#anyway ursula is my mum now

[ayrennaranaaldmeri]

hmm idk beast. i have no idea where she is. none at all.

[amuseoffyre]

Back on my thinkie horse about the significance of The Little Mermaid within the context of Our Flag Means Death.

TLM has always been a queer story from its very creation. Hans Christian Andersen reportedly wrote it as a kind of love letter to the man he had fallen in love with, but who had went on to marry a woman. Literary critics have suggested the story was a queer allegory all along, a metaphor for queer love in a time when it could not be spoken aloud, and where people had to be silent and watch the people they love marry elsewhere.

Giving this mermaid's story to Ed has been there all along because here he is, putting himself out there, dancing on the proverbial knives for Stede, only to be left behind by the rich boy who goes back to his comphet life.

But this is where the rebirth of TLM comes in: the Disney edition is layered with even more queer allegory. Howard Ashman took the story and made it about more than just the Prince. Here's a story of a character who doesn't fit in the world she was born into, who yearns for something her society considers taboo and dangerous, something out of her reach. She's warned away from that world, told they're a threat and a danger, but she's drawn to them anyway.

This has strong flavours of Ed's entire journey, his yearning to be more than what he had been told both by his mum and the world that they live in. "We're not those kind of people". It doesn't stop him holding on to that scrap of silk, of wanting more, of wanting affection and love and softness and all the things he was told he couldn't have.

There's also this gorgeous essay about the queerness of TLM, especially focused on the inspiration for Ursula, the drag queen Divine, and what it means to have this blatantly queer-coded character standing in opposition to the world Ariel is restricted by.

It also makes a point about the queer act of resistance, of bodily and emotional autonomy and the right to be who you are, regardless of the limitations society tries to constrict you with.

Ed is in his TLM phase proper now. He reverted back to Kraken mode, the extreme version of his piratey self, as a defence mechanism but change is on the horizon. And it's not just because Stede is doing Prince Eric's "I lost her once, I'm not losing her again" thing. It's Ed's journey this time and Stede may be part of it, but he is not the whole of it.

Ed's an A-grade mess right now, but he is still Ed and Blackbeard and all of those other things. He's just lost and hurting and needs time to figure things out.

I also don't doubt he has a hidden little stash where he keeps his precious soft things and dinglehoppers because that's what we do. We package our queerness and softness and tuck it away somewhere safe where no one can find it until we can risk a look at it again. But our mermaid is going to figure things out and work out who he is and who he wants to be and I cannot wait.

[phantom-of-the-501st]

Here are my thoughts on the live action Little Mermaid!

That literally no-one asked for but I feel like rambling

I have a lot of love for the original film (it's my second favourite Disney film after The Lion King) and a lot of nostalgia for it. I remember getting stuck on the Little Mermaid ride at Disney and me and my mum were just dancing and singing along to Under the Sea the whole time. So when this one came out, we had to go and see it, even if it was just for a laugh.

And I was pleasantly surprised! Sure, it didn't need to be made, and I will always prefer the original, but out of all the live action Disney films I've watched (most of which I didn't like), this might be the only one that I would actually choose to rewatch again. It wasn't perfect, but it was enjoyable.

I'm gonna go into some into some specifics now so spoiler warning for the next bit.

Overall, it was a lot of fun and I didn't get bored at any point (which I did with Aladdin...)

Halle Bailey was amazing as Ariel and I think the casting was great!

There's a bit when she's turning the pages of a book underwater and I know we're taking creative liberties because of the whole mermaid thing but the level of realism that is in it means that it doesn't make sense for that book to not be mulch!

Melissa McCarthy was really good as Ursula (I really needed them to get Ursula right in this film) and minus a couple of points where some of the comedic moments didn't quite fit the character's vibe, the overall performance was pretty true to the original.

Ursula having glowing tentacles is one of the best additions and I love it!

Flotsam and Jetsam look amazing but I wish their glowing eyes were a little more obvious. There wasn't quite as clear a distinction and I think whiting out the opposite eye could've helped a bit. (Also, they don't speak but I feel like that would've actually ruined the vibe more than anything).

Some of the movie is too dark and I mean that literally. There are a couple of scenes where I can't tell how much I would actually be able to see outside of a dark cinema.

All of the original songs are still great!

They removed the whole "body language" segment from Poor Unfortunate Souls, which is a bit of a shame, but I can understand why. It was still cool to listen to though.

Some of the lyrics in Under the Sea don't make quite as much sense because the fish are no longer playing instruments (for realism reasons) but the dancing sea stars were great and the dancing limpits reminded me of the mushrooms from Fantasia.

Les Poisson isn't in it! :(

Some of the new songs were fine, but they don't fit. I don't actually mind Wild Uncharted Waters but because it's different from the rest of the soundtrack, it feels like the film just stops to make way for a random music video and it's a bit strange (and did Eric actually get on a boat because that doesn't make much sense in the context of the moment?)

The Scuttlebutt... exists.

Scuttle was never one of my favourite characters anyway so... meh, Flounder is... a crime, and Sebastian is actually okay for the fact that he's made to look realistic. He still made me laugh on multiple occasions and Daveed Diggs did a great job voicing him so that was good.

Some of the merpeople look a little odd out of the water. Like they almost look slightly oily? I think they're just supposed to look wet but the CGI went a little bit off.

ERIC IS BETTER IN THIS FILM THAN THE ORIGINAL!

He actually has a bit more of a personality in this and Jonah Hauer-King did an excellent job playing him.

Eric and Ariel are giving a little bit more focus together in this film and they have some more obvious shared interests. I loved this because their connection felt more believable and while it does still only take place over 3 days, I actually felt the relationship develop in this.

GIANT URSULA IS AWESOME! (Don't know how much you'd see in any room with a light source though).

I feel like I had more points than this... I'm sure they'll come to me.

General thoughts are that it's not as good as the original, there are a couple of bits that could be worked on, but overall, really enjoyable and good for a fun couple hours.

Although, on a quick side note, if you're like me and get motion sick, there may be a couple of moments that might make you feel a little bit ill. It wasn't so bad that I had to look away at any point, but there are some spinning shots or tracking shots through the water that my motion sickness didn't love.

[jijimoons]

obey me boys' favourite ghibli films

summary: what i think the obey me characters' favourite ghibli films would be! this is purely self-indulgent nonsense - if you couldn't tell by my username and pfp, i am a huge ghibli fan<3

characters: lucifer, mammon, leviathan, satan, asmodeus, beelzebub, belphegor, diavolo, barbatos, simeon, solomon, luke

format: headcanons

warnings: swearing, brief mentions of sad subjects, maybe spoilers for some films? not entirely sure! mostly just jay ranting about how much he loves ghibli (teehee)

LUCIFER - Tales from Earthsea

this film is based on the earthsea quartet, a book series by ursula le guin (such a good series, pls go read it it's amazing)

i just feel like the high fantasy aspects and wizardry give me lucifer vibes

it's high on escapism as well, and i can just imagine lucifer after a long day of overworking himself sitting down and putting on this film

(psst- im aware this film isnt too popular generally, and that's ok! let people enjoy what they want to :D)

MAMMON - Arietty

another film based on a book (the borrowers by mary norton) and generally closer to the original plotline than tales from earthsea was tbh

but, i digress!

this film is super nice and sweet (even though it deals with some heavier themes) and i think mammon would really enjoy it!

also he's kinda similar to the borrowers in a way, what with... stealing from his brothers i guess

LEVIATHAN - When Marnie Was There

sad. sad film, so sad but so happy as well? ugh i love it <33

levi is absolutely a film nerd and would definitely appreciate the complexities of the characters and story

and how it deals with heavy subjects like trauma and loss in such a sweet yet hard-hitting way? im crying

i feel like he'd definitely relate to anna in some ways

me too levi, me too

it's so beautiful!

SATAN - Howl's Moving Castle

this is my all-time favourite movie so i may be slightly biased

i am guilty of imagining satan as film!howl more than once 😳

i just. beautiful wizard man + beautiful demon man = jay's entire heart

he would love that movie. he'd definitely have read the book first i feel, and although the film isn't an exact replica, it's surprisingly story-accurate?

not howl's character though, we skip over that ahaha

but anyways. the vibes are immaculate, animation, story, everything. love itttt

ASMODEUS - The Tale of Princess Kaguya

okay, i have only seen this once and it was a few years ago so my memory may be rusty

but from what i remember, it is such a beautiful film! just like beautiful boy asmo!

very unique compared to other ghibli films, it really stands out in my memory

it's so ethereal and pretty, i really feel like he'd appreciate the beauty in the visuals and the story.

BEELZEBUB - Ponyo

such a cute and wholesome film! i think he'd be hooked

a little strange as well? i've watched it a few times and never quite understood what was going on

but honestly i don't really think you have to! stunning film (like all of them) and a really cute story

there's definitely themes of family and home there, and i think beel would relate to that

and the ramen that sosuke's mum makes? ugh i want it! he would definitely appreciate the yummy food

BELPHEGOR - My Neighbour Totoro

cosy film! very warm and nice, perfect to fall asleep to.

belphie would definitely be jealous of mei when she got to lie on totoro. i know i was >:(

the catbus! oh my gosh he'd love the catbus.

this film also has themes of family and togetherness, and i think belphie would like that as he's struggled with it in the past.

why am i just now realising that literally all ghibli films have really sad undertones :/

DIAVOLO - The Cat Returns

diavolo LOVES cats. you cannot change my mind. don't even try

i just love the idea of this fucking massive demon prince being absolutely stoked at the funny little cats in suits

it's got such a weird story but honestly that just makes it even better

this film is so nostalgic for me cause it was one of the first i watched when i was about 7 and it holds a special place in my heart:')

BARBATOS

i'm sorry barbatos lovers, he simply does not have the time to have a favourite ghibli film

however, if you ask him to sit down and watch one with you he will happily oblige when he has a free evening!

he's intelligent enough to be able to give thoughts on the characters, themes and film as a whole

he will especially like the nice, easy ones like totoro or kiki's delivery service - films like that let him relax for a couple hours :)

SIMEON - Grave of the Fireflies

i hc that simeon really likes sad movies, and this film absolutely broke me.

i'm serious (for once) - the most heart wrenching film i have ever seen, and i've watched a good few

he's strange though - he'll be sitting through the saddest scene ever, like someone's just died, and he will not shed a single tear. fuckin weirdo

what can i say, the angel likes emotional pain. idk why. go to therapy instead maybe

however, i would quite like to cry on simeon's beautiful shoulders for him to comfort me<3

SOLOMON - Spirited Away

he's just a bit weird honestly, and so is this film

don't get me wrong, i love it, amazing movie

but it's just... strange?

like, her parents turn into pigs, a witch steals her name and then some dude with cool hair comes and gives her food

there's definitely more to it than that but those are the key points in my head

but yeah. solomon's weird, therefore this film fits him.

LUKE - Kiki's Delivery Service

such a good film. omg

it's so feel-good and cute! perfect for my wonderful child

luke would definitely try and make some of the things in the bakery! they'd be so good hhh

he would love jiji and how sarcastic he is (aw thanks luke)

i think he'd be really interested in how the witches in that world work as well

aah i hope you guys enjoyed this as much as i did, likes & reblogs are always appreciated! can you tell that i wrote these at 2am😳

i'm aware that the niche of obey me enjoyers and ghibli fans may be small but there's gotta be some of you out there right? if there is then maybe consider dropping a follow - pls i need more friends :')

- jay<3

[thessalian]

Thess vs Dune Part 1

So I saw Dune. I would say I watched Dune but honestly? I’m still living with the migraine from that one. Part of it was the visual effects - so much fucking blur, which I’m sure looked cool but more or less killed me straight off, not to mention the “Having A Vision” cinematic tricks and the contrast between dark interiors and Unforgiving Sun On Sand Dunes Sparkling With Spice. Most of it, though, was the bass. Cinemas in general tend to crank the bass on their speakers, and they always turn it up loud. Since most of the effects from explosions to weapons-hitting-shields to Bene Gesserit Voice to the music as a whole were bass-heavy, it was loud enough in the tiny cinema I was in to shake the floor and the seats, to the point where it caused a fibro flare on top of the migraine. So I missed a lot of dialogue because of both the bass garble and the struggle to focus through the various types of pain.

(Despite seeing the shape I was in afterwards, Mum still wants me to go to Part 2 with her. I’m telling her that if she really wants me to do that, she’s buying my mallet meds at minimum.)

Anyway, what of it I did manage to grasp was ... eh. I saw a post about Ursula Vernon commenting on Twitter about it being a particularly humourless movie, and people getting on her case about how “Well, obviously - it was a humourless book!” and “Marvel Syndrome! Imagine thinking things need witty one-liners every five minutes!” and I’m going, “...Do you guys know anything about pacing and tension and the release thereof?” My issues with this movie as far as I could actually focus on it were ... not so much that there were no jokes, but ... okay, two things: the fact that the pacing was far too unforgiving in terms of narrative tension, and the fact that they clearly tried to relieve the tension in places but the effort was flat, unconvincing and kind of wasted because it didn’t happen in the right places to relieve the narrative tension and let people breathe before the next Portentous Thing. I saw a few things that were trying to be tension-breakers, but just came across as More Portentous Statements, and it broke immersion without breaking the tension for me.

