shadlad24

[shadlad24]

Dragon Development on GoT

I found the dragons’ growth throughout Game of Thrones very interesting. The trio starts out tiny and ends up gargantuan, yes, but the pathway between those two extremes might not be what you’d expect.

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Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion pretty much stay the exact same size for their first year of life. 

By the time they turn two, they are much bigger but also seemingly shrink between the start and conclusion of season three. 

The months between seasons 3 and 4 show sudden, massive growth on their part, of course with Drogon in particular. I’m not sure much happens in regard to their physical development over the fourth season, however.

When season 5 begins, Drogon and his brothers are huge! It seems that being locked up did not hinder the younger two, eh? Daenerys could easily ride any of them at any point herein, no? And she does by the end of the year.

Her eldest son’s first appearance in season six—midway through—shows him more massive than ever. And he grows by his fifth birthday too. 

No notable growth is shown over his sixth year (though, again, he doesn’t show up well-contrasted against anyone until about halfway into the season), but explosive growth is displayed coming into it.

The same happens with the final season.

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So, what do you guys think? Why are dragons so slow to grow at first? Were Daenerys’s children initially stunted by all the time they languished in their eggs? Did they have to overcome “growing small,” as their ancestors, who got no bigger than puppies, could not? Why do dragons only grow at certain times of the year? Do dragons grow exponentially over time rather than shoot up and out in childhood and then stagnate in their adult years? Is Drogon even an adult by the end of Game of Thrones? Hmm…

#game of thrones #daenerys targaryen #daenerys stormborn #khaleesi #queen daenerys #dragons #drogon #rhaegal #viserion

[shadlad24]

Oh, Dany's Boys; I love you so

Each of Daenerys's dragons with their riders

#game of thrones #daenerys targaryen #daenerys stormborn #emilia clarke #queen daenerys #khaleesi #dragons #drogon #jon snow #aegon targaryen #kit harrington #night king

[shadlad24]

Teeny-tiny Drogon on mommy's shoulder; itty-bitty mommy on Drogon's shoulder

#game of thrones #daenerys targaryen #daenerys stormborn #khaleesi #queen daenerys #dragons #drogon #emilia clarke

[shadlad24]

Power of the Sisters Rise

So, I wanted to explore another bittersweet, parallel sisterly moment between the Charmed girls, but this time including Paige. 

At the beginning of season four, Piper calls for a lost witch. Phoebe, more subtly adrift without Prue but adrift nonetheless, almost immediately comes to Piper; hours later, directionless Paige is drawn to them at Prue’s funeral. But, ultimately, Piper is unsuccessful in bringing her big sister back. Near the end of “Brain Drain,” Phoebe and Paige do the same exact spell and ritual to try and get Piper back from the Source. They too fail to retrieve their big sister and instead must go to her, as they did in the beginning.

#charmed #original charmed #charmed 1998 #season 4 #piper halliwell #phoebe halliwell #paige matthews #holly marie combs #alyssa milano #rose mcgowan

[shadlad24]

Charming Sisterly Support

Hey, original Charmed fans!

Look at this super-sweet parallel and connected moment between Piper and Phoebe. What do you see? Think? Let me know!

[shadlad24]

Charming Sisterly Support

Hey, original Charmed fans!

Look at this super-sweet parallel and connected moment between Piper and Phoebe. What do you see? Think? Let me know!

#charmed #original charmed #charmed 1997 #season one #season five #piper halliwell #phoebe halliwell #holly marie combs #alyssa milano #paige matthews #rose mcgowan

[shadlad24]

The Full Heart and Full Circle

On this anniversary of the Titanic sinking, I’d like to explain Rose’s necklace drop at the end of the movie Titanic. Simply put, it was the culmination of a love story and the fulfillment of a promise. Multiple promises, really.

