perfect job. And, as it turns out, it has kept her occupied during lockdown.

“I didn’t have to think about it for very long when I was approached to do it, because it’s right up my street, and it being filmed in the north of Scotland was the icing on the cake,” she admitted.

“You can tell the vets have great heart in dealing with the different animals and their passion and dedication is lovely to watch. It’s heartwarming, exciting and also sad at times, but you look at it and think how lovely it would be to know a vet like that.

“I recorded the first episode in the studio and then work on the next episode came on the day of lockdown. When I went into Covent Garden it was like a ghost town, a bit spooky. It was just me and the engineer in this vast studio, and from then on I was told they would send equipment to my house for me to record the voice-over from there.

“Thankfully, my husband is good with that sort of thing – he’s been very useful, I have to say. It’s been a blessing to have been able to do this – apart from anything else it’s kept us from going mad and a bit stir crazy. It also means I’m still doing some work and being paid for it into the bargain, which is a real blessing.”

Phyllis lovingly recalled Carlos, the rescue lurcher from Battersea that she and her husband, Pirates Of The Caribbean actor Kevin McNally, rehomed.

“He was a lovely fella, so chilled out and laid-back,” she said. “I used to take him walks to Chiswick House, which had beautiful grounds and a big dog walking park. He would run around with all the other dogs and when he went into fifth gear it was a sight to behold. It would make your heart soar to watch it.

“I was lucky to get to do that for the 10 years we had with him. He was quite irreplaceable. We went a bit mad when he passed four or five years ago, and had a small bronze statue made of him. It looks like he’s flying through the air. It’s very tactile.”

Phyllis has been sharing lockdown with Kevin and their son, 24-year-old David, who is a musician.

Just days before the country shut down due to Covid-19, the 64-year-old celebrated the release of her latest film, Misbehaviour, which became a victim of cinema closures.

The film, also starring Keira Knightley, Jessie Buckley, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Greg Kinnear, is based on the true story of the 1970 Miss World competition, which saw protestors disrupt the contest that was eventually won by a black woman for the first time.

“We had a small premiere in a Covent Garden hotel which we all went along to, and it was in the cinema for five minutes before lockdown started, so not a lot of people saw it there, which is a shame because it’s a good film,” Phyllis said.

“I remember watching the real thing back in the day. I would have been 13 or 14, and I used to love watching Miss World. I remember vividly Bob Hope being pelted on stage. It was quite a shocker but now I think I’d be right up there with the rest of them, throwing bags of flour – although if you were trying to throw bags of flour now you’re liable to be mugged, it’s in such short supply!” she added. “It became a much bigger movement but that incident put it on people’s radar.

“I’m looking at what is happening now and I think it’s brilliant everyone is out protesting, even during lockdown. If I wasn’t such a stick in the mud about keeping to my own area then I’d be up there myself.”

Phyllis – who has another film, The Last Bus, awaiting release – is also an accomplished stage actor and fears for the future of theatres.

“They struggle to survive at the best of times and if they can’t open at full capacity you do wonder how they can keep going,” she said. “It’s not feasible unless there is proper government investment to see them through the worst of it.”

While the long-term future of theatres remains in limbo, in the short-term, TV and film production will return, and Phyllis says she’ll be watching on closely.

“It’s going to be a bit daunting for the first ones out the trap, they’ll provide the litmus test for how it’s going to go, and everyone’s eyes will be on it,” she said.

“I’m sure companies will be all over the health and safety aspect. I don’t have any worries – I’d be happy to dive straight back in.

“I’m champing at the bit to return and it’s good that Highland Vet is made, because it gives something new for people to watch rather than the endless repeats of whatever’s on.

“Except for re-runs of Downton Abbey, of course, people can watch that as much as they like because hopefully I’ll still get some residuals from it, which will keep me going while I’m not working!”

Phyllis left Scotland in her mid-20s to successfully crack London, having quickly made a name for herself after graduating from the RSAMD in Glasgow.

Having worked on stage in Dundee and Edinburgh, she won a BAFTA for Most Outstanding Newcomer To Film for her role as Janie in her first film, Another Time, Another Place, in 1984.

Other film roles include the Mike Leigh movie, Secrets & Lies. Prior to Downton Abbey, she was best known for playing Lady Jane Feisham in Lovejoy, opposite Ian McShane.

And while it’s been many years since she last worked in Scotland, she does return as often as possible.

“It’s impossible just now, but I try to come back regularly,” she said. “My sister is in Prestwick, my nephew is in Broughty Ferry and I have relatives in Johnstone. I’m looking forward to when I can come back.

“As far as working on a Scottish production, I’m always open to offers. I’ve been speaking to people working in the production side who had moved to London from Scotland for work, and they’re now heading back to make their lives there because enough is happening in Scotland to make it viable.

“That’s encouraging that there’s work to be had, and hopefully that will continue once we’re over this.”

(x)

#phyllis logan #highland vet #quarantine life #downton abbey

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blightarts · 3 years

Text

Blades of Order & Chaos

Chapter Title: 8 - Rival

Previous Chapter: Lion VS Bear

Word Count: 5239

Disclaimer: All rights belong to Pixelberry. This is my version for the upcoming sequel of Blades of Light & Shadow. I am not claiming this to be the canon story of the book. This is only written to increase the hype for the actual sequel.

MC/Pairing: Kite (Blue Elf Male MC) / Kite x Nia

Taglist: @princessstellaris @mechaspirit @brightningstar @cal-north @lxdy-starfury @tyrils-star @imturaxamara @kelseaaa

In the middle of the Vishanti Kingdom market square, Kade comes face to face with the former prince of Morella, Aerin Valleros. While Threep glares along with Kade, Kite and Bella are left confused.

Kite: Kade, is this person a danger to us?

Aerin scoffs.

Aerin: I’m hurt, Kite. After a year of not seeing each other, you’ve forgotten all about me?

Kade: Kite lost his memories.

The prince raises his eyebrow.

Aerin: Oh? That’s quite unfortunate.

Bella steps up.

Bella: Hold on. Is there some romantic tension that I’m not gettin’ here?

Threep: This young man is Aerin Valleros, prince of Morella, who betrayed his people and aided the Shadow Court in their return.

Bella tenses up upon hearing the words, “Shadow Court”, but composes herself before walking up to Aerin and grabbing his collar.

Bella: So, this li’l fella is a problem to you guys then? Should we throw him off the mountain?

Aerin chuckles and sarcastically raises his hands in defeat.

Aerin: Easy, easy. I’m not even showing any hostility towards any of you… yet.

Kade: What are you doing here? How’d you even survive the Empire’s attack on Whitetower, let alone escaped your prison cell? Did they let you out and got you a spot in their ranks?

Aerin: What’s in it for me if I tell you?

Bella: We don’t let gravity decide your fate.

Aerin rolls his eyes and shrugs.

Aerin: Alright, fair enough.

Bella lets go of Aerin as he dusts himself off.

Aerin: A year ago, after you lot had your first encounter with that coward, Laundsellyn, he took me from my cell and dragged me into the Shadow Realm.

The prince then turns around for a stroll, signaling the party to follow him.

Aerin: After that, I thought I was done serving jail time, but no, they threw me into another cell for my failures in defeating you.

Kade: Well, it serves you right for joining the wrong side.

Aerin ignores Kade’s rude comment.

Aerin: I stayed in that cell for about three months and during that time, I’ve heard from one of the Shadow Guards that once served under me, mocking me and laughing about the news that Laundsellyn killed my father.

Kite notices Aerin clenching his fists in anger.

Aerin: Upon hearing my father’s name, visions began to clutter my mind, visions of the past that I cannot even recall, visions of me… and my brother, Baldur… actually getting along during our childhood…

Threep: I thought you two were at odds with each other until you plunged the Blade of Shadows unto him.

Aerin: That’s what I thought as well. For years, I believed that my brother had always been a condescending jerk who treats people who are beneath him as insects. But no, my memories proved that to be wrong as when we were young, he offered me to be his right-hand man, his closest advisor once he becomes king.

Kade: So, what you’re saying is that the Dreadlord somehow manipulated your memories, as well as Baldur’s in order to tear yourselves apart and use one of you as a puppet?

As the party nears the kingdom’s gates, Aerin stops walking.

Aerin: I don’t know. That’s what I intend to find out.

The prince moves forward once more.

Aerin: I spent my three months in solitary, recalling my memories and struggling from countless headaches, but I could not make any progress whatsoever. And then… he came along, Ignis…

Shivers run up everyone’s spines while Aerin clutches his chest.

Aerin: He visited my cell and “offered” me to join his ranks in exchange for my freedom.

Kade: Well, seeing you here right now means that you’ve obviously said yes.

Aerin turns to Kade with rage.

Aerin: I was not even able to give an answer!

Kade flinches as Kite gets between him and Aerin. Citizens begin to stare at the party.

Aerin: I was dragged out of my cell before that accursed devil casted a spell…

Aerin then tears open his shirt, revealing a Nerada Stone still etched onto its chest while small purple sparks surge through it.

Aerin: …on this damned thing, making sure that I get in line and follow the orders of the elf that killed my father, else I get electrocuted to death!

The prince then grips his hair as he starts to lose it.

Aerin: After that I was worked to the bone, slaughtering innocent people who refused to bend to the Empire and conquering peaceful lands across Morella, all while suffering from the headaches caused by those visions and the shocking pain that this stupid stone keeps bringing unto me!

Aerin then grabs Kite by the collar. Bella grabs onto one of Aerin’s arms.

Bella: Hey! No bright ideas, royal boy!

Aerin: How do you even live while you’re suffering like this, Kite?! After everything you’ve been through, being betrayed, being separated from those you love, being beaten to a pulp, and having your memories lost! How are you still moving forward?!

Kite is speechless while Aerin keeps rambling in tears.

Aerin: I’ve thrown it all away… I’ve surrendered myself to darkness… I’ve betrayed the people who once saw me as their friend… I’ve let my own father die under the hands of the elf I now work for… I’ve killed my own brother all because a dark entity severed our bonds and manipulated our memories…

Threep leans in on Kite’s ears and whispers.

Threep: We should leave quickly. Everyone has their eyes on us.

Aerin: The nesper is right.

Aerin sniffs and wipes his tears before letting Kite go.

Aerin: This should not be settled by just words.

He turns away.

Aerin: Meet me outside of town.

Aerin then walks off while buttoning up his shirt. The crowd avert their eyes from the group as the tension dies down.

Bella: Jeez, that was one helluva ride.

Kade: We can’t let him get away.

Threep: I believe that he wants to settle things with Kite through combat.

Kite watches as Aerin disappears into the crowd.

Kite: I’ll do it.

The party look at Kite with surprise.

Kade: What?! You do know it’s a trap!

Bella: Yeah, he’s with the bad guys, whether he likes it or not.

Kite: I don’t care. I can tell from how Aerin looked at me earlier. It’s like… he’s asking someone to save him.

Kite runs ahead to chase after Aerin while the party hesitates for a second before following suit. Threep gets on Kite’s shoulder.

Threep: I hope you know what you’re doing.

Kite: I am. You guys have to trust me.

Minutes later, in the outskirts of the Vishanti Kingdom, Aerin sits on the snow, gazing at the sky. His head begins to pain as a vision flashes in his eyes.

Aerin: Tch! Not again!

In his vision, he sees his young self being bullied by three kids in the town square of Whitetower.

Bully 1: Go back to your lush life in the castle, Valleros!

Bully 2: Yeah, no one wants you here!

Bully 3: Weakling!

Suddenly, Baldur appears, pushing the bullies away, and gets in between them and Aerin while holding a stick.

Baldur: Hey! Get away from my brother! He may be not as strong as any of us here, but he is sure as heck smarter than the three of you combined!

The bullies approach Baldur, cracking their knuckles.

Bully 1: Now, you’re asking for it, Baldur.

Baldur turns to Aerin.

Past Baldur: Stand up, Aerin. We can take them on together.

Past Aerin: O-Okay…

Aerin stands up and shyly raises his hands in self-defense.

The vision fast-forwards, minutes after the two brothers faced off against the bullies. They have a few bruises scattered around them, but they were victorious in the fight. Baldur is giving Aerin a piggyback ride.

Past Baldur: Good job handling yourself out there.

Past Aerin: You did most of the work…

Past Baldur: Nonsense. It was smart of you to poke their eyes, giving me time to whoop their butts. I’m proud of you.

Baldur grins while Aerin becomes flustered.

Past Aerin: T-Thank you…

The vision ends as Aerin is snapped back to reality and his headache fades away.

Aerin: How…? Where did it all go wrong…?

The prince turns around to see Kite and his friends standing behind him.

Aerin: You’re here.

He stands up and cracks his knuckles.

Kite: I’m guessing you wanna settle this in a fight?

Aerin: Yeah. Once I defeat you, the Hero chosen to defeat the Empire, right here, I will go back to Shadow Realm and claim vengeance!

Aerin puts his hand forward, materializing a polearm surging with Shadow magic. Kade grits his teeth.

Kade: A new weapon from Ignis, I presume?

Aerin: More or less. It’s called the Blackcliff Polearm.

Kade, Bella and Threep steps back.

Kade: Is it really okay for us to let this fight happen while not worrying about an avalanche?

Bella: It’s alright. The Vishanti placed wards around the mountain to prevent avalanches from occurring, guaranteeing the safety of their kingdom.

Threep: That’s a relief.

Kite unsheathes the Mirror Claymore, piquing the interest of Aerin.

Aerin: So, that’s the Mirror Claymore of the Vishanti. Quite the Sacred Treasure.

Aerin begins the fight by charging towards Kite and performs a few swings and thrusts with the Blackcliff Polearm, but the latter uses his elven senses to avoid all of them.

Aerin: Tch! Alright, how about this?!

Aerin leaps up and attempts to plunge the polearm on Kite, but again, the latter hops back, evading the attack.

Aerin: Got you now!

Aerin lets go of the polearm while it is planted on the ground before kicking it.

The polearm spins vertically towards Kite who blocks it with the Mirror Claymore.

Kite: Damn!

As the polearm begins to slow down in spinning, Aerin suddenly lunges forward and grabs it, surprising Kite.

Kite: What the—

Aerin then uses Shadow magic, transforming himself into a purple bolt of lightning, before traveling upwards. Kite and the party look up in awe.

Kade: What the hell is that?!

Threep: He has become stronger since we last saw him!

Three duplicates of the Blackcliff polearm rain down from the sky and plant themselves around Kite. Sparks then begin to appear on their tips. Kite attempts to block the incoming attack with the Mirror Claymore, but Aerin proves to be quicker as his lightning form comes crashing down onto the duplicate polearms acting as lightning rods. Kite gets electrocuted and hurled from the point of the attack, where Aerin is seen crouching down and holding his weapon, plunged onto the ground.

Bella: Sheesh, remind me not to mess with him when he’s this worked up.

Kite gets up while still recovering from Aerin’s attack. The prince stands up and pulls out his weapon from the ground, boasting about his successful attack.

Aerin: How was that?!

Kite: Tch! Not bad.

Kite gets up and dusts off his shoulder.

Kade: Wait, why was the Mirror Claymore not able to absorb the magic attack?

Threep: I believe that Kite was expecting Aerin to strike from above, even though there were duplicates of the polearm around him. However, when Aerin dropped and struck Kite’s guard, it wasn’t a magical attack, it was instead a physical attack. So, it didn’t count to the magic absorption power of the Claymore.

Bella: Then what caused the electric surge?

Threep: Electricity ran from the tip of Aerin’s weapon towards its duplicates while avoiding the Mirror Claymore, overloading them with magical energy to the point where they would explode.

Kade: That was… actually clever.

Bella: He managed to bypass the insane power of the Mirror Claymore.

Aerin rushes towards Kite once more, but the latter stays composed.

Kite: Aerin, you’re not the only one that has grown.

Kite raises the Mirror Claymore and slams it on the ground in front of him, scattering the snow and obscuring himself from Aerin’s sights. The elf then quickly casts a spell.

Kite: Chaos Magic: Moonlight Circle – Mirror Mirage.

Aerin: You can’t hide from me!

Aerin slashes the thin snow wall between him and Kite in half. As the snow parts, the prince comes face to face with multiple duplicates of his opponent, each holding the Bow of Gal’dariel in hand.

Aerin: Wha—

Kade: He used Mirror Mirage!

Threep: An excellent strategy. This should buy the real Kite some time to strike back.

Aerin stops in his tracks.

Aerin: So, this is the spell you used to escape the clutches of the Empire.

Kite and his duplicates draw their bows and arrows while aiming at Aerin.

Aerin: I know that most of those arrows are not real, but one of them can still pierce my body.

The arrows are let loose as they fly towards their target.

Aerin: So, as long as I find the real you…

Aerin does a forward flip, avoiding all the arrows, before slamming his polearm on the ground, unleashing arcs of lightning towards Kite and his duplicates. The arcs pierce through each duplicate as, one by one, they fade from existence, however, as the last duplicate fades away, the real Kite is nowhere to be seen.

Aerin: What?! Then… where is he?!

Aerin looks around, searching for the real Kite, when suddenly, the snow beneath him begins to move. He looks down.

Aerin: Can it be…?

Kite leaps up from under the snow, equipping the Gauntlet of Pain, and sucker punches Aerin, launching him far away.

Bella: Oof, that’s gotta hurt!

Aerin gets on his feet and wipes off the blood, dripping from his lips.

Aerin: But still not enough to make me concede.

He rushes to Kite, who unsheathes the Mirror Claymore.

Aerin: I will...!

Kite swings the Claymore like a baseball bat, but Aerin leaps to avoid it, ready to plunge his polearm.

Kite: Damn!

Aerin: …surpass you!!

Kite swiftly grabs the sharp end of the polearm using the Gauntlet of Pain, stopping Aerin’s attack, before hurling it behind him. Aerin ends up plunging his weapon on the snow.

Aerin: Tch!

He flips away, giving himself some distance from Kite. The two stare down at each other, waiting to strike.

Aerin: Why don’t we both bring out everything we’ve got?

Kite deeply inhales before casting Lion’s Pride, raising his physical attributes. Meanwhile, Aerin channels his Shadow magic, causing purple electricity to surge throughout his body, increasing his speed and agility. Bella steps in front of Kade and Threep.

Bella: We gotta stay back. When their attacks clash, it could be dangerous for us.

The party steps back a few feet and as soon as they did, Kite and Aerin charge at each other. They both swing their weapons, causing a strong shockwave upon collision. The two keep clashing, trading minimal blows and parrying each other’s attacks. While Aerin has the speed to strike before Kite could defend himself, the latter has enough endurance to not flinch from the attack and strike back.

Aerin leaps up, transforming into a bolt of purple lightning once more. This time, more than three duplicates of his polearm drop from the sky and surround Kite.

Kite: Tch!

Kite hops back, trying to get out of the field of polearms, but Aerin quickly descends from the sky, releasing magical energy to the polearms, causing them to burst with electricity before Kite could escape the area of effect.

Aerin: I’m impressed that you were able to survive that.

The light from the electrical surge fades, revealing Kite shielding himself with the Mirror Claymore as it is filled with magical energy that came from Aerin’s attack. However, the elf is left with burns across his body.

Kade: Kite!

Unconcerned with his own well-being, Kite swings his weapon, unleashing a magical projectile, shaped like a crescent and filled with Shadow Magic, towards Aerin.

Bella: Again, with that recklessness. Has he always been like this?

Threep: Sadly, yes, but it’s what got him this far.

Aerin imbues his polearm with Shadow Magic and uses it to cut the crescent in half, avoiding the attack, but as the crescent parts, Kite comes up right in front of Aerin, catching him by surprise.

Aerin: When did you…?!

Aerin then notices Kite conjuring a ball of Cleansing Fire from his hand. Kite swings his hand down, attempting to slam the fireball onto Aerin’s head, but the latter leaps back, evading the attack.

Aerin: It takes a lot more than a ball of fire to knock me down, Kite.

Kite looks at Aerin with a smirk.

Kite; What makes you think that it was going for you?

Aerin: Huh?

Kite slams the fireball onto the Mirror Claymore as it absorbs the magical energy, imbuing it with flames. He then charges forward while Aerin is still in mid-air, in the midst of avoiding the fireball.

Aerin’s Thoughts: Shit! I can’t dodge it! I have to block it!

Aerin holds his polearm up to block the incoming attack, but…

CLANG!!

…Kite disarms Aerin and sends the Blackcliff Polearm flying through the air, startling the latter.

Aerin: No!

The party starts cheering.

Kade: He did it!

Threep: Kite has the advantage now!

Bella: Nice!

As Aerin lands on the snow, Kite kicks his leg, forcing him to kneel in pain.

Aerin: Aah!!

Kite: Aerin… if you let only your emotions fuel your false resolve…

The elf then pulls his weapon back, ready to swing it.

Kite: …then you do not deserve to win this fight.

Aerin stares in disbelief before slowly lowering his head in defeat, accepting his demise.

Kade: Wait… is he gonna…?

Kite grips the hilt of the Mirror Claymore tight before swinging rapidly, aiming for Aerin’s neck, as if he’s trying to behead him.

Threep: Kite!

Fortunately, Kite stops short, with the blade of the Mirror Claymore almost touching Aerin’s neck. The prince’s heart momentarily pauses as he just looks at Kite, with an expression of pity on his face.

Aerin: W… Why’d you stop…?

Kite sheathes the Mirror Claymore before turning away and rejoining his friends. Aerin grits his teeth and stands in anger.

Aerin: Hey! Don’t walk away from me, Kite! Why didn’t you kill me?!

Kite stops in his tracks.

Kite: Because I cannot kill a man who is just asking for a death wish.

Aerin: What do you mean…?

Kite turns to Aerin, who was speechless.

Kite: Defeating me or the Empire? Can you even do that? Or are you just looking for an excuse to get yourself killed to end your suffering, even though it doesn’t work that way? You weren’t even giving your all during our fight.

Aerin: I…

Aerin trembles, slowly realizing how correct Kite is.

Kite: The fact that you can’t even take it upon yourself to end your own life and instead relying on others to do it, means that there’s still a part of you that wants to live on.

Kite turns back to his friends.

Kite: Once you’ve found your real self, the Aerin before the Empire of Ash, before the Shadow Court, before all of this, then come find me.

Kite continues to walk towards his friends.

Kite: I’ll be sure to fight you again… to settle this properly.

The party gathers around Kite, making sure he’s okay, while they all walk away from Aerin.

Kade: Are you hurt?

Kite: I’m fine.

Threep: Did you really intend to kill him?

Kite: I wasn’t trying to.

Bella: Are you sure you wanna face him again?

Kite: As much as I need to until he’s saved.

As the party disappears from Aerin’s sights, he grabs his weapon, before walking the other direction and wandering to himself.

Aerin: My… real self…

As the party and Aerin part ways, Laundsellyn watches from the sky, laying down on a hovering Blade of Shadows.

Sir Laundsellyn: Hehe, that was fun.

He squints and smirks at the party.

Sir Laundsellyn: Now… where could that Priestess be?

————— END OF CHAPTER —————

#playchoices #choices #choices stories you play #choices fanfic #playchoices fanfic #blades of light and shadow #choices blades #blades fanfic #bolas #choices bolas #bolas fanfic #blades mc #kade #choices kade #aerin valleros #choices aerin

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saiilorstars · 4 years

Text

Stars Dance

Ch. 17: The Ghosts of Christmas

Fandom: Doctor Who

Pairing: 11th Doctor x Original Female Character

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Chapter summary: It's the first Christmas the Doctor and his companions get to spend together after putting the universe back together. Of course the Ponds aren't having the best of their honeymoon, and Lena is terrified of a flying shark...but Avalon does get to reenact one of the most classic Christmas stories to make everything all better!

(Previous chapters) // Sequel Story!!

Fairy Tale Memoirs (Companion story)

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"I'm not doing it," Avalon crossed her arms as she peered down the chimney of a rather large house, ignoring the pouting Time Lord beside her.

"But it's Christmas!" he sighed in exasperation, gesturing to the chimney that was just begging to be climbed into. He thought this would be something Avalon would literally jump to do. It was part of the classic movies, right? Why was she all frowny in the face then!?

"Yes, and I'm not Santa Claus," Avalon snapped at him. "I am going to take the front door like a proper person." She headed back to the TARDIS when Lena stepped out.

"Guys, Amy and Rory are pretty distressed up in that ship of theirs, what are you both doing here?"

They'd recently gotten a distress call from the newlywed Ponds that the cruise ship the Doctor had brought them to for their honeymoon had entered some sort of problem and the ship was actually going to crash if the clouds in the sky weren't cleared up. Apparently, the clouds were controlled by a family in the planet they found themselves in and for some reason the Doctor thought going down the chimney was the best way to enter the house of the man who controlled the sky.

Avalon felt ready to smack him for being such an...idiot. "Your 'big brother' wants to play Santa Claus and go down that chimney," she sighed.

"Cool!" Lena beamed and shut the doors of the TARDIS before running over to the Doctor, "Can I be one of those helping elves? I think they're so cute."

"No!" Avalon turned to them, gaping at her sister. "Lena, you can't jump into a chimney! Do you know how bad that'll be for your asthma?"

Lena rolled her eyes, "Here we go again," she muttered to the Doctor. She really thought Avalon was finally going to let go of her over-protectiveness and simply have fun. But apparently that was going to be something difficult judging by what they were seeing now.

"It's Christmas," the Doctor called back to Avalon, as if that alone was the perfect excuse, "C'mon, Ava," he hurried up to her, grinning widely, "You're fun, you're...a bit wreckless-"

"I am not!" she huffed and crossed her arms.

"But you're fun," he pointed, "And fun people always take the fun route..." he nodded back to the chimney, "...c'mon, Ava," he poked her hair.

"Don't touch my hair," she closed her eyes with irritation as he continued to do just that, "Don't...Doctor, don't...don't...FINE!" she snapped and startled him enough to back off, "Fine, we'll...play Santa," she huffed again, "But I am not gonna be the elf," she warned.

The Doctor hadn't listened as he'd grabbed her hand and brought them back to the chimney where he peeked again, hearing the loud voice of an elderly man coming below, "Geronimo," he smirked at the twins.

"Not with me you don't," Avalon took back her hand, "You go first and break our fall," she smiled sweetly, hoping that it would make the man realize he was being completely childish and ridiculous and would end up getting hurt.

It was like she didn't know the Doctor at all, thought Lena.

The Doctor clapped his hands together and jumped into the chimney.

"You have got to be kidding me," Avalon sighed while Lena giggled.

"Wonder if he got hurt," Lena peered inside.

"Probably," Avalon shrugged and sighed, "Well...better get it over with," she sighed again, unable to believe she was actually going to do this.

If she still had more space in her journal she would've written about it.

~ 0 ~

The Doctor had fallen down the chimney and managed to land with a perfect somersault on the floor. He stood up to greet an elderly man, a family of four with one daughter and son, and a couple of servants. He dusted the soot off himself and grinned, "Ah! Yes, blimey. Sorry! Christmas Eve on a rooftop, saw a chimney, my whole brain just went, "What the hell!" Don't worry, fat fella will be doing the rounds later. I'm just scoping out the general...chimney-ness. Yes," he leaned against the chimney and smirked when he started hearing the shrieks of the twins.

Avalon came toppling down the chimney first and ended on the ground on her stomach. She groaned and lifted her head up to look at the Doctor, "I hate you."

He absolutely grinned at her soot-covered face. "No you don't!"

"Eek!" Lena came down right after and landed on her back, laughing to herself, "Okay, even I have to admit that was fun."

