#my friend has been a furry called turtle for like a year but no turtle oc it was driving me mad so i took action
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A custom design for my good friend Turtle!
🌊🐢⭐️💙
#my art#my friend has been a furry called turtle for like a year but no turtle oc it was driving me mad so i took action#art#digital art#furry#oc#anthro#fursona#illustration#art for others#custom design#design#ref#turtle#reptile#tortoise#sea turtle#scalie#green#blue
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i’m not really sure if i get “community”.
it’s not that i don’t respect the efforts everyone puts into having one. it’s kinda beautiful how people work so hard to make sure other people are kept safe and included. the term itself just feels… watered down, representing the loosest forms of social association.
take the average discord “community”. what really binds them together, especially anything larger than, say, 100 people at most — some cultural icon, a loose identity status, a meme, a video game? i run two public discords, both of which are healthy and have many active users, but i can hardly call them “community” in the sense that i think these people are bonded.
i think about old queer associations a lot. i’ve been thinking about it tonight, reading about early queer publications and raids on gay bars, and how they were the main ways of queer expression back then. we live in times with far greater access to queerness — we’re broadly more accepted, technology gives us queers at our fingertips, and yet it’s not hard to feel lonely. certainly i wouldn’t wish to go back to the time of the lavender scare, but i can’t help but feel like as queer people become more normalized the idea of “community” among us inevitably will break down.
it’s not hard to imagine why, in my opinion. association solely based on common traits is the most fickle — human nature loves to divide and categorize individuals, and this isn’t even uniquely negative. we’re not naturally inclined to think so abstractly — pack animals at nature, we’re always willing to bow to the tides of social pressure even when it might not be a sound idea.
the viciousness people try to leverage what little social power they have in any “community” may never go away. it feels inevitable. it doesn’t help i feel largely disconnected from my own queerness due to things as simple as not liking a lot of the things “queer people” are into, at least in a stereotypical sense.
when i moved to san francisco i quickly tried my hand at getting into the “trans community” here so i could meet friends and find that community so many promise. i found out a lot out that community is locked behind a few social events that are living hell for an autistic dweeb like me. loud lesbian bars with EDM just aren’t my speed — my attempts at participating in this “community” ended mostly in regret, overstim, and retreating into my little turtle shell like every time i tried to reach out throughout my developing years. that’s not to say i didn’t ever successfully meet people and find connections, but that i just didn’t find “community” like i promised. the gateway events feel not aimed at queers, but a section of queers, ones interested in things i have no desire to partake in. this same thing happens with furries too — much of it is centered around cons which i just have very little appetite for despite my attempts at going to them since i started my adult life after college. the only community i really feel a real part of, even slightly, is one forged entirely within my extended polycule, and even that feels precarious given that i feel substantially different to many of my partners and metamours.
i feel like a social vagrant often. floating between different places and not feeling accepted wherever i go. i know part of it is me getting in my own way, im sure of it, but you’d feel like at some point someone would just try pulling you in, yeah?
at the end of the day most “community” feels like adhoc friend groups with some pizazz applied. this has happened in the past, happens now, and may never stop happening. people will always use each other for clout. “communities” in name only will serve to perpetuate hustle and certain social interests, never just association on an inherent trait.
am I just too neurodivergent for socializing? am I so much an alien I am doomed to a life of bouncing between people who all seem more capable of “community” than me? am i just the problem? or is community in of itself a problem?
for neurotypicals i imagine “common interest” groups work well. going to disc golf saturdays with the boys probably builds strong friendships. as a neurodivergent person i find those groups scary — not just because of my general anxiety, but because of my past trauma trying to fit into neurotypical life and failing to.
i want this idea of community so many of us are convinced exists, but its so hard to see the proof. i would love a community founded on mutual love and respect, one inclusive of people with all sensory needs, one based on interest in each other and not board games or intoxicated clubbing. i guess thats why im so into polyamory — it feels like my only legitimate venue for social attention that doesn’t give me panic attacks just for existing in.
do i dislike these events because i just don’t vibe with them? or is it just a fear of rejection? i have no idea. i’d like to see a therapist and hash this out but they’re so expensive and i’m so unsmployed.
i hope that community is out there. it doesn’t need to be perfect, but it needs to be better than i’ve experienced. am i just expecting too much? do i just not do enough for myself? what do i need to do to not feel like an outcast even among my own kin?
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What if the Tracy boys had a pets
Just a little something that's been bouncing around my head for the past week and a bit.
Scott
I see Scott with a dog, a Labrador or Collie called Buster. Scott would come back from a rescue and his faithful hound would be sitting at the entrance to the hanger waiting for his master to arrive, the dog would also be a companion to Scott on his morning runs around the island and Buster would sleep on his bed with his own pillow. Everyone loves Buster, if Scotts not around he'll find Kayo for attention and treats, and she always gives in.
John
John is a feline friend, his furry companion is a blonde ginger girl called Nova. She stays on earth and thankfully gets along with Scotts dog too, she loves it when John comes down for a break from space. Although when he is away Nova likes to get her attention from Jeff, who's more than happy to lounge on the sofa with Nova curled up on his lap. The only problem is Nova does like to try and get into Alan's room which always causes the youngest to start moaning.
Virgil
Now, the engineer loves making new and adventurous toys for his two gerbils, he must have made loads of tubes and tracks over the years for his little friends. Buttercup and Daisy have the run of his whole room in various ways, they have a large living area with food, water, hides and 2 wheels, all split over 2 levels. Connected to this is a enclosed narrow run which on the end has the exercise balls docked so they can explore when ever they want (The balls have a timer so when one has been out for a set length of time it will automatically go back to the docking port.)
Gordon
Gordon had his fish tanks we all know this, but he love all aquatic and marine life; and his Musk turtles are no exception. Arthur, Clive and Henry live in a huge tank in his room. Gordon chose them because of the crazy markings on their shells and their crazy personalities, their aquatic home has been decked out with large rocks and planks for shade and shelter with a powerful water pump and lights. Those three little turtles have everything they could wish for.
Alan
Alan has parrots, he has a pair of red-crowned parakeet native to New Zealand called Joey and Dee-Dee. He picked them up from a recent rescue after the birds were homeless and needed to be re-homed after a bush fire, they are noisy birds but Alan is working hard with their training; he hopes to be able to allow them to fly freely around the island. They live in a large flight cage at the moment but he's working with Virgil and Brains to design a better home for his pair to live.
#thunderclan#thunderfam#thunderbirds original series#thunderbirds fanfiction#thunderbirds are go#scott tracy#john tracy#virgil tracy#gordon tracy#alan tracy#jeff tracy
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So to be honest, I have been struggling to come up with anything to post here, because in this current historical moment, everything I have to say feels so small and so trivial. There is a voice in my head urging me to create but it demands, although we’re all starved for material, that I create well, that I make art that will justify this time on lockdown, and indeed, justify my own continued existence in these frightening, turbulent times.
But you know what? Fuck it. Fuck everything.
Friends, let’s rate some entries in my current favorite medium, overly expository kid’s show intro music of the 80′s and 90′s.
Let’s say you’re writing a show for children 30 years ago. Streaming platforms decidedly don’t exist yet; marathoning a show is not an option. Your target audience is going to catch your creation, if at all, here and there, at the mercy of the broadcast schedule.
Now let’s say you have a medium-to-low respect for these kids’ intelligence. You can’t assume they’ll be able to pick up what this program is about via context, or that they’ll even hang around long enough to puzzle it out. You need a way to, right off the bat, explain the thesis of the show, give you some idea what to expect and god, if we’re lucky, sum up each main character’s dominant personality trait, all in a catchy, bite-sized format.
You need...the overly expository intro song.
Transformers (1986)
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Here we get a basic rundown of the central struggle of the show: who’s good, who's bad, and roughly what the content of the show will be. There’s no punchy summary of each protagonist’s personality (I’m told the Transformers didn’t especially...have those), but it does efficiently set out the main premise: that we will be dealing with alien robots who are fighting a battle of galactic importance, and who sometimes like to rearrange themselves into trucks. Who I am to judge.
5/10. Is it just me or are there like four different musical genres going on here.
Kidsongs (1994)
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On one hand, we get a sense right out of the gate of what we are about to see: kids inexplicably handling all production aspects of a TV show, in what’s surely pages of child labor violations. On the other hand, this song drags its feet for over 50 seconds before adding, “Oh yeah, also all of the kids are secretly friends with a furry blue magical entity of boundless power called Billy Biggle.”
Interestingly (...for an extremely limited value of “interesting”), the Kidsongs I grew up with was a remake of a series from the 80’s, where instead of explicitly, prominently asking adults for permission and studio access, the plucky child leads just go urban exploring in an abandoned TV studio, which they decide to fix up themselves. This is a much more punk rock origin story, and notably, these kids lack the deus ex machine of a Billy Biggle. Knowing this has forever changed how I can look at Kidsongs (1994).
3/10. Fuck the police.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987)
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Now these are some lyrics that really double down on their premise. Who are we watching? What are their fighting abilities? Approximately how old are they? All answered, in just four words. I assume the phrase “Teenage mutant ninja turtles” repeats so many times to give your brain a chance to fully wrap itself around the concept, which is fair. Imagine hearing this for the first time. It’s a lot.
The song even helpfully throws you a few seconds of backstory. How did these mutated adolescent turtles come to master the martial arts? A rat taught them. Okay. Fair.
Thrillingly, we also get an attempt to capture each of its main characters in a line (or less than a line, for Leonardo, who simply “leads”). The semi-random interjections (“that’s a fact, Jack!”) really add something, although I would be hard-pressed to say what.
8/10. I feel like this was probably written in like 15 minutes but they really went for it, and I respect that.
Space Cases (1996)
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Here we have, in my opinion, the platonic ideal of the overly expository kid’s show intro. We get backstory. We get show concept. We get an extended sequence boiling down every child’s essence into a line of song, which isn’t the healthiest way to approach a complex personality but, y’know, it’s catchy.
The two adults onboard must humiliatingly share a single line: "Davenport and Goddard do the best they can.” That’s it. That’s all they get. I thought this was sort of funny when I was young, but now it’s just harrowingly relatable.
10/10. At the end of the day, aren’t we all just doing the best we can?
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The Next Best Thing Chapter 9
Anne tells her the big news over lunch.
Cathy is eating lukewarm school pasta; Anne has a Mary lunch.
(Anne is the only person Cathy knows who has three sorts of school lunches- what they call Jane lunch, Mary lunch and Fancy lunch.
Usually- when things are normal-ish, when she’s just at home like normal and it’s Mary’s job to take her to school, she gets a Mary lunch, which means whatever sandwich Mary has made in a rush, in between feeding Baby Catherine and getting herself ready and checking Anne is wearing school uniform and not her Ninja turtles tshirt (although sometimes Mary forgets to check the last one).
Mary lunches are mostly ok, except that they’re usually a bit squashed....although once Mary was SO tired from being up with Baby Catherine she forgot to put in a filling and Anne had to pretend to the other children on the lunch table that she’d just asked for bread and butter that day.
(They didn’t look like they believed her.)
The other end of the scale is a Fancy lunch, and there’s only two times Anne gets one of those: either after the Mary lunch has been especially bad (or when she gets secret lunch option number four- which is actually no lunch at all because Mary forgot to pick up bread, or picked up the bread but forgot the making-the-sandwich part or remembered the bread and the sandwich making part but forgot to put it in Anne’s bag) and their teacher has called Anne over to ask, in hushed tones, Is Everything Alright At Home?
The other time is after something else has slipped a bit (once when Mary was sick, Anne didn’t come to school for two days) and the ‘chat’ has turned into a phone call.
And that’s when Anne gets a Fancy lunch.
Fancy lunches are never the same but always ten times nicer than whatever anyone else has for lunch that day, because no one actually makes them, Anne’s mum orders them from a special company who spend all their time just making fancy lunches that can fit into a lunchbox- tiny wraps with fancy fillings skewered on cocktail sticks and rolls of rice and seaweed in pretty patterns and little individual quiches.
The only bad thing about them is that they never last for more than a few days and then lunch making becomes Mary’s job again and it can be a bit disappointing to suddenly get a squashed marmite sandwich instead of the fancy lunch-in-a-box you were expecting.
Jane lunches are sort of in the middle of the two, Cathy supposes.
They’re never as fancy as the Fancy lunches (Jane doesn’t seem to shop at the places that sell quinoa and lemongrass) and they’re not exciting really, just sandwiches and fruit.
Then again, they always always have things that Anne definitely likes in them, whereas there’s nearly always a bit of the Fancy lunch that she has to pick off and set aside because she doesn’t like it, like the truffles that didn’t look or taste at all like chocolate.
They’re never as pretty as the Fancy lunches either but Jane does things like cutting off the crusts and peeling the apple and cutting it into slices that Anne’s mum never seems to want to do when it’s her actually fixing the food.
(It makes the food taste nice.)
The best thing about Jane’s lunches is that she never gets cross if a bit of it doesn’t get eaten, apart from to ask if Anne wants something else next time. She never gets ‘I don’t know why I even bother paying for nice things for you’ angry like Anne’s dad did when he found out about the uneaten truffles-that-were-really-mushrooms.
And if she’s done any baking- and Jane bakes a LOT- there’s always a biscuit or a little piece of cake or a pastry twist wrapped up carefully in greaseproof paper, ready for Anne to split in half and share with Cathy in return for all the times that Cathy shared her own food on no-lunch days.
Cathy doesn’t have packed lunches now that she’s with Catalina but she has sometimes wondered what they’d be like and she figures they’d probably be closer to the Jane lunches than the Fancy lunches.
Oddly enough, the thought does not make her feel all that disappointed.
Anne tells her the Big News right away, because she can’t keep secrets, and the big news is that Anne’s getting to have a sleepover for her birthday.
Cathy asks when and Anne says that it’ll be on the Saturday coming because that’s when her birthday is going to be.
Cathy knows when Anne’s birthday is- she has it written down in the furry purple My Secret Diary that she got for Christmas, because there’s a section to write down things about your friends, and she has Anne written down first because she’s her best friend- and she feels a bit guilty, like maybe she should have remembered.
Anne doesn’t seem to mind though.
Anne says that when she asked her mum the night before what she was doing for her birthday this year, and could they go to Splash Zone again like last year, her mum had nodded and said YesMaybeAskDaddy (which is how she answers lots of things).....and then she’d sat up, and she’d put down her glossy magazine and checked something on her phone and her eyes had gone very wide.
So instead of SplashZone- because now there isn’t time to book it before the weekend, Anne’s getting a sleepover party.
Part of the treat is the sleepover, according to Anne, and part of the treat is meant to be that she doesn’t have to share the sleepover with Kitty, even though Kitty lives at Anne’s house most of the time.
Anne says she doesn’t mind sharing her bedroom but she IS glad Kitty isn’t going to be at the sleepover.
According to Anne, Kitty hasn’t been much fun at all since Uncle Edmund dropped her off and she won’t play anything that Anne wants to play anymore, even when Anne offers her usual chocolate button bribe, and it turns out it’s VERY hard to play even easy games like chase when it’s only you.
Actually, Anne isn’t sure if she should be cross about this or not because it’s not just that Kitty won’t play Anne’s games, she doesn’t seem to want to play anything at all: she just clings to Jane’s skirt, waiting for her to finish whatever she’s doing and sit down so that she can she can fold herself up small in Jane’s lap.
She clings to a handful of Jane’s shirt with one hand and only raggedly old Pink Kitty with the other, like she’s afraid someone is going to take one or both of them away if she lets go, sucking her thumb and not saying a word.
And when she isn’t silent- which is honestly most of the time, according to Anne- she’s having huge screaming tantrums over stupid things like cleaning her teeth or putting on her pajamas. Cathy finds it hard to imagine Kitty- who was quiet as a mouse nearly all the time, even before Edmund- even raising her voice once let alone screaming but Anne assures her that it’s true.
She says that it’s giving her a headache.
Her mum and dad and Mary are officially Losing Patience, which is why Kitty is going to be with Jane for a bit.
Officially, it’s as part of Anne’s birthday treat, but Anne thinks they were planning it anyway because she heard Mary complaining to her mum, and then she heard her Mum talking on the phone to someone about being At The End of Her Tether, and she kept shaking her head and looking over at where Kitty was curled up in a little ball on the edge of the sofa, not even watching the tv (although Anne had specially foregone Rugrats for the boring baby program about the baggy pink cat because Kitty liked it).
Or, Kitty used to like it.
Now she doesn’t seem to like very much at all anymore.
Mary and Anne’s Mum and Dad don’t seem to mind Kitty being extra quiet but they do mind the tantrums- and the way Kitty has started waking up in the night crying and disturbing everybody when Some People Have To Work In The Morning Fergodsake, and the way the Reception teacher has started to call home because she’s ‘concerned’.
Jane calls round too when she hears that Anne’s dad has taken away the Barbie Kitty got for promising not to suck her thumb anymore, and says they all need to make allowances right now, whatever that means.
She and Anne’s mum drink cappuccinos- because Anne’s mum has a special expensive new machine that makes them- and Jane talks about reassurance and sense of security and unconditional love, while Anne’s mum talks about discipline and consequences and legal custody.
Eventually Anne’s mum tells Jane that she’s not a social worker anymore so she needs to stop acting like one, and that Kitty isn’t a baby any more and they need to stop coddling her, that maybe Edmund was right about some things.
And then Jane goes home.
So Kitty won’t be at the sleepover, Anne says. It’ll be just her and Cathy- and Anna.
Cathy tries to smile and look pleased that Anna’s invited too- it’s not that she doesn’t like her, exactly, it’s just that for Anne’s first sleepover, she’d rather it was just them.
It’s a bit easier to be properly happy when Anne tells Anna because Anna looks excited but also a bit surprised too- as if she’s not expecting to be asked. That makes Cathy feel better. It reminds her that Anna really isn’t out to steal her best friend, which is something Catalina reminds her of whenever she seems to need it.
‘Really?’
‘Yeah, my mum said I could have two friends.’ Anne nibbles the crust of her sandwich (peanut butter) delicately, trying to make the edges of the bread straight.
‘I’ll ask Mutti when I get home- she’ll say yes, she’ll be happy I’m making friends-’ Anna beams. ‘I used to have sleepovers back home- back in Germany. With my old friends.’
‘Cool!’
Cathy takes another bite of soggy school lasagne and wonders why Anna always has to bring her old home into everything.
It’s sort of interesting to hear but it also makes her wonder if there’s anything that Anna hasn’t done or seen before everyone else.
She wants to ask what German sleepovers are like but then she doesn’t.
(Whatever they’re like, they’re probably a hundred times cooler than whatever English sleepovers.)
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Complicated: Raphael x OC x Spencer Reid - Chapter 1
Authors Note: This is the first story I’m actually posting that I created on my own. I hope you all enjoy this.
Masterlist
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It's dark. Everywhere she looked and turned, there was nothing but darkness. Then out of nowhere, a particular turtle appeared in front of her, seemingly out of nowhere. The same turtle Angel fell in love with months ago, the same one who stole her heart, and inevitably, the same one who shattered it. She felt her blood run cold, her heart seemingly skipping a beat. There was nothing Angel could say or do. All she could do was stare at the turtle in front of her. The turtle glared at Angel before pulling out his sai. He made his way over to Angel. She wanted to move, but she couldn't. Once he was close enough, the turtle held the sai up, bringing it down to stab her.
Angel sat up in her bed, panting. Her body covered in sweat, and her heart racing. She couldn't do anything but sit there as the silent tears ran down her face. Eventually, Angel let her head fall into her hands as she cried.
Every night it was the same nightmare. Time and time again, Angel had continued to experience this over and over. It mentally drained her and made her feel as though she was hopeless. Angel quickly shook those thoughts out of her head.
