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shield-maiden-of-sherwood · 1 year

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A Dream Deferred - PT 4

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5

Much Ado About Nothing

I paced the room as I waited for Yuri to show up. We had agreed to meet up at my place first before hailing a cab to go over to the Delacorte Theater where the production was taking place. Apparently, it was an annual thing where usually during the summertime, like now, they would put on free productions of Shakespeare plays in the park for all to see. It was kind of cool in a way. I had never once been to the theater before since I moved to the city about 6 months ago. I always wondered about it and now it was finally my turn to see it for myself. While I wasn't thrilled that I was going because of Pete, I guess you have to take the opportunities as they come.

When we finally got to the theater, we showed our tickets to the people guarding the entrance. They looked at us like we were insane since it seem like barely anybody had a ticket. I mean why would they? If the event was free what was the point of having a ticket? It only took a couple of odd looks for me to quickly stuff the envelope with the tickets in my pocket and shuffle after Yuri as she went to find a seat. The theater itself was pretty cool. It was an open-air theater almost like an amphitheater in Ancient Greek times only with the main stage being on one side rather than in the center with all the bystanders surrounding it.

We took our seats and waited. Yuri struck up a conversation with a happy couple near us but I was busy looking out at the people filing in and making it to their seats. It was surprising to see how packed the theater already was given that we were fairly early. But then again I guess it's easy to fill a space when the entertainment is free.

Admittedly, I had never seen the play Much Ado About Nothing nor read the play beforehand. It was for this exact reason that I found myself almost enthralled by the performances of the actors on stage. Once Pete finally made his entrance as Don John, the brother of Don Pedro, Yuri excitedly nudged me to point him out as though I wasn't looking straight at him.

Much to my dismay, he was actually a pretty good actor. I found myself watching him closely whenever he was on stage. His expressions and the way he delivered his lines drew you further into the story. Upon this realization, I couldn't help but sulk. How could somebody so arrogant actually be good?

Finally, at the very end, as people were making their way out of the theater, Yuri jumped up from her seat. "He was so good! " She beams, seeming almost as surprised as I was. "Let's go see if we can find him!" I was ready to decline the offer. I didn't really want him to know that I was there as he had intended. Just one more thing he could brag about. But before I could say anything, Yuri grabs my hand and pulls me along with her, dipping and diving through the crowd toward the stage. Dropping my hand, Yuri runs up the steps to talk to the people guarding the stage on either side. While she talks to them I look around nervously, debating whether or not I should just run away now. I hear Yuri call my name shortly after the security guard tells her to stay still as he climbs the stage steps and slips behind the curtain, likely to go find Pete. Pete emerges from behind the curtain and looks around, his brows drawn in concentration as he scans around the area before his eyes fall on us. His usual smirk appears as he comes toward us and his eyes land on me. "You came."He says. "What did you think?" While he was looking at me when he asked, Yuri quickly jumped into the conversation to answer. "You were amazing, Pete!" She beamed. "I had no idea you were so talented." I feel my cheeks burn with embarrassment as I feel his gaze still on me as he replies. "Why thank you, Yuri. I'm glad you enjoyed it." "We did! Tremendously. Right, Abby? " She turns to look at me excitedly as both she and Pete look at me expectedly. My face burns. "It was definitely an interesting play. I've never seen this one before."

He raises a brow. "Did you see many plays where you're from?"

I shrug nonchalantly. "Not really." I reach out to tap Yuri in hopes to head back to the apartment. Something about seeing brilliant works in action made me want to work on my own masterpiece, no matter how torturous it is.

Pete glances back toward the curtain where his cast mates are chattering and laughing behind the curtain. He smiles and looks back at Yuri. "Are you guys going to be busy? My castmates and I typically go out for some drinks after each show to unwind. Would you like to go?" His eyes move between us.

"That sounds like fun!" Yuri beams. "I'm sure we'd both be happy to go. Abby?" She turns to me excitedly. Once more I feel the heat rise to my cheeks as they both stare at me expectedly.

"I don't..." I begin to say before Yuri quickly accepts the offer on behalf of both of us. Pete's grin widens.

"Great! We'll be heading out here soon. I'll text you guys the address and we'll meet up there."

After waiting for him to text Yuri to ensure she got the address, he heads back behind the curtain.

* * *

Despite my reluctance, Yuri and I left the theater and headed to the address that Pete gave us. Much to my surprise, it was essentially just a dive bar not too far from the apartment. We got there before Pete or his castmates arrived and set up at the bar with a view of the door so we could keep an eye out for them. As Yuri ordered herself a drink while we waited, I looked around the space. It was pretty early in the evening but there were quite a few people in the bar both drinking and playing pool in the far corner while some classic rock song played overhead. The melody sounded familiar but I couldn't fully hear the song to know which one it was. Before long Pete and his castmates finally arrived, the loudness as they talked and laughed as they were opening the door drew my attention. Honestly, aside from when he first gave me the tickets, I think this was the first time I've ever seen Pete fully clothed and his hair not messed up. He wasn't a bad-looking guy but the arrogant look on his face when he saw us reminded me of why I couldn't stand him. He says something to his castmates before he walks over to us. Yuri greets him and they talk about her drink before he turns to face me. "Thanks again for coming out to see the show." He smiles. "As part of my peace offering, let me buy you a drink." I raise a brow. "Wow, not even a question. Is this how you usually pick up all your groupies?" I ask. "Just walk straight up to them and tell them they should let you buy them a drink?" He ponders this for a moment before smirking. "Pretty much." "And what is the success rate on that?" He grins. "About 90% of the time they're okay with it. So what are you drinking?" Despite myself, I scoff. "I'm good. Thanks anyway." He leans against the bar. "Please? I insist." I frown. "And yet I said no. I'm pretty sure guys like you don't really listen to a woman say no. Besides, I don't drink." Now it was his turn to scoff. "I should have known." Straightening, I cross my arms over my chest. "Known what?" He looks at me with his stupid smile. "I should have known that somebody like you would be too uptight to enjoy themselves at a bar. By the way you dress, I would have assumed that you didn't drink but I was hoping that looks can be deceiving." "For fuck sake, Pete, If this is your attempt to neg me..." He cuts me off. "Tell me. Do you ever just relax and have fun? Or are you too uptight for that?" My eyes narrow at him. "Of course I have fun! However, some of us don't feel the need to ingest different substances to be able to have fun." I hiss. "Some of us actually have interests and a personality to depend on instead of need to ingest something to see more interesting. Maybe you should try getting some sometime." By the way, you look at me I wonder if I had pissed him off but then his grin reappears and he laughs. It wasn't a mocking laugh but I could feel the heat rising from my collar. He turns to the bartender and orders me a soda before turning to me. At this point, Yuri had struck up a conversation with some of Pete's castmates so I had nobody else to converse with except my douchebag neighbor. He takes a seat beside me and I shift my legs away from him in annoyance. He doesn't notice or he just doesn't care since he continues his badgering. "So what's the story?" My brows crease. "What?" "What's the story?" He repeats his question, turning away to thank the bartender as he places our drinks on the bar before us. He turns back to me, taking a sip of his drink. "What's the story behind you not drinking?" "Who said there's a story? Some people just don't drink." He shoots me a derisive look. "I don't know, I feel like there might be more to it than that." I straighten. "I can ask the same of you. What's the story behind you wanting to be an actor?"

Okay, I'll admit that I was doing anything I could to get the attention off myself. It's not like I had a deep secret about why I didn't drink or anything but I didn't like how personal he was trying to get with me. Honestly, I half expected him to continue to try to get my story out of me but he just looks amused and shrugs. "Typical story, I guess. I grew up in Texas and my dad would always take me and my sisters to the movies. When we couldn't do that, I found that I had a passion for books and loved to read." He pauses to take a drink before continuing. "Growing up with movies and reading as many books as I could get my hands on. I always thought about how movies and TV shows were books come to life and so, in a way, it encouraged me to pursue acting. I've always wanted to be a performer, especially after joining the drama club in school." Nursing my drink, I run my finger around the rim of the glass thoughtfully. "I see..." After a brief moment of silence, he nudges me with his elbow, smiling. "What about you? What made you want to become a writer?" I thought about this for a moment. It's strange. Most of the time when I tell people that I'm a writer they quickly change the subject so getting asked a question like that made me actually think about why I chose the path I did. I feel his eyes on me and I take a sip to buy myself some more time. I set the glass down, shrugging. "I don't know... I guess I just like to create stories in worlds to entertain people and give them an escape from life." I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks. It was a stupid answer. I mean it was the truth but it just sounded so generic in my head that I wanted to quickly run away before he had time to respond. Honestly, I was half waiting for him to scoff and say something along the lines of "that's all?" But he surprises me by nodding thoughtfully. "So what was your favorite movie growing up?" My brows crease in confusion at the sudden turn of conversation. "What?" The corner of his lips turns upwards slightly as he repeats himself. "I... I didn't watch many movies growing up." "Okay, but surely there's at least one that comes to mind?" "I..." I start to answer when I finally catch Yuri heading our way as she finishes talking to his castmate. Seeing this as an opportunity to get away from all the questions, I quickly rise from my seat which is met with a raised brow from Pete. "Excuse me..." I mutter as I head toward Yuri. Her eyes light up as she sees me. "Hey!" She grins widely as she comes to a halt before me. I wave off her greeting and pretend I'm not feeling well before asking to head back home. She frowns but agrees. I straight over to stand near the door while she goes to speak with Pete and says goodbye to him. I imagine she mentioned me as I see her motion toward me which makes Pete turn my way, frowning. The goodbyes take a little longer than expected but eventually Pete waves to me as Yuri returns to me and we start heading home.