The movie was, to me, the narrative equivalent of Sisyphus pushing his rock up the hill, and the “To Be Continued In Part 2″ was it rolling back down to the bottom of the hill, a statement of, “I’m going to have to do this emotional effort with nothing to relieve the building pressure all over again”. Maybe that’s the narrative mood the book itself wanted to convey; I seem to remember trying to read it when I was very young and kind of giving up really early. I’m starting to see why, now. I don’t think ‘lugubrious’ is too strong a word. The victories were entirely Pyrrhic. The “War Is Eternal” vibe of the Empire and the Harkonnen and even the Atreides, plus the lack of any true element of light-heartedness anywhere, made the whole thing feel like Warhammer 40K with colonialism on the side. Even the mentions of eventual Paradise were more focused on the blood the Outlander Chosen One would have to wade through to get there than the hope he represents. And it honestly would have been more powerful had we been shown ... not even humour, but happiness to any degree before it all went to shit.

So yeah, I have no interest in suffering through Part 2 from a purely health standpoint, though I might watch it to see Paul-as-Muad’Dib do his “Become As The Natives To Meet Destiny” shtick. And I might even watch Part 1 again to catch the dialogue I missed to migraine and bass garble. But ... I can’t with the cinema. The acting was good, the sets and costumes were amazing, but the story leaves me cold and the pacing needed work.

Also ... ScreenRant has an article about “Every Hint Paul Will Become A Villain” like he’s Anakin fucking Skywalker. Except that we all knew from the start that Anakin was going to become Darth Vader and ScreenRant doesn’t seem to understand that the fucking books exist. Clickbait bullshit.

[jurijurijurious]

Writerly ephemera meme

I was tagged by @thisbluespirit in this rather intriguing meme!

Find five bits of yourself that you gave to your fiction (memories and places and phrases and things into our stories), post and tag five or more writers to share as well.

Now I know I do write bits of myself and my experiences into my stories, one way or another, I think everyone does, but it doesn’t half put you on the spot when you have to try to remember where you’ve done it!

1) I know that recently I wrote Walsingham passing out at the end of a scene in “Mea Culpa”. The entire description is based on personal experience. I went through a scary few years as a young teen where I would pass out for little to no reason, usually at school where there were lots of people watching to cause me huge embarrassment, which then almost gave me a form of PTSD. I was constantly anxious about fainting, it was not good, and we never found out why it happened. But that’s another story... I still occasionally pass out but it’s usually for a reason, after having a vaccine or blood taken or something, but the whole process of fainting, though horrible, is like an old nemesis to me, uncomfortably familiar. I generally feel intense sickness in my stomach, my vision is puckered increasingly with white dots, my entire body comes out in a sweat, and I hear a high pitched whistle-type noise as I lose consciousness. And so since that is my experience, it became Wals’s too:

His palms sweated, his pulse raced...  He shuddered and emitted another strangled breath, fingers white where he clutched the window sill, body trembling.  He needed rest.  Ursula's voice was becoming distant, the room was swaying like the deck of a ship caught in a storm.  He felt a sudden nausea in his stomach, could hear a high pitched sound in his ears, a siren's wail beckoning him into the abyss.

“I am sorry.  So very sorry,” he whispered, though he knew not exactly who he was addressing.  His own voice now sounded as if it was coming from underwater, far away; he was drowning and could resist no more, slipped where he stood and descended into the open arms of oblivion.

2) This is another Walsibeth example I’m afraid because I haven’t written anything else for about a decade! So... Though the pandemic and my lack of funds has put a temporary hold to my hobby of horse riding, I am a half-capable rider and love tearing across country if opportunity allows on horseback. I can thus write people riding horses (English style, anyway) with a degree of accuracy. So in my smutty one-shot fic “In perpetuum et unum diem” (the one which is mostly a pastiche of the raunchy finale of “The Tudors” season 1, and also an excuse for me to write shameless sex), I began the ficlet with a bit of a horse-race between Bess and Wals to get the blood up (a scene that in itself mirrors Elizabeth’s racing with Raleigh in TGA, I later realised). Though I personally haven’t raced a person on horseback per se, I have done beach rides and also ridden on a horseback safari in Africa where you gallop as a group, and “giving your horse its head” is the order of the day! So a lot of this passage is me:

She turned her head back over her shoulder and caught Francis’ eyes.  His lip quirked slightly at the corner but otherwise there was no change to his countenance.  But that was enough.  Her smile deepend as if to invite him to race her and she turned her head back around, gave her dappled grey mare its head and pressed her calves to its flanks.  And the beast responded, driving its legs harder, faster, into a gallop and flew like a falcon through the trees.

...

As the wind flew in Elizabeth’s face, making her eyes water, a great whoop of exhilaration escaped her.  There was nothing but her and the horse, and the knowledge that her blackguard of a lover galloped behind her.  This was what it should feel like to live, even in tragically brief snippets; to feel the blood in your veins, the air in your chest, and the sun on your face, wild and free.

They then jump a tree trunk which I’d love to say I’d do, and I might, but most of my falls have been from jumping so I’d probably wimp out and go the long way around... ;)

3) Annnd another one from my Walsibeth fic “Mea Culpa”, just because it’s fresh in my mind. When I was driving to work last winter, there was one Sunday morning which had a jaw-droppingly beautiful sunrise. I tried to take a photo of it but could not do it justice. I did find a photo of Lincoln Cathedral on instagram from the same morning though which captured the sky perfectly. It literally looked like the sky was on fire, or something, and I immediately worked this memory into my story! I felt that a sky like that would make the perfect backdrop for a single, forlorn, broken bastard riding his horse in a clear, freezing morning:

There was a strange light in the sky as the sun began to make its ascent.  It turned a deep crimson then lifted to shades of rich amber and gold; this combined with the few grey clouds passing overhead gave it the illusion of a huge fire, as if a great furnace now filled the heavens.  Some might have called it beautiful, others would see a grim omen.

4) I had a look in my dreaded old fic archive, so full of cringe, and I found this from the end of my Doctor Who fic “Choices”, which I reckon I wrote between 2005-2006, possibly finishing it later than that. This scene right at the end (told from the perspective of Rose and the ninth Doctor’s daughter, Hope) is literally my old senior school - the class length, the finish time, the uniform was what I wore, and my history teacher was Mrs. Gaskin, and my mum would be waiting in her car to pick me and my sisters up:

By a quarter-to-three in the afternoon, she was in another History lesson with Mrs. Gaskin, and was spending another forty-five minutes hearing about the Black Death, the plague doctors, and the red crosses that were painted on people’s doors. It was fascinating, but Hope’s concentration wasn’t there. She kept looking out of the window at the school yard, noticing the little details that other days she would take for granted - like the way the trees swayed in the wind, the way a crisp-packet rolled across the concrete, and the pure azure-blue colour of the cloudless sky. Something was afoot but she had no idea what it was, or why she was feeling this way.

The bell rang finally at the end of the lesson, as the clock read three-thirty, and the class disappeared swiftly out of the door. It was home time! The voices of myriads of children echoed and shrilled down the corridors, and desperate feet, eager to get home, pounded down the stairs, making for the exits. White shirts were un-tucked from trouser and skirt hems, blue-and-red ties were loosened from about shirt collars, and black blazers were thrown off and carried over shoulders as the mass of pupils took flight.

Hope, however, took things slowly, almost as if she might never see them again, picking up on every smile, every individual laugh, and every joke pulled on every unsuspecting victim. She waved goodbye to friends, hitched her backpack over her shoulder, and made her way out of the school gates toward the spot where her mum or Uncle Jack would usually be waiting to pick her up. As she turned the corner onto Petunia Grove, though, she stopped and sighed. The car - either her mum’s or Jack’s - was not there.

Hope pursed her lips and shrugged, taking another good look around just to make sure that she hadn’t missed it, but there wasn’t a familiar car in sight. She thus let her bag slip off her shoulder, and she perched her backside on the street sign, swinging one of her feet back and forth as she waited for the arrival of her escort.

In the meantime, she couldn’t help but let her mind wander again, as it had been doing often throughout the day, and looked around the street. There was a blue tit on the hedge over the road, stood near a couple of sparrows and a robin. The front door of house number five was a brilliant shade of red, something which she had never really noticed before, and there was some graffiti on the road sign on the opposite side of the street. It read ‘Bad’ something or other, but she couldn’t read the other word since it was blocked off by the blue box.

Hope blinked and slowly rose to her feet. It couldn’t be…

5) And for number five, this is a short extract from the an unpublished Star Wars fic I wrote around 2010, where I tried for what must have been the third time to re-write the Star Wars nonsense I wrote as a teenager, all starring my very Mary Sue OC, Nadia, who became Vader’s apprentice and was mentored by Veers. I have here again worked my experiences of passing out into the story - a psychologist would have a field day with me. Nadia’s thoughts about showing weakness were also real fears of mine - I never liked to be weak, to be ill, to be a burden, and my character was the mouthpiece for my own self-disgust. It’s written in the first person with Nadia narrating in this scene where she accompanies General (Maximilian) Veers to the Kaminoan’s cloning facility to review further batches of troops and is taken ill by the experience of seeing the thousands of farmed foetuses:

Max nodded whilst I remained breathless and shaky in his shadow. I could not get those tiny, wriggling foetuses out of many head - they floated upon my consciousness, their inhuman eyes glaring into my face and their tiny hands reaching out toward me. I tried to rid myself of these infantile phantoms, but I could not, and I suddenly felt quite ill.

“We shall need many more in our next delivery,” Max told the creature, who began to babble on about the problems of this request, but was halted mid-sentence when Maximilian wheeled about and grabbed me, saying my name over and over. He disappeared amidst the snowstorm of white dots that littered my vision, however, and I collapsed upon the floor.

The next thing I knew, I was waking up in a bright, white room. The walls dazzled me for a moment and it took my eyes and my mind time to adjust and to recognise reality. I looked slowly at the plain walls, finding myself alone upon a bed with my hands by my sides and a drip feeding liquid into my arm. This seemed quite surreal - I knew I was not ill enough to warrant this - but I resolved to stay put until someone came to me. I felt extremely tired and I thought that I may as well take advantage of the rest.

I fell back to sleep again and, when I next woke, I saw Max sat in a chair beside me. I glanced about the room - we were alone. I looked at him uncertainly, my visage undoubtedly betraying the signs of my mortification, for he first said: “Do not worry, Nadia, I am not angry with you. It cannot always be helped.”

...

I wanted to defy him, to be strong, but no, I just showed him weakness and insecurity. What indignity was this?

Thanks for the tag, that was fun! I can’t think of 5 writers to tag but off the top of my head: @feuillesmortes, @robins-treasure and @captainofthegreenpeas? Have a go if you fancy.

[worryinglyinnocent]

Fic: Dead Man Walking (5/?)

It’s been 84 years! Enjoy nonetheless.

Summary: Prime Ministers don’t normally wake up in morgues after they’ve been murdered, but that’s exactly what Robert Sutherland has just done. Right in front of Lacey’s nose. With limited resources and not knowing who to trust, Sutherland and Lacey must work together to get to the bottom of the attempted assassination.

Based loosely on this dream I had.

Rated: T, eventually E.

Note: This is meant to be ‘darkly humorous and amusing mystery’ rather than ‘gripping political thriller’…

[One] [Two] [Three] [Four] [AO3]

—

Dead Man Walking

Five

Lacey was alone in the living room with Sutherland. Mrs de Ville had vanished off somewhere and Carrie was outside talking to Ursula about the best way to get into Chequers without being questioned, trying to convince the taxi driver that everything was perfectly above board, honest. 

Before, when it had just been her and Sutherland in the morgue, it hadn’t been anywhere near as awkward as it was now. Before, there had been much more urgency, and Sutherland had been a lot groggier from having just died and come back to life, and Lacey had had a lot more to focus on than the fact she was alone with the Prime Minister.

Now that she didn’t have to worry about someone coming along and finding them and she didn’t have to worry about keeping him safe from a bunch of civil servants who were probably the ones to kill him in the first place, things were much more awkward. For some reason, she kept replaying the moment she’d run into the morgue in her mind, and she could barely string more than two thoughts together before something in her brain would helpfully remind her that she’d seen the Prime Minister naked and that he did have a rather nice arse. 

To be honest, the rest of him wasn’t too bad either. He’d look better if he weren’t quite so stressed, but Lacey had always had a bit of a soft spot for silver foxes. She might not agree with his party line, but that didn’t mean that she couldn’t find the man himself objectively attractive. 

