[About the ask where you said that dipper blurted out "I'm pregnant" To bill and his immediate response is panic]

Does this mean that bill has impregnated someone??? Or the other way around??

Bill's never sired or sprouted any offspring, and has no intention of doing so!

Dipper was pulling a prank, and it worked very well - because Bill's been around the block enough to not dismiss the supposedly 'impossible'.

Another fic update for y'all

The group settled around the table, the glow of the magical lamps casting an ambient light over the deck. After a hearty dinner and a moment of shared silence, they collectively decided it was time to address the unsettling events that had transpired.

Callum took a deep breath and began, “So, Rayla and I were in Xadia when something spooked our shadowpaw. We ended up tumbling off a cleft.”

Carter raised an eyebrow, noting the similarity, “That’s weirdly similar to how our gryphon, Freak, got startled, causing Sadie and me to fall out of the reed boat.” The eerie parallel didn’t escape anyone’s notice, and they exchanged thoughtful glances.

Rayla spoke up, “Are these events orchestrated, or is it just a strange coincidence?”

The conversation then shifted to The Collector’s cryptic words and the ominous threats made towards Leo. Piper voiced her concern, “He mentioned ‘His Champions.’ What does that even mean?”

Jason added, “And what about ‘The Game’? Why is it so specific about who enters?”

Callum leaned forward, his expression grave, “And Leo, what did he mean by ‘collateral damage’? We need to understand what we’re dealing with here.”

Just as Leo was about to speak, the holographic device, left unattended on the table, whirred to life. The Collector’s image materialized, shorter this time due to the device being on the table instead of the deck.

Sadie’s temper flared as she addressed the holographic image of The Collector, “Is this just some sick game to you?”

The Collector chuckled, “Oh, was it too much for you? I thought it was wonderful!”

Sadie’s eyes narrowed, “Wonderful?”

The Collector continued, seemingly unfazed, “Yes, I’ve always been one for dramatic flair. But, anyway, you’re ready for your next clue, are you not? ‘A Colossus of past entertainment’ in Rome. I wish you good luck!”

The hologram flickered off, leaving the group in an uneasy silence. The hologram flickered, and The Collector disappeared. The room fell silent for a moment, the weight of the encounter sinking in. Leo was the first to break the silence.

“That dude gives me the creeps,” Leo muttered, his eyes fixated on the dormant hologram device.

Piper frowned, “A Colossus of past entertainment in Rome? What’s that supposed to mean?”

Rayla shrugged, “Your guess is as good as mine. I’ve never heard of Rome, let alone been there.”

Carter leaned back, his expression contemplative, “Maybe The Colosseum?”

Piper nodded slowly, “That sounds like it’d fit the bill.”

Callum sighed, “I just hope it doesn’t involve more illusions. That was... unsettling.”

Sadie nodded, still fuming a bit from their encounter with The Collector, “Agreed. Let’s be prepared for anything, though. This ‘Game’ of his seems to have a twisted sense of entertainment.”

“I hate to be the bearer of bad news,” Rayla started, “but didn’t he say that we would all have to face a past trial in each of our places? I think that means that this won’t be the last time you use that spell during this.”

Callum winced, realizing she was right, “Yeah, forgot about that.”

Jason, who had been quiet for most of the discussion, finally spoke up, “And what about Leo? The Collector made it clear that he’s not part of the chosen Champions. What does that mean for him?”

Leo scratched his head, “I’m just here to fly the ship, man. I didn’t sign up for any Champion business.”

Callum looked at Leo sympathetically, “He mentioned something about The Game not liking it when others enter. We should be careful.”

Piper glanced at the hologram device, “And what if we decide not to play this Game of his?”

The device flickered, and The Collector’s voice echoed, “You can try, but remember, there are consequences for defying the rules. I wouldn’t recommend it.”

Sadie muttered under her breath, “Consequences my foot.”

With a collective sigh, they realized they were in too deep. The hologram device remained silent, its eerie glow a constant reminder of the challenges they faced.

The heroes dispersed, heading to their rooms to rest before their next destination. Callum and Rayla strolled side by side, the ship’s gentle rocking beneath them.

“Hey, you’ll be okay with traveling over water, right?” Callum asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

Rayla smiled softly, “Callum, it’s not like I haven’t been on a boat before. I’ll be fine, don’t worry.”

Callum nodded, “I know, but I just want to make sure. If you need anything, just tell me, alright?”

Rayla rolled her eyes playfully, “I’m not helpless, you know. But, sure, I’ll let you know if I need anything.”

Callum grinned, “Good enough for me. But, you know I’ll worry anyway.”

Rayla chuckled, “Stubborn mage. Fine, worry all you want.” She leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. “Good night, Callum.”

“Good night, Rayla,” Callum replied, a warm smile on his face as they headed to their respective rooms. The Argo II continued its journey, sailing across the night-shrouded sea toward Rome, and the looming challenge that awaited them in The Colosseum.

—

The next morning unfolded in a rather uneventful manner, with the team casually mingling on deck and deepening their camaraderie. This continued until Jason, positioned at the top of the steps leading to the stern, noticed a peculiar sight in the distance.

“Hey, guys?” Jason gestured towards a growing speck on the horizon, “I think we’re being followed.”

Piper joined him, squinting to get a better view of the approaching vessel. “That doesn’t look like any ship we’ve seen around here. What do you think?”

Jason shook his head, “Definitely not a Greek or Roman warship. And it doesn’t fit the profile of a modern ship either.”

“Nor does it resemble any Egyptian vessels,” added Carter, who had joined them at the back railing, squinting as the ship approached, “It’s not like anything we’re accustomed to.”

The mysterious ship cut through the waves, its tattered sails appearing to function despite extensive damage. An eerie fog enveloped its deck, obscuring any sight of the crew.

“It’s not sitting well with me,” admitted Rayla, her unease palpable, “Something feels off.”

Leo, ever mischievous, eyed approaching rock formations with a grin, “Let’s try some evasive maneuvers. Maybe we can lose our uninvited guests.”

Leo expertly guided the Argo II through intricate maneuvers, attempting to shake off the pursuing ship. However, the ghostly vessel remained relentless, undeterred by Leo’s skillful navigation.