First of all, why would a frail little old lady who largely gets around by wheelchair scale slippery metal over the Northern Atlantic in the dead of night? Well, you see, ledges were her and Jack’s special thing. When young Rose’s inner turmoil burst outward, chased her to the brink of death, Jack appeared. He saw her. He… extended his hand. A complete stranger not only came alongside Rose but swore to go over after her if need be. Then he pulled her back from that ledge before leading her to another, showing her not an abyss but freedom. Even with the unholy trinity of terror, death, and despair surrounding them, literally clawing at the couple, the impact of what Jack had already done for Rose remained. That place was where he had met her and turned all of the darkness around her into light.

Yes, Jack saw Rose. He cared about her. That change for Rose was so great that she came out of her Titanic experience married as far as she was concerned.

Because in preventing her suicide, Jack gave Rose new life. Opened up a whole new world to her, one filled with bright possibilities. 

And more than blather the empty small talk that Rose hated so, Jack made his words real, made her promise.

But then he was gone. Dark, cold reality nearly took her breath away as it did to Jack. Even a flicker of hope was meaningless without him by her side. So, she watched the sole returning lifeboat drift away from her. Broke down and surrendered to the darkness because Jack was not there to give her light. Until she remembered her promise. The chill became a breath of fresh air, of life, and Rose used it to call for help. Refused to let that lifeboat leave without her.

Yet again, all too soon, her depression reemerged. Her bleak emptiness had gained survivor’s guilt for company. Never letting go of her promise required letting go of Jack’s hand… allowing him to plummet to the black, freezing depths that he had saved her from time and time again.

Nevertheless, Rose spent the rest of her life turning Jack’s dreams for her into reality.

Thus, she reached the end of her journey at long last. “The Heart of the Ocean” became her heart, full of the ocean that held Jack.

There was only one thing left for her to do.

Rose, near the Titanic for the first time in eighty-four years, likely never having set foot on another ship in that time, had come full circle. She made her life count before dying an old lady warm in her bed, as promised, but also took the dive over that ledge. Her heart plunged into the water to meet the challenge of “You jump; I jump.” And finally, finally, was she able to take Jack’s hand again. At last were they wed (note her wedding dress and hair ribbons) in front of all their friends who did not make it out of the ocean alive. They will be together forevermore.

#titanic #jack and rose #james cameron #kate winslet #leonardo dicaprio #the heart of the ocean #fan analysis #fan theory #soulmates #you jump i jump

[shadlad24]

Terminality

So, I guess this is goodbye to the Xenite community.

My 2nd anniversary on Tumblr passed without fanfare a couple of days ago. I can no longer take screencaps for my posts. Very few people are interested in my posts anymore anyway. Therefore, I think it is time to officially retire from the XWP/Xenite fandom.

Best wishes to all and happy holidays! Be well.

Oh. PS: There has not been much new to add to the master-list of all my posts on Tumblr as of late but here you go anyway, for old times’ sake: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1km_lQ-JcksZM3JPtDSRVhbq81mDSDaehV1hG_EtRvQc/edit

#xena warrior princess #xena #xena and gabrielle #gabrielle #fan theory #fan observations #fan analysis #cracksubs #meme #xena fanfiction #celebration #link post #anniversary post

[shadlad24]

The Child

While I was watching “Maternal Instincts,” something that I’ve not seen asked anywhere else nagged me a lot: Why did Hope knowing Solan’s name give her away as being his killer?

Directly after Hope related Callisto’s threat to Xena, Gabrielle pushed the girl into a chair and then took a whole two steps away from her before both Xena and Kaleipus name-dropped the boy.

So, I wonder why Hope didn’t think to answer her mother’s question with, “Because you, Xena, and the centaur said so right in front of me! Don’t you remember? I was trying to leave, but you went out of your way to give me a front-row seat to that discussion!” Okay, I’m joking a bit with the last part, but still. That was not remotely the right point for Gabrielle to lose faith in Hope. Beyond the obviousness I’ve just laid out, Callisto is the one who supposedly said she’d take Solan to the grave; as far as any of the good guys knew, Hope had no reason to hurt the boy. She only remembered being alone in the basket, nothing about Xena at all, according to what she told Gabrielle. Yes, she cries, “Xena hates me!”, but that could be taken as a response to Xena’s “shoot the messenger” glare upon hearing that Solan was set to die, even why the girl disappeared after hearing the conversation about Solan.