No. Not again.
It had been six months since Angel and Raphael broke up, and six months since she left. Of course, a couple of weeks after she left, she received repeated phone calls and text from Raphael. It was so severe that Angel had to change her number to get Raph to stop. Angel wrapped her arms around herself as she took a deep breath. Looking over at the time, she decided to go ahead and get ready for work. Angel made her way into her bathroom to shower and get herself prepared for the day.
After making sure the water was the perfect temperature, she stripped her clothes off and stepped into the shower. Angel stood under the water for a good five minutes, letting the warm water run down her body as she closed her eyes. A shower was what Angel needed, especially after the nightmare she had. She almost didn't realize how long she was in the shower, but once she did, Angel had stepped out and dried herself off. Wrapping the towel around her, Angel makes her way back to her room and pulled out a pair of black pants and a black tee, as well as a black belt and a couple of socks.
Angel stepped out to her living room towards her coffee table. She bends down, grabbing a gun holster and hooking it to her belt where she could easily and quickly draw her gun, after grabbing her credentials and badge. Clipping the badge to her shirt, Angel couldn't help but let her mind think about the nightmare she had. What did it mean, and more importantly, why was she still thinking of Raph. It's been six months since they broke up, and Angel should be over him. He certainly was over her. It brought painful memories whenever Angel thought about how he left her for his ex-girlfriend. Angel didn't want to even imagine what they were doing right now. In her heart, she knew it would break her, and there was no time for that. She had her new life now, a new job, a new place. Yet, with all this change, Angel had also built a wall around her heart. She didn't want, no, she wouldn't be able to handle it if it was broken again. Angel shook her head gently before she a cup of coffee and walked out the door. Making sure her door was locked, Angel makes her way out of the apartment complex towards her car.
It took about 30 minutes, but Angel eventually arrived at the FBI headquarters in Quantico. Stepping out of the car, Angel takes a deep breath and closing her eyes, she enjoys the beautiful weather outside. After a couple moments, she makes her way into the building towards the elevator, pressing the button for the 6th floor. It took a few minutes, but eventually, the doors to the elevator open and Angel makes her way out of the elevator. She walked into the bullpen of the Behavioral Analysis Unit.
There, sitting at his desk, was Spencer Reid. Spencer was the first agent she informally met on her first day, and she was lying if she didn't mention he was the most intriguing. Unlike most guys who have a very macho attitude, Spencer was the complete opposite. He was socially-awkward and often stuttered, but he was absolutely brilliant. A genius in straightforward terms.
Spencer had three Ph.D.'s in mathematics, chemistry, and engineering, as well as two BA in psychology and sociology. What's more impressive was he has an IQ of 187, eidetic memory and can read 20,000 words per minute. If Angel hadn't seen this with her own eyes, she would have never believed it. Despite Spencer being socially-awkward, the two had actually become close friends. They both connected through their love of books, Doctor Who, and of course, coffee. During the time they have known each other, they've gone on multiple coffee dates where all the conversation was about was the most recent book they've read or the latest Doctor Who episode.
Spencer looked up from his file and smiled at Angel. It was apparent he had developed a bit of a crush on her. How could anyone not? She was clearly gorgeous, but she also was smart, kind, courageous. The list went on and on. While Spencer really liked Angel, he knew she wasn't ready for a relationship right now. They didn't talk much about her ex-boyfriend, but enough to see that she wasn't available to date anyone at the moment. It didn't matter, Spencer was willing to wait for her.
"Angel, hey. Did you see the new episode last night?" Spencer asked as he stood from his desk, walking over towards Angel.
Angel smiled, letting a small laugh escape her lips before shaking her head. "Unfortunately, no. I was on the phone with my parents last night and ended up missing it." Angel said, laughing as she put her bag down next to her desk and her coffee cup on top of the coaster sitting in the top right corner of her desk.
Spencer faked a gasp, his left hand going up to his chest as he let out a laugh. "Angel, how dare you. You have disgraced the name of Doctor Who." He joked before letting out another laugh, leaning against a desk opposite of Angel before noticing that she looked tired, and almost as if she was crying. "Angel, is everything alright? You look like you've been crying recently." Spencer asked, his voice immediately lowering, his eyes full of concern.
Angel mentally cursed to herself. Of course, Spencer would notice. She works with profilers who see every little thing about behaviors. Angel sighed, biting the bottom of her lip. Of course, she had told Spencer about the nightmare and described it, but it still wasn't easy to admit it. ".....I had the same nightmare again last night," Angel eventually admitted as she looked up at Spencer, her eyes casting so many emotions. Pain. Sadness. Anger, a little bit. Angel hated that she still thought of Raph, especially after seven months.
Spencer sighed as he walked over, gently pulling her into a hug. A gesture he'd done so many times, it felt natural. All he wanted to do was protect her. But how can one possibly protect someone from nightmares? It was impossible. He may not be able to stop them, but he can at least bring some comfort to the woman he was in love with. "I'm sorry, Angel. Is there anything I can do to help? Maybe a Doctor Who session with popcorn and your favorite candy?" Spencer asked before pulling away, looking her in her deep brown eyes.
Angel looked Spencer in the eyes before letting a sigh out, then she smiled at him. "A Doctor Who session sounds amazing, Spence," Angel said as she pulled away, grabbing her coffee and taking a sip.
Spencer and Angel eventually sat down at their appropriate desks, filling out paperwork as the rest of their team made their way in. Not even five minutes after their Unit Chief showed up, Emily walked out of her office, holding up a file and motioning to the briefing room. "Guys, we've got a case. Meet in the briefing room." Emily said in a firm tone as she walked towards the room.
Spencer and Angel both nodded before standing up and making their way as well. They took their usual seats next to each other at a round table with a screen in front, showing the crime scene photos. One by one, the team filed in. First, Rossi, then JJ, Lewis, Simmons, Alvez, and Garcia.
Garcia takes her usual place standing next to the screen with her remote in hand. "All right, my furry friends, pack your bags because you are headed to the Big Apple. NYPD is reporting 3 bodies of female victims, ages 20-25, and brunettes. The bodies were all found in alleyways next to garbage bins. They had no clothes on, and there were multiple stab wounds to the chest and genital areas, however no signs of sexual assault. Our first victim is Victoria Duncan, a 22-year old college student. She had just moved to New York about 6 months ago but was reported missing three weeks ago when she didn't show up for her psychology class for a few days straight. Professors say she was a great kid who wouldn't miss school unless there was a reason. Next, we have 20-year old Madeline Nelson. She worked as a waitress at a local diner, and she was reported missing about a week after Victoria when she didn't show up for her shift at work. One of her co-workers went to her apartment only to find she wasn't there, and that's when she called police. Our latest victim is 24-year old Jessie Malcolm. She worked at an insurance company, a typical 9-5 job. She was reported missing last week after she also missed her shift at work. Police say there are no obvious ways their paths would have crossed. They all lived in different parts of the city, hung out at different places, even had different banks. There's no sign that any of the ladies even knew each other." Garcia said as she showed all the victim's pictures of their face, bodies after death as well as the dumpsites.
No matter how many dead bodies Angel has seen, they always managed to creep her out to some sense of the word. Though, she never let it bother her. Angel looked over the crime scene photos of the bodies, looking for any signs of restraints. "Garcia, is there anyone who's gone missing recently that fits the description of our victims?" Spencer asked as he looked up, leaning back in his chair slightly.
Garcia shook her head softly before responding to Spencer, "Not yet, but I will double-check and let you know."
Emily nodded before looking to the team. "Alright, if this unsub has a schedule, we've got a few days before he finds his next victim. Wheels up in 30." The team nodded in unison before standing up, grabbing their files, and heading to their desks to grab their go-bag and equipment.
Angel couldn't help but let her mind wander. New York City. The same place she left seven months ago, and the same place that her first love lived at. She prayed to whatever god was up there that she didn't run into Raphael. With her bad luck, though, She probably would.
No matter. It doesn't matter if Angel does see Raph again, she's going for her job, and that's that. Whether she was ready or not, she knew she needed to prepare herself to see him again if the time comes.
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RotTMNT Oneshot: Lemonade, Old Photos and Family Talks
(This story is also on AO3, so leave a kudos/comment there if you can!)
Plot: “A friend?” “Well yeah! We’ve got April to vent to when we get stressed and to hang out with when we wanna have some extra fun, but think about it- Pops hasn’t had another adult to talk to in YEARS!” “Huh… I mean, it’s not a bad idea, really." “Though it should be noted that the last time he tried to socialize with someone his own age, he was nearly eaten by one of our enemies, so I don’t think we can trust him to meet someone NOT evil on his own.” “Which is why we have to help him! We know plenty of mutants now, there has to be someone who’d wanna hang out with him and NOT try to kill him afterwards.” “This family has the weirdest issues.”
The boys try to find Splinter a new friend, but they all learn that sometimes the best people you can talk are your family, even when the conversation is bittersweet.
((Another Splinter and his past-centered story! Because they're just way too easy to think of and they give me all the feels, lol. But yeah, this started out as just a sort of joke scene of Splinter trying to hang out with Todd and then emotions happened. I really hope Shen shows up in the show proper sometime, and that she and Lou were best friends and she's not just dead like every other dang version of her. But until then, enjoy my writing/headcanons! Also sorry for the bad title, I literally could not think of anything else, heh. But yeah, here we go!))
They all noticed it, eventually, after the incident in Grand Central Station and after Splinter revealed all that he could to them. Splinter - Lou Jitsu - had also begun training them properly, finally acknowledging that they were ready for the next level. (And besides, watching Lou Jitsu movies was… sort of awkward now, and probably would be for a little while.)
Getting to learn new things and become even stronger, their weapons and strategies becoming all the more effective as they were taught both as individuals and as a group - all in all, it was a great change in their routine. Even the fatigue they’d sometimes feel after more intense training or the lack of free time couldn’t completely turn them off from it. Those things didn’t matter, not when they were going to be true heroes and save the world from Draxum and the foot’s Dark Armor!
...But, with these positive changes came not so positive ones, for everything came with a price and Splinter was not the only one who’d had to explain things…
Sometimes Splinter would be up waiting for them when they got home, and would actually ask questions rather than just continuing to watch TV, even if he still sort of pretended not to be too concerned. Other times he wouldn’t even be in his chair, and was instead pacing around their home, giving the excuse that he was simply stretching his legs. And other times he wouldn’t be home at all.
Instead, he was going out and searching for more Armor pieces while the boys were either out fighting the evil mutant of the night or were getting into typical teenage shenanigans. (Because Splinter still refused to let them sacrifice the rest of the childhood for training and war. Not yet, not until there was no other choice.) By this point, he was starting to do more searching than TV watching, which was strange to say the least. He even missed a few new episodes of Scorpion Treadmill, which was COMPLETELY unheard of!
Their father was beginning to have trouble sleeping too, and while he pretended to stay asleep during it, Mikey shared that he recently caught Splinter sneaking into his room to check up on him, just as he no doubt already did that night with his other sons. The tucking-in and the quick kiss on the forehead was admittedly nice in a sort of nostalgic way, but it was the concern behind the gesture that made Mikey frown instead of smile at it.
There was no doubt about it, their usually lax, sometimes stern but still totally chill rat dad was worried about them. Worried about who they would run into while they were out and what mutant and mystic dangers they would face, now that he knew what most of them were. Worried about them coming home so badly hurt that he wouldn’t be able to help them. Worried that they wouldn’t come home at all…
While they’d never truly understand until the day they became fathers, if that day ever came, the four of them did understand Splinter’s worry on some level. It wasn’t like they weren’t scared of getting hurt or dying on a mission too, as much as they might have tried to hide it. But even so, all of that stress and worry just wasn’t good for Splinter, and game shows and old Jupiter Jim and Lou Jitsu movies just weren’t going to cut it as distractions anymore.
He needed something else to distract him, or (even better) something to help him get all his feelings out in order to deal with them and get them off his mind. He needed-
“A friend?” Leo repeated, tilting his head slightly.
“Well yeah!” Mikey nodded, “We’ve got April to vent to when we get stressed and to hang out with when we wanna have some extra fun, but think about it- Pops hasn’t had another adult to talk to in YEARS!”
“Huh… I mean, it’s not a bad idea, really,” Raph nodded as he thought about it. Everyone needed someone to talk to or laugh with when things got rough, and they couldn’t exactly take him to a therapist so, this was probably the best option.
“Though it should be noted that the last time he tried to socialize with someone his own age, he was nearly eaten by one of our enemies,” Donnie pointed out, “So I don’t think we can trust him to meet someone NOT evil on his own.”
“Which is why we have to help him!” Mikey insisted, “We know plenty of mutants now, there has to be someone who’d wanna hang out with him and NOT try to kill him afterwards.”
“This family has the weirdest issues,” Leo flatly stated, though was ignored as his brothers tried to think.
“He got along pretty well with Bullhop when he was stayin’ here,” Raph spoke up after a few moments. He may have been a little bit annoyed with the bull’s clumsiness, but was otherwise comfortable enough around him. And sure, Bullhop was younger than Splinter, but they were both still adults so that had to count for something. Though the fact that their former house guest was now a whole country away was a bit of a problem. “Maybe we could hook them both up with webcams so they can talk whenever?”
Mikey hummed. “I dunno… Sure they didn't mind each other but they didn't really talk either? I don't think they have much in common. Besides, do we really wanna bother him while he's tryin’ to put together his mutant ballet thing?” Donnie nodded at this point. Both he and Mikey understood how frustrating being interrupted while in the middle of a project could be, whether that project was artistic or scientific.
Getting an idea, Leo snapped his fingers. “I've got it! Senor Hueso! He's probably about as old as Dad, and both Hueso and Splinter are dads and are sword fighters, so that's two things in common!”
“A fair assumption to make, Leon,” Donnie replied, “Although, Hueso just barely tolerates us thanks to our frequent customer status. Do you really think he'd be able to tolerate someone like Pop?”
“...Okay yeah, good point.” Personality wise, they were both pretty different.
“WAIT!” Mikey said suddenly, nearly jumping out of his shell, “I know who we can get to hang out with Splinter, and he's the perfect, friendliest friend a rat guy could ever have!”
()()()()()()()()())()()()()
Splinter stood at the entrance of their home, blinking slowly. He certainly hadn't been expecting anyone that afternoon. April was long past needing to knock whenever she visited, and they didn't exactly get many other visitors down in the sewers - especially not ones this… smiley.
“Hello there!” The stout, furry man greeted, “You must be Splinter, right? Oh, or should I call you Splinter-San? I always try to be polite, after all.”
Splinter’s ears folded down slightly as he gave the man a flat look, but he did manage to keep his tone civil. “Just Splinter is fine, thanks.”
“Of course! And you can call me-!”
“Todd!” Suddenly all his sons were there by his side. Funny, he couldn't seem to find ANY of them just a few minutes ago when he was forced to greet their surprise ‘guest’ on his own… “Glad you could make it, buddy!” Mikey greeted, his grin matching his brothers’.
“Same here! Gosh, you would not believe how hard it is to get away from those pups, even for just an afternoon.” The man giggled, giving a wave of his hand. “Oh, but those cute little furry faces and all the smiles I get are worth the hard work!”
“Furry faces?” Splinter mumbled, completely and utterly confused.
But before he could even try to ask any questions, his oldest butted in. “Why don't you go make yourself at home in the kitchen, and Pops’ll be there in a sec, okay?” Raph told him, his welcoming smile becoming more and more sheepish by the second as his dad glared at all of them.
“It's on the second floor, right across from the arcade!” Donnie added thoughtfully, “Super easy to find, can't miss it!”
Todd chuckled again, his small basket of snacks (plus a thermos) bouncing slightly on his arm. “Sounds good to me!” He thanked the four turtles once again for their invitation and made his way past the entrance tunnel and into the main atrium of their home. And, as soon as the family of five was alone-
Splinter turned around, scowling as he crossed his arms. “Okay, why is there a gopher in our house and why am I going to be the one keeping him company?”
“He’s a woodchuck,” Mikey corrected.
“Actually, he's a capybara,” Donnie explained, “Way bigger than a woodchuck and interesting enough from South America-”
“Buuuuut more importantly,” Leo said, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at his purple and orange brothers, “He's someone who we think you could have a great time hanging out with! You know, chat a little, get to know each other, watch a movie together - whatever you want! Sooo, let's get to it, huh? Huh? What do you say, Dad?”
However, Splinter was just as stubborn as his sons. “I think I will pass, and since you boys invited him over, it is only fair that you four-”
“Ah, we would, totally would!” Raph interrupted suddenly, “You know, since Todd’s such a great guy to hang out with. But uh, we can't cause- cause we just got a call from April! And she said, uh, that there’s a-”
“A giant pizza pigeon!” Mikey butted in, waving his arms wildly, “Totally wrecking every pizza shop in New York!”
“And honestly, Father, what heroes would we be if we didn't go stop it immediately?” Donnie asked, throwing in a bit of dramatic flair for good measure, “So while we would LOVE to stay here and hang out with you guys, alas, we must go! Buuuut we’ll try to be home within, let's say, two hours?” As in, the perfect amount of time for a decent visit and to make a connection with a possible new friend.
“Also your favorite tea cakes are in the cupboard,” Leo added, figuring that when all else failed, bribery still had its merits, especially when it came to Splinter and his sweets, “Okay have fun we’ll be back later byeeeeee!”
With that, his boys dashed off into the sewers, not even looking back at him. Splinter sighed, grumbling under his breath. He didn't know what his sons were planning or why they needed him to be kept busy by visiting with this Todd guy, but he would reluctantly play along. ...For now.
Stepping into his kitchen, Splinter could see that the perky capybara was already making himself at home. He’d already poured two glasses of lemonade from his thermos, and had found a plate that he was currently using to set homemade, dog shaped cookies on. “Hey, you!” Todd greeted again, still grinning, "Just getting our refreshments ready!" Frankly, Splinter was starting to wonder if Todd ever stopped grinning.
“Yes, hello,” Splinter modded, sitting down, “So, uhh… You made lemonade, huh?
“Oh yes, my famous recipe!” Todd nodded. He took a moment to push a glass of it towards the rat man. “And I don’t wanna brag, but I’m pretty sure it lives up to the hype and I can promise that every glass is made with care and a smile!”
“Of course it is,” Splinter mumbled. Honestly, did this gopher-woodchuck-capybara guy step out of a fairy tale picture book or something. Still, he was never one to turn down free refreshments, so he took a sip. Almost instantly, his ears perked back up while his fur tingled slightly, like it was being warmed by sunlight while the rest of his body became cooled and refreshed by the ice cold drink. “...Huh. Not bad.”
“Thanks!” Todd grinned. He hadn’t met a single person yet - human or mutant - who hadn’t enjoyed his lemonade, but the compliments were still nice to hear. “It’s a shame the boys can’t join us, I know they like my lemonade too.”
“Mm, yes, well, you know how teens are. Going off and doing… whatever it is that teens do.” And apparently that included keeping secrets and being sneaky with their father. Yes, he was definitely giving them a talking to when they got home from their ‘pigeon battle’.
Todd however was still blissfully unaware of Splinter’s annoyance - or if he was aware, he just ignored it. ��They really are great kids! I’m sure you know all about the work they did for me down at my puppy shelter.” He paused, noticing the curious look on the old rat’s face. “Well, my place was kinda small for all the pups I had, and they needed my RV, so they offered to make me a whole puppy paradise!”
“Huh, you don’t say…”
“Oh yeah! Lots of play equipment and robots to help with cleanup and baths, and all sorts of neat things! Donnie stops by every once in a while to give everything a bit of a tune up and makes sure it’s all running right, and the other three are more than happy to help with training and keepin’ the pups happy. Ugh, I really do mean it when I say that you’ve raised four wonderful sons, Splinter.”