As the ship continued its pursuit, the agile movements of the Argo II jostled its passengers. Sadie, recovering from a slide into the railing, winced at the pain in her side. Rayla, struggling with seasickness, sought support from Callum.

“Is all this moving really necessary?” Rayla asked, her voice queasy.

Despite Leo’s evasive actions, the ghostly ship persisted, a haunting specter on the horizon, steadily closing the gap between them.

After a moment of thought, a spell came to Callum’s mind.

“Hey, Leo, you think you could steady the ship? I have an idea.”

Leo halted their maneuvers, responding to Callum’s request. As he released Rayla, Callum stood, clutching his staff with determination. He drew a swirling blue rune in the air and uttered, “Lapis Caeli,” inhaling a massive gust of air from the pursuing ship like a vacuum.

With a swift closure of his mouth, he ended the spell, sending a shockwave of air echoing from his staff. The sails of the ghost ship rippled once before freezing in stillness, bringing it to an abrupt stop.

Exhaling sharply as a thick wisp of air exited from his mouth, Callum collapsed, his staff slipping from his grasp. Rayla moved swiftly, catching him as he slumped back. Kneeling beside him, she braced his back, his arm around her shoulder as Callum took quick and worryingly shallow breaths. Rayla placed her free hand on Callum’s chest, feeling the rapid thud of his heart. The others exchanged worried glances, not that Rayla noticed, Callum being her sole center of attention and concern.

Piper, breaking the silence, voiced the question on everyone’s mind, “Is… he going to be okay?”

Rayla, with a confidence that seemed more for herself than the others, responded, “Yeah, he’ll be fine.”

Leo, scratching his head, looked at the now still ship, gradually fading from view. “I… I don’t understand. What did he do?” Puzzled, he turned his gaze back to Rayla and Callum. As Callum’s breathing slowed to a more manageable rate, Rayla explained with evident concern, “He took their wind away.”

The others glanced at each other in astonishment as they realized the true extent of what Callum had done. As the tension lifted, Callum’s breathing gradually slowed, and with Rayla’s support, he managed to stand. His eyes opened, the first question on his lips directed at Rayla, “Did it work?”

Rayla, her hand drifting from his chest to his face, couldn’t help but scoff. The onlookers wisely chose to give them some space.

“That’s what you’re worried about?” she retorted.

Callum pressed on, “Well?”

“Yes, dumb mage, it worked, but that’s not my point,” Rayla replied, her voice soft but carrying an underlying concern. As Callum looked into her eyes, he sensed that the fear for him hadn’t fully dissipated.

“I’m sorry, I worried you,” he admitted, releasing his arm from around her to hold both of her hands.

Rayla’s response was equally soft, “It hurts me to see you like that.”

Callum gently rubbed his thumbs over her knuckles, “I know. I’m sorry. I won’t do anything like that for the rest of this. I promise you, Ray. I-” His words were interrupted by her lips on his.

When she pulled away, she said, “We always catch each other, don’t we?”

Callum smiled at her, “Yeah, we do.”

—

Rayla found herself on the dark and foreboding deck of Sea Legs, the cursed ship that bore witness to the trials and tribulations of their journey to find Aaravos’s prison. The air was thick with tension, reminiscent of the haunting memories that clung to every plank of the vessel. In her dream, she had successfully picked the lock on her cuffs, a fleeting sense of triumph giving her courage.

Armed with two stolen spears, Rayla prepared to confront Finnegrin. The malevolent elf captain stood before her, his presence emanating a sinister aura that sent shivers down her spine. As she lunged at him, determination etched on her face, he anticipated her every move with an eerie precision.

Finnegrin swiftly drew a mysterious rune in the air, uttering an incantation that echoed through the night, “Veinus Frigardis.”

A cold, blue wave crawled across Rayla’s skin, and her blood turned to an unnatural chill in her veins. The once triumphant spirit of rebellion now screamed in searing pain, dropping the stolen weapons as her body convulsed on the unforgiving deck.

But the nightmare took a sinister turn. Where she expected Callum’s reassuring presence, there was only an eerie silence. The anguish in his eyes, the warmth of his touch—absent. Rayla writhed in pain, her pleas for rescue echoing unheard in the hollow night.

As the spell tightened its grip, she awoke with a gasp, the phantom pain still lingering. The dream had left her breathless, a chilling reminder of the trials they had faced, and a harbinger of the darkness that continued to shadow their every step.

—

Callum jolted awake at the sound of Rayla’s distressed voice echoing through the ship. Worry etched across his face, he hurriedly made his way to her room, driven by the urgency of her call.

“Rayla! What’s wrong?” Callum burst into her room, finding her tangled in the remnants of her nightmare. Without hesitation, he rushed to her side, enveloping her in a comforting embrace.

“Did... did I say something?” she asked, slightly confused.

“You called out my name. I was worried,” Callum reassured her, his voice a soothing balm.

Rayla’s eyes widened with embarrassment, “Oh no, I didn’t wake anyone else, did I?”

Callum gently stroked her back, “Shh, don’t worry about it. I just told them you had nightmares, and they understood.”

“But-” Rayla attempted to voice her worry, yet Callum shushed her gently once more.

“Just breathe, Ray. I’m here, I’m not going anywhere.” It was only then that Rayla realized she had been crying. She buried her face in the crook of Callum’s neck, in the soft knit of his scarf, clutching the back of his jacket as if he might vanish from her grip at any moment.

“Shh, shh, I’m here, A mhuirnín.” he repeated, his voice a steady anchor in the sea of her emotions, “I’m always here.” In the cocoon of his comforting presence, the remnants of the nightmare began to fade, replaced by the reassurance that she was not alone in facing the shadows that haunted her dreams.

After a few moments of soothing, Callum gently pulled back enough to look at Rayla’s face. Concern filled his eyes as he asked, “What was your dream about?”

Rayla’s words faltered as she began to describe the haunting vision that had gripped her during sleep, reaching its peak with his unexpected absence.

As she spoke, Callum’s eyes widened, and a pained expression crossed his face. Without hesitation, he put his forehead against hers, a silent reassurance that he was there and would always be there for her. Rayla felt the warmth of his presence and the steady beat of his heart against her own, grounding her in the reality that the nightmare was just a fleeting shadow in the night.