The silence in the living room stretched on, and Lacey wondered what she ought to say to fill it, rather than just sitting here staring at the man until someone came to rescue them from this void. 

Thankfully, Sutherland spoke first. 

“Thank you,” he said. “I don’t think that I really had the chance to express my gratitude back when we were in the hospital before, everything was a bit…”

“Frantic?” Lacey suggested. 

“Yes.” Sutherland sighed. “I do really appreciate all your help. I think that there are quite a few people in your position who would have been quite happy to leave me to my fate. Or finish the job, you know.”

Lacey snorted. “Oh, believe me, I’ve been tempted over the last couple of years, and you and I are still going to have a discussion about student loan forgiveness at some point. But, ultimately, I’m a decent human being and I like to believe that you are too. And, you know, murder is bad, even if it does happen to people you don’t like.” She paused. “Well, it’s not that I don’t like you.” Good grief, why was she trying to justify herself? She’d saved the man’s life and snuck him out of the hospital; she didn’t need to be friends with him so why was she trying to ingratiate herself? “More that I don’t like your policies and the way your party thinks.”

“Fair enough.” Sutherland drained his coffee and made a face. “You’re right, maybe this experience has served to put me off coffee a bit.”

Lacey laughed. “I told you so. You know, when I was growing up, I always thought that politics was the most boring thing ever and I couldn’t believe that anyone would want to be Prime Minister. Now it’s got a lot more exciting. Although, that said, I still can’t believe that anyone would want to be Prime Minister when the rate of assassination just went up by a hundred per cent.”

“It would only have gone up by a hundred per cent if they had actually succeeded,” Sutherland pointed out.

“According to everyone who isn’t us, they did succeed.” Lacey shrugged. “Face it, you’re in a dangerous line of work. Not as dangerous as being the American president though. We’ve still got a while to go before we catch them up in terms of assassinated premiers.”

She paused, thinking deeply into her long-perceived notions of politics and politicians. Since she had one here, the top dog no less, she might as well get a few things off her chest. “Why did you want to become Prime Minister anyway?”

Sutherland sighed. “Because I thought that I could change the country and make people’s lives better. It’s only once you get into government that you realise just how hard that is. Power is always limited, and so it should be – think what would happen if there were no restraints in place.”

Lacey nodded. “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

“Exactly. It’s something that you’re all too aware of when you get to be in my position.”

“Ever been tempted?”

“What?”

“Ever been tempted to use your power for evil? I mean, come on, we’re slap bang in the middle of an excellent villain origin story here. Poisoned and left for dead by the people you trusted…”

Sutherland scoffed. “I wouldn’t trust Sir Albert as far as I could throw him.”

“You’re ruining my narrative here!” Lacey sighed. “Why do I bother? I should have left you in the morgue.”

She didn’t mean it, and the worst thing was that she knew Sutherland knew she didn’t mean it as well. He gave a little chuckle, but it came out more tired than anything, turning into a yawn that he tried and failed to mask.

It served to remind Lacey of how late it was – well, how early now, given that it was long past midnight – and that she too was running on empty. She wondered how long this limbo was going to last. She had done her part, so to speak, delivering the Prime Minister into safe hands, and yet here she was still, for some reason unwilling to go home and consider her job done.

She tried to justify it to herself by saying that Carrie couldn’t possibly allow her to go home now and possibly ruin the secret of Sutherland’s survival, but she knew deep down that she still felt the same sense of responsibility towards him that had driven her to get him out of the hospital in the first place. It was the same acute sense of justice that had fuelled her in her current career path – the need to see victims vindicated and the perpetrators of the crimes against them punished.

“I have to say, although I’ve not met many forensic scientists in my time, you’re not at all how I imagined one would be,” Sutherland said presently, startling Lacey out of her train of thought. Spooky that he should mention it just as she was pondering it herself.

“Well, it’s not all the glamour of CSI,” she said. “Not that CSI is all that glamorous most of the time. Most of it’s sitting in laboratories looking through microscopes. And not all forensic scientists are nerds in lab coats like procedurals would have you believe. Some of us ride mopeds and rescue politicians in our spare time.”

She leaned back in her chair, running a hand through her hair and wishing it were possible for her to teleport out of the situation, get a few hours’ sleep in her own bed, then blink back in as if nothing had happened and continue the conversation. She didn’t want to leave Sutherland and Carrie to fend for themselves against whatever internal workings had brought them to this, but at the same time, she wasn’t really sure what she, Ursula and Mrs de Ville could do to help them.

She was saved from any further awkwardness by the entry of the lattermost into the room again.

“I’ve made up the spare beds,” she said, completely matter of fact. “I for one have been completely exhausted by this ordeal and if my errant daughter doesn’t come back in here soon I shall go to bed without saying goodnight or getting the latest in the plan off her.” She paused. “Although, that said, if Ursula wants to stay over as well, then people will have to start bunking up.”

Her gaze travelled from Sutherland to Lacey and back again, giving a sage nod before she disappeared out of the room.

Lacey leapt out of her seat, following the older woman out, not for any reason other than to get away from Sutherland’s physical presence whilst she also had the mental image of bunking up with him. She should not be finding the Prime Minister, of all people, this attractive. She definitely should not be thinking about sleeping with him. She absolutely should not be thinking about sleeping with him when he’d been functionally dead just a few hours ago. The poor man would need rest and recuperation, not riding into the mattress.

Although, given his current levels of stress, perhaps riding him into the mattress would provide the relaxation that he needed.

She stepped out into the driveway, where Carrie and Ursula were still very confidential beside the taxi. Carrie noticed her.

“Are you leaving us, darling?” she asked. “I was going to ask if you wanted to participate in the great expedition.”

Lacey shook her head. “No, no. I’m still here. I’m in this deep already, I might as well stick it out to the end.”

Ursula nodded. “That’s the principle I’m working on too. Anyway, we’re off to Chequers and praying we don’t get killed. Are you coming?”

“No, I don’t think so. Someone’s got to stay here and keep an eye on Sutherland. We don’t want anyone coming and finishing the job, and no offence to your mum, but I think she might need back up.”

“No offence taken. I’d best let her know that we’re going. Actually, can you do that, darling? If I tell her then she’ll want to come too, and whilst I just about managed to keep her reigned in at the hospital, I don’t trust her in the vicinity of government buildings. Wish us luck! We’re going to need it!” She flung herself into the back of the taxi and waved out of the window.

“We’re going to need more than luck,” Ursula muttered as she got into the driver’s seat. “We’re going to need a bloody miracle.”

The taxi backed out of the driveway just as the sun was beginning to come up, and Lacey felt the events of the day beginning to weigh heavy on her shoulders. All she really wanted now was a nap, but she had thrown her lot in with Carrie and Sutherland for better or worse.

Just as she was turning to go back inside and ponder her next steps, her phone buzzed with the arrival of another message. It was from her father again, and she remembered that she had never responded to his first frantic question of if she had stolen the Prime Minister.

Where are you? Is everything all right?

Lacey felt a sharp pang of guilt that her dad was so worried about her. Although she didn’t want to tell him the full extent of what was going on, she knew that she had to let him know that she was safe. Before she could reply, another message arrived.

Is you-know-who alive?

She snorted, immediately reminded of Harry Potter, and typed out a quick response. She loved the fact that he was using a strange little kind of code, but then again, she wouldn’t put it past the government to be tapping their phones whilst all this upheaval was going on and the Civil Service were desperately trying to find the Prime Minister’s corpse.

Yes, y-k-w is alive. I am safe and well and hiding out with him. Being taken care of by an old lady with a taste for gin and cigarette holders. I’ll tell you everything tomorrow. Well. Later today.

She paused before sending and added: I’ll call you at midday.

Hopefully by then, she’d have more of a plan, and if something did go terribly wrong and she ended up imprisoned in a basement at Chequers, or, in a terrible worst case scenario, in a morgue herself, then her dad would know to send out a search party if she didn’t check in.

His response came a moment later.

Stay safe, Lace. Keep y-k-w safe too.

She smiled and stepped back into the house, closing the door on the world outside and hoping that whatever Carrie and Ursula got up to at Chequers, they would be both successful and quick about it, so that her life could continue back on the nice and boring course that it had been taking before.

Lacey already knew, however, that it would likely never be quite the same again.

[tumblunni]

OH FUCK I THINK I FINALLY CRACKED THE CODE OF WHY I ALWAYS LIKE THE VILLAINS BETTER

Like man it always makes me so confused cos i mean im a soft AF person and i always end up having sympathetic redemption headcanons for them so its not like i like VILLAINY ITSELF but what else do all these characters have in common?

Thats it. Thats it, ursula helped me crack it.

I just WANT THOSE TRAITS ON THE HEROES

I really want a nice confident sassy funny chubby trans auntie who promotes body positivity to our young hero and always gets to say the coolest lines and get the best moments and BE LOVED FOR WHO SHE IS

And like usually whenever you get anywhere close to seeing those "villain traits" on a hero they like.. Remove all the good parts. If you have a supportive hero aunt she's always boring and generically supportive instead, and has to look like the most stereotypical boring mess ans have a super small plot role and uuuugh thats IF SHES EVEN THERE i mean seriously aunties and grandmas are weirdly less represented as mentors than grandpas who are already REALLY HARD TO FIND and again OFTEN GENERIC AND UNFUN WHENEVER THEY GET TO APPEAR

And how damn often are we allowed to have a chubby gay aunt!! WHERE IS MY CHUBBY GAY AUNT!! ive met SO MANY chubby gay aunts in real life like 90% of all my psychologists have been either that or like.. The exact same but a straight lgbt ally instead. Sassy plus size aunties are THE BACKBONE OF OUR SOCIETY DAMMIT! I've had so much help thanks to sassy gay aunts!! And like even just looking at any damn crowd scene in a normal city centre youre gonna see so many chubby aunts and long nosed uncles and all those sorts of bullshit "ugly people" that mass media pretends are ugly and relegates to One Minor Role In The Entire Cast despite them being infinately more common than supermodels and NOT UGLY AT ALL GEEZ IT PISSES ME OFF SO MUCH

I cant believe im a fuckin disney villain fan cos of body positivity

Tfw u suck so bad at making hateable people that the fandom universally hugs all your villains and ignores your boring protagonists like fuckin TAKE THAT DIDNEY

God i wanna hug hades sooo bad he just needs a friend aaaaaa

And i mean its not just disney, every damn time ive obsessed over a villain its been because they have some trait thats supposed to be "bad" but its actually good and we dont get to see it on the heroes

Like my thing with science villains in particular is that when i first played ff7 i really liked the idea of an evil minion who's a bad sidekick not just because he's "dumb" or "bumbling" but because he's actually not interested in any of the evil stuff and he works against his own boss and is like.. Friendly to the heroes, i have no particular grudge against you and i wont stop you if im off duty and all. I liked the Turks for the same reason but in the origibal ff7 translation they were kind of stoic and serious and i didnt really become as much of a fan of them til i saw them being more goofy and comic relief in some optional sidequests and then their movie adaptation. But hojo was always being all "lol my boss's plan is so stupid amirite" and had that very memorable scene where he's just sunbathing and tells you everything you need to know to get to the next thing to ruin his boss's plan cos i mean fuck it who even cares im just here to soak up some sun while fully dressed in a turtleneck and labcoat. It sucked so much that he was such a reprehensible bastard with creepy sexual assault vibes and murder and child abuse and experimenting on people and basically just NOT A LOVEABLE VILLAIN but his CONCEPT held so much potential to be filled by a sympathetic character instead...

So yeah then cos of him i kept being obsessed with finding SOME CHARACTER SOMEWHERE that actually lived up tp that potential, and thats why i was instantly interested in charon from pokemon and totally on edge waiting for the slightest chance for him to become That Perfect Sass Gramps Of Legend. And then he was indeed sassy!! And had so little screenyime that there was potential for interpretation of him as potentially redeemable cos i mean the game never said he wasnt, the game barely said anything about him at all, lol. And he was so old and small and frail looking and i just wanted to protect him!! And then that one wifi event that actually hinted at synpatheticness!! Aaaa its a recipe for a Forever Fave~

And i guess maybe it all started with my grandma being awesome and me really missing her? Cos i had shitty abusive parents and she was my ONLY good family member who showed me what love was like. And she was also basically a supervillain. Like every damn supervillain trait except being evil! She was bombastic and confident and sassy and mischievious and loud and passionate about stuff and always had something funny to say and never gave up no matter how many times she failed. And she also used all that great power for the forces of good!