“...” Hearing these words, Splinter found himself giving a small proud smile, despite it all. He chuckled, shaking his head. “They are nothing but trouble sometimes… But yes, they can also be pretty wonderful to have around. I… honestly do not know what my life would be without them.” Averting his gaze, he took another quick sip of his lemonade and cleared his throat. “And, uh… Do you have any family?”
“Weeeell, I DO have plenty of adorable little puppies that I’m pretty close to!” Very excited now, Todd pulled out his phone, and opened up to his photos. Two hundred and seventy one photos, to be exact, and every single one of them starring one or many of the adoptees at Cuddle Cakes Rescue. After the ninth candid puppy shot though, Splinter stopped him. “Why don’t we continue this in the TV room? Much more comfortable!” Besides, Scorpion Treadmill would be starting soon, and there was nothing wrong with a little gameshow watching during conversation lulls, right?
“Oh! Of course!” Needing both his hands, Todd quickly pocketed his phone and grabbed both the snacks and their drinks. “Lead the way, friend!”
“Yes, friend, right. Come, it’s just this way-”
“Oh, hey, I was meaning to ask you what you do! Or, I guess what you did. Mikey said you were retired?”
“In a way, yes,” Splinter nodded, his tail moving to hold the dividing curtain open for Todd as they moved into the TV room, “And, technically, I am the boys’ sensei as well as their father. But before that…” He hesitated for just a moment, years of paranoia still having a bit of a kick in him before he was able to shrug it off. Draxum and his sons all already knew, not much of a point in hiding it from anyone else. “Before that, I was in the action film business.”
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
When the turtles arrived home two hours later, they could hear a pair of voices within their home, rather than just a Japanese announcer’s booming exclamations or the cheers of a live television audience. That was DEFINITELY a good sign. Raph quickly shushed them, and one by one they snuck up to the TV room…
“-So I just put a few drops on each of them and you know what, it worked like a charm! No more chewing on wires!”
“You know, I had the same problem with Red when he was a toddler, although I could not exactly get vinegar, so I just used a bit of sewer scum. It stunk up the place like crazy, but it kept him from electrocuting himself, so I lived with it - and for the next few months, I did not have much else to worry about. Nonono, the REAL trouble started when they started learning how to walk on two legs!”
They heard Todd giggle. “Oh, I could just imagine all the mischief those little rascals got into! Just the other day I took Kimi’s pups outside for the first time, and the first thing those little dachshunds tried to do was dig a hole under our fence!” The capybara laughed again, easily shrugging the whole thing off like he did most things.. “‘Course, their puppy paws weren’t strong enough to do any real damage, but I’m definitely gonna have to keep an eye on them- Whoa! ”
Even more curious now, the four turtles opened the curtains slightly, just enough to see the tail end of a classic Lou Jitsu scene - a spinning split kick, followed by a quick cartwheel towards the final boss of the film’s climax and a sucker punch right in the gut. “Gosh, I may not be much of an action movie fan myself, but THAT was amazing!”
Splinter smirked, allowing himself to be just a little proud of the old stunt. “Yes, and would you believe I did it all in one take?”
“Oh I believe it!” Though that didn’t stop Splinter from diving into the story of how he spent a whole week perfecting that bit of choreography himself, not that Todd really minded judging by the smile on his face. ...Alright, to be fair, he always had a smile, but still!
“I can’t believe it,” Donnie whispered, “They’re actually getting along!”
“I know, right?” Leo nodded, pleased but just as surprised, “I thought for sure Dad would’ve kicked him out before we got home.”
“See!” Mikey beamed, crossing his arms in victory, “I TOLD you guys Todd was the perfect friend for him.”
“I’m just glad they’re talking at all,” Raph mumbled, knowing that just like how he sometimes stumbled over his speeches or explanations, his dad wasn’t always the best with words either. But hey, sometimes you just need the right person to listen.
Satisfied, the four of them quietly busied themselves, killing time until Todd finally announced that he would have to leave, not wanting to leave his pups alone for too long even with all the robot assistants keeping an eye on them. “But I had a great time!” he insisted, “And it was just so great getting to spend some time with you, Splinter! After hearing about you from the boys, it was nice to finally meet you in person.”
Splinter paused for a moment before replying honestly, “I enjoyed your company as well, Todd.” (Out of the corner of his eye, he could’ve sworn he saw a couple of his sons fist pump.) “Have a safe trip back home.”
“Will do!” Todd then said a quick goodbye to the boys, with Donnie promising to stop by with another set of puppycare-tech upgrades soon and Leo getting an update on Matilda’s soon- to-be-born litter, wanting to be there the moment they were born so he could christen them all with only the coolest puppy names. And, once Todd was on his way through the sewers and out of sight, all eyes were on Splinter.
Splinter looked back at them with squinted, unimpressed eyes. “...So, how was the fight with the giant pizza pigeon?” he asked coolly.
“The what? OH! Yeah! That! Uh, we totally kicked its butt, naturally,” Raph nodded, “But uh, hey, you fight giant bird mutant, you’ve fought them all.”
“Heh, yeah, like, it was so boring I barely even remember the fight!” Leo added, with Mikey backing him up with a nod, “Mmhm, yep, tooootally gone from my mind!”
“I see,” Splinter nodded. It took all his strength for him not to roll his eyes at them.
“Sooo, since we’ve got nothing interesting to share,” Donnie begun casually, trying not to sound too interested, “How was your afternoon with Todd, Pop?”
The rat hummed, making them wait for an answer for a few seconds before telling finally them, “It was nice enough. He was a good listener, and not too annoying I suppose. Makes good snacks too. So, a pretty good time.”
His sons grinned at each other, silently enjoying their successful mission. “That’s great to hear, Dad! So, you want me to text him and tell him that you want to get together next week?” Mikey asked, already getting his phone out.
Splinter suddenly gave a sharp laugh. “Oh goodness no!” Seeing their faces fall, he added, “Todd was nice enough, yes, but I don’t think I could hang out with someone like that ALL the time! Wayyy too friendly and cheery. Hmph, I would probably get a cavity from all that sweetness… But perhaps in a few months we can get together again. Now, if you four will excuse me, I am way overdue for my nap.” With that, he easily moved past them and headed downstairs to his room. He easily heard the groans behind him once he was out of the room, along with a few stray bits of conversation-
“Ughhh, I thought for sure they’d be BFFs!”
“I guess it’s onto Plan B, then. ...You get it? ‘B’ for ‘Bone man’?”
"We get it, Leon…”
“Man, there’s gotta be a friend for Splinter somewhere in this city…”
Ah, so that was it, then. “My sons,” Splinter sighed. Good hearts with good intentions… but still not the brightest of the bunch. He appreciated their efforts but, as pleasant as his visit with Todd had been, it had also felt a little bittersweet.
It was not their fault, of course. They couldn’t have known… But some things - some people - just couldn’t be replaced, even with happy and friendly capybara men…
The four of them ended up waiting a few hours before making their way to their father’s room, a new plan in mind with the hopes that this one would fare better than the last. “You sure we shouldn’t wait longer?” Leo asked, “I mean, he might be annoyed that we’re trying to set up on another stranger hang out sesh so soon, and you know he’s not afraid to be petty and stubborn when he’s really annoyed.”
“Buuut, he could also be half asleep,” Donnie pointed out, “And therefore MUCH easier to convince to leave the lair.”
“Plus, Splinter never says no to free food!” Mikey added.
Taking the lead, Raph knocked gently on the frail wooden divider in front of his father’s room before opening it. “Hey Pop, you awake-?”
As it turned out, Splinter wasn’t in bed. In fact, it looked like he hadn’t even made it to his bed, and was instead over at small chest that he’d usually had his tv sitting on. But now the chest was open, with most of its secret contents having been set on the floor next to him. A pair of old, cracked yellow sunglasses (which the boys immediately recognized), some letters and yellow envelopes, a few postcards and- ...something else in their dad’s paw that they couldn’t quite see. “...Dad?” Raph spoke up again, a bit louder this time.
Splinter flinched slightly, his tail moving to try and hide the stuff on the floor. The turtles were a bit confused at that. They already knew that Splinter and Lou Jitsu were one and the same, so why would their dad try to hide it? “Ah, boys, I uh, I-I was just, ah, doing some cleaning up before heading to bed. Just got a little distracted, is all. It is nothing-”
Of course, that wasn’t nearly enough to deter his sons’ natural curiosity, and within a few seconds, they were all kneeling on the floor next to him. “How come you’re looking at some of your old Lou Jitsu stuff?” Leo asked, just a bit of concern slipping into his voice. Raph was looking at him with the same concern while Donnie, ever the observer and note taker, was already looking through the envelopes to try and see what he could learn.
“I- W-Well-”
Suddenly, he felt his youngest at his side, managing to catch a quick look at the picture in his paws. “Wait, is that-?” Mikey started to say.
“It is noth-!” “Tang Shen?” Raph asked, his height allowing him to look right over his rat dad’s shoulders even as he tried and failed to hide the photo. His brothers quickly joined him, leaning in to get a better look at the picture as they crowded around their father.
Sure enough, the woman in the picture - with the stylish 80’s outfit and the short black hair, smiling next to the younger, human version of their dad - was the same actress they easily recognized from ‘Jitsu For Justice’. In fact, Tang Shen had been in quite a few of Lou’s movies… And in that moment, they realized that all of these certain films were ones that Splinter didn’t rewatch nearly as much as all his others, usually only putting them on for their sake, whether it was for their entertainment or their training...
Splinter sighed, suddenly feeling very tired, and perhaps a little guilty. But, there was no denying it now. “Yes… That is me and Tang Shen.”
“I… didn’t realize you two were friends,” Donnie said slowly, “I mean- I just figured you guys were just co-actors.” After all, pretty ladies in Lou Jitsu movies were common, so what would be specific about this one?
The rat man gave a short, humorless laugh. “We started out that way, yes… She was just starting out, and like most women in films those days, the only role she could really get was being a damsel that needed help escaping some villain. I thought she was a decent enough actress while the cameras were rolling, though had a bit of an attitude when they weren’t.” Splinter chuckled again, though this time he actually smiled as he did.
“We got into an argument about something, I don’t even remember, and she ended up challenging me to a spar. I decided to take it easy on her, and for it, she ended up kicking my butt pretty good. She had just as much skill as any other martial artist in Hollywood, and she certainly made sure I knew it.” His smile softened slightly. “And after that… We just became friends.”
Glancing back down to his small piles of personal memories and memorabilia, he picked up another envelope. This one had folded up magazine article in it, an interview the two had done together for one of their films. It was typed out in Japanese, so its content was completely lost on his sons, but the snappy and sarcastic answers Shen had given their interviewer to questions like “Would you consider yourself a Lady Lou Jitsu?” or “How do you keep your outfits and hair camera ready while doing your stunts?” still made him grin every time he read them.
“Shen had good audience appeal, so our managers wanted us to work on a few more movies together,” Splinter continued.
“Oh! Like that one where Shen was an undercover bartender?” Mikey asked, “‘Late Night in the Street Lights’?”
“Oh yeah!” Leo grinned, “And then you guys work together to take out not one but two crimelords in the city, and then go out on date afterwards?”
“Mmhm, that one was definitely a fan favorite,” Splinter nodded, “We agreed to work together, but we both gave the producers one condition: Shen and I would only do a film together if she was my co-star in it, not a damsel. I may have still gotten top billing, but she got to be involved in the action scenes instead of just being tied to a chair or death trap or whatever. And as it turned out, she would never again be a damsel, because once her contract expired, she went to work on getting her own movies off the ground. I was able to give her a bit of help, using connections and all that, but it was her skills and talent that got her the jobs. She was very good at what she did, just as good as anyone else… And a pretty great person too.”
“...What was Shen like?” Raph asked as he placed a comforting hand on his father’s arm, his tone curious but cautious, “Outside of her movies, I mean.”
Splinter hummed again, his eyes becoming a bit distant. It had been years, but he hadn’t forgotten a single thing about her. He refused to forget. “...Well, she was just as fiery as the characters she played, never let anyone try to talk over her or treat her like a second-rate actress. Strong willed, tough with a sharp tongue for those who dared to give her a hard time… But she was also gentle, when she liked you.” He shut his eyes, just for a moment as he tried not to get overwhelmed or too emotional.
“She… She looked out for me during rough times, just as I looked out for her. She could be fun, and very kind, knowing just what to say or do even when I felt completely clueless. We would spar and go out to clubs and parties, get ourselves in and out of trouble-” Though, he could secretly admit that he was usually the one foolishly getting them in trouble, and would always be thankful that Shen didn’t just get frustrated and leave him to fend for himself during those times (even if she still chewed him out afterwards). “And other times, we would just find somewhere quiet and talk. Catch up with each other or, or vent to each other, or just try to make each other laugh. Even when we were filming different projects in different countries, we still tried to call and write as often as we could. We… We were very close.”
Taking a chance, Mikey decided to ask the question he was sure his brothers were all thinking. “Did you, you know… like her?”
Thankfully, this inquiry didn’t offend, nor did it open up old wounds. Splinter just gave them all a flat look and asked, “Have any of you ever liked April?”
And just like that, they suddenly knew the exact sort of relationship Lou had had with Tang Shen. Something deeper than just friendship or even a romantic Hollywood fling, something on the level of family. For their dad, Shen hadn’t been a co-actor or friend, she had been his person. She had been his April, and it was no wonder he missed her so much…
“Did she move to New York too? I mean, did you guys ever team up in the Battle Nexus or-” Donnie asked, but Splinter shook his head.
“No no, she was in Hong Kong during that time working on some sequel, though I still tried to keep in contact, up until…” He trailed off, guilt once again settling in his gut as his boys stared at him. “No, the… the last time I saw her was…”
The last time he saw her, it hadn’t even been in person. It had been on a small, crappy black-and-white TV that he had swiped from the dump, just barely working enough for him to see her tear-stained face, as the news reported on his funeral, an event planned after weeks of searching for him and the police only finding a jumpsuit that Splinter himself had burned and planted in an alley dumpster.
Suddenly, Splinter stood up, not caring if he accidentally bumped into his sons or if his tail knocked over the small stacks of paper. “I, I need to go- T-To go do a thing. In another room. Right now.”
“Huh? Wait, but Dad!” Raph shouted, as he and the others started to stand up, ready to follow him if they needed to.
Splinter ignored them, just as he ignored the burning in his eyes. “I am fine,” he insisted.
“But Pop-!” “Wait, just-”
“I am busy-”
“You’re not- just hold a sec!” “Dad!”
“I have to go, I am fine-! ”
“Master Splinter!”
Splinter finally stopped at that. ...To be fair, when all four of your children shout your formal title at you - something they used as often as he used their full names - it was sort of hard not to stop… Still, he refused to turn around, just as he had refused a lot of things up to this point in his thirteen years as a father. Refused to let them know the truth. Refused to let them know all that he had gone through.
Refused to let them feel guilt, just for being born.
Unfortunately, as much as he hated them, Splinter couldn’t exactly deny his feelings of loss and occasional longing. After all, it was still very possible for someone - even someone who loved their new life and wouldn’t change a thing about it - to still miss their old life occasionally. Old hobbies, old experiences, old friends...
But that was not the fault of his children, and he absolutely refused to let them carry that blame! The loss of his old life was HIS burden to bare, not theirs! He would not let them think that he regretted his choices - that he regrets his family - just because he was feeling a little nostalgic or lonely. He couldn’t do that, and he wouldn’t, promising himself over and over that he wouldn’t.
...And yet, as a three-finger hand took him by the shoulder and slowly turned him back around, Splinter didn’t see looks of guilt or self resentment or even of pity. He just saw his four sons, looking at him with love and concern and just a tiny bit of relief.
“Dad, it’s okay, really…” Leo started out, “It’s… You guys were best friends so, it makes sense you’d miss her if she was really such a cool and great person. It makes sense that you’d miss being Lou Jitsu too, but we aren’t gonna get mad at you for that. We know that doesn’t mean you don’t still love us or whatever.”
“Yeah, though... we’re sorry that you can’t still be friends with her,” Raph continued, frowning for a moment before offering his father another smile, “But, we’re glad you told us about her. We just… We know you want us to be okay, but we want YOU to be okay too.”
“Yeah!” Mikey nodded, “We don’t want you to feel stressed out and alone all the time, and holdin’ in your feelings isn’t exactly good either, Pop. But hey, if you wanna talk to us about the stuff you miss or the stuff you’re worried about, we’ll listen! Just like how you listen to us when we’re dealin’ with stuff!”
“That is how a family works, after all,” Donnie finished with a small smirk.
Splinter stared at them all, almost in disbelief, before giving a teary smile. “My sons…” Their own smiles never faltering, the turtles quickly pulled him into a tight group hug, with Splinter allowing just a couple of tears to finally fall as he held his boys close. Todd’s words echoed in the back of his mind, and once again agreed with him: He really did have wonderful sons.
After a couple minutes, the five of them separated somewhat, though still stayed close. “You know, maybe you could look her up sometime,” Leo suggested, “Reconnect and all that? Old people do that, right?”
Splinter slightly swatted his shoulder at the old comment, but otherwise considered it. “Heh… Do you think she would really be alright with… This whole situation?” he asked, gesturing to himself.
“Eh, if she’s still anything like how you described her, I think she would be cool with it,” Donnie shrugged, his brothers agreeing.
The rat chuckled, thinking about it. Knowing Shen, she’d probably give him a hard smack, followed by one of the tightest hugs he’d probably ever receive. She’d listen to his tale, and scold him for not letting her help him even while understanding why he didn’t, and they would talk and catch up and he would introduce her to his sons. Maybe not the family she would be expecting, but he knew deep down that she would love them nonetheless. And, with a bit of luck, it would be just like old times…
“Perhaps, one day,” he said finally. There was still the Armor and Draxum to take care of, after all. But, if they survived all of that, then truly anything was possible. But, until then- “I will be fine,” Splinter gently insisted, giving his sons a genuine smile, “As long as I have my family with me, I will be fine.”
“And so will we,” Raph agreed, his younger brothers strongly and happily agreeing to that.
They helped their father pack his memories back into his chest, his small TV returning to its place on top of it, and then led him out of the room. Raph was suggesting they call in for pizza while Mikey suddenly remembered he had a dessert idea he wanted them all to try. Leo and Donnie began arguing over whether to watch that night’s sitcom line-up or pop in another movie. Not that it mattered, since Splinter would most likely take control of the remote, but he let them have their little debate anyway as a content smile remained on his furry face.
He would have many more stories to tell them, if they were ever interested. Stories about Shen and his manager, of other friends - actors and yokai - he knew during his time. Stories that were funny and exciting, and others that were bittersweet but still nice to share and to listen to. Stories that were sadder, perhaps even a bit tragic, but still an undeniable part of his life. If they wanted him to, he would share them all. He had promised them no more secrets, and they had promised him just as much support as he gave them.
But, until those moments came, he wouldn’t dwell on them - just as he wouldn’t dwell on possibly seeing Shen again, no matter how much he might have wished for it. After all, with his boys and their shenanigans, and with a warm and happy home and good food and a comfy chair to sit and watch great TV and classic movies in, Splinter decided that he was still much better off living in the present, no matter how appealing the past occasionally might have been.
His new life was as perfect as it could be, save for centuries old demons and warring warrior scientists, and he wouldn’t dare trade it - wouldn’t trade them - for all the second chances in the world.
THE END
#rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles#rottmnt#splinter tmnt#lou jitsu#my writing#oneshot#fanfiction
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Just watched: Littlest Pet Shop, A World of Our Own season 1, part 1
18 abr '18
Overall
I don't know where to start I have so much to explain...