Since we lived only a few blocks away from the bar, we decided to walk and enjoy the balmy summer air. We walked as we talked and finally, Yuri said the one thing that I was dreading the most. "I was surprised, you and Pete were really hitting it off." She giggles. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say he likes you." I grimace. "Well, hopefully, you know better than that. You more than anybody should know that I would rather be shot in the face than spend time around an actor like Pete." She chuckles at this but says nothing more of it.

While it was less than ideal, it definitely made for an interesting night.

#short story #creative writing #a dream deferred #Ana Hawke #hurt/comfort #enemies to friends trope #original story #fiction #enemies to lovers

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starlessea · 3 years

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Here Comes the Sun: XX. More Than A Feeling (Daryl Dixon/Reader)

Series Masterlist: Here Comes the Sun

Summary: Daryl Dixon scares the hell out of you climbing out of that damn creek. It takes hauling his ass halfway across Georgia and taking a bullet for him to realise that you're not half bad. He slowly starts to come around, despite grumbling about how much he doesn't like your singing, or that you can't use a gun for shit - and don't get him started on that ugly yellow tent of yours. It takes him a while before he starts to see for himself that he's found a best friend for life, and that he doesn't actually mind the colour yellow that much, after all.

Words: 6480

Chapter Warnings: Language, Violence, Injury.

Your head pounded like an alarm clock you couldn't shut off. The explosions hadn't done any favours for your tinnitus, either. The high-pitched ringing noise was constant, and only intensified the more you tried not to focus on it. Even now that everything had settled down, it still seemed like you could hear walls crashing around you, or feel the vibrations as the stone crumbled and settled at your feet.

Except, it wasn't brick walls that were sending shock waves over the ground; it was Daryl's footsteps as he paced. You could feel them through your own boots, and sent him a look to try and coax him to sit down.

"It's a sprained ankle, Daryl. I didn't lose my leg." You said gently, before someone cleared their throat.

You looked down at Hershel, who was in the process of wrapping the bandages, and winced as he raised an eyebrow at you.

"Sorry." You muttered, awkwardly.

Everything had gone mostly to plan. The governor and his men had been driven away, and the others had returned from Woodberry with even more survivors. You hadn't gotten the chance to see them yet, but the ruckus drifted up the stairs and you could feel the marching of the stampede as though they had been part of the army themselves.

The prison remained standing, albeit missing a watchtower and seeming a bit dilapidated in a few places - but your home was once again yours. You'd sacrificed so much for it. Lori, T-Dogg, Axel, Oscar, and Merle had all lost their lives just so that you could sit here now, complaining of flesh-wounds and mild injuries like they were the most perilous problems you could face.

Daryl didn't seem to agree, however, and narrowed his eyes at you - or more specifically, at the bandage wrapped around your head. You'd taken a bit of a fall, but it wasn't like you'd cracked it open. Though, that didn't stop the man from treating you like Humpty Dumpty - trying to fix all of your pieces despite them not actually being broken.

"I don' care!" Daryl yelled, and you felt Hershel flinch as he made another pass with the bandages.

The man slung his crossbow onto the mattress, and you felt the bed dip beside you from the weight of it. His face was all scrunched up into a scowl, and you wanted nothing more than to hold it in your hands and bring his cheek to yours.

"What the hell d'ya try an' pull tha' for?" He asked, but this time his voice had lost its fight. "You could've gotten yerself killed." Daryl said quietly, like it almost killed him to say, too.

The older man stayed silent as he continued to do his job, and you felt guilty for having let him get caught up in this.

"But I didn't." You reminded Daryl, before shooting a light-hearted smile his way. "Certain victory, remember?"

Your eyes glanced down to his hand, and at the shoddily drawn rune you'd given him with a sharpie earlier in the day. He didn't say anything back, but his pacing had stopped - and he looked straight at you as you spoke.

"And although the governor got away, don't you think he'll be easier to find with a bullet in his shoulder?"

If you had anything to show for your injuries, at least it was that. You offered a teasing smirk to the man - one that probably made him wonder if you had a concussion.

"I think I know a pretty good tracker, too." You joked, nodding in his direction.

Daryl didn't smile back. You watched as the man took a seat next to you on the mattress, and noticed the way his eyes rested on Hershel as he tended to your injuries better than he could have.

"Ya should've followed the plan." He mumbled, so quietly that you barely caught it.

You let out a sigh, unable to hide your guilt. Daryl had an expression you'd only seen him wear once before, and you didn't like it in the slightest.

"I had a clear shot." You reasoned timidly, like you were trying to convince yourself of your words.

You had done; it was true. Except, you should have taken a moment to consider your actions. You thought that you were in fact the hypocrite - since when the time came, you'd been the one to shoot first, and ask questions later.

"If my aim was a little better we wouldn't even be having this conversation." You told him, and offered a sheepish smile alongside it. "I'm sorry I missed."

Hershel tightened the knot as he finished wrapping your foot. You lifted your leg and outstretched it to examine his work. Tentatively, you wiggled your toes, and thanked the man when you felt no pain in doing so. Daryl sent a nod in his direction too, before turning back.

"I don' give a damn if ya missed." He told you, barely above a whisper.

Hershel ushered himself out of the room as quietly as he could manage, trying not to intrude any longer. As soon as he'd left, Daryl let his head drop onto your shoulder, and you could feel his warm breath over the crook of your neck.

"I only care tha' yer alive." He admitted, mumbling against the skin there. "I can't lose you, too."

You leant back against the man. He seemed so downtrodden, but for the first time since the farm, you felt safe. You remembered that first night after you'd cleared the prison, sitting out in that field around the campfire. You'd asked him then if he thought this could be your home. Now, you decided, it was.

"Have more faith in me, Dixon." You told him, and stroked his hair - letting your nails run along his scalp gently. "I think I must be pretty hard to kill."

Despite the head injury, the events of that morning were as clear as day to you - as clear as the cloudless sky had been when you all took your positions. The strategy had been to ambush them when they came, and you had been the one to dissuade Rick from utilising the watchtowers.

"They'll be their first target." You'd said, and luckily he had listened.

You and Daryl had been checking the guns, before deciding to take one last walk around the perimeter. You'd scouted their vehicles en route to the prison, so you knew it was only a matter of time before all hell would break loose. The day was otherwise serene, and you hoped that once all of this was over you'd get the chance to revel in the sunshine and celebrate your certain victory.

You smiled over at the man, remembering what you'd wanted to tell him. The two of you were checking for breaches in the fences, making sure that the governor's men couldn't infiltrate from anywhere you wouldn't expect. You watched as Daryl pulled on the lattice wire to make sure it was secure, and you slipped your hand into his other, free one.

He gave you a subtle glance, but didn't make any sarcastic remarks in return. The two of you walked hand-in-hand alongside the fences, as though you were going on a mundane, morning stroll in the sun. It was silent, and you both seemed to just bask in the peace whilst it still lasted. Though, once you had gone full-circle, and had ended up back where you'd started, you stopped in place.

You fished around in your pocket and pulled out the sharpie you'd scavenged from Glenn earlier in the day. Daryl looked at it suspiciously, but let you do as you pleased - just like always. Carol had noted how much of a soft spot the man had for you, and you couldn't even deny it at this point. The two of you had woken up entangled in each other this morning, and it had taken you the better part of half an hour to coax him to let you get up. You could tell he was scared of what the day would bring. Despite claiming to be a man 'not scared of nothing,' you knew that Daryl Dixon was afraid of one thing above all else - and that was losing you.

"Give me your hand." You instructed, and pulled the cap off the top of the pen with your teeth.

The man eyed the permanent marker, before looking down at your interlocked hands.

"Yer holdin' it." He grumbled, and you rolled his eyes at his dry humour.

"The other one." You clarified, pointing in the direction. "It needs to be on the same side."