Now the Doctor softly smiled at his baby sister. His hearts warmed seeing her having so much fun again. She was alive and having fun. He still couldn't get over the fact she was back!

"Sorry," Avalon noticed the others after the Doctor helped her and Lena up. "He wanted to play Santa."

"Santa?" the little boy of the family spoke up.

"Father Christmas," Lena offered another alias, "Santa Claus?"

"Or, as I've always known him, Jeff," the Doctor shrugged.

"Shut up, you do not know Santa Claus," Avalon nearly laughed but got paused when the Doctor gave her a smirk. Her eyes widened - did he know Santa Claus? Wait, was Santa Claus real?

"There's no such person as Father Christmas," the boy shook his head, cutting the silence.

"Oh, yeah?" the Doctor pulled out a small, black and white photo from his inside pocket and walked up to the family, "Me and Father Christmas, Frank Sinatra's hunting lodge, 1952. See him at the back with the blonde...Albert Einstein. The three of us together...vrrroom! Watch out! OK? Keep the faith, stay off the naughty list."

"No way!" Avalon snatched the picture right out of his hand to see for herself. "This is impossible!"

Lena sighed and tapped the Doctor on the shoulder. "We have our friends stuck in a crashing spaceship, remember?"

"Oh, yes," the Doctor quickly ran to a large panel filled with buttons of all kinds, "Now, what's this? And I love this, a big flashy lighty thing - that's what brought me here. Big flashy lighty things have got me written all over them. Not actually, but give me time and a crayon," he sat on the chair in front of the panel and swivels to face the others, "Now, this big flashy lighty thing is connected to the spire in your dome, yeah, and it controls the sky. Well, technically, it controls the clouds, which technically aren't clouds at all," he stood up and walked up to the elderly man, "Well, they're clouds of tiny particles of ice. Ice clouds, love that. Who's she?" he pointed at a silver chamber containing a woman inside.

"Nobody important," the elderly man, Kazran, dismissed.

"That's rude," Lena frowned.

"Do you know, in 900 years of time and space, I've never met anyone who wasn't important before," the Doctor agreed and headed back to the control panel to use the controls, "Now, this console is the key to saving that ship, or I'll eat my hat... if I had a hat. I'll eat someone's hat. Not someone who's using their hat-"

"How about you don't eat anyone's hat and we save Amy and Rory?" Lena raised an eyebrow, making him stop his rambles and see he was once again trailing off into another subject.

"You can't know Santa Claus!" Avalon finally looked up from the picture she'd taken from the Doctor, still unable to wrap her mind around it.

"I do," the Doctor returned and took back his picture, smirking at her. "And those controls aren't working!"

"The controls are isomorphic – one to one - they respond only to me," Kazran informed as he moved up to the Doctor.

"Oh, you fibber... Isomorphic! There's no such thing."

Kazran pulled a switch on the panel and shut down the machine to prove his statement. The Doctor went ahead and used the same switch only to see it wouldn't respond. With a frown, he pulled out his screwdriver and used it over the controls and Kazran. Once he checked the readings he blinked and looked at the others, "These controls are isomorphic!"

"The skies of this entire world are mine. My family tamed them, and now I own them," Kazran explained, getting more and more irritated with the Doctor.

"Tamed the sky? What does that mean?" Lena looked at Avalon, knowing that didn't sound very good for their situation.

"It means I'm Kazran Sardick," Kazran glared at them, "How can you possibly not know who I am?"

"Because we get bored easily," Avalon snapped, not liking the attitude the man had taken with her twin, "Point here is we need your help to save our friends."

"Make an appointment."

"I wasn't asking for your help, I was informing you," Avalon crossed her arms.

"There are 4,003 people in a spaceship trapped in your cloud belt," the Doctor stepped in before the ginger went off with a full temper, "And what my friend is trying to say is that without your help, they're going to die."

"Yes," Kazran nodded.

"I think the correct answer is that you're going to help," Lena spoke up again.

"You don't have to let that happen," the Doctor agreed.

"I know, but I'm going to. Bye-bye. Bored now. ..Chuck!"

Avalon's mouth opened with horror, "You old-"

"I'd watch the tongue," the Doctor pointed at her before she finished her sentence.

"I'll take it under consideration," Avalon mock-glared at him as servants neared them from behind to get them out the door.

The Doctor managed to break free from the servants restraining him and rushed back to Kazran as the man had sat down on his chair, "Ooh, look at you, looking all tough now," the man mocked.

"There are 4,003 people I won't allow to die tonight. Do you know where that puts you?" the Doctor asked.

"Where?"

"4,004."

Kazran let out a small laugh, "Was that a sort of threat-y thing?"

"Whatever happens tonight, remember... you brought it on yourself."

"Yeah, yeah, right. ..Get him out of here," Kazran called to the servants again, "And next time, try and find me some funny poor people."

The Doctor was forced towards the doors along with the twins and family. The little boy took a lump of coal on the ground and threw it Kazran, hitting him on the head. Kazran stood up in anger and headed for the boy with a raised hand to strike with.

"No, stop, don't!" the Doctor struggled to free himself of the servants holding him back.

"Don't you dare! You leave him!" the father of the boy was in the same predicament as the Doctor.

After a moment, Kazran seemed to realize what he was about to do and lowered his hand, "Get him out of here! Get that foul-smelling family out of here! Out!"

Although the family was taken, the Doctor remained in the house, nodding for the twins to go ahead and leave as well. He waited a moment until Kazran noticed he was still there.

"What? What do you want?" Kazran rolled his eyes with irritation.

"A simple life," the Doctor shrugged, "But you didn't hit the boy."

"Well, I will next time!"

"No, you see, you won't. Now why? What am I missing?" the Doctor turned and started to focus on the details of the house.

"Get out! Get out of this house!" Kazran shooed him off to no avail.

"The chairs! Of course, the chairs! Stupid me, the chairs!" the Doctor smacked his own forehead.

"The chairs?"

"There's a portrait on the wall behind me. Looks like you, but it's too old, so it's your father. All the chairs are angled away from it," the Doctor gestured to each chair facing the portraits away, "Daddy's been dead for 20 years. But you still can't get comfortable where he can see you. There's a Christmas tree in the painting, but none in this house, on Christmas Eve. You're scared of him and you're scared of being like him. And good for you, you're not like him, not really. Do you know why?"

"Why?" Kazran blinked.

"Because you didn't hit the boy. Merry Christmas, Mr Sardick."

"I despise Christmas!"

"You shouldn't," the Doctor headed for the doors, "It's very you."

"It's what? What do you mean?"

"Halfway out of the dark," the Doctor mumbled as he finally left.

~ 0 ~

The Doctor and the twins were outside of Kazran's home where they spoke to Amy and Rory on the phone. Up in the ship things were growing more and more frantic and so it was no surprise that the first thing Amy said to the group below was, "Have you got a plan yet?"

"Yes, I do," the Doctor answered almost immediately, prompting Amy to respond with...

"Are you lying?"

"Yes, I am," the Doctor bowed his head.

"Don't treat me like an idiot," Amy snapped.

"OK, the good news. I've tracked the machine that unlocks the cloud belt. I could use it to clear you a flight corridor and you could land easily."

Avalon took the phone from the Doctor and scolded him, "Don't give false hope," she rolled her eyes and spoke into the phone, "He can't control the machine, Amy."

"Less great," Amy sighed.

"But I've met a man who can," the Doctor shouted into the phone, making Avalon flinch with his voice right beside her ear.

"Ah, well, there you go!" Amy cheered.

"And he hated you," Avalon reminded the Doctor who stuck his tongue out at her for ruining it again.

"Let me guess, he was being extra charming and clever?" Amy sighed.

"To the max," Avalon nodded even though Amy couldn't see it.

"Say what you want but all I heard is that you thought I was being charming and extra clever," the Doctor pointed at Avalon with a smirk.

"Oh don't get too riled up on that," Avalon looked at him with a smirk of her own, "That was my own Christmas present for you, one nice lie."

The Doctor frowned and pointed at her again when Lena cut in, "Alright, stop it." She looked at both with a scolding face before she took the phone from Avalon.

"Sir, sir," the father of the family they'd been thrown out with came towards the group.

"Hang on," the Doctor told the twins and met with the father, shaking his hand.

"I've never seen anybody stand up to Mr Sardick like that," the father remarked, "Bless you, sir, and merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas. Lovely," the Doctor nodded.

"But a bit busy," Avalon reminded.

"You'd better get inside, though," the father warned.

"Why?" Avalon asked as she looked around.

"The fog's thick tonight, and there's a fish warning."

At that, the trio gave the father an odd look, "The fish?" they asked together.

"Yeah," the father nodded, "You know what they're like when they get a bit hungry."

"Yeah, fish, I know fish," the Doctor looked at the twins, "Fish?" both sisters shrugged in confusion.

"It's all Mr Sardick's fault, I reckon. He always lets a few fish through the cloud layer when he's in a bad mood," the father shrugged, "Thank you. Bless you once again, sir," and with that he hurried on out.

"I'm sorry but did he just say fish?" Avalon scratched her head.

"OI!" they heard Amy's voice from the phone, "The Captain says we've got less than an hour. What should we be doing?"

"Uh, hang on..." Lena said to her while she and the other two looked around and saw small fish swimming around a streelight as if they were moths.

"Fish," the Doctor blinked.

"Fish that can swim in fog?" Avalon frowned, "That's a real thing?"

"How's that for impression Miss Reynolds?" the Doctor shot her back a smirk.

"Now I feel terrible for my lousy present," she playfully rolled her eyes.

He shook his head and stepped closer to the fish, "Now, why would people be frightened of you tiny little fellas?" he held up his hand and let the fish go near it, "Look at you, sweet little fishy-wishies. Mind you, fish in the fog, so the cloud cover... Ooh. Careful up there."

"Big brother, Amy's very adamant about being saved," Lena called, holding the phone from her ear as the ginger shouted over it, "And she says they've got less than an hour."

"I know,' the Doctor mumbled as he glanced at a nearby clock.

"Then best stop messing around with the 'fishy wishys' and get to work," Avalon clapped her hands to get the attention off the fish.

"Big Brother, it's Amy again," Lena sighed, her ear partially ringing from the loud tone Amy was taking with her.

"Oh alright, let's see," the Doctor started pacing as he thought, "Can't use the TARDIS, cos it can't lock on. So that ship needs to land, but it can't land unless a very bad man suddenly decides to turn nice, just in time for Christmas Day!"

"Oh!" Avalon suddenly squealed, startling him and Lena, even Amy as the phone had gone quiet for a moment.

"What?" the Doctor looked back to see her clapping her hands excitedly with a huge smile.

"I got it! I got the plan!" she cheered, "Don't you hear the singing?" she gestured to the speakers of the town that were playing a Christmas song, "A Christmas Carol! A Christmas Carol! A Christmas Carol!"

"I'm scared," the Doctor looked at Lena, never seeing the ginger acting like such a...ray of sunshine? If that even made sense.

"Me too," Lena admitted as she stared at her squealing twin.

"We have to do this," Avalon ran up to the Doctor who instinctively took steps back, "Oh please, oh please, oh please!?" she clapped her hands together, "A Christmas Carol is one of the best stories I've read!"

"That's great...what does it have to do with this though?" the Doctor asked, taking one more step back for caution.

"You said it yourself!" Avalon laughed, "How do we turn a man who's been bitter and mean his entire life? A Christmas Carol!"

The Doctor blinked as he finally got what the ginger was so excited about. Of course, a story, a classic story that Avalon loved. She had the opportunity to play out an entire story...on Christmas...of course she was squealing and clapping about it. That made more sense.

"You are clever," he concluded, "Well done," he did a mock-bow, making her laugh.

"Can someone explain to me, please?" Lena came up to them, "And perhaps Amy?" she held the phone between them, "She's yelling again," she whispered.

~ 0 ~

The Doctor and the twins managed to sneak back into Kazran's house, after the servants had 'luckily' won the lottery. The Doctor set up a projection of a young Kazran while the current, elder Kazran slept. With a loud shout of his father in the

projection, the current Kazran awoke with a startle. He was stunned to see the projection of his younger self talking about the fish in the skies when his father came in...and struck him. He quickly stood up from his chair and rushed up to the wall where the projection played.

The trio had entered the room without Kazran noticing and the Doctor cautiously walked up to him and set a hand on his shoulder, "It's OK. It's OK."

Kazran jumped and turned around, angrily shouting, "What have you done? What is this?"

"Found it on an old drive. Sorry about the picture quality, had to recover the data using quantum enfolding and a paperclip," the Doctor stepped back as the twins joined him.

"Oh, I wouldn't bother calling your servants, they quit. Apparently they won the lottery at exactly the same time," Lena crossed her arms with an innocent smile, "Which is a bit lucky when you think about it."

"There isn't a lottery," Kazran pointed at her violently.

"Extra lucky," Avalon remarked as she plopped down in Kazran's chair.

"Who are you?"

Avalon smirked and looked at her sister and the Doctor, "I've always wanted to do this, eek," she took a breath and got into character before she leaned back on her chair, "Tonight, I am the Ghost Of Christmas Past," she dramatically waved her hands.

The Doctor playfully rolled his eyes at her, glad to see she was at least beginning to have some actual fun, "Did you ever get to see a fish back then, when you were a kid?" he asked Kazran who scoffed.

"What does that matter to you?"

"Look how it mattered to you," Lena softly said, gazing back at the projection where the young Kazran cried.

"I cried all night, and I learned life's most invaluable lesson," Kazran turned to her with a dark look in his eyes.

"Which is?"

"Nobody comes. Get out!" he startled them with his shouts, "Get out of my house!"

"Okay, okay, but we'll be back," the Doctor warned as he gathered his two companions and brought them behind him, "Way back, way, way back," they moved to the door where the projection played, the TARDIS waiting behind.

Kazran heard the wheezing sound of the TARDIS slowly leave his house...only to be heard again in his younger self's room...

~ 0 ~

The Doctor excitedly opened the window of young Kazran's bedroom, "See? Back!" he shouted to the recorder young Kazran had on his desk.

"Nice, Doctor, just enter a boy's room without greetings and introductions," Avalon came through the window next and helped Lena last.

"Who are you?" young Kazran asked them all, debating whether he should start calling for help.

"Right," the Doctor agreed with Avalon's statement and turned to the boy, "Hi, I'm the Doctor, that's Avalon and her sister Lena. We're your new babysitters."

"Where's Mrs Mantovani?"

"Oh, you'll never guess!" the Doctor hopped onto Kazran's bed and started jumping on it, "Clever old Mrs Manters, she only went and won the lottery!"

"There isn't any lottery," Kazran frowned and looked at the women.

"She got extra lucky," Avalon shrugged then looked at the Doctor with a sigh, "And so your dad got a babysitter that acts younger than you."

Lena laughed as the Doctor stopped jumping and let himself fall on the bed with a small bounce afterwards, "I would've liked one like that," she shrugged.

Kazran checked his open window and frowned, "If you're my babysitters, why were you climbing in the window?"

"That is a very good point," Avalon mused for an excuse and glanced at the Doctor, "Doctor?"

"Need saving again?" he smirked and raised an eyebrow, earning a mock-glare back, "The answer is simple, really," he turned to Kazran, the boy still expecting an answer, "Because if we were climbing out, we'd be going in the wrong direction. Pay attention."

"Smooth," Avalon rolled her eyes.

"Mrs Mantovani's always my babysitter," Kazran slowly said, still unsure they were actual babysitters.

"Times change," the Doctor peered into the camera, "Wouldn't you say? You see... Christmas Past."

"Who are you talking to?" Kazran frowned.

"You," the Doctor pointed, "Now, your past is going to change. That means your memories will too. Scary, but you'll get the hang of it."

"I don't understand," Kazran turned to the women again, wondering what kind of answer he'd be getting from them.

"I'll bet you don't! I wish I could see your face!" the Doctor exclaimed as he pointed between Kazran and the camera.

"And you're scaring him," Avalon pushed down his finger, "Quit it."

"Yeah, maybe we should focus on the plan," even Lena agreed that the boy looked a bit frightened and confused.

"Right then," the Doctor finally focused and looked around, "Your bedroom. Great! Let's see, you're 12 years old, so we'll stay away from under the bed. Cupboard! Big cupboard, I love a cupboard," he ran up to said cupboard and opened it up, poking his head inside.

"What've you been doing inside cupboards, Fairy Tale Man?" Avalon smirked, even making Lena giggle when the Doctor nearly slipped inside from her comment.

"Ava!" he turned around, a scowl on his face as the two sisters laugh.

"I don't get it," Kazran said to the Doctor, thinking it must have been a girl thing as the women kept laughing.

"Good," the Doctor pointed at him then sighed, "So what are we going to do? Eat crisps and talk about girls? I've never actually done that, but I bet it's easy. Girls! Yeah?"

"I'm not so sure you can do that," Avalon looked at Lena with another laugh wanting to slip out.

"Shut up!" he pointed at her.

"Are you really babysitters?" Kazran had to question again, "You keep arguing..."

"Bantering," Lena corrected with an amused smile.

"Wish it would stop," the Doctor shot Avalon a look before he pulled out his psychic paper and held it to Kazran, "I think you'll find I'm universally recognized as a mature and responsible adult."

Kazran looked at the paper and tilted his head, "It's just a lot of wavy lines."

The Doctor took a look and raised his eyebrows, "Hm, it's shorted out..." he looked up at Avalon who was biting her lip with a smile that was threatening to turn into another laugh. She was making the effort not to laugh but the psychic paper had really done it this time. "Oh alright, have at it!" the Doctor rolled his eyes, resigned to another round of bantering.

Avalon instantly burst into laughter that could probably be heard a mile off. "You shorted out a paper designed to lie to everyone about anything! This is too good!" She clutched her stomach, her face beginning to match the color of her hair from how much she was laughing.

The Doctor huffed after a few minutes. "Okay that's enough!" But Avalon kept going. Her legs almost buckled that she had to go near the bed to keep her footing. The Doctor followed her wobbly walk with another huff. "Ava, c'mon! Stop it!"

"I don't think she can..." Lena remarked, genuinely surprised to see that side of Avalon. She'd seen Avalon laugh, sure, but not even Rory had made her laugh that much, "...well done, big brother," she looked at him with a big grin.

"Welcome...sure..." the Doctor wasn't paying attention as he was focused on the ginger making fun of him, "I know someone who's getting coal for Christmas."

"I never get anything anyways," Avalon wiped some tears from her eyes, "Woah, that was a fun," she glanced at young Kazran, "Sorry about that, kid. Now then, you're right...pretty clear we're not real babysitters."

"That's an understatement," he crossed his arms.

"Oh, smart boy," she raised an eyebrow and straightened up, "Then I can tell you right now that we're gonna be much cooler than a regular babysitter who gives you a bedtime."

"And how are you going to do that?"

"Doctor," Avalon pointed at him, "You're going to show the kid the fish he wants to see."

"You don't have to point," he moved over and pushed her finger down, "But she's right," he nodded to Kazran, "It's going to be fish time!"

"Mind you, that's a bit strange," Lena thought about the creatures, "There's fish in the fog and the clouds..."

"My dad's invented a machine to control the cloud belt. Tame the sky, he says. The fish'll be able to come down, but only when we let them," Kazran said what he'd been told so many times, "We can charge whatever we like."

"Yeah, we've seen your dad's machine," the Doctor sighed, "Big, bad machine," he mumbled.

"Why would you charge, though?" Avalon asked, "Wouldn't it be fun to just let the fish down for everyone to enjoy? C'mon, fish? In the air?"

"Well technically," the Doctor began, "It's-" but he received Avalon's hand on his mouth.

"Like I was saying," she shot him an irritated look, no one needed to know the technicalities of the fish, "We can see a fish right now, and I won't charge you a thing for it," she tapped Kazran on the nose with her free hand.

Kazran raised an eyebrow, "Aren't you going to tell me it's dangerous?"

The Doctor pushed Avalon's hand down and looked at him, "The woman's been to jail many times, she's way past playing the goody too-shoes."

"He's right," Avalon agreed.

"But it's still dangerous," Lena had to remind as she moved closer.

"Dangerous!?" the Doctor raised an eyebrow and stepped beside Kazran, "We're boys," he put an arm around Kazran's shoulders, "And you know what boys say in the face of danger."

"What?" Lena looked at Avalon who already had a hand over her forehead, just knowing the Doctor would come up with something utterly stupid like...

"Mummy!" the Doctor grinned.

"And there we go," Avalon looked up and shook his head at them, "And then the girls-" she pointed at Lena and herself, "-will have to come and save your sorry behinds."

And so, the Doctor's screwdriver had a string tired around it and was hung in the center of Kazran's room, the string rigged up and going through the cupboard door where inside the Doctor held onto it. Kazran sat beside him while the twins across, the camera that would allow the older Kazran to see, being held by Lena.

"Are there any spiders in here?" Lena whispered to Avalon since she was deadly afraid of the creatures.

"No," she shushed her, for they had to be quiet.

"Are you afraid of spiders, baby sister?" the Doctor raised an eyebrow.

"Don't encourage it," Avalon sighed, "Why don't we ask Kazran why he likes the fish so much instead of poking at the fears of Lena?"

"I like that idea," Lena meekly nodded.

"Cos they're scary," Kazran went ahead and answered as he saw how pale the brunette woman looked just at the talks of spiders.

"That's a good answer," the Doctor pointed.

"What kind of tie is that?" Kazran looked at his bow-tie with a face that didn't exactly spell 'like'.

"A cool one," the Doctor tweaked his bow-tie.

"Why is it cool?"

"It's not," Avalon whispered, making the boy chuckle.

"Avalon," the Doctor sounded like he was pleading for her to stop.

The ginger playfully rolled her eyes, "So why are you really interested in fish?" she decided to give the man a break for the moment.

"My school. During the last fog belt, the nets broke and there was an attack. Loads of them, a whole shoal. No-one was hurt, but it was the most fish ever seen below the mountains."

"Were you scared?" Lena wondered, knowing she would probably be screaming about with terror if something like that happened.

"I wasn't there. I was off sick."

"Ooh, lucky you. Not lucky?" the Doctor observed the boy's disappointment.

"It's all anyone ever talks about now, the day the fish came. Everyone's got a story."

"But you don't," Avalon gave a small smile.

"Why are you recording this?" Kazran looked at Lena curiously.

"Do you pay attention at school, Kazran?" the Doctor asked.

"Sorry, what?"

"Cos you're not paying attention now," the Doctor's finger was tugged towards the door via the string, "Sh!" he quickly said as he stood up.

"Doctor, are you sure about that?" Kazran watched the man, debating whether he should stand or not.

"Trust me."

"Okay..."

"Oi! Eyes on the tie. Look at me. I wear it and I don't care. Trust me?"

"Yes," Kazran nodded and looked at the twins.

"That's why it's cool," the Doctor smirked to himself.

"It usually works out fine," Avalon gave a shrug, assuming what the boy was going to ask, "Just be ready to pull him back when he gets into trouble."

The Doctor had taken that as another sarcastic remark and was about to make a comeback...when he realized that had actually been something true. He shrugged and focused back on the doors, "Stay inside..."

"Now are you sure that's the best choice?" this time even Lena was hesitant to let him go out on his own.

"Listen to your sister, baby sister," the Doctor looked back, "And just be ready to pull me out when I get into trouble."

With that the Doctor slowly entered the bedroom and closed the cupboard, seeing the small fish repeatedly hitting his screwdriver, "Hello, fishy. Let's see. Interesting. Crystalline fog, eh? Maybe carrying a tiny electrical charge. Is that how you fly, little fishy?"

"What is it? What kind? Can I see?" Kazran gently knocked on the cupboard to be heard.

"Just stay there a moment."

"Is it big?"

"Nah, just a little one," the Doctor moved closer to the fish, about to try and touch it, "So, little fella, what do you eat?"

And then a shark zoomed into the room and swallowed whole the small fish along with part of the screwdriver.

"How little?" Kazran's voice was heard again.

"Erm..." the Doctor had jerked away from the shark.

"Is it time to pull you back inside, now?" Avalon inquired, the Doctor a bit surprised she'd pick up on the change of mood.

"No, no. Maybe just...wait there for a moment," he tried to play it 'cool' as he slowly made his way towards the cupboard.

"Don't think you can pull one over me, fairy tale man," Avalon warned.

"Yup, sorry," he swallowed and ran the rest of the way back to the cupboard, hastily leaning against the shut doors as the shark banged from the other side.

"What did you do!?" Avalon frowned and tried helping him keep the doors shut while Lena brought Kazran back with her.

"Well, concentrating on the plusses, Kazran's definitely got a story of his own now," the Doctor tried to smile but the shark was getting tougher and tougher, "Also, I got a good look at the fish, and I understand the fog, which'll help me land a spaceship in the future, and save a lot of lives. And I'll get some readings off my sonic screwdriver when I get it off the shark in the bedroom."

"There's a shark in my bedroom?" Kazran gaped, his eyes wide as could be.

"Oh, fine, focus on that part!" the Doctor rolled his eyes.

"It stopped," Avalon whispered and stood off the door.

"What's it doing, then?" Lena trembled with the eery silence that now laid around them.

"What do you call it if you don't have any feet, and you're taking a run-up?" the Doctor asked.

"Oh, this is no time for-"

The Doctor didn't wait for the finish of Avalon's words as he grabbed her and pulled her to the others, both falling a bit too close to with each other, while Lena and Kazran had fallen beside them. They looked at each other with mesmerization, even forgetting about a pending danger literally in front of them. Avalon then recalled her newest dreams and blushed like mad.

"It's going to eat us!" came Lena's cry, startling them back to reality.

Avalon cleared her throat and shuffled to turn away from the Doctor and to her twin, "Not on my watch," she managed to say, "Is that your screwdriver, Doctor?"

"Hm?" the Doctor blinked and looked at the shark that was stuck in the doorway with its mouth open with a green glow inside, "Oh, look at that..."

"That looks in reach, right?"

"Are you actually going to stick your hand inside that shark?" Kazran had seen where the woman was headed with her words and gawked.

"Lesson number one, kid, girls are so much better than boys," Avalon shot him a smirk.

"Ah, you will not be doing any of that," the Doctor kept her back as soon as she tried moving forwards, "My screwdriver, my arms," he gestured.

"Fine, but after two goes it's my turn," she gestured to her own arms, "And then Lena...and then Kazran..."

"Get the screwdriver!" Lena cried again, horrified to think of putting her arms inside a shark. She now recalled why exactly she didn't want to keep traveling.

"Right then! OK. Geronimo! Open wide," the Doctor took a breath and moved for the shark.

~ 0 ~

After managing to get his screwdriver back, the Doctor had gotten the rest of the group out into the patio outside Kazran's bedroom, the shark seemingly weaker all of a sudden. It had tried to make a move on them again but after entering the patio, it had slowly fallen to the ground and remained there.

Worried, Kazran moved to its side along with Lena, while Avalon stayed behind them just in case the creature tried to do anything more.

Meanwhile, the Doctor stood a bit to the side, checking his meek piece of screwdriver, "What's the big fishy done to you? Swallowed half of you, that's what. Half a screwdriver, what use is that? Bad, big fishy."

"Doctor? I think she's dying," Kazran called quietly, not wanting to startle the shark.

"Half my screwdriver's still inside, but yeah, I think so," he turned around, "I doubt they can survive long outside the cloud belt. Just quick raiding trips on a foggy night."

"Can't we get it back up there?" Kazran began sniffling, "We were just going to stun it. I didn't want to kill it."