So I like the previews show, not for the waifus nor the cute art direction but the cute animals "thinking they're people" that was cute and that was enough for me.
If we hold the new show next to the old one it's really obvious this one is meant for younger girls than the preview show, the preview show was lets say 6-8 this one is 4-6, it feels lighter and more tender, easier to assimilate, you know what I mean, it's one of those "you know when you see it", early on I felt disencouraged because of this, I'm a man who matches cartoons but I have a cutoff point when it comes at a very young audience but later on something clicked with me, most of the plot were very grounded dealing with how the characters relate to each other and their problems and I released that this show's plot is how little girls imagine being an adult is like, how adult go on their lives trying to coexist and enjoying things children's think adult like but still has a very childish feeling, a couple of episodes were build around social cue normal adults will be used to but here the character are oblivious to them, not dumb or immature just naive, I don't have a problem with that bit it just feels kind of alien. Basically that is what has charmed me so far, it's very childish view of adulthood and I feel I will enjoy the whole show.
Beside that the art direction is quiet enjoyable. The intro and outro themes are fashionable, I dunno about the music from the previews show but this time they feel like pop hits from today. The mise en scene is amazing, the whole town looks so utopian but above all like a toy, it's whole city that looks like a very expensive kindergarten or baby nursery and that's so charming. the overall look of the show takes from the previews one's cartoon modern aesthetic and ads gradients and textures feeling like a natural evolution and giving a feeling that reminds me of a late 00's flash game, I love it.
Episode 1
This episode starts with a newcomer cat coming to the town, Roxie (The overly excited dog) strolls him around and this is a very easy way to introduce the audience to the whole thing but this newcomer cat disappear soon enough to give room for the real plot, Roxie has to house sit for a friend but she is befriend by a gang of thots that get her in trouble. This is an example of a plot that could work in a serious story adapted for children under the filter of "this is how children thinks adults are like" and it's kind of accurate.
Also on the thot gang there is a snail and I can't wrap my head around that, snails aren't cute and this one tried really hard to be cute but I'm not buying it. Plus in other episodes we see lots of animals that are traditionally not seen as cute and cuddly, that is surprising but kind of strange for me.
Episode 2
Roxie is now living with Jade (Goth black cat, very grumpy), Roxie wants to be a good friend and do something nice for jade who is immune to kindness, Roxie gets lots of idea from different people but none clicks with Jade. this is an innocent story about friendship, a deeper conflict filtered for children, fanboys will see this as lesbian romance and it really gives that vibe.
Also in the bar/club were the main cast hangs out the barman is a fish in a ball full of water, that's so strange but now I'm wondering why on TV shows the main cast always has a restaurant, bar, cafe or something similar were they hang out and are friends with the people there, that's so irreal.
Episode 3
The pets go to a fair/amusement park, Jade learns to be friendly to a random raccoon that isn't a pet irl but found his way to the town by being nice.
There isn't much here, it was a nice adventure.
Episode 4
Everybody on the town has something stolen, Roxie and Jade team up to solve the mystery inspired by the crime shows Roxie's owners watch.
This whole thing felt like a fairy tale, a strange problem has a very common solution
I expect most episodes to be like this, I don't know how to describe the "this" but I want to be proven wrong.
25 abr '18
Episode 5
We have an episode with a musical contest, this strikes me as such a girly thing, still the conflict goes on how Quincy (The fainting goat) can't sing but at the end they find him a place
I don't have much to say beside that Quincy was really cute and that mouse guy that joined the cast came out of nowhere. I'm disappoint that the song they sang for the contest was hip hop, it wasn't memorable.
Episode 6
Roxie wants a slumber party and invites the rest of the female cast, it would had been funny if she had invited the guys but at least we get petunia (The thot sheep) and a duck from Edie's (The campy parrot) acting class. Tumblr has taught me that girl sleep overs are actually kind of boring and never like we see on TV, still Roxie wants to have a slumber party like on the movies rushing from activity to activity until she falls asleep and misses the real fun.
I've mentioned that what charmed me about this show is that this is how little girls imagine adult life is like, grown women do not have slumber parties, they're similar but not called like that... the point is that in this episode the female crew were little girls without parents telling them to keep the noise down, just what the target audience dreams of.
Also Roxie got a bouncy castle on her house but Jade ruined, was the that thing a rental? Did Roxie bough it with future plans? Either way is disheartening.
1 may '18
Episode 7
The episode goes with Roxie collecting old toys for charity, grabbing an old toy from Jade that later on turns out that it was very special for jade setting Roxy in a painful quest for it.
At the end Jade lets go of her toy clown stepping into maturity and she adds that now Roxie makes her feel loved like that clown did and that ramps up the lesbian subtext like if there was no tomorrow.
This was a nice episode, we saw lots of characters and places across the city, hell we even saw Jade's toy being take by a little kitty who was going around with her mom, that makes the city feel lived in and I love that.
Episode 8
Town fastest rabbit hit up on Roxie and Bev on the gym and for some reason the prepare to race against him and enlist an athletic dog that Roxie finds hot (beware shippers) and in top of that Petula gets into it teaming up with the fast rabbit and making the main gang bet for humiliation after the defeat. Incredibly they lose, the commenter on the event even said that rabbits are supposed to be fast and his victory was no surprise, so the audience celebrates the gangs effort because of how novel it was. At the end that resolution was actually very surprising it's refreshing to see a message like that.
10 may '18, night
Episode 9
So this episode opens with the girls doing yoga at the park, the mere fact of such thing makes me stop in my tracks.
Anywho, this is now a Bev centric episode, this came late but it was good, Bev meets with an old turtle friend to get a backstage on a popular talk show and turns out the host that Edie admired so much is a jerk, nothing special but this show keep proving me that this is how little girls see adult life because this episode could easily be a chick flick
Episode 10
So this is an episode of Trip (The hamster) and Quincy (The goat) being best bro and doing manly shit like going on adventures but at the end the main conflict is fixed by talking seriously to each other. The last LPS cartoon and this one had a pair of guys that were best bros, Sunil and Vinny and now Trip and Quincy, an episode of them being bros and going into adventures is the last thing I would had expected in a show aimed a little girls, in cartoons aimed at girls male characters some times will play very big roles but this episode goes far beyond that and I should not be surprised about that because brotherhood is a thing that fascinates women so this may be some little girl's first yaoi ship, that's kind of concerning.
17 may '18, past midnight
Episode 11
Bev gets the main gang an invitation to a party on a cruiser with a royal corgi, this set up could had come from romance novel so I'm not surprised it's here and thinking about this episode it feels like a parody of a romance novel, I have never read one but this is the kind of thing I would expect of one. This set up fall apart in the end and we're reminded that this is a show for little girls, no couple kiss, social norms get broken and this formal party turn into madness with the main theme playing over it at the end. I don't know what to say about this plot except that the female goat Quincy met was cute but I'm sure we won't see her again.
Episode 12
I have to be honest, my hearing failed me and most of the dialog flew over my head, the plot deals with Bev doing something risky and the other pets trying to save her but at the end turns out their efforts were in vain, Bev didn't risk her life. A thing that really got my attention is that the main gang meets a spider, I always try to imagine how these character will look on the more human side of the anthropomorphism scale, like most furry characters but in this show we see so many species that rarely get furry art some times I have a hard time imaging them beyond their present design, kudos to the toymakers and the people behind the cartoon for stepping out of the comfort zone of cutesy and cuddly animals. Also I've mentioned that the shows theme is so up to date and I was wondering what'll be like to watch this in 40-50 years...
24 may '18, evening
Episode 13
This episode gets kind of paradoxical, the pets feel they've become too soft and decide to go camping to reconnect with their animal part by going to camp but I'm beyond sure even in their normal homes they're quiet domestic, they never been to a forest so their concerns are mis aimed. They get in some trouble but fix it all with teamwork and this made me notice that this show maybe more 'action' packed than what I thought before, it's not just petty drama but the pets do get in adventures.
Episode 14
Roxie caught Jade falling on her back, very different from any other cat. Roxie is incredibly incompetent keeping her mouth shout and so ends up telling everyone while runs around to tell people to not tell anyone.
I don't know what to say. I can't really find a comparison for how would this plot go done in a more serious tone, I know it is about gossip but the set up is still too far out.
31 may '18, night
Episode 15
So when a an episode is interesting I have something to tell beyond the episode's plot but now I have nothing to say beside recapping stuff I've said before in other reviews.
Jade becomes a fashion icon after this world's equivalent of [I really want to insert a reference here but I don't know any significant fashion bloggers, I was going to say Perez Hilton but he posts gossip and not fashion so I don't know] and everything she wears becomes a fad, Jade as the grumpy goth she is hates all this attention while Edie gets jealous.
This plot doesn't have a clear adult equivalent, perhaps there is one but I have yet to see it. I'm afraid that my argument that this show is how little girls imagine the adult world to be like is crumbling.
Episode 16
remember the Sponge Bob episode 'Squirrel Jokes'? This is like an inversion of it. Quincy becomes a comedian making imitations of his friends, Edie was just on a TV PSA and people is laughing at her character through Quincy's imitation, but Quincy learns fast enough and pull an Andy Kaufman making an imitation of himself. I'm fascinated by how this is the opposite of a plot another cartoon did, such thing must had happen before but nobody must have noticed it. Also Quincy and Edie share an intimate moment at the end that is a tremendous shipper bait.
6 jun '18, night
Episode 17
So the pets get in a cruise once again, Bev's relative who is captain appears again and that's kind of a neat detail, they remember that character exists but I feel he's only a device to justify the pets getting into a cruise.
Either way the plot of this episode is that the new act for the cruise's entertainment, a hypnotists husky, hypnotizes the crew and herself by accident leaving the ship unprotected, Bev takes over, uses our main gang as crew and is a terrible captain. The hypnosis scene gave me a tremendous "This is somebody's fetish" moment but thankfully the whole episode wasn't build around it. I'm feeling my argument of "this is how little girls imagine adult life is like" holds no basis anymore, the pets are in a life of endless vacations and petty drama, this isn't a soap opera like I imagined it'll go.
Episode 18
The pets are going camping, why? Why do they take vacations? They don't work! They live this life of endless leisure! — I can't with this anymore, these pets are trust fund babies...
They tell scary stories around the campfire and we get clips of them but they're done in the normal style of the show feeling like they have no contrast. One of the stories mentions a human, a dog catcher being like the boogieman of this world, that was interesting but beside that there isn't much to this episode.
13 jun '18, night
Episode 19
So Jade fell into this fad of crystals but is keeping it in secret. It's a strange set up, Jade does seem self aware enough to know she defying the expectations of the people around her and that's is why she's is so weary of Roxie and Edie, because they'll make a big deal out of her acting different and that's a type of attitude she doesn't like but in my mind I have the feeling that Jade will embrace the fad and tell Edie and Roxy to buzz off but at the end this set up showed us how austere and secretive Jade is, I'm left puzzled.
Episode 20
Trip becomes a meme, but it's more like a meme from 2006, it's just an embarrassing video of him like the Star Wars kid. The joke goes is that Trip is oblivious to the fact he just humiliated himself and he goes around proud enjoying his fame to the point he organized a live show. Trip is a strange character because he doesn't have a defined gimmick, all the other characters from the main gang have something but Trip always felt flat on that matter, I think that before the show started the promotional material pointed towards him being a ninja(?) or an action guy but that hasn't been played too much in the show and even if the show was set on that being Trip's gimmick then this episode was a little out of character. Trip should have something but this episode doesn't help him to grow and had a really cheesy ending.
23 jun '18, night
Episode 21
So Edie gets all over herself, this time she takes a character out of the stage into the real world, she thinks she's a real psychic now and goes to the park, sets a tent and start to give predictions to the people. This episode addresses the criticism that 'psychics' relay on making ambiguous predictions to sound accurated once something fits the prediction but they don't go too deep with that and instead we have Edie snapping out of it mostly by herself.
I don't know what to think but I feel that flavor of "this is what little girls imagine adult life is like" has returned.
24 jun '18, past midnight
Episode 22
So this episode deals with something I should had seen coming but now that I have it I'm kind of surprised. Roxy, Jade and Edie have to take care of a bunch or naughty and aggressive puppies, they fail but this setup really caught my attention, I don't remember many cartoon dealing with childcare and babysitting in this manner. I mean this is a show for little girls and the core audience may find the topic interesting but I can't recall seeing it on any other cartoon and that has made this episode so interesting for me.
5 jul '18, night
Episode 23
So Bev gets bored and decides to try roller derby after a team invited her to join. This episode reminds a lot of The Game of Their Lives, the movie that I just saw, Bev's team is full of losers who put no effort into the game, she struggles and struggles to rise them until they one one match and then they celebrate, it feels phony like in The game of Their Lives because they do not address the fact they they probably still come last in the league and who know if the team still had that fighting spirit after Bev left.
Episode 24
Trip becomes rich after selling his outlandish invention on Paw Tucket's equivalent of Dragon's Den. I remember I've said that I feel Trip doesn't have a gimmick but I feel one is growing on him, it's hard to explain but Trip is a guy who who falls into success and finds a way to ruin it, kind of like Kramer from Seinfeld but Trip has a very different personality. Still, it's too fuzzy to arrive to a conclusion yet, Either way I enjoyed the mise en scene on this episode, I want an office like Trip's.
Also Quincy and Edie spend a lot of time together in this episode, is this ship baiting? I don't think a show for 4-6 years old girls would play with such a thing.
Episode 25
So Bev works as an assistant for the duo of magicians who are not getting along. The magician duo composed of a rabbit and a dog had an interesting gimmick, the rabbit is all serious while the dog clown around the tricks, they have an amazing dynamic in the stage and that reminds me a lot in 2001 I saw a live stage show of a magician and a clown with a similar dynamic, I just feel it's an amazing combination and seeing it again here really warmed my heart. On a similar note is sad that in the previews LPS show Sunil and Pepper never had an act like this together. The dog also reminds me of the argentine comedy troupe Les Luthiers for whom part of the joke is the fact that they look like serious performers of classical music.
This was a really enjoyable episode and I hope we see more of the rabbit and dog due soon.
Episode 26
A shepherd dog arrives in town, Roxy and jade try to introduce him to the place but he falls over trying to run after a sheep, Roxie is kind enough to invite him to recover at their home but jade is having none of it.
I think this plot has been done before, like one of those standard plot that cartoons recycle. Overall this episode was just bland, can't say much beyond hat.
Overall
The first season isn't over yet, and I'll be reviewing the second part whenever it comes out. this show has charmed me, everything is cute and nothing hurts, specially the mise en scene, paw tucket feels like an utopia, where everything is shiny and clean, I want a place like it to be real so I can not live there and call its inhabitants rich assholes.
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Maru’s Little Secret
for @shortcut48
Eyelids fluttered and Maru can feel warm breaths below her neck. Maru groaned when she felt her arm muscles stiffened at the weight that pillowed her arm. Maru squinted at the huge familiar blur sighing when Maru shifted on their bed. It was one of the mornings that made Maru's heart clench. The first sight that greeted her when she opened her eyes. Maru can't help it, but to smile.
It was their morning night in their new apartment. After a year of dating, and a month of spending on each other's houses, they finally decided that it would be best if they shared a home instead. They bought a new apartment and it was the best among the selections offered to them. High ceiling, natural light and has a bathtub wide enough for two people. It has two-rooms, with the master bedroom that can fit a California King-size bed (but oh, com'on, they only bought a King-size though, after purchasing the said bed with red faces) and the other room as a make-shift office for Maru. The kitchen is to die for, good ventilation, and Maru can only imagine kissing her girlfriend into a beautiful curve on the dining table as she—
Then, there was the sound of their doorbell, breaking Maru's little moment of thinking–er... watching her beautiful girlfriend's slumber.
"Mmm... Urusai." The blur mumbled, her voice hoarse from all the karaoke they did with their friends last night. (Annoying.)
"I'll get it." Maru sighed and kissed her girlfriend's hair as she got up from their bed.
"Stay," her girlfriend says, burying her head to Maru's pillow and raised her arms trying to get a hold of Maru.
Maru caught her hand and kissed her fingers, "I'll be back before you know it." She grinned at her girl and tucked their blankets up to her chin.
Satisfied, her girlfriend only hummed her reply before sleep took over her again.
Maru chuckled as she got her eyeglasses and phone from the bedside table, then padded to the door when it buzzes again.
"Hai, hai! Ikemasu," Maru muttered, rushing to the intercom to check who was it. "Yes?" She watched the screen flickered to life and the delivery boy beamed to her. (Yes, yes! I'm coming.)
"Package for Hoshino-san!"
Ugh. Maru grimaced. It's too early to be this cheerful but nonetheless, she opened the door.
"Sign here, please!" The delivery boy chirped, showing a small clipboard with a receipt and a check mark beside the blank next to her printed name to sign.
"Thanks," Maru muttered after she scrawled her signature and took the medium box inside their apartment.
"You're welcome. Have a nice day!" The boy beamed again.
Maru only grunted before she toed the door close and the lock automatically clicked and a robotic voice echoed by the foyer, "Autolock enabled."
"Oh, it's from Hiroko-san..." Maru whispered to herself as she placed it on the middle of the coffee table. She sat on the couch and began on texting her aunt.
To: Hiroko
Subject: Package
Message: Good morning. Thanks for sending the rest of my things. I received it well. Send my regards to Aeri and samchon. :-)
She was about to open the package with a blunt edge of the nail file she found on her girlfriend's box of nail polish when her phone began to ring. She paused, placed the nail file back on the table and took her phone instead and went outside the balcony as she answered the call.
"Ohayo, Neko-chan~," Hiroko greated her, she gave a little wave at Maru, showing her fingers.
"Ohayo," Maru grinned, her cheeks flushed from the morning cold.
"Have settled okay?"
Maru had to roll her eyes. Hiroko had been protective of her and always have been a mother hen. She couldn't actually help it, even Maru thought of her as her mother, since Hiroko's family had been a positive influence in her life. Maru's always thankful that they met them.
So, Maru answered truthfully, nodding as she explained that, "Yes, we had assembled most of the furniture last week, we had filled the fridge yesterday and had already filled their closet with our clothes," blushing a little deeper when she thinks how they attempted to mix some of their clothes together.
"I'm glad," her aunt sighed, a peaceful expression resting on her face.
"Love?" Her girlfriend called out and Maru turned her head to their bedroom door.
"Oh! Is that—"
"Hiroko-san! I should go." Maru blushed as she walked back inside.
"Yes, yes. Send my regards to—"
Maru had accidentally cut the call off when her girlfriend draped herself on her back. Maru eyed her phone but thinks that Hiroko would surely understand...
"Was that Hiroko-san?" She mumbled, tickling Maru's ear. "Oh, you got a package."
"Yeah...", Maru gulped.
"I missed you."
"M-Me too."
Her girlfriend looked at her amused. But her grin turned into a frown after a few seconds.
"What's wrong?" Maru asked when her girlfriend pulled the blanket resting on her shoulders and dropped them to a nearby armchair.
"I had a call from the company."
"But it's your day off." Maru stated as a matter of fact. Her girlfriend rarely gets a day-off.
Before, they made plans to go out of town. They visit an onsen or sight-seeing but since they live together now, Maru only wants to spend it in their new home. Maybe cuddle for a bit in their new king-sized bed or break into it, as what other couples call it (Maru blushed at this). Or maybe they could watch a some Ghibli movies on their brand new TV set and make-out on their new couch and (again) break into it.
There's a list of areas Maru thought of to christen their new home... except the bathroom since the two bathed together last night and things... Well, things got escalated pretty quickly which both of them slept soundly afterwards, exhausted and blissed out.