So yeh thats why i love sassy good guys and i hate that often even when a sassy villain gets redeemed they seem to lose all their edge and become more generic now theyre a good guy. Or they get totally sidelined with no screentime anymore, or they ONLY get to be comic relief and dont get the full and complex redemption they deserve. Or just a lot of bads!! Its never the simplest answer of just fuckin.. Keep the character the character. Thats kinda why i didnt feel too much for the maleficent movie even though the concept itself sounded like everything i ever wanted. The character in that movie is a very different person to origibal maleficent, she's more just a stoic tsundere mumsy figure than a hammy badass iconicness. Still a nice villain redemption but it felt like it would have been better as an original story instead of an attempted maleficent. Also i wish they handled it better with the whole "true love's kiss could be from your mum instead" thing cos i get sooooo grossed out whenever i see people shipping movie maleficent and aurora! Like yes sleeping beauty with lesbians would be great but not when one of them is old enough to be her mum and raised her like a mum and changed her goddamn diapers! Also why did they have to ruin the three good fairies just to make maleficent have the mum opportunity? Like just remove them from the story if you wanted maleficent to raise the kid instead. No need to rewrite them into incompetant assholes when they were everyone's fave part of the original! Dont sacrifice the rare and elusive Good Sassy Gay Aunts!! THEYRE LIKE THE ONLY ONES IN DIDNEY!!! (Incodentally merlin is the equivelant of this to hades as the fairies are to ursula)

Also also villains tend to have ACTUAL FLAWS in stories that have a more boring bland protagonist. I wanna see the story behind charon's neuroses and how he struggles with overcoming his temptation to be bad because of greed but ultimately manages to conquer his own negative side because power of friendship and such. Thats a great character arc that provides so much more than he does as a villain where they just wasted him entirely :(

SO BASICALLY IN SUMMARY

* villains are often more complex and well developed characters with flaws while the same wroter might make shitty heroes due to the illogical fear that nobody would root for them if they werent 100% perfect and successful at everything ever

* villains are also often made as negative stereotypes of minorities and other rarely seen traits, which means its easy to reach out to them and reclaim them as a more positive version when theres literally no other options for you to cling to

* the quite common accidental sympathy factor where a villain will seem to be hated more than they deserve for their actions, ir unjustly punished so much that they feel like an underdog, since the writer assumes you'll think theyre "more evil" for being a stereotype and if you dont agree that this thing is bad then it seems like they have way less sins than the story claims they do

* also sass. Sass is good.

But basically the whole root of it is that its stupid and cruel and doesnt goddamn work when you make villains bigoted stereotypes. It just makes me love them! The only person i hate when i see a stereotypical villain is the writer who thought that was a good idea, lol. Just imagine that meme of the samurai holding the cat but its me holding all disney villains!

Also even if a villain isnt outright intentionally meant to be "this minority is bad", it can still make me symoathetic to them if theyre still something thats rare amoung the hero side in the same series. Like charon being the "most unredeemable" villain despite being the most harmless and funny and his plan being so much less world destroying than cyrus, and also he's the only grandpa villain in like.. The whole of all. And he's drawn very much in that way thays supposed to be "ugly" i.e normal grandpa, vs that weird sort of younger than he looks grandpa that hero ones tend to be because blablabla beauty ewuals goodness anti body positivity whatever. Tho actually sinnoh was good with that, they had the best grandpa professor in my opinion cos he got to be sassy too! Rowan always reminds me of auron from ff10. Sinnoh was a good game where i liked a lot of both the heroes and villains even if i still had more villain faves cos i mean pokemon is always biased towards that for me since every game has a voiceless perosnalityless main character and often theyre the one doing most of the heroing with the supporting hero characters having surprisingly little proper screen time. Thats a big part of why i loved hau gladion and lillie in sun and moon! They felt more like a real friend group than any other ones before.

ANYWAY now im just going offtopic into more "i love lots of stuff about every pokemon game" so ill stop typing now

But just basically VILLAINS ARE GOOD COS THEYRE GOOD CHARACTERS and if those stories gavethe same character a good guy role then id still love them just as much, if not more. I dont specifically like villainy, its just that my definition of a good character is often considered a bad character by lazy writers, apparantly?

Also WHERE IS MY SUPPORTIVE GOOD GRAMPS CHARON GAME AND GAY AUNTIE URSULA GIVES YOU FASHION TIPS SMARTPHONE MMO

[tragic-vampire]

My lovebirds' babies are old enough to be rehomed now.

So there were three. We're keeping the oldest because he was the most independant and the one the parents like having in their cage.

Thing is when my mum see Ursula and Ceo snuggled then see the two youngest in the temporary second cage or snuggled at night they feel really sorry for Bird. Don't judge us. We nicknamed him that because he was birding so well as he developed and now its stuck as his name. They keep lamenting they want to get him a girlfriend. Even when I told them I saw that Ceo slept with him for a few hours before going back to Ursula.

So... when they get back from their next holiday we MIGHT have to get Bird a girlfriend. Which means the second cage will become Bird's cage and his friend. But Bird and friend would be my parent's birds. Ceo and Ursi are mine.

We'll see... anyway heres some pictures. Heres wet "Bird" that we're keeping taken a week or so ago; and then theres "Middle" and "Nugget" in their current cage. Lastly is a week or two old collage of Ceodore and Ursula with "Middle".

[mystical-flute]

Dark Fire Chapter 6

Emma knew she should have been eating something that was a bit better for her than a bear claw for lunch, but being back in the groove of finding missing people had made her go back into her old eating habits.

Chuckling, she couldn't help but think about what her parents would say if they saw her eating this for lunch. They'd be more gentle about the fact that she was eating crap.

 Then there would be Regina with an annoyed, yet amused "can't you at least order a grilled cheese or something? Honestly." And then of course, she'd tell Henry to actually order food and not a donut.

 Finally Neal (her Neal, not the Dark One that was running around town tormenting everyone) would simply laugh at all of them and shrug, joining her in having a donut (his would be jelly filled of course) for lunch because that was just what they did. It was what they'd had to do when they were on the streets. Donuts were cheap. They were broke. It was that simple.

 Neal. Oh Neal. She hated this. Neal didn't deserve it. No one deserved to have the Dark One's curse imposed on them, but especially not someone like Neal. Someone who had dedicated their life to avoiding darkness and running from it was forced to carry the world's darkness inside him.

 It made Emma sick, and she clutched the bear claw tighter in her fist, feeling the sticky frosting and soft pasty dig under her nails as she looked down at the information she'd managed to find on Lily. She worked at an office in town and came here quite often for lunch. Emma hadn't been able to get in to see her, so she was banking on Lily coming here.

 The sudden ringing of her phone snapped her out of her thoughts, and she swiftly lifted it to her ear, finding her son on the other line.

 "Hey kid. Everything okay?"

 "Yeah, everything's fine. I just wanted to see how your search for Lily was going," Henry replied. "So… how is it?"

 "Slower than I'd like it to but I'm hoping I'll be able to find her soon," she replied. "What have you been up to? Have your mom or Hook come out of hiding yet?"

 "Gramps said Hook tried early this morning, but he ran into a former Lost Boy with a grudge who'd managed to find a posse of people with issues with Hook."

 "A posse? Really?" She could have laughed at the irony that out of all the things in Henry's sentence, the word "posse" was the thing she took issue with.

 Henry laughed on the other end. "Whatever. You know what I mean. But I haven't seen mom at all. But she's been sending me letters so that's better than nothing."

 She frowned, wiping her other hand off on a napkin. "Wow. I'm sorry to hear that kid. I'm sure she's missing you a lot."

 "Yeah, I know. But this will blow over soon," the familiar hope was in his voice, and Emma could practically see the smile on his face.

 "We can only hope, kid," she said, looking up as the bell over the door chimed, feeling her eyes widen when she noticed who had walked in. "Henry, I gotta go. I'll call you later."

 "Okay. I love you mom."

 "Love you too kid."

 Emma ended the call and stood, going over to the black haired woman. "Lily. It's been a while."

 She could see tension build in the woman's shoulders as she slowly turned around. "Emma. How did you find me?"

 "Your mom sent me to find you," Emma said with a small frown. "And as for how, well, I have my methods of finding people."

 Lily blinked, stepping out of the line. "My mom? Don't you mean moms? And I talked to them a week ago. I don't know why they'd need you to find me. They know exactly where I live."

 Moms? Okay so Cruella de Vil was in a relationship with Ursula. Right. Just another thing that her brain was going to have to reconcile when she got a moment to breathe.

 "I don't mean them, Lily. I mean your birth mom," Emma said. "Your birth mom is looking for you."

 That had Lily pausing, looking at her seriously. "Oh. So Maleficent finally wants to talk to me?"

 It was Emma's turn to blink in surprise. "You know?"

 The other woman sighed and pulled out her phone, holding up a finger for Emma to be quiet. "Hi,  Ken? It's Lily. Listen, I have a family emergency I have to take care of so I'm clocking out for the day. Thanks." With that done, Lily turned to Emma again. "Yeah. I've known my whole life that you're the Savior. I meant to tell you when we were together but you stormed off when you found out I had a family that I didn't have time."

 "And odds are I wouldn't have believed you," she replied with a sigh. "Come on. We should talk about why your birth mom took so long to call."

 "You killed her?!" Lily asked in a harsh whisper, leaning toward Emma with wide eyes. "What the hell, Emma?"

 "I didn't know! Not at that point! At that point she was a fire-breathing dragon who had what I thought was my dying son's only hope!" Emma shot back, holding up her hands in defeat. "But she's alive now because of Neal."

 "Neal. Your, what, husband?"

 Emma froze, feeling some heat beginning to creep onto her cheeks. "Uh. It's hard to explain. He's my son's father. My… ex." But she did love him. She'd admitted it to him before he was presumed dead, to her parents, but she wasn't sure if she was ready to leap into another life with him.

 Lily frowned. "Oh. I see. But you think there's hope for a reconciliation?"

 Emma hesitated. She hated that even after all this time, Lily seemed to be able to read her like a book. "I don't know. He's… well he's turned into something called the Dark One. He's the epitome of darkness now. So I don't know if it's possible."

 "Oh. That sounds horrible. Um. But he brought back my birth mom so he can't be that bad… right?" Lily asked, looking uncomfortable with the topic.

 "I don't know. But anyway… she does want to see you. Come back to Storybrooke with me, please."

 Lily gave her a smile. "What took you so long to ask?"

 Emma grabbed her keys and rose from her seat. "Let's get your bags packed and go then."

 If they were lucky, they could make it back to Storybrooke before anything else happened.

 -----

 "Ana, come on. Regina and Rumple need your help to protect the town. And really I might need your help to protect the town from Rumple…" Belle called, knocking on the door to Ana and Will's apartment with a frown. The moment Rumple had gotten the text from Emma about who was controlling Neal, he'd been livid and on edge, having locked himself in the basement of their home. She couldn't tell what he was doing, nor did he tell her, but she was relieved she'd managed to coax him out to sleep and eat.

 And then there was Regina, who hadn't shown her face in public since the night before when she'd nearly been attacked by the man at the town hall meeting.

 Belle was worried. With Emma out of town, it was all hands on deck to make sure nothing happened while she was gone. She and the others knew that they couldn't rely on Emma for everything. After all, they were heroes before Emma had come to town. They knew how to protect themselves.

 "Anastasia, please," Belle called again, knocking louder against the smooth wood of the door.

 Finally, Will pulled the door open, quickly slipping into the hallway with Belle. "Hey… sorry we weren't there last night to help get everyone settled. Hope everything went okay."

 "Will, where's Ana?" She didn't know why there was a sense of dread beginning to form in the pit of her stomach, but she didn't like it.

 Will scratched at the back of his neck nervously. "It's… sort of a long story. See… Ana's mum isn't exactly a fan of mine and we sort of… accidentally… knocked her and Drizella into the Land of Untold Stories as we were escaping to Wonderland."

 She frowned. That couldn't be right. "Snow told me that Ella lived with her stepmother and two stepsisters during the curse. Like her story says she did before the ball."

 "Aye…" Will muttered. "She did. But they were castle servants that she lived with during the curse. Thomas told me that. Ana was in Wonderland, and her mother and sister were in the Land of Untold Stories. But now that those people are in Storybrooke, Ana's scared. She's not very good at confrontation and her mother is scarier than Regina, Cora, and Zelena all put together into one super-witch. And Lady Tremaine doesn't even have magic."

 Belle huffed, feeling her nostrils flare. "Then that's all the more reason why she has to confront her mother. Ella could be in danger now that Lady Tremaine is here!" she told him, making a mental note to alert Snow to that little detail as soon as she could. Since Lady Tremaine didn't have magic, Snow would be the perfect person to watch out for Ella, especially since they had been friends in the Enchanted Forest.

 "I know," Will groaned, "we're not exactly used to this being heroes thing yet."

 The librarian exhaled slowly through her nose as she looked at him. "That doesn't mean you just give up when something terrifying comes along."

 "You don't know her mother…" Will tried.

 "So you're going to be a coward then?" Belle asked, knowing how much power the word could hold over people. "After everything you both went through, you're going to choose the cowardly way out?"

 Will sighed and opened the door. "Come in."

 Belle gave him a triumphant smile as she stepped into the apartment, finding Anastasia laying on the sofa in an oversized hoodie and sweatpants, looking very un-Anastasia like.