Personally, I think Gabrielle’s realization of her daughter’s guilt was much better set up earlier in the episode: Given the look on her face upon seeing him and her shifty eyes while he lay dying, she knew in an instant that Hope had attacked Kaleipus. And when she burst into her hut after that, she shouted “Fayla!” not with worry in her voice, but frustration. Then she covered her face as if to ask, “What have I done?”

It’s too bad that our battling bard was so quick to invalidate what she knew in her heart to be true. Sigh. T_T Her denial… hope? …is literally killer, many times over. (Like when she tried to say someone else broke through their barricade and killed Goewin but left Hope alone, when Hope is the only one anybody—particularly Goewin’s fellow knights, the only other possible suspects—wanted dead.)

I’m also surprised Xena wasn’t as quick on the uptake about Kaleipus’s assailant as Gabrielle was. Only they, he, and Hope knew about the plan to hide Solan in the Ixion Caves. None of the good guys could have known, at that point, that Hope had returned to Callisto. And Callisto couldn’t be in two places at once, anyway, as she warned our ladies… Tsk tsk. (The script went too far, though. Kaleipus practically gasped, “Hope!” when he would only have known her as Fayla, if anything. Nevertheless, Xena should have picked up on his dying message in a second. Who else would “The child!” have been? Solan? Xenan?) Aish.

TL; DR:

Hope: She knows your little secret, and she’s gonna take it to the grave.

Xena, in front of Hope (thanks to Gabrielle): Callisto knows about Solan!

Kaleipus, also in front of Hope thanks to Gabrielle: Doesn’t matter! Bottom line is protecting Solan!

Gabrielle to Hope later: I will take you to the safest place there is.

Hope: *brought to a hut where exactly one other person is hiding* Gee. Who could this be? -> *“realizes the boy’s dead”* -> *runs* -> (to Gabrielle) I don’t want to die like Solan.

Gabrielle: How did you know that was Solan?! Die, evil demon-child!

Me: …Wut?

*How do you like the new HD pix, eh???

#xwp #xena #xena warrior princess #gabrielle #hope #solan #the rift arc #Maternal Instincts #callisto #kaleipus #questions #season three

[shadlad24]

Sour Flower Power

Yes, I’m branching out from XWP again because it’s basically dead now. heh Anyway, I just returned from Japan and on the way home, watched Encanto for the first time on the plane. Something interesting stuck out to me.

Isabela hits Mariano, someone who has done nothing against her but rather adores her, with erupting flowers twice and breaks his nose both times. Mirabel lobs perhaps the only insults at Isabela that she has ever received, particularly hurtful ones too, and so gets hit in the face with two erupting flowers as well (one she punches back and so bops her a second time 😆). But they do not injure her!

No matter how verbally harsh Isabela and Mirabel are with each other and how cruel Isabela is perceived as being to her sister, she never physically hurts the girl. Did you guys notice this parallel? Is it commonly acknowledged?

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*Also, who knew flowers could be such deadly weapons? Can you imagine being a big, strong man like Mariano is but getting your bones shattered by friggin flowers, twice, no less? And for what? Being enamored with a temperamental bella everyone thinks is the ideal? Poor guy! :")

#disney #encanto #lin manuel-miranda #mirabel #stephanie beatriz #isabela #diane guerrero #sibling rivalry #secretly sweet

[shadlad24]

Actually…

You’re both beautiful, any time, any way. :”)

#xwp #xena #xena warrior princess #xena and gabrielle #gabrielle #lucy lawless #renee o’connor

[shadlad24]

Episodic Ficlet #24 (Alternate): Safe

“It’s Gabrielle who performed the miracle. …Din’cha?”

Grandmother? Uncle Meropes? Dazed orbs sought the faces of her loved ones with whom she had just reunited. The young bard gasped at what she saw instead. Xena’s looking at me with such love in her eyes. She’s even tearing up. No! Gabrielle mourned when the warrior princess pulled back from kissing her on the forehead. I don’t want this dream to end. A stuttered breath later, the girl panicked. Unless Xena’s dead too! Th-the temple!