"Anyway, I have to go." Her girlfriend said sadly and kissed her temple and started to walk towards the bathroom.
"Do you want me to accompany you?" Maru suggested.
"To the office? Or... to the bathroom?" Her girlfriend smirked, her hand resting on the bathroom's doorknob.
"Both?" Maru grinned as she started to follow her girl to the door.
Maru as a dutiful girlfriend helped her girl into her clothes delaying as much possible as she could. Placing little kisses in small areas she only gets to do and —
"Love, I'm going to be late."
She was drying her girlfriend's hair when she asked again," Are you sure it's going to be okay with me not being there?"
"Yes, and you already asked that before." Her girlfriend replied, putting one small swipe of strawberry lipgloss on her lips and started to spread it with her finger.
"Well, I can go. I have nothing to do here." Maru sighed, her outdoor clothes are already out of the closet and placed strategically on their bed.
Her girlfriend grinned as she spun around the stool and faced Maru. She plucked out the hairbrush and hairdryer from Maru's hands and placed it back to the table. She held Maru's hands as Maru pouted, leaning over to taste that strawberry-flavored lipgloss on her girlfriend's lips.
"You can't go." Her girlfriend sighed, placing a finger on Maru's lips only to get attacked with Maru's little kisses. "Besides, you have things to do like, walk Orion (their dog), feed Paru (their cat) and Jurina (their soft-shelled turtle) and, clean Sayaka and Miyuki's cage (their lovebirds)."
"I can call Sakura over and let her do all the chores. You know she likes to watch Jurina swim by."
"No, you have to do it yourself. And you call yourself a co-parent? And Sakura's probably just weirded out with that turtle", Her girlfriend tsked and started on showering herself with perfume. "I'll be back before lunch." And she kissed Maru squarely on the mouth, nibble a little on Maru's lower lip and squeeze her into a tight hug.
When they separated, Maru looked dazed and mind blown.
"I'll miss you," her girlfriend says again, sadly this time and planted a shy kiss on the corner of Maru's mouth and before Maru knows it, her girlfriend was out of the door.
"Autolock enabled," said by a robotic voice.
After a short walk in the park near their apartment, with only Orion glomping on some ducks and chasing pigeons while Maru nursing a hot coffee between her hands, they came back in her girlfriend-less apartment. Maru then feed their cat, Paru, and Orion. Both of them wiggling their furry butts as they inhaled their food.
She then feed a scoop of fish food to Jurina who was lazily swimming in her aquarium. When she went to birdcage by their balcony, she felt a pang of jealousy as the two love birds groomed eachother with their tiny beaks.
"Good for you two," Maru glumly muttered as she dump two scoopful of birdfeeds on their bowl.
She then proceeded to clean their apartment. Fixing their bed, wiping spotless tables and chairs, dusting bookshelves twice , and vacuuming their already dust free floor. When she was done, Maru slumped on the couch and noticed the unopened box on the coffee table.
"Oh!"
She remembered the package and proceeded on opening the box, this time with a box-cutter she found on the countertop.
When she was done, she carefully opened the flaps, tore layers of bubble wraps and watch the contents unravel to her.
It was her collection, carefully gathered all these years.
When Maru flew to Japan and had an unexpected turn in career, she was saddened to leave this part of her in Korea. Ofcourse her girlfriend knows these vast collection since she once visited her apartment in Korea and accidentally ran into her Shimazaki Haruka shrine while she was looking for the bathroom. It was a spare room dedicated to her most favored AKB48 member. And even in their new home, Maru never neglected to organize some of her collections she had bought as she stayed in Japan around her home office. Ofcourse her girlfriend didn't mind because she has, too, her own collections carefully placed around the house.
The posters which decorated her Shimazaki Haruka shrine before are now carefully rolled and wrapped in plastic. Her AKB48 CDs and Blu-ray DVDs which were proudly displayed before are now stacked up with a cushion of cloth in between the plastic case as Maru preferred not a scratch on them. The calendars were stacked and wrapped in a bubble wrap, afraid that the metal wires would scratch her other beloved merch. There are also action figures of her AKB48 favorite members with a number of Shimazaki Haruka in different poses and clothes and sizes each on their individual boxes. There's her Paruru mug which was custom-made, also a few pillow cases she ordered online. Also, cheap collection of ballpens, pencils, erasers, stickers, slippers (that is too big for Maru's feet), mouse pad, notebooks, and backscratcher and more. There's also her treasured photobook of Shimazaki Haruka, gifted to her by Hiroko and a few Shimazaki Haruka custom-made plush toys which samchon gave her every Christmas, and a photo album filled with carefully collected Shimazaki Haruka photos, which Aeri helped her bid online.
Maru can't help but to sigh lovingly at each item. She carefully removed each one from the box, letting her fingers trail at the plastic covering her collection. When she reached at the bottom of the box, she gasped at the sight.
It was her Nike shoebox. She reached for it and opened the cover.
There rested among the package peanuts is a foot-long balljointed doll.
The doll's glass eyes are looking at her under the fan of her black eyelashes. Her lips pink and glossy and her cheeks dimpled as she was smiling shyly to Maru.
"Baby..." Maru cooed as she lifted one resin arm and locked a finger in the inside of the hand of Shimazaki Haruka doll.
This doll had been a product of Maru doing small part-time jobs for months. She played online games for lame gamers, she tended the convenience store, she had fried some chicken and delivered jajangmyun to houses, she made lattes for snobbish office workers, she mixed alcohol for rich businessmen, and she had climbed mountains and picked ginseng for this. This doll is the embodiment of her hardwork, tears and blood, and obsession. This was the center, the Queen of her shrine
and not even her girlfriend knows this (because the doll was inside her Nike box, a makeshift bed Maru made for her doll).
It started with her search for merchandises of her favorite idol. And after searching the web for various dolls, she has stumbled upon a small website for doll collectors. Some were pro in painting the doll's faces, making them look like famous actors and actresses, some were painted like idols and it perked her interest. She researched for 3 nights. Obsessively watching YouTube videos of doll owners. Reading Tumblr and blogsites of how to make your own wig, how to make doll clothes, how to make the eyeballs. And after a month of watching them she decided to save up money for her own doll.
After six months of working, and a month of waiting for the package, her custom-made doll arrived. She even made a box opening video for her to reminisce the first ever feelings she had.
She remembered she was slightly disappointed.
Her doll was faceless, her eye sockets are empty. Her face has no colors. The resin body is naked, and her head is bald.
A month later, her Shimazaki Haruka doll, was glaring at her. Maru thinks she needs to practice her face-painting more. Her clothes was a pre-made sailor uniform, ordered online because it was 75% off. Her socks have different lengths, because Maru don't know how to sew, and her shoes where from an old Barbie doll she found lying in a dumpster.
Maru was placing her newly made beanie made from her old sock on doll Haruka's head when Hiroko came inside her room. The older woman looked at the doll who looked like she has cancer because of the lack of wig and at the helpless look on Maru's face.
"Oh, Neko-chan..."
A week later, doll Haruka has 137 set of clothes, 87 pair of shoes, 53 undergarments, 41 pair of socks of different designs and sizes, 95 pieces of accessories, and 37 wigs of different hair color and styles. Doll Haruka had her face pofessionally painted, a small blush dusting her cheeks and her smile brighter with her glossed lips. (Courtesy of Hiroko-san) And had various home-made furnitures that Maru delicately assembled on nights.
Hiroko only beamed at her when Maru dressed her doll for the first time in Japanese traditional clothes. She trembled as she let it kneel on a small plush pillow and placing a small teacup on her little hands.
Maru smiled wetly at the doll and pulled the gloves folded and tucked at the bottom of the box's lid. She wore them and carefully picked the doll up, fixing the doll's wig, straightening her already straight clothes and fixing her shoes. She let it sit on the table and opened another box nested beneath her Nike box. "Now, what do you want to wear for today?"
Maru had finished putting her collection back to the box, re-taped it and placed it safely in their closet, except for her Nike shoebox and another box filled with doll clothes and accessories. When she received a text that her girlfriend would be late and that Maru could order some food for lunch but would be back for dinner. But Maru opened their cupboards instead, boiled some water and unpacked a pack of ramen.
When she placed it on the dining table, sitting across her on the table was doll Haruka on her own dining set and sporting a miniature ramen bowl and chopsticks on her hands.
"I'm glad you're keeping me company." Maru smiled and started on eating her noodles.
After lunch, Maru unboxed her gaming consoles and played games on their widescreen TV, beside her is doll Haruka and on her hand is her own plastic mini-gaming console, smiling at the TV all the same.
After Maru got bored playing, she pulled a random book from their shelf and lounged on the couch with her feet propped up by the arm on the end.
Beside her, on the coffee table is doll Haruka sitting prettily on her arm chair with a book.
Maru swooned.
Maru woke up with a start. The first ray of sunset filtered through the glass wall and she looked at the clock. In an hour her girlfriend would be coming home and she should be starting on preparing for dinner. But first...
Doll Haruka was standing on the breakfast counter. She's wearing a bandana headband to keep her bangs from falling and a pink frilly apron on her clothes. Her hands were rested on the countertop of her kitchen set as she watched patiently on her empty plastic pots placed on the top of the plastic stove.
Maru smiled as she tasted the soup from a pot and added a pinch of pepper to it.
"Perfect."
"I'm home!"
"Okaeri!" Maru rushed to the door. She placed her blue apron on the chair and meet her girlfriend who was placing her handbag on the couch. (Welcome home)
"How was your day?" Her girlfriend asked and meet Maru's lips halfway.
"Oh... It was fun!" Maru smiled and started on setting up the table.
"Fun? Really?" Her girlfriend muttered as she sat on one of the empty chairs which was replied with an enthusiastic hum from Maru. "Love, are you sick?" She asked because Maru doesn't do fun. She always replies with an, "okay", "it's alright" or "no, I missed you a lot" then would attack her with little kisses until she can't breathe.
"I'm fine, really."
"So... what did you do?" The girlfriend asks scooping the soup into the little bowls they bought two days ago.
"Well... I walked Orion to the park, feed all the pets and cleaned the litterbox, the birdcage and set the thermostat in Jurina's aquarium. Played some games for a while, read half of the book and slept for two hours then made dinner." Maru explained, her voice tilting in a melody she had never heard of before.
"O-okay..." She picked a pickle and munched on it, weirded out with her beloved enthusiasm.
When the two of them finished eating, Maru draw a bath for her girlfriend and started on cleaning the kitchen. Maru bathed after, put on some matching PJs with her girlfriend and eyed the Nike box on their closet longingly before walking to the bed and sitting beside her girlfriend.
"You know..." Her girlfriend whispered by Maru's ear that had Maru's stomach clench needily. "I don't have anything scheduled tomorrow morning. We could break in the bed today."
"Y-yeah?"
Her girlfriend bit her lip as she loomed over Maru. "Yes." As she kicked a leg and sat on Maru's lap. " I missed you a lot." She whimpered and embraced Maru tightly.
"I missed you, too." Maru breathed in a good amount of her girlfriend's scent.
And they kissed. Hungrily, exploringly and lovingly wild. Their hands roamed each other's bodies and as her girlfriend started to undress herself, Maru watched in horror when the closet door slowly opened.
"Baby!" Maru exclaimed and started on pulling her girlfriend's clothes back and held her hands tightly.
"Baby? You never call me that." Her girlfriend gaped. Then she was pushed aside by Maru as Maru rushed to the closet and locked it firmly.
Maru looked so panicked that her girlfriend got so curious over what was inside the closet.
"Love? What's wrong? Is someone in there?"
"N-no! Noone! There's no one." Maru assured her as she flailed her arms frantically.
"Are you sure?" She asked but Maru only gulped so she decided to take the matter in hand. She got up from the bed and shoved Maru aside after fighting for the door lock and opened the closet.
It was dark and full of their clothes and shoe boxes. Her girlfriend stuck an arm and started on reaching out to spacious areas and found that there as no one. She sighed and closed the door and put on the lock.
"Well?" Maru asked calming down and holding her girlfriend's hand pulling her away from the closet.
"There's no one."
"Told you so."
Her girlfriend only hummed as she went back to bed. Her back turned to Maru.
"Oyasumi," she said as she turned her lamp off on her side. (Good night.)
Maru only frowned, putting her own lights out and hugged her girlfriend from behind.
Their morning was domestic as ever. They shared slow kisses after Maru woke up ehen she found her girlfriend fixing breakfast. The impending fight forgotten from last night and the two lazily planted soft kisses in each other's lips.
"We could do it in the kitchen." Maru whispered as her left hand started on groping her girlfriend's right butt cheek and her other hand massaging the inside of her girlfriend's thigh.
"N-no, not in the kitchen. We cook food in here." Her girlfriend moaned but all the same grinded on Maru's fingers.
"Livingroom?"
"Oh, yes!"
When they reached to the living room they discovered that there were no curtains on their full glass wall.
"Bedroom." Her girlfriend started to pull her to their room but Maru look so scandalized and pulled her hand.
"No."
"Love?"
"Just... Just not there, please?"
Her girlfriend looked at her confused.she then headed straight to their room and started to open all the doors of their closet. Maru could ony watch her reach out again and started on checking if there was hidden doors or something.
When the last of the doors are closed, her girlfriend look like she was about to cry.
"Orion!" She called and dog bounced to their bedroom. "I'm going to walk the dog out." She announces and picked her coat and plucked the lead hooked beside the door. "I'm eating breakfast outside."
The door clicked shut.
"Autolock enabled."
For the first time, Maru felt ashamed.
Maru walked to the closet and opened the box. Doll Haruka was smiling brightly at her. She wore a white nightgown and there was a little dirt on her arm.
"I'm going to take care of you."
After cleaning up Haruka, she had the doll dressed up in some pretty sundress, matched her shoes to the color of her handbag and placed some sunglasses on her hair.
"Beautiful." Maru says and tears fell from her eyes.
She placed doll Haruka back in the box and waited for her girlfriend to return, her fingers deep in Paru's fur.
When the girlfriend returned, the two of them had red-rimmed eyes, flushed cheeks and red swollen lips. The two embraced tightly and cuddled on the couch and spent the rest of the morning watching some old Japanese gameshow.
Two days later, the girlfriend discovered some blonde strand of hair on their bathroom sink.
She clutched the strand of hair tightly and stopped herself from crying.
"Love..." Her girlfriend says as the two of them lied on their bed, equally naked as Maru acting as the big spoon and her girlfriend's back on her.
"Yeah?"
"You'll tell me when there's another person, right?" Her girlfriend whispered.
"Huh? What brought this on?"
"Please... Just tell me when that time comes, okay?"
"I don't understand."
"Please..." She trembled and Maru thinks this is her fault. She embraced her tightly as her girl curled in tighter to herself.
"I will... I promise." Maru says, but she knew that it would impossible.
"Thank you." She sobbed.
Four days later, the girlfriend found a small piece of jewelry on the carpet. It was a small tack earring with a small diamond on the end of the thin wire.
She placed it carefully on a piece of tissue and put it on the coffee table, where Maru could see it whenever she looks for it.
She left home in a hurry and came back by midnight — drunk.
Maru doesn't wear an earring.
Maru had enough. Her girlfriend doesn't even speak to her anymore. One day her girlfriend came home drunk, ignored Maru's nagging and questions of where she had been to or who was with her. Maru bristled when her girlfriend continued to ignore her and drunkenly dropped herself to bed without removing her socks and coat.
Maru just sighed to herself and started on undressing her girl. She wiped her body with warm water, clothed her and kissed her forehead worriedly. When she tucked her lover to bed and when settled beside her, Maru can feel her tremble and soft sobs whacked her small body. Maru did as best she could, holding into her lover afraid that when Maru wakes up, she would be gone.
Maru can't even understand what was happening. One week in their new home and their relationship is falling apart. She thinks that this is some curse or something. She definitely heard the landlord says that it was pre-owned by a married couple and decided to sell the place when they got divorced.
But Maru wasn't even religious. She paced on the kitchen sporting a new apron with the same design as doll Haruka, which was sitting on the countertop, her resin legs dangling on air.
"What should I do?" Maru whispered as she paced back and forth. "This definitely started when we made love in that new bed. She started on saying like there was some sort of third party between us."
Maru paused from her pacing and looked at the doll straight in its glassy eyes.
"She isn't cheating on me, right?" Maru whispered and she sunk on the nearby seat. "But she's not like that."
Maru thinks of the times her girlfriend pushed her when she tried to kiss her. There was one time when Maru playfully planted a kiss on her cheek, too overjoyed that she found the missing earring of doll Haruka the day before but her girlfriend only ducked away from her and ran to the bathroom muttering that she's going to be sick. Maru only ignored that time because after that encounter, she can hear wretching and vomiting in the bathroom. When Maru later came with a glass of water, she was again ignored as her girlfriend tells her that she wants some tea instead.
Maru watched doll Haruka which was smiling at her, never judging and also never talking. She sighed and Maru untied the apron from doll Haruka and started to pick another set of clothes from the box.
"Today, Haruka's going be a guest-host in a talkshow. Let's try to match her up."
Maru was excited, there was a new package delivered to her before dinner and when she opened it, it was the new curtains she had ordered online. Hiroko helped her match it up on the interior of their living room, also choosing the design and quality that would be suited during daytime and night.
Orion sniffed at the new curtain, followed by Paru who left after a few sniffs, uninterested. Jurina only swam by and the lovebirds ignored it, too busy cuddling on their perch.
"Autolock enabled."
The sound pulled Maru out of her thoughts and walked towards the foyer, welcoming her tired girlfriend as she plucked her shoulder bag and gathered her coat.
"Welcome home!" Maru greeted her lovingly. She was excited to do the most awaited deed on their couch. She knows that her girlfriend is looking forward to it. Maru though hard and she traced the problem way back when they tried to do it the living room but found out of the lack of curtains. Now, there are two beautiful heavy set of curtains hiding their privacy away from the public's eyes.
Maru placed the bag and coat on an armchair and led her girlfriend to the couch.
"I know that we should be choosing the curtain together but I wanted to surprise you."
Maru watched her girlfriend crane her neck and spare a look at the said curtain.
"I asked someone who is expert in this field. I showed her our interior and she said beige would suit our living room well. Then I had her picked among some items I personally liked but she said, I should choose this kind of material because it's durable, eash to clean and — Eh?! Why are you crying?"
Maru panickedly kneeled in front of her girlfriend as she started to cry. Maru tried to hold her hand but her girlfriend clutched at a throw pillow.
"Babe, what's wrong?"
"I'm not your baby!" Her girlfriend shouted which shocked Maru. "I—I... Let's breakup." She deflated and started crying harder.
"W-what do you mean? I... We just..." Maru started on babbling, she can't understand this situation. Her girlfriend should like her surprise. She was very sure of it when she picked the design, even their dog approves of it. She started on rummaging her thought of what to say but she's reaching nowhere and she's starting to feel so helpless. Then her thoughts stopped altogether and Maru can only think what can make her beloved stay."... So much. I—I love you so much."
"Do you?!" Her girlfriend snarled and threw the pillow at her. "You were... You were ch-cheating on me."
Maru gawks and she threw the pillow back to the couch. "I'm not! I'm not cheating on you. Where did you get that idea?" Maru softened her glare, there must be some reason why her beloved girlfriend acts like that. But there wasn't anybody else. She had remained loyal and so, so inlove with this girl that sometimes it scares her. "Tell me who told you that!"
"No one!" There were tears on her girlfriend's eyes, rolling to her cheeks, never ending. And Maru badly wanted to brush them away. "You bought this damn curtain with her, right?!" She waves forcefully at the curtain and surprising Orion and Paru which made tge two fluffs raced to the kitchen.
"No way! Hiroko-san helped me buy it!"