You took his hand in yours before he had time to question you further, and pressed the sharpie to it. You drew the simple pattern, watching as the ink bled out slightly over the cracks in his skin.

It was the same rune of Týr that you had tattooed on your hip - the one Daryl claimed 'looked like an arrow.' He stared at it once you'd finished, stretching out his fingers before balling his hand into a fist. Maybe it was a little childish to want to wish him luck in this way, and you thought that Daryl was a man quite capable of victory by himself, but you'd wanted to do it nonetheless.

"Look, we match." You exclaimed with a smile, but the words felt familiar on your tongue.

Daryl must have thought so, too, as you saw some kind of recognition flash behind his eyes. Then, you remembered it. The memory washed over you like a wave coming onto shore. It had been back on the farm, where you lay next to each other on that springy, double bed. He'd had an arrow wound in his side, and your bullet hole matched it nicely. You'd pointed it out to him with a grin, too doped up on medication for your own good. It felt so long ago - back when you'd been more young and naive to the world, and he'd been more angry at it.

"I guess some things never change." You admitted, and you could tell that he understood.

You felt him squeeze your hand, and looked back down at the semi-tattoo you'd drawn haphazardly.

"An' other things do." He replied.

When the first explosion rang out, your mind immediately thought back to that moment. The front left watchtower had been decimated, just as you had predicted, and the tanks began to roll in through the field. Whilst some of the group were hidden away in the prison interior, waiting to ambush those who came in, you stayed outside with Maggie and Glenn - ready to catch any stragglers who made it back out.

Daryl hadn't wanted you to be in the thick of it, and you could tell why. From the looks of it, the governor's army was partially made of toy soldiers. From your position, you could make out young boys and girls barely through their teenage years, and adults who looked like they had never held a weapon before. You would have found it hard to kill them - even if you needed to.

From your hiding place, however, you couldn't see the governor. The group was too dense, and he was probably lurking somewhere in the middle - just like the coward he was. You stared down the scope of your rifle, trying to get a better view. All around you, you could hear the sounds of crumbling stone, and the flicker of flames as they burned the tower to the ground. There had only been a couple of warning rounds shot at the building, but they'd done more damage than you were comfortable with. You just hoped that Daryl and the others were alright inside.

The whole thing seemed to last a couple of minutes at most. As quickly as the group had entered the cellblock, they were forced back out in a shroud of smoke and gunfire. Maggie and Glenn had their guns aimed, but it looked to be a clean retreat. The govenor's makeshift suicide army had all turned back, and were fleeing into the forest - so you didn't shoot at them.

That had been the plan anyway, until you caught sight of a familiar eyepatch and the man who wore it. You jumped up from behind the bushes like someone had set them alight, and ran over to the wall for cover. Maggie and Glenn shouted at you, but you continued until you reached it. It was part of the fence you'd reinforced with steel, and you ducked behind it to peer through the gunhole.

The man was returning back to the tank, mowing down anyone who got in his way. You stared through your rifle scope, finger hovering the trigger. You would have pulled it, but a civilian got in your line of sight at the last second.

"Shit." You whispered, below your breath, and slung the rifle back over your shoulder.

You hopped the fence and started running, making your way to the blazing watchtower that was set alight like a torch. The base was still steady, and it provided good cover whilst allowing you to move in closer. The calm summer's day had been transformed into a warzone in a matter of minutes. Shouts and gunfire rang out around you as you dashed to the burning building. When you reached it, you quickly ducked down and pressed your back to the stone as you set up your rifle.

It hasn't been part of the plan; you knew that. Though, you didn't just want to let the man walk free, either. If you weren't the one to do it, it would be someone else - perhaps Rick, or Michonne, or even Daryl. You wanted to pull your weight, especially if it meant that their shoulders wouldn't have to bear the burden of it.

The tower creaked and groaned above your head, and your eyes quickly glanced upwards to catch sight of the flames that licked the sky - creating an amber haze that resembled sunset. You ignored the sound, and locked onto the governor once again. This time, he was clambering into the vehicle, and you knew that it would be your last chance. Your line of sight was clear, and so you let your finger squeeze the trigger - and felt the jolt of the gun as it hit back against your shoulder.

The bullet connected, and you watched the man stagger backwards. He turned to face your direction, and your gazes caught for a split second - like you could see it all unfold in slow motion. Then, you heard a crash, and time resumed as normal.

Glass shattered above your head and fell onto you like jagged raindrops, and the stone debrid came following like lightning after it. The tower shifted, and you watched it crumble for a brief moment before the adrenaline kicked in. You abandoned your rifle and jumped up, starting to run in the opposite direction. Rubble came pouring down and bounced over the concrete at your feet. You felt small pieces nick your legs, but continued to sprint as you heard Maggie and Glenn call your name in the distance. You couldn't outrun the collapse, but you'd managed to dive behind one of the fences just in time to shield yourself.

You'd squeezed your eyes closed as the tower fell, and huddled your knees to your chest to protect yourself. The stone structure made the most almighty crash as it caved to the ground, and suddenly the courtyard was completely shrouded in dust. It wasn't until the smoke cloud had settled and you recognised figures emerging from the fog that you realised you'd made it.

Your head stung, and you pressed your fingers to your temple only to notice that something had drawn blood there. You must've been struck by some stray piece of rubble, you thought. You were a bit dazed, but you could make out voices clearly as they shouted your name. You recognised one in particular, and your heart sped up in response.

"C'mon, Teach!" Daryl yelled, but you couldn't pin-point where from.

You tried to call back, but your throat was dry and your voice barely made its way out of your lips.

"Can ya hear me?" He shouted again. "Call out to me if ya can hear me!"

Clearing your throat, you tried again.

"Daryl!" You screamed, and this time it resonated. "I'm here!"

You noticed a shift in the fog, and figures got clearer as they made their way through it.

"I'm over here!" You yelled again, your voice breaking over the words.

The man came running over to you as soon as he could tell where you were. You'd been hidden behind the sheet of metal, sat amongst a pile of debrid, but he still found you. You could feel the fresh blood trickling down your forehead, but you wiped it away with the back of your hand and sent him a watery smile of pure relief. Daryl took in the sight, and the way your foot seemed to be turned in an awkward angle beneath you - and his eyes widened.

"What did you do?" He asked, rushing over to your side in an instant.

You looked back at him with an equally dumbfounded expression.

"I shot him." You admitted. "I shot the governor."

After Hershel had left your cell, you and Daryl stayed sitting on the mattress together for a little while. You let him rest his head over your shoulder, which soon turned into lying on your chest as you both slumped back into the pillows. It was a little different from what you were used to, but you held his head and stroked his hair gently. You thought that he needed the comfort, and you were fine with being able to return it for once.

Maggie and Glenn had informed you that they'd seen everything go down - and that you'd actually hit the governor in the shoulder, rather than his chest. It was a bitter disappointment, but they'd reassured you that you'd still done a good job - after they'd given you a scolding, that is. You weren't entirely sure what had possessed you to do it - to abandon the plan. Maybe it was the images of a beaten Glenn and an inconsolable Maggie that you weren't able to rid yourself of, or perhaps it was the nightmares you had of cowering beneath Axel's body. More likely, it was the recent death of Merle, and what it had done to Daryl as a result. Whatever it was, you didn't regret it. The governor had deserved everything that was coming for him, and you'd just happened to be the one to pass the sentence.

Daryl's eyelids seemed heavy, and his breathing had evened out. You knew that if you didn't rouse him now, he'd probably fall asleep within a matter of minutes. It was selfish, but you didn't want that. You wanted to celebrate your victory - no matter how certain it had been.

"I'm sorry, Daryl." You whispered, and gently moved his hair back from his face.

The man inhaled sharply, and you watched his eyes flicker as they adjusted to the light. You let out a soft chuckle, which you were sure he could feel resonate through your chest.

"Can you help me down the stairs?" You asked sweetly, hoping to coax him awake. "I want to meet everyone."

He'd already carried you out of the rubble once today, but you hoped he'd be generous enough to lend you an arm as you hobbled down the metal steps. Daryl sat up and stretched his neck side to side before glancing over at you, his eyes immediately resting over your bandaged forehead to check it was still alright. You offered a smile to reassure him, and eventually the man nodded in return.

"It's gonna get a lot nosier 'round 'ere." He grumbled, but it didn't sound like he really minded.

Daryl had your arm slung over his shoulder as you both attempted the stairs. His other hand was on your waist for support, and he waited patiently as you took each step - going along with your pace. You'd heard the commotion from your cell, but nothing could have prepared you for the sheer amount of people that had been brought back from Woodberry.

As your foot hit the final step you were greeted by an unexpected round of applause, interspersed with the occasional cheers. You almost stumbled back in shock, but Daryl caught your arm before you could trip.