Those strong arms cinched tighter around in her limp frame. “Ssh,” that voice soothed her. “It’s alright, precious. You’re safe. You’re safe now; I promise!”

“...Xena?”

“Yes, lovey?” Her voice catching on the endearment, the woman still laughed beneath watery eyes.

Gabrielle knew then she was still on the other side.

Or maybe not. The center of her chest began to ache terribly.

“I-it hurts,” she whispered. She soon passed out, for Xena immediately parted her top and kissed the forming bruise there.

“I’m so sorry, sweetheart.” 

It had to be a dream.

#

“I love you.”

Elven ears perked up, and Gabrielle let herself grin. “I know,” she told her dream lover. 

“Oh, ya do, do ya? I guess I don’t have to say it anymore then.”

Green-blue eyes shot open at that warm, teasing tone. Her hand rose to ensnare itself in the long, raven locks spilling into her face but found itself full of another hand. She’s even still holding me, the bard mused, utterly amazed.

“How-” Xena’s voice broke again. “How’re you feelin’, hon- huh?”

“Safe,” the bard murmured as she snuggled even closer to her hero.

#

For the next few days, Gabrielle would not wake without dark hair in her eyes, warm breath tickling her temple, and powerful hands cradling her in some way.

We’ll have to come through this forest more often, she thought to herself with a soft but naughty grin. Then she would whine or whimper, and Xena would instantly spring to attention to wait on her hand and foot. Definitely challenge the warrior princess to stop a war at least once a season from here on out. 

A pointed poke in the nose and huff told her to not even try it. 

But Gabrielle knew that she would.

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Woo! 300th post! I debated writing this bit, figured it’d be a better conclusion to the season, and so went ahead and did it. Sue me. 😛 But yay! So much is complete now!

Season 1 FFLMs: #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 #11 #12 #13 #14 #15 #16 #17 #18 #19 #20 #21 #22 #23 #24 + MFLMs: #1 #2

Season 2 FFLMs: #25 #26 #27 #28 #29 #30 #31 #32 #33 #34 #35 + MFLM: #3

Episodic Ficlets: #1 #1 (Truncated) #2 #3 #4 #4 (Alternate) #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 #11 #12 #13 #14 #15 #16 #17 #18 #19 #20 #21 #22 #23 #24 + full Google Doc

Also, Adrienne Wilkinson is working with me on getting my first novel ready for publication. COOOOOOL!!! She’s seriously the best, y’all. Also-also, another Xenite helped me download all the Rift Arc episodes in HD. Now I can redo the images for a bunch of my posts! Yaaaaay! Which one should I do first? Lemme know! And celebrate this milestone with me, if you will! Thanks!

*Oh yeah. 375 words. Ahem.

#xwp #xena #xena warrior princess #xena and gabrielle #gabrielle #xena fanfiction #xenafic #drabbles #ficlets #fflm #mflm #link post

[shadlad24]

More Funny Little Moments #3: Season 2, Episodes 1-11

Finally. Finally, it. Is. FINISHED! YAAAAAY!!! Like last time, this MFLM will only include one to two additional funny moments per episode.

2.1: Orphan of War 

This half of the season at least is SO reliant on characters being dumb! At least Xena gets to sass Gabrielle for once in my posts? heh

2.2: Remember Nothing 

Perhaps remembering what dude did to her drumstick, Gabrielle thinks…

Ooh! The realization behind the following collage was actually pretty good! What an endearing/intriguing little reversal, eh?

2.3: The Giant Killer 

Hee! My beloved goof. The only reason I left this unnecessary, dramatic stunt out in the main post is because the second of the FFLM points came a beat later. heh

It really must be asked: GabbyWabs, are you blind? How could you watch this chick take a running leap into David’s arms like that, then stand with him in such a way, and not realize that they were romantically joined? LOLz Sorry, kid.