"She was trying to eat you, Kazran," Avalon pointed out the events that had led to the shark's demise, "All of us..."

"She was hungry," the boy defended.

"I'm sorry, Kazran. We can't save her," the Doctor walked over, "I could take her back up there, but she'd never survive the trip. We need a fully functioning life-support."

At that, Kazran looked up with new sudden hope, "You mean like an icebox? OK."

And that was how the trio found themselves chasing after the boy, running down the stairs while Kazran only grew farther away, now even carrying a lamp to lead the way.

On their way to wherever Kazran led there was a large, decorated Christmas tree where the Doctor had to stop and gawk at, "Ooh, a tree!"

"C'mon," Avalon rolled her eyes as she walked past him, yanking him by the arm after her.

Kazran had taken the group into the basement of the house where a large, metal door with a security keypad on the side blocked their way into a new room full of ice by the glimpse they got from a small window. As the Doctor took a better look he saw the room was covered in ice and full of chambers like the one he'd seen earlier.

"What is this?" he asked Kazran with curiosity.

"The surplus population. That's what my dad calls it."

"Well that's nice," Avalon blinked.

Kazran was trying to turn the wheel for the door to open, even Lena trying to help as she thought the boy would need some extra strength. Unfortunately, the wheel wouldn't work, "Oh, it's not turning! Oh, why won't it turn?" Kazran stepped back while the Doctor used his remnant of a screwdriver on the keypad.

"Ah, what's the number?" he saw the keypad asking for the security code.

Kazran shrugged, "I don't know!"

"This place is full of alarms, it's not just the door. I need the number!"

"I'm not allowed to know until I'm older."

The Doctor huffed and ran out without a word, leaving Kazran to call after him.

"He'll be back," Avalon assured as she moved up to the window to take a look.

Just like Avalon assured, the Doctor had come back running only a minute after he'd left, hollering, "7258!" repeatedly.

Lena hurried to the keypad and typed in the numbers, opening the doors for them. Together, they entered the cold room full of thicker fog, Kazran once again taking the lead and sprinting over to a specific chamber.

"Ah, there's fish down here, too," the Doctor looked around as small fishes swam around them.

"Yeah, but only tiny ones. The house is built on a fog lake. That's how Dad freezes the people," Kazran stopped in front of a chamber, "They're all full, but we could borrow one," he pointed at the chamber he stood by, "Yeah, this one."

The Doctor held up the lamp they'd carried in to the chamber's window and saw it was the woman the family had been arguing over, "Hello again," he whispered.

"You know her?" Kazran looked at them all, seeing the similar expressions on each of their faces.

"What is so important about her?" Avalon wondered and blinked, "Sorry, that came out completely wrong," she amended her error with embarrassment, "I meant why this specific chamber? What's the significance?"

"She won't mind. She loves the fish," Kazran quickly typed in a number into the woman's chamber's keypad, starting a holographic video on the window of the chamber for them.

"My name is Abigail Pettigrew, and I'm very grateful for Mr Sardick's kindness. My father..."

"She starts to talk about the fish in a minute," Kazran assured with excitement.

"…but I would not allow it. I could not have chosen this path were it not for the compassion and generosity of the great philanthropist and patron of the poor, Mr Elliot Sardick, but I'm also surrounded by the fish, the beautiful, iridescent, magical fish..."

While the video played, the Doctor took the lamp with him and made a small walk around the other chambers nearby, "Why are these people here? What's all this for?"

Kazran sighed, "My dad lends money. He always takes a family member as... He calls it security."

"Hard man to love, your dad," Lena made a face and looked down at the boy, "But I suppose you know that." She thanked the heavens she had been given the type of father she had. He never struck her nor her siblings and always gave the best he could for them all.

Kazran had pressed more buttons on Abigail's chamber and lighted it up, activating the defrosting, "What's wrong?" he looked over at the Doctor who had been tampering with his screwdriver again.

"Just my half a screwdriver trying to repair itself. It's signalling the other half..."

The twins looked at each other with concerned looks, the same looks slowly making its way onto Kazran's and the Doctor's faces.

"The other half's inside the shark," Avalon breathed.

"Yeah. Sounds like she's woken up," the Doctor nodded, "OK. So it's homing on the screwdriver..."

The shark reappeared with its mouth open for another attack. The group quickly dispersed and ran off as the shark tried to attack once more, some of the chambers were even knocked down with the attempts. While each of them had taken a position to hide in, a new voice had taken over the entire vault room, a singer. With the singing, the shark seemed to have retreated from its attacks and so the group was able to come out of hiding and go check what/who was singing.

It was Abigail, who'd come out of her chamber, and was now singing to the shark, the creature at her side in a complete calm manner.

"It's not really the singing, of course," the Doctor began once he'd rejoined the group, all standing several feet away from Abigail.

"Yes, it is," Lena observed the manner in which all the fishes seemed to grow close to Abigail.

"Nah, baby sister..."

"The fish love the singing, it's true," Kazran agreed.

"Nah. The notes resonate in the ice, causing a delta wave pattern in the fog," but the Doctor stopped with a slap on the back of his neck, "Ow! A fish bit me."

"Shut up, then," Avalon smirked, guessing the fish had meant for him to be quiet so they could hear what they wanted.

"Of course!" the Doctor didn't seem to capture the message, "That's how the machine controls the cloud belt. The clouds are ice crystals. If you vibrate them at the right frequency, you could align them..." he slapped the back of his neck again, "Ow! Why do they keep biting me?"

Kazran rolled his eyes and looked up at him, "Look, the fish like the singing, OK? Now shut up!"

"Okay," the Doctor grumbled and finally stayed quiet like everyone seemed to want.

~ 0 ~

Once the shark had been placed into Abigail's chamber, the group, now with Abigail, had gone into the TARDIS. Upon entering, Abigail and Kazran had fallen into shock of the dimensions of the box.

"It's bigger on the inside," Kazran turned around in a circle.

"Yeah, it's the colour. Really knocks the walls back," the Doctor tapped the chamber on the floor.

"I don't think that's what he meant," Avalon gave him a look.

"Anyways,"" he rolled his eyes, "Shark in a box, to go," he ran to the console to set the box in motion.

Abigail was taking several steps around the room to gaze at every detail of the bigger place, "This is...amazing!"

"Nah, this is transport," the Doctor played innocent, "I keep amazing...out here," he ran for the doors and flung them open to allow them the view of millions of fish swimming among the cloud belt.

"Now that's just showing off," Avalon shook her head but nonetheless ran for the doorway to look out.

"Point one: big brother," Lena congratulated the Doctor as he returned for the chamber, chuckling to herself as Avalon poked her head out the doorway along with Kazran and Abigail.

The Doctor smirked to himself as he punched in numbers on the chamber, "Come on, then, let's get this shark out."

It was only a couple minutes when the shark was finally able to return back to its home with the other fish.

"Hey, look at her go!" Kazran cheered and laughed.

As the Doctor went to close the chamber he saw a couple numbers on the front of it, not belonging to any security code, "Abigail, this number, what does it mean?" he assumed she would know best.

"It pertains to me, sir, not the fish," Abigail tried to keep the smile she'd had since she stepped out of the chamber as best she could.

"Yeah, but how?"

She stepped towards him, slightly sheepish, "You are a doctor, you say? Are you one of mine?"

"Do you need a doctor?"

The bell chiming at the console broke through the conversation and made the Doctor hurry back to to the console.

"Ah! Sorry! Time's up, kids!"

"Why?" Avalon looked back with genuine disappointment, only making the Doctor smirk again of triumph.

"It's nearly Christmas Day," he informed and looked away before he was caught.

~ 0 ~

Abigail and her chamber were brought back to the Ice Vault to resume her 'sleep'. Abigail gave a small, genuine smile at the group, "If you should ever wish to visit again..."

"Well, you know, we're ever in the neighborhood..." the Doctor began to say when Kazran cut in.

"They come every Christmas Eve. Yeah, they do, every time. They promise!"

"We do?" Lena looked over at the Doctor, confused.

"No, we don't..." the Doctor blinked, confused himself, as Kazran closed Abigail's chamber's door.

But it had already been decided, apparently, that he and the twins would come back every year on Christmas Eve for Kazran ans Abigail. The Doctor hoped that by doing this they would be able to help Amy and Rory in the future with Kazran now a good man. So, every year, Abigail was greeted by him, Kazran, and the twins and was taken out to celebrate Christmas Eve. Beginning with a shark - carriage flight throughout the sky and to the rest of time and space. Young Kazran ended up growing up with each visit the Doctor and the twins made, entering his early teens ans finding a new, shy, personality...and a bow-tie.

While Abigail and the older Kazran walked (slowly) towards the console, the Doctor and the twins were battling it out to see where exactly they would be headed for this Christmas.

"You've grown," Abigail tried to be as discreet as possible.

Kazran gave a small nod, "Yeah."

"And now you're blushing," Abigail chuckled.

"Sorry," Kazran looked away.

"That's OK," Abigail shrugged.

"So, Doctor, where this time?" Kazran quickly looked at rhe others in hopes of ending the awkward conversation.

"Weeell..." Avalon discreetly walked around the console, "I've got Hollywood in mind!" she beamed excitedly.

"And I just want a snowy place," Lena remarked.

"And I've got time and space," the Doctor smirked.

"Might I make a request?" Abigail sheepishly stepped up.

"Of course," the Doctor moved over to them.

"This one," Abigail nodded.

~ 0 ~

After Abigail made her request, the Doctor brought them to her sister's house, the family that had been pleading for Abigail's release in the future. The blonde stood in front of a window of her sister's house, wearing a cloak over her. Off to the side stood the rest of the group, watching her begin to quietly cry.

"Who are they?" Kazran didn't understand why they stood in a random street.

"Her family. The lady's her sister," the Doctor answered, "We met her once, when she was...older."

"Abigail's crying," Kazran whispered.

"I think we've noticed," Avalon crossed her arms.

"When girls are crying, are you supposed to talk to them?"

"I've learned it helps," the Doctor glanced at Avalon with a small smile.

She caught the words and shared a look with him, "Yeah, it does..." she whispered with her own smile.

Lena looked between them and assumed it must be something while she'd been 'dead'. She had to admit it was a bit odd to see them closer, even their bantering had changed. Still, she preferred them this way than the early days. She turned to Kazran, about to suggest he go and talk to Abigail when she realized he was already doing that, "Smart guy," she smiled and then gasped, "Do you know what we should do?"

"What did you have in mind, baby sister?" the Doctor wondered, seeing her overly excitedly about something.

"Christmas with the family! C'mon!" Lena took his hand and Avalon's, rushing them for Abigail's sister's house.

~ 0 ~

Christmas Eve had been moved to be celebrated with Abigail's family. Although it was a strange for Abigail sister, Isabel, to see her sister with Kazran and time travelers, she had accepted Abigail right away. And while the two sisters caught up, Kazran had taken to helping Isabel's husband with the house decorations while the Doctor and the twins entertained the children.

The Doctor held up playing cards for the son, "Pick a card, any card at all. Memorize the card, put it back in the deck. Don't let me see it," the son took a card and studied it for a minute then returned it to the deck. The Doctor then took a card out and held it for the boy to see, "The three of clubs."

"No," the boy shook his head.

"You sure? I'm very good at card tricks," the Doctor made a face at the card he'd pulled out.

"It wasn't the three of clubs."

"Well, of course it wasn't," the Doctor chucked the card to the side, "Because it was the seven of diamonds!"

"No," the boy looked at the card with amusement.

"Oi, stop it, you're doing it wrong," the Doctor set the cards down with a huff.

"It's not his fault you're a bad card player," Avalon took a seat beside the boy and picked up the deck.

"Oh, and you can do better?"

Avalon raised an eyebrow, accepting the challenge, "Tell you what, let's make this interesting," she motioned for the son to move over so she could take his place.

"How so?" the Doctor curiously asked as she shuffled the cards.

"I wouldn't do that, big brother," Lena came over as soon as she saw Avalon shuffling playing cards.

"You place your wager and I'll say mine," Avalon smirked.

"Anything I want?" the Doctor ignored Lena's warnings. This was sounding pretty interesting and he could never resist anything interesting.

"Anything," Avalon assured him, her smirk widening once she knew he was hooked. Sucks for him because I always win.

"Fine," the Doctor officially agreed. "If I win, you stop all your sarcastic remarks for the rest of Christmas Eve and Day. No making fun of me at all."

"Difficult, but manageable," Avalon nodded, "I'll take it. But if I win..." she eyed him for a minute as she thought of what she could possibly want from him. She soon noticed the watch on his wrist. He always wore that thing even when he barely looked at the time. "I get your watch."

The Doctor immediately held his wrist wearing the watch to his chest. It was his favorite watch. Yes, he didn't really use it but it was a really cool watch. Why would Avalon want that? To make me suffer that's why, he rolled his eyes.

"Don't do this, please," Lena bent down beside them, almost begging them to stop altogether. But if she was being honest, she knew that they were practically the same person. Both Avalon and the Doctor craved adventure even in the smallest of places...like a stupid card game with a bet.

"Well?" Avalon raised an eyebrow at the Doctor. "Scared of little ole me?"

The Doctor scoffed and lowered his hands to his lap. "It's a deal." He shook hands with Avalon, truly making it official.

"Guys..." Lena tried again but Avalon was already shuffling the cards.

"Same rules go for the game," Avalon warned the Doctor, "Pick a card and study it, put it back and I'll pick out that same card."

"I know how the game works," the Doctor rolled his eyes as he pulled out a card, showing it to Lena, "Lena will be our cheater detector."

"I'm not gonna cheat," Avalon shook her head and held the deck for him to return his card. She shuffled them again and took out a card, "Was this your card?"

The Doctor blinked when he saw his card being held in front of him. "How did...?" he snatched the card from her and turned it around. She couldn't have done it! It was impossible! "That...that is..."

"Hand over the watch, Fairy Tale Man," Avalon chuckled as she set down the deck between them. He was utterly shocked. It was too priceless! "I wish I had a camera right now!"

"That was...but...no!" the Doctor snapped, throwing his card to the side.

"I did warn you not to do it," Lena sighed. "She's a very good card player."

"How did you do that!?" the Doctor was narrowing his eyes on Avalon, searching for anything on her that would prove she hadn't played an honest game. You cheated!"

"Like I said, it's not our fault you don't know how to play," Avalon wiggled her fingers at him. "Watch, now, please."

"Lena!"

"I'm gonna go help decorate," Lena cautiously stood up and hurried away, preferring to stay out of it.

"Hand it over, fairy tale man," Avalon insisted.

"You cheated," the Doctor pointed at her.

"No, I'm just really good at cards!"

"How do you even know how to play!?"

"My Dad taught me," Avalon smirked. "So cough it up."

The Doctor glared for a minute before finally removing his watch from his wrist. A deal was a deal no matter how badly he wanted to take it back. Avalon held her left hand out and watched with giddy smile as he wrapped the watch around her wrist. He had to admit, it was nice to see her openly happy...even if it was because she was taking something of his.

"You like my new watch?" she bared a teethy smile at him as she raised her left hand.

"You are evil," he said flatly, making her laugh.

Isabel suddenly cleared her throat and stood up at the dinner table. "Tomorrow's dinner is cancelled, as my sister refuses to attend."

"Isabella..." Abigail tried to sit her back down.

"Instead...we'll have it tonight," Isabel smiled, surprising the others.

And within the hour, dinner had been set up for everyone to be a part of. They even had all the crackers to pull!

"Three! Two! One! Pull!"

Everyone cheered after seeing the gifts inside, although the little boy was more surprised to see a playing card inside his cracker, "How did you do that?" he looked at the Doctor with awe.

"Your card, I believe," the Doctor pointed, smirking, until...

"No!" the boy laughed and set the card down.

"Oh, shut up!" the Doctor gave up on the game altogether.

"Maybe I can teach you later," Avalon laughed, "And maybe even win your screwdriver this time!" The Doctor looked horrified at that and quickly shook his head, making Avalon laugh even more.

Kazran cleared his throat and raised his glass, "Er, Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas!" the rest cheered.

~ 0 ~

Once more, Abigail was brought back to the Ice Vault, the blonde thanking the group for their gift, "Best Christmas Eve ever," she hugged the Doctor last.

"Ah! Till the next one," he stepped back.

"I look forward to it. Now I'd like to say good night to Kazran..."

"Of course," the Doctor nodded, "Well, on you go."

"You really are clueless," Avalon shook her head, "We'll be on our way," she waved at Abigail then took the Doctor back, with the help of Lena, towards the TARDIS.

"Wait!" Kazran rushed after them, "Doctor! I, er, I think she's going to kiss me."

"You are not asking him for advice, are you?" Avalon sighed.

"I can give good advice," the Doctor argued and pushed Kazran towards Abigail.

"I've never kissed anyone before. What do I do?" the teenage boy urgently asked.

"Well...try and be all nervous and rubbish and a bit shaky."

"Why?"

"You'll be like that anyway. Make it part of the plan!"

"That is the worst advice I have ever heard!" Avalon exclaimed, though not so surprised by it.

"Well, it's not that bad of an idea," Lena stepped forwards, "Just go for it, Kazran!"

"What, now? I kiss her now?" he blinked with wide eyes.

"Kazran," the Doctor put an arm around his shoulder, "It's this or go to your room and design a new kind of screwdriver. Don't make my mistakes. Now, go!"

"I am so not gonna let that one go," Avalon pointed and walked off, laughing to herself. "Of course that's what you would do!" her laughter because like a howl all the way into the TARDIS.

"Oh c'mon!" the Doctor went after her, Lena scurrying behind them to try and stop their newest banter.

~ 0 ~

California, 1952.

The Doctor hurried through some bushes that led into the pool area of a lovely Hollywood party. He'd listened to Avalon's request to bring them to the era - that was his first mistake - and even got dressed for the occasion as Avalon suggested...that had been his second mistake.

The third mistake had been listening to her to make friends at the party.

Now, he was on the run to gather up his companions and get the hell out of there. He came to find Kazran and Abigail kissing by the pool, "Guys, we've really got to go quite quickly. I just accidentally got engaged to Marilyn Monroe!" he rambled but the pair did not break apart, "How do you keep going like that? Do you breathe out your ears? Hello? Sorry, hello? Guys, she's phoned a chapel, there's a car outside, this is happening now!"

"Yoo-hoo! Yoo-hoo!" he heard Marilyn Monroe calling for him.

"Twins," the Doctor blinked and dashed off, hoping to at least get them to help him...even if it meant hearing the nonstop laughter of Avalon once again.

~ 0 ~

Lena plopped down beside Avalon at a table, Lena a bit distressed, "I can't find any of our friends," she sighed.

Avalon had a plate of food in front of her, the fork already in her hand, "Who cares, Lena. Kazran and Abigail are probably snogging somewhere and the Doctor is probably getting himself into trouble. Let me eat!"

"What is that?" Lena crinkled her nose at the scent the food was giving off.

"No idea," Avalon shrugged, "Nice fella handed it to me, asked for a dance afterwards."

"Avalon!" Lena took the plate from her before Avalon dug her fork into it, "You can't accept things from strangers!"

"He's a celebrity!" Avalon took back from her plate.

"Oh yeah, who was he?" Lena pulled the plate again.

"Um..." Avalon thought for a moment and realized she didn't have the foggiest idea, "...well, he's a celebrity so everyone knows him! That's not a stranger! Now give me!" she pulled the plate again and finally sunk her fork into it.

"Do you even know what it is?" Lena raised an eyebrow.

"Nope!" the ginger toasted with her fork and was about to put it in her mouth when she heard the Doctor calling for them.

"Ava! Lena!" the Doctor rushed up to them in urgency.

"What happened to you, big brother?" Lena asked, making Avalon look up to see what her sister was talking about.

The Doctor had been dressed in a white evening jacket and black trousers, only now his face wore the smudges of someone's lips on his cheek.

"Who have you been snogging?" Avalon raised her eyebrows.

"Shut up! Help me!" he clapped his hands together.

"Let me eat," Avalon shifted back in her chair, waving him off.

"Oh, don't be so mean," Lena looked at the Doctor who seemed very desperate.

"I'm eating!" but then Avalon tasted a bit of the food and spit it back out. That was horrible. "Okay, what do you need?" she turned to the Doctor, pushing her plate away from her.

"Marilyn Monroe! Engaged! Marriage! Chapel! Help me!"

"Okay," Avalon stood up and took a sip of her drink to get rid of the awful taste, "This is what we're going to do. Lena, give me your bag," she held her hand out as Lena gave her purse.

"What are you going to do?" the Doctor frowned as the ginger pulled out a lipstick tube.

"Oh, I get it," Lena stood up as Avalon applied the lipstick.

"I don't! What's going on!?" the Doctor flapped his hands with urgency, "I don't have time!"

"No, no, it'll be fine. She's done this before and it worked perfectly!" Lena assured and received her purse back.

"What?" the Doctor waited impatiently.

Avalon moved over to the Doctor's side and grabbed his face, kissing the corner of his mouth and making sure her smudge stayed on.

"Wh-what are you doing?" the Doctor stiffened, thoroughly confused.

He was expecting some kind of teasing laughter instead of kisses! Avalon had kissed him on the other side of his face, also making sure that her smudge would stay. He could feel her breath on his skin and frankly it...hadn't felt so bad. He looked down at the wrong time, for her lips were dangerously close and for a split second he wondered what it might be to k...

"Don't forget the jacket!" Lena exclaimed, startling the Doctor from his thoughts.

He blinked and stepped away from them while he gathered himself. What had that been about? He shouldn't have those thoughts at all! It was Avalon, his baby sister's twin (or step-sister, but no one really knew that), the woman who laughed and teased him all the time! What was wrong with him?

"What about it?" Avalon looked back at Lena, sporting her own blush from her kisses.

"It's not gonna work if you don't mess that up too," Lena moved up to the Doctor, "Sorry big brother," she apologized before pulling his bow-tie undone and ruffling his hair, "There!" she stepped back.

"What is the point of all this?" the Doctor frowned moving to fix his hair when Lena smacked his hand, "Ow!"

"No woman wants to share her man, whether boyfriend or husband," Avalon remarked, "Duh. That's why you and Lena are going back to Marilyn where Lena's going to play your wife, or girlfriend, whatever you want. I'll act as the previous woman you've been engaged to."

"And this works?" the Doctor raised an eyebrow, full of doubt.

"I've done it before with Mels and it is hilarious." Avalon crossed her arms, "Now go on! I bet Marilyn is getting frustrated!"

"I don't want to be his wife," Lena made a face.

"Thanks baby sister," the Doctor mock-glared at her.

"No, not like that," Lena chuckled, "You're my 'big brother', remember? I feel weird playing your wife..."

"Yoo-hoo!" they heard Marilyn calling.

"Well someone's got to do it or he'll be walking down that aisle in ten minutes," Avalon reminded.

"Yoo-hoo!"

"Ava please!" the Doctor hurried up to her, "Please! Please! Please!"

"Alright, alright," Avalon rolled her eyes, "Stole your watch and I keep making cheap remarks, least I could do is get you out of a marriage," she linked arms with him, "Let's go!"

Lena laughed as they all headed to get the Doctor out of his terrible mess, none of them aware of what was happening with Kazran and Abigail at the same time.

~ 0 ~

The group finally returned back to the Ice Vault to place Abigail back in her chamber, everyone alright and no one married. Abigail and Kazran asked for a moment to be alone before parting but when Kazran rejoined the group afterwards, there was an evident change in his mood and expression.

"There we go. Another day, another Christmas Eve. We'll see you in a minute, eh? I mean, a year," the Doctor clapped Kazran on the shoulder.

"Doctor... Listen, why don't we leave it?" Kazran quietly asked.

"Sorry, leave what?"

"Oh, you know. This. Every Christmas Eve, it's getting a bit old."

"Christmas never gets old," Lena frowned.

"Well, Christmas is for kids, isn't it?" Kazran countered, "I've got some work with my dad now, I'm going to focus on that. Get that cloud belt under control."

"Did we bore you or something?" Avalon raised an eyebrow, "Or is there something you don't want to tell us?"

"It's just times changing," Kazran shrugged and started walking away.

"Not as much as I'd hoped," the Doctor went after the teen, "Kazran," he handed his screwdriver to Kazran, "I'll be needing a new one, anyway. What the hell, Merry Christmas. And if you ever need me, just activate it. I'll hear you."

"I won't need you," Kazran took the screwdriver and mumbled.

"What's happened? What are you not telling me?" the Doctor eyed him suspiciously but Kazran walked off again, "What about Abigail?" he called.

"I know where to find her," Kazran shouted and disappeared through the chambers.

"Well that went well," Lena frowned, "What happens now?"

"I'll tell you what, the Ghost of Christmas Present happens now," Avalon stared at Abigail's chamber up ahead, "He won't tell us, fine. But he'll have to tell in the present," with that, she hurried back to the TARDIS, "Doctor! C'mon!" she called.

~ 0 ~

As Avalon directed, Amy took the role of the next 'ghost' and projected herself to the older, current Kazran in hopes of changing the man's mind and help the ship in the clouds. Once that didn't happen, Kazran was brought to the Ice Vault...in front of Abigail's chamber. It was there that Kazran explained the illness Abigail had before going into the chamber, the ice barely able to keep her alive. But with each Christmas Eve she spent out of it, her moments of life went down, hence the number in front of her chamber. None of them had realized it had went down to number '1'. She only had one more opportunity to go out before she would die, which was the reason Kazran had forgone the traditional Christmas Eve's.

"We're really sorry about Abigail," Lena had come towards the current Kazran, the Doctor and Avalon behind her, "We didn't know..."

"Because you didn't tell us," Avalon muttered, getting a look from the Doctor to get her be quiet. She was just upset that Kazran had left them to the side and then got angry with them for what happened to Abigail. It can't be their fault if they weren't even informed. But on requests of Lena and the Doctor, she was forced to say quiet about it.

"All my life, I've been called heartless. My other life, my real life, the one you rewrote. Now look at me," Kazran stood in front of Abigail's chamber with a heartbroken expression as he looked into the window.

"Better a broken heart than no heart at all," the Doctor tried to comfort the man.

"Oh, try it. You try it. Why are you here?"

"Have you even read A Christmas Carol?" Avalon huffed, "It's time for the Ghost of Christmas Future. The future's about to be shown!"

"Fine! Do it! Show me! I'll die cold, alone and afraid. Of course I will, we all do! What difference does showing me make? Do you know why I'm going to let those people die? It's not a plan. I don't get anything from it. It's just that I don't care. I'm not like you, any of you. I don't even want to be like you! I don't and never, ever will care!"

"And we don't believe that," the Doctor stood straight, looking the man in the eye.

"Then show me the future. Prove me wrong."

"We're showing you the future right now," Lena corrected, pointing past Kazran, "What do you think, sweetheart?" she called, "Is that who you want to become, Kazran?"

The current Kazran turned around and found his younger 12 year old self standing in front of him, "Dad?" young Kazran blinked.

The current Kazran dropped his cane and went for the boy, about to strike when he got the flashes of his father beating him then of himself trying to hurt Abigail's nephew. He came to a halt and realized the man he had become over the years, certainly not one he wanted to continue to be, "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry," he reached out to hug his younger self, "It's OK, don't be frightened. I'm...I'm so, so, so..."

"Kazran. We don't have much time," the Doctor reminded.

There was only a couple minutes until the ship above would come crashing down...