“I’m here, Rayla,” Callum whispered, his voice a gentle murmur. “I won’t leave you, not in dreams or in reality. You’re not alone.” The intimacy of their connection lingered in the quiet room, a shared understanding that transcended words.

And that wraps up Chapter 5! Stay tuned for Chapter 6!

The Legend of Frosty the Snowman REVIEW:

Hello there everybody. My name is JoyofCrimeArt and welcome to the third review in my month long "Deviant-cember." special event. If you where here last time you would of seen my review of the 1992 holiday specials "Frosty Returns." But as I said at the end of that review, we're not done with Frosty the Snowman just yet. Because there's not just one, but two Frosty the Snowman sequels that came out after the fact that weren't created by Rankin-Bass. One was "Frosty Returns" and the other was 2005's "The Legend of Frosty the Snowman." which we are going to talk about today! 

 "The Legend of Frosty the Snowman," as previously stated, was a 2005 special direct to DVD special created by Classic Media and Studio B productions, and was designed to be a "broad strokes reboot." of Frosty the Snowman. Other then that, there's not much history behind this special other then the fact that they use to show this all the time on Cartoon Network when I was younger. How does this special hold up to the other entries in the Frosty mythos? Well, let's dive in and find out.  The special opens up in the dark and creepy attic of an old man...  ...Not the best place to start.  All jokes aside, this is where we meet our celebrity narrator, this time played by Burt Reynolds. He introduces us to the story, just like all of the past narrators have done in these specials, and he has an advantage over Johnathan Winters because he is not a scary gremlin man. So points to this special right off the back.  The special starts with a series of chained up crates being magically opened, with Frosty the Snowman's hat locked inside. The hat, free from it's shackles, flies out the window. The narrator tells us that Frosty the Snowman always goes where he is needed. We then get to see our main character of the special, Tommy Tinkerton, (played by Kaith Soucie.) Tommy, and his brother Charlie, are woken up by there father Mr. Tinkerton, and told to get ready for school.  Now might be a good time to talk about these three characters. Tommy, our main character, is rather bland. Now granted the main kid characters in all of the Frosty special where bland, with Holly from "Frosty Returns." being the closest to not bland, but still not quite making it. So Tommy being the boring "generic kid" character isn't really that much of a surprise. Tommy's brother, Charlie, on the other hand I actually kinda like. He's the stereotypical "big brother bully" character but with the added twist of, rather than being a delinquent he's actually a of a stickler for the rules, which is an interesting combination of traits that you don't see that much of in characters. It gives him a bit of depth, or at least by Frosty the Snowman standards, which is not much.  And then we have Tommy's dad, Mr. Tinkerton. He is the mayor of the town (called Evergreen) and also one of the whitest humans to ever white. This is appropriate because he is voiced by Tom Kenny, who is also one of the whitest people to ever white. This guy is a control freak, to a cartoonish extent. Granted, that's obviously the point of the character, and it's used for comedy, but still. It's a bit insane. He goes outside to inspect the city, I guess, and he goes to make sure that the sun rises at exactly six am. (Which by the way is frickin' earily for the sun to rise in winter.) He licks a sidewalk (to test how clean it is.) And then he "convinces." a flower to be in bloom despite it being winter. This Mayor is frickin' nutty to say the least.  He then goes back inside his house to "inspect." his family before the kids go off to school. Now I know this is all suppose to be played for laughs, and Tom Kenny's voice does make it much harder to find this scene terrifying, but all I'm saying was that if you put these scenes and played them off a little different it would come off as a LOT more cultish. It kinda comes off like that one dystopian future run by Ned Flanders in the fifth Simpsons Treehouse of Horror episode.

(Look at those eyes. Those are eyes of true fear.)    Mr. Tinkerton inspects his kids and they they go off in there single file line off to school. The narrator tells us that the kids in this town never stepped out of line, unless it was on accident. Then as there walking they all slip on some ice, causing a massive chain reaction causeing Tommy to knock over a mailbox, which makes a car swerve into a fire hydrant. The fire hydrant burst releasing a massive flood of water that instantly freezes, causing the kids to slip more until they crash into city hall. And do you want to know what the messed up thing is? The special heavily implies that it was FROSTY who did this. Because right as Tommy is getting up after crashing into the wall of city hall, he see's the hat fly by and land on the school statue. And this special establishes that in this incarnation Frosty can use magic without being built, because the hat itself is sapient and magical in it's own right. And Frosty's consensus is held there.  What the heck Frosty, what did you do all of that for? To show them about non conformity by forcing them out of there line? I mean yeah, you did that, but you also nearly killed these kids! And what about that guy driving the car? He easily could of died, and now he has to ride the bus everyday to work! Frosty is just a being of pure Chaos!

FRICKIN' REK'D SON! (Part Deuce!)   Tommy goes and talks to his nerdy black best friend, Walter. (Cause you have to have a nerdy black best friend. "Danny Phantom" taught me so.) And talks about how he's going to ask out his crush, Sara, out. Walter teases Tommy, saying that he says that everyday by Tommy tells him that "There's something different about today."  Tommy makes it to school where he sees the flying hat again, and tries to tell the school principal, Principal Pankley, about it. Unfortunately for Tommy the head fly's off before the principal can see it, and he yells at Tommy telling him to get to class.  In the classroom we see that things are just as strict and cultish as they are outside. It seems that Principal Pankley is just as strict and uptight as Tommy's dad is, only he's a lot meaner about it. He also seems to stalk the classrooms watching the students just to make sure that the students are acting in line. Shouldn't he have like, paperwork to do, or something? Tommy once again see's the Frosty hat, this time outside the school window. But since hes in class there isn't much he can do about it.  The school day ends Tommy tries to talk to his crush, Sara, but he strikes out. We then cut to Tommy's house at dinner time where Tommy and his brother compete in an...table etiquette themed game show? WTF! (Which, by the way, stands for "What the Frosty." in this context.")