2.4: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun 

This bit was more of a “Wut?” on my part. Did Xena’s killing Bacchus and reversing his curse somehow kill Orpheus too? No? But dude’s wifey-poo be dead. How can they be together if he’s still—well, whatever gods/immortals do that approximates being—alive?*

2.5: Return of Callisto 

Okay, this note probably needs a bit of prefacing. As you may know, I don’t see Xena or even GXe’s relationship as most other fans do. Given how domineering and protective yet dismissive Xena was toward Gabrielle in the beginning, I was seriously like, “Does Xena think she’s Gabrielle’s dad? I think she thinks she’s Gabrielle's dad…” 😆 Especially here…

2.6: Warrior…Princess…Tramp 

Joxer is truly something else. Rather than finding his latest tale amusing in any way, I found it …eerie. First, he seemingly casts himself in the role of Perdicas; then he turns into Callisto. Then he is faced with Gabrielle, his friend (whom he apparently sees as a little girl to the point of being his surrogate daughter^) who just days ago lost Perdicas to Callisto. He laughs off his grotesque retelling, in her face. But that’s okay. She chuckles too. Again, despite being just DAYS off of losing her lifelong friend and puppy-love. And no, Joxer didn’t see Perdicas die, but he obviously heard what happened, and, and was inches behind Gabrielle when she professed her grief-crazed desire to kill Callisto herself! Well, GJ soon play the moment off as if he’s describing their first interaction with Callisto, but still …Can we just say yikes here? It’s so terrible it’s almost funny…

2.7: Intimate Stranger 

Ahem. Next up we have another instance of really stupid decision-making on one character’s part and yet another glaring example of unobservant-ness from a second character, once more Gabrielle. Callisto does not know how to whisper. She also doesn’t know how not broadcast her plan to the masses nor stop mugging even at inopportune times. But that’s alright. Gabrielle’s hearing range does not extend beyond a four-foot radius, I guess. Same for her vision? Even if she can’t hear what Callisto’s saying, can she not see “Xena’s” face? Read her lips? Notice “the warrior princess” turning the dagger around, shoving it under her own chin, and then holding it there, all the while psycho-grinning at her worst enemy and recent peace-stealer? No? …LOL? 🥲

2.8: Ten Little Warlords 

Ahem, part 2. I’ll just let Xena take over here.

2.9: A Solstice Carol 

For crying out loud! So, dumb-butt Lynal really, truly thought Xena’s chakram was not just an accessory, but an ornament? Makes sense. I know I always go around with my Christmas-tree-topper star hanging on my hip during Christmastime. Particularly when I’m out and about in a decidedly extremely anti-Christmas town. You know, for the funsies. …But, like, even if we excuse the boy’s idiocy like we had to previously^, why did the chakram go along with it? The round-killing thing sliced Xena’s hand when she thought it was a toy. So why didn’t it cut the kid while he was demeaning it with those bows and all? What the? The chakram knows things, okay? Unacceptable, chakram! LOL!

Quick bit surrounding an odd line:

2.10: The Xena Scrolls 

We can’t go a MFLM without mentioning Hope, right? Never! ’Tis tradition to give her a shoutout in these things now! Thus, Xena and I are on the same wavelength again because I said so. ...Dahak did steal Gabrielle’s innocence, goodness, peace, etc., and Gabrielle did abandon them both, after all. Huh! Wouldn’t that be something if Janice really was Hope reincarnated? Perhaps even the cover of a resurrected, immortal Hope? Heh/D’aw/Oh my!

2.11: Here She Comes… Miss Amphipolis 

We finish with a small, albeit obvious chuckle. How did the ladies know their ranking? It comes across as if they both knew beforehand and didn’t. Salmoneus at least seemed certain they didn’t, hence his early banter with Xena. And how great would it have been if he interrupted at least once and was like, “Uh, that’s great, Miss ____, but you aren’t who I was about to call”? heheheheh

.

Welp, that’s that. At last! Yeyeyeyeyeyey!

Here go the…

Season 1 FFLMs (2's are^): #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 #11 #12 #13 #14 #15 #16 #17 #18 #19 #20 #21 #22 #23 #24 + MFLMs: #1 #2

and

Episodic Ficlets: #1 #1 (Truncated) #2 #3 #4 #4 (Alternate) #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 #11 #12 #13 #14 #15 #16 #17 #18 #19 #20 #21 #22 #23 #24 + Google Doc

Also-also, this is my 299th post, completed almost a week after my 21st mensiversary (fully updated master post). What should I do for my big 300th post? Please send in some ideas ASAP! Thanks, all!