 "Anastasia – " she started with a sigh, before the woman sat up and looked at her.

 "Do you know what it's like to have a mother like her, Belle?" Anastasia said. "Do you know what it's like to listen to her day in and day out about how you're so perfect, so beautiful, so talented, and then when someone else gets the glory you were raised to do, to suddenly hear how stupid and worthless you are? To constantly have your dreams shattered because you need to marry a prince, or a duke?"

 "I don't. But she doesn't hold the power anymore, Anastasia. You do. Look at you! You were a queen. You have magic! You have friends! You have more than anything she could ever understand. Because she will never understand what it's like to be good."

 Anastasia swallows tight, biting her lip. Belle could see the conflict in her eyes.

 "What do you say?"

 "Okay. What do I need to do?"

 Belle smiled in relief. "Well, the hospital could use a protective barrier around it, just in case. And then I'd go see David. He might have something else for you to do."

 Anastasia nodded. "Okay. I'll be down there in ten minutes. And Belle?"

 Belle turned back around, having started making her way to the door. "Yeah, Ana?"

 "Thank you. That's… that's exactly what I needed to hear."

 She smiled. "You're welcome. I'll see you later guys," she said, waving as she left the apartment, feeling relieved that she managed to get Anastasia to come out of hiding. The last thing Storybrooke needed was for three of its most powerful witches to be in hiding or out of town for the foreseeable future.

 Unless that was exactly what Hyde wanted.

 Regina and Anastasia hiding, Emma out of town, Rumple and Maleficent too focused on their children to focus on the town… she wasn't sure how powerful Ursula or Cruella was but regardless, they weren't exactly the noble sort, unless they too had undergone a massive change during their time in the Land Without Magic.

 "Oh no," Belle whispered to herself, pulling her phone out of her pocket and dialing Snow's number as she swiftly made her way back to the library. "Snow? It's Belle. Meet me at the library. It's important."

 Snow and Charming stared at her with wide eyes as they sat in the library only moments later after she'd told them about the conversation with Anastasia and Will.

 "It's a near-perfect plan," Charming said. "But now we're on to him and we can stop him."

 "How? He has Neal under his control."

 "We find the dagger and get Neal on our side," Charming said, as if it was as easy to find the Dark One's dagger as it was to pick up a loaf of bread at the store.

 Belle frowned. "How? We don't know where he's keeping it." And if it was kept on Hyde's person, well, that caused a bigger problem.

 Charming didn't seem deterred.  "Neal is part of our family. We owe it to him to try to find it, no matter how daunting it feels. So what do we know about Hyde's story?"

 "He's a scientist. He and Dr. Jekyll," Belle said with a frown. "Actually, Jekyll is the one that created the potion that caused Hyde to form."

 Snow's eyes widened as she bounced Leo on her lap. "I… have noticed a bit of a pattern."

 "What is it?" Belle asked.

 The woman's green eyes darted nervously around the room as if looking for Hyde to pop out of nowhere before she finally spoke. "Well... I've noticed that the – for lack of a better word – bad things seem to happen around the time when the sun goes down. The airship crashing, Neal's revelation, Maleficent's revival… it all happened when it was getting close to nightfall."

 Belle stared, before nodding in agreement. "You're right Snow. That's exactly what's happened so far. Which means… who know what he could be planning for tonight."

 Charming looked at his watch and gasped. "It's four o'clock. The sun is going to set soon."

 Snow stood quickly, handing Leo over to Charming. "I'm going to find Regina. We're going to need all hands we can get to protect the town tonight."

 Belle nodded. "I'll go see if Rumple has anything ready to help us protect the town." He'd sent her the Pandora's Box when he'd been in Neverland. Surely there was something else he had up his sleeve that non-magic users could use.

 With a last worried glance between the three, they went their separate ways.

 -----

 "I still don't know how you could manage to stay on this boat for so long," Regina said, drumming her fingers against the wooden table in boredom as she looked at the captain, who was nursing a black eye with a bag of frozen peas Regina had conjured up from her freezer. The gentle rocking of the ship had made her nauseous at the start, but she'd grown used to it.

 Hook only let out a small chuckle. "Well, in times like these, I'd use the ship to make a getaway. But since we're trapped in this town, well… it's safer to stay here than in town. Especially since you put that magic on it to keep people out."

 "Which is why you shouldn't have left this morning," Regina shot back, standing to get the now whistling tea kettle on the stove. "What Neal said… was it true?"

 The man's shoulders slumped. "Aye. All of it is true. But he doesn't know the full story. The truth was, his mother and I decided to run off together. It was a few years later that we came back, and the crocodile had become the Dark One himself. Baelfire had gone. And when we saw each other again all of that bad blood came rushing back. He and I fought, I lost my hand… but it was his father that dealt the fatal blow to Milah and caused me to go to Neverland in the first place."

 She frowned as she looked at him. "I see. I wonder if he knows about that?"

 Hook shrugged. "Who knows. If he does he might not even believe it with his darkness.  He's not exactly being as rational as he used to be."

 "No, he's not. But I suppose this needed to all come out eventually. I didn't think Henry's father would be the catalyst for all of my crimes coming tonight but… here we are," she sighed, feeling her shoulders slump. "I just don't know how we can possibly make up for what we've done with so many angry people here."

 "Maybe you were right in Neverland. Maybe we don't deserve a happy ending."

 She wanted to agree with him, considering all that had happened to them, but instead, she thought she'd try something new, and shook her head. "No. I was wrong. And I don't know about you, but I'm going to fight for my happy ending, no matter what Hyde wants. The people from the Land of Untold Stories are getting a second chance, and that's what I felt I was getting in the curse. So if they can get a second chance, we can too, right?"

 God, she sounded so much like her step-daughter, but at the moment, those little hope speeches were making perfect sense.

 Hook hesitated a little, but eventually, he nodded in agreement. "We could have villains in this town besides Hyde. Why do they deserve a second chance and not us?"

 "Exactly," Regina said. "So let's get off of this ship."

 There was a lingering glance between them as they made their way onto the deck of the ship, only broken by her stepdaughter's cry.

 "Regina! Thank goodness! I was so worried about you. Are you okay?" Snow babbled. "Oh – Hook! Your eye…"

 "I'm fine. We're both fine," Regina said. "We're ready to take back this town from Hyde. So where do we start?"

 Snow grinned at both of them, and Regina could see her eyes were hiding something behind them, and Regina wasn't sure she wanted to know what that something was.

 "You can patrol near the town line in case Emma manages to make it back with Lily. We don't want Hyde to prevent them from getting into town."

 Regina nodded, vanishing with Hook to the town line, all of them unaware of the man sneaking through Storybrooke hospital, up to intensive care to Mary Lydgate's room, where she lay sleeping.

 "Don't worry, my darling Mary. Soon the Dark One will be able to find a way for you and I to be together, and you won't have to worry about Hyde taking you away from me," Henry Jekyll whispered into the darkening room as the familiar jolt of pain which lead to his transformation into his monstrous form, and he quickly slipped out of the hospital through the back door, unnoticed, into the coming night.

[benjaminba1bcontextsandconcepts]

Research for narrative analysis

here are some of my notes for the essay:

Question: Analyse your chosen narrative with close reference to the Hero’s Journey or another appropriate story template.

·        N.B. You may write about the film’s failure to fit a conventional structure.

 What happens in Kiki’s delivery service?

·        Kiki turns 13 and a full moon she decides to leave home tonight

·        She packs her bags mum is worried and brings Jiji

·        Her mum gives her, her own broom and tells her she can’t take the one she made as its too small

·        Kiki leaves with a vague plan on where she is going

·        On the way down she is greeted with another witch ( a fortune teller) who asks Kiki what’s her talent realises she doesn’t know yet and  the witch dives down avoiding the storm

·        Kiki quickly finds cover in a train

·        She is woken up by cows in a ball of hey

·        She takes flight into the city where the civilians are amazed by seeing a witch for the first time.

·        She loses control and flies manically across the city where she is stopped by a police officer

·        The police officer threatens to tell her parents when tombo distracts the police officer and kiki runs away

·        Tombo catches up to kiki and asks her about her flying powers, kiki doesn’t respond as she finds it rude that he didn’t introduce himself by name first

·        As she walks down town she finds osono trying to give back a left behind dummy to a customer. Kiki offers to fly it down to the customer

·        The customer hands a thank you note to kiki to deliver back to osono so she does

·        Osono invites kiki for a cup of tea and introduces herself

·        She gives her a room to stay in

·        Kiki decides to create a delivery service but needs a phone so she works part time for osono to use their phone

·        Her first customer wants to deliver a toy cat that looks like jiji in a bird cage to a child

·        She takes the bird cage a sets of flying high to avoid traffic

·        A gust of wind hits some birds and then gets attacked by crows as she hits a tree near some crow eggs kiki she drobs the cat in the middle of the forest and decides to put jiji in the cage to buy her some time

·        After she delivered jiji she goes looking for the toy and finds it at ursela house

·        Kiki finds that the toy is broken and ursala says she can fix it if she cleans around the house once finished she takes off to save jiji

·        Jiji escapes thanks to a dog helping him escape and brings back to toy cat

·        Kiki helps put some more at the bakery and takes orders tombo walks in and buys a cake then invites her to a flight party and kiki is excited

·        She then gets a delivery request and sets off to the house

·        Two old ladies haven’t finished making a pie and their oven breaks so kiki helps them by using the old oven and in the mean time helps around the house. She realises she is running late to the party and sets of to deliver the baked pie in the pooring rain to a snooby girl who doesn’t apprietiate the pie

·        She goes home but it is too late and falls into bed upset and now sick

·        She wakes up ill orsono helps kiki giving her the day off and makes her feel better

·        She realises jiji isn’t speaking and she cannot fly her powers are gone so she devotes her attention to the bakery and postpones her delivery service

·        Orsono tells kiki she has a special deliver she would like kiki to deliver in person

·        Kiki delivers it on foot to find out its for tombo

·        Tombo shows her his flying bike and they ride together and crash

·        Kiki laughs and they talk

·        Tombo’s friends invite him to the blimp one of them being the snoby girl and tombo invites kiki

·        Kiki refuses and walks away tombo is confused but goes anyway

·        Kiki goes home and is invited by Ursula to go with her and stay with her for abit

·        She paints kiki and tells her that sometimes she cant paint because she needs a reason to paint just as kiki needs a reason to fly

·        As kiki returns the old laddies ask her to deliver a cake to herself as a thank you for the help

·        She finds tombo holding onto the blimp in danger on tv so kiki sets of to save him

·        She borrows a sweeper broom from an old man and learns to fly again

·        Her motivation was to save tombo and she took off and saved him

·        The end

 I have decided to use voglers version of the hero’s journey as I feel that it is more generalisable then Campbells.

Vogler

Departure/Separation

Act 1

 1.       Tests, Allies, Enemies

·         “The audience’s first impressions of the Special World should strike a  sharp contrast with the Ordinary World.

·         The most important function of this period of adjustment to the  Special world is … to test the hero, putting her through a series of trials  and challenges that are meant to prepare her for greater ordeals ahead.” Pg.  136

·         “The Tests at the beginning of Act Two are often difficult obstacles,  but they don’t have the maximum life-and-death quality of later events.”

·         “If the adenture were a college learning experience, Act One would be  a series of entrance exams, and the Test stage of Act Two would be a series  of pop quizzes, meant to sharpen the hero’s skill in specific areas and  prepare her for the more rigorous midterm and final exams coming up.” Pg.136

·         “The Tests may be a continuation of the Mentor’s training. Many  Mentors accompany their heroes this far into the adventure, coaching them for  the big rounds ahead.” Pg. 136

·         “The Tests may also be built into the architecture or landscape of the  Special World. This world is usually dominated by a villain or Shadow who is  careful to surround his world with traps, barricades, and checkpoints.”

·         Sidekicks: “…pairings of hero and sidekick can be found throughout  myth and literature…. These close Allies of the hero may provide comic relief  as well as assistance.”

·         “Comical sidekicks … may freely cross the boundaries between Mentor  and Trickster, sometimes aiding the hero and acting as his conscience,  sometimes goofing up or causing mischief.”

·         “The Testing stage may also provide the opportunity for the forging of  a team.”

·         Enemies: “The hero’s appearance in the Special World may tip the  Shadow to his arrival and trigger a chain of threatening events.” Pg. 138

·         “A special type of Enemy is the rival… [who] is not out to kill the  hero, but is just trying to defeat him in a the competition.”

·         “The watering hole is a natural congregating place and a good spot to  observe and get information.” Pg. 140

·         This goes throughout the film as she meets  new allies such as the old ladies and enemies (kinda) the snobby Girl

 2.       Approach to the Inmost Cave

·         “It’s time to make final preparations for the central ordeal of the  adventure.”