So yeah, just in case we haven't drove home the point that Mr. Tinkerton is a frickin' maniac, this scene is here to reiterate that this guy likes rules. Tommy's brother Charlie dominates the game and Mr. Tinkerton ends up giving him a number one pin for winning. While this scene is...dumb, it does sort of serve a point. Shocking, I know, but hear me out. This scene shows, in a kinda subtle way, that Mr. Tinkerton as a lot more in common with Charles than he does with Tommy, showing a bit of a parental favoritism. I wish the special dove more into this, but sadly it does not.  After dinner, Tommy is seen looking out the window and the hat appears to him one more time. This time Frosty shows off one of his many new superpowers. This version of Frosty can create an astral projection of himself, cause why the heck not, am I right? I mean if Elsa can use her ice powers to somehow make herself a dress in "Frozen" then I don't see why Frosty can't use his ice powers to make an astral projection of himself.  Tommy see's the astral snowman beckoning to him, but Tommy tells Frosty that he can't go outside because he's scared of getting in trouble and disappointing his father. This is very different from the most realistic response of "OH MY GOD! THAT FLYING HAT CREATED AN ASTRAL IMAGE OF A SNOWMAN OUTSIDE MY WINDOW! WHAT THE ACTUAL F#&K!" But I guess somethings never change with these specials. (I swear I think the traffic cop is the only one who ANY of the Frosty specials to actually react to Frosty!)

 So the hats like "Ugh, whatever, screw this kid." and flies off to find a kid who's more willing to be a main character! So Frosty's hat flies over to Tommy's best friend Walter's house instead. We see a bit into Walter's home life. We see that Walter is a very nervous child with a very loud and demanding mother, who Walter is kind of afraid of. Walter see's Frosty's hat tap on his window and...wait, what the heck is wrong with that map behind Walter?

(So is that weird land mass in the lower right hand corner suppose to be Australia? Or is this confirming that this special actual exist after some kind of nuclear Armageddon ravages the land and ends up reshaping the continents #CARTOONCONSPIRACY)  Anyway Walter opens the window and grabs on the hat, only for the hat to fly off with Walter holding on to the hat. Taking Walter flying over the city. Tommy see's this and opens the window asking where Walter is going. Walter response that he doesn't know. Tommy then proceeds to do nothing to help his friend and is nowhere to be seen for the rest of the scene. Man between Tommy and Holly I think there might just be a tradition of the main character of Frosty specials to be massive jerks to there friends.  So after Frosty kidnaps this child he then proceeds to bring him to the middle of the forest. #happyholidays. Walter admits that the flight across the city was fun a proceeds to put the hat on a snowman, thus reviving Frosty the Snowman, this time played by Bill Fagerbakke. In case you don't know Bill Fagerbakke is the voice actor of Patrick Star in "Spongebob Squarepants" and his voice really works for Frosty in this special (Though it can get a bit grating when he yells, though luckily that's not that big of a problem here because Frosty actually whispers a lot of his lines in this special.) As typical at this point Walter only seems slightly surprised to see a talking snowman. Though to be fair he did just fly across the city riding a hat, so by comparison I guess this isn't really that out of the ordinary.    So Frosty shows Walter about all the fun one can have in the snow when there not to concerned about rules and safety and the like. They have a snowball fight, the race down a hill, Frosty makes it snow (Showing off more of his reality warping Godlike powers.) And then Frosty walks Walter home. Walter talks about how he's scared to go inside, because he's scared of how his mother is going to react. Frosty ask why Walter would be scared of his own Mom, and asks if Walter's mom is some kind of hairy monster or something. Walter tells Frosty that his mom is just a normal lady and Frosty wonders why Walter would be scared of a normal lady. This gives Walter the bravery to go inside his house.  This is what I really like about this iteration of Frosty. He manages to combine both the dim witted nature of the original Rankin-Bass Frosty with the wisdom and insight of the "Frosty Returns" version of Frosty. He comes off as an idiot, but he actual ends up having some sage advice for the kids, weather on accident or on purpose. In fact, do you want to know what this version of Frosty the Snowman reminds me of? A better version of "Uncle Grandpa." Think about it for a second. He's a magical entity who shows up out of nowhere who only interacts with kids, and takes them on adventures where they learn about themselves while also acting kind of like an idiot. It's a pretty apt comparison! I remember at one point the creator of Uncle Grandpa said this during an interview with the website Cartoon Brew about the character of Uncle Grandpa.