*No, but really. Orpheus must be dead right? If Eurydice passed so long ago, and her widow was still all bitter about it until minutes ago, that heavily implies that he and she were separated all that time. Now they’re together again? …How? Why? Ooh! Totally-aside-also, but did Eve need to exist since Xena was already killing gods years before the girl was ever conceived? Hmm…

#xwp #xena #xena warrior princess #xena and gabrielle #gabrielle #callisto #joxer #comedy #funny #xena fanfiction #xenafic #drabbles #ficlets #fflm #mflm #link post

[shadlad24]

Episodic Ficlet #24: Apperception

“Gabrielle, it’s Marmax. I need you to change his bandages.”

“…Alright.”

Xena watched Gabrielle go. Just a moment later, she thought of something she simply had to tell the girl. “Gab-” But her mouth closed of its own accord.  The bard was telling a story, and secret to exactly no one but herself, the warrior princess loved to hear a good story. Or was it good bards? Or, was it just one bard in particular? Xena pretended not to know.

“There was once this king; his name was Libarius. He was a brave warrior, a great hunter…” 

A blush rose in high cheekbones. Oh, great. This is going to be about me. Gabrielle’s been substituting men for me in all of her poems lately… But Xena wasn’t supposed to know that, nor was she supposed to know the meaning behind the swap. Neither did she try to leave, unable to pass up the opportunity to hear Gabrielle sing her praises, undeserved though they might be to the brunette’s guilty conscience. She shook her head to clear it and then focused on that soft voice once more.

“He was so proud of his hunting skills, that he decided to test them in the sacred forest, of the great goddess Artemis. … She was so angry with him that she turned him into a deer. … He became so fond of the peaceful ways of the deer, that he actually grew to love them. Of course, he still missed his friends and family, which made him very sad. So Artemis took pity on him, turned him back into his human form.”

Engrossed in the tale despite Marmax’s interruptions, Xena’s thoughts concurred with the general’s: “A happy ending. But what a nightmare, a warrior having to live the life of a deer!”

“Actually, it was the best thing that ever happened to him. He became a better king after the experience, a much happier man.” 

“Why’s that?”

Unbidden, Xena’s lips silently shaped the words she knew Gabrielle would answer.

“’Cause he learned the true secret of life is to find peace in yourself and to share it with the world.”

The man laughed, causing Xena to growl quietly. She moved to covertly defend her precious friend but found that yet again, her interference was not necessary.

Gabrielle preserved her dignity in the way that did not hurt or even insult her opponent, simply made them question their own cynicism, made them think. 

With a small smile, Xena shook her head. Then she noticed her hand covering her heart and wondered at its placement. Was she touched by her sweet little bard? Or was she pledging allegiance to Gabrielle? Halcyon acceptance rather than frustration or wariness slid her hand away. The warrior princess rose from the knees she didn’t know she had dropped to and followed the girl.

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@scentedflowersong and @dulcie13

Whee!!! And with those 300 words, season one of my EFs is over! Next up, MFLM#3? Whatever it is, two posts from now will be my 300th. Also, happy weenie day! heheheh Yes, I’m a bit late, but Steven L. Sears says that today is the 27th anniversary of the show’s debut. Congrats, y’all! Also, even later, the Master Post has been updated. Whoopsies. Ah well! Here ya go! Also-also, here is the Fic Google Doc.

