Random toughts on "Nahual" by Peregrine

My life partner was at home a few days and occupied the TV-Set, which meant no taping, no random thoughts on eps. So I read a little. "Nahual" by Peregrine, a gen story and fairly long, it can be found here: http://home.earthlink.net/~ktutt/index.html

I liked it. I really liked it. Which is a little surprising, since I'm usually not all too fond of shape-shifting in TS because I think of it as very AU.

This story isn't really an AU. *g* See, the series gave us all those scenes which showed us something unusual and mysterical going on with Jim and Blair, despite the fact that they're guys firmly rooted in the here and now. Especially the first eps of every season were made this way and it became more mystical with each season-beginning.

Switchman, Flight, Warriors and Sen Too are the continuing story of the development of Jim-the-Sentinel and Blair-his partner. Each of this eps contains a significant development of Jim's Sentinel-side and his relationship with Blair.

In Switchman he got the senses back and Sandburg talks him into the diss-deal. It's the start of their journey.

In Flight he made the choice to continue being a sentinel and Blair made the decision to stay with Jim instead of going on this expedition in Borneo. Jim's big step is easy to see, Visions, choices etc, all clearly here to see, but Blair's decision seems to be of less significance at first sight. But it is truely a decision for Jim and against his own career. It was at this early stage in the series that Blair chose his place on Jim's side over his own academic way. I doubt that he was aware of this little fact, but I'm firmly convinced that the decision we see in TSbyBS made consciously by Blair, was already made unconsciously in this ep. He didn't acknowledge it and I think he didn't *want* to acknowledge that for a long time, but the course was set in this ep.

In Warriors, Jim has to face several crisises. First, there's the fact that his senses played a trick at him and lured him into shooting an innocent, which leaves him with the wish to lose his senses because they can cause danger to innocent persons, at least that's how he sees it. Second, Jim has to chose again, this time between his duty as the sentinel of the Chopec-tribe, his past, and his duty as a modern sentinel of Cascade in his function as a police-officer, his future. Third, Incacha dies and his death is linked to the case and how Jim handled it. If he had obeyed Incachas wish, Incacha probably wouldn't have died. So, Jim's decision for "his future", the way he is and works now, in a way caused Incacha's death and therefore the "death of his past". I don't say Jim is to blame for Incacha's death, of course he made the right decision, but I see the symbolism in it. *g* But that's maybe just me. *G*

And let's not forget Blair. In Warriors Incacha passed his own duty on to Blair, the way of the shaman, whatever this means. And again, Jim's decision of how to handle the case also, in a way, "caused" the death of Blair's female friend and therefore a piece of Blair's past died too. Again, I'm not blaming Jim, I'm just playing with "how destiny works" here. *g* So, in the end of the ep we have a Jim who decided on being the sentinel of "the great city" Cascade and he had a partner on his side who bears a duty he has no clue about how to tackle it.

In Sen Too, their relationship was tested the hardest way. We all know what happened. Alex killed Blair, Jim called him back and then went after Alex. Blair got out of the hospital and followed Jim into the jungle without an obvious reason other that he wanted to be near Jim, probably to be there if Jim needed help. Jim underwent a change in the pool, his senses became sharper, I think this is mentioned in a later episode IIRC, and when Incacha talked about the light that has to come from within, Jim sees various visions of Blair. All very mystical and a wide field for interpretations. *g* In the end we have a badly rattled pair but they're still partners and they still *want* to be partners, which is the important point. They were tested, they fought, they won. Scarred and hurt but they won.

It's easy to see how each of those eps enhances the mystical aspect of their relationship and that's where "Nahual" comes in the play. *g*

The story takes place a month after Sen Too but if the series had continued, we would have gotten a few more case-eps after Sen Too and "Nahual" could have been easily the season five-opener. It's absolutely in the tradition of the mystical season-opener eps. :-)

It has a neat case, it has big mystical things happening and it ends with Jim and Blair on a new level of their relationship. Peregrine ties her story neatly to canon-facts and I find her take on it very, very good. "This" is how the series *could* have continued after Sen Too and the reason why the story doesn't feel overly AUish to me. Her guys have canon-character regarding their behavior and the way how they handled the things happening.

She ties in Jim's "I shot the wolf"-vison and makes it significant for the story and their behavior and she made sense of Jim's "This is not me"-cry in the pool. And Blair's after-drowning feelings are pretty believable, kind of logical and important for the story. She took the incidents we saw in Sen Too and *developed* her story from this point. Both guys are struggling with the things happening. Jim with his new ability/curse, Blair with his new "duty" as a shaman, although it's not overstressed. I like it how she makes Blair struggling so naturally with the things thrown at him. He's not a "I know all, I understand all and I'm perfectly sure" immetiately. He has to work and to fight to get his clues, it isn't a shinging crown thrown in his lap. And he's simply Blair while he does this.

A few times I really feared she would fall into the "saint Blair"-trap, but she managed to avoid that. :-) In her story isn't one to blame, both guys are to blame or not, depenting on how you want to see it. In this also, she stays in the "tradition" of the series-eps. She weaves a complex pattern of Jim and Blair's relationship and in the end, there isn't one of them being the winner or the one in charge. They both win and lose in reaching this new stage of their relationship.

I find her style very strong and expressive, although I have to say, it reads unusal to me. And this is the point where I get a little insecure. I'm not good enough with English to judge whether Peregrine isn't a native speaker and this is why her writing sounds this unusual for me or whether she simply has an unusal but correct style. I found a few typos and some things where I though "that's gramatically wrong" but as I said, I'm not good enough to be really able to judge that.