He talks about how at the end of the day you don't know if Uncle Grandpa is an idiot or if it's all really planned. The thing is though, is that when you watch "Uncle Grandpa" it's made pretty frickin' clear that he's an idiot. We see him when he's not with kids and he acts like an idiot there to. However, I feel like this version of Frosty fits this description better. It is kept vague. There is a bit of mystery around Frosty, and how much he knows. You really don't know if his advice comes from genuine wisdom, or ignorance or both, and that's what I really like about this version of him.  So Walter walks inside and when his mother asks him where he was, he just says that he was "out having fun." and walks off. This disobedience causes his mother to faint. The next day Walter goes to school and, because he stayed out after curfew, is considered "the bad boy." of the school and everybody takes noticed. Including Principal Pankley and Tommy's dad. And because Walter stayed up past curfew, Principal Pankley decides to give him detention, which is...way beyond his jurisdiction. A principal can't punish a student for something they did after school. Also why is Tommy's dad here? He's the mayor! While he may have some kind of ability to punish Walter for breaking curfew he has no power to punish him in the school. Evergreen seems to be pretty much a dictatorship where the mayor and the principal have the power to do whatever the heck they want.  During lunch Charlie ends up threatening Walter, warning him that if he keeps up this delinquency he'll be sorry. Unfortunately Charlie pounds the table, knocking Walter's food off it, and the food lands all over the principal and Charlie ends up getting detention too. Mr. Tinkerton ends up removing Charlies number one pin. Mr. Tinkerton and Principal Pankley ask Walter where he was the following night and Walter tells them that he was hanging out with a talking snowman. Mr. Tinkerton has a weird reaction to this, but Principal Pankley just says that that's nonsense.  While all of this is going on, Tommy tries to stalk er, I mean "follow" Sara into the forest so he can tell her how he feels about her. But unfortunately for Tommy, he chickens out yet again. We see that Sara is building a model city out of snow in the forest because she dreams of being an urban planner. But her mom does not want her to become an urban planner, because even urban development is to much fun for the people of this town. But then, for like the ten billionth time in this special so far, Tommy see's Frosty's hat. Only this time he actually decides to chase the hat down. The hat ends up flying into the local library. Tommy runs around trying to find the hat only to trip on a secret lose panel in the library, leading to some kind of secret passage way.  Okay, now here is when things get a bit confusing. Even though we just saw the hat fly into the library we immediately see a fully formed Frosty outside the school window. (Which by the way how is he fully formed. Who built him the body this time? Did the hat just fly all the way back to where he left his body before showing up?) Charlie and Walter see him and leave detention through BECAUSE THERE'S NO TEACHER WATCHING THEM! (like I know they locked the door, but they where still able to leave the room through some off screen other door I guess!) and they go outside to go see Frosty. They goof around and Charlie begins to warm up to Frosty.  Then we cut right back to Tommy, meaning either this special is telling events out of order or that the scene with Walter and Charlie took place in exactly zero seconds. He's still at the top of the stairs that he started descending in the last scene! He goes down the stares through the secret tunnel in the library where we see Frosty's hat again! This leaves only three options, either  A.) The scene with Walter and Charlie takes place after this scene, and the specials telling these events out of order. (Which the special gives no other hints of.)  B.) Frosty entered the library (in hat form.) Then left the library and met up with Charles and Walter (in snowman form) and then came back to the library (in hat form again.) all in the span of time it would take Tommy to walk down the steps. Which would be like a couple minutes at MOST!  Or C.) THERE ARE TWO FROSTY'S #CARTOONCONSPIRACYAGAIN!  Anyway Tommy ends up finding a comic book in this library. This comic book happens to be a comic book ABOUT Frosty the Snowman, telling of his origins! (D-Don't ask why. Just roll with it.) We learn of the story of a small little boy who is the son of a magician (a magician who you may recognize if you've seen the original Frosty the Snowman, though they change his name.) This kid grew up never believing in magic since, being the son of a magician, knew how all the tricks where done. This was until he ended up putting his father's hat onto a snowman, and the snowman came to life. But after his first meeting with the snowman was unable to find Frosty ever again, and assumed he made it up.  It's a cute re-imaging of the origin story all things considered. Though in some ways it does seems like a bit of a self insert fanfiction, replacing Karen with this new kid. But whatever, it's neat.  But then Mr. Tinkerton enters the library and the librarian informs him that his son is here. Tommy quickly runs out of the secret basement and meeting up with his father. Mr. Tinkerton tells Tommy that he needs to rely on Tommy to help him keep order, and tell him if any more mischief comes up. He also tells Tommy that all of his rules are there to make sure that people don't have any unrealistic expectations when it comes to things like magic. Mr. Tinkerton gives Tommy the number one pin and gives him a hug. It's a nice scene that puts Tommy in the situation where he has to pick between his father's acceptance and what is actually the right thing to do. (Also I think the voice acting really sells it. This special might not be that "good" but it does have some great voice talent.)  That following night we see Sara, working on her piano scales, which she does not seem to find much enjoyment in. She tells her mother this, but she does not seem to care. That, or course, is when Frosty shows up. Sara mentions that nobody seems to listen to her and Frosty says it might be because she's talking to loudly. Because to paraphrase Frosty "The quieter you talk, the more attention you have to pay just to hear what your saying." See, this is what I like about this version of Frosty. He has this air of wisdom to him. It's a good lesson, as the loudest people aren't necessarily the ones who you should be listening to.  Sara says she wants to learn how to ice skate and Frosty obliges. He demonstrates more of his Godlike powers my making THE FRICKIN' MOON SHINE ON THEM, MAKING IT THERE OWN PERSONAL SPOTLIGHT! (Why can Frosty control the moon? This goes way beyond the power of ice and snow. Also Frosty vs Elsa "Death Battle" please.)

(Or maybe Frosty is just trying to activate his Oozaru Form.)    The next day at school it seems that all of Tommy's friends have turned against him because, now that he has Mayor Tinkertons number one pin, they believe him to be the enemy. Tommy mentions that Frosty's powers steam from his hat and walks off, unsure if he should chose his friends or his father to follow (even though his friends are kinda being jerks here, in all honesty.)  That night Tommy walks into his family room to see his mother scrap booking when he see's a photo of the boy from the comic book. It turns out that the boy from the comic book, the one who originally created Frosty was none other than...Tommy's father.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvcoly2i-3M

(Except, y'know, it was pretty dang obvious.)  The next morning Mr. Tinkerton goes outside to do his inspection and nobody is listening to him. The sun refuses to rise at 6 am (rising at 6:01 instead. Which I think is less a sign of disobedience and more just a sign of the season changing.) and nobody is following the rules. Even the adults, for some reason. Even though later we see that the adults are just as upset about the disobedience as Mr. Tinkerton is. 

(Here's something my older brother pointed out. This special is basically "Footloose with Frosty." It's Frostloose!)  Anyway this mild chaos makes Mr. Tinkerton spiral even further into his madness. Principal Pankley goes up to him and tells Mr. Tinkerton that he does not have what it takes to quell this rebellion, and so Principal Pankley decides to take matters into his own hands. Pankley ends up seeing Frosty while he was spying on the kids playing in the woods. (Which sounds a lot more eff'd up now that I right that sentence down.) and decides to take action. You see throughout the special Walter has been getting progressively more and more jealous of the other kids for stealing his time with Frosty, to the point to where he kinda becomes that clingy girlfriend type who always wants you to themselves. Principal Pankley see's this and tell's Walter that if he wants to have some time with Frosty all by himself he should go after dark when there less people around, and Principal Pankley agrees to chaperone the excursion since it's set after curfew. Walter ends up agreeing to the arrangement, even though this entire special has made it really clear that Principal Pankley is even more of a rule freak than Mr. Tinkerton is, and has made it pretty clear that he would never do something this nice to anybody ever.  Then, in case things weren't out there enough Principal Pankley decides to basically just, declare himself mayor of the town, in order to more efficiently take down the menace of Frosty the Snowman. Y'know I don't think a snowman running around is really worthy of bring out this kind of marshal law. And of course everybody in the town just kinda rolls with it, because why wouldn't they.