"There she is!" Glenn yelled over the crowd. "Our suicidal sniper."

You shot Daryl a side-eye glance, but the man just shrugged in response. Your gaze ran over the unfamiliar faces as they smiled, or looked at you curiously, and you suddenly felt inadequate in comparison. You stood leaning against Daryl in your dusty clothes and bandages, and sheepishly lowered your head as they stared. Eventually, Daryl shooed them all away, warning them to 'get out of your face.'

It made you laugh, and you aimed some teasing remarks in his direction - pestering him if he'd like to become your bodyguard. The chatter buzzed around you like nothing you'd ever heard before. Even in the old world, the atmosphere couldn't compare. You didn't know how long it had been since you'd even laid eyes on so many people at once. You knew that you'd have to clear out some other cell blocks just to make room for them all. This was the start of something; you just knew it.

Someone called your name from amongst the fray, but Daryl didn't stop ushering you over to a nearby seat. You whipped your head around in confusion, but continued to shuffle along until you had the opportunity to sit down. He leant against the table next to you, resembling a diligent guard dog. Daryl was the most loyal man you'd ever met, and everyday he reminded you not to settle for anything less. You wondered how anyone could ever come close to him - past or present. Your ex had been a mere speck of poorly-chosen dust in comparison to Daryl Dixon.

The man seemed to be able to read your thoughts, as he glanced in your direction with perfect timing - causing you to look away. You heard your name through the thick of the crowd again, and this time tried harder to locate the source. Only a few seconds later, someone emerged from the centre of the room, pushing past everyone so that she could get to you.

The woman had neat brown hair to her shoulders, and was wearing a sundress that looked like it had been recently pressed. All of the former Woodberry inhabitants looked clean, but she definitely stood out due to how beautiful she was. Her eyes were a warm coffee colour, and her smile was bright as she looked over at you.

You choked on your words, immediately standing up only to stumble into Daryl's shoulder. He quickly got a hand under your arm to steady you, but had a disapproving expression on his face as he did so.

"Vanessa?" You spluttered out, and she gave you an excited nod in return.

Daryl barely had time to step aside before the woman bounded up to you and flung her arms around your neck. She squeezed you so tightly that you forgot how to breathe, but you hugged her back with the same force - clasping your arms around her back.

You were utterly speechless. The last time you'd seen the woman, the two of you were witnessing the complete horror of your camp being destroyed. You'd looked for her in the days following, but she'd seemed to simply disappear into the night. You hadn't even thought she'd made it out alive. She'd been your colleague before all this, and then your campmate. But, most importantly, she'd been your friend.

You stared at her as she pulled away, and she giggled at your dumbfounded expression. Her smile was as pretty as you remembered, and you suddenly felt pale in comparison to her rosy cheeks and honey complexion. She was as quick-witted as ever, and wasted no time in regaining her composure to tease you like you'd never even spent any time apart.

Daryl watched in silence, not wanting to interrupt, but you could tell that he was starting to put the pieces together.

"You were the one who shot him?" She asked, as though in utter shock.

She had her hands on either of your shoulders, and looked you up and down before settling over your one foot that you kept hovering above ground.

"Yeah." You replied sheepishly, and glanced off to the side.

The woman slapped your arm in disbelief, and Daryl shot her a warning look that made you snort. She looked over at the man, too, and raised an eyebrow.

"What on earth happened to you?" She questioned, meeting your eyes this time.

You stared at the floral pattern of her sundress, secretly wishing you had something equally as pretty, and shrugged.

"Well, I hit my forehead and sprained my ankle-" you started, but the woman cut you off.

"I don't mean that." She remarked, with a disapproving tone.

She sounded the same as she did on those days you'd spend your lunch breaks together, or go and get coffee at the local shop - trading gossip and work secrets. She grinned at you mischievously, and it didn't go unnoticed by Daryl.

"Where is the timid girl who sang 'Yellow Submarine' to us from her tent every night?"

The man beside you was the one to laugh this time, and you jabbed him with your elbow in response.

"I really do miss that tent." You mumbled under your breath, and thought you could hear Daryl weakly protest below his.

Vanessa eyed the two of you, and her mouth upturned into a grin you recognised all too well. It was the one she wore when whispering to you about cute baristas, or when sliding her number across the bar.

"And who's this?" She said, in a tone that was equally as familiar.

She turned to face Daryl, and gave him a quick once-over like she was checking for any visible flaws. You couldn't contain your laugh; she always did lack subtlety.

"This is Daryl." You told her, and slipped your hand into his. "My-" you paused, furrowing your eyebrows as you did, "boyfriend?"

It came out like a question, and Daryl snorted uncharacteristically from beside you.

"'M too old for tha' word." He grumbled, but it was still light-hearted.

You took the opportunity to have some fun, and pressed your chest against his arm as you got closer to his ear.

"What do you want me to say, then?" You asked teasingly. "My partner? Sweetheart?"

The man seemed completely taken aback to hear you call him anything besides 'Dixon.'

"My other half? The old ball 'n chain-" you continued, but were abruptly interrupted as he shrugged you off in embarrassment.

"D'you wan' another head injury?" He asked - a little too quickly and a lot too loudly.

Vanessa laughed her usual dainty laugh, and you'd almost forgotten that she was even there. Daryl's cheeks were dusted a light pink, and you knew he would remind you of this later when you were alone.

"You two are good together." The woman spoke, causing you to look over in her direction. "I'm glad you found someone in all of this."

You gave her a shy smile, before looking down at your feet. You'd never been good with compliments, but she always seemed to have an abundance of them to give.

"After everything you've been through," she went on, this time glancing over at Daryl with a look that could only be described as approval. "You really deserve someone who can make you happy."

Happy. That is what this feeling was. You'd almost forgotten what the word meant, but you were suddenly reminded. Daryl had made you feel a lot of things since you'd met him - first a lot of nerves and sometimes even frustration, but eventually it became comfort and security. However, you realised that all along there were moments of happiness. Even back at the farm, the man never did fail to make you laugh - intentionally or unintentionally. Whether it was his dry sense of humour, or the wise-cracks he'd make in those days where he seemed younger, and more willing to fight the world.

You looked over at the man like you'd only just come to the most obvious of realisations. Daryl Dixon made you happy - like nothing else had before.

As the night started to settle down, the atmosphere fizzled away along with it. Everyone had taken to their temporary sleeping arrangements, and you could tell that Daryl was holding back his yawns as he helped you clamber over the people left chatting on the floor. The day felt like it had gone on for a week, and you couldn't wait to just sink into bed and let your bandaged head meet the pillows.

Across the block, you spotted Rick talking to some of the new residents, and urged Daryl to return to the cell ahead of you. The man glanced down at your foot and then back up to your eyes, as though needing to state the obvious. You shook your head, telling him that you'd get Rick to help you up the stairs once you were done. You just wanted to talk to the officer briefly, and didn't want to keep Daryl up any longer than he needed to be.

He didn't seem entirely convinced, but he left you propped up against the wall where you instructed him to. His stubbornness had definitely rubbed off on you, you'd realised, and he could hardly attempt to fight against it.

"Deputy Grimes!" You called, once Daryl was out of ear-shot. "Get over here for a second."

The man looked up from his conversation, and you watched him excuse himself before making his way over. He looked equally as exhausted as the rest of you, and stepped heavily over the stone floor. Still, he gave you a small smile as he approached, and squeezed your shoulder.

"You did good today." He drawled, praising you for the second time tonight.

You rolled your eyes and slapped his chest with the back of your hand.

"Don't let Daryl hear you say that." You warned, with a teasing look. "I could have died, remember?"

You'd said the words in Daryl's Southern accent, impersonating the man the best you could. Rick laughed in response, and you quickly glanced over your shoulder just to double-check that the archer wasn't still looming there.

"Never knew him to be so uptight." The officer replied, and you shrugged.

"He just needs a good night’s sleep." You explained, glancing over at the staircase leading to the second floor. "I think we all do."

Rick especially seemed like he was dead on his feet, but he held it together well. You couldn't imagine the pressure he felt having to keep everyone safe during times like these. You wanted to ease that burden a little, or even just throw some distractions in the mix to make him forget about it.

"Anyway, I heard that Glenn found a camera at Woodberry." You started, watching as he raised an eyebrow at you.

A few hours ago you'd hijacked it, and briefly kidnapped the Grimes children for that photoshoot you'd been threatening. The polaroid had turned out even better than you'd hoped - and you had almost been tempted to keep it for yourself.

You pulled the picture from your pocket, careful not to bend it, and passed it to the man. His eyes squinted as he looked at it, flat atop his palm. Both Carl and Judy were sporting their sheriff's hats, and the older Grimes had his sister perched on his lap.