~ 0 ~

With Kazran now changed, the group hurried back to the control room to turn off the cloud belt...only to realize the controls wouldn't work anymore. The Doctor realized they had made a mistake in changing Kazran too much. The controls were programmed for a man like Kazran's father, and since Kazran wasn't like that anymore...the controls were useless. Another option had to be thought of and fast because the ship would be coming down soon. The option, when thought of one, hadn't been the happiest of choices but it was the only thing that was sure to work. That was how Abigail had gotten out of her chamber for the last time, to sing for the fishes up in the sky. She stood outside Kazran's house, singing into the Doctor's screwdriver that was wired to Kazran's machine inside.

"Well?" Kazran quietly turned to the Doctor frantically, wondering if it had been worth it to take Abigail's last moments of life.

"Well, the singing resonates in the crystals. It's feeding back and forth between the two halves of the screwdriver. One song, filling the sky. The crystals will align, I'll feed in a controlled phase loop, and the clouds will unlock."

"And in English...?" Avalon raised an eyebrow, young Kazran and Lena wondering the same thing.

"Something that hasn't happened in this town for a very long time now will happen right about..." the Doctor didn't finish when the first couple of snowflakes began falling from the sky.

"Snow!" Lena cheered, "Yes!"

With the snow falling, the other townsfolk started coming out of their houses to celebrate. While the ship did its clear landing, the Doctor and the twins went to return young Kazran to his own time...while leaving the current Kazran and Abigail a familiar gift: a carriage, a harness and a familiar shark swimming above.

~ 0 ~

Once Amy and Rory had been released from the ship, they had quickly went to find their friends, hoping they were alright after such events. They didn't have to do much searching when they heard the calls of Avalon and Lena, both nearly tackled with great, big hugs.

"You guys alright?" Avalon pulled Lena back with her.

"Yeah, yeah, nothing like a crashing ship for a honeymoon," Amy joked and laughed.

"The best, I hear," Avalon joined in with a small laugh.

"Ah, yes, you two! About time!" the Doctor joined them, immediately eyeing the clothing they wore, Amy with her Kissogram outfit and Rory dressed as a Centurion, "Why are you dressed like that?"

The twins chuckled, "You are way too clueless," Avalon mumbled to Lena.

"Ah, kind of lost our luggage. Kind of crash landed," Rory rubbed the side of his neck.

"Yeah, but why are you dressed like that at all?" the Doctor insisted, genuinely curious of the attire.

"They really love their snowmen around here," Amy desperately changed the topic and looked at a nearby snowman, "I've counted about 20."

"Yeah, I've been busy," the Doctor easily followed without noticing the blushes of either married human.

"Yeah, yeah, you have," Amy nodded and hugged him, "Thank you. "

"Pleasure. Right, come on, then, let's go!" the Doctor clapped his hands and headed for the TARDIS.

"Got any more honeymoon ideas?" Rory dared to ask as they followed.

"Careful what you ask for," Avalon put a hand on his shoulder.

"Is that...is that your watch?" Amy looked at the Doctor with confusion when she spotted the familiar watch on Avalon's wrist.

"She conned me out of it," the Doctor muttered.

"Did not!" Avalon exclaimed, "I won it fair and square and Lena is a witness!"

The Doctor rolled his eyes, "Anyways, I do have another honeymoon idea, not sure if anyone's interested. There's a moon that's made of actual honey. Well, not actual honey. And it's not actually a moon. And technically, it's alive and a bit carnivorous, but there are some lovely views."

"Yeah, great, thanks," Rory shot Amy a look and mouthed 'no' to her before going inside the TARDIS with Avalon.

"Are you OK?" Amy looked between the Doctor and Lena.

"Course we're okay," the Doctor nodded and glanced at Lena for confirmation.

"Yeah," she agreed, "Just a bit sad that I'll be leaving."

"You can always stay, you know that," the Doctor pointed, Amy nodding in agreement.

"No, I just...I remember now why I was going to leave the first time around," Lena sighed, unaware of the questioning look Amy was now giving her, "I get scared easily and I become a burden. Plus, it's just not me," she shook her head, "Doesn't mean I don't want to take a trip here and then, it's always fun to be with my friends and sister. But, I think like Avalon, it's time I figure out who I want to be. I'm not going to stay as the 'sick girl' forever." She smiled and went inside.

"That was...wow," Amy didn't even know how to comment on that, "When was she going to leave?" she asked the Doctor quietly.

"Before she died'," the Doctor sighed, preferring not to remember that day.

"And let me guess, Avalon had no idea?"

"None whatsoever."

"Sounds right," Amy nodded and looked up to the clear sky, "It'll be their last day together, won't it?" she sighed when she thought of Kazran and Abigail.

"Everything has to end some time, otherwise nothing would ever get started."

Rory came back out with a concerned expression on his face, "Your phone was ringing. Someone called Marilyn. Actually sounds like the Marilyn. Avalon took the call and it sounds like it's not going so well..."

The Doctor blinked, "Right..." from now on, neither Avalon nor Lena were fans of Marilyn Monroe and vice versa. The blonde woman hadn't been too happy to hear that he had 'tricked' another woman (Lena) into marrying him while he was already 'married' (to Avalon).

"Doctor?" Amy smiled in amusement at his expression, "Something you want to tell us, maybe?"

"You may want to get Ava off the phone, I've learned her words are very colorful when she gets into her temper," the Doctor took a breath and shook his head.

"Yeah," Rory knew exactly how Avalon would get and so hurried back inside.

"Where are they, anyways? Kazran and Abigail?" Amy got over her chuckle from the Doctor.

"Off on a little trip, I should think."

"Where?"

"Christmas."

"Christmas?"

"Yeah, Christmas," the Doctor opened the door for her and let her go inside first. He glanced up with a small smile, "Halfway out of the dark," he went into the TARDIS a moment after.

~ 0 ~

"Oh my one, I'm so happy

That you've got so far

I know the good, the great

Is working you like a charm.

Oh my one, rushing away,

With a bag full of bones,

I know the place you left,

Still won't leave you alone.

The Doctor had come to a stop in the corridors of the TARDIS after hearing those melancholic words. He was looking for Lena since the brunette would be returning to her father and brother in a couple of minutes. She'd just excused herself to say goodbye to Avalon but was expected she'd taken slightly longer. The Doctor knew this would probably be the first time in their lives they would be apart, whether twins or step-sisters they loved each other sincerely. Of course, in his mind Avalon didn't know her status as a Reynolds was in question.

The Doctor had allowed Lena to spend as much time as she wanted in the TARDIS but after some time he was curious to see what the twins were up to. Now hearing the sound of a piano, he wondered if it had been wise for him to allow them the time together if they were going to be sad about it.

He stopped in front of the room the sounds were coming from and found Lena standing by a piano (one that he had no idea even existed in the box) where Avalon sat and played, and sang...sadly. He didn't like it, he didn't like it one bit for either of them to be sad. He strode into the room and cleared his throat, ending the music, which admittedly wasn't bad. He knew Avalon had a lovely singing voice, he just didn't know she had musical instrument talent as well.

"It's Christmas, why are we so sad?" he sighed as he came up beside Lena, giving her a side hug.

"I asked her the same thing," Lena agreed with a nod.

"I like the song, sue me," Avalon tried to defend herself, "I love its chords, the sounds, the lyrics..."

"Gloomy," the Doctor accused.

"I didn't force anyone to stay nor come," she pointed, "Sorry if I was bad."

"No, no, I think you were fantastic," the Doctor quickly clarified, "You're 'Ava Williams', of course you're fantastic!" she managed to smile at his words, "But perhaps your voice could do even better at joyful songs...Christmas songs."

"Hard to do so when you're not exactly in a cheery mood," she ran a finger down the piano's keyboard, "Christmas or no Christmas," she mumbled under her breath as her gaze fell down. "Everything's changing now. Lena's leaving and...I don't know what to do about that."

"Be happy," Lena gave her sister another side hug. "Plus, we've got our matching bracelets now, see?" she put her wrist and Avalon's side by side so the Doctor could see matching bracelets on their wrists. They were both pink and blue but one sister had a little charm with the letter 'L' and the other sister had the charm with the letter 'A'. "Thought they would be a nice gift."

"And they are," Avalon assured her. "Just doesn't mean it makes me any less sad."

"Baby sister, do you think you could give me a moment with Avalon?" the Doctor looked down at Lena, "I'll take you back home right afterwards, promise."

Lena nodded, "Sure," she moved over to Avalon and gave her a big hug, Avalon quickly retreating into it, "You take care, alright? And don't worry about me, you just have fun."

"It's impossible not to worry about you, Lena," Avalon pulled back, "Your my sister..." And she meant that with all of her heart, despite not knowing whether or not she was actually Lena's sister.

Lena felt that ping of guilt in her chest. She still didn't have the courage to tell Avalon the truth. "Yeah," she gave Avalon one last hug. She turned around and gave a nod to the Doctor, hoping that he could do something to help her sister when no one else had been able to.

"I don't need a pep talk, you know," Avalon spoke quietly as Lena left, her fingers playing with the piano keyboard.

"I'm not here to give you one," the Doctor took a seat beside her.

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

"Then what do you want? No offence, but...yeah."

"I just want to know one thing," the Doctor turned to her, looking her in the eye, "One thing that I bet no one has asked you since the wedding..."

"What?"

"How do you feel?"

Avalon stiffened and looked away, "Why...why do you ask?"

"Because you got a strange letter warning you of danger and your sister - whom you've never been separated from - is leaving you. I think it's valid for someone to ask how you feel about that."

Avalon had to agree with that but wasn't going to openly agree, "It's...I don't know," she shrugged, "There's no words that come close to describing it, honestly."

"I get that, but maybe you can say something so it doesn't stay bottled up inside. You remember how that went the last time with your nightmares, right?" for some reason, he saw her blush and was going to ask about it when she spoke again.

She let out a big breath. "I mean, what do you want me to say? That maybe it scares me a little? What'd be the point?"

"Ava, you know it's never a good idea to keep things bottled inside. We've been over this," the Doctor sighed.

"Yeah, fine, maybe I am a little scared. And I'm sad because Lena is leaving but at the same time I'm thinking it's better for her to be away for whenever this thing comes for me..."

"Nothing is going to come for you, Ava, I promise," the Doctor placed a hand on her arm.

"We'll see, won't we?" Avalon gave a brief smirk that the Doctor knew was just meant to make him believe she was better.

"How's about a small gift, hmm?" he surprised her with instead.

"What?" she frowned in confusion. He reached inside his jacket and pulled out a rectangular box wrapped in red and green wrapping paper. "What?" Avalon blinked as the gift was held between them, "But...I don't understand..."

"What's to understand?" the Doctor chuckled, "It's Christmas, it's a gift, and it's for you."

"You didn't even know it was going to be Christmas," she took the gift and turned it over, trying to learn what it was by shaking it. "Lena just stopped by a store before leaving, but you-"

"This is sort of something I've been working on for some time. Christmas just happened to complete it," the Doctor smiled, "Go ahead, open it."

Avalon studied the gift for another moment before she began unwrapping it. She found a white box underneath in the shape of a rectangle and took off its lid. Inside laid a silver journal with her initials 'A.H.R.' engraved on the bottom of the cover and a latch binding the journal shut, "It's a journal," she whispered as she took it out the box, "You got me a journal," she looked at the Doctor with blinking eyes.

"Well, yes, but there's more to it," the Doctor was now in complete smiles, nervous, but still smiles, and nervous. Why was he nervous? It was just a journal, "I know you said you didn't want to buy a new one because of the last one's special value to you, but this one might change your mind."

"Not to be rude or anything but I find that a bit difficult," Avalon admitted with a sad smile, "My mother, Emmalina, gave me that journal and it had this…" she swallowed hard, unable to finish her words anymore.

The Doctor set a hand on her shoulder, "I know…that's why I went ahead and did this…" he took the journal from her and kept it between them as he opened it up to the first page, making sure Avalon could see it.

Her eyes widened as she looked at the page that had writing on it, "Oh my god…"

"I didn't look, I just scanned and moved it," the Doctor quickly said before she jumped to conclusions, "I swear."

But Avalon had no doubt about it. Out of everyone of their group, only he and Rory had stayed away from all her writings in the past. She slowly took the journal from his hands and read the familiar words of the first page, "…these are my mother's words she wrote in my first journal. The ones that inspired me to write…" she looked up with teary eyes, "You did this?"

He nodded, "I know it's not the same as the original and that's okay, but this is a very special kind of journal that you'll never finish."

"Why do you say that?"

"Cause it's bigger on the inside," he whispered with pure excitement.

"What?" she frowned and turned the pages of the journal, "It seems ordinary to me…"

"It's like the TARDIS, it's infinitely endless," the Doctor declared, "You can keep writing in this thing forever and you will never run out of pages. It's the ultimate journal. Best of all is it contains all of your original journal's entries with your mother's writing in the beginning, see?" he made her flip to the first couple of pages, making sure to keep a look on the side so she wouldn't think he was looking at her writing, "You'll never have to buy another journal."

"This is…" Avalon bit her lip as she went through her old entries, "…there are no words to describe how perfect this is! It's truly fairytale like," she looked up with a happy smile, "I love it, thank you."

"Merry Christmas, Avalon," he smiled softly.

She hugged her journal with joy at the thought of writing again. Oh she had a lot of things to write about now and she finally could without feeling guilty, "Thank you," she looked at him and kiss his cheek.

As she pulled away, the Doctor had turned his head to kiss her cheek as well but accidentally found himself a bit too close to her lips. That was the second time something like that happened and it was really starting to take a toll on him. It made him feel...odd, not in a bad way but...odd. Avalon realized how close they were to each other and blushed as she looked away, a faint image of her dreams coming back and only making things worse.

"I, um...I think Lena is probably waiting," she finally said, her gaze locked on the piano's keyboard, "We should go take her."

"Um, yeah, yeah, don't worry," the Doctor quickly stood up, clearing his throat.

"Thank you, though," Avalon smiled softly as she gazed back at her new journal. "I won't forget this present ever, trust me."

She really wouldn't.

~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~

To be continued in...Falling in Temptation!

Thank you to everyone who's read, commented, liked and reblogged! I hope you guys continue onto the second story!

I thought it might be fun to include a couple fun facts about the story while I was drafting? If it was boring then let me know and I'll never do it again xD

Fun Facts:

1. Avalon's name was taken from the street name of my old college!

2. Lena was originally named 'Melina' but since I totally fell in love with the character ‘Lena Luthor’ from Supergirl, I had to make the switch!

3. Originally, I was going to make Avalon confess to her dad that she knew she was adopted - it was going to blow up into a whole argument! I decided against it in the end because I didn't want her to join the Doctor out of anger. This way she joined because she wanted to and she's also going to be safer with him!

4. I originally intended on bringing Avalon along right after the Eleventh Hour but I thought it would be better to introduce each OC separately, leaving Avalon for last since she's the main OC.

Once again, thanks for reading and see you in the next story!!

#doctor who #11th doctor #ocappreciation #ocapp #doctor who imagines #11th doctor imagines #doctor who fics #11th doctor fics #dw imagine #amy pond #rory williams #river song #oc: Avalon Reynolds #oc: Lena Reynolds #fic: stars dance

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brrahbrrahcharacterimagines · 5 years

Text

Coffee and Nifflers (Part 2) (Newt Scamander x Reader)

MASTERLIST

PART 1

Pairing: Newt Scamander x Reader

Word Count: 1026

Warnings: Some minimal self-doubt

Request: Hello! I just read your fic coffee and mufflers and absolutely LOVED IT💚💙 would you ever consider doing a part 2? - @lady-of-lies

A/N: This is a sequel to “Coffee and Nifflers”! Thank you guys for reading!

As the clock neared six, you couldn’t help but feel giddy. Not only were you going to hang out with the adorable man who kept finding his way into your coffee shop, but you were also going to spend time with one of your favorite authors. You closed down the shop, and glanced at the clock again. It was five minutes past six.

You rationalized that he may just be running a bit late, and moved on with your excitement. You ran your fingers through your hair, making sure that you looked presentable. You waited inside the store, waiting for knock on the door or a tap on the window. It felt like an eternity had passed, but you had still heard nothing. looking back at the clock, it was a half hour past six. You began losing hope, but decided to give him a little bit more time. Besides, perhaps he was just mistaken and had thought you got off at seven.

Well, seven came and went with no sign of Newt. The suspicions that he stood you up were growing larger, and you felt stupid. You doubted yourself, starting to think that perhaps he didn’t really want to see you. You wallowed for a while, ‘sampling’ quite a few of your own baked goods in the coffee shop to make you feel better. You lost track of time while eating your feelings, only to be startled when you heard the door handle to the front of the shop jiggle. You turned to the door, only to see the one and only Newt Scamander staring sheepishly at you.

You set down the cookie that you had been working on, sneaking a glance at the clock to see that it was nearing seven thirty.

You opened the door, and his sheepish smile and sorry eyes made you want to forgive him on the spot. However, you were still hurt.

“Hi,” you muttered.

“Hello,” he responded quietly. “I am so sorry, Y/N.”

“It’s alright,” you said with a sigh.

“It’s really not,” he insisted, making you look up at him. “I told you I would come to pick you up when your shift ended at six, and now that was nearly an hour and a half ago.”

“What took you so long?” You asked, curiosity getting the better of you.

“One of the murtlaps is sick,” he said with a dopey smile. “I thought I would make it back to you in time, but he was being a big baby about taking his medicine today and I didn’t want to rush him.”

At Newt’s words, you couldn’t help but break into a smile. You should have known that it would be something to do with his fantastic beasts.

“I’m sorry he’s sick,” you offered. “Will he be okay?”

“As long as I can get him to keep taking his medicine,” Newt said with a chuckle. “Would you like to meet him?”

You smiled, nodding.

“You did promise that I would get to meet some of these magical creatures,” you said with a wide smile. Newt returned the smile, setting his trunk onto the ground. He opened it, and gestured to it with a wave of his hand.

“Ladies first.”

“Excuse me?” You said, scrunching up your eyebrows.

“Trust me,” he said. Taking a leap of faith, you did. You stepped into the case, and before you knew it you were descending a set of stairs into an amazing array of habitats.

“Woah,” you said softly, not noticing the way that Newt was admiring you as you admired his work. “This place is amazing!”

“Thank you,” said Newt with a bashful smile.

He spent hours taking you from creature to creature, telling you about every one. Newt couldn’t believe it; he could ramble on and on about a creature and you would never get bored. The last word he said would always be just as interesting as the first to you.

Eventually you came to the nifflers, and you couldn’t help but smile.

“Hey, little fella,” you said, picking up one of them. “I hear you like my spoons!”

The niffler nuzzled close to you, and Newt watched on in awe. He had never seen one take such a liking to somebody so fast. Before he could fully process it, the situation became even more bizarre to him. The niffler began to remove pieces of his collection, pushing jewels and gold into your hands.

“Woah,” you giggled, “slow down buddy!” You turned to him, and Newt couldn’t help but smile when he saw your eyes. “What’s he doing?”

“I’m not sure,” admitted Newt with a smile. “My best guess is that he’s trying to make up for all of the lovely, shiny things you have given him.”

“Thank you,” you told the creature, “but you can keep your treasure.” The niffler made the cutest noise out of excitement, shoving the glittering objects back into his pouch. You set him down, giving him a little kiss on the head as you did so. Newt continued to stare at you, intrigued by the way you interacted with his creatures.

“What?” You said with a shy smile as you noticed his eyes on you.

“You’re adorable,” he blurted out, regretting it immediately. He meant what he said, but he wished that he had said it in a different way, at a different time. “I mean,” he sputtered, not getting any more words out in his embarrassment. You only giggled at him.

“I know what you meant,” you said teasingly. “And I happen to find you rather adorable as well.”

“You do?” He asked out of sheepish surprise.

“Of course, Newt.” You said with a kind smile. “How could I not? You have taken in all of these creatures, and you truly care for every single one of them. And that’s not even mentioning how much I love your hair.”

Newt blushed, and it made you blush as well as you realized how bold you were being.

“Perhaps I could start seeing you more often?” He asked, “and maybe without my creatures?”

You beamed.

“It would be my pleasure, Mr. Scamander.”

#newt scamander #newt scamander x reader #newt #newt x reader #fantastic beats and where to find them #fantastic beats the crimes of grindelwald #fantastic beasts x reader #fantastic beasts #fbawtft #fbtcog #Harry Potter #harry potter fanfiction #harry potter imagines #harry potter x reader

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schusseltier · 5 years

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Sequel Trailer Analysis Part 1

... in which I will go through the trailer, not chronologically but in an order that makes more sense, and analyse everything we’re shown. Buckle up fellas.

[Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4]

Let’s start with the shot of Hyrule Castle lifting up into the sky.

We see Hyrule, as viewed from the cliff in front of the shrine of life: The great plateau in the foreground, Hyrule Castle in the center and Death Mountain in the distance. It’s daytime but the sun is low. Now what is striking about this shot is that there are some things missing.

Firstly, the towers. The blue glow not being visible could be chalked up to the lighting and haze in the shot, but the silhouette of Akkala Tower to the right of Death Mountain should be visible from this viewpoint.

And secondly, the five columns around the castle are missing. In BotW, these columns are always present during gameplay and remain visible until the very last cutscene. (Additionally, the towers are visible in the final cutscene even if the player has not activated all of them during gameplay, meaning that by default, the towers are all above ground after Ganon is defeated in BotW.)

According to Creating a champion, the columns are Sheikah technology and were once used to store and deploy guardians. In this cutscene, we can see the columns rising from the ground when Calamity Ganon started his attack and corrupted the Sheikah technology. This means that this shot from the sequel trailer must take place before Calamity Ganon awoke 100 years ago. It’s possible that this shot shows the exact moment when Calamity Ganon awoke, as in the same beforementioned cutscene, we also get this interesting piece of information:

Let’s move on to the underground that we see in the trailer. From what we previously established from the only above ground shot, it is likely (but not confirmed) that some of the shots below ground take place underneath Hyrule Castle.

In this shot, we see an entrance way in a large stonewall. The walls to the sides are man-made and have columns and carved-in designs. Two large stone hands rest on the ground to the right and left of the entrance, framing stone stairs. The facade of the entrance rests atop a rougher stone surface. There is a slight green haze in the air and warm but dim light illuminates the stone hands and one of two smaller stone columns in front of them. The camera moves towards said entrance quite fast, making this unlikely to be an establishing shot.

The carvings along the face make it easy to place this location on the map: They are distinctly from the Faron area, more specifically, the Faron Woods. This entrance was built by the Zonai.

The Faron Woods is where the Zonai Ruins lie. There are several places across Hyrule with Zonai origin, however, only the Thyphlo Ruins and the Thundra Plateau have stone carvings with the same design. The fact that these types of carvings accumulate in this area make it a pretty safe bet that this is where the entrance is located. However, it is also possible that it is located somewhere else in Hyrule, and simply has been built by the Zonai.

It is likely that these two shots take place inside this location. Firstly, the same green haze is present that we see in front of the entrance. Secondly, in the first shot where Zelda is holding up the torch, she is not reacting to the body and glowing hand as the trailer makes it seem. If you watch closely, you can see she is first assessing something, and the notices something that makes her gasp (there is even a quiet gasp audible in the trailer). Link must not have noticed what she has, since he looks over to her when he hears her gasp. She is also holding out the torch, so as to illuminate something more directly in front of her. This leads to the conclusion that Zelda is not reacting to the corpse-and-hand-combo, which is further away, clearly illuminated by the green light, and also, not subtle at all. It’s more likely that she has noticed something about the wall painting that we see in another shot.

The paint could be brown or even red, and the style once again looks similar in style to Zonai architecture (notice the zig-zag tail of the horse that ends in spirals). It depicts a warrior on horseback, holding up a trident. Behind him is an archer holding up a bow. The warrior has a sharp nose, long hair that is held up in a ponytail and on his back is the symbol of the Gerudo.

It is clear from this description that this is a depiction of Ganon, in his humanoid form. The profile and the Gerudo symbol are a clear giveaway, and the trident has been used by Ganon in several instances:

From left to right: Phantom Ganon from OoT, Ganon from ALttP, Ganon from OoA and, though not canon, Ganon from Hyrule Warriors.

Interestingly enough, we never see Ganon in this form in BotW. This is clearly a depiction of Ganon during his time as the last Gerudo King. Wether this is the Ganon we know from OoT, or a Ganon from 10.000 years prior to the events of BotW, before he turned into a monster is unclear at this point.

And that’s it for part 1! Stay tuned for part 2, in which I will look at the underground cave, and swirly glowy things.

[Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4]

#loz #zelda #botw #zelda botw #breath of the wild #legend of zelda #I know this is an art blog but like #here goes????#also follow me on ig for art plz

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johnnymundano · 5 years

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Class of 1984 (1982)

Directed by Mark L. Lester

Screenplay by Tom Holland, Mark Lester and John Saxton

Story by Tom Holland

Music by Lalo Schifrin

Country: United States

Running Time: 94 minutes

CAST

Perry King as Andrew Norris

Merrie Lynn Ross as Diane Norris

Timothy Van Patten as Peter Stegman

Stefan Arngrim as Drugstore

Michael J. Fox as Arthur

Roddy McDowall as Terry Corrigan

Keith Knight as Barnyard

Lisa Langlois as Patsy

Neil Clifford as Fallon

Al Waxman as Detective Stewiski

Erin Flannery as Deneen

David Gardner as Principal Morganthau

Linda Sorensen as Mrs. Stegman

Teenage Head as themselves

Note: If you enjoyed Class of 1984 you may also be interested in the thematic sequel Class of 1999 by the same prime movers, which is much more overtly comedic, and Unman, Wittering and Zigo (1971) a very British spin on the same themes starring David Hemmings.

Also: I took the images from the Internet like the anarchist hell child that I am. No rules! no future! Rip the system!

I remember reading about Class of 1984 when it came out and thinking the review in Starburst made it sound like an incredibly exploitative and deeply unpleasant movie. Being 12 I immediately made a mental note to see it as soon as possible. Unfortunately the movie wasn’t passed uncut in the UK until 2005, by which time I was no longer 12 and thus somewhat preoccupied by the labyrinth of idiocy which is adult life. But that mental note still niggled, and so in 2019 that 12 year old’s simple ambition was belatedly fulfilled thanks to the UK blu-ray release of the movie. Turns out that not only is Class of 1984 incredibly exploitative and deeply unpleasant, but also (spoiler) my taste hasn’t evolved much since I was 12, because, me? I thought it was a hoot. A hoot and a half in fact.

Class of 1984 asks the old, old question Hollywood loves to ask - how far do you have to push a liberal milquetoast until he starts biting folk’s throats out? Because, as any decent hard working common sense fella with dirt under his fingernails will tell ya, it’s okay to have high-falutin’ ideas about equality and decency and edjumacation but, let’s face facts, when their wife’s blood soaks their corduroy jacket these liberal schmucks won’t hesitate to dip their fists in the basin of other people’s faces. It’s a small-minded, nasty genre that takes unseemly delight in demonstrating that the self-appointed avatars of civilisation have feet of clay. But it isn’t a stupid genre; it also recognises the fact that being a pigeon chested liberal weakling takes some doing against very stiff resistance. Basically, the genre exploits the fact that small-mindedness and mean-spiritedness are universal levellers. To err may very well be human, but to wish for violent revenge is, well, very human. Class of 1984 is one of the smartest of this, uh, cathartic genre; it is simultaneously a Push The Liberal Until He Snaps Movie and an Impotent White Male Liberal Revenge Fantasy movie. Everyone wins. Except women; it was made in 1982 so women get short shrift; being (mainly) either whores or wives to be sacrificed on the altar of manliness. If you are a regular reader of comics I should probably point out that this is not representative of women’s roles in the real world.