That night Tommy is reading the comic book, trying to looks for some kind of a solution when suddenly some more pages of the story are magically reveled to him. The books shows that the reason that Frosty never returned to Mr. Tinkerton as a kid was because another, jealous child had found the hat and locked it up. And that kid happened to be Principal Pankley! And the comic also reveled that Walter was at the lake with Principal Pankley right now. Thanks magic comic book for waiting this long give give Tommy the answers he needed. If you just had all your pages from the start maybe we could of avoided this, but no, you had to wait till the very last minute give us all the information we needed, because you wanted to be dramatic! Also how come Frosty waited this long to leave the trunk that Principal Pankley locked him up in? I mean he just kinda broke out of the box at the beginning of the special. It's not like anyone let him out. Why did it take twenty years to escape?  But whatever. We see that Walter is out in the middle of the woods...at night..with Principal Pankely...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgJYTeBynqA

And Walter is skating with Frosty. (Principal Pankley is hiding behind a tree so Frosty doesn't see him.) But while there skating the thin ice breaks and Frosty ends up falling into the water. What would of happened if the ice didn't break? This plan isn't very thought out at all. After Frosty melts Principal Pankley grabs the hat and leaves laughing.  Later all the kids have noticed that Frosty stopped showing up, and everybody assumes that it was Tommy who got rid of him. The think this on the ground that Tommy never spent any time with him, he has Mr. Tinkerton's number one pin, and he would have the knowledge on how to destroy him because he mentioned knowing his origin earlier. Principal Pankley begins to revel in his new found power. But Tommy decides that he has stop being scared and do whats right and save Frosty! He get's Walter to confess to his accidental role in Frosty's destruction and the hatch a plan to bring him back. He shows the comic to all the other kids and gets back to there good graces and then they storm to school to retrieve Frosty's hat. (Which is just in a frickin' glass case in the middle of the school where everyone can see it. Cause that'll stop the hat that broke out of like six chained up trunks.)  Principal Pankley chases the kids back to the frozen pond where they engage in a snow themed chase and snowball fight that is way less epic then the specials says it is. Everyone in town hears the commotion (because the glass case had an alarm.) and goes to the pond as well. The kids rebuild Frosty the F#&k Boi and all the adults see Frosty for themselves, including Mr. Tinkerton. He and Frosty reconnects and Tommy gives the pin back to his father. Frosty ends up hitting Walter's mother and an entire snowball fight with all the kids and adults break out as all the adults learn the error of there ways. As for Principal Pankley...

(Okay that doesn't happen, but let me have my version dang it!)  And the special reveals the shock twist. That Tommy ends up growing up to become...Burt Reynolds! Er, I mean the narrator. The narrator is a grown up Tommy. I like the twist, making the narrator have more of a point then just being some random guest star. Though it is a bit weird that the narrator isn't some kind of horrid uncanny valley version of Bruce Willis. It just feels like it's breaking Frosty tradition. Oh, and we learn that Tommy ended up marring Sara, and I definitely...don't care.  Oh and what happens to Frosty? Um...In don't know. They never really say what happens to him once the winter ends. Also they never really say what happens to Principal Pankley. I guess he's still the principal? And will continue to make life for the student miserable at school? I dunno, who cares? The special is over now.  So that was "The Legend of Frosty the Snowman." is it any good? Well, probably not, but it has some good parts. The voice cast is pretty good, including Burt Reynolds, who has a really good voice that adds a lot of gravitas to the narrator. (Also Bert Reybnolds sings, which is probably something that you won't here in Dukes of Hazard.) The animation is okay, kinda generic looking but they kinda make up for it by having a lot of nice colors, with lots of blues and whites. Also I really like this version of Frosty. I don't know if I like him more or less than the "Frosty Returns" version of him (as Bill Fagerbakke loud and oafish sounding voice he gives Frosty can get a bit grating at times, like I said previously, but It's prety good for like 90-95 percent of the film) I still think the voice is a perfect fit for what there doing with this version of Frosty, there are just a couple of times where it sounds a bit to much like Patrick Star yelling. (By the way, I like how this special has Bill Fagerbakke still being friends with Tom Kenny.) I love the idea of Frosty being this world traveler and I think this special does a good job combing elements from both the original and the "Frosty Returns" incarnation. It's a good reboot even if it's not the best story.  Unfortunately the film has a lot of problems to. Most of the kids are fairly generic. Charlie and Walter are kinda interesting but Sara and Tommy are both rather bland. Tommy has a good conflict in the story, and a good arc, but outside of that he's just a generic kid. And there love story felt very tacked on, like I think they only speak to each other a couple of times in the whole movie and they don't have any chemistry. We don't get a reason on why Tommy likes her other than "cause I'm the main character and she's the token girls so I guess we're suppose to be together! Also the story is pretty dumb and full of plot holes. They go to cartoonish lengths to show how uptight the adults are but it doesn't come off as funny. It's just another 'fight the establishment." story that we've seen many times before. Also Principal Pankley, while having some goofy and amusing moments is nowhere near as fun of a villain as Mr. Hinkle or Mr. Twitchell. Also this special is sixty six minutes long and it can be a bit of a drag by the end. They probably could of cut it down to forty four if they cut out some of the more filler-y scenes.  So do I recommend this special? Well, it depends on who you are. I think you can tell by reading this review if it's something that would be up your alley or not. It's dumb, cheesy and kind of bland but there are some creative elements in it that might warrant you checking it out. It available on Netflix and on DVD if you are interested.  So I hoped you liked my review. It's a bit longer than I was expecting but what are you going to do? Have you seen "The Legend of Frosty the Snowman?" and if you did what do you think of it. Tell me in the comments. I think discussion is a great way to never fall into a echo chamber so I'd love to start a discussion. Where does it rank with the other Frosty special? And what are some of your favorite Christmas specials that not that many people talk about? Do you have any ideas for things for me to review in the future? Leave all of that or any other thoughts in the comments down bellow and feel free to fav and follow if you liked the review. As you can hopefully see I put a lot of thought and time into so I would be very appreciative. I'll be back next Friday for the finale of "Deviant-cember." with the "2016 year in REVIEW!" Hopefully see you guys then and have a great holiday. (I do not own any of the images or videos in this review all credit goes to there original owners.)

https://www.deviantart.com/joyofcrimeart/journal/The-Legend-of-Frosty-the-Snowman-REVIEW-652910204 DA LINK

The First Dark Game

The game is pretty different between the Toei and manga versions. The DM anime doesn’t include it at all, and neither does Pyramid of Light, since the Ushio plotline is dropped. It does have Atem fending off the Duel Monsters as the overdramatic guy he is, which is probably the closest equivalent:

(dub version)

(sub version. The sub version also shows the monsters being repelled, there’s just no further dialogue at that point).