"Thank you for everything you've done for us, Rick." You told him, and watched as he brought the picture closer to his face. "I'll never forget how you were always there for me."

It was rare that you ever saw the man speechless, but in that moment you were sure you saw a glimpse of the same Rick Grimes you'd first encountered back at the farm - that officer friendly who would give anything for his family.

He shook his head wordlessly, before tucking the picture into the inside pocket of his jacket.

"You don't give yourself enough credit." He said quietly, before slinging one of your arms around his neck. "And I don't think you ever will."

You returned to your cell soon after that, bidding the officer goodnight at the door. He gave you a quick kiss on the cheek before reminding you to change your bandages in the morning. You laughed in response, wondering why all the men around you treated you like glass.

The room was quiet as you ducked under the sheet hanging at the doorway, and you shuffled inside. Daryl had lit the small lamp on the table, and it cast a warm, golden glow over him where he lay. He had his eyes closed, but you noticed he had your headphones on - connected to the walkman that was left at the edge of the mattress.

You could hear the faint din of the music as some sound escaped, and slowly made your way over to the bed - not wanting to startle the man. He was still fully dressed, and had his arms tucked under his head as he lay on his back. You didn't think he was asleep; rather, he seemed to be waiting for you.

You knelt down onto the mattress, feeling it dip beneath your weight as you crawled up beside him. He didn't react, so you pulled one side of the headphones from his ear, and brought your lips close to it.

"Boo." You whispered, and blew hot air there to make him shiver.

This time he cracked an eye open, and pulled you down beside him gently. He continued to be mindful of your head, and plumped a pillow up for you to lay on. He then removed the headphones, and twisted the ends of them so that the speaker parts were facing outwards.

You chuckled at the action, suddenly thinking back on your childhood where you'd share a pair with your friends. Daryl placed them in the space between the two of you, so that you could both listen to the songs together. You heard something by The Beatles play muffled, and closed your eyes to take in the melody.

The two of you talked briefly, and sleepily, for a bit. Daryl grumbled about you using him as a makeshift crutch for the majority of the night, and you just hummed in response. You caught him glancing over at you every now and then, but he made no attempt to pull you closer like he usually would have. You knew it was because of your head; he didn't even have to tell you.

"Hershel said it might leave a small scar." You told him, like it was a secret you felt needed to be disclosed.

You didn't really mind all that much, but you knew Daryl had a tendency to look at you guilt-stricken whenever he saw you injured. You just wanted to warn him - just in case.

"Like Harry Potter or some shit?" The man mumbled, and you rolled your eyes.

"Maybe." You replied.

The chatter downstairs had settled, and all that remained was the tinny sound of the music that quietly played near your ear. You swallowed thickly, staring up at the ceiling to see the uneven cracks that marred it.

"Will you still love me if I have a gawdy scar over my forehead?" You asked teasingly - but a part of you felt nervous to hear the response.

Then, your eyes widened as you realised your choice of words. You sat up, immediately feeling the blood rush to your head as you did so.

"Wait-" you stuttered, noticing the man's expression. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"

He cut you off before you could finish.

"I will."

You blinked, but he pulled you back down to him - this time letting you lay your head gently over his chest.

"Know I ain't said it before, but-" he paused, "I love ya."

His heartbeat pounded quickly against your cheek, as though proving his words.

"I love ya so goddamn much, so don't ever pull that shit on me again."

You felt tears start to well up in your eyes, and hoped he couldn't feel them dampen his shirt.

"I love ya - you crazy woman who shot the governor an' took a bullet for me."

You swallowed thickly, trying to hide the wateriness of your voice as you responded.

"I love you too, Dixon." You admitted, wondering why you hadn't done so before.

You'd loved the man almost as long as you could remember; but it was one thing to love, and another thing to be loved in return.

"I won't let anything on this earth take me away from you." You mumbled against him. "You don't have to worry about that."

Daryl breathed in deeply, and you moved along with the rise and fall of his chest. This is what happiness felt like, you decided. Happiness wasn't as perfect as you had once thought it to be - back in the old world. It wasn't that amazing job, or the hard-earned paycheck, nor was it the men who called you pretty whilst giving you an ugly stare. Happiness for you was now walking around the perimeter of a dingy prison, hand-in-hand, as you stared up at the morning sun preparing for a fight. Happiness was those nights you'd stay awake, listening to the laughs down the hall of Maggie and Glenn as they whispered about their future together, and noticing that Daryl was eavesdropping, too. Most importantly, happiness was the man who you woke up next to, and the sound of his voice as he told you 'good morning.'

You looked down at his hand, resting on his chest, and saw the ink there that had smudged throughout the day. The walkman finished its tune, and there was a brief, few-second silence before it skipped to the next one. A familiar melody rang out, and Daryl placed a careful kiss over your hair.

"I like this song." He whispered against you, and you nodded in return.

"Yeah, me too."

A/N It took 20 chapters, 120k words, but they finally exchanged their ‘I love you’s.’ I think it was obvious that they already loved each other before this, but hearing them say it out loud just-

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raynebowrayne · 5 years

Text

A rant about Rey.

I'm so sick of the entire Mary Sue debate. It's ridiculous! And this bullshit right here is the straw that broke the camel's back!

Here was my response to that dudebro-

Aside from pissing me off, this interaction also got me thinking...

What I told him about her life was absolutely true and it only takes 1/2 a working brain cell to realize that... Rey grew up in hell.

Niima outpost is a bona fide shit hole. It's the kind of place where the most famous ship in the galaxy can be hidden in plain sight... for years! The kind of place where people sell children. Where people ignore a teenage girl being attack in the middle of the city market... or worse, find it entertaining.

Rey is rather plain looking and shapeless when we meet her... and that was not by accident. Daisy is a beautiful young woman who can turn heads walking down any street in the world... but the difference of appearance between her and Rey are as marked as those between a peacock and a peahen.

The heartbreaking truth is, this is as much a defense tactic as it is a statement of Rey's poverty. She's 19... even if she was a late bloomer she's spent, at least, the last few years having to worry about being seen as a desirable woman... because if someone stronger, more clever, or sufficiently devious enough took an interest in her she could and likely would have been sexually assaulted, raped and/or murdered... the chances of her having never been AT LEAST sexually assaulted are very slim...

She fights every fight like her life depends on it. Even when it's a simple robbery... of something worth zero money to her... did you notice how fast she went from "stop that" to complete savage beast mode on the thugs Unkar sent? It was instantaneous the moment that thug grabbed her. That's panic fighting, pure survival instinct. She's been grabbed before... and it's apparently left her with the effects of lingering trauma.

Did you see how she didn't hesitate to attack, with intent to kill, Kylo the first three times that met? She's had to fight for her life before. Enough to have conquered the panic to the point she can fight effectively. That means she's done it A LOT.

Rey is no sweet cinnamon roll, nor some overpowered bimbo... she's a survivor living in one of the foulest pits of hell that the GFFA has to offer.

Sure, she's a decent person... but make no mistake, she is absolutely willing to cut a bitch. She is a stone cold killer. We don"t know her body count, but anyone with eyes can see that she didn't hesitate and she didn't bat an eyelash at killing that first stormtrooper in the forest before Kylo found her. She'd have done the same to him if not for the fact that he was a Jedi.

Which brings me to the point where they actually do meet...

When he took off that helmet and introduced his real PERSON to her you can't help but wonder why the fuck the big bad guy would do such a thing.

But, if you watch the scene that follows you can see him become more and more fascinated by her with every passing second.

I didn't watch him when I saw this movie at the theater, I watched her. She was emoting beautifuly... terror, panic, revulsion... I can see why someone could see this scene as akin to rape... they'd be wrong, but I CAN see how they've come up with that.

Guess who else wasn't looking at him during this scene? Rey wasn't either.

You know when else she wasn't looking at that incredibly expressive face of his?

When he first got a load of her.

The novel states and it's actually pretty easy to see if you look for it, that Kylo Ren was surprised by and impressed with her from the moment she opened fire on him in the forest.

Yup. He was a goner from the word go. He didn't take her because it would be just as easy to get the map from her as it would be to get it from the droid... frankly the data chip would have been infinitely more useful than a 30 second, unfocused memory... no he took her because he felt incredibly drawn to her. He took her because she intrigued him. He could feel there was something different and special about her. He was so distracted by her and elated to have gotten her under his control that he didn't give even a fraction of a shit about finding the droid or Luke anymore... he actively didn't want the droid anymore because that would have robbed him of his excuse to keep her around and investigate her mind... the perfect cover for his sudden, urgent, NEED to learn everything about her and figure out why he felt so "inexorably drawn" to her.