But then Class of 1984 is not set in the real world. For a start it was made in 1982 so it is set in the (then) near-future. “We are the future!” is the regular mocking refrain of the violent urchins, and also of the typically ridiculous Alice Cooper title song, which exists only to remind you just how seriously you should take any of this. (Not very.) This is the near future of every frothing right wingers most secretive wet dreams. The inner city schools are crumbling concrete nests of perversion and lawlessness. Kids carry knives and deal drugs while the feeble faculty fall apart, turn to drink, or turn a blind eye. Feral monsters in torn clothes roam the halls; rulers of the fallen kingdom of academia. This is where weak-kneed liberalism, left-wing learning and the kind word in place of the hard fist get you: a violent hellish maelstrom only the force of a quiet white man pushed too damn far can tame. Yes, Class of 1984 is the kind of movie that makes rightwingers spaff so hard and so often that by the time the credits roll only dust is puffing out. But by the time the put upon teacher is putting the buzzsaw to bloody good use in the woodwork room, effete liberal cheesecakes will also be readjusting their tortoiseshell glasses and getting sweaty under their white collars. Something for everyone, like I said.

There’s little point unfolding the plot of Class of 1984 since it’s familiar stuff, but it is very well done stuff. It certainly delivers the expected multiple frissons as Andrew Norris (Perry King) finds every humane alternative barred to him as he is remorselessly forced down the rat run built from liberal society’s failure to face his inner beast. And there is a lovely build to the finale; in which the hopes and dreams of the normal students, in the form of a concert, is contrasted with the ultra-violent theatre of vengeance unfolding in the corridors beyond. For a movie aimed squarely at the amygdala Class of 1984 is surprisingly wittily and smartly written. it is also surprisingly wittily and smartly acted. Perry King is ridiculously chiselled of chin, but elicits much sympathy as his flailing increases, and you feel a sense of both triumph and loss as he finally grasps the nettle of his inner ferocity. Merrie Lynn Ross has little do as the sacrificial wife, Diane, but she effectively provides the foil of the sheltered person who doesn’t understand how bad things are in the real world. Unfortunately, in a very, very, (very) tough to watch scene, the bad things finally become impossible for her to ignore. The actual class are pretty great too. Really horrible, each and every one of the scrofulous, disrespectful little shits. Special mention, though, for Timothy Van Patten as the sociopathic ringleader, Peter Stegman. A truly nasty piece of work who plays the system and his single mother with even more finesse than the piano he unexpectedly excels at.

(The kids’ convincingly unhinged viciousness is vital since you are supposed to cheer as they fall before the force they have unleashed, a force more dangerous than nuclear fire; the angry white man pushed too far. And you will holler as they drop, because the young cast have done their awful work well. Mind you, you are only able to applaud their painful demises since they all look to be in their mid-20s. Had they actually looked like the teenagers they represent the whole thing would have been too unpleasant for anybody, well, anybody not in the NRA. Movies like this can’t get too near the knuckle; it’s part of the unspoken arrangement with the audience.)

But, unpopular news as it may be, not all the kids are shits. Future star Michael J. Fox plays the thankless role of Arthur, The Good Student, complete with puppy fat. Together with Erin Flannery’s Deneen he represents the kids who get left behind but just might make it. Bit of optimism there, snuck in amongst the eruptions of violence. But… Roddy McDowall! Dear, sweet, Roddy McDowall is a revelation. His slightly theatrical aspect is just spot on for Terry Corrigan, the teacher ground down to a desperate, alcoholic wreck, who cracks in a different way to Norris. His heart-breaking descent, together with Fox and Flannery’s kids are the secret heart of the movie. Class of 1984 flirts hot and heavy with nihilism, but is brave enough to finally put out for humanity. All the sturm und drang pandering to the basest emotions is camouflage for a small sliver of optimism. Which isn’t half bad for what’s basically Straw Dogs (1971) set in a 1980s American inner city high school. But, Christ, that Roddy McDowall. Respect is due, sir. As if kids today even know what respect is. The little shits.

#Class of 1984 #Movies #Exploitation #Science Fiction #Revenge #Mark L Lester #Tom Holland #Perry King #Merrie Lynn Ross #Timothy Van Patten #Michael J Fox #Erin Flannery #Roddy McDowall #1982 #The 1980s

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iffeelscouldkill · 5 years

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Firewhiskey in the Jar

Or: How Krejjh acquired their own miniature shadow

A/N: OKAY SO I swear that after I posted The big picture I was going to go right back to working on Adjusting (the RJ-centric fic I’ve been writing for ages). I was. But then I allowed myself to catch up on a bit of Starship Iris fic, including a bunch of ficlets by the amazing jaggedwolf - and I read their DVD commentary on their Hogwarts AU ficlet from back in December (which I also hadn’t read).

I was already cackling when I got to the part about second-year Slytherin RJ trailing around after Krejjh, and then I read the last line about Sana and Park being Hufflepuff Prefect partners and I lost it. I was gone. I had to write a sequel!

I sat down and banged this out over Thursday night, Friday and then Saturday morning (Easter weekend ftw) because I was so inspired and I think it might have been the most words of fic that I’ve written in such a short space of time in more than ten years. Listen: I love Harry Potter and I love a good Hogwarts AU, so writing this just felt as easy as breathing. I’ve been wanting to write a HP AU for TSCOSI myself, but I was too lazy to figure out everyone’s houses. Luckily, jaggedwolf did the hard work for me (you can read their TSCOSI house sortings here and they are really great!)

So many thanks to jaggedwolf for writing the ficlet and its excellent DVD commentary that inspired this fic, and thank you for giving me the green light to post this :D \o/ Once again, you can read jaggedwolf’s Hogwarts AU here for the fic that inspired this one! I’ve gone out on a limb for much of this, but the plot does build off the events of jaggedwolf’s fic, so it’ll make more sense if you’ve read theirs.

Krejjh sighs and rubs their shoulder as they step through the castle doors and out of the darkened grounds. Quidditch practice officially ended more than an hour ago, but Krejjh stayed back to do some recreational flying and blow off steam after a stressful practice in which they were forced to publicly dress down and dismiss one of the team’s Beaters and a Chaser for plotting to sabotage the Hufflepuff team Captain, Sana Tripathi.

Krejjh had already confronted both team members about their actions and informed them that they were off the team, but the two had turned up to practice anyway, hoping to win the support of their teammates against their Captain. Fortunately, the rest of the team are good people (Krejjh had thought that all of them were good people – clearly they needed to pay closer attention) and refused to side with the two wrongdoers, but it had still forced a confrontation that Krejjh would rather not have had. Hence the blowing off steam.

Normally Brian would have been there watching and cheering from the stands, and commiserating with Krejjh after practice, but the Gryffindor team (mostly their two former teammates, now that Krejjh thought about it) had started to object to having a Ravenclaw watch all of their practices – even when Krejjh pointed out that he had his head in an Ancient Runes textbook 90% of the time. Also, Brian has a study session with Violet, his timid but brilliant third-year protégée, scheduled for this evening.

Krejjh is heading in the direction of the library, thinking about whether they can persuade Brian to give them a consolation backrub, when they hear raised voices coming from around the corner. Narrowing their eyes, they stand still and listen.

“-heard what you were saying about Park,” a small, angry voice that Krejjh doesn’t recognise is saying. “If you talk like that about him again, you’ll have to answer to me.”

There’s a smug, unpleasant chuckle that Krejjh unfortunately does know all too well. “Oh, really?” asks Jennifer Golding-Frederick, a wealthy and self-important Pureblood Slytherin sixth year. “And what exactly do you think you’re going to do to us, hm? Tell on us to Professor Jahansooz? He’s not going to take your word over ours.”

“I’ll duel you,” says the small voice, quivering but determined.

Golding-Frederick’s chuckle is joined by the deeper, sarcastic laughter of John Goodman, her fourth-year henchman. “Oh, I’m terrified,” he says mockingly. “Do you even know any hexes? Because I do.”

“Try me,” the small voice bites back, and Krejjh has heard enough. Drawing their wand – just as a precaution – they round the corner to find Golding-Frederick and Goodman facing off against a short, redheaded Slytherin second-year. The second-year has their wand drawn, as does Goodman, though Goulding-Frederick hasn’t bothered to draw hers yet. Beneath their freckles, Krejjh can see how pale the redhead is, but their wand arm doesn’t falter.

“Evening, fellas,” Krejjh says cheerily, not pointing their wand at anyone in particular but making sure that it’s raised and visible. “Couldn’t help but overhear your conversation. It sounded an awful lot like you were ganging up on a younger student.”

“If you were listening,” Golding-Frederick says lazily, completely unconcerned, “I think you’ll have heard that the second-year was the one who threatened us. Goodman here merely drew his wand in self-defence.”

Krejjh scoffs. God, Golding-Frederick and Goodman (or as Sana has nicknamed them, “the JGs” – since both of them share the initials JG) are the worst kind of Slytherin. Every house has its bad eggs, and Krejjh has always got along perfectly fine with Slytherins, house rivalry or not, but Golding-Frederick and Goodman are the kind that give the whole house a bad name. Smug, privileged, self-important bullies.

“Doesn’t much matter who started it,” Krejjh says. “I’d like to think two older students like yourselves’d know better than to get into fights with a second-year.

“Then again,” they continue, taking a few steps towards Goodman and Golding-Frederick, “I’d also like to think you’d know to get the hell out of here before you find yourselves on the wrong end of a Stinging Hex. They’re my speciality.”

“Try it,” Goodman says menacingly, but Golding-Frederick shakes her head once.

“Leave them,” she says. “They’re not worth our time and energy.” She looks Krejjh in their team captain’s robes up and down, her gaze cold. “Birds of a feather flock together, I see,” she says, a nasty smile playing around her mouth. Krejjh has no idea what she means by that. “But you and your little group of oddballs had best not interfere with Slytherin house business again.”

“If you’re picking on younger students? I’ll interfere all right, I don’t care what house they’re in,” Krejjh replies hotly.

“Oh, Gryffindors,” Golding-Frederick says, smiling and shaking her head. “You and your chivalry. It’s so quaint. Come on, Goodman.”

After the two bullies have disappeared around the corner, Krejjh turns to the second-year Slytherin, who is staring at them in undisguised awe. “Uh, hey. You all right?”

“That. Was amazing,” says the second-year in reverential tones. “You totally got them to back off! You didn’t even have to cast a single hex!”

“Yeah, Goodman and I have come up against each other on the duelling ground before,” says Krejjh. “– In duel club,” they hasten to add. “He didn’t come off too well. Doesn’t stop him from trying to start another fight, though.”

Krejjh thought the second-year’s eyes couldn’t get any bigger or rounder, but it turns out they were wrong. “You’re Krejjh,” they say. “Aren’t you? Gryffindor’s star duellist! And the Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team.”

Krejjh preens. They have a fan. Wait until Brian hears that they have a fan. “That’s me,” they say, without a hint of modesty or self-effacement. Modesty is for people who aren’t prepared to own how awesome they are. “Captain Krejjh, at your service.”

“RJ McCabe,” the Slytherin introduces themself, cheeks pink. “I’m a second-year Slytherin. But uh, I guess you already knew that. I don’t really play Quidditch, but I think your flying is amazing! I was cheering for Gryffindor in your last match. Even though Park said I shouldn’t. And I think you’re really cool because-” The torrent of words suddenly tumbles to a stop, and McCabe looks embarrassed.

“Because?” Krejjh prompts, not wanting to miss out on another compliment. Also, did they say Park? Isn’t Park the name of the other Hufflepuff Prefect that Sana is partnered with? Krejjh thinks it might be.

“Because. Uh.” McCabe sucks in a breath, and then says determinedly, “Because I heard that… you’re non-binary, and uh… I’m non-binary too? Hi.”

A new non-binary friend! This might be the best day of Krejjh’s life. “High heckin’ five, pal!” they say enthusiastically, and hold up a hand. Looking a little taken aback, but pleased, McCabe high-fives it.

At that moment, Krejjh catches sight of the clock on the wall. “Breesht. It’s almost curfew – you need to get back to your Common Room,” they tell McCabe. Then they remember that Goodman and Golding-Frederick are in their house, so the Common Room might not be the safest place to be right now. “Uh. Can you go back to your Common Room?”

McCabe nods. “Don’t worry,” they say, like they’re the one who should be reassuring Krejjh instead of the other way around. “Golding-Frederick and Goodman always stay out past curfew, and they never get in trouble for it because they’re Professor Jahansooz’s favourites. So they won’t be back to the Common Room for a while.”

Krejjh suddenly understands why Sana is always so annoyed at the mention of the JGs (and it takes a lot to annoy Sana). She must have tried reporting them and been outraged when there were no consequences. Unequal treatment does not sit well with Sana. “Right. Well, silver lining, I guess?” They smile at the little redheaded second-year. “It was nice to meet you, Second-Year McCabe. I’ll see you around!”

“Wait,” says McCabe, before Krejjh can go more than a couple of steps. “I need to ask you something.”

Krejjh turns back to them with an inquiring look.

“Will you teach me how to duel?” McCabe blurts out, and Krejjh blinks. “For self-defence,” McCabe adds hurriedly. “I’m not allowed to join the Duelling Club until third year, even though I’m really good at spellwork. We’ve covered a bit in Defence Against the Dark Arts, but it’s all for immobilising or defending against Dark creatures. I guess you’re not supposed to need to know how to deal with Dark humans until you’re older,” McCabe finishes, a little resentfully.

Krejjh is torn. They really want to help this small, determined second-year, who honestly reminds Krejjh quite a bit of themself three years ago – getting in over their head with older students, challenging them to duels and trying to copy their spellwork. Except that whereas in Gryffindor it was all pretty good-natured – all right, there was a heavy dose of one-upmanship about it, but that’s true of most things in Gryffindor – McCabe’s reasons for wanting to excel feel deadly serious.

Also, Krejjh is not a great teacher.

“I, uh…” they stall while McCabe continues to look at them hopefully. “Let me… think about it? It’s not something I’ve really, uh, considered before. Duelling is great! I’d just have to think about, uh, how to go about it. With you. I’ll let you know?”

“Okay,” says McCabe, looking pleased and so hopeful that Krejjh can’t bear the thought of letting them down. Breesht. This means they might actually have to teach McCabe how to duel.

“See ya,” they say, and walk quickly away.

“You think you’ve agreed to what?” Brian repeats at breakfast the next morning. Sitting next to him at the Ravenclaw table, Violet Liu looks on with wide eyes.

“Teach a second-year Slytherin how to duel,” Krejjh mumbles. “Don’t look at me like that, Jeeter,” they whine when Brian raises an eyebrow. “You didn’t see the look on their face! And the JGs are being really mean to them.”

“Wouldn’t the more logical approach be to talk to a professor about what’s going on so that they don’t need to learn how to duel?” Brian reasons. Krejjh looks at him blankly. “Didn’t occur to you, bud?”

“It’s not like the Professors don’t know what Golding-Frederick and Goodman are like,” Krejjh points out. “But Jahansooz is a useless Head of House. He’ll never keep them in line.”

“It can be tough when you don’t think that anyone will believe you about what’s happening,” Violet puts in quietly, and Krejjh brightens at the support, before sobering as they realise that Violet is speaking from experience. “My Head of House turned out to be really great about the whole… situation. But I talked myself out of going to her a dozen times. Maybe McCabe has tried talking to their Head of House, and it didn’t help.”

A gloomy silence descends as the three of them contemplate the situation.

“I mean, self-defence is a good thing to learn in general,” Brian admits. “And study groups are totally within the school rules. There’s nothing saying that you can’t teach them a few basic spells.”

“Except that I’m a terrible teacher,” Krejjh sighs.

Brian winces. “Except that. I mean, you’re great at what you do!” he hastens to compliment them. “Amazing. The best. But that just makes it… harder for you to explain it.”

“Yeah.” Krejjh looks over at the Slytherin table, where McCabe is eating with a few friends from their year. They’re not interacting a whole lot, but seem to at least be part of a group. Golding-Frederick and Goodman are down the other end of the table with a few like-minded cronies, looking and acting like the Slytherin royalty they perceive themselves to be. “Maybe I’ll wait for them to bring it up again. And if they do, I’ll… give it a shot.”

Of all the things, and people, that Park might have expected to run into on his evening patrol of the corridors, he has to admit that RJ McCabe staking out the Gryffindor Common Room was not one of them.

In hindsight, maybe it should have been.

“RJ,” he says, and RJ jumps guiltily as they turn to face him. “Are you waiting for someone?”

“Oh, hey, Park – how’s it going? Are you out on patrol?” RJ asks, a too-bright smile on their face.

Park raises an eyebrow. “No, sometimes I just wonder the halls of Hogwarts at night for the hell of it. Keeps the students on their toes,” he replies, deadpan.

RJ nods along as if this is totally reasonable. “As they should be,” they say.

Park looks at them and sighs. “Is there a reason that you’re currently standing outside the entrance to the Gryffindor Common Room?”

“Just, uh, needed to follow up on a thing with a person,” RJ says. “A friend. They… promised me something. I’ve come to talk to them about it.”

“Right,” Park says slowly. “And who might this ‘friend’ be?”

“No-one you would know,” RJ replies quickly, which of course only makes Park more suspicious. Who in Gryffindor would RJ be so keen to hide that they were meeting up with?

And then a possibility occurs to him.

“This wouldn’t have anything to do with a certain Gryffindor Quidditch team captain that you idolise, would it?” he asks, and RJ instantly looks guilty. “What, did they promise you an autograph?”

“Yeah… you got me,” says RJ. “I just think they’re so cool! I wanted to catch them after they were done with Quidditch practice, but I uh, didn’t know when that would be. And I don’t think the Gryffindor team would appreciate a second-year Slytherin hanging around the pitch during practice.”

“Probably not,” Park agrees. “It doesn’t look like you brought anything for them to sign, though.”

“Oh, Krejjh was going to sign their spare copy of Quidditch Through the Ages for me,” RJ says brightly.

“Of… course.” Something about RJ’s story seems a little off to Park, but he can’t put his finger on what it is. “Look, instead of you hanging out here all evening, why don’t I just give them a message for you? I see Krejjh in Duelling Club all the time. You can arrange a proper time and place to meet up instead of accosting them after practice.”

“That’s okay,” says RJ. “I wouldn’t want to make you be the go-between. I’ll just… catch them another time.” They’re already walking away down the corridor before Park can say anything. “See you, Park!”

Park watches them go and frowns to himself. Yeah, RJ is definitely trying to hide something.

“And then when I asked Thasia why they were making out with Emily Craddock and Violet Liu – the Slytherin fifth-year, not the Ravenclaw third-year – in the Potions supply cupboard, they replied that the Transfiguration supply cupboard was too small for three people!” Sana finishes, sounding like she can’t decide whether to be indignant or amused. She looks at Park for his reaction.

“Right. Yeah, that’s…” Park mentally replays the story that she’d been telling him to try and figure out the appropriate response. “Did you dock them house points?”

“Ten each, and I gave them all a stern warning. I really don’t want to have to report them to their Head of House if it happens again,” says Sana. She nudges Park. “What’s up? You seem distracted tonight.”

“It’s nothing, really,” Park says. “Just…” He hesitates, and then asks, “You’re friends with Krejjh, right? The Gryffindor Quidditch team captain?”

“Of course,” says Sana, sounding a little surprised. “We practice together all the time. I thought you knew Krejjh too, from Duelling Club?”

“Yeah, I do, but not that well. We don’t really talk much,” says Park. He and Krejjh have a friendly rivalry at Duelling Club that consists mostly of Krejjh showboating and making grand declarations about how they’ll defeat Park as they duel, while Park refuses to say a word and casts all of his spells non-verbally because he knows it drives Krejjh up the wall.

“Why do you ask about them?”

“I have a friend in second year, a Slytherin,” Park begins. “RJ McCabe. We grew up together, and our families are old friends. Earlier I came across them hanging around outside the entrance to the Gryffindor Common Room, and they said they were waiting for Krejjh, but they were pretty cagey about why. RJ is a big fan of Krejjh’s flying, but… something tells me it’s not just hero-worship.” Sana looks thoughtful. “Krejjh hasn’t mentioned…?” Park asks and trails off.

Sana shakes her head. “No, they haven’t mentioned RJ, but it’s been a few days since we hung out,” she says. “But what do you think RJ would be hiding from you that could involve Krejjh?”

Park shrugs helplessly. “I wish I knew. Maybe if RJ is in trouble, and it somehow involves the Gryffindor Quidditch team…” He isn’t expecting Sana’s face to suddenly darken. “What?”

“I had some trouble of my own with them, recently,” she admits. “I thought we’d managed to sort it all out, but…” She bites her lip and looks troubled. “I’ll ask Krejjh about it at our next practice. RJ doesn’t play Quidditch, though, right?”

“No, they’re just an enthusiast,” Park replies. “Maybe it’s nothing. They usually come to me if there’s anything bothering them.”

Sana smiles at him, and it’s a very knowing smile. “What?” asks Park, slightly defensively.

“You’re protective of them,” she says, sounding delighted. “I’ve never seen that from you before.”

Park isn’t blushing. He’s not. “I know RJ can look after themself,” he says, instead of denying it. “That doesn’t mean I can’t look out for them, too.”

Sana’s smile widens.

Krejjh looks at RJ across the empty classroom. RJ looks back.

Krejjh clears their throat. “So! I figured we’d start with a basic spell called Expelliarmus, which is the Disarming Spell,” they say. “It’s the first spell we learn at duel club. It’s like this.” Krejjh raises their wand and RJ copies them.

“Expelliarmus!”

RJ’s wand goes flying out of their hand. They grab for it, but it’s already landing neatly in Krejjh’s outstretched hand. They throw it back to RJ.

“Show me again,” says RJ, looking intent. Krejjh repeats the movement and the incantation.

“Expelliarmus!”

Krejjh throws RJ’s wand back to them again. “Wanna try it out?”

“Can you repeat the wand movement, but go slower?” RJ asks. Krejjh doesn’t think they’ve ever done anything slowly in their life, especially duelling, but they give it a shot.

“Does that help?”

“I… think so,” RJ says uncertainly. “Okay, here it goes. Expelliarmus!”

Krejjh feels the spell wash over them and their wand twitch slightly, but it’s not strong enough to actually Disarm them. “I felt that!” they say, delighted. Maybe this teaching thing isn’t so bad.

“It didn’t work,” RJ says, frustrated.

“Well, not on your first try,” Krejjh reasons. “But I felt it. Try again!”

RJ repeats the spell, with the same effect. The next few tries are also exactly the same.

“What am I doing wrong?” they ask in frustration. “Is it the wand movement?”

“Maaaybe?” says Krejjh uncertainly. They should have invited Brian along to this impromptu duelling session – teaching and studying is much more his element. Krejjh can barely stay focused when someone else is doing the teaching.

But RJ had only cornered them at dinner to make their request for duelling tuition again, and Brian was already studying in the library with his own protégée, Violet.

Krejjh has always wanted a small, adoring shadow of their very own, since both Sana and Brian seem to have one. (Well, Arkady Patel is more scowling and resentful than adoring, but it counts). They just hadn’t bargained on it involving duelling lessons.

“Let me come stand next to you, and then I can see what it is you’re doing better,” Krejjh decides. With Krejjh standing to their left, RJ repeats the Disarming spell movement.

“Hmmm… Try it more like…” Krejjh demonstrates.

“I am doing that,” says RJ.

“I mean, like…” Krejjh shows them again, trying to emphasise the part that RJ isn’t quite getting.

“Okay.” RJ turns to them. “Expelliarmus!” Krejjh’s wand definitely jumps a little harder this time, but it’s not a full Disarming Spell by any means.

“Why aren’t I getting this?” RJ asks in frustration. “You make it look so easy.”

Duelling does come easily to Krejjh, which is exactly why they find it hard to explain what someone else is doing wrong. “You’re getting better! I’m just not… great at explaining,” Krejjh says sadly.

“No, you’re a good teacher!” says RJ hastily. “I just need to work at it.”

Krejjh leans against one of the desks. “You said you knew Park, right? The Hufflepuff Prefect? He’s in Duelling Club – why haven’t you asked him to show you some spells?”

RJ crosses their arms and looks down at the classroom floor. “I don’t want Park to know I’m doing this,” they mumble. “He’d only get worried, or try to take on Goodman and Golding-Frederick for me. And he’d want to know about what they’ve been saying.”

“What have they been saying?” Krejjh asks, quietly.

“Stuff about Park,” RJ says, their eyes fixed on the floor. “Comments about his… heritage.”

“As in his Blood Status, or…?” Krejjh asks.

“Both,” RJ replies, and Krejjh’s fist clenches hard. “They were just saying things about me at first,” RJ goes on, the flood of words coming quickly now. “In the Common Room, in the corridors… making half-blood jokes, making comments about my appearance. About my gender. It’s not just me they do it to, and I’ve learned to tune it out. But they figured out I was ignoring them, and that’s when they started in on Park.”

RJ looks up at Krejjh, eyes narrowed with fury. It’s a struggle for Krejjh not to show their own anger, but they can tell that getting worked up isn’t what RJ needs from them right now. “I don’t care what they say about me. It doesn’t matter. But I won’t let them talk like that about Park. I wish there was a way to teach them a lesson.”

Krejjh stands up. “You know what? I know some folks who might just be able to help with that.”

“All right, everybody, listen up,” says Sana, calling the room to order. The attention of the motley, unlikely crew of oddballs assembled in the Quidditch team changing rooms comes to rest on her. “First off, I’d like to thank you all for coming-”

Arkady Patel raises her hand. “Can we skip the touchy-feely intro?” she asks. “Also, why are we in the Quidditch changing-rooms, of all places?”

“Because none of the teams has practice booked tonight, and also it was the only place I could think of that was big enough that we could all access,” Sana replies promptly. “Next question?”

Arkady huffs, but subsides.

“Okay. So, we’ve come here to discuss a plan of action against two individuals who have been making life difficult for our friends and housemates,” says Sana. “Jennifer Golding-Frederick and John Goodman, also known as the JGs. Also known as bullies of the worst kind.

“Reporting them to their Head of House, Professor Jahansooz, hasn’t done any good, and believe me, I’ve tried. Other professors are also aware of their behaviour, but haven’t managed to keep them in line. Which has made us think that we need to take matters into our own hands.” Sana nods at Krejjh.

“We thought about playing some kind of a prank on them,” Krejjh says cheerfully. “Or trapping them somewhere really horrible, like a greenhouse full of Mandrakes. Unfortunately, those are hard to get a hold of at short notice.”

“Also, that would be highly unethical,” says Sana disapprovingly, frowning at Krejjh. “No, what we decided to do was to get them caught in the act of some serious rule-breaking, in a way that even they couldn’t wriggle out of. We know that both of them get up to a lot of questionable things when the teachers’ backs are turned, because they know they can get away with it. We just needed to get some intel on what those are, and then figure out a way to turn the tables.”

“And did you?” asks Brian, sounding impressed.

“Did we ever, bud!” says Krejjh. “You know how consuming alcohol on school grounds is banned, even for of-age students? Well, guess who has an illegal Firewhiskey brewing operation set up near the edge of the Forbidden Forest.”

Brian whistles, and even Park looks surprised. “Seriously?”

“Cross our hearts,” Krejjh replies. “We’ve got reason to believe they’ve been supplying it to underage students, too.”