"Excuses!" She scoffed and shoved Maru. "Who's that girl you were hiding then? You even let her entered OUR apartment! I saw a blonde hair on the sink when neither of us had dyed hair! And–and there's this earring I saw the other day. I don't own that one and I know don't even wear one! Tell me if that isn't proof enough! And on our second night–oh, god, our second night into OUR NEW home and you invited someone else into OUR room. Just who is that you were hiding that night in that damned closet?!!" Her girlfriend heaved and like a burnt out candle she stopped crying as she realizes something.
"I'm going to... move out." Her girlfriend says and it's enough to bring Maru out of her shock.
"No..." Maru whispered as she held on her girlfriend's hand.
"I should leave... Now!" She says as she tried to free her arm, pulling it from Maru's grasp.
"No, let me explain!"
"And then what?! Hurt me some more?" She pulled her arm successfully but she ended up sitting back couch instead. Maru kneeled infront of her again. Her heart ached when she saw the tears on Maru's eyes. God, she love this girl so much for letting Maru do this to her. The girlfriend thinks she doesn't deserve to be this hurt. But she also thinks that Maru shouldn't be this hurt when Maru was the one who was hurting her from the start. So, she gave up, giving small chance to fix this. To fix them.
Lacing their fingers together as Maru begged her, "Come with me. I need to show you something. Please..."
How could she deny when Maru looks so desperate to her? She nods and followed Maru to their bedroom.
Maru lets her sit on the bed as she opened the closet and got a shoe box. She placed it on her girlfriend's lap and urged her to open the box.
She gasped. The doll looked at her with a small shy smile, a blush on her resin cheeks, as she meets her owner's beloved girlfriend for the first time.
"She's... She's..." She has no words for this but Maru helpfully finished her sentence.
"She's... You."
And Shimazaki Haruka cried and laugh so hard as she clutched the box tightly, afraid to muss up the delicate doll nestled on a bunch of foamy peanuts.
"I hate you so much." Haruka says as she throw a fist to Maru's chest. Maru caught it and kissed her fingers which made her cry some more.
"I love you, too."
That night they placed doll Haruka by the couch she's wearing mini-headphones and a small laptop was perched on her lap. Beside her is Paru on her back and her white belly exposed.
The two dorks are inside their bedroom, making love slowly, kissing tears in each other's eyes as they explored a new part of their relationship.
"I still hate you for letting me cry this much." Haruka pulled Maru closer, letting their lips touch but doesn't kiss.
"I hate myself, too, if that would comfort you." Maru grinned, her eyes, too, are puffy and Haruka gently brushes some stray hair from her cheeks.
"So... She's Baby?" Haruka shyly asked.
"Hn... My Baby."
"And... And, what am I to you?" Haruka looked so small when she asked it, she held on to Maru afraid that a doll would win her lover over.
"You're my lover, my girlfriend, my partner, my everything, my forever... My love and life. My beautiful, beautiful Haruka."
Haruka blushed and she ducked her head. "You're an idiot." Haruka says, planting a soft kiss on Maru's kiss-bruised lips.
"Your kind of idiot." Maru murmured and started on deepening the kiss. "And besides, Baby and I go way back. She was everything."
There was a sparkle in Maru's eyes that made Haruka gritted her teeth. "Shut up."
"Make me — A–Ah... Haruka~"
Two months later, there was a built-in glassed-covered wooden shelves in the living room. Each shelf was designed like a room, filled furnitues and trinkets of random miniature things. And on the bedroom at the top most shelf are two dolls sitting on a miniature couch, resin hands holding and equally smitten with each other.
Doll Haruka smiled her dimpled smile while doll Maru had a small smile playing on her lips. The two are wearing a couple sweater. Pink and full of hearts.
The two are equally and irrevocably in love.
Extra:
"My Baby's all grown up!" Maru sobbed as she placed doll Haruka carefully on the miniature bed, beside doll Maru.
"Someday, you'll find yourself sleeping on the couch alone." Haruka warned and pushed the glass cover close. There was a small click and she walked back a step to look at their miniatures selves looking quite contented in their bed.
"Oh... Are you jealous, Shimazaki-san?" Maru teased then wrapped her girlfriend in her arms.
"Congratulations, Hoshino-san. You just won a night in the living room." Haruka bristled as she opened the latch of the doll house and pulled doll Maru out, leaving doll Haruka with a sad smile. "Yobo and I are going to sleep in the bedroom tonight." Haruka left a gaping Maru. "I'll leave the blanket to you, it gets cold here." Then the sound of the door lock.
"Y-Yobo?!?"
#AKB48#ThingsThatMIx-fic#OC-Hoshino Maru#Shimazaki Haruka#Matsui Jurina#Miyawaki Sakura#yamamoto sayaka#watanabe miyuki#Haruka is a doll#Creepy Fangirling#Jurina is a soft-shelled turtle#Sayaka and Miyuki are lovebirds#Sakura is a clueless girl as always lol#TTM#shortcut48
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Dad Letter 071220
12 July, 2020
Dear Dad--
Another week of plague, isolation, and lightsabers! Also we got the remnants of a tropical storm, I think, which has always been a concern now that we live on the eastern seaboard. But by the time the storm reached Old Town, Maine, it amounted to about 90 minutes of light rain. For those of us who like observing the weather, it was disappointing as hell, quite the anti-climax. We had more of a hurricane a few years back in Austin, when we got the leftovers of that one that ate Houston. We got about 50 inches of rain in two days; it was AWESOME! Checking...that was Hurricane Harvey from August of 2017. Oh well, there’s still plenty of hurricane season left to go, and I’m not worried. My shit is insured.
So, about the coronavirus, and leaving out any political commentary, did you notice that the national caseload, which had been dropping, just started rising again? I mention this only because if you were under the impression that we got this virus beat, that seems to have been overtaken by facts on the ground, and pretty please continue wearing a mask when shopping or going out in public, because your fellow Oklahomans are a petri dish of icky germs right now. You know, I never thought I’d witness an honest-go-god plague in my lifetime, certainly nothing that would directly impact the way I live my life. But ohhhhh, is this impactful! (And by the way, I’m not crazy about the fact that “impactful” is a word, but it is, so I’m using it.) Every time I check in with someone I know and/or love to see how they’re doing, they’re all responding with some variation of, “Oh, you know,” and they make a gesture that seems to encompass the whole universe around them, as if to say, I’m doing okay, but the universe is totally fucking blowing it right now. And that’s where I live, man!!
So I truly hope you and Elaine are doing okay. I know no one’s health is as robust as we’d like, but I’m sure you’re still exercising. Good movies are coming out, it’s just more likely that they’ll come straight to video instead of to movie theaters first. That Tom Hanks WWII “Greyhound” movie got delayed, and I read that it made Tom Hanks sad, not just because he starred in it, but because he wrote the screenplay. But! I believe if you have something called Apple Plus--I don’t have this, and I’m not entirely clear what it is--you can see it now. In other words, it’s been released digitally. I suppose there are services that allow you to pay to watch it on your TV, assuming the internet is involved in there somewhere? Entertainment technology began to leave me behind once they mastered flat screen TVs. I’ll see if I can find an easy way to watch it on the computer and let you know.
The other excitement of the week? I purchased Turtle Wax! I’ve noticed the paint on my 12 year-old Hyundai is starting to fade in spots, so I decided that, if water beaded up on the hood when it rained, that would somehow completely correct the faded paint problem. (In retrospect, I realize that it won’t, it’ll just make the spots of bare paint slightly shinier.) Now that I’ve done a few test spots on the hood and roof, I want it to rain, to see if it’s working. The last rain occurred just before I got the Turtle Wax. This shit is exciting to me! It never seemed to make much sense to wax my car in Texas, and I’m not sure why. I guess I figured the sun would kill whatever car paint it wanted to kill, and some wax wasn’t about to stop it. But now I’m quarantining, and spending the whole day looking out the window at my car, thinking, now that I have a lightsaber, my life will be 100% complete once I can wax my hood. Not the whole car, mind you, just the hood and roof. I don’t need to see water beading up on the sides in order to achieve complete self-actualization, it seems.
Oh, new kitty update: We are supposed to get the new kitten tomorrow, from our neighbor Clint. Because problems keep popping up that interfere, I predict only about a 50% chance that we’ll actually have the new kitty by tomorrow. That part can kiss my ass, by the way. They’re only a kitten for a short time, and we’re missing the period of maximum cuteness. And we really could use a new mammal around the house to keep everyone entertained while we’re stuck here. We have special litter. I bought flea collars. We have a whole plan, all planned out, how we’re going to introduce new kitty into the house, and how we’ll introduce it to Sam, and take lots of pictures, because it’s just so damn adorable. I can’t wait! I’m going to try to be patient, but gimme my fucking kitty, dammit! I need something furry to put some love on!
I wanted to talk about your desire to speak on the phone. I don’t want to do that, but I worry when you add such emotional weight to it, and I can at least talk about it. Here’s how I see it: I have learned, from experience, that you and I do our best communication when it’s not happening live, when we have time to pause and reflect, when we can exercise more thought about how we speak to each other. Let’s face it, I’m a doughy, gay, exceptionally liberal democrat, a bone-deep atheist, and a firm believer that everything republicans do is, by definition, chock full of evil, and best not done. I’m on the side of Black Lives Matter, and the tearing down of Confederate statues. I know you come down pretty firmly on the other side of that debate, in fact, you seem keen to kill the shit out of any protesters who might come over the hill to attack the homestead.
I think we maintain our friendship better, and treat each other with more kindness and respect, when we have to write the shit down. It requires more thinking. It isn’t just sustaining what I feel is a pretty damn decent friendship that I’m having with you, I think it’s the reason why we haven’t fucked it up yet. I think it’s the reason we’re friends and not busy being angry or disappointed in each other.
I don’t want to rehash the past. I know you loved me the best way you knew how. I know you did your best as a parent, and I’m very grateful for it, which is why I feel like I can do better than just cutting off all communication between us entirely, even though we’re so different. In case it’s not obvious, I put some effort into the letters I write to you. I make sure they’re not short. I make sure they show you the real me without rubbing your nose into my liberal opinions, or being accidentally thoughtless in some way.
Perhaps it’ll help to look at it this way: I know so many people who have nothing but contempt for their family, and don’t want to have anything to do with them. You happen to have a family member who’s a brilliant, and funny writer, who could write the great American novel (if he knew how to make stuff up, but it turns out he’s bad at that) but I prefer to channel that energy into my weekly letter to you. I want to protect our friendship and I think I’ve figured out how to do that. I know it’s not how you want things to be, but just remember that I’m loving you the best way I know how, too. We are communicating.
Now just so that I don’t end this week’s letter on something that may be a bummer, allow me to tell you about my new lightsaber. (Trust me, you’re going to need to know all this stuff.) It can be changed to whatever color you want. It makes all the lightsaber sounds; the speaker is in the pommel, and can get quite loud. You know how they flash when two lightsabers hit each other? You know, in real life? They made my toy one to do the same thing. When you wang it against something, it flashes white a few times briefly. I’m telling you all this in case it helps you decide whether you’ll need one, but trust me, you do. If any scary people come over the horizon to attack your homestead and you greet them with a blue lightsaber, I guarantee they’ll drop their weapons, and embrace you in brotherhood.
Of course, I’ll write more next week. I hope you’re safe and staying out of the sun. All my love to both of you!!
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The Boy Who Ran pt 3
This is a part 3 to prompt: “Imagine that you show up in your favorite character’s universe, only for them to be missing. You ask the other characters about it, but they have never even heard of your favorite character. You soon realize that you’re supposed to play their role in the story/series”.
I chose Harry James Potter. [Part 1] // [Part 2]
The problem with coming into the barroom of the Leaky Cauldron after sweating my way through about an hour long Dark Lord induced migraine, intent to do a very dramatic verbal sparring match with a sneaky antagonist professor hiding things from the world, is that one has to remember that I am still an eleven year old boy.
An eleven year old boy, wearing magically cleaned clothing that I was swimming in, both from it being hand-me-downs and from being stretched out by desperate attempts to hide inside it like a turtle. A small, tired and anxious turtle that had been sleeping in a tarp under a park bench before he had a chance to sleep in a warm magic pub somewhere in London.
I was also tentatively coming down the stairs of a magic pub with no actual protection past the half giant coming down the stairs behind me and, thanks to the self-imposed migraine from a little earlier, I looked like I had just lost a fight with a sauna.
Not a good look, Harry.
None the less, and no thought spared to my vanity or my undying quest for dramatic openings to my day, Hagrid was intent on getting me the biggest plate of food he could physically order me before we went shopping for my school supplies. Thankfully I still had a list from all the letters the owls had managed to drop on me in the park... whichever park that actually happened to be. I had ended up burning a good deal of the letters to stay warm, or using them to wrap oneg leftovers in, so most of them weren’t what you would call readable to the naked or spectacled eye. I wasn’t sure how I felt occasionally eating congealed jam off a paper telling me to buy something with silver buttons, but that was yesterday’s problem, not the problem for today’s Harry.
Luckily for me and my anxiety, but unluckily for my general sense for the dramatic, it was rather early and the main room was rather sparsely populated. The wonderful professor Quirrell was in fact present, but he had only just entered and seemed to be peering around the room as my food hit the table and I was, I am not too proud to admit, too hungry to care past that. Tom the barman was happily setting things up along the, well, bar. And, for all of his work to keep his excitement contained the last time I’d seen him, he seemed to be vibrating to get a proper introduction today. I contemplated not doing much other than existing in a cloud of food and the tangent about dogs I’d managed to get Hagrid on, but Tom had been ever so nice and the food was very good, so we started chatting. Then, a man with a very large top hat and a very pleased expression shuffled in and came over, nearly toppling Quirrell on his ass in the process, and said hello— Mr. Diggle he said his name was and I said I recognized his top hat.
I’m not actually sure if I did or not.
Some part of me was, about the fourth or perhaps seventh sausage I had put in my mouth, vaguely sure I had read something about seeing something about a top hat. Perhaps I could get a top hat. Several even.
Mr. Diggle who was very pleased I recognized his top hat. I know because I let him talk about it at length, standing by mine and Hagrid’s table as I continued to eat a seemingly endless amount of food. I tucked away a mental note to look up if that was possible to do, endless food.
The upside of eating in a large room while you are a child, with people who are not children and who don’t wish to offend you, is that they tend to ask very politely if they can join you for conversations, or if they are intruding, and they don’t mind if you keep eating with one hand and shake the other. I know the procession of people filtering in as time passed didn’t seem to want to point out to The Boy Who Lived that his table manners weren’t the best, and I was fine with that.
Or so Mr. Diggle, at least, didn’t seem to be so inclined to do, because I kept asking about his hat in the way adults expect obedient and polite children to do so.
I did this primarily because I wanted his top hat or one very similar, because it could have magic properties, or at least look very cool. While I was sure he would have given it—and indeed the shirt off his back—to me, I reasoned that would have gotten me off to a rather poor start. Honestly, come to think on it, I could probably afford many of my own top hats in the future, even top hats for my friends and their families— a top hat legion, if you will. No, would that be a coven? A coven of top hats. Was a group of hats just called a group of hats? I made another mental note to ask when I found a magical hat shop.
This flight of fancy was sponsored by Mr. Diggle now speaking with Hagrid in an extended conversation about the possibility of hats that could fit him, which I engaged in to avoid speaking to Quirrell who was occupying his time trying to break into this three way banter to talk at me, but I refused to let him break in without breaking his persona.
Mostly by making a concentrated effort of doing everything that would make someone with anxiety absolutely incapable of entering the conversation, and it was going very, very well. It gave me more than enough time to size up the enemy so it was, though I found myself unimpressed.
Quirrell was younger than I had expected— not some thirty or forty something secretly devoted man that other adults couldn’t read as creepy because they were too caught up with themselves, not some guy you don’t notice in the break room at work till he loses it. No, he was mid-twenties— not out of place at a university, maybe a really nice community college, if I had to put him somewhere. He had a tic to his face, a fidget to his fingers and his eyes darted around the room when he wasn’t trying to talk. Nothing I would place as unusual for someone with say, paranoia or PTSD, knowing what they are. The way he had approached Hagrid and stood near his chair after greeting him in the stuttering way that was annoyingly natural, shifting here and there with a stance of someone who knew how to move and handle oneself but also one of someone who had seen what happens if they don’t.
I chewed through my hash and sausages with an increased fervor as Mr. Diggle took his leave and Hagrid started speaking to Quirrell, thankfully not having brought the attention over to me yet.
It wasn’t surprising, I supposed.
I had a set image in mind for millions of things, I was going to be wrong a lot and I was going to have to roll with it, but the fact that there wasn’t something obviously sinister to this man made my shoulders itch. Paranoia wasn’t even the main explanation of it, I knew, I had the memories, blurred and set in my head— he’s evil. A devil, but he looks exactly like so many people left after Voldemort that not a single person would see something strange aside of me here.
Knowing what I know, before The Green people were dying young and joining causes that were even younger. It was a war of young blood being spilled and young people trying desperately to survive. The old might have been part of it and the old guard might still be around, but it was the younger generations that was most scarred and we’re going to be scarred again and— the more I thought on it, the more I could feel the threat of another headache.
Thankfully for me, I finished the food— or what I had shoved into my mouth at that point in time, really—by the time Hagrid pulled me into their conversation.
I was taking a long drink of water while Hagrid was introducing him to me, probably earning me several ‘rude and unperson-able’ points, but I kind of wanted the following handshake to be as cold and clammy for him as I assumed it was going to be for me.
Surprisingly, it was... not. Timid, thinner than Hagrid’s had been by several miles, and he seemed vaguely surprised at how little there was to my hand when we shook, but that was it. He seemed to study my confused expression as I studied my hand before he bid us both farewell—assuring me it was a pleasure to finally meet me in person, and I’m so sure it was, really—and he was off to buy his book on Vampires or whatever the heck he was actually there for. Paranoia said he was off turn into a snake to stalk us, but some part of my introspection piped up enough to say that my head should be exploding but it was not.
I knit my brows together while I tried to work out why that was— I recalled something about calling it a plothole before the light, but those don’t exist in real life. Life doesn’t have a plot to have holes; it has problems that have solutions, which I should be seeing about now. Quirrell was wearing his turban, so it could be possible that Voldemort wasn’t at the moment strong enough to be felt, but they had been reaching for other horcrux in an effort to ensure they all still remained, on the off chance some were destroyed while he was dead. It would have explained the headache, but that could also have been purely a happenstance pang of magic due to newly awakened—well, more so newly tapped—magic potential in myself being in proximity to other powerful magic users. Is that how it could work? Maybe my own para—
“You alright there ‘arry?” After I removed myself from the ceiling, having shot straight upward with a yelp of surprise at the half giant’s attempt to check on me. Hagrid tried again to talk, large hands hovering in my direction, seemingly wary of if I would accept a comforting pat. “Woah there, you don’t need ta be so jumpy, you’ve got me with ya, remember!”
“No, yeah, I know I’m fine I just...” I looked around at the few people inside, including Tom who waved with a look of concern, and back to Hagrid. He raised a furry eyebrow while I waved my hands in circles in front of me at everything.
“All of these this is a lot? Also does this mean I wasn’t in London? Because I thought I ran pretty far and I was at least 98% sure I was in London. But I saw a sign on the way in that said London and I am now very upset about my directional capabilities and I want to know if that’s important to being a wizard.” I paused after my voice started speeding up and running away on me. Adjusting my spectacles to peer at him, eyes wide as he covered his mouth with a large knuckle while he was listened to me continue with my hands clasped together. “Because, Hagrid, if I have to tell an owl where to go, with details, to send a letter, that owl is going nowhere fast. In fact, it may end up in Africa before it ends up in Scotland, though I have absolutely no idea why I would ever need to send post to Scotland.”