Episodic Ficlets: #1 #1 (Truncated) #2 #3 #4 #4 (Alternate) #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 #11 #12 #13 #14 #15 #16 #17 #18 #19 #20 #21 #22 #23

Season 1 FFLMs: #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 #11 #12 #13 #14 #15 #16 #17 #18 #19 #20 #21 #22 #23 #24

Season 2: #25 #26 #27 #28 #29 #30 #31 #32 #33 #34 #35

MFLMs: #1 #2

#xwp #xena #xena warrior princess #xena and gabrielle #gabrielle #xena fanfiction #xenafic #drabbles #ficlets #fflm #comedy #funny

[shadlad24]

Calls of Hope

Hey, guys,

This is another thing I’ve wondered for a while and now bring before you: During “The Adventures in the Sin Trade” two-parter, who was it whispering Xena’s name off-screen? Presumably, Gabrielle was recovering in that undisclosed hospice, fully alive (though not well), or, in my head-canon, with Aphrodite [Yup, two links]. So, could it have been Hope supernaturally calling out to Xena, trying to lure the warrior princess to her death? I kinda think so.

Consider: In “A Family Affair,” Hope claims to have sent word to Xena more than once, but not one physical letter ever made it to the warrior princess. Hope and Dahak were also shown to have propensities for both telepathy and mind control. Not only did they get multiple cults to blindly follow them, communicating inaudibly all the while, they turned scores of sacrifices—Gabrielle and Seraphin included—into puppets. Xena’s assertion at the beginning of the third episode of the fourth season, as noted previously, seems nonsensical, along with her drive to search for Gabrielle in Potidaea. Perhaps the evil one and the child of darkness had something to do with that weirdness, no? Their plan was to destroy Xena, after all, and who better to do that than The Destroyer? Hmm…

What do you guys think?

#xwp #xena warrior princess #xena #gabrielle #xena and gabrielle #fan questions #fan theory #fan observations #fan analysis #dahak #hope

[shadlad24]

Episodic Ficlet #23: Reversal

“You don’t know what these monsters do to women!” 

“No! I’m counting on it!” Xena snagged her waterskin from the palm tree behind her. Two steps later, she thrust it into her brother’s chest. “Hold that thought. I have a little …trouble to deal with first.”

Toris sighed loudly but said nothing.

His sister could hardly care less. Instead, she smothered a chuckle at her sidekick’s expense; the girl was crashing through the underbrush to put some distance between them. Xena flipped without releasing her war cry and landed square in her companion’s path. “You know that you are far too noisy to sneak around unnoticed, right?”

Red-faced and panting, the blonde gasped. “Xena! You surprised me! I- I- was just, uh, practicing with-”

“Sure you were.” Before Gabrielle could dig herself deeper, Xena actually surprised her by stepping forward and yanking her into a bone-crushing embrace. Then she dropped to one knee and grasped staff-calloused hands in both of hers. “Gabrielle, please. I beg of you. This is Cortese, the man who- who killed Lyceus as I watched, helpless. And you- I don’t want you anywhere near him! Please.”

Gabrielle stood stunned and silent for another moment longer. At long last, she whispered, “Xena…”

“You want to help me; this is how you can help me. Stay out of it! I won’t be able to focus worrying about you, and that could get me killed, if not Toris, the only brother I have left. So, for my sake. Please. Will you do this for me?”

Again, Gabrielle murmured, “Xena… Alright,” she conceded. Then she heaved the warrior princess to her feet to hug her more thoroughly. “But I don’t want you anywhere near that man either. And—” she blushed once more— “okay, you caught me. I was eavesdropping because I wanted to be able to jump in if Toris- …Well, anyway, I don’t want you getting hurt in that camp. Xena, please don’t go there! You’re already well on the way in talking Toris out of killing Cortese, right? Why not just-”

“I can’t. I’m not strong enough. But you, you are. Please…”

Gabrielle slumped against the woman, not yet realizing that she had been beaten at her own game. “Please come back safe,” she whimpered.

“I will. For you, I will.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

“Good.”

Gabrielle basked in the brilliance of her hero’s smile. And the next time Xena tried to leave her behind that day, she did not argue but rather volunteered to part ways with her.

Thank you, the brunette sent across their intangible connection in lieu of showing even the slightest sign of give in front of Toris. 

Uh-huh, the bard sent back. …But don’t get used to it! 

Xena finally did laugh.

.

@scentedflowersong and @dulcie13

Alright. 450 words. I think I’ll finish season one first, then do the MFLM for the first half of season two, then get back to the FFLMs for a while. Thoughts? 