This may be a point that could lessen the fun of reading for a native speaker, I simply don't know it. To me, it read fluid and expressive and exactly this is, what makes me suspicious. *g* It could easily be that I like this because some of her expressions sound so familiar to me that I got the impression her native language might be close to mine than to English. Either this, or she's simply an unusal author. *G*

Random thoughts on "Neighborhood Watch", still taping without sound

Naomi writes letters to her son. *g* Pretty unusal in this time of cell-phone and e-mail, if you ask me. :-)

Cascade has some really dilapidated areas on the waterfront. If that was near the place where Blair lived at the beginning of the series - *gulp* I wouldn't want to walk in that area after dark.

I can't help, but the fashion sense of the female Cascade cops leaves a lot to wish and it's absolutely not practical. Megan wears a thight skirt, heels and a long coat on a crime scene despite it's cold and raining. I commented earlier on Finkelman's lack of sense regarding her choice of practical clothes to go undercover and we all know that Cassie didn't exactly look like a forensic boss judged by her style of clothing. I guess "real" female detectives would wear something more practical. *g*

Blair really has fun watching Jim and Megan argue - and the good sense to stay out of it. *g* I have to say, following procedure isn't exactly Megan's strong suite, I guess here she and Jim have something in common. *G* Jim carelessly sniffs on the plastic-bag Megan gives him, does even comment on it, while Blair makes "cut it" motions in the background. He's way more attentive to keeping Jim's senses a secret than Jim is. *g*

Blair's face and gestures are priceless when Megan gets her "Jim's a psychic"-clue. *g*

I just love seeing Blair tagging along behind Jim on crime scenes and investigations. *G*

It's "Major Crime" on the office doors. Not "Crimes". *g*

I love it when Simon goes all "boss" on people, he's so great at this, it's a joy to watch. *G* He wears a golden bracelet on his right wrist and a watch on his left.

Jim is *so* enthusiastic about going undercover with Megan. *G*

Blair's face when Megan kisses Jim in front of the new neighbours is just... *giggle* I can't help, but Jim is a really cool guy. *G* I can see why Blair has such a cru... *oops*, adores him sometimes, I mean. *g*

I want to rip off Blair's bright baggy pants and replace them with a nice pair of jeans. *g*

The guys from the neighborhood are really a challenge for Jim's patience. *G*

Algae-shake and a plaid bathrobe, and Blair is *not* a morning person. *G* Jim, on the other hand, wears a nice dark blue one and looks good in it. I like the whole scene with all of them still in their bathrobes/nightsuits (with vertical blue and white stripes for Megan) it has a special atmosphere in it. I would love to see their feet/shoes. :-)

So what's for breakfast... Jim has a cup, most likely coffee in it and he's eating something that looks like a roll with something on top. An orange is lying on the table and a small plate with a white square block on it, cheese maybe? It's not yellow enough for butter. *g* And there's a deep plate at the side. If it's already used or not can't be seen.
On the other side is Jim's plate with half of an roll/bagel on it. I can't see clearly what it is but it looks like it has a hole in the middle, so I guess it's a bagel. Bagel with cheese, makes sense, doesn't it?

Blair sits down in front of an already set out coffe-cup and said deep plate. "One" already set out coffee-cup. Get that right. Jim is already up and having breakfast, Blair is just making his shake and obviously isn't up for long at this time. Megan comes in last.

Okay, who set out the second cup for whom? Was Megan already there and got herself a cup, then left for the bathroom and came back? Did Jim set out the cup for Blair? It isn't steaming and I don't see a coffee-maker around. So I guess he made himself breakfast and set out the empty plate and the cup for Blair to use. But nothing for Megan. *g*

Megan is looking into the fridge for breakfast. Funny thing is, the refridgerator is full and of all things in there, Megan choses Jim's raw steaks and Blair's pineapple. As if there would be nothing else in it she could eat. *G*
Now, that's a scene where we see a difference between Jim's and Blair's eating habits. It's Jim's steaks and Blair's pineapple. So, obvbiously Jim hates pineapple, but Blair likes it. And Blair is still gulping on his shake.

The swinger pair sees Blair as prey and his smile is *so* false. I find that's one of the most funny scenes in the whole series.

Despite all their arguing, in a way Jim likes Megan, it's clear to see. This doesn't surprise me much since he generally prefers strong intelligent woman and Megan definitely falls in this category. Jim never falls for the dumb "helpless" ones who throw a fit when they get a hangnail. *G* Each of "his women" were strong in her own way and it makes sense that he likes strength and intelligence as a quality in a co-worker too. In fact, I think Jim and Megan have a lot in common.

Blair, on the other hand, falls for another type. The "normal" ones, nice looking, but not exactly "outstanding amazons", who more or less struggle along with their own life. The one big exception was the human rights activist from "Fool me twice" and this was more kind of a hero worship too, of course, she was a female hero. :-) This reminds me: Blair really looked uncomfortable when Alex tried to come on to him a little.

Jim wears a wrist-watch, Blair not.

The father of the little girl is released from "Emery Grove Federal Penitentiary" and it's at 5000 Essex Way. But I don't know if it's meant to be in Cascade. It can't be to far away since he got to the place where his daughter lives at the same day he was released. I got the impression it is meant to be in Cascade. Come to think of, is Starkville, the prison from "Prisoner X" in Cascade?

Megan seems to be the type of woman who changes her jewelry more or less daily. She wears two different necklaces in this ep and one day even none.

Noticeable how she always sits in the middle between Jim and Blair if she rides with them in Jim's truck. When they drive back to the place where they lived undercover, you see it just in a tiny, short scene: Jim, while driving around the corner, reaches out with his right arm *over* Megan to Blair. Blink and you'll miss it.