“How the hell did you find this out?” Arkady asks.

“We have a spy on the inside: Violet Liu,” says Sana. Everyone immediately turns to look at Violet, who holds up her hands.

“Uh, not me. There’s another Violet Liu who’s in Slytherin house. She’s taller than me, and she’s a fifth year.”

“I mean, I’m pretty sure most people are taller than you,” Arkady points out. “What are you, five feet tall?”

Violet straightens up, looking indignant. “I’m five foot and half an inch,” she says.

“Right. Of course. I was way off.”

“Uh, so how did you get the other Violet to dish the dirt on the JGs?” asks Brian, bringing the conversation back on topic.

“I might’ve promised to look the other way on any supply cupboard-related offenses for a couple of weeks,” Sana admits, and Park snorts with amusement. Krejjh laughs too, because they know Thasia, and have had the opportunity to hear them complain about the smallness and cramped-ness of Transfiguration supply cupboards.

“I have no idea what that means, but okay,” says Arkady. “So, now that we know about the Beegees’ – sorry, the JGs’ – secret Firewhiskey operation, how are we going to blow it wide open?”

Sana’s grin turns devious. “Funny you should ask.”

Jennifer Golding-Frederick walks the corridors of Hogwarts a few minutes before curfew, surveying her domain. Things are quiet tonight, which would normally please her, but tonight it makes her suspicious. They haven’t heard a peep out of that little imp McCabe lately, even though McCabe was making such bold threats towards them only a few days ago. Jennifer would like to think that they’ve subsided out of fear, but she knows better than to believe that. Annoying little second-years rarely learn their place so quickly.

“Goodman,” she greets her lieutenant as they meet up outside the Prefects’ Bathroom. Goodman, as a fourth year, is too young to be a Prefect, but access to the Prefects’ Bathroom is one of the perks that Jennifer accords to those students who are loyal to her. She also politely discourages the use of the bathroom by Prefects from other houses, although the Hufflepuff Prefects are remarkably stubborn about it. “Anything unusual tonight?”

Goodman shrugs. “All seems quiet. A bit too quiet, really.”

“Agreed,” says Jennifer grimly. “You should-”

She’s interrupted by the arrival of a very out of breath Meg Clark, a Slytherin third-year. “Jennifer,” she says, panting and resting her hands on her knees. “I mean – General, sorry,” she adds at Jennifer’s disapproving look. “We’ve got a problem. Someone tipped off Professor Eejjhgreb about the-” She glances to left and right, and then whispers, “the firewhiskey operation. They’re on their way down now to check out the tip.”

Jennifer isn’t easily rattled, but her heart jumps at the mention of Professor Eejjhgreb, who hates her and Goodman and also happens to be the Deputy Head of the school (as well as the Head of Gryffindor House), meaning that Professor Jahansooz’ protection won’t do them any good. “Is the Disillusionment Charm still in place?” she asks sharply.

Clark nods. “It is, but Johnson’s on guard duty tonight…” She trails off.

Jennifer swears. Johnson, a Slytherin fourth year, could charitably be described as ‘vacant’ (though Jennifer would more accurately describe him as “terminally moronic”) and has no ability to improvise when confronted by a professor. If Eejjhgreb questions him about what he’s doing down by the Forbidden Forest, he’ll fold like wet tissue paper. “Who tipped off Eejjhgreb, Clark?” she asks furiously.

“Uh… Some Ravenclaw, I think? Violet Liu? Though, I thought Violet Liu was in our house,” says Clark, sounding uncertain.

“There is a Ravenclaw called Violet Liu,” Goodman puts in. “A third year. She hangs around with Jeeter and his group.”

“Oh, I knew that lot would be behind this,” says Jennifer. “Goodman, stay here and keep an eye out for anything else – especially Liu, Jeeter, Tripathi, Park and the rest of their little gang. I’m going down to the Forest before Johnson gets us all put in detention for the rest of the year.”

“I’ll meet you back at the Common Room in an hour,” says Goodman, and leaves. Jennifer sweeps off at the most rapid pace that she can manage without breaking into a run.

Meg checks again that the coast is clear, and then knocks the agreed pattern on the door of the Prefects’ Bathroom: one two three one-two-three one-two-three. Musha rain, dum a doo, dum a da.

It opens, and Park emerges, along with McCabe, looking awestruck at the experience of being inside the Prefects’ Bathroom. Meg doesn’t know what all the fuss is about. She went in there once. It wasn’t that great.

“I did exactly as you told me,” Meg informs Park. “She’s on her way to the edge of the Forbidden Forest right now, thinking that Eejjhgreb is down there.” She holds out her hand. “Pay up.”

Park rolls his eyes, but hands over five Sickles and a limited-edition Chocolate Frog card: Sybil Trelawney, the legendary 20th-century Seer and great-great-granddaughter of Cassandra Trelawney. Meg’s collection is almost complete.

“Cheers,” she says. “Later, losers.”

Park watches Clark go, and shakes his head slightly. It wasn’t the greatest moment of his life when he approached Clark to bargain for her participation in the plan they’d devised, but fortunately she proved fairly easy to bribe.

“So…” says RJ, looking in the direction that Clark has just departed. “What now? Want to sneak down to the Forest and watch the show? I bet it’s going to be awesome.”

Park looks at RJ. They meet his eyes briefly and smile, but it’s strained, and they quickly break eye contact. “On second thoughts, maybe I should-”

“RJ,” says Park. RJ huffs and puts their hands in the pockets of their robe, shoulders hunched.

“Don’t start, Park.”

“Why didn’t you…” Park trails off, trying to decide which question he wants to ask first. “Why didn’t you tell me what Golding-Frederick and Goodman were doing?” Why didn’t you trust me to help you instead of a stranger from Gryffindor?

RJ shrugs. “It wasn’t that big of a deal. No, Park, it really wasn’t – at first, anyway. They’re just bullies – I’ve dealt with bullies before. I don’t have any classes with them, so they only bothered me in the corridors sometimes and in the Common Room. I could just tune them out. I got pretty good at it, too, but then they… Then they started in on you. And I wasn’t going to let that pass.”

“You didn’t need to-” Park begins, but RJ interrupts him.

“Yeah, Park, I did need to. You know what friends do? They look out for each other. That means I get to look out for you, too,” RJ says stubbornly. “Or are you telling me you wouldn’t have done the same thing for me?”

“Of course I would have-”

“Great. Then that’s settled,” says RJ, practically glaring at him. Park reflects that he’s never felt so heartwarmed and chastised at the same time. He sighs, but then smiles at RJ.

“Fine. Did I hear that you were looking to learn some basic duelling spells? I’d be happy to teach you a few.”

RJ looks surprised. “Really? You’d do that?”

“Of course,” says Park. “That’s what friends do.”

Jennifer is out of breath by the time she reaches the location, in an out-of-the-way spot near the tree line, that she and her associates have been using to brew the Firewhiskey. It’s concealed by a Disillusionment Charm, and protected by some basic Shield Charms in case any wandering animals or students accidentally stumble across it, but those are quite easily lifted.

The idiot Johnson is standing a few feet away from the concealed equipment, looking as gormless as ever. Jennifer strides up to him.

“Where are they?”

“Uh… where are who?” asks Johnson blankly.

“Where is Professor Eejjhgreb,” says Jennifer impatiently. “They have’t been down here?”

“Uh, nope, not that I saw,” says Johnson uncertainly. “And I mean, I’ve been here the whole time, so unless they have an Invisibility Cloak…”

Frowning, Jennifer wonders whether Clark could have been misinformed. But because Johnson is an idiot of the highest order, she decides to check on the brewing equipment while she’s down here. She walks over, and feeling for the Shield Charms, dismantles them and then lifts the Disillusionment Charm. Everything seems to be in place.

“Oh, she said to give you this,” Johnson calls from where he’s still standing as if rooted to the ground. He’s probably afraid of what Jennifer would do if he got too close to the equipment. It might well be the only smart judgement call he’s ever made.

Then Jennifer realises what he just said. “‘She’? What do you mean, ‘she’?” she demands, striding back over to Johnson.

“Some Ravenclaw… Wu maybe? Or… Liu? She’s like five feet tall, Chinese I think. She gave me this note.”

Johnson feels around in his pocket, and produces a folded piece of parchment. He hands it to Jennifer, who unfolds it and reads it.

“Is this a joke?” she demands.

John Goodman has just finished his sweep of the first-floor corridor (he ran into some goody-goody Ravenclaw Prefects on the way, but he’s made sure that they won’t be reporting him – not that it would really matter if they did) and is contemplating going down to the kitchens to steal some food when he sees something that makes his blood run cold.

Professor Eejjhgreb is walking through the Entrance Hall and out towards the grounds, a purposeful look in their eye. John scrambles to get down the stairs and catch up with Eejjhgreb, determined to waylay the Professor before they can go any further.

“Professor!”

Eejjhgreb turns, and in that instant John realises his mistake. “Ah. John Goodman,” says Eejjhgreb. “Just the student I had been looking for. Would you like to tell me what you’re doing out so far past curfew?”

“I – just came from my dorm,” says John, thinking fast. “There’s – a terrible emergency, uh, Seiders is sick-”

“Would this terrible emergency not be something for your Head of House to handle?” Eejjhgreb asks, raising an eyebrow. “But instead you are here in the Entrance Hall, and judging by the fact that you are not dressed for bed, I can only assume you did not in fact come from your dormitory, but were out past curfew. Detention, Goodman.” Eejjhgreb turns away and continues across the grounds.

Shit. John runs to catch up with them. “Professor – there’s something you should know-”

“Is there?” Eejjhgreb asks ominously. “Could it be related to the illegal Firewhiskey brewing operation that you and your friend Jennifer Golding-Frederick have been conducting on school grounds? Oh yes, I know all about what the two of you have been doing. You are already in serious trouble, and if you attempt to delay me any further, it will go even worse for you.”

John opens his mouth, and closes it again. He knows that the General is going to be beside herself if she finds out that he didn’t stop Eejjhgreb, but at this moment in time, he doesn’t think that any revenge she might enact would be worse than what Eejjhgreb could do to him. Besides, it sounds like she’s about to go down, too. John knows when to cut his losses.

“Yes, Professor. Goodnight, Professor.”

The note reads,

This is for every student you’ve ground beneath your heel. You’re about to learn that you can’t push us around.

Next time we won’t be so kind.

—Rumor

P.S. Stand clear.

Jennifer draws her wand and turns towards the Firewhiskey brewing equipment – just in time to see it explode in a ball of flame.

“Protego!” she shouts quickly, and a Shield Charm expands to protect her from any flying glass or debris. Next to her, Johnson has thrown himself onto the ground, hands covering his head.

“Woooohooooo!” A joyful shout comes from over the trees, and Jennifer turns to see two figures on a broom soar away from the forest: a skinny, shorter figure clinging on for dear life, and a tall figure behind them in red Gryffindor Quidditch captain robes, riding a broom like they were born to fly.

“We’ve been set up!” Jennifer exclaims angrily. She rounds on Johnson, ready to start berating him for his negligence, when an angry voice shouts from behind them.

“Jennifer Golding-Frederick!”

Jennifer turns slowly to see an irate Professor Eejjhgreb storming towards them, their eyes fixed on the still-smouldering remains of the brewing equipment.

“Professor-” For once, words fail her.

“So, you thought that you could evade punishment by destroying the evidence of your activities?” Eejjhgreb demands. They look from her to Johnson, who is still cowering on the ground. “Get up, boy.”

“No, Professor – that was Krejjh and their associate! I believe it was Brian Jeeter – he must have cast the spell from behind a tree–”

“Is that so? And where are they now, these miscreants?” asks Eejjhgreb. “Are they hiding in the Forest?”

“They flew away,” puts in Johnson. “On a broom.”

“How convenient,” says Eejjhgreb. They draw their wand, and Johnson flinches, but Eejhgreb merely pours water onto the remains of the brewing equipment, extinguishing the fire once and for all.

“Both of you, come with me,” says Eejjhgreb. “We’re going to see the Headmaster.”

Back in the safety of the castle, the three fifth-years meet up in the kitchens to toast their success. Of the three of them, only Krejjh isn’t a Prefect, but the company of two Prefects with spotless track records is a pretty good shield against breaking curfew. Sometimes, a little bit of mischief is warranted.

“Cheers,” says Sana, pouring out Butterbeer for the three of them, provided by a group of bowing house elves. “To a job well done.”

Krejjh downs half their Butterbeer in one gulp. “Man, it’s too bad about that Firewhiskey, though.” They eye Sana, who has her schoolbag slung over her shoulder. “Are you sure you didn’t manage to steal just a little bit before we blew it up?”

“Of course not,” says Sana, sounding shocked. “That would be highly unethical.”

Park raises an eyebrow. “Did you take any?”

Sana glances around at the house elves, who are busily occupying themselves with cleaning dishes from that night’s dinner, and pulls out a sealed jar from her schoolbag. “Just, you know, as a backup. Additional evidence.”

Park shrugs. “Makes sense.”

“We should really test it, though,” Krejjh muses idly. “Just to make sure it’s the real deal.”

“Krejjh, you read my mind,” says Sana, unscrewing the top of the jar and pouring a little Firewhiskey into each mug of Butterbeer. “Another toast! To freedom.”

“To showing the bullies who’s boss!” Krejjh declares.

“To... friendship,” says Park, and the three of them clink their mugs.

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poppibranchlover · 5 years

Text

The Queen and the Butterfly II: The Witch’s Curse - Part 19

This story is a sequel to “The Queen and the Butterfly”.

The story: Poppy offers Branch some cupcakes with butterflies in it which turns out to be mysterious. When the two Trolls eat them, they got transformed into butterflies themselves and realize that the cupcakes were actually cursed by an evil witch! Now they must try to find the witch who made those cupcakes and get a cure to get themselves back to normal, while encountering obstacles in the process along the way.

Getting close to finish, friends! You already seen what had happened in Part 18. Now get ready for Part 19!:

Meanwhile, in the lab, Branch was still trapped in the jar that the female Troll put over him. He desperately wanted to get out of here. He kept fluttering around the glass and knocking it with his hair as hard as he could but to no avail.

Then he tried charging into the glass like a bull. But instead, he smacked into it and was flown backwards before tumbling onto the ground.

Frustrated, Branch tried pushing the jar and it moved a bit. It seemed like it was working. If he pushed it hard enough, the glass might break and he would be free. He continued pushing the jar forward with all his strength, not long until the Troll arrived back in the lab, just in time to see Branch trying to escape.

When she walked closer to the jar, Branch stopped pushing it and gasped at the sight of an enormous person suddenly bending over him. He darted to the left side of the glass and tried to knock it as the Troll put a hand over the jar to take a closer look at him.

“Oh, what a darling little butterfly!” she said, looking at Branch, who was desperately flapping his wings and flying up and down. He continued looking for a way out of the jar, ignoring her and screaming for help in his high-pitched butterfly voice.

“Let me out!” he was yelling while doing this so. “Help me!”

The Troll made a face as she watched Branch. He looked so scared and helpless....just like a butterfly. Apparently, butterflies are just extremely shy to go near big Trolls.

Branch frantically kept sliding up and down the glass, flapping his wings and panicking. The Troll moved her face closer to the jar, trying as much as she could to comfort him. But Branch thought she was going to shout angrily at him once more and cowered in fear.

“Come on, little butterfly,” she said gently. “You don't have to be scared. I’m not going to hurt you. I'm very nice.”

This made Branch stop immediately. He perched still on the glass, facing the back and moving his wings slowly. Then he faced the Troll, his eyes wide with fear and worry. To him, it looked as if she did wanted to hurt him after all and since he was now a butterfly, he has no point whether he would like this or not. She seems so big and he was so tiny, and he was afraid to speak to her that he was a Troll too. He just perched in the jar, trying not to move as the Troll observed him very carefully.

“Look at you! You poor thing,” she said. “You look so tiny and cute! Stop breaking the glass too hard and look at me, please?”

Branch stared at her, confused. What is she talking about? I want to get out of here now!

The Troll twisted the jar for a bit and pulled out her magnifying glass to inspect him closely. Branch looked frightened and shuffled upwards. His wings glistened as he flapped them again.

The Troll giggled as she inspected them. “I like your wings,” she said. “They're so sparkly and pretty.”

Branch made a face. No, they’re not! he thought as he glanced at his wings for a second. I mean, just look at them! Do you think it’s useless?

His wings flapped in response, shining like glitter. Branch scowled and groaned.

"Your hair must be so soft,” the Troll added, inspecting his blue hair. Finally, she looked closely at his face and concluded “I think your face looks just like me, but I can’t tell what your face actually looks like.”

Branch stared at her for a moment, puzzled. Then he looked back at the glass and started squirming again, still trying to get out.

The Troll stroked her chin as she observed her discovery. How was she able to get this little butterfly look at her again? She moved the jar closer to her face and told Branch gently “I want to know what your face looks like. Come on.”

She motioned her finger to the jar and wiggled it back and forth, as a way of signalling Branch to fly closer to her. But he didn’t like the sound of that. He cringed and continued squirming around the glass.

He fluttered to the right and perched himself upside down on it, pushing the jar with his face. His wings moved slowly as he kept still for a moment. Then he fluttered the other way and did the same.

The Troll watched as he fluttered around the jar and back. What an exciting discovery she had come to. But Branch still couldn’t get out of the jar. He fluttered here and he fluttered there to see if there is any other way to escape.

But there was no way out at all. His antennae twitched and he just blinked, his wings moved slowly when he kept still again. Then after that, he fluttered to the left and perched himself in his regular position there.

Branch was starting to grow worried as he frantically kept looking for a way out. But he knew he would never, never find the way. His antennae twitched again and he looked back at the Troll, who was still observing him. She motioned her finger again and told him gently “Come on. Don’t be afraid. Please come closer to me so I can see your little face.”

Branch calmed down for a moment when he turned to her. He looked concerned, wondering if she has any other way to release him. He fluttered to the other side where she is looking at him and perched himself on it.

Once he landed there, his wings moved up and down slowly and his antennae jerked a bit. The Troll lifted the jar so she can take a closer look at Branch’s face.

Branch started moaning and shivering with fear when he stared up at her, making his eyes as big as he could. His antennae twitched at once and his ears drooped with sadness, making him look lovably pathetic.

“Awwww!” the Troll girl said with sympathy as she looked at his begging expression on his face. This butterfly in her jar was really a Troll after all! “Aren’t you sweet? What have I done with to you? You certainly look like me!”

The look on Branch’s face seemed to tell her to get him out of the jar. He whined like a puppy and puts his nose to the glass, still making his eyes wide and pathetic. He looked very cute, way beyond cuter, like every small creature would ever always be. His wings fidgeted behind him as he continued moaning sadly.

The Troll wanted to do something to make him happy. She put a finger to him and started tapping at the glass.

TAP! TAP! TAP!

In a flash, Branch flew away, startled by this. He didn’t like how she was doing it.

Then she put her hand away from the glass and he perched back to her again, glaring at her.

“What’s the matter with you?” the Troll said, giggling playfully. “You don’t like to be touched?”

Branch simply glared at her, feeling uncomfortable with the thought of being poked by a giant Troll. He moved his wings for a second to show disapproval.

“I see,” the Troll said, nodding and understanding how he felt. Then she gently put down the jar and rushed to one of her shelves in her lab, finding something to comfort him.

There, she picked up a leftover of an eaten cookie beside a replica of a bone ribcage and walked back to the jar. She picked it up and showed the cookie to Branch. He looked puzzled when she held it up towards him.

Was it cursed too? He can’t simply even tell!

“Are you hungry?” the Troll asked him, moving the cookie nearer to him so he can see it. “You want this?”

Branch stared up at her in confusion. He feels uncertain about this. He knew that everywhere in this mansion, there are plenty of cursed food in here, including the butterfly cupcakes. And now, this Troll was about to give him this cookie kept in this place. He was worried if this Troll eat this, then she would become under a spell as well!

“Don’t worry,” she said to him, ignoring the expression on his face. “I’ll give you a bit for you so you can eat it. I’ll eat the other half of this cookie.”

Then without warning, she puts the cookie into her mouth and took a bite. CRUNCH!

Branch watched in state of confusion as she gobbled up only just half of it. Crumbs scatter onto the floor as she ate. So far, it looks more like an ordinary cookie.

Once she stopped eating some of it, she offered a chunk of what’s left of it to Branch and said “It’s so good! Now it’s your turn!”

She moved the chunk closer for him to eat. Afraid, he fluttered back to the left side and tried desperately escaping the jar himself once again.

But this Troll already has one capable chance of getting him out. She poked the cookie chunk a few times on the glass to give him attention. Branch turned around, looking up at her, and at the cookie.

He thinks that the cookie has magical effects and was sure to transform him and this Troll. He prayed she would choose the right cookie. But alas, she wasn’t going to do it. He was about to turn away when she told him gently “Don’t worry, little fella. It has no magic effect when I eat it.”

Branch raised an eyebrow. Was this true? It looked like a normal cookie to her.

“Trust me. I didn’t transform when I eat this,” she continued. “And you wouldn’t too! Eat this. Come on.” She motioned the cookie back and forth, trying to get Branch to flutter to her view again. “Come closer. Don’t be shy. You got to try this.”

She tapped at the glass again. Only this time, it was more gentle than startling. Branch carefully flapped his wings and hovered towards the cookie, taking a sniff at it.

The Troll moved the cookie up and down, making Branch follow it. He was still sniffing at it, trying to figure out what did it taste like. Then he charged at the glass again and tumbled backwards. He was indeed still trapped in the jar and wants to eat the cookie right now. He got angry as he tried breaking it to get the cookie while inside it to no avail. The Troll saw how distressed he is and realizes that she forgot about releasing him.

“Oh, I’m so sorry” she apologized. “Where are my manners?”

Then she gently dropped the jar and placed the cookie piece on the floor near her feet.

Finally, she lifted the jar up and Branch fluttered out of it. He was glad to have been saved by her, but he was now getting hungry.

He continued sniffing for the cookie as he fluttered towards it. It was starting to smell so chocolately and delicious to his nose right now. But is it really true this Troll is certain that it’s just a normal cookie? He would really need to know about it.

Just pretend it’s a normal cookie, he thought as he examined it, trying to remain calm. Just pretend it’s normal.

Next, he closed his eyes and opened his mouth wide. Then he took a bite on the cookie. CHOMP!!!

He chewed, feeling the yummy taste of chocolate chips inside his mouth. He even tried feeling the taste of unnecessary side effects from the cookie as he swallowed the chunk.

“Mmmm? Mmmm!” Branch mumbled through what he was eating right now. In fact, it tasted just like a regular cookie should be! Smiling to himself, he helped himself to eating the rest of this delicious biscuit.

CHOMP!!! CHOMP!!! CHOMP!!! CHOMP!!!!

Branch gobbled up every last chunk of the cookie, scattering some pieces of crumbs around the floor. The Troll watched happily and playfully stroked his hair with her finger as he ate. It is quite adorable to see butterflies eating food in this type of way.

Just then, Poppy fluttered out of her hiding place to see what is going on right now. She looked around and saw the Troll fawning over Branch eating the cookie piece. “Awwww!” she said with a smile as she looked at Branch. “So cute!”

Then she fluttered down to him and began to share a piece with him, taking the right edge of the cookie and chomping at it.

CHOMP!!! CHOMP!!! CHOMP!!! CHOMP!!!!

Now Branch and Poppy are eating and sharing one cookie together. They chomped and munched on the chunks happily, not long before Branch noticed that she was eating with him too. They stopped eating and stare at each other for a moment, holding the now-smaller cookie piece in their mouths.

Then Branch took the last piece away from her mouth and held it proudly, glad to see that Poppy is alright. Seeing her boyfriend being so happy to have eaten something sweet again, she laughed as he swallowed the last piece.

“I love you so much!” Poppy said happily.

Suddenly, upon hearing her high-pitched voice from below, the yellow-haired Troll gasped in shock. “Hey! Did I know you?!”

Branch stared up at her. “Know ‘who’?” he asked, speaking up. “You didn’t even know who I am!”

“No! Not you!” the Troll corrected him. She pointed at Poppy. “Her!”

Poppy looked up at her, looking utterly confused. “You know who I am? Who are you?”

“I’m Chrystelle,” the Troll said. “And I know everything about you, Poppy! You’re the queen of Troll Village! I haven’t seen you around for 300 years since you’ve escaped Bergen Town!”

Poppy and Branch looked at each other, and then at this Troll. It is actually Chrystelle.

“So, it’s really you!” Branch said in amazement. After all this time, he knew this is the kind of Troll they were actually looking for; the one who had made the cursed butterfly cupcakes!

“What happened to you and this Troll, Poppy?” Chrystelle asked, bending down to them. “It looks like you’ve eaten my magical cupcakes!”

“We actually did,” said Poppy, fluttering up to her. “I didn’t realize at the next moment they were cursed! That’s why we’re here to get your help on changing us back!”

“Yeah, because Cloud Guy thinks I’m too tiny to play video games right now!” Branch said.

“Look,” Chrystelle began, her voice faltering as she spoke. “I know you needed my help now but I’m not really the social-kind-of Troll that I used to be. Everyone thinks my food taste bad because my cooking skills are becoming as bad as I’ve observed over a year!”

“Yes,” Poppy told her, perching herself on her ear. “But ever since you decided to exile yourself in this old house, all what you’re doing to the Trolls is far worse than expected!”

"I did. I was so worried to see what would happen if you and your friends eat my food I was making that I don’t want to look.”

“What are you talking about?” asked Branch. “I think you had the right to look.”

“But why are you refusing to look at the effects of your magic food?” Poppy’s eyes searched Chrystelle’s as she spoke gently to her. “I don’t understand....”

Maybe it was the time Poppy learned a lesson and got some perspective on what it was like for somebody who hadn’t had a perfect life like hers. She was just a little, pretty queen with every chance handed to her on a silver platter with cupcakes next to it.

“Remember that early morning when you first saw my cupcakes?” Chrystelle took a deep breath as she began her flashback. “I saw you walking towards my shop and you were asking for my food. But you decided that you want them all.”

Poppy suddenly remembered that day she went to the hooded hermit’s little shop, which was selling butterfly cupcakes. She walked straight to it and asked “Are those chocolate cupcakes with butterfly candies in some vanilla frosting?!”

“Yes,” the hooded figure said. “They’re for sale today! Would you like to buy one?”

“Yes, please!” Poppy said proudly. “I want them all!”

Chrystelle went on with her story. “Moments later, you took every last cupcake from my counter...until no smudge of frosting was left.”

The flashback shows that Poppy had put all the butterfly cupcakes in her basket. The figure was so surprised that she said “Wow! I can’t believe you took all of them! Is there anything to pay more because they’re so expensive to buy!”

“Maybe some stacks of cash would be helpful when it comes to buying a lot!!” Poppy told the hermit as she pulled out a stack of cash from her pocket and placing them on the counter. “Here ya go!”

“Ooh! Thank you,” the hermit said awkwardly. “Have a nice day and enjoy your meal.”

“And after that, you left with my cupcakes,” Chrystelle replied as she continued her story. “I watched from my hood as you go. But deep down, I’m quite worried.”

From her little shop, the hooded person revealed her own eyes. It was Chrystelle in disguise. Since knowing everything about true natures of different creatures in this world, Poppy has realized the truth. Her eyes grew large as she asked “So you were selling those cupcakes I bought two days ago?”