·         “As heroes near the gates of a citadel deep within the Special World,  they may take time to make plans, do reconnaissance on the enemy, reorganize  or thin out the group, fortify and arm themselves, and have a last laugh and  a final cigarette before going over the top into no-man’s-land. Pg. 144

·         Last laugh, a joyful time (calm b4 storm)

·         Courtship

·         Beware illusions

·         Threshold Guardian

·         Another Special World

·         Shamanic territory

·         Higher stakes

·         Team pep-talk, ass-whupp

·         Disguise

·         NO EXIT

Between the  Foreshadowing of the blimp and the climax kiki goes to the mentor Ursulas  house and learns she needs motivation to get her powers back her threshold  guardian is her worry that she will never get her powers back but she  overcomes this fear thanks to ursula

 3.       Ordeal

·         Death and Rebirth

·         Crisis not climax

·         Points of tension

·         The mid-point (can also be delayed crisis, but my novel is mid)

·         Witness to sacrifice or death needed

·         Facing the shadow

·         Walk through story in Shadow’s skin

·         Sacred Marriage

·         Negative anima or animus

·         Facing the greatest fear

·         Standing up to a parent

·         Death of the ego

Kiki finds  tombo hanging on for dear life on the out of control blimp due to winds fore  shadowed earlier in the film with the crows

 4.       Reward

·         Celebration

·         Campfire scenes to retell the tale

·         Love scenes

·         Seizing the sword, taking possession

·         Holy Grail (the elixir that heals all)

·         New perceptions, see through deception

·         Clairvoyance

·         Self-realization

·         Epiphany

Kiki is able  summon her powers in desperation using an old guys broom although not  particularly a celebration but more in correlation with seizing the sword

 Act 3

 5.       The Road Back

·         Another threshold

·         Finnish your opponent

·         Chase scenes

·         Magic flight – sacrifice of beloved/sacred objects

·         Setbacks require resolve to finish journey

Kiki rescues  tombo

www.learning2grow.org/2014/10/23/plot-structure-joseph-campbell-vs-chistopher-vogler/

•        Macklin, A. C. (2017) Kishōtenketsu: Japanese 4-Act Structure. Available at: https://everwalker.wordpress.com/2017/11/03/kishotenketsu-japanese-4-act-structure/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097814/?ref_=nv_sr_1

I have also looked at the book ‘Studio Ghibli the films of Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata’ by Colin Odell and Michelle Le Blanc.

Where it goes over common themes within each of the Ghibli films and their inspirations. I helps to give a good understanding on how the films came about and why they were made the way they were.

[swearronchanel]

Who let me watch 5.06?

I should be doing an assignment that’s due tomorrow but ya know due tomorrow means do tomorrow. Lol I know I should be ashamed to be a procrastinator but university has ruined me anyway. I’m tired from literally going to one lecture haha, but in any event I’ve been rewatching mad men for the who knows what time but I thought I’d take a break from all that and watch an episode of CtM & @flyingnonny inspired me to do a reaction post so why not? I decided on 5.06 since last Sunday’s episode reminded us of that camping trip 😂😂  here goes nothing.. 

*skips intro bc I’m impatient*

Cute community moment ☺️

TRIXIE😍 slaying my life

Shelagh looks so good too 😍 and Angela melting my heart!

Why is shelagh forever wearing cardigans? I like cardigans every now and then but all the time, really?

Everyone is sitting outside, Trixie is in a sleeveless dress, as is Barbara, so it has to be warm?? take it off Shelagh

She’s still my bby though even if I don’t always agree with her fashion choices

what gross vejo pinching Trixie’s ass? That’s not ok

And Babs too lmao, creepy old man, die

Shelagh saying “hello dear” aw

But this is like the only interaction between Shelagh and Trixie & that does not suffice !!

ALL I WANT IS FOR THEM TO HAVE AN ACTUAL FRIENDSHIP IDC HOW MANY TIMES IVE SAID IT I REALLY Want it😭😭💕💕 my two fav bbys

I HAVE EVEN GIVEN REASONS WHY & I CAN GIVE THEM AGAIN ***        1) Why not?? Shelagh has like no real friends besides her husband and sort of Sister Julienne?                                                 

 2) just please, because I’m asking nicely                                                     3) When Shelagh was Sister Bernadette she was often friendly/ in the gossip and conversation with the nurses & remember that one time Trixie grabbed her to come listen to Jenny’s phone conversation?               

4) Trixie was the only one besides Sister Julienne to visit her in the sanatorium. That has to count for something!                                             5) They’ve both been on the show since day 1 & have known each other the longest (besides the nuns) why wouldn’t they be friends or least actually speak to each other?

Aye this is the lady who’s fake pregnant

Shelagh wearing earrings though >> here for it

Sorry there will be a lot of gushing over Shelagh and Trixie

And also I WANT TRIXIE’S HOOP EARRINGS SO BAD, where can I find them??

And how do I get her clothes and figure and her everything lol?

PHYLLIS ! My champion

“Would it have killed you to sit down for five minutes and eat the whole thing!” I LOVE HER, SHE IS A GEM, A HERO, A BADASS & IM NOT READY FOR SUNDAY. IM GOING TO BAWL WITH AND FOR HER

she deserves the best

I think this is the only time I’ve ever heard Trixie address Shelagh by her first name?? a prob.

They need to interact more 😭💔💕😍 I will stop saying it when I’m dead even then I’ll prob say it

Actually when I think of it no one ever calls Shelagh by her first name besides obviously Patrick? And Sister Julienne

#MoreShelaghAndTheOtherNursesInteracting2k17aka1962

And I need at least two seconds of them dotting on pregnant Shelagh

Helen looks so good like goals

“I threatened to put one man over my knee but that only encouraged him” HA IM DEAD NO KINK SHAME

I think there’s been a similar joke before but fuck it it’s still funny to me

But seriously everyone loves Trixie lol how could you not though?

Hey Pats, it’s been a while

Lol omg Tim in that uniform.. Not the best costume 😂😂

Never seen Whistle Down the Wind

But you see, Tom and Babs making out as usual, I’m not knocking it lol but this is why Sister J told her to chill when they went to South Africa😂

also lowkey jealous bc Jack Ashton is handsome af and that could’ve been me but it’s all good. He and Helen are adorable together and I’m here for it x10000

Omg I forgot this lady got assaulted

Oh shit I just remembered this is the episode where sister MC is attacked FUCK WHY DID I WATCH THIS

she can’t report it bc she’d get arrested for soliciting wtf

But remember Shelagh wore the headbands in like series 3 (so glad she stopped I was not here for it)? They must’ve gave them to Babs lol

I forgot Trixie didn’t tell the nurses about AA yet

But she looks gorgeous as ever, even with her mascara running

Lowkey nauseas looking at all that fish ugh. Funny becuase they put a grocery store that has a fish market on the block up from where I live in NYC and I hate it  

I forgot about Peter lol and he was in an episode this series whoops

LIKE WHERE’S YOUR WIFE LOL, *I know, too busy for this, I don’t think she’d fit in the series anymore anyway*

Sister Mary Cynthia 😰❣️

Lol she doesn’t sing loud enough ??

Sister Julienne is so cute when she smiles but don’t forget she’s a badass

REMEMBER THE AGGRESSIVE JACKET FLAP BC OF THE IRRITATING SISTER URSULA

How did this girl hide her pregnancy though?

And did her brothers just not realize she was pregnant and the mother wasn’t?

Oh jeez my cousin was a colic-y baby and my parents kept him like 3 days a week when I was in high school & it was a nightmare. I didn’t sleep for so long

Dont get me wrong I love babies. But when they scream when I’m trying to sleep, nope. Return to sender.

Shelagh is so excited about camping it’s the purest and most adorable thing 😭😭And I like her shirt  

Shelagh made Tim copy the napkin folding from a magazine, SHE IS A GEM

“We never have serviettes on a weeknight” wtf did they just not use napkins every day? I’m confused Lmaoo. What am I missing here 😂omg that reminds me of one of the times my family and I went on a cruise (2006, hella long time ago already wow?? 11 yrs yikes) and my brother & cousin were late to dinner and lied to my mom & aunt saying they were at a “napkin folding class” & my family deadass believed it up until 2 years ago😂

Shelagh’s accent is so cute. I’ve said that many times but it’s so sweet. But again why do we just have to accept she’s Scottish with no context as to how/why she came to England? Like I’m sure there were convents in Scotland. I dont even care that much I just will forever be curious as to why it seems she had no life before she got married lol? Like they don’t ever bring up the fact she was a nun, but ok maybe she feels awkward talking about it but what about before? 

They’re so excited it’s so precious, protect this family 😂😭💕💕

Sister MJ is fasting lol I should try it😂

Omg another dumb story, I didn’t realize today is Ash Wednesday and was hella confused seeing some people with ash on their forehead 😂😂 I should give up something for lent but idk what, we shall see. My mom gave up carbs last year & I died bc I lived at home and ate what she cooked and almost all my fav foods are carbs😂

Shelagh referred to Patsy as Patsy, I’ve only ever heard her say Nurse Mount??

lol Tim you’re what 14? you know damn well those arent* bullet holes

at least he has some of his innocence still. I didn’t @ 14

Sometimes I forget I’m gonna be 19 this year wtf. I’ve accidentally told people I’m 16 before and had to correct myself 😂😂

Patrick is excited about this holiday, boy you don’t know what’s coming 😂

HE’S GONNA ATTACK THE LADY WITH A BABY I FORGOT THAT TOO WTF

I wanna fight him

Diane’s anemic ? Or her mum is just assuming

SHELAGH IN HER CAMPING OUTFIT!! The hair scarf and trousers !! I’m so here for it 😍😭

I want to see her in another pair!! yes lets get it 1962. Probably not likely this series but hopefully next series!! Ah can’t wait

Shit this series is almost over 💔💔 but omg 1963 gonna be lit as well?!

Like the space race started/orbiting the earth, Kennedy’s assassination .. wait never mind lol I’m thinking of American History moments. but still a lot of it was crazy world news so maybe it’s mentioned?? first bond film came out in'63, petition for Tim to go take Susan whatever from around the corner to see it since we know he liked the novels

Lots of famous films came out in ‘63 so there’s gotta be some reference.

Fun fact: I love pop culture references in period drama bc I’m lame jk I’m majoring in education (to teach history)

Old news but still relevant: Phyllis’s turn on: Rolodex systems 📇

“CRANE, as in the wading bird or industry lifting equipment, whichever you prefer” LOVE U PHYLLIS, YOU CORRECT HIM

PHYLLIS’S FACE WHEN GODFREY SUGGESTS SHE CAME OUT OF RETIREMENT, IM DEAD

“I shall consider retirement when I’m at the appropriate age”  IM LAUGHING SO HARD, FUCK YEA PHYLLIS. I LOVE HER SO MUCH, LINDA BASSET IS ON THE LIST WITH LAURA AND HELEN OF PEOPLE WHO COULD PUCH ME IN THE FACE AND I’D THANK

LOL SHELAGH JUST STANDING AWKWARDLY LISTENING TO THIS CONVERSATION

“Buenos vacaciones”  I NEED MORE PHYLLIS WORKING ON HER SPANISH I LOVE IT, Ella es oro.

lol the roof rack, bet it was Phyllis’s they borrowed when they moved

PHYLLIS’S FACE OF DISGUST WHEN DR GODFREY SMILES AT HER IS ME ALWAYS

LOL THE THE NURSES & SISTER WINIFRED DYING OVER PATRICK’S SHORTS (EVen though sister W “swears she’s not looking”)

I THINK THE SOCKS AND WHITE DAD SANDALS ARE MORE AMUSING 😂😂

Poor Judith💔

It’s a vicious attack Sister J! But you don’t know it yet so I get u

Here comes summer..😂

SETTING UP IN THE POURING RAIN LOL

Shelagh and Angela being adorable !!

Tim and Patrick proud that  they set the tents up & boom it falls 😂 which is symbolic for me taking exams, I think I did well or at least decent on them and then I find out I failed by like 5 points

Nonnatus table scenes <3 😭

”I’ve seen more dangerous marshmallow bunnies“ lmao Pats this is a serious moment I shouldn’t laugh

Shelagh took off her glasses 😉😏 but fr how is Laura Main so perfect

Patrick put scotch in its lit, pass it over😏

Lol Shelagh drinking is a strange thought but I’m so here for it. Nuns can’t drink right? Idk. Imagine her drinking alcohol for the first time and just getting drunk 😂 we know Patrick and Tim are lightweights getting drunk off one beer so I assume shelagh would too😂

Damn it Patrick, you spilled your cup. Furthermore proving you’re a disaster 😭

LMAO SHELAGH’s “WTF” FACE WHEN SHE ASKS PATRICK WHAT HE’S THINKING ABOUT AND HE SAID THE ULCER CLINIC

LIKE C'MON PATRICK YOU KNOW WHERE SHELAGH WAS TRYNA GO WITH THAT😂

“And if you don’t mind my saying so, you’re not exactly Cliff Richards yourself” SHELAGH 😂😂 another great line of hers, love it

I love their playful banter lol we need more of that 😂 but lets be real series 6 has had some of the greatest Shelagh and Patrick moments so I can’t complain 😭😍

Peter and Barbara is such a unusual dynamic haha

“How is chummy?” Wait does Babs even know Chummy? I don’t even remember if they met tbh

But for real Shelagh did you really think Patrick would just forget about work completely ??