Watch his face after she says the bit about Vader... he's scared shitless... but he's not afraid for his life... he's scared because he didn't find out why he was drawn to her, and now it was a way more powerful draw... and it felt incredible... like nothing he's ever felt or seen or heard or read about...

That my friends, with a shiver down his spine to mark the occasion, was the moment he realized that she was his ONLY equal in the entire galaxy... and he wanted her. Like a trophy, yes, on the surface, where he could acknowledge and accept it - but also on a deeper level... on the level of a unique being who had found the only other of it's type in existence... on the level where Adam wanted Eve.

Rey missed 100% of that... just like a lot of the fandom... just like I did upon first viewing.

In fact she missed every bit of him falling in love with her... allllllllll the way up to this moment

Yep... even says so in the book... she had no inkling that he had actual, real, deep feelings for her.

Not even when this happened-

She was clueless.

And guess what else she didn't know? She didn't know he was physically attracted to her until this moment-

It never occurred to her that he might want ALL OF HER... because she only found out 10 minutes ago (a LONG ten minutes!) that he felt ANYTHING towards her besides a desire to shape and control her Force training and abilities.

It was a lot to take in all at once... especially considering that she was still so terrified of him that she tried to kill him 18 hrs ago!

She had hoped she could convince him to go home to his mother and his family... to return to the light... to fight the good fight... she never even suspected that he had fallen in love with HER... the lonely, scrappy, unwanted, abandoned, flawed, unlovable dessert rat... not her powers.

I think she misjudged him terribly from start to finish.

She has no idea when she closes that door in his face that his feelings were hurt but not changed... that they were real and not some fucked up manipulation tactic.

That naked vulnerability is why they chose Adam Driver... Kylo's feelings for Rey are alive and well... that's why the last time we see him he is bowing under the weight of massive amounts of grief.

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gracie-p8-officialblog · 4 years

Text

Defending Christine Daae

I never thought I'd have to write a post with that title, let me tell you.

Because when I first heard of Phantom of the Opera, I was under the impression that everybody loved Christine just as much as I did. I mean, how could you help it? Well, I was wrong. It would seem that there are, in fact, people out there who don't share my exact opinion (shock of shocks) and who dislike Christine for various stupid reasons.

Now, I'm not here to point fingers at anyone or to belittle anyone's opinions in anyway, and blah-de-blah [fill in the rest of long boring disclaimer any way you wish]. But I AM here to defend one of my favourite female protagonists in a work of fiction! And defend her I WILL! IN THE NAME OF THE MOON!

Um, pardon me. Don't know how that last sentence got in there.

Now, on the internet, I've heard some flak about Christine, and though I'm not here to make anyone feel bad (see above) I do want to refute those points about her, point-by-point. (Hmm. Redundancy.) One of the biggest points against Christine is her choice to be with Raoul instead of the Phantom, who *ahem* TOTALLY needed her because he had a bad life and he taught her to sing! My opinion?

I don't think that means Christine owes him love. Appreciation and thanks, yes. But not love. The only thing he ever did that was worth any kind of love was letting Christine go. And she isn't some sort of consolation prize! It's NOT her job to fix the Phantom, only he could fix himself!

C'mon people! The two pretty much fit the qualities of an abusive relationship (emotional manipulation, throwing her around, restricting her from seeing other people etc.) And it’s kinda disturbing. “BUT!” You cry, “CHRISTINE REJECTED THE PHANTOM FOR A SHALLOW REASON! HE WAS UGLY!”

While I do understand what you’re coming from, I would like to inform you that it was actually his toxic behaviour towards her and murderous qualities that drove her away from him and made her choose Raoul. In “Final Lair”, she said one of the biggest burns in Gothic thriller history “It’s in your SOUL where the TRUE distortion lies...” The Phantom's problem isn't with his disfigurement. No, the problem is with what he's allowed his disfigurement to make him. He's become so obsessed with the idea that no one loves him and no one will ever really care for him that he believes anyone who stands remotely in his way is just out to get him. So what does he do? He murders people whom he gets annoyed with. First Buquet, then Piangi, and finally (almost) Raoul. And that is DEFINITELY not okay!

I think Christine saw him as more of a teacher, or a friend, or a... father figure, in a messed up way... which is more evident in the book on how she is both afraid and sympathetic for the Phantom.

While not condoning his actions, I do wish the Phantom could have found someone to love him. Good gracious, his final lines “IT’S OVER NOW THE MUSIC OF THE NIIIIIIIIIIGGGGGHHHHHHTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” makes me tear up every time. Gah. I'm in danger of sobbing, too, but I really want to get this post done, so I will conquer myself and think of something Funny instead. *thinks* I know! Gerard Butler’s version of the “All I Ask Of You (Reprise)”. That’ll cheer me up and make me laugh XD!

In all seriousness, I know that Erik is unstable and violent. But I also know that he really IS a gentle, misunderstood soul. You can be both, you know. The unstable and violent side of him, unfortunately, triumphed- and his dreams, his desires for love, his castle on a cloud came tumbling down because of it.

And so... onto the next point, another common argument used to bash Christine is that she’s considered to be flat, boring and goes through ZERO development! But in actual fact, there’s so much going on in her head and goes through quite an emotional travesty that it’s almost impossible to call her bland!

She is deeply wounded by the loss of her father, and has this incredible musical talent which stayed in a state of diamond in the rough before being discovered by her “Angel of Music”. He trains her, not realizing that she is becoming the center of an unhealthy obsession, genuinely believing in her naivety that he is some benevolent spirit sent by her father, therefore bringing her a sense of comfort. She is a pious girl, after all, and being religious myself, well, such a reaction from someone who believes like her is believable though naive. Can we blame Christine for that? NO. How is she supposed to guess?

And now, let's talk about "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again", aka. The Christine Empowerment™ song! I feel like the difference between a good portrayal of Christine and a great portrayal of Christine, is based on how good their rendition of this song is. It is a crucial part of the plot. One of the reason The Phantom and Raoul appeal to Christine is because of the connection they represent to her dead father. Of course, Raoul actually knew her father and the Phantom uses his memory to manipulate her. At this point in the show, Christine has become disillusioned with Raoul and is afraid of the Phantom. She realizes through the song that the only way she can’t move forward is through letting go of the past, and getting over the death of her father. This fuels her actions through the rest of the show as it makes her realize that if she wants her happy ending, she must take charge of her destiny and earn her own agency! And the Phantom, trying to use her in the moment where she was probably at her most vulnerable since she is questioning herself about her entire life, only catalyses her decision. She performs in Don Juan Triumphant, because she knows that everything is up to her, and that she cannot let the Phantom keep on destroying her life.

As for her unmasking the Phantom in "Point of No Return", Christine did this in a way to show him that she refused to be controlled by him any longer. It is certainly not the most intelligent thing to do, nor the nicest, but again, her behaviour is explainable. But as said above for Erik, it doesn’t excuse her. And it shows how she was beginning to be able to resist his pull/spell/enchantment/whatever you like to call it on her!

I adore and admire Christine Daae as a character so much, and it was her actions and story arc that really started my love for this story. Christine's ability to love unconditionally and selflessly is so profound. Even though the Phantom put her and everyone else through lots of horrors, she still doesn't hesitate to show kindness towards him but makes sure that her abuser NEVER hurts anyone EVER again. She loves Raoul so much that she's pretty much willing to sacrifice her freedom and happiness so Raoul could be free. No matter what circumstances she is given, she will still put the ones she loves before herself no matter what, even if it means giving up a chance to save herself. I know most of us won’t ever be put in such an extreme scenario but Christine is such an inspiration of how to love others and believe in them despite flaws and bad sides. She inspires me to see the good in people. It’s so easy to be cynical and hardened in this world, and I think that Phantom of the Opera reminds us to have kindness and light in our hearts, even in challenging circumstances.

I would also like to add another moment of character. Think what it must have taken to prepare for the female lead role in a 3-act opera. Christine wasn’t even an understudy. In a matter of minutes, she went from member of the ballet corps to the lead role, and she had to rehearse and remember new music, character, blocking, and vocals. Not only did she prepare in time, she performed so well that she became a hit. This reveals, not only the skill and beauty of her voice, but also her concentration, diligence, and acting capability. Everyone hails the Phantom as the ultimate musical genius—and he is—but they overlook the implied extent of Christine’s skill.

She went through the loss of both parents, manipulation, being stalked, and knowing that the person she loves most has his life on the line - because of her. And then she literally gets off of her knees and shows her abuser the first form of kindness he has ever known. Not even the Phantom was strong enough for that; he gave up on the world far too early. Christine is the embodiment of courage and kindness; she teaches us to love and forgive those who have been awful to us, and to protect those we love even if it means our own suffering. But she no longer succumbs to the Phantom and makes sure her abuser never hurts anyone EVER again. Seriously, this girl is AWESOME! And this was in the 18th century! It's really sad that such a great character is overlooked by many...