“It’s true,” Chrystelle answered. “Trolls don’t start out this way. But they certainly don’t want to be around one who casts spells like a witch. Even if I accidentally make a deformed cake that turns you into rabid raccoons as well.”

She hung her head low, concluding her flashback. “It wasn’t so hard to watch Trolls enjoying my food in the past. I ended up selling all of these to everyone in secret so I won’t show up to tell you the truth. Every day, I would feel disappointed in my own shop, just wearing black, and anticipate if any curse is working on you once you eat my food. Since then, everyone still doesn’t care about me after I got fired from work at the bakery. I was too revolting, and I couldn’t sell anything but these kind of food ever since.”

She sighed and stared into space, feeling in low spirits. Poppy fluttered close to her and decided to comfort her.

"I’m so sorry to hear how you felt about those cupcakes,” she said tenderly. “But it looks like it was just only a mistake to sell your food to everyone.” She put her butterfly wing up to reach out for Chrystelle’s ear, but she turned away with guilt.

“You’re right. It’s just a stupid mistake I’ve made and nobody will deny what I deserved!” she said, tears rolling down her cheeks. “I’m very sorry, Poppy. I wish you should have not come to my shop in the first place.”

Poppy hesitated. She felt sorry for this Troll, but deep down, she knew she wanted to change her attitude just like Branch had done it before. “Chrystelle, it wasn’t my fault I buy those cupcakes and then Branch and I ate them and become butterflies!” she explained. “I understand how anti-social you’ve been and why you were afraid to try something new. But Branch and I came here to change ourselves back to normal, right?”

“Well, I’m no use for this world!” Chrystelle complained. “I don’t know a way how to reverse the curse I put into you.”

“Sometimes you gotta think of the positive side so you can do better things for your life.” Poppy said, fluttering towards her face. “No matter how many times you would mess up, just start over and achieve a better life!”

“Really?” asked Chrystelle. “How will I start?”

“By singing a song?” Branch asked absentmindedly, thinking no more than a few plans in what is supposed to be true.

Poppy’s eyes widened with intrigue. “Excellent idea, Branch!” she cried happily. “Why didn’t I think of this sooner?”

“Sometimes there’s always a way to cheer people up! Don’t fight it,” Branch hissed. “But how can we dance if we’re still butterflies?”

Poppy looked at her butterfly form, and then at Branch’s. They were still not Trolls yet...unless they have to keep Chrystelle in high spirits so she can help them. She answered to Branch “Come on. Butterflies can really dance! I’m sure you’re gonna love how to do that! Let’s get to it!”

Then she fluttered closer to Chrystelle’s face and began to sing to her in her high, clear voice:

🎶 Clearly you need music, to make you happy again 🎶

🎶 So listen to this song-type thing, about the greater good. 🎶

She spun around and around as she sang. Branch joined her in, fluttering alongside her.

🎶 There are times that you feel glad and times that you feel sad 🎶

🎶 But d-don’t ever fear because you got company to look after right here 🎶

Next, Poppy was now fluttering around Chrystelle’s head. She watched in amazement as she kept singing to her, getting her to motivate her own feelings.

🎶 Whoooah, yeah! Don’t feel down in the dumps and think positive! 🎶

🎶 And someday, you’ll have the freedom you’ll need! 🎶

🎶 Oh yeah! Whoooah! You’ll have positive freedom! Whoooah! Whoaaah! 🎶

Then Branch fluttered right beside her, flying in circles. He took a deep breath and started to sing in his clear, angelic and handsome voice:

🎶 Now look at me now! 🎶

🎶 I’m soarin’ to my freedom! 🎶

🎶 There’s no catching on me ‘cause I’m happy to be there for you! 🎶

Poppy sang back to him:

🎶 I’m lookin’ at ya! 🎶

🎶 I’m happy that you’re singing for me! 🎶

🎶 Now we’ll fly to our destiny and feel free like we’ll always be! 🎶

Poppy and Branch were now flying around the lab, singing together. They spun around each other as the song kept going.

🎶 We’re butterflies and we long to be free ‘til the end! 🎶

🎶 But now our time has come ‘cause we long to be people again! 🎶

They flew under a ceiling lamp and started dancing, swaying back and forth and flapping their wings.

🎶 Stop being so sad and live happy for now! 🎶

🎶 The pressure was getting into your head so you no need to worry about! 🎶

🎶 Whoooah, yeah! Don’t feel down in the dumps and think positive! 🎶

🎶 And someday, you’ll have the freedom you’ll need! 🎶

🎶 Oh yeah! Whoooah! 🎶 (🎶 Aw, yeah! 🎶)

Poppy was now fluttering around Chrystelle’s head again, singing the chorus to her. Branch joined in as well, providing a steady beat for Poppy’s song.

🎶 You’ll have positive freedom! 🎶 (🎶 That’s right! 🎶 )

🎶 Whoooah! Whoaaah! 🎶 (🎶 Come on! 🎶 )

🎶 Positive freedom! 🎶

Next, Branch turned himself upside down and hovered in a spot, trying to amuse Chrystelle. While he is doing this, he sang:

🎶 Now look at me now! 🎶

🎶 I’m upside down! 🎶

🎶 There’s no reason to frown ‘cause now’s the time to smile! 🎶

Poppy and Chrystelle giggled at him, amused by what they’re seeing. Then Poppy sang back to Branch:

🎶 Whoaah, yeah! I’m lookin’ at ya! 🎶

🎶 I’m happy that I’ll always love you! 🎶

🎶 Now we’ll fly to our destiny and feel free like we’ll always be! 🎶

🎶 Let’s go! 🎶

Now Poppy and Branch are spinning around in circles while singing their song. They sang in perfect harmony, as their voices nearly sync together as one.

🎶 Whoooah! Whoaaah! 🎶

🎶 How I wish to be free? 🎶

🎶 It’s like the golden age of happiness! 🎶

🎶 I wouldn’t want to fly after you until I shout out “Whee!” 🎶

🎶 I want to live like a man! 🎶

🎶 But deep down I’m in love with you! 🎶

🎶 I wish I can have more strength to carry a frying pan! 🎶

They stopped singing for a moment at the point Branch sang this. Chrystelle asked “A frying pan?”

“What?” Branch said to her. “All I could think is saving you from spiders with that weapon!”

“Oh, okay,” Chrystelle said with a nod. “You can carry on.”

The song continued as Poppy perched on her face for a moment before soaring again.

🎶 I wish there’s some way to help you 🎶

🎶 But it’s very disappointing that you very insecure 🎶

🎶 Now all is left to do is drop your insecurities and be just the way you ARE!!! 🎶

Branch sang: 🎶 WHOOO!!! COME ON!!! 🎶

Then he fluttered beside Poppy once more, and the two of them formed a big circle and danced as they sung the chorus one last time.

🎶 Whoooah, yeah! Don’t feel down in the dumps and think positive! 🎶

🎶 And someday, you’ll have the freedom you’ll need! 🎶

🎶 And once you gain what you need 🎶

🎶 You can prove to everyone that you’ve changed! 🎶

🎶 So others will be happy to understand! 🎶

🎶 Oh yeah! Whoooah! 🎶 (🎶 Aw, yeah! 🎶)

🎶 You’ll have positive freedom! 🎶 (🎶 That’s right! 🎶 )

🎶 Whoooah! Whoaaah! 🎶 (🎶 Come on! 🎶 )

🎶 Positive freedom! 🎶

At the grand finale, Poppy and Branch put their wings in the air, singing that last word of the song. Once it finished, Chrystelle clapped her hands and cheered.

"Wow! That’s such a great song!” she said happily. “I didn’t know you can sing very well!”

"Thanks! I hope you like the song!” said Poppy. “Does this make you feel better now?”

“Yes!” Chrystelle answered proudly. “I’m starting to think positive once again!”

Then she stared up into space and put her left hand to her cheek, while her right hand held her left elbow. She began to think. “Hmmm?”

“Now what?” asked Branch. “Are you thinking of a way how to change us back now?”

“I think she is, Branch!” Poppy chirped. “It really worked!”

Moments later, Chrystelle cried out triumphantly “I got it!”

Branch was so startled he nearly lost his balance from flying. “Whoa! What?!” he asked. “Don’t tell me you did find a way…and now you did!”

“I do!” Chrystelle said as she put up a hand, motioning Poppy and Branch to perch on it. They listened as she told them “I’ve found a way how to reverse the curse! I will make two Troll-shaped cupcakes for you to eat and you will be back to normal as I’d promised!”

“But you’re a witch!” Branch said skeptically. “Witches are not supposed to-”

“Don’t worry. I may look like a witch, but I’m very friendly to all creatures big and small!” Chrystelle explained. “I’ll make some cupcakes that will help you restore your normal forms!”

“That sounds great! I’d love to try that new special cupcake of yours, Chrystelle!” Poppy said sweetly. “That’s so nice of you!”

“Thanks,” Chrystelle replied. “But for your safety, I need you guys to stay in the banquet room while I’ll get started making the cupcakes for you in the lab. Things might get crazy in here!”

“For real?” Branch moaned. “That’s one way of being attacked by witches!”

“Branch, let’s not be skeptical,” Poppy told him, putting a wing to her shoulder. “This Troll is going to help us get back to normal in a few minutes until she’s done! Right, Chrystelle?” She turned to the green Troll and gave her a wink.

“Right on it, Poppy!” she answered, winking back at her.

Branch groaned, not wanting to know what was the plan right now. But this is already their plan and they were doing this so this witch can help change them back to normal. And now, he and Poppy must wait until what she have made for them in store.

To Be Continued...

Stay tuned for the last part of the story: Part 20!

Note: Sorry if it’s a little too long because it’s getting close to end. But I thought maybe adding the most important parts would help please you. Anyways, hope you enjoy this, as well as the song! Part 20 will be the last part of the story so stay tuned for updates! :D

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douxreviews · 5 years

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Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) Review

"This isn't freedom, this is fear."

I’ve been looking forward to this more than any other Marvel movie. Yes, that includes The Avengers.

The Winter Soldier arc is one of my absolute favourite comic book storylines of all time. After Captain America: The First Avenger came out I hoped and prayed that the producers would be smart and adapt this storyline for the sequel. When it was finally announced that the sequel would indeed take inspiration from Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting’s original story (a Cold War spy thriller masquerading as a superhero adventure) my excitement soon gave way to concern. That story is just so good it would be impossible for this film to live up to my ridiculously high expectations.

I was wrong.

I bloody loved this film. I will even go so far as to say that it is my favourite Marvel movie to date. I enjoyed it more than The Avengers and you all know how much I loved The Avengers. The Winter Soldier has everything you could possibly want from a summer blockbuster - a smart script that actually makes you think (this is the most topical movie Marvel have ever made), strong characters you care about and action scenes that leave you breathless. Admittedly, many of the film's twists and turns aren't that shocking. I’d already guessed most of them after the first trailer came out. It is testament to how good this film is that this isn't really an issue.

Taking a leaf out of James Cameron’s book, this sequel switches genres from WWII adventure flick to conspiracy thriller. While the studio has tried to sell this as a multimillion dollar tribute to conspiracy films from the '70s like The Parallax View and Three Days of the Condor, The Winter Soldier feels more like a greatest hits package for the entire espionage genre. The Winter Soldier's story is right out of The Manchurian Candidate. The Washington setting recalls All the President’s Men and any number of Tom Clancy novels. And there is something very Person of Interest about the villain's scheme.

Directors Joe and Anthony Russo proved that they could produce great action scenes with Community’s minuscule budget, so it comes as no surprise that when handed a truck full of cash they knocked it out of the park. The Winter Soldier has some of the best actions scenes yet seen in a Marvel. With the exception of the grand finale (which is still ace), the brothers keep the action grounded, eschewing CGI in favour of good old fashioned practical effects and stunt work. Standouts include Cap’s brutal tussle in a packed elevator and Nick Fury being chased through the streets of Washington in his battered S.H.I.E.L.D. SUV.

Chris Evans continues to impress in the lead role, easily finding the lonely soul within the human flag as he struggles to find his place in the morally murky world of post-Watergate, post-9/11 America. In another’s hands, this character could easily be insufferably corny, but in Evan’s he is like a sad little puppy. You just want to hug him. One of the great things about Steve as a character is that he is a genuine team player. He's not one to hog the limelight. This allows the supporting cast more room to shine, particularly Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson. Emily VanCamp was the only one who felt underused, but I imagine she'll have an expanded role in Captain America 3.

The standout performance, however, comes from Scarlett Johansson. It’s nice to see all the great work done on her character by Joss Whedon isn't going to waste. This film is as much Natasha’s story as it is Steve’s. She is here as his partner and equal, not his sidekick (that role goes to Falcon). And it is a relief that the film doesn't try to force a romance between the two of them (Natasha spends most of the film trying to set Steve up with others). There are one or two tender moments, but they work more to strengthen the growing friendship between these troubled souls, who are just trying to find their place in this world. The film on the whole is surprisingly romance free, a first for a solo Marvel.

The film benefits from a pair of effective antagonists, an area where recent superhero films have struggled. I’ve seen others complain that the Winter Soldier himself lacks personality. That is the whole point. The Winter Soldier is not meant to be scheming mastermind like Lex Luthor, a charming trickster like Loki or a colourful anarchist like the Joker. He is the Terminator, a relentless, unstoppable force to reckoned with. He is someone who has had every trace of their individuality stripped away, leaving behind nothing but a ruthless killing machine. Elsewhere, Robert Redford - who would’ve made for an ideal Steve Rogers in his youth - puts that twinkly eyed charm to sinister use as S.H.I.E.L.D. boss Alexander Pierce.

Iron Man 3 and Thor: The Dark World dealt with the fallout from The Avengers and how the events of that film affect the respective heroes. The Winter Soldier is all about setting the stage for what comes next. Not just Avengers: Age of Ultron, but for the entire Marvel cinematic universe as a whole, including the likes of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the potential Peggy Carter series that is in the pipeline. The events of this film are going to have widespread repercussions for all our heroes.

Stars and Stripes

— One cameo was, to put it in words only a select few will understand, very cool cool cool.

— Steve’s list of things to catch up on changes depending on which country you see the film in. Here’s the American version:

And here is the British one:

— I'm not afraid to admit that Steve's brief reunion with the elderly Peggy Carter had me in tears.

— Done being in every TV show made in the last ten years, Alan Dale has obviously now moved on to showing up in all the film franchises. I expect to see him in the next Star Wars film.

— As with all Marvel movies, you shouldn’t leave once the credits start to roll. The mid-credits scene was directed by Joss Whedon and acts as a mini prequel for Age of Ultron.

— A certain sorcerer supreme was mentioned at one point. Does that mean a solo movie isn't too far off? Can't we have a Black Widow movie first?

Natasha: "You do anything fun Saturday night?" Steve: "Well, all the guys in my barbershop quartet are dead. So no, not really."

Sam: "You're a lot heavier than you look." Steve: "I had a big breakfast."

Natasha: "Hey fellas, either of one of you know where the Smithsonian is? I'm here to pick up a fossil." Steven: "That's hilarious."

Four out of four Vibranium shields.

Mark Greig has been writing for Doux Reviews since 2011

#Captain America #Captain America: The Winder Soldier #Steve Rogers #Black Widow #Natasha Romanoff #Nick Fury #Sam Wilson #Falcon #Bucky Barnes #Marvel #Marvel Cinematic Universe #MCU #Doux Reviews #Movie Reviews #something from the archive

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filligan-universe · 6 years

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31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN -- Week 3

The week of Fridays. Sorry if that’s dreadfully boring, but I’ve been looking for an excuse to binge these and this challenge seemed like a good enough one. They’re easily digestible, especially after the third one, and short and simple. I once caught Parts 6-8 during a marathon on TV when I was young and they didn’t scare me but I was fascinated by them. Oh, I also watched Krampus.

October 13 -- Krampus (2015)

Few people seem to understand what this is, but I’m sure as hell glad I bit the blind bullet on director Michael Dougherty’s other film, Trick R Treat, which I will be watching for this challenge because it’d be dumb not to. Krampus is a gateway horror film for kids. I always derided horror in my youth because I was, and still am, a giant wuss, but the genre is more flexible than any other when it comes to aging. They’re fine wines, really. Where else would my tastes be without films like Beetlejuice in my childhood? And I know Beetlejuice has never really been considered a horror, but the film is generally spooky and can act as a gateway for kids to get accustomed to the genre -- it can teach them to have fun being scared.

Krampus is an artifact in that sense. There is a clear and spooky atmosphere, some awesome creature designed that even creeped me a little, and the film doesn’t apologize for any of it. It’s for kids -- and adults who have already been gatewayed. I found very few flaws in it.

9/10

October 14 -- Friday the 13th Part III (1982)

The Friday-a-thon begins. This film was made with primitive 3D in mind and it possesses entertainment value in that alone. I mean, it’s also hilarious because of everything else that happens, but the 3D thing is a real cincher. Objects and hands, oddly enough, keep being framed directly toward the camera. And viewing this in 2D, it’s easy to forget how this film released, so literally every time something like that happened, my brain broke a little: “What? Why would you frame something like that?! I don’t even know what I saw! A snake on a string? Huh?!?! OHHH fuckin’ 3D!” When Jason spearguns a girl in the lake, the spear fires towards the camera along a white string. When I saw that, I said, “YASSS 3D!!”

5/10

October 15 -- Friday the 13th Part IV: The Final Chapter (1984)

The franchise finally has some money behind it and no longer looks like utter garbage with flecks and dirt and WATER DROPLETS on the camera lens (sorry, Part III triggered a lot in me). And the film doesn't do much do tread new ground, but baby Corey Feldman is there, and Crispin Glover is a dancing champion.

6/10

October 16 -- Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning (1985)

I appreciate a lot of what this film tries to do to resuscitate the franchise. Nobody like it because Jason isn’t in it, but that’s fine, I don’t care. Part V tries to bridge the previous four films in a new direction. It doesn’t pan out because, well, this is still a slasher flick and also most of the characters are pretty boring -- Tommy included -- and the ending is totally nutso bonkers and makes zero sense. Still, you know, it’s better than Part III.

6/10

October 17 -- Jason Lives: Friday the 13th Part VI (1986)

I haven’t watched them all yet so I may retract this statement, but if there’s one Friday film I’ll likely rewatch just to legit enjoy it, it’ll be Part VI. From the outset, the atmosphere is refreshed and new: Tommy Jarvis is a new actor with a new haircut and then wacky stuff starts happening. The best part? The film knows how wacky it is and relishes in it. Look at that image. The film’s opening titles is a James Bond parody. I wasn’t sure what was happening in the beginning -- weirdo resurrections and magical lightning bolts?! But once I saw Jason walk into a closeup of his own pupil and slash the titles into existence, I was sold.

The film has been labeled a prototype for the self-aware horror film -- your Screams and Chuckies -- and considering it has a year on Evil Dead 2, I’m willing to concede that point. Okay, okay, okay, let me set this up clearly: John Travolta’s nephew and his lady-friend are driving a Winnebago, but Jason is hiding in the back and captures the girl. John Travolta’s nephew can’t notice, though, right? I mean, he’s still driving, and also where’s all the fun when he gets killed? So, the solution to keep him distracted was for him to just love the shit out of driving a mobile home. His girlfriend gets hacked to bits and that’s constantly intercut with him shouting, “THIS IS GREAT!” from the driver’s seat. Honestly, best piece of comedy I’ve seen in months.

This film knows the franchise won’t survive on serious slasherness ad nauseam, so it endeavors to actually be fun. Hell yeah. Also, a sweet Alice Cooper theme song to close the end credits? Done. I’m done.

7/10

October 18 -- Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)

Instead of capturing the fun established in Part VI, Part VII returns to boring seriousness while introducing telekinetic powers in Carrie 2.0. This feels like a film made by committee. “Fellas, it’s 1988! Stephen King is really popular!” Even when Jason grabs a weedwhacker, he just lumbers around. His heart’s not in it anymore. The makeup on his ugly fish face is dope, I guess. But none of the characters are interesting, not even Carrie the Sequel, and the film can’t even drum up excitement in an unstoppable force versus an immovable object. Carrie 2.0 just keeps electrocuting and drowning and throwing Jason around and he keeps getting back up. No one cares. She can’t even find a clever solution, she has to be saved by her zombie father whom she accidentally drowned in Crystal Lake with her powers as a child. There, I ruined the ending of the film for you and I don’t even give a fuck. Why is her dad a zombie? What the fuck.

4/10

Hey, let’s take a minute to cover something tangentially related that popped in my head last night: when the hell do these films take place? Let’s break it down:

Despite being released in 1980, Part 1 takes place in 1979 because I believe it takes place 21 years after the murders in 1958 (bear with me). So, Part 1 is in 1979.

Part 2 has a tiny section 2 months after Part 1, but the bulk of the film takes place five years later. So, Part 2 is in 1984.

Part 3 takes place immediately after Part 2. It’s still 1984.

Part 4 takes place immediately after Part 3. Still 1984

Part 5 does not specifically state when it takes place in relation to the previous installment, but we know Tommy Jarvis has become an adult, or just about one. He’s 12 in Part 4, so let’s be generous and say he’s 17, which means five years have passed since Part 4. The year is now 1989.

Part 6 presumably takes place directly after Part 5, but it’s a little unclear: the film can cleverly be interpreted as a direct sequel or a whitewashing; after all, the ending of Part 5 makes no sense and is understandably whisked under the rug. Either way, though, Tommy is the same age, so it’s still 1989.

This is where it gets interesting. Jason is chained at the bottom of Crystal Lake when Carrie 2.0 is a small child (IMDb says she’s 10 so let’s go with that). I had to rewatch the start of the film, but yes, we open on Jason underwater. It’s unclear when this takes place in relation to Part VI: Jason is decomposing but he’s still mostly meat. Let’s say it’s been months instead of years. However, the film then jumps ten years. The year is now... hold on to your butts... 1999. I know Jason still has about a decade left before he’s in space or something, but damn, it’s weird that this timeline works at all.

#friday the 13th #Friday the 13th Part 2 #Krampus #Krampus 2015 #Friday the 13th review #Friday the 13

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its-glum-and-dumb · 7 years

Text

It’s All Coming Back To Me Now

Okay, so this fic wasn’t all my idea. I cowrote this with @thevioletsunflower and it’s a sequel to this fic by @alltheheadcannons so some of the credit must go to them as well. I’m only responsible for what Spot says and most of the non-dialogue bits from everyone. Also, I should note that this fic takes place about a year to a year and a half after the originals. I was picturing the 1992 cast but you can picture whoever you want. Enjoy! :D

During the strike, Race and Spot end up in charge of something together, probably because they both sell in Brooklyn, and when they're left alone, Race just sort of awkwardly looks at the ground. "I know you's mad at me. It's okay. I'll ask Jack to trade my job with someone else. You don' have ta work with me if your uncomfortable."

Spot glances over at him for a second, smacking him on the arm before going back to what he was doing. "Would ya shut your mouth? I ain’t mad at you. I just. I couldn't be around you."

Race looks up at him with tears in his eyes. "But why? What did I do that made you need ta cut me out of your life? Was I that bad?"

Spot turns to face him so fast that he would have fallen if he'd let himself. "Get that thought out of your head right now. Alright? It had nothing to do with you." Turning away again, he leans into the table with his hands gripping the edge as he just stared at the table, begging his walls to not come down.

"Then what?" he demands, trying hard not to let the tears from years of heartbreak come to the surface. "Why would you stop talking to me without even telling me why? What happened?"

"Let it go Higgins. We's got work to do!" He ignores the boy's questions in favor of doing the job that was required of them.

That's enough to make Race break. "Let it go Higgins" was one of the last things Spot ever said to him years ago when he was cutting him out of his life. And hearing them again is too much for him to take. He sits down and pulls his knees to his chest, ducking his head to hide his tears from Spot. But the ragged breathing is unmistakable.

Spot looks over to see him on the ground and frowns a bit, going down to sit next to him. "Tony... Hey. What's goin on in that head of yours?" Reaching a hand out to gently rub the boy’s back in an awkward manner. Spot Conlon does not show affection so he's not sure how to comfort the boy he once called his best friend.

Race swats his hand away. "No! You don't get to pretend you care about me! I loved you and you completely cut me out of your life, and you wouldn't even explain why! You just abandoned me without so much as telling me what I did so I could fix it! And a backrub don't fix that!"

Spot reels back in surprise, instantly retracting his hand. "You... You loved me?" He had suspected that the boy shared at least some of his feelings, but he didn’t know how deep it went.

"Yeah, you asshole! Not that that ever seemed to matter to you!"

Spot sighs a bit as he looks at his lap. "I's sorry, Tony.. Really. I wasn't trying to hurt you. I just..."

"You just decided you didn't care about me anymore and left me to fall apart without a word of explanation!"

"I've always cared about you, Higgins. Always. How could you doubt that?"

"Oh, I dunno, how about the fact you ain't talked ta me in over a year!?"

Sighing a bit, he pulls the boy up to a standing position and pulls him into the nearest empty building before closing the doors. "I. I didn't have a choice."

Race crosses his arms. "Oh yeah? How 'bout the choice ta keep seein' me? Or the choice ta explain why ya dumped me? Seems ta me ya had lotsa choices!"

Spot frowns deeply and stays quiet, running his hand through his hair and closing his eyes. "You don't… You don't understand."

"No! No I don't! And I never did! So just fuckin' talk ta me!"

Able to feel himself getting close to exploding, he tries in vain to keep calm but he ends up snapping anyways. "I fuckin' killed someone, Race! I killed a boy. He had a family and a life and I, I took that away from him. Because of me, there's a family that now has a hole and I, I couldn't take it. Didn't exactly help mattas that what we had is illegal. I was barely keeping it together as it was and I just, I couldn't live with myself if the boy I loved ended up in jail or dead. So I had to distance myself so that you wouldn't get in trouble. I had to toughen up and put my walls up so that no one found out. It had nothing to do with you. Okay? I just, I had to. If we had stayed together, we would have gotten something worse than what he did to us. I couldn't take that, so I forced myself to stay away from you."

Race sighs. Hearing Spot talk like that made it really hard to be mad at him. "Spot, we's talked about this. Killin' that guy wasn't your fault. It was self-defense. It don' mean you're a bad guy."

Shaking his head, he squeezes his eyes shut to keep away the tears. "But I am. I didn't have to kill him. And I was barely keeping it together at that. If you had ended up dead, I wouldn't have been able to live with that. I didn't want to take the chance. I'm so sorry Race."

"You woulda died if ya didn't kill him. Either way somebody woulda been dead. An' everybody was glad it was him an' not you."

Frowning still, shaking his head and just changing the subject. "Look, Race. I's sorry I didn't give you an explanation. You certainly deserved one."

"Yeah. I did. How hard is that to slip into a conversation? 'Heya Race, nice weather we been havin', by the way I'm dumpin' you cause I think you're too good for me.'"

Cracking a small smile as he looks up to make eye contact with him. "You are, ya know. You are too good for me. I's an asshole."

"You is. That ain't how ya treat a guy ya care about. An' I coulda dodged the cops as well as you. That's a stupid reason ta drop a fella."

"Yeah, well. It seems like a good idea at the time. Besides, I had the rest of the newsies to worry about. I couldn't very well do that if all my worry was going towards you."

Race rolls his eyes. "Ya don't gotta worry 'bout me. I can take care of myself."

Chuckling softly to himself at that. "Race, you couldn't even get yourself off the fire escape. I know you's tough, but what if we had gotten caught again and they tied you to another pole or fire escape or something and went to kill you after taking me out of the way. Granted, it wouldn’t have been as easy as it was for James, but it still could’ve happened. You wouldn't have been able to do anything and I'd have just had to watch. It would’ve be torture. Trust me, us being apart is better for everyone." Looking down as he says that, it's clear he's trying to convince himself as much as him.