Lol Angela crying because she is petrified of squirrels😂😂and Shelagh running to her is so cute.

Why didn’t she just get rid of the *creepy* squirrel nutkin book? it seemed like they still had it in series 6 haha

rice pudding is I think the same as aroz con leche, lol it’s gross sorry

Diane’s water broke oh shit

the Turners all in the tent playing I spy bc it’s raining haha

I went camping for the first and last time this past summer w/ my sister in laws & her friends, it was awful 😂😂 I got like 100 mosquito bites that became welts, i literally slept in the car the second night & it was mid July fairly south of east coast aka it was humid and sticky af , there were wild horses that walked around..Thank God they brought alcohol cause it was a nightmare I don’t wanna remember 😂😂

ANGELA IS SO CUTE UGH & ANOTHER GREAT SHELAGH FACE😂

lol yes go to a hotel, should’ve done that from the get

So what exactly does Fred run? some civil defense thing?

She’s in labor and can’t even scream omg, I’m screaming

“They are often incorrect in their opinion” Sister MJ is a gem. I want someone to look at me the way Sister MJ looks at cake and the television

Phyllis yelling at Dr Godfrey😂

PATS’S FACE OF DISGUST IS ALSO ME

HOW DO THESE WOMEN GIVE BIRTH STANDING/SITTING UP?? AHHHH

There you are Beatrix, it’s been a while

Patsy being suspicious with the card game line lol. but when is Trixie going to find out about Patsy and Delia?

SHE RIPPED OUT HER WOMB?! WTF OMG IM SCREAMING

THIS HURTS TO WATCH AHH

Trixie and Sister MC to the rescue but omg this is wild I forgot

Fred wtf you can’t be sneaking up like that

DONT LEAVE SISTER MC ALONE TRIXIE

NOO, IM NOT PREPARED FOR THIS

“There are flowers on the table, and feathers in these pillows, that’s all the nature I need to get back to” I feel you Patrick lol, I like nature but not camping

Lol remember Shelagh’s old nightgown? ah I don’t miss it. The bri nylon is such a look™ & obviously has magically powers i.e this miraculous conception.

“..or they’ve been mulled to death by squirrels” IM DEAD HAHA THAT WAS A GOOD DAD JOKE, NICE ONE PATRICK

aw the baby is so precious

Why is the operating room/being in surgery called theatre in the U.K.?? and why is the doctor’s office/practice called the surgery? so many questions from a confused American..

Sister MC by the docks😭💔 she was just chillin with God and THIS HORRIBLE MAN RUINS EVERYTHING WTF UGH

Oh no

SISTER MC JUST UNCONSCIOUS ON THE DOCKS WTF IM CRYING WHY WOULD HURT HER

Patrick even if you were there she wouldn’t have called you, don’t blame urself

it’s not your arrogance sister MC!!

“don’t you even say the word fault, do you hear me, I won’t allow it” 😭💔 it’s NOT your fault sister MC 😰

I forgot how upset/hurt this episode makes me

“The worst thing is that I actually stopped to pray…” my heart hurts

You can’t even blame her for being angry😪

Judith you’re not a bad mother!! This isn’t your fault either

Sister MJ IN THE BATHROOM WITH HER😢😢💔💔 I’m c r y i n

I SAID PROTECT THEM AT ALL COSTS WHY DID THEY HURT ME LIKE THIS

Everyone so quiet at the table..

ILL FOREVER BE PROUD OF HOW BRAVE SISTER MC IS FOR SPEAKING UP FOR HER AND THE OTHER VICTIMS💖😭💔

Russian prison tats??

“I thought at first it was a test of faith, but it was a test of strength. I can bear more than I ever though I could and I can bear it for others because my strength is a gift, from him..” brb sobbing

I feel so bad for Mrs Hills bc I understand she thought she was doing the right thing and was trying to protect her daughter from the stigma & judgment from having a baby born outta wedlock 😭

But damn she almost killed her & now she can’t have any more kids

“I’m a mum, mum” Aw

lol I want children (obviously not anytime soon) but if I do Ima be shook for the rest of my life. Like my kids will  be like grown & I’ll still wake up like wtf I had them?  Lmaoo

SHELAGH’S GREY DRESS >>😍

Patrick jumping on the bed was cute lol

The Turners being cute and an unrealistically perfect family together as usual

Trixie 😍off to her AA💕

“I think it’s about time I came clean..”

Im so proud of her omg. She’s come so far in 6 series 😭💖💖😭

And Patsy and Delia are supportive yess👏🏼

“New truths were being spoken at Nonnatus house, but some remained concealed. While one voice rose, striving to erase its agony in song.”

Thanks Vanessa,, The End 😭

[chasingthecosmos]

Two Words to Keep

Fandom: Doctor Who Rating: T Pairing: The Doctor/Rose Tyler, Tenth Doctor/Rose Tyler Chapters: 13/15 Read on AO3 here.

“This new body was all about words, but in that moment, the Doctor found himself struggling to find the right ones to say. He knew already that there were really only five that he absolutely needed to tell her - five words that would change their lives forever.”

A (sort of) season re-write centering around the Doctor’s touch telepathy and the many inconvenient ways that it gets between him and his companion, Rose Tyler. This work is based around Season 2 and the Tenth Doctor. It’s a sequel to “A Hand to Hold”, but can also be read as a stand-alone. This is NOT going to be a Doomsday fix-it fic, but there will be a separate Journey’s End fix-it sometime in the future.

Chapter Thirteen: Love and Monsters

The Doctor and Rose's next adventure took them to Earth, so they stopped by to visit her mum just as they always did whenever they were in the neighborhood of the Solar System. However, if given the choice of facing off against a hungry, abandoned Hoix and an idle Jackie Tyler, the Doctor would gladly choose the snarling alien every time.

However, they weren't two steps into Jackie's flat before he could recognize that something was wrong. Rose seemed to sense it too, and she flashed the Doctor a look of concern as she cast her gaze around the quiet living space - entirely too quiet, no phone or TV or chattering blonde woman anywhere to be found.

They ended up finding the elder Tyler in her room, curled up on herself with tear-stained cheeks and running mascara. "Mum? What's wrong?" Rose demanded, her tone a mix between gentle concern and firm determination.

Jackie explained haltingly between sobs the story of how she had run into a young Elton Pope and how things had quickly devolved from there. The Doctor felt his hands clenching into fists at his sides as Rose's fierce, defensive anger swept through his mind and suddenly he felt very, very sorry for poor Elton. He sent Rose a small breath of calm reassurance as he silently thanked his luck that he had never had to be on the receiving end of her ire.

Defeating the alien incursion was easy enough - but, as per usual, dealing with the humans surrounding the power-hungry Abzorbaloff was anything but. He knew that Elton and Ursula might never be able to have the life that they had always dreamed about, but the Doctor hoped that he was able to give them at least some small measure of consolation anyway.

Jackie insisted that the Doctor and Rose stay for tea, and for once, the Doctor was unable to resist her. He told himself that it was for Rose's sake - it seemed that they had been going up against darker and more dangerous enemies lately and he wanted to give her some small taste of normalcy, if only to prove to her (and himself) that he was capable of it. However, he suspected that the real reason that he gave in had more to do with the red tint that lingered in Jackie's eyes and the watery, hopeful smile that she turned on him at the last second.

So that's how the Doctor and Rose came to be sitting side-by-side at her mother's kitchen table, talking quietly over their tea while they waited for Jackie to bring home chips.

"Do you think we could do it, Doctor?" Rose mused quietly. "Do you think you'd still love me if I was just a cement face?"

The Doctor chuckled under his breath and grabbed her hand lying on the table next to him, carefully lacing their fingers together. "Of course," he whispered in reply, making sure to meet her eye so that she would be able to see that he was sincere. He still had never told her that he loved her - not out loud, at least, and not in so many words. This small confession, however, was easy - he knew beyond a doubt that no matter what form Rose Tyler was in, he would always, always want her.

"You sure?" she teased, her tongue just barely flashing between her teeth. "It wouldn't be easy, you know. You'd have to heft me around everywhere. That block of cement looked heavy ..."

"Rose, I'm a Time Lord," the Doctor sighed, but he couldn't stop his lips from turning slightly upwards as he met her flirtatious smirk. "Superior biology. I wouldn't be slowed down by something as simple as a block of cement."

He brought their joined hands to his lips so that he could gently kiss each of her knuckles, sending her a silent thought of affirmation to let her know that he was extremely glad that she was not, in fact, a sentient block of cement.

He was ripped away from her pleasant thoughts of warm lips and butterflies by a sudden, sharp gasp from the doorway behind them. The Doctor glanced back to see Jackie Tyler standing there, staring at them in open-mouthed shock.

"Mum?" Rose asked hesitantly.

"I knew it!" Jackie hissed. Without warning, she dropped all of the take-away sacks that she had been carrying and rushed forward, ripping Rose's hand from the Doctor's and shooting him a dangerous glare at his loud noise of protest.

"When did it happen?" Jackie demanded loudly. "I knew something was different, I just knew ..." But her words trailed off into silence as she twisted Rose's left hand in hers and peered curiously at it. "Wait ... You're not ..."

"Mum, what are you going on about?" Rose demanded irritatedly.

"I thought ... you had gotten married," Jackie replied haltingly. "It's just ... you two seemed so different - I could sense it from the minute you walked in here. And then I saw you sitting there, and I thought ... And, be honest, it's something that you two would do - going off and getting hitched on some alien planet without even telling me about my only daughter's wedding!"

"Mum, we're not married!" Rose shouted, her own voice rising in surprise as she cast the Doctor a wide-eyed glance. He could feel her absolute mortification over their bond - she was embarrassed by her mother's insinuation and hoping desperately that it wouldn't be enough to scare him off.

The Doctor bit the inside of his cheek as he quickly shuttered away his own embarrassment and shame from her. He realized belatedly that he had never explained - not properly, at least - that on his planet, they technically were married. It was just one more conversation that he had always put off for another day, not wanting to ruin what he and Rose had created for themselves. Because, if he were to be completely honest, no one back on Gallifrey had ever had anything like what he shared with Rose. Their bond ran far deeper and held much stronger than most telepathic connections, and the love that fueled it went beyond what most Time Lords would ever allow themselves to feel.

Rose immediately picked up on the Doctor's tense silence, and she narrowed her eyes on him suspiciously. He shot her a sheepish smile in response and quickly covered their bond in reassuring, loving warmth in an attempt to make up for the row that he knew was coming.

"See?" Jackie snapped, glaring between the two of them. "That thing you're doing right now - that's what I'm talking about. Anybody with eyes would have to assume ..."

"We're not married, Mum," Rose insisted, her tone going low and dangerous as she continued to stare down the Doctor.

Jackie (thankfully) allowed the subject to drop there, but that didn't stop the odd, sidelong glances that the Doctor continued to receive from the two Tyler women throughout the rest of the night.

He was silently hoping for a small reprieve as he wandered back into the TARDIS for the evening, but Rose followed him without pause, shutting the doors resolutely behind her. "So ... what aren't you telling me?" she demanded without preamble as soon as her mum was securely shut away outside his spaceship's doors.

The Doctor knew that there was no use lying to her - not with the bond between them revealing his every thought to her - so he stepped forward and took her hand with a heavy sigh.

"Rose, I never properly explained ..." he started awkwardly. "I'm sorry, but ... things are just different on Gallifrey, I never even thought ..."

Not trusting his fool mouth to do the explaining, the Doctor reached out and mentally pulled on the telepathic bond that tied them together. This bond is forever, he reminded her simply. For better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness or in health ...

Rose gasped as his words sparked understanding in her, and she gazed at him in the same open-mouthed shock that Jackie had used just a few hours earlier. "You're not saying ..." she muttered breathlessly.

This bond is a telepath's version of marriage, the Doctor admitted silently. Out loud, he continued, "I'm sorry, Rose. I'm just not used to human customs, I didn't even think ... But it doesn't change anything - not what we have, and certainly not how I feel about you ..."

Her answering flare of anger and frustration cut him deep and as she moved towards him, the Doctor flinched away on instinct, expecting the sting of a Tyler-woman slap, but he was shocked when she leapt into his arms and smothered him with a deep, heated kiss instead.

"Bloody idiot," she growled against his lips as she clung tight to him. "I really hate you, sometimes."

But her warm lips and her softening thoughts told a different story, and the Doctor smiled against her mouth as he mentally chased down her more pleasant thoughts and echoed his own satisfaction back at her.