It seems that Leroux really understood women... That we can be emotional, we are vulnerable but not weak... And emotion really helps us when we keep them in control!

Christine, in a nutshell, is a kind, observant, compassionate, trusting young woman–a too trusting at first–but with a spine of steel and determination once she’s drawn the line. She loves people deeply, but she picks up quickly on the realities of the situation. She has the strongest character arc in the story and makes the choices to grow and to move on. Yet she remains gentle and compassionate, uses her love to bless and not manipulate. She’s a layered character who grows. And there’s so much more to her than meets the eye.

#christine daae #Christine daae defense league #phantom of the opera musical #phantom of the opera #the phantom of the opera #poto #character analysis #I'm in the mood to talk about her rn #She's seriously awesome #And it's sad not many people see her like that!

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fly-pow-bye · 6 years

Text

Powerpuff Girls 2016 - “Save the Date”

Written by: Haley Mancini

Written & Storyboarded by: Leticia Abreu Silva, John Martinez

Directed by: Nick Jennings, Bob Boyle

Can it save the reboot?

I'm sorry, I have to bring this up. Season 2 was a minor improvement over Season 1, and I was wondering if Season 3 was going to continue with fixing minor problems. Already, they managed to address two particular aspects that some people felt was a horrible, horrible problem with this reboot. Looks like the crew have listened to their pleas...

...finally, they decided to give Ms. Keane her chest back. What a huge problem that was, am I right? Well, I was a little curious to why they decided to omit her breasts in the last two seasons. I was almost thinking that this was a subtle hint at a very special episode that this show would definitely not do appropriately. But no, they were just hiding under that jacket the whole time. Yeah, that's it. Now that I got that settled, let's begin the actual review.

The episode starts off with Ms. Keane being awkward while she's teaching class about Shakespeare. As soon as she starts saying the word love, she starts to stutter. She even writes it out, which is a slightly clever joke.

The Powerpuff Girls ask her what's wrong. Buttercup assumes that she has a malfunctioning robot brain, which is a typical random joke from our rascally little green princess. But no, it's because she has to get ready for a first date. Yes, in that wording; that elephant in the room is certainly growing at an alarming rate!

The Reboot Puffs offer to give her some makeup tips. They did do a good job with the Professor when they prepared for his date with Ima Goodlady, so it's not completely out there for the Powerpuff Girls to prepare someone for a date. Any potential jokes were thrown out pretty much immediately by Ms. Keane refusing their offer, which is probably to this episode’s benefit.

There’s two different running jokes with this outfit: Ms. Keane's difficulty with high heels, a relatable joke for anyone who had to wear them, and Ms. Keane apparently has a bad pimple that everyone in the show can see, but is thankfully never drawn for us. It's for this episode's benefit.

Her "first date" with this random 38-year-old named Todd at the Snooty Rose. It's cool to see a reference to a previous episode, right down to having the same waiter show up.

Speaking of references to previous episodes, now I shall point out the elephant in the room: yes, Ms. Keane did go on a date with the Professor in the original, and this episode outright denies it ever happened by calling this the first date. People might be mad that this rando that never appeared before replaced an official pairing in the original. I'm not one of them. Sure, a professor and a teacher would make a great couple...

...but even with her inexperience, Ms. Keane is way too good to be the Marge Simpson to this show's Sitcom Dad. Thankfully, this scene in Super Sweet 6 was the closest we got to referencing that pairing. Besides, he already has a love interest with Sapna Nehru, and I would prefer he get eaten alive by a giant spider monster.

Before Ms. Keane can get to that date, Discount Jojo shows up driving a truck loaded with a bunch of barrels full of radioactive goo. He's angry that he has to drive all of these to a special location to dispose of it. Sure, he may be an evil monkey, but he has to abide by those environmental laws!

Another crime he doesn't want to commit is vehicular manslaughter, as he notices Ms. Keane walking across the crosswalk, trying not to fall on her face. He swerves out of the way, causing one of the barrels to fall over and spill radioactive goo all over her. Discount Jojo tries to save face.

Discount Jojo: Uh, don't worry! It's defective!

Ms. Keane: How is it defective?

Discount Jojo: (slowly drives away)

Admittedly, that did get a minor laugh out of me. But hey, maybe her date won't notice the radioactive slime that's all over her! Suddenly, she starts glowing, and we get a GIF that was probably made already, but I decided to make it myself anyway. That's the Fly Pow Bye way!

This episode involves Ms. Keane growing to skyscraper size, ripping her clothes, and her accidently causing a ruckus around Townsville. Yeah, I knew this reboot was essentially official fanfiction, but I didn't think it was going to be that kind of fanfiction! Granted, I should have expected this considering we had that muscle episode a season ago.

This episode is just like that episode of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles where Irma grew into a giant, that episode of DuckTales 87 where Webby grew into a giant, or that episode of Jackie Chan Adventures where Jade grew into a giant. Wow, that plot is really common! I guess one big difference is that it doesn't advertise itself as a "turn into a giant" episode. It's like, surprise, it's one of these!

Even some helicopters come in to complete the Godzilla reference. Give them credit, they manage to get both of the running jokes about Ms. Keane's appearance in one line. They start shooting her, with some surprisingly realistic machine gun sound effects out of them. I guess if they're completely useless against the giant teacher, it's okay.

Ms. Keane ends up being chased off to Monster Island, which is a setting I feel has a lot of potential for plots. There's only two episodes that had a major focus on this island: Escape From Monster Island and Aliver. I wouldn't say this episode is the best appearance of that island, but I can't say this is bad, either.

The Powerpuff Girls show up just as soon as Ms. Keane goes away, and the Mayor tells them that a giant pretty monster lady just attacked Townsville. Somehow, they managed to look at Monster Island and find out that it's Ms. Keane. It's here that I realize that it's pretty rare to see the Powerpuff Girls use any superpower that isn't strength, flight, eye-lasers, or those new-fangled aura powers, so I didn't even think about them having telescoping vision!

The Powerpuff Girls go to Monster Island to find Ms. Keane sobbing about her new appearance and height. They offer to take her to the Professor. Judging by his track record, he'd probably accidently turn her into an even more hideous monster with two pimples, so she refuses. Well, that is not the actual reason.

She decided that, since she's a monster now, Monster Island is her new home. The Powerpuff Girls try to convince her that she's acting...something, but Blossom gets a text message from the Mayor that Townsville is under attack by a giant monster before she can complete that sentence.

Bubbles: But Ms. Keane's already here!

...burn? By the way, there's another running gag about the Mayor needing Ms. Keane to teach him how to spell. Good to know that didn't hinder his ability to send a text message! I would say Ms. Bellum sent the text, but sadly, while that all-important boob "problem" was fixed, they didn't fix that problem.

An ant came into contact with the goo, causing it to grow into this monster. The helicopters come in, but immediately leave because there's no pimple to focus on. The real flying heroes show up, and they actually do very well! Won't this just turn into a Monster Punch Girls Down in the end like every other scene like this? Does Buttercup make a lazy pun that had to be telegraphed to the audience?

Buttercup: ANT (five seconds later) that's the end of that!

Before Buttercup can make an aura scarf and say the word "chapter" to complete a Simpsons reference, we relearn that it just wouldn't be good for the plot if the Powerpuff Girls could easily take care of this monster.

Ant Stomp, Girls Down, womp womp. One minute, they’re superpowerful and no monster can beat them, the next minute, they are getting curbstomped by an ant. Admittedly, having trouble with a giant ant monster for plot convenience isn’t unique to the reboot; the exact same thing happened in Bubblevision. However, just because the original did it doesn't make it okay.

While that carnage is going on, Ms. Keane is trying to teach a bunch of giant monsters about the story of Romeo and Juliet. It goes about as well as one might expect: one of the tiny monsters eats one of the bigger monsters in one gulp. Okay, maybe one didn't expect that. Romeo and Juliet did have death, but that might not be the reference they're going for.

Eventually, she sees the Powerpuff Girls flying all around the ant monster. Once again, being off-camera seems to be the Reboot Puff's equivalent to Popeye's spinach cans. As she leaves, that tiny monster spits out the bigger monster's bloodless skull. I am both bewildered and amused by that random joke, mostly becase I was surprised they could even show bones.

The Powerpuff Girls, once again at the mercy of the ant's giant foot, is saved by Ms. Keane's flying kick! Not that this is entirely another "our powerful heroines have to be saved by a strong person" plot, the Powerpuff Girls do manage to help her out, too. As she gets knocked out by the ant monster, the Powerpuff Girls wake up to do a strategy.