“Harry.” He grinned wider than I ever thought I would see someone be capable of, especially while listening to me go on about owl navigation, and then started chuckling. “I’m thinkin’ you’ll do jus’ fine. But, yea, we’re in London now. All ya need to worry about right now, though, is us gettin’ after them supplies on your letter.”
This is the point where, apparently, just a little, I stalled out in the face region. Around the eyes where someone could tell I had just worked through the fact that while, logically, I was aware Harry James Potter maintains a large sum of money that would frankly be disgusting to even think about counting, I was also used to being poor. Before The Green Light, having more than a few dollars at a time to my name was a rare occurrence and the times it happened were few and far between. While I couldn’t remember how rare, or how long that was—headaches—I knew it was long enough that when I was living in the cupboard and on what was left over from meals, I wasn’t too surprised by it.
Soon though, soon I would have enough money that I, Harry James Potter, would never go hungry again—but would it still be there if I had to keep paying for uniforms and ingredients and books and quills and—
I was brought out of my haze of money paralysis by Hagrid waving his hand in front of my face—more of a wiggle motion, given the short span to him, really—and repeating my name a few times in a concerned tone, before I shook my head and put my hands to my face. On one hand I was still processing that I was going to have money, on the other I had to pretend that I didn’t know that and not vibrate my way out of the chair like any other broke person.
“Hagrid,” He leaned closer to me with, what I presumed to be a worried expression. It was hard to tell with all the hair. “I don’t have any money.”
“Harry, I’ve told you, your family—”
“I’m 11 years old!” I said it in a frustrated tone and did my best to look annoyed with life. I hopped a seat over to sit closer, lowering my voice and pulled at my hair. “I don’t know how magic people do things, but they don’t just give kids money! What should I say to a bank? ‘I’m a poor orphan, but I happen to be Harry Potter, please give me enough to afford really fancy school supplies?”
“Harry.” The giant hand was yet again on my shoulder and I was not entirely sure when that was going to be comforting. Probably when I got used to it and wasn’t having an anxiety attack over something with silver on it being required. “I understand, take some breathes, right?”
I gave him a skeptical glance, but complied.
“Don’t worry, I guarantee you can afford yer supplies with plenty extra. I’ll even get ya an owl fer yer birthday. Do ya like owls? I bet you will—they got all kinds in the shop. All colors except tangerine, though I bet that can be arranged, if ye want! Maybe some sweets after, too, the less sat on kind!” He was trying, in his own way. Bless his socks. His large, large, half-giant socks.
Honestly, for me going at this as acting, this was doing more for my anxieties of trying to plan around things and thinking about the years of hand-me-downs, the crap bargain supplies bought with couch change Petunia didn’t know about—soon destroyed by Dudley—and the paying other people to let me use their books so I didn’t have to bring things home. Even before The Green I had similar issues, but thinking about that hurt my head.
I let out a heavy sigh and nodded, rubbing my face.
“Sorry, I… Petunia never let me get new things for school and if I did get anything it was Dudley’s or he ruined it, so I’m just...” I made a face and gestured, hoping he’d understand. “Overwhelmed, and I read that you need all these nice things...”
A nod from his bushy head sent all his hair flying this way and that before settling back into place. Even in the face of great anxiety, I will find comfort in the sheer amount of volume that is Hagrids’ hair.
“Harry Potter, I swear to ya, them Dursleys will never lay one more finger on you or anything you own once you set foot inside’a Hogwarts and I have a good long talk with Dumbledor. I promise you that.”
There was a good, deep, sincere fire to that sentence that I could trust, even if I knew not a single thing would change. I forced a smile on and nodded.
“Thanks, Hagrid.”
“Anything for you, ‘arry!” He grinned back and clapped me on the back, nearly sending me spilling out of the chair. “Now, lemme show you what we came here to see!”
Diagon Ally was much more impressive than could be described in a book or on a television screen.
Primarily because there were minor enchantments or whatsoever on some objects hanging from displays that had you momentarily enamored with them in a passing way so as to make you pause to take a look at the rest of the display. Unfortunately, these were on the more drab items—thankfully for me, I am very easily entertained by magical anything and the first stand to do so smelled something similar to someone with a yeast infection.
It was a display of ointments for skin blemishes that promised to remove wrinkles in a ‘safe and Ministry Compliant’ way. Several of the bottles had moving images of weathered witches applying the creams and becoming young girls again, others older men taking tonics and becoming spry. One looked like a packet of powder that you applied via puff to your cheeks and they became so tight that you physically could not have wrinkles, side effects being that you also looked like you had a, as the package put it: ‘enchanting smile’. I thought it looked more like the model for the packaging had discovered the recipe for the Jokers gas by mistake and the proprietor was selling it for beauty purposes, though I was reasonably sure that did cause wrinkles, but those could be worked on by the other products.
I was going to keep poking through the stand to see if they had any cream that made you look like you were constantly holding a frog in your mouth, or perhaps semi-permanently removed the oil from your hair, in the event I was given the chance to get one in on Snape, but I was overruled by Hagrid. Well, until I found the one that smelled like yeast, which turned out to be a potion that made your skin glow like fresh baked bread and the label skirted around every chance to say how or why. Hagrid pushed me along the road at this point because I was very interested in asking the proprietor how they came to this formula and in what manner was Ministry non-compliant before and how long it took them to get there.
There were questions that occur to me, that’s just part of my nature, I explained. Hagrid pointed out that people may not take it as kindly as I might.
However, as we passed many a shop, once I looked past the standard star-striking wonder, more questions popped up that only came to pass once I noticed the general run of the mill stock. This is probably due to the fact that I generally used to shop like an old woman and remark upon said shopping as if I had been paid to do standup upon said shopping.
I, and now Harry James Potter, am simple people. I have simple pleasures and interests and those interests are now: where does the water in a never-ending water fountain go once it’s down the drain, Hagrid.
He was patient enough to answer as much as he could before admitting that some of my questions would just have to wait until I was at Hogwarts, though, and I was fine with that.
I did, however, wonder if any of the shopkeepers had bothered inventing anti-smudging spells for their shop windows considering all the noses pressed to the broom shop and some of the other places that seemed to have gathered some crowds as we passed them.
However, like the magpie I have always been and forever will be, I was drawn to what I assume counts as a supply shop now, stocked with glittering crystals and what I could tell to be jasper and agate in stands. Hagrid saw me drifting from his side and guided me gently back on track. I am not proud to admit I made more than a token effort to go back to the shiny window.
He let out a laugh loud enough to get the attention of most the street when he caught the fact I was pouting.
“Not so fast, Harry! Gotta get yer money and supplies for first year, first, right?”
“I know, but shiny....” I didn’t whine. Nope. Boy who lived does not whine. He also does not get laughed at by a half giant that is leading him to a giant bank. Nope.
The shiny was outshone by Gringotts. In so far as white stone and weathered metal is shiny and aesthetically pleasing. The whole building was impressive—bronze, marble or granite or some other impressive and foreboding white rock walls towering over everything... even the goblin standing guard outside seemed impressive. For being smaller than a malnourished pre-teen, he cut an imposing figure in his guards—I assumed that’s what it was, unless Gringotts had a doorman for the drama of it all—uniform, dark beard styled to a point on his face and his limbs settled in a very unsettling way that radiated professionalism. This was probably colored by the fact I had never seen someone who was a goblin before, and I kicked myself for thinking he was odd.
Honestly the first goblin to see a human must have looked at them and went ‘my god, what’s he gotten stuck in’ and been rather confused. Maybe they knew we were traipsing about and just sort of ignored us for a while. Perhaps it was a similar thing between Christians and Jewish people, why they were running the banks, with less sin and more “well just do it won’t you, you’ve got nothing better to do you non-human things” aka more racism. Honestly that sounds so profoundly British I could see that being the answer.
I was in the middle of this reflection while Hagrid lead me into the middle of the hustle and bustle of the bank, causing me to run into no less than 10 different people, a rope divider, Hagrid himself, and almost a potted plant.
Smoothest Potter to ever live right here.
The actual getting of the money wasn’t the difficult part. No, I really enjoyed that because I experienced a roller coaster that had money belonging to me at the end, which, really, is the best possible version of a roller coaster.
The vault I knew damn well was the Sorcerer’s/Philosopher’s stone’s wasn’t a problem either, though I did in all honesty try my darndest to sense some strange power from it. I couldn’t, aside from an intense feeling of motion sickness from Hagrid and a sort of bemused glee from Griphook about said motion sickness. Nor was the trolley ride back up a problem either, even while Hagrid was taking a breather against a wall.
What was the difficult part was me trying to mess with things by asking questions because I am not and have never been one to leave things where they lay. This, however, is very difficult when you have absolutely no idea how to interact with people, let alone a race of magical people who would really rather you be done in the fastest amount of time possible, thank you very much.
His job of escorting us done, and the cart back on surface level, Griphook had handed me the key to my vault and begun to walk off to wherever the bank employees go when not dealing with wizards and witches. Possibly to a break room with an employee of the month wall, a hang in there kitty poster, and a tea kettle somewhere, and something to take the edge off of working in customer service, or to another client; who knows.
Hagrid was poised to sweep me from the bank, and to take my key into his coat of infinite pockets for safe keeping, but I pushed the key into my pocket and make the universal ‘child that has a question but does not want to yell’ sound of ‘ah’.
“Hagrid, I actually wanted to ask them something about my account… so I’ll know, and feel better.” Hagrid looked like he was about to protest, but nodded and headed to a nearby bench, gesturing quickly after the retreating goblin. I jogged a little to catch up with Griphook, but I managed and caught his attention.
He paused and turned around with an expertly swept away sour expression. Ah, public relations.
“Ah, excuse me Mr. Griphook? Can I ask you a question about my vault?” The best part about the acting like a nervous little boy here was that it was only about 50% acting. “I don’t… I don’t really know how these things work.”
“What would you like to know, Mr. Potter.” Less a question and more of a clipped scripted response the likes of which heard in every shop and venue from every hired person ever. Hagrid had taken his seat on one of the benches a little ways off and the following sound of grinding stone earned a withering glance from some nearby goblins. He sheepishly waved and started fanning himself a bit.
“Is there a way to make sure no one else can get into my account?” At this his eyebrow raised and his expression just up and soured. Probably a better way to word that.
“There is no place on earth more secure than Gringotts, Mr. Potter.”
“Yes, I- I saw!” I nodded vigorously and shook my head. “I mean, I’m 11! I— I came here with someone today, but in the future I may need to come with someone else. If someone got a hold of my key and said they had permission because they were taking care of me, would they be able to get in? Is that something that could happen? Or if someone said they were related and got my key but I didn’t know, would they be able to get in? If I was in the hospital and someone came on my behalf, would they have access so things are handled? I’m not doubting the bank, I trust that you guys can do a really good job of protecting my money, I’m just saying that I’ve never personally done business here and I don’t know the policies and I think you can explain them. That’s why I’m asking.”
I waited anxiously while Griphook processed this series of very rapid, possibly paranoid ramblings coming from an 11 year old wizard. He seemed to come to a conclusion after a moment and nod, holding out his hand.
“If you will hand over your key, I can file for a charm to be laid onto it so you must physically be present to enter into your vault. I will also update the terms of your account to reflect your concerns. If an individual does not have your express permission, willingly given, they cannot enter your vault and retrieve an item. If you give permission and they have your key, however, they will be able to enter and use it within reason. If you have concerns in the future, Mr. Potter, ensure that you bring them to the bank immediately.” After I handed over the heavy key, he nodded and gestured over to where Hagrid sat, still looking more green than his usual color. The goblin seemed fine with the fact he was sick, not so fine with the fact he was looking to be sick on the floor. “We can alert you when the process is complete.”
Griphook also didn’t look like he expected me to break into a wide, honestly grateful grin and shake his hand. Considering that all I could remember of this man was that he was rather bitter toward Wizards for some valid reasons and wasn’t particularly a nice man, I could imagine this was throwing him for more loops than were in the track downstairs. Ok, maybe not that many loops.
“Thank you, honestly, so much.” I may have shaken him a bit too hard, but it is very difficult to articulate the words ‘you just made me not want to scream about money’ without saying that. After letting him go, I ran over to Hagrid to make sure he was ok and gave him a gentle pat on the arm. Honestly, I could slug him and it would probably come across as a gentle pat.
“You alright over here Hagrid?”
I earned a sidelong look only a man recovering from motion sickness can give, along with a nod and a gesture to head outside. “I hate them carts. Glad yer seemin’ more peppy after, though.”
I grinned up at him as we headed back down the lines of shops. “I feel better knowing I can feed the owl you’re gonna get me.”
He let out a laugh and then a groan and I made the horrible mistake of trying to physically support a half giant. Bad idea, good for relationships, bad for lower back.
“Harry, I’m glad yer feelin’ better, but I think I need to nip back to the Leaky Cauldron for a pick me up.” He sounded properly upset with himself, especially after I sounded so excited about going to get an owl. “It won’ take too long, I’m thinkin’ I jus need a couple minute lie down an’ we’ll go get tha owl.”
On one hand I would entirely be up for following him back to the Leaky Cauldron because he is my friend and he looked like motion sickness is the only weakness to be super effective against him. On the other, school supplies, plot, and also shiny objects to acquire after said supplies.
“It’s alright Hagrid, I can explore some and maybe get my uniform while you rest up. Besides, a fitting for something should take a while, right?”
“Well… if you’re sure…” He paused when he realized I was gripping my money—in a bag that was then shoved really deep in my pocket— so hard that my arm was tense. “Harry, no one’s gonna steal it off you.”
“Habit.” I relaxed, but my hand stayed in the pocket, palm over the opening of the bag. He sighed and shook his head, giving me one more pat on the back that knocked the air clear out of me.
“Just remember: You know where to find me if somethin’ happens before I find you.”
“Yup!”
Just like that I was left to my own devices in a very magical place with very magical money and very, very poor impulse control.
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Candlelight and Supernovas
My contribution to Lance’s Birthday Week!!! Also crossposted on my AO3! Here!
Despite the high of victory from their previous skirmish, Hunk could tell that something was bothering Lance. It was clear in the way he withdrew from the rest of the team, the way he snuck off by himself to the observation deck. Quietly, Hunk followed after his best friend, watching solemnly as Lance fiddled with the controls to broadcast the universe to the walls.
The Blue Paladin stared up at the infinite cosmos, real and artificial starlight reflecting off his cerulean eyes. Hunk’s heart broke as he watched, a few tears escaping Lance’s eyes as he looked upward.
Unable to stand it any longer, Hunk stepped into the room and cleared his throat. Lance jumped at the intrusion, hastily wiping the back of his hand over his teary eyes. “Hey, Hunk. What brings you up here buddy?” He said cheerily, the forced quality of it making Hunk want to wince.
“What’s wrong, Lance?”
Clear blue met warm brown for a moment before Lance let the false smile drop from his face, looking back to the stars longingly. “You remember how Pidge made that calendar? The one hanging in the dining room?”
Hunk nodded quietly, unsure of where this conversation was going as it was currently near the end of July. They weren’t missing Christmas or Easter or any of the other holidays that Lance and his family were so fond of.
“My birthday is this week.” Lance admitted with a sniffle, walking over to the wall so he could slide down to the floor, the edges of his armor scraping against the metal.
Abruptly, Hunk felt awful. How had he forgotten?
Lance was his oldest friend in the world and he had forgotten his birthday!
No wonder Lance was bummed.
“It isn’t for a few more days but just thinking about it is making me miss my family so much, Hunk.” Lance continued, oblivious to Hunk’s minor freak out, “We always held such big parties for birthdays. Everyone who could make it came in. I can remember Mama bustling around making enough food to feed an army and drafting anyone she could get her hands on.”
Lance let out a watery chuckle at the memory, the noise snapping Hunk out of his own funk. He made his way to Lance’s side, sliding down the wall until he hit the floor as well. Lance was a slight, warm weight at his side and Hunk let him curl closer, Lance’s head resting gently against his shoulder.
“There was so much life and color, especially around my birthday. I’m the youngest so Mama always tried to go above and beyond. My niblings always tried so hard too on my birthday. I miss them so much, Hunk.” Lance breathed, his voice trembling, “I love you guys and I think of you as family but it…it’s not the same.”
Hunk nodded sympathetically. “Well, tell me more about what your parties were like. Maybe that would help?”
As Lance launched into the craziness that characterized his memories of his birthday, things like his mother’s tres leche cake and the games we would play with his siblings and cousins, Hunk was planning.
They hadn’t made a huge deal out of birthdays for the other paladins, mostly out of a respect for what they wanted and a bit of ignorance in regards to when their birthdays were.
They still didn’t know when Keith’s birthday was and the Red Paladin in question was keeping tight-lipped on the subject.
But maybe that was something that needed to change. They were a team, a dysfunctional family of space misfits pin balling through the universe trying to rescue everyone from an evil furry dictator.
They could afford to throw a birthday party for their Blue Paladin.
So Hunk sat quietly, listening to Lance reminisce and mentally taking notes. It wouldn’t be perfect and it certainly wouldn’t be the same as what Lance remembered.
That didn’t stop him from wanting to try.
Hunk was gonna throw Lance the best space birthday party he could.
Lance talked until he finally fell asleep, tear trails drying on his face. As carefully as he could, Hunk gathered Lance up in his arms, walking him back to his room. It took him back to their Garrison days when Lance would fall asleep in the dorm common room, pouring over books with his headphones blaring music.
Hunk had carried him to bed then too.
Upon reaching Lance’s room, he caught Keith’s curious eyes and the brief flash of worry in them. “He’s okay.” Hunk said quietly, “But I do need to talk to everyone. Could you get them to meet in the kitchen?”
After a moment of hesitation, Keith nodded, disappearing back into the castle proper with a silence that had once unnerved Hunk. Now he just understood that Keith didn’t mean to be off-putting or unapproachable. He was just a socially awkward ninja turtle.
Hunk chuckled at his own mental comparison, settling Lance on his bed and swiftly unbuckling the larger panels of armor so Lance would be more comfortable.
Falling asleep in armor wasn’t exactly the best feeling in the world but if the bigger panels were taken off, it wasn’t too horribly bad. Hunk knew from experience.
They weren’t always fortunate enough to make it back to the Castle after battles. Sometimes they had to rough it.
Shaking off those thoughts, Hunk pulled Lance’s covers up and nodded, moving from the bedside to the door. “Thank you, Hunk.” He heard whispered from across the room.
“No problem buddy.”
Intent upon his purpose, Hunk marched from the room and into the kitchen, relieved to see that Keith had managed to corral the rest of the Castle into the room. They looked to him anxiously, clearly worried about why he would have called such an impromptu meeting.
“Before you all freak out, everything is fine.”
Allura frowned at his words, crossing her arms over her chest imperiously. “If it wasn’t an emergency, then why did you call us together?”
“I don’t know if you all know but Lance’s birthday is this week.” Hunk tried, unsure of how to ask for a party, “I want to do something for him. As a team, space family thing. Whatever we’re calling this now. I want us to do something for him.”
“Like a party?” Pidge interjected, lifting one eyebrow.
Allura’s outlook immediately improved and she clapped her hands together. “A party?”
“I mean, if that’s okay…”
Coran looked at him pensively before looking to Allura. “Birthday, hmm. That sounds a bit like our First Day ceremony.”
“First Day?” Shiro asked, as curious as ever when it came to alien customs.
“On Altea, we didn’t celebrate the actual day of one’s birth.” Allura explained patiently, “We typically celebrated on the day after. It was a way to celebrate your first full day of life. That became the day you celebrated each year.”