The two of them ended the night stumbling into a bed (his he found out the next morning when he cared to look at such trivial facts) together where they proceeded to finally have their first dance after years of repression and flirtatious banter. This, too, came so easily that the Doctor spent most of the night mentally kicking himself for waiting for so long. How much time had he wasted, trying to protect the two of them from himself? But each time he let his thoughts drift too close to self-loathing, Rose would immediately bring him back to the present with her warmth and love and promises for their shared future.

If Jackie noticed Rose's absence from her childhood bed that night, she made no mention of it, and she only gave them a passing, narrow-eyed look the next morning when the two of them stumbled into her kitchen looking both disheveled and completely sated.

"Morning," she greeted them wearily. "So? Where are you off to next, then?"

"Mum," Rose piped up, her beaming smile seeming to light up the entire kitchen as she took the Doctor's hand in hers. "We've got something to tell you ..."

[sadpostsandsadminds]

I'm going into surgery on Thursday

And I hope the anaesthetic kills me,

How weight effects fairy tales

I'm 91 kegs possibly bigger at this point and it's because I eat all the time but I only eat when I'm hungry and I'm sorry mum that the foods I eat are bad for me but it's easy to eat them and they don't require cooking and I don't enjoy cooking I enjoy other things that start with c like crying and cutting and craving food that you don't really get me anymore. I'm sorry that I abuse my body and that I'm slowly killing it and I'm sorry my insulin level was 206 when it should've been 80 considering I hadn't eaten for 11 hours I shouldn't have even been producing insulin yet I was. A lot of it. I'm sorry that once I'm finally happy is when I have to tell doctors how much I weigh and when I have to write it down because my weight is effecting my life style I'm sorry my bmi is 38 when it should be just about 20 if not lower and the fact that it's 38 means I'm clinically obese I'm so fucking sorry that your pretty little mermaid has turned into Ursula who keeps trying to take your voice and happiness away I'm so sorry that I'm so broken that I sit in my room and think about slicing my skin open while sobbing wishing I could be slimmer but I love myself I do, just from the chin up, and that's only on my good days or any day I have make up on which is pretty much every day now because I really want to love myself every day of the fucking week. I'm repulsed by everything else but I'll pretend I'm confident so I feel less crappy about everything else, I'm having surgery in my nose and throat and I'm worried it'll ruin my nose and my voice won't be the same, I wish it was fat removal and a tummy tuck because that's a lot less risk to damage something that I love because if it was to cause damage I don't love my stomach anyway so how much worse could it get. Mum I'm sorry that all the poems where I've felt like shit have been about/included dad but never you and I'm sorry this one it is because I know you think I'm fat and I know you think it's weird that I love myself and I know you think it's bad how big I am and I know you blame yourself and I know I just blamed you while sitting on my bed sobbing about food, but it's not your fault you should be able to buy junk food without fearing me binging it and I'm sorry I do, I'm sorry I'm killing myself and im sorry I hope I die on Thursday and im sorry im thinking about drinking water after 6:30 so it probably will kill me I'm so sorry, I'm just so sick of being bad that I finally want to be good and the only way a good guy wins in fairy tales is by defeating the bad guy

[swearronchanel]

and my commentary continues: series 6, episode 2 (if this is now a thing idk what to title it)

You asked for it, my first class isn’t until noon tomorrow so I can sleep in & so, I complied Also the SAG awards finished at like 10pm so even after doing my night routine it’s still early haha here it goes …

- Oh shit I forgot color - ah I really like the new intro - Penny’s outfit is so cute - “Walk don’t run” stfu Sister Ursula this isn’t elementary school - “Have you lost your marbles bubsy” haha that’s cute - UGH I WANNA FIGHT THIS NUN - LET JULIENNE ARRANGE THE DAMN FLOWERS - This is when sister Ursula presses sister Monica Joan about the bon bons lol - “Unlike your sisters” guessing u don’t think u count - You’re damn right - Sister MJ sly af 😏 wish she was my grandma - Aw penny it’s ok sweetie all will be well - AlRight so where is St Cuthberts, is it closer than the London? Idk just wondering - I don’t care that much tbh - Damn this man gonna go blind how sad - I like knowing what happens when I’m watching bc I can’t take so much I get anxious - But are we not going to mention Patsy’s wig anymore? It’s still ugly, lucky emerald is beautiful anyway - - Ugh my bbys are still so hurt about the thalidomide 💔💔 - IT WAS NOT EITHER OF YOUR FAULTS - YES IT IS A MIRACLE PATRICK, YOU SHOULD’VE MENTIONED IT LAST WEEK but it’s all good - HE’S TOUCHING HER STOMACH AH - AND THEY KISSED Lmaoo I bet this will break Tumblr - UgH SUCH A SWEET MOMENT TO MELT MY COLD HEART - Jk this show has made me such an emotional mess, like I rarely ever used to cry or anything - But it could also be because of university diminishing my sanity - “We should really start telling people” - YEA PLS GIVE US A CUTE SCENE TELLING EVERYONE @ NONNATUS - - Buttt, I’m gonna guess it’s either going to be implied that they told them off screen or they won’t find out till she starts bleeding mid inspection ?? idk I’m just guessing, don’t come at me lmaoo - Patrick’s smirk “he’ll certainly understand” 😂😂 - SHELAGH’S CRINGING FACE I LOVE IT - YOU KNOW IM HERE FOR ALL CRINGEY EXPRESSIONS - Plus that’s my bby - - PHYLLIS SAW PATS AND DELIA - SHE KNOWS & IM GLAD IT WAS HER TO FIRST FIND OUT - - alright so let me be annoying real quick - From that clip from the casebook Valerie is problematic/lowkey racist & no estoy aquí para eso PERO I like her in the moment? - One, her outfit is cute - & B, she gets along well with my shelagh and seems nice.. I’m not gonna forget her comment though lol, so I’m going to stay neutral for now - - Ok the Marsh baby is born next - Lol sorry I love when sister Winifred is being cringey or funny but this was just kinda boring but I know it’ll get better later in the episode - BUT SERIOUSLY I WANNA KNOW SISTER WINIFRED’S REAL NAME - Idk why that was capitalized I don’t feel that strongly but I’m very curious !¡! - - Shelagh being all cute and cheeky giving those vaccinations - Penny is so sweet - - Alright this is so irrelevant but still, Shelagh is outside.. so Why would she throw up in a napkin in her hand? lol, all that open space 😭😂 idk I really hate throwing up and will not let my self throw up. Not even vlad can make me😷 - SHIT THAT EXPLOSION THO - what were they doing exactly? - like a bitch over here a lil confused :/ - MY LIL SUPERHERO SPRINGING TO ACTION YES BBY - shit George’s blind for good now it’s sad - and arthur’s gonna die damn - - look at disheveled Shelagh so damn pretty but I wonder when she got that cut lol - Lmaoo @ Valerie, so she knows the Nonnatuns - - Damn I’m only 17 mins in why do I talk so much shit to myself - Sister MJ sneaking that bread during sister Ursula’s prayer is me 😂 - I swear though if Sister Ursula tries to get rid of Sister MJ I will fight - My eyes roll every time this woman is on my screen - Phyllis chewing angrily is also me - “Travel visas there have been canceled” shit pats it’s too relevant right now - “I’m trifle deaf these days” PHYLLIS U ARE A GEM - Penny wins best dressed patient - - Patrick worrying is precious - SHELAGH TRYING TO HINT WHILE SMILING IS SO FUNNY BUT WHY - Lmao why are they acting like Tim is not literally right there? - Also this boy is 15 why is he not ever with friends - Of course he knew, he’s always around and isn’t dumb at all. He basically grew up around pregnant ladies tbh - “.. Good I don’t want to know any other details” lmao 😂 - I knew he’d be pleased but I lowkey wanted him not to upset or annoyed so he could have a good little story line - It’s not realistic that this 15 year old is so pleasant with his parents all the time - Like I was an angsty fright @ 15 - lol I’m acting like I’m old, I’m going to be 19 & I’m still like that^ with my parents a lot of the time - - Why do British people call bandaids “plasters”? Hm. I just think of plaster of Paris for like walls or whatever it’s used for - “I’m a slow healer” lol Shelagh is so precious - “If the baby’s a girl I’m moving out” I think it’ll be a boy. Actually Idk forget I said that - Don’t be nervous bby, speak up you got this - “That’s my girl” yes Patrick that’s our girl protect her at all freaking cost 😭 - I’ve gotten so far without saying “fuck” I’m proud - - “This is the dark before the dawn, but there is always a dawn” thanks sister I needed that - “I’ve committed a crime"😭😭 - I love sister MJ - also not gonna lie I cried a little the first time watching this - - Some mothers of color in the community centre makes me happy - Who’s the model though? 😏 - Someone find him & tag me - Ugh here comes sister “I ruin everything” - Honestly when is sister Julienne just gonna come out and say “you gotta go”? - No that’s not the way you do things - fuck yea sister J - “We must simply sit it out and wait for Churchill” - I HOPE THATS TRIXIE - BUT also I really want Sister Julienne to be the one who saves the day - Lol yea Babs your wardrobe should step it up but it’s okay - - Shelagh don’t be nervous you’re gonna kill it - Does sister Ursula even do anything? She doesn’t see patients does she? Nah she just makes everyone angry - Get up outta here - Lol I’m so Brooklyn for that - “Mrs Turner you look nice” - UM YES, MY BBY, her new dresses & coats slay - She finally took a break from the damn cardigans & I love it. Not that there’s anything wrong with cardigans but you catch my drift - Nah for real I wanted a fabulous wardrobe for Shelagh bc times are changing & Laura Main is literally gorgeous so she needs pretty outfits & got it I did - so here for it, now we wait for another pair of trousers. lets get it 1962 - this first dress had such jackie kennedy vibes, love it - - “Consequences be DAMMED” YES PATS - Phyllis and Sister J are proud, I really want one of them to press Sister Ursula - Look @ Delia actually being a nurse! - ah penny 💔 - - Shelagh’s so nervous at first but then is like YOU KNOW WHAT ASSHAT JUDGE - “Where is nurse Mount?” , “where she is needed” YES SISTER JULIENNE - love the blue coat Shelagh - “I’m not ill, I’m just tired and angry” same - Don’t cry bby - “Our best is worthless bc it won’t change anything” ugh crush my heart, especially that little hug. I need to hug them all - lol who invited Tom to the hospital - he’s so handsome though so it’s ok - TELL THEM, STAND UP - “We need to fight” yes ! - I was worried penny’s baby wouldn’t live - C'mon Pats be pc - okay patsy opening up, crushes my heart she’s so closed off but I feel - Here comes the wicked bitch of the east [end] - Whoops can I call a fictitious nun a bitch - YES PATS YES DONT TAKE HER SHIT - Aw patsy, you two will okay, I mean look sister Bernadette came back as Shelagh because of letters so you never know - - Shelagh’s baby blue outfit >> - she needs to go out in public more with her hair down and slay everyone’s life - “Not today.” Yes Delia - “You did it Mrs Turner, you made em listen!” - Yes tf she did. I’m so proud - the set makeup artist did a crazy good job with the burns - “We never really out grow our parents, we just think we do” aw I should call my mum and dad - mm maybe later it’s midnight lmao - DELIA SAID I LOVE U - I FEEL LIKE NO IMPORTANT COUPLE on here HAS SAID “I LOVE YOU” to each other ?? - They almost kissed aw - Fred just break the door damn - Reminds me a little of when Jenny left - Aw the Marsh fam - Phyllis you are gold - Phyllis is still learning Spanish, please give her an opportunity to use it! - the only Spanish speaking mother was conchita, wasn’t that the first episode ever? lets get another one - Anyway, this was so sad. - “The pain it costs to love..” PHYLLIS I LOVE You. You deserve everything good - Aw all the other mothers with penny! - Alright Lets hear it Vanessa - Aw Delia Bonus: preview for next week - my other bby Trixie is back !! - hope she loses her shit when she realizes sister Ursula is ruining everything + patsy/sister mary cynthia are gone - My bby Shelagh looks so pretty!💕 - BUT I KNOW NO ONE IS SHUTTING DOWN ANYTHING - I will not have it - Phyllis spilling the ever so obvious and boiling tea, sister Ursula is UNFIT - Pls let Sister Julienne say something crazy to her before she goes - Why is babs crying?? - ugh of course that’s the most of a preview we get - Nothing bad will happen to my bbys I won’t have it. Protect them at all costs or I’ll spontaneously combust - Jk but I might flip my shit or throw my laptop - But for real for Shelagh to miscarry 3 episodes in would be a waste of a storyline - Plus it is a drama, we’ll be shook for a while, then we’ll cry, we’ll laugh & then Vanessa Redgrave says something profound and we go on with the week - The End 🙃🙃 - If you read this far, you’re a champ - I did this for u all