In both versions, he repels the monsters with the Puzzle, they vanish and as the Puzzle settles, Yuugi’s back, looking a little confused about what just happened.

It doesn’t have much in common with the manga and Toei versions, but I figured I should round out those scenes (and also show you Atem being overdramatic because that’s always enjoyable).

In the manga, since Yuugi was at home, there’s a short time skip after showing him getting possessed, to where Ushio is waiting in the schoolyard, saying that Yuugi had called him there to meet at midnight (this telephone call isn’t shown). Atem is just sitting on top of something (not sure what it is, it has numbers 1 through 4 on it), and greets Ushio. Ushio comments, saying he doesn’t like the costume. The costume being the black buckle shirt, the collar, a couple ankhs on the arms, some dark shoes, and Yuugi’s school uniform. This is in contrast to what Yuugi was wearing earlier at school, a white polo shirt with his school uniform and white sneakers, and no collar. And while he was working on the Puzzle he had a hoodie sweatshirt on.

What Yuugi was wearing at school:

What Yuugi was wearing while working on the Puzzle:

What Atem is wearing as he’s first shown:

Apparently he felt it was necessary to dig through Yuugi’s clothes and dress up for the occasion. Although I do wonder where he got those ankhs, they don’t really seem like stuff Yuugi’d have lying around. The collar and buckle shirt, sure, the shoes, yeah. But the ankhs? And how are they attached?

Anyway, aside from noticing that “Yuugi” is dressed differently, Ushio asks for the money. Atem says he has double the amount, but that it wouldn’t be fun to just hand it over, so why don’t they play a game for it?

The Toei anime does things differently, since Yuugi and Ushio were already at the school when Yuugi solved the Puzzle. As Ushio walks away, Atem says, unseen, his “It’s Game Time” line. A rope catches around Ushio, and the world twists so that Ushio is now hanging off the side of a wall of a tower. He cries out in surprise, and Atem appears at the top of the tower. Ushio is surprised to see him. Atem greets him and says “I’ve got what you want, right here.” Ushio assumes that he means he brought the money, and says that he wouldn’t have needed to beat Yuugi up. He then demands it be handed over. Atem says that’s boring and asks to have a game (not that Ushio really has a choice here as he’s been tied up).

In both versions, Atem states that it’s a Dark Game, and Ushio accepts the game. In the manga, Atem indicates that they’ll need Ushio’s knife to play and he wonders just what kind of game needs that. In the Toei version, Ushio boasts that he’s never lost at any game, and Atem replies that that’s impressive, before leaping down the wall with his own rope, sliding out a deck of cards along the wall (somehow they stay in place).

Atem explains the rules. In the manga, he says that they’ll take turns placing the money on top of their hand, and stabbing the pile with the knife, keeping each bill that they stab through, until all the money is gone. He then asks if Ushio thinks it’s an interesting game, as though it’s a perfectly normal sort of game people would play. Ushio says that it’s just a test of courage, and wonders if it’s really Yuugi that he’s talking to. It seems to unnerve him, but not enough to walk away. Atem also threatens that if Ushio breaks the rules, he’ll face a Penalty Game.

In the anime, Atem explains that they take turns flipping over a card, and climb the wall by the amount on the card. As one person rises, the other sinks, since they are connected by the rope.

In the manga, the pair do rock-paper-scissors to decide who goes first, which Atem wins and goes first. In the anime, Ushio simply declares that he’ll go first, and picks up a card.

In both versions, they go back and forth with their turns. In the manga, Ushio is getting more of the money, being able to stab harder. Even so, Atem taunts him about being able to control his strength. On the last turn, Ushio thinks that he will be able to get the rest of the money, but finds that he’s unable to keep himself from stabbing down with all his strength. He starts freaking out as Atem thinks about how Ushio’s true nature is revealed and how he’s being controlled by his greed. Not wanting to stab through his hand, Ushio decides to turn the knife on Atem, who leaps out of the way somehow, and states that he knew that Ushio wouldn’t follow the rules.

In the Toei version, Atem has the advantage throughout, consistently pulling higher numbers than Ushio. With Atem one step from the top, Ushio pulls a Joker, which skips his turn. Ushio accuses Atem of rigging the game. Atem doesn’t respond, and picks up the next card, which allows him to move to the top. Ushio refuses to accept that and starts climbing his way up. Atem then threatens that if he breaks the rules like that he’ll face something terrible. Ushio reaches the top and attempts to strike Atem, who slides out of the way, saying that he knew Ushio couldn’t follow the rules. Ushio breaks the rope holding Atem up, causing him to fall towards the water. He goes to grab the money, only to find that it’s another deck of cards.

In the manga, Ushio then notices the eye on Atem’s forehead, and starts panicking about it. Atem says that it appears to those who trespass on his soul by hurting his friends. He then issues his penalty game, leaving Ushio convinced that money is falling all around him. Atem comments on how that that will be all that he can see, and that it might actually be a happy situation for him because of how greedy Ushio is.

It’s interesting to note how Atem is talking here (although take this with a grain of salt since this is the Viz edition, and I’m aware that they take liberties with translation). He almost definitely thinks he is Yuugi. Whether he’s aware of Yuugi existing separately (i.e., he thinks he’s Yuugi but knows he’s not the “main personality”) within him is less clear.

In the anime, the eye appears on Atem’s forehead as he states that the “Door of Darkness has opened”. Ushio falls, and it’s revealed that Atem had somehow grabbed onto the side of the tower. As Ushio falls past him, Atem comments on how the game revealed Ushio’s true nature and how he’ll be swallowed in his greed. Ushio panics, but then thinks that he’ll only get wet as he sees the water below him. Then three monsters pop out and devour Ushio as he falls. Atem makes no further commentary and the scene cuts off there.