“Bullshit. Loads of people do this without gettin’ caught. We coulda done the same!”

Sighing a bit at that, he looks up at him. "Yeah? How well did that work out for us last time?"

“Now we know what not ta do. We wouldn’t have got caught again.”

"Racer, you're not getting it! It's illegal, what we had. I don't want to be the reason that you end up in jail, okay?"

“Well then you should just ignore me and let me think ya hare me! Problem solved!”

Stepping a little closer to the boy, he looks up so he can look him in the eyes. "You think I like being away from you?? I don't. Okay? It's freaking hell. But it's the safest thing for us. It's just not safe for us to be together."

“Well it wasn’t exactly safe for us to be apart without knowin’ why we was neither!” Race snaps back.

"I don't understand you Racer. Why are you all for jumping back into something that could very easily get both of us killed? Don't you's get it? We's not allowed to love each other like we do! And it's too painful for me to be around you and not be able to do what I want to you. So, call me selfish, but yeah. There you go." Spot continues to make eye contact with Race, refusing to be the one to break it.

“I ain’t wantin’ ta jump back in! I want ya to admit we shoulda never stopped! I don’ wanna date ya now! I’s still mad at ya!”

Feeling his heart drop a little at that statement, he puts up another wall to keep it hidden, making his tone into a sarcastic, teasing one. "Oh, you don't wanna date me, is that it? You's ova me?"

Race glares at him. “It don’ matter if I wanna date ya. I ain’t gonna because you’s an asshole!”

Smirking a bit at the taller boy, he scoffs a bit. "I was an asshole back then and you already said you loved me." Softening his gaze, he takes a slight breath. "But fine. I shouldn't have cut you off. I was wrong, yes, but I stand by my reasons. I was trying to protect you. If it helps at all, it was just as hard for me. I didn't know what was going on with you, I didn't know if you were okay, or what. I thought about you every day, Tony. Every day."

He can start to feel tears in his eyes again. “Then why didn’t you check on me? At least to know if I was alive or dead!

"I couldn't! If I had gone to Manhattan to check on you, I never would have left. You were my addiction, Race, and I had to quit cold turkey.”

Race swallows hard and looks down at the floor. “I- You were the best part in my life. And then you were gone. And I didn’t know why.”

Spot sighs at that. He can tell Race is getting close to tears, so he just reaches out and wraps his arms around around him, pulling him in for a hug. “You were the best part of my life too... It killed me to walk away from that. There were so many times that I had to stop myself from running to Manhattan and kissing you senseless. I had to convince myself you were better without me otherwise I would have. But I was wrong. I was wrong to think that we were better apart, okay? We, when we's together, it's magic. I love you, ya hear? I always have."

Race can’t help himself. He starts crying into Spot’s shoulder, wrapping his arms tightly around him. He missed this so much. Despite all the crap he’s been through, he can’t help but feel better with Spot’s arms around him again.

Closing his eyes again, he just opts to hold him close as he bites his lip to stop himself from crying. The efforts don't last very long after Race starts crying though as Spot can feel the tears rolling down his cheeks after a minute, leading him to just tighten his grip on Race.

“I missed you,” Race manages to choke out between sobs.

"I know, Race. I missed you too..." Hating that his voice had cracked a little, he tries to hide it by placing a gentle kiss to the top of his head.

Race can’t help but smile at that. He wants to hate Spot so much, but right now all he can do is cuddle even closer.

Gently rubbing his shoulder, Spot smiles softly and keeps holding him since he's perfectly content to stay how they are, using one of his hands to wipe at his eyes before putting it back around him.

“I don’t wanna still love you,” Race murmurs into his shoulder.

Smiling slightly at the development, he shifts so he’s looking down at the boy. “Tell me about it. I couldn’t stop if I tried. If I wanted to. You’s under my skin man. The fuck can I do?”

Race can’t help smiling at that. “Things is complicated.”

Once he sees the other boy’s smile, he can’t help but let his get a little bigger. “They’s always gonna be. We’s two boys that love each other in a time when people think we’s criminals for it.”

“An’ you don’ wanna risk it.”

“I didn’t, no. I was scared Racer... I almost died because I’s in love with my best friend. And if I hadn’t fought back, he would have killed you too.” He paused at that, considering whether or not to continue, “I, I don’t know if I told you, but before I tackled him and killed him, he was heading towards the alley to go after you. And you wouldn’t have been able to do anything but scream and kick because you were fastened to the ladder... I hate that there’s always this threat hanging over us. But y’know what?” Looking into the boy’s eyes, he smiles happily at him. “Sitting here, holding you like we did back then.. I’s not scared anymore.”

Race stares at him. “Are ya sayin’ what I think your sayin’?”

Plastering on a cheeky grin and gently runs his fingers through Race’s hair. “Depends. Whaddaya think I’s sayin?”

“You's tryin’ ta get me ta date you again.”

Steeling himself out of instinct, he pulls his fingers out of his hair. “No. I’s simply sayin I ain’t scared. I don’t wanna date you..”

Race nods and looks down. He doesn’t know how to feel about that. “Oh.”

Resisting the urge to do something to convince him otherwise, he continues. “Why? What were you hopin I was sayin?”

“I dunno. I’s still mad at you. You hurt me bad. But… I missed you loads.”

“I missed you too Racer, but I don’t know if there’s anything I can do to change what I did. It’s not what I want but it’s still safer for us to not be together.”

He nods. “Yeah. Can we be friends still?”

Fighting his brain that wants to yell that he wants more, he gives a single nod. “Of course. And maybe one day we can work up to being how we was. But for now, this is the safest option..”

Race smiles. “I’d like ta be your friend. An’ Jack’s gonna be happy ‘bout that too.”

Smiling happily again, he places a friendly kiss to the top of his head. “Can I at least tease him an tell him we’s back togetha first?”

Race smiles. “If ya want.”

Once he hears that, he stands up and holds a hand out for you. “Shall we go find him then?”

Race takes it and stands. “I think he’s at the theatre with Davey.”

“Perfect! Lots of witnesses. Let’s go.” With that said, he starts towards the door, opening it and letting you walk out first before following close behind.

Race walks beside him on the way to Medda’s. He’s glad to be with Spot again, and even happier to have answers.

Once we get there, he whispers in his ear outside the door. “Just go with it.” Reaching out and wrapping his arm around your shoulders as we walk in, knowing the theater is a safe place from before, gently kissing your temple once we’re inside.

Jack and Davey were poring over a sheet of handwritten notes, but Jack looked up when the door opened. “Race! Spot! We didn’ expect ya til later!”

Spot grins and keeps his arm around his friend. “Yeah. We’s finished early.” Davey notices the arm and nudges Jack, whispering something to him about it.

“You seem awful chummy for guys who ain’t seen each other in years,” Jack comments, trying to stay light and not let suspicion creep into his voice.

Spot smirks at that. “Yeah, well, we’s worked it out. We’s all good now.”

“I see…” Jack says cautiously, looking over to Race for confirmation. Race just gave him a wide smile. Years of poker had made him great at controlling his facial expressions in convincing ways.

Davey smiles happily at that, speaking his congratulations before going to talk with some of the other newsies about stuff for the strike.

Spot smirks and gently kisses Race’s cheek before guiding him over to a couch against the wall and sitting down on it.

Jack follows them to the couch. “When you say you’s worked it out, you mean… what exactly.”

Spot grins cheekily at the Manhattan leader. “I mean, we worked it out. We talked and now we’s back together. What’s not to understand, Jacky-Boy?”

Jack chuckled in a way that could only be described as sinister. There was no way he was letting this happen after what this relationship, more like the ending of this relationship, caused. “No. No you’re not.”

Spot instantly loses the cocky look on his face in favor of glaring at the boy. “Whaddaya plan on doin bout it, huh, Jacky boy? This don’t concern ya.”

“Race, go see if Davey needs any help,” Jack says, not breaking eye contact with Spot.

“But- “

“Now Race!”

Race jumps to his feet. He knows Jack would never hurt him, but he also knows he’s never seen him quite this angry, and it scares him. He gives Spot a nervous look from behind Jack’s back as he hurries away. Spot, never one to back down, maintains eye contact with the Manhattan leader, a cold stare evident in his eyes as his friend walks away.

Jack bends down so his nose is almost touching Spot’s. “I ain’t scared of you, Conlon. I know you’s used ta people runnin’ ‘round tryin’ ta keep on your good side, but I ain’t gonna do that. You almost killed one of my best friends. An’ if ya think I’m gonna forget that any time soon, you’s wrong.”

He wasn’t about to let Jack know that something he said got to him. ‘You almost killed one of my best friends’. Almost killed. What? Never shifting his demeanor, he stays completely still and relaxed. “You’s forgetting he was my best friend too. Listen, shit went down and I didn’t have a choice. I explained this all to Racer, so’s I sure as hell don’t have ta explain it ta you. So I’d back off Jack. Cause us being at each other’s throats is only going to upset our Racetrack and I’s not one to back down from a challenge. And Jacky boy? That was a challenge if I ever heard one.”

Jack doesn’t back down. He knew that the fact that he was clearly on the verge of fighting the Brooklyn leader, plus the intense vibe the stare-down was giving off, had everyone in the room watching. They all were a little very scared of what was going to come of that. “I don’t care about no sob story why ya broke my boy’s heart. I care ‘bout him near breakin’ his damn HEAD open on the pavement cuz of what you done. An’ you ain’t gettin’ the chance to do that again. If you touch him. If you talk to him. If you so much as glance in his direction again, I will not hesitate to break every bone in your body. How’s that for a challenge?”

Spot just laughs at Jack’s threat, choosing to block out what he said about Race nearly killing himself. He’s gotta be overreacting. Right? “Calm down Jack. Racer and I is good. Nothin bad is gonna happen. Besides, you lay a hand on me and you’ll have a full on war throughout New York. That what you want? I don’t think either of us want that considering we won’t be the only ones affected. What about the rest of our newsies? Jacky boy, you’s gotta think with that head and not ya heart. Race knows what happened and that’s all that matters. Don’t believe me, ask him. Now, I’m going over to my boyfriend. This conversation is over. Nice chattin with ya Jacky boy.” Gets up at that and goes over by Race before Jack has a chance to stop him, walking calmly and making sure everyone knows that he wasn’t affected by his conversation, getting over by Race after a couple seconds.

Jack gives Spot a death glare before going to a back room and slamming the door behind him. Muffled crashes and curses could be heard through the door.

Race listened, his mouth slightly open. “What’d you say ta him?”

Shrugging a little, looking at Race. “He was saying things like what he’d do if I hurt ya an I told him if he did anything to me, he’d have a full war through New York. Then I told him the conversation was over and I left. There was some other minor stuff thrown in but that was the end of it.”

“An’ he got this upset about it?” A loud crash seemed to punctuate Race’s question and he flinched. “This ain’t funny, Spot. We gotta tell him it’s a joke.”

Nodding a little at that, he looks over to the room. “Yeah, okay. I’ll be right back. He’s real mad and I ain’t bout to have ya get caught in that.” Without even letting you reply, he just starts walking casually towards the room where crashes can still be heard from the other side. Inside the room, Jack had managed to topple a whole rack of costumes, and was currently in the process of pulling every book off the shelves and kicking them against the wall. Opening the door, he feels one of his eyebrows lift in surprise. “Damn Kelly.”

Jack turns and glares at him. “What do you want, Conlon? Here to gloat some more ‘bout how there’s nothin’ I can do ta stop ya killin’ my friend? Or are ya gonna burn down the lodging house now? Or maybe poison Medda’s tea?”

Giving him a bit of a look, he wills him to shut up before speaking. “I came here to talk. Now are ya gonna shuddup and let me do that?” Spot nods in acknowledgment at the fact that Jack had indeed stopped talking, digging his cane into the ground. “Good move Jack. Listen, we wasn’t completely honest. Racer and I, we did work things out. But we’s not togetha. We decided it was safer for us to just be friends, despite the fact that I don’t want that and I’m pretty sure he don’t neither. Now, that being said. You goin on your stampede has a whole room full of pretty freaked out guys. I’d suggest goin out there and lettin the fellas know you’s ain’t dead.”

Jack stares at him. “You lied ta me?”

“It was a joke, Kelly. My idea. We was just messin.”

“A joke. This is a joke to you? A boy near jumps to his death an’ your makin’ jokes?!”

Hating that that comment made him wince, he looks Jack in the eye. “I’ll never joke about that. Not young boys dyin, or almost so. I jus wanted to see what ya’d say to us bein togetha. But we’s not. Probably never will be. Look, Jack. You need to know, somethin serious happened before Race and I fell out. I didn’t have a choice, or at least it didn’t seem like it back then. Either way apparently, I was putting him through pain in one form or another. So when I say you don’t know what ya talkin bout, I mean it.”

“Maybe so. But there’s stuff you don’t know too. You didn’t see him slowly losin’ the twinkle in his eyes as the weeks dragged on without you callin’ on him. You didn’t have to watch him starvin’ himself an’ smokin’ those damn cigars til he could hardly breathe. You didn’ haveta listen to him cryin’ himself ta sleep every night. And fuck you, you weren’t the one beggin’ him not ta jump while he stared at you with those empty eyes an’ ya didn’ even know if he could hear ya. You weren’t there for any of that. So don’t you go talkin’ ta me ‘bout no ‘somethin serious happenin’’. You don’ even know what that means.”

“Jack, you’ve gotta understand,” He had to pause for a second to take a deep breath. This was all getting to him but he’ll be damned if he cries in front of Jack Kelly of all people. “I never planned on doing that to him. I loved him. He was the best thing I had and I know you won’t understand but that’s why I had to let him go. I had to. To protect him. I needed him to move on from me and that just wouldn’t happen if we was together. I wanted to check on him a lot but I knew if I did, I’d never leave, so I didn’t. I, uh.. How much did he tell you about the day I became king?”

Jack narrows his eyes. “What’s a leadership nomination got to do with any of this?”

“Jack Kelly, I’s about to tell you something I ain’t told no one. The boys in Brooklyn know some of it because they were there but they don’t know it all. Can I trust you not to go spreading the news like it’s a headline?”

Jack looks at him suspiciously. “Why’s ya gonna tell me about it if it’s so secret?”

“Because ya gotta understand it all before you go thinking i’s gonna make the same mistake twice. Now can I trust ya or not?”

Jack considers this for a moment before nodding. “Yeah. Sure. You can trust me.”

Nodding in response, he takes a moment to steel himself as a way of making sure he won’t get all emotional when he tells the story. “So, before I start. Do you know how new kings get elected in Brooklyn?”

Jack rolls his eyes. “This gonna be a story ‘bout how ya wiped one too many noses an’ they all started thinkin’ you was their mom? Cuz yeah, Conlon, sure, I ain’t gonna tell nobody you got a heart.”

“Stop joking, you bastard. I’s serious. In order for a new king to come to power in Brooklyn, they have to kill the former king.”

Jack freezes, staring at him. He wasn’t expecting that. “You- you killed a guy?”

“Before you go getting all panicky, yes. I did. The former king, James, he didn’t approve of his newsies being gay. The first time I saw him lose it was when he killed a guy the same age as me at the time. The kid was 14 when James killed him for being in love with a boy. So when Race and I started fooling around we did everything we could to not call it a relationship because if we did, it would be hard to hide and even harder to walk away from. Well, one day, James finds us. He loses it. He punches me hard enough to stun me for a couple seconds, which was long enough to take his belt and fasten Race to the ladder of the fire escape. Once Race was secure and left to do nothin but scream, James picks me up and carries me over by the river. After throwin me to the ground, he’s spouting nonsense comments as he beats me half to death. Before I know it, I’s lifted off the ground and held over the water. The only thing that keeps me from giving in as I fall to the water is that I heard Race screaming. It lit a fire in me or somethin and I got enough energy and strength to fight back. I grab the bridge and pull myself up only to see James heading back to the alley, likely to finish off Race, and I ended up killing him. I went over to let Race know I was alive but I don’t think either of us have been truly okay since. So after that day, I decided I was gonna do whatever it took to make sure that never happened again. No matter how much it hurt me. So I walked away from the one person that saved my life. It absolutely killed me to do it but I didn’t see any other option. I couldn’t risk getting in that situation again. So yeah. Now you know. Any questions?” He looks over at the other boy, suddenly very thankful that he was able to keep it together and not get emotional.

“You killed a guy cuz you thought he was gonna kill Race.”

“That was the main reason at the time but as I looked around after the fact, I realized that I basically ended a reign of terror. If I hadn’t killed him, he could have killed so many others. Like me, Blink, and Race for example. Who knows how many boys were hiding in fear? But yes. The reason why I killed him is because I couldn’t let him hurt Race. Even if it meant I died in the process. I didn’t have much strength left, as a matter of fact, I was nearly dead as it was. One solid hit and I was dead. But I kept going. For Race. And I know it don’t seem like it but when I walked away from Race, it was for the best.”

He nods. “Then I guess you understands why I wanted to kill you. We got the same reasons.”

Nodding in understanding, he speaks softly but firmly. “I do yeah. I understand your reasons and hell, some days I may have let you. But I figured I’d let you know the consequences of doing it. So you didn’t accidentally start a war.”

Jack laughs, suddenly realizing something. “Wait. So if I’d actually killed you I’d have been king of Brooklyn?”

Spot just gives him a blank stare. “Now who’s making jokes? But ha! You’s funny. As if I’d actually let you kill me.”

“As if I’d let you stop me!” Jack teases back.

Spot grins faintly at him, thankful that the conversation strayed from being very heavy to going back to teasing. “Jacky boy, you wouldn’t even get started. But I should go let Race know you didn’t kill me and you have a room to clean up. Have fun!” Stands up and moves to leave the room, heading towards the door.

“Hey Spot!” Jack calls after him.

Spot turns to look at the boy, only half facing him and half facing the door. “Yeah?”

“Ya didn’t deserve to have ta kill a guy to save yerself. An’ I get why you stopped seein’ Race. But not tellin’ him was still a crappy thing to do, and if you do that again, I don’t care what your reasons are. I’m not gonna forgive you again. So if you’re in, you’re in. Got it?”

Giving a small smile and a nod to show he understands, he moves towards the door again. “Got it.” He reaches out and opens the door before walking back out into the main area. Spot had just come out of the room from talking to Jack. He got the boy to calm down and explained everything while also learning something unsettling. What Jack told him, it wasn't sitting right with him. It was making his head spin and scaring him at the same time. Spot Conlon wasn't supposed to feel like this. He didn't realize that he had gotten by Race until his voice snaps him out of his thoughts.

“Spot? What happened? Is he still mad at us?”

Not wanting to worry the boy, he gives him as real a smile as he can manage. "He's not mad. We had a nice chat. I explained everything." He turns to Davey as he passes them. "Hey mouth. Whaddaya need us to do?"

Davey looks around. “You could make some signs if you want. You know how to spell strike?”

Spot nods, giving him a menacing look. "Course I do. I got brains, remember?" As Davey walks away, he turns to Race. "C'mon. We got signs to paint."

Race frowns. “You okay? You’s actin’ weird.”

Spot looks at him, giving him a slight smile. "I's good Race. I's Spot Conlon." Reaching down to pick up a bucket of red paint, he grabs the nearest clean brush and sits down by a board, dipping the brush in and starting to paint.

Race frowns, but sits down next to him, starting on his own sign. Spot finishes his sign pretty easily despite the fact that he was constantly glancing over at Race when he wasn't looking.

Race notices the constant glances and frowns at him. He knew something was up when he noticed the look on Spot’s face when he came out. “Spot what’s goin’ on?”

"Whaddaya mean Racey? We's paintin signs for the strike." He knew what he was talking about but he didn't really wanna get into it. It was too painful to think about.

“Ya keep lookin’ at me. An’ you’s actin’ all nervous.”

Busted. Shit. "I'm just glad we's talking again is all. I's not acting nervous."

Race looks down at the ground when it hit him what was going on. “Jack told you ‘bout the thing on the roof, didn’t he?”

Spot freezes a little, not making eye contact either, trying to play it off like he didn't know. "What thing on the roof..?"

“Spot,” he says quietly. Sighing softly, he gently twirls the brush in between his fingers, not wanting to answer and give himself away that he did in fact know. He hated that Race could see right through him. “Spot, if you knows you gotta tell me. I gotta know if you knows or not.”

Sighing again, deeper this time, he nods. "Yeah, Racer. I know." He was planning on leaving it at that. He wasn't sure if he was ready to hear the details behind the fact. Race nods silently, staring down at his sign. Spot ends up just blankly staring into space, not even paying attention when Davey comes up to them to see how the signs are coming. Instead, he just stands up, takes your hand and leads you away, leaving a very confused Davey in their place. Race follows him nervously, not sure what Spot is going to do or say to him. Spot gets him into the other dressing room in the building and shuts the door behind them before just starting to pace awkwardly, clearly trying to think of something. Race watches him in silence, feeling absolutely awful. Spot looks up at him after a minute and it's evident that he's holding back tears. "It's true, isn't it? I mean, it's gotta be. Jack, he wouldn't make that up?"

He nods. “Yeah. It’s true. I ain’t proud of it. But it’s true.”

Taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself, he rests his hands on his hips as he looks at you. "I know the answer to this but I want to hear your version. Why? Was it, was it because of what I did?" Race can’t say anything, so he just nods. Spot sighs again, coughing slightly into his hand as he moves over to the couch in the room. He can feel his legs getting weak so he sits down to keep himself from collapsing. He doesn't know why he's acting like this, he has no right to be so upset. It's his fault this happened, anyways. So he just tries to calm himself down, his head buried in his hands and his elbows propped on his knees.

Race watches him from the other side of the room. “I’s sorry…”

He looks up at that, rather quickly. "You's sorry?? Why is you sorry??"

“You feel bad cause of something I done.”

“Race, come here.” Gently patting the spot next to him, he does his best to keep his resolve from shaking. Race obeys, pushing through his pangs of guilt to sit beside Spot. Spot looks over at him, hoping he doesn’t say the wrong thing. “I only feel bad because I know that it’s my fault you nearly flung yourself off a building.. And I, I can’t even accept that. I just.. I need to know what exactly was running through your head. I mean, we hadn’t even said I love you, so I didn’t know that what we had was so important to you..”

Race stared at the ground as he spoke. “I only never said it cuz I knew you didn’ feel it. An then you left an’ that proved it. You never actually cared about me at all. I was jus’ a soft pair of lips you could kiss now an’ then. But to me you were the best part of my life. An’ then you were gone an’ I didn’ know why, but I thought it was my fault an’ I hated that you were gone, an’ I hated whatever I did ta make you leave, an’ I hated that I cared so much when you clearly didn’t. An’ everything hurt. So yeah. I tried to make the hurt stop. But then Jack found me.”

Spot frowned a little at him, resisting the urge to wrap his arms around him. "Racer, I. You's gotta understand something. I was a scared kid that didn't understand what his heart was tellin him. I was getting these strong feelings for this boy that could get me killed. All I knew was that you were the only good thing in my life. I looked forward to our meetings each time and seeing you, usually with ya hat over your eyes, trying to catch a few more minutes while ya waited, it. It put a smile on my face. I loved you Race. I loved you and I didn't know how to handle it. After James, what he did, I panicked. Like I told ya, it had nothing to with you. I just ran from my problems back then instead of facing them like I do now."

“Yeah. I was runnin’ too. That’s what brought me to the roof. An’ Jack- he told me you wasn’ worth endin’ my life over. You was just some jerk an’ if you didn’ even care ‘bout me then why should I let ya end me? An’ that’s the way I got through.”

“I am just a jerk and I ain’t worth dying over. He was right about that. But he was wrong to say I don’t care about you. You’s the only thing I care about.” Race stares down at the ground trying hard not to cry. Spot sighs softly and just wraps an arm around his shoulders, pulling him in. “C’mere..” Race leans his head on Spot’s shoulder. The tears start to push past his eyes despite his best efforts to keep them in.

Spot frowns slightly and gently kisses the top of his head in a friendly way, not really knowing what to say. "Jack still thinks about it," Race says quietly. "He don't say he do, but he talks in his sleep sometimes."

He can’t say he blames him. What with Jack’s voice playing over again in his head from when he told him and picturing Race on that rooftop, he doubts he’ll ever forget it. After a minute, he figures he should say something so Race doesn’t know that he was thinking. “Yeah?”

He nods. "I hurt him. An' I hurt you. Everybody's hurt cuz of me."

Shaking his head at that, he looks at Race. “Not because of you. None of us would be hurt if I hadn’t been a fuckin idiot and walked away from the only thing good in my life.”

"But I shouldn't have let Jack see me like that. I shoulda done it when he wasn't around. Then he wouldn't have to keep thinkin' about it."

“He’d’a been thinking about it no matter when you did it. Can’t you see that? You have a whole family of people that care bout ya. Even if we’s not blood, we love ya, Race.” Race curled in on himself a bit at that. He couldn't think about that. He just couldn't. Frowning a little at that, Spot mentally kicked himself. He should have known it would have affected Race like that. “I’s sorry, Race. I didn’t mean to upset ya.”

"I know I messed up bad," he says quietly. "I's really sorry. I weren't tryin' ta hurt nobody."

“I know Race. We’s all just glad you’s okay.”

"Even though I's done bad stuff?"

“Even then. I can’t speak for anyone else, though I’s sure they’d agree, but I don’t want to live in a world without Racetrack Higgins causing trouble. Okay? You’s the only good thing I have in this world and I don’t want to lose you again. Not when I have you back. At least, in some form. There ain’t nothing you could to to make us hate ya Racer. Nothing.”

Race can't help but smile at that. "That means you ain't gonna leave again, right?"

Smiling at that, knowing he got through. “That’s exactly what it means. Now I know I have to do something to make you trust me again, so you name it and I’ll do it. Scream out that I’m in love with you and take a soaking from an entire region? Step down from Brooklyn and move to Manhattan? I’ll do it.”

Race looks at him incredulously. “But you love Brooklyn! You wouldn’t leave it!”

Laughing softly, he looks down at him in return. "I would if it meant getting your trust back. Brooklyn is just a place. I mean, it's great, being king but I'll give it up in a heartbeat if you wanted me to."

Race looks down at the floor. “But how do I know? How do I know I can trust you?”

Spot sighs a bit and just gently cups Race’s face in his hands, pulling him in and kissing him deeply. He knows this probably isn’t the best idea but doesn’t know a better way to prove he’s not going anywhere. Race makes a small panicked sound and pulls back. “Spot what the hell?!”

"I'm sorry Racer. I had to do something to prove to you that I mean what I say. I didn't know what else to do. But I have to admit, I've been wanting to do that again since the last time I saw you. I'm in love with you Racer. I know it's safer to be friends but damnit, screw safety. I want to be able to hold you and kiss you whenever. I want things to go back to how they were. I know it'll probably take time because I screwed up and now you don't trust me, but see, Race. I's willin to do whatever ya want to help with that. Anything."

Race stared at him for a moment, processing everything he’d just said. Then he reached out, finding Spot’s suspenders and pulled him in for another kiss. A tiny part of his brain was still panicking, telling him this was dangerous. But a bigger part knew that he’d never really stopped loving Spot, and god his lips felt even better than he’d remembered…

#sprace #my stories #spot conlon #racetrack higgins #newsies #angst #im so sorry hannah #my god that was long #7322 words #yikes

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