It's a strategy they repeat from a previous episode, surprisingly enough. I will now call it the Tazmanian Devil strategy because it uses the same sound effect in this episode. They flying all around the monster, causing him to get dizzy. Blossom motions to Ms. Keane to finish the job.

Blossom: Ms. Keane, he's dizzy! Give him the busy!

Ugh, Blossom, while it may be that kind of fanfiction, it's not that kind of fanfiction. Thankfully.

She runs flawlessly with her heels, giving a payoff to the heels gag, and punches him right back into Monster Island. Yeah, someone who had no implied fighting skills whatsoever managed to upstage the Powerpuff Girls in defeating a giant monster all because she’s super big. One would think this show about three tiny six-year-old superheroes would teach kids that size isn’t everything, but here’s an episode kicks that right in the face. With heels!

Sadly for Ms. Keane's fighting career, the goo starts to wear off. How convienent! Discount Jojo drives back and says that's the reason why it was defective. Glad to see that joke wasn't kept hanging without a real punchline, even if this barely counts as one. I don't really get it.

Most importantly, she manages to make it to her date, who was talking to his mother the whole time about how not all women are monsters. I don't know why, either. Even though her dress is ruined, and most of the resturaunt is in shambles due to the giant ant monster, he's okay with it. What a nice guy. I'm sure Todd will eventually appear again. Maybe. Sort of. Not really.

Does the title fit?

Two different meanings to the title: Ms. Keane had to save the day and also had to save her "date".

How does it stack up?

This episode is actually pretty good by reboot standards. There's some decent jokes here and there, and the fight scenes are above average. Even when Ms. Keane joins the picture, it's not completely one-sided like most battles in this series.

The Powerpuff Girls are mostly useless in this episode. The best they can do is make an ant dizzy so that Ms. Keane can defeat the monster. The date character isn't too interesting, either, he doesn't add any real tension to the plot. They tried, but it didn't work for me.

Despite that, even if a giant Ms. Keane isn't your fantasy story, this is one of the better episodes. It's definitely a superheroine story, even if it wasn't the superheroines you expected.

Next, we find out if this reboot deserves a Beatles reference, a Meet The Beat-Alls reference, or even a reference to that Bee Gees movie.

← Trouble Clef ☆ Can’t Buy Love →

#fpb ppg 2016 #ppg 2016 #powerpuff girls #fpb reviews #cartoon network

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sakamichidiary · 6 years

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Nice to Meet You, I'm 2nd Gen Hiragana Keyaki Member Matsuda Konoka (^^)

Member: Matsuda Konoka Source: 2nd gen Hiragana Keyakizaka46 blog Post date: 2017/12/08 00:22

Nice to meet you everyone! I'm Matsuda Konoka, a third year high school student from Kyoto prefecture who joined Hiragana Keyakizaka46 as part of the second generation members. I'm grateful that since December 1st, the 2nd gen Hiragana Keyaki blog has been carried out in a relay style and that I've been allowed to write in it! Since I'm quite sure that most people are thinking "Who is this girl...", please let me do a simple self-introduction! <Matsuda Konoka's Profile> <Nickname> Konoka, Kono, Kono-chan, Natto-chan (←from the SHOWROOM auditions) I guess that's how I'm being called nowadays?? <Birthdate, astrological sign, blood type> April 27th, Taurus, A type <Favorite food> Natto, green tea flavored candy, Mozuku seaweed, curry udon, soba <Disliked food> Pepper, celery <Favorite color> Green <Hobbies> Guitar, ballet, hot yoga <Favorite motto> Good fortune comes to the home of those who smile <Favorite thing> Laughing <Favorite word> Thank you That's the cliff notes of who I am! Have you gotten a better understanding of who the person known as Matsuda Konoka is now? (lol) From here on out, it'll get quite long winded. I'd be happy if people who have some free time could read this. Since this is my first blog post, I'm sorry for the long sentences. —————————————————— <About the Auditions> I originally didn't have much interest in idols. However, I was drawn to the Sakamichi group, gradually developed an interest in them, and before I knew it, I became a fan that went to handshake events and live concerts. When I learned that there were going to be auditions to add new members to Hiragana Keyakizaka46, I had the following thoughts: "I've been on the side of those who receive their energy from live concerts and handshake events but, it looks like it would be fun to be on the side of those who give it out~ Since there's a chance, I should take it~". My friends also suggested that I go for it, so I went for the auditions. What started out as uncertain feelings when I applied for the auditions, transformed into a more firm resolve, the farther along the audition process I got. Instead of "It'd be nice I could become an idol~", my feelings became "I want to become one!" That's why I'm so unbelievably happy at having the opportunity to write a blog like this with the other members. The SHOWROOM auditions were held in between the third round and the final round of judging. Actually, during that time period, I was supposed to be on a family trip. But since I didn't like it that our vacation destination didn't have the proper conditions where I could do broadcasts, I decided to stay behind at home, in order to the the SHOWROOM broadcasts. Since I had gotten this far, I took the decision that I wanted to "achieve the best results" as possible. On SHOWROOM, among other things, I played the guitar, danced, and talked to everyone! It was so much fun that everyday, I told myself "I quickly want to do a broadcast~"! I received a lot of comments, and there were really so many people who wrote them... I was really encouraged by all of them. I also received advice from people through the comments and I was able to learn from them. On the last day, while I was on the shinkansen for the final judging, I was reading the comments to give myself more confidence (lol). It's wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that it was thanks to all of you that I was able to give it my all. After the airing of "Keyakitte Kakenai?" or after a magazine went on sale, there were people who kept on encouraging me through comments... I thank you for your continued support. I always write the name of the people who give me comments in my sketchbook, are there people who remember that? (lol) BAM! I just wanted to take a normal picture with my sketchbook, but before I knew it, I was just messing around (lol) Since I took the pictures already, I'm posting them here! This sketchbook is my treasure. When I look at it, I feel good from remembering the times when I was just starting out. <About 2nd Gen Members> It's been about four months since we 2nd gen members joined [Hiragana Keyakizaka46]. Up until now, we've been given many opportunities to appear on Keyakitte Kakenai to get some airtime. We were in episodes for our self-introduction, the "Kaze ni Fukaretemo" 5th single success prayers campaign, and the sports festival. We were also given the chance to grace the pages of various magazines such as Weekly Playboy, B.L.T., and Nikkei Entertainment. But I think that everything we've done up until now was thanks to our senpai... When I look at the first gen members' greetings and attitude, there are a ton of things I have to learn from them. When observing them, we 2nd gen members often had worries such as if we would ruin the Hiragana Keyaki that the first gen members had built up, or if we would properly be able to rise up to their level. Even now, these worries linger on. But lately, I've been thinking that we shouldn't have these negative thoughts. We should instead have confidence in ourselves and give it our 1000% so that we don't slow the group down. We're still but mere newbies, but could you please look over us? If you could, we would be overjoyed. Please take care of us. This was taken quite a while ago, but this is a candid picture from the Weekly Playboy shoot! Since I wanted to post a picture of all of the 2nd gen together, this is what I chose! Back row from the left: Miyata Manamo, Kanemura Miku, Kawata Hina, Nibu Akari Front row from the left: Hamagishi Hiyori, Watanabe Miho, Kosaka Nao, Matsuda Konoka, Tomita Suzuka! Please pay attention to the blackboard in the background~!! (lol) And also, this is a picture of the fluffy family (Tomita & Kawata) vs. the food family (Matsuda & Watanabe)! When I think about it, we didn't have that feeling of sparks flying between us at all (lol) From the left, it's Tomita Suzuka, Kawata Hina, Matsuda Konoka, and Watanabe Miho! We took this picture during one of the periods where we were waiting~ ~Inside my Mind~ I want Nobuko's (Tomita) eye bags! I also like her lips. She's too cute. What's up with Hina's (Kawata) size! I want to become fluffy too! She's too cute. Miho's (Watanabe) face is too well prepared! Are we really both third year high schoolers? (lol) She's too cute. [The inside of my mind] is kind of like this (LMAO) When I look at cute girls, these are the kind of thoughts that come to my mind. All of you are also the same, right? (lol) I've started joking around towards the end here, but this shows how I really am. Except for Manamo (Miyata), everyone is younger than me. Everyone is oh-so-cute that I can't help myself! Of course, Manamo is cute too ♡ And also, that very same Manamo will finally be making her appearance in tomorrow's blog! Yay!! Manamo's birthday is actually just one day after mine (Manamo's is on April 28th)! Isn't that amazing? (lol) My next blog post will be on Saturday, December 16th! Please wait until then, okay? This was Matsuda Konoka who was in charge of today's blog! See you later (ᐛ)٩و (←Did you catch that this is the natto pose? lol) #1

#matsuda konoka #keyakizaka46 #hiragana #松田好花 #欅坂46 #ひらがなけやき #blog #translation

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