Fic Google Doc

Episodic Ficlets: #1 #1 (Truncated) #2 #3 #4 #4 (Alternate) #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 #11 #12 #13 #14 #15 #16 #17 #18 #19 #20 #21 #22

FFLMs: Season 1: #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 #11 #12 #13 #14 #15 #16 #17 #18 #19 #20 #21 #22 #23 #24

Season 2: #25 #26 #27 #28 #29 #30 #31 #32 #33 #34 #35

MFLMs: #1 #2

#xwp #xena #xena warrior princess #xena and gabrielle #gabrielle #xena fanfiction #xenafic #drabbles #ficlets #fflm #comedy #funny

[shadlad24]

Episodic Ficlet #22: Responsive

“Go; go on!”

Well knowing that Gabrielle would not leave her alone in such a vulnerable state even if the girl’s life depended on it, Xena allowed herself several moments to soak in her friend’s comforting presence. Then the warrior princess tensed her shoulder muscles just enough so that Gabrielle alone would notice. She lowered her voice below Melas’s hearing range to make a rare entreaty. “Please. I just need a minute.”

Gabrielle reluctantly pulled away. “Alright.” Her hand still resting on the woman’s inner shoulder, she softly but pointedly added, “But I’ll be waiting for you…”

Xena’s jaw tightened as she nodded curtly. Nevertheless, she tossed a grateful smile at her friend to ease the bard’s mind.

That reassuring hand squeezed her one final time and then left her.

The warrior princess forced herself not to look back. 

#

As promised, she did not keep Gabrielle waiting long. Both surprised and not, need and wariness battling within her, she froze when the blonde enveloped her in an embrace that included each stocky limb. “Gabrielle? What- How- Why-”

A tearful, teasing, “There’s a sentence in there just dying to get out!” tickled the hollow of her throat.

“Why would you want to stay with me after what I told you? How can you-”

“You need me.” 

Xena shook her head. “Gabrielle, you need to get out of here!” she demanded close to bitingly despite being unable to get her body to cooperate in separating from the girl.

Gabrielle did it herself. Releasing Xena, she pulled back to say, “Fat chance. I’m not going anywhere.” A self-deprecating smile flashed across her face with the popping of an ember when she conceded, “But I will give you some space. Good-”

“Gabrielle, I mean it! Not- just because of me, but Callisto! She’s smart; she’ll know how much you mean to me! That p-”

“Puts me in grave danger. What else is new? Good night, Xena.” The bard settled on her side with her back to the woman.

Huffing and scoffing in one, Xena mirrored her.

#

Elven ears attuned to the nearly inaudible sniffling coming from behind them. Automatically, the body they were attached to rolled over to reach out and make contact with its upholder. Gabrielle once more attempted to dry Xena’s face.

Rather than pull away again, Xena could not stop herself from snatching her friend’s hand and holding it to her cheek. She smiled, which made her cry harder, when the little bard scootched closer to both provide her with warmth and ward off the smothering flames of the past.

#

Gabrielle echoed Xena’s tossing and turning throughout the night. Her instincts kept her catering to her hero, no matter her state of consciousness. Liquid pain from the brunette required caresses from her small hands. Reciprocal stroking compelled Gabrielle to remain utterly still, biting back grins at the profound gratitude and wonder emanating from her soulmate.

“You’re still here,” that deep voice whispered each hour. 

“You’re not alone,” her sleep-roughened one murmured back.

.

500 words. Hm, should I stop with the end of season one? No one seems much interested in these any more, besides perhaps @scentedflowersong and sometimes @dulcie13. Hmm… Either way, I think I’ll include links to all the previous EFs and the Google Doc at the bottom of each post from here on out.

Episodic Ficlets: #1 #1 (Truncated) #2 #3 #4 #4 (Alternate) #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 #11 #12 #13 #14 #15 #16 #17 #18 #19 #20 #21 

Also, only five more posts ’til the big 300. Any thoughts on the matter would be much appreciated.

#xwp #xena #xena warrior princess #xena and gabrielle #gabrielle #xena fanfiction #xenafic #drabbles #ficlets #callisto