For the most part, I prefer the manga version here as well. In the manga, the game really is designed to take advantage of Ushio’s flaws – already we can see Atem’s ability to quickly analyze his opponent and use their strength against them. The anime doesn’t have that here, and Ushio’s declaration that the game was rigged isn’t necessarily wrong – it could have been, we don’t know. While I personally don’t like the idea of Atem outright cheating (rather than exploiting weaknesses), there’s no way to know that he hadn’t stacked the deck in the anime. The game in the manga is more fair, and it truly is Ushio’s greed that makes him lose. I also like that the game still takes place in the real world, unlike the anime which is some other, created space. Ushio had the chance to walk away, and he didn’t have that chance in the anime. But also that the magic feels more significant and creepy when in the regular world.

The anime does have more of a penalty for the penalty game, however. As Atem himself said in the manga, Ushio’s pretty happy with the situation, even if it isn’t real. I mean, yes it’s still pretty screwed up, but compared with future penalty games, it’s not as harsh as you would expect, since it’s basically putting him into his ideal world.

I do prefer the visuals of the manga’s penalty game, however. Despite the anime taking advantage of motion, the manga’s version is much more visually appealing. And certainly creepier – while he loses that look as time goes by, Atem definitely looks like a possessed Yuugi right now.

The anime does get some points in its favor though. Mainly because Megumi Ogata does such a great job with Atem. Probably my favorite voice for him. I don’t like her Yuugi voice as much, as it’s too child-like for my tastes, but her Atem is SO good. She plays him with a great balance of creepy and alluring that works really well for his early character.

Another regular fic update!

   The group settled around the table, the glow of the magical lamps casting an ambient light over the deck. After a hearty dinner and a moment of shared silence, they collectively decided it was time to address the unsettling events that had transpired.

   Callum took a deep breath and began, “So, Rayla and I were in Xadia when something spooked our shadowpaw. We ended up tumbling off a cleft.”

   Carter raised an eyebrow, noting the similarity, “That’s weirdly similar to how our gryphon, Freak, got startled, causing Sadie and me to fall out of the reed boat.” The eerie parallel didn’t escape anyone’s notice, and they exchanged thoughtful glances. 

   Rayla spoke up, “Are these events orchestrated, or is it just a strange coincidence?”

   The conversation then shifted to The Collector’s cryptic words and the ominous threats made towards Leo. Piper voiced her concern, “He mentioned ‘His Champions.’ What does that even mean?”

   Jason added, “And what about ‘The Game’? Why is it so specific about who enters?”

   Callum leaned forward, his expression grave, “And Leo, what did he mean by ‘collateral damage’? We need to understand what we’re dealing with here.”

   Just as Leo was about to speak, the holographic device, left unattended on the table, whirred to life. The Collector’s image materialized, shorter this time due to the device being on the table instead of the deck.

   Sadie’s temper flared as she addressed the holographic image of The Collector, “Is this just some sick game to you?”

   The Collector chuckled, “Oh, was it too much for you? I thought it was wonderful!”

   Sadie’s eyes narrowed, “Wonderful?”

   The Collector continued, seemingly unfazed, “Yes, I’ve always been one for dramatic flair. But, anyway, you’re ready for your next clue, are you not? ‘A Colossus of past entertainment’ in Rome. I wish you good luck!”

   The hologram flickered off, leaving the group in an uneasy silence. The hologram flickered, and The Collector disappeared. The room fell silent for a moment, the weight of the encounter sinking in. Leo was the first to break the silence.

   “That dude gives me the creeps,” Leo muttered, his eyes fixated on the dormant hologram device.

   Piper frowned, “A Colossus of past entertainment in Rome? What’s that supposed to mean?”

   Rayla shrugged, “Your guess is as good as mine. I’ve never heard of Rome, let alone been there.”

   Carter leaned back, his expression contemplative, “Maybe The Colosseum?”

   Piper nodded slowly, “That sounds like it’d fit the bill.”

   Callum sighed, “I just hope it doesn’t involve more illusions. That was... unsettling.”

   Sadie nodded, still fuming a bit from their encounter with The Collector, “Agreed. Let’s be prepared for anything, though. This ‘Game’ of his seems to have a twisted sense of entertainment.”

   “I hate to be the bearer of bad news,” Rayla started, “but didn’t he say that we would all have to face a past trial in each of our places? I think that means that this won’t be the last time you use that spell during this.” 

   Callum winced, realizing she was right, “Yeah, forgot about that.”

   Jason, who had been quiet for most of the discussion, finally spoke up, “And what about Leo? The Collector made it clear that he’s not part of the chosen Champions. What does that mean for him?”

   Leo scratched his head, “I’m just here to fly the ship, man. I didn’t sign up for any Champion business.”

   Callum looked at Leo sympathetically, “He mentioned something about The Game not liking it when others enter. We should be careful.”

   Piper glanced at the hologram device, “And what if we decide not to play this Game of his?”

   The device flickered, and The Collector’s voice echoed, “You can try, but remember, there are consequences for defying the rules. I wouldn’t recommend it.”

   Sadie muttered under her breath, “Consequences my foot.”

   With a collective sigh, they realized they were in too deep. The hologram device remained silent, its eerie glow a constant reminder of the challenges they faced.

   The heroes dispersed, heading to their rooms to rest before their next destination. Callum and Rayla strolled side by side, the ship’s gentle rocking beneath them.

   “Hey, you’ll be okay with traveling over water, right?” Callum asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

   Rayla smiled softly, “Callum, it’s not like I haven’t been on a boat before. I’ll be fine, don’t worry.”

   Callum nodded, “I know, but I just want to make sure. If you need anything, just tell me, alright?”

   Rayla rolled her eyes playfully, “I’m not helpless, you know. But, sure, I’ll let you know if I need anything.”

   Callum grinned, “Good enough for me. But, you know I’ll worry anyway.”

   Rayla chuckled, “Stubborn mage. Fine, worry all you want.” She leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. “Good night, Callum.”

   “Good night, Rayla,” Callum replied, a warm smile on his face as they headed to their respective rooms. The Argo II continued its journey, sailing across the night-shrouded sea toward Rome, and the looming challenge that awaited them in The Colosseum.