“That’s pretty cool actually. Maybe we could find a way to merge the two?” Hunk offered, heart lifting at the brightness that came onto the two Altean’s faces.
“Hunk, my boy, that is a fantastic idea. I daresay, a phenomenal one.” Coran crowed, “I have noticed that Lance has been a bit down as well.”
“Lance’s family was really invested in birthdays. He was the youngest so they did make a big deal out of his birthday.” Hunk explained, “It would be good for all of us to celebrate something. And I know we celebrate every time we liberate a planet but this is different.”
“This would be a good way to bond with each other too.” Shiro nodded, a proud smile on his face.
Hesitantly, Keith nodded as well. “Is there anything in particular that you had in mind, Hunk? You said it was this week, right? That means we don’t have a lot of time.”
Hunk inclined his head, beaming brightly at his teammates.
They were really going to do this.
With a flex of his fingers, he started outlining his plan, the others listening intently.
Lance was going to have the best birthday party
Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7
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Just an Animal Lover
I am an animal lover through and through and I always have been. I have been told that even as a very small child I would wander up to any dog regardless of size and want to pet it and talk to it (scaring my non dog loving mother half to death). We had cats at home from the time I was young so I have always had a spot for them in my heart, and these were not pedigree, fancy cats, these were born outside, live outside alley cats that fought for a spot next to the chimney on cold winter nights cats. My love of cats never went away and I have had many over my lifetime, short haired, long haired, black, tiger striped tabbies, orange and white, multi colored, male/female and I’ve loved them all.
While I never owned a dog until my teenage years I think my love of dogs started with my father’s stories about the dog he owned as a young boy, his name was Rover and he was a Shepherd/Husky mix that looked a little bit wolf like from the one black and white photo that he had. Rover was the central figure in a lot of stories I heard as a child about my Dad and his dog when they went out to the bush camp where my grandparents both worked. The other character in those stories was a large female alley cat who appeared one day and decided to take over Rover’s dog house, the cat eventually became “Puss” and after some amount of deciding whose house it was and who was dominant the two became great friends.
As I said I have always loved dogs. They just appealed to me, and the larger the better. As a teenager I walked two pure bred Newfoundland show dogs just to be around them, Monty was pure black and looked like a small bear and Lady was black and white which some people refer to as a Landseer. We got our first dog when I was 13 and so began my love affair with Border Collies. She was the last pup to leave a farm litter and she was the runt but she was mine and I called her Lady. Border Collies are amazing dogs, way too smart for their own good (and a lot of people), loyal to a fault and just beautiful, soulful creatures. I have had three more since then and they are my favorite of the medium size dogs. I lost my last border a few years ago and I still miss him every day. I miss all the dogs I’ve had, but each one holds a special place in my heart and always will. Most people keep photos of their children in their wallet where I used to keep pictures of my dogs, and with cell phones now you can keep photos with you all the time and my cats have more than their own space on it.
Over the years I have taken in strays and rescued others from becoming another statistic of the SPCA, most came to me young, some as young as 8 weeks and some a little older but they all stayed by my side until their last day’s and they were all loved and fussed over and spoiled, and when the time came I was with them at the very end. Whether they went on their own across the Rainbow Bridge to where animals go, where there are no more sore joints and pain or whether I had to make a hard decision to do the right thing, I was there until the very last so that my arms were the last thing they felt as they passed on. I felt that I owed them that. After all, they were there for me in good times and bad times, I cried on their fur and laughed with them, and at them, and we shared early mornings and late nights. We shared meals and treats and they were always there when I walked in the door, and as long as you have a beloved animal you are never really alone.
In my perfect word I would have no lack of funds and I would have a large farm acreage where I could take in as many cast offs and unwanted’s as I could handle. I would have too many cats and several large dogs, the bigger the better, I would have horses who simply needed love and a place to be a horse and live out their lives in peace, I would have shaggy donkeys, and at least one highland cow just because I think they are just too cool…..I would have goats because they make great company for horses and they are just fun to watch and I would love to have a couple buffalo because they are just majestic. I would have ponds for ducks and turtles and seasonal geese and bunnies with floppy ears.
Best of all I wouldn’t have to talk to people unless they were people who came to help just because they cared and the feed people, and the farmers providing hay and straw and I would be happy with that.
I love most animals even those that people don’t understand, I LOVE wolves and the big cats with their self assured gazes, I love deer with their beautiful soft eyes, I love moose because they are just so odd looking they are downright cute. I love raccoons and bears and damn near anything furry or fuzzy…I think I should have been a vet…..
I would take animals any day over people because animals just want to be loved and to show their love in return …they don’t play games, they don’t lie and cheat and cause trouble just because they can…not to say that I haven’t had a dog or two cause immeasurable trouble, case in point my German shepherd/Aussie cross who ate most of my hand painted walnut ornaments off my Christmas tree (he thought they were delicious-glitter, paint and all)….picking up sparkly poop in the spring made it much easier to find…..Or a border collie puppy who entertained himself with the contents of my knitting basket while I was at work and came home to find half a sweater unwound and rewound all around every chair and table leg in the living room……
Animals can learn a lot of things with love and patience and respect on a humans part….and some animals are not only monogamous but mate for life….(too bad we humans can’t say the same). My latest rescue had a rough start to his life being handed around and finally abandoned to fend for himself and when I got him he barely wanted to be touched….but now after learning that he has a forever home and that attention is not a bad thing, he has become my best buddy. He follows me around, wants to sleep right next to me, and even wakes me up asking for attention and has learned the phrase “lay down”. He has also learned that if he stands up with his paws on the “treat drawer” that I am a soft touch and most times will give in when he asks. He even head butts people on the shins that he decides are able to provide him with some affection, a long way for a cat who wanted to just be fed and left alone.
What can I say I am just an animal lover through and through….always have been and always will be…..
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Adventures of Superman #500 (June 1993)
OVERSIZED ANNIVERSARY ISSUE! Featuring the return of Superman! And Superman! And Superman, and also, Superman! But first: The Badass Adventures of Pa Kent in Hell. The last time we saw ol’ Pa, he’d just had a heart attack and seen a ghostly vision of his dead son (that’s Superman, for those joining us), who grabbed his hand and pulled Pa towards him. Now Ghost Superman is like, “Whelp, nice seeing you dad, gotta go.”
Superman is taken “into the light” by a couple of demons disguised as robed Kryptonian ladies. However, Pa refuses to give up on his son and follows them, only to find himself in a battlefield covered with corpses -- those of his Korean War buddies. Pa is (understandably) confused and thinks he’s back in the war, carrying out a mission to rescue some captured “airman”. Private Pa then comes across a farm littered with more dead people, including one that reminds him of his brother Harry... mainly because that’s exactly who it is.
In case you hadn’t noticed, something fishy is going on here. A demonic-looking enemy soldier tries to kick Pa out of wherever the hell this is (get it? hell?), but Pa just punches him into oblivion and soldiers on. Sometimes you just gotta punch some Nazis, folks.
Next up, Pa runs into Lady Blaze, the satanic mistress/recurring Superman baddie. Blaze generously offers to help Pa find his son in exchange for one million do-- I mean, his soul. Pa apparently thinks “eh, I don’t love him that much” and prefers to jump into the void beneath him.
At this point, Pa is saved from pinballing from sad memory to sad memory for all eternity by Kismet, the nice cosmic entity Superman met a while back (“our favourite naked outer space lady in a cape”, as Don Sparrow puts it). With Kismet’s guidance, Pa finally finds Superman, but he’s in the middle of some sort of weird funeral procession carried out by more demons disguised as Kryptonians (and Superman’s old furry friend, the Cleric).
Superman has completely fallen for the show these guys put on, and is prepared to let them take him to the “Kryptonian afterlife”, but Pa eventually breaks the spell with his hollering. More punching ensues!
Superman gets rid of the demons, but he still thinks that Pa should go back to the land of living without him. He’s been gone for too long, and it’s not his place to deny death. Superman’s Kryptonian father Jor-El suddenly shows up to reinforce this notion, telling Superman to join him and his biological mother, Lara, in the afterlife. It is the natural way of things.
Naturally, Pa Kent ain’t having any of that.
Pa practically carries Superman through the portal in front of them. Cut to: Pa waking up in a hospital bed in Smallville, whispering “Clark is back” to a freaked out Ma Kent and Lois Lane.
Suddenly, Superman sightings are reported all over Metropolis -- it’s like he’s in four places at once! Lois refuses to give herself any false hopes, but just to make double-sure her fiancee is still dead, she decides to take a peek inside his tomb. Inspector Henderson opens the casket for her, and it’s... empty?!
TO BE CONTINUED! But first...
Epilogue 1: Two rival gangs are fighting over turf when one pulls out some futuristic super-weapons that literally blow the other guys to pieces. As the cops roll in, out of the rubble emerges a hulking figure saying “DOOMSDAY! GOTTA STOP DOOMSDAY!” Holy shit, it’s Superman! He’s back! Also, black!
Epilogue 2: As an evildoer tries to carjack an innocent citizen, a caped figure flies to the rescue... and blasts the absolute crap out of the would-be thief with some energy blasts, throwing him off the roof of a building. The familiar figure explains that he’s “risen from the dead” and been changed by “the fire and darkness” -- OK, that has to be Superman. There’s no other explanation.
Epilogue 3: There’s an emergency at Project Cadmus, the genetic experimentation facility that recently held Superman’s corpse: some type of secret cloning experiment has broken out before it/he was ready. We see this brash young clone being led to the outside world by the Newsboy Legion, and upon hearing the way they refer to him, he exclaims: “DON’T EVER CALL ME SUPERBOY!” Because he’s actually Superman! Oh my God!
Epilogue 4: A tourist family stops in front of the Daily Planet and reflects solemnly on the plaque marking the spot where Superman died... until a man in blue tights lands from the sky, rips out the plaque, and burns it with his heat vision. We then see that he’s got robot parts all over his body; you know, as if he’d been brought back to life after being pummelled to death by a monster. Whelp, that’s it. That’s Superman, right there.
Character-Watch:
First appearance of these four mysterious Supermen: Black Superman, Blind Superman, Brat Superman, and Beep-Bop-I’m-a-Robot Superman. Or is it?!
Creator-Watch:
This is a suitably epic finale for Jerry Ordway’s original Superman run, which started way back in 1987. Ordway went from artist to co-plotter to writer/artist to just writer, along the way pioneering the house style that all Superman series will use throughout the ‘90s. This is often called the “Byrne” and/or “Jurgens” era, but I’d argue that Ordway was the single most influential creator involved in this period, and although what comes directly after his departure is cool as hell, we’ll definitely miss the heart, humor and realism he brought to even the most obscure background characters.
Speaking of which, this wouldn’t be an Ordway comic without a shit-ton of subplots, so here we go...
Plotline-Watch:
One detail I never caught as a kid: one of the “Superman sightings” at the end of the issue is clearly a drunken Bibbo in a Superman shirt.
The Final Misadventure of Jose Degaldo: He’s been beaten, burned, broken (literally), had buildings dropped on him, and dumped by both Lois Lane and Cat Grant, but Jose “Gangbuster” Delgado has finally had enough -- he’s ditching Metropolis. A regular crime-punching adventure goes wrong when Jose accidentally beats up an undercover cop posing as a drug dealer. Upon learning there’s a warrant for his ass and getting shot by another cop, Jose decides to call it quits and leave town (using the bus ticket Inspector Henderson recently gave him). He’s actually going to Fawcett City along with his creator -- he’ll show up again in Jerry Ordway’s Power of Shazam, but that’s it for Jose in these pages! Goodbye, Suicide Slum’s rose.
Incidentally, Cat Grant is feeling rather down since she split with Jose, and her boss Vinnie Edge uses the opportunity to invite her to dinner. She agrees, even though A) her relationship with Vinnie’s son did not end well, and B) he’s a disgusting perv who just grabbed her butt. Don Sparrow says: “The interplay between Cat Grant and Vinnie Edge hasn’t aged well -- though in some ways it seems timelier than ever.”
The “favor” Vinnie mentions above is not what you might think: he wants Cat to talk to Jimmy Olsen, who has neglected his duties as star of the hit Turtle Boy TV series ever since a certain pal of Jimmy’s was violently killed. Jimmy isn’t in the mood for light-hearted TMNT copyright infringement, though, so the series is currently on reruns.
Those Turtle Boy reruns are watched by the cellmate of Oswald Loomis -- aka Superman’s least intimidating rogue, The Prankster. Loomis, once a children’s entertainer himself, doesn’t appreciate ‘90s television and tries to electrocute said cellmate (who, in my memory, was Vinnie’s son Morgan Edge, making this scene slightly less random).
Pa Kent smashing the ghostly Jor-El with a shovel that materializes out of nowhere is, of course, a shout out to John Byrne’s classic Man of Steel #6, when he does the same thing. I want a full series about Pa dispatching Kryptonian ghosts the same way. His maligned brother Harry was also mentioned in a Byrne comic, World of Smallville #1.
As usual, I’m forgetting or lazily leaving out plenty of important details, so check out Don Sparrow’s section after the jump for way more!
Art-Watch (by @donsparrow):
Even more than Superman #75, it’s this issue (and the storyline that follows) that most define this, my most beloved era of Superman comics for me. Perhaps it’s because I was actually opposed to Superman’s death, rather than excited about it, whereas with this issue, I was only completely excited, and totally curious about how they’d bring Superman back.
Still more nerdy background: as we’ve mentioned in previous blogposts, I live in the same city as Super-teamster Tom Grummett, so the fact that he drew this comic was big, big deal in my hometown. Our local comic store (which sat below Tom Grummett’s art studio upstairs) had Tom in on the day it was released to sign copies, so it was a major event. Though I was only a lad of 13 at the time, both that day, and in the years since, I bought enough copies of Adventures of Superman #500 to insulate my house with them (and so did the rest of the world, making the resale value not quite what Superman #75 was). How big of a deal was Superman’s return in my hometown? Well, we made the evening news…
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The direct market edition cover features a stunner of a painting by the great Jerry Ordway, of a ghostly Superman reaching out to Pa Kent from beyond the void. It was billed as being a removable translucent screen, but I don’t know anyone who was successfully able to remove the vellum without ruining their cover, but the softening of the add-on is very effective. The newsstand edition (remember when comics could be purchased on newsstands?) has a decidedly story-driven cover, which must have perplexed the many non-regular Superman readers who came out in droves for this big issue. It features Superman and Pa Kent floating over a background of enemies (including the demonic Blaze, which, to the uninitiated, must have been pretty spooky) with Pa Kent inexplicably in a Challengers of the Unknown looking jumpsuit. Confusion aside, it’s still a great cover, and a nice hint at all the zip-a-tone goodness we’ll find inside.
Throughout the issue, the real world and the afterlife are given very distinct visual styles, with the ‘real’ world being inked and coloured normally, and the spirit world with lots of zip-a-tone shadows and gleaming bright colours. It’s such an effective way to delineate the storylines, and man, I love how the extra shading looks on the afterlife pages. It’ll be hard to single out only a few pages, because, honestly, this is one of the best drawn comics of the era.
In the first few pages, I was struck that, despite seeing Superman in full uniform at the end of Superman #77, the Superman Jonathan Kent sees on the ‘other’ side is Clark Kent, which is a telling note about how he sees his identity. The image of Pa stripping away his Clark garb is a great one, with the mist and swirling clouds establishing we are indeed, not in Kansas anymore.
The direct market edition also has some differences within the book, in addition to the difference in cover—it has a number of full page splashes inserted into the storyline, which are missing from the newsstand edition, and each one is a stunner. The first one is Gangbuster descending a fire escape on page 6, having ignored the warnings he got from Inspector Henderson in the Superman specials that preceded this issue.
The most interesting thing about these splashes, aside from how just about every one of them would have made for some killer poster art, is how seamlessly Jerry Ordway matches the scripts. Many of the splashes contain dialogue, but if those sentences are removed (as they are in the newsstand edition) the story still makes sense, which must have been a real challenge. [Max: Oddly enough, the one flaw I’ve found in my giant Death and Return of Superman omnibus so far is that some of the dialogue from these pages is duplicated, presumably from combining pages from both editions.]
Page 9 features another great Gangbuster image, and the fight choreography in the pages that follow has a real sense of place and pace.
As we return to Pa Kent’s near death experience, the visuals go a good job of selling the story’s dreamlike conceit—“reality” is pretty flexible where he is, so as Jonathan spends time there, his thoughts get muddled in with memory, and he can lose his purpose. It really feels like a dream in that way. Also, having heard about Jonathan’s brother previously, I thought he’d look a lot worse. There’s a strange cutaway to the Prankster in these pages, and while it’s a funny little scene, it has no bearing on the story, and Prankster doesn’t pop up again in these pages for a very long time---if memory serves, until the ill-fitting reboot of his look some 80 issues later. [Max: We saw him during the Dominus storyline, but I’m not sure if that counts.]
I also love how Grummett seems to draw Prankster as looking like UK comedian Terry Thomas, which is a great fit. It’s always tricky to translate such goofy-looking characters into real people, and here, perhaps for the first time, Prankster looks like a human being and not a doughier Alfred E Neuman. (Do prisoners really get their own portable TVs? Surely this scene demonstrates the danger of such a luxury!)
The scenes of Pa Kent falling into a pit and being pulled out by Blaze are chilling, but, like the rest of the issue, doesn’t it just make you fall in love with tough, no nonsense Jonathan Kent? It’s a mini-Godwatch when he pulls a Luke Skywalker and choose oblivion over joining forces with Blaze. (Extra points for Jonathan asking the question on the minds of a lot of Superman readers—is Blaze the devil or what?)
Next up is an appearance by what would seem to be Blaze’s opposite number, Kismet, our favourite naked outer space lady in a cape. Both sides of the two-page splash are pretty stunning here.
The ersatz Kryptonian funeral is pretty interesting too. Here, Grummett walks a fine line, having the Kryptonian stuff accurate enough that we know what it’s supposed to be, but just off enough that we know something strange is going on.
Once Clark figures out that the wraiths mean him harm (has there ever been a nice wraith?) it’s so, so great to see him back in action after all these months without him. Major kudos to the colourist, here especially, but throughout the book, for the unique colours which look great here on Superman’s uniform. Plus, I always like the times when Superman loses his cape.
The visual effect of the portal back to reality is just amazing, and from their perspective, probably pretty accurate. Next to the blinding light of the afterlife, earthly life would probably seem pretty dark. That last image from the direct edition, of Superman flying through the void with Pa Kent is just such a stunner. And from a story standpoint, this is just so definitive of the Super-team. That a story about bringing back Superman is told in the most personal, meaningful way, with a chubby, balding old farmer as more or less the lead character. It’s a total rejection of the grit teeth and substance-less Image comics trend of the era in its’ wholesomeness. And I love this is how they chose to bring him back. My very favourite detail, that I came back to again and again was that the heartbeat that returns to Pa Kent’s monitor goes across his panel, into the panel of Superman’s tomb. So subtle, and so, so awesome.
The four page previews kicking off the Reign storyline are almost an issue unto themselves, but I love how all the eye-witness accounts from page 45 are later seen within issues, and give clues to very different Supermen.
If you’ll allow me just a little more nerdiness, DC sent comic shops some previews of this issue to create excitement, and these pages included scans of the end section with the new Supermen. The only catch was, on these previews the figures were totally whited out, so you couldn’t see what he looked like. So having read those short previews, I thought they were all referring to ONE new Superman, who I assumed had been changed by his experience with Doomsday. It wasn’t until I got the issue home that I realized they were launching four different storylines.
The art on these is pretty interesting. This is really the point where Jon Bogdanove shifts into a really loose, less constrained style, which honestly works quite well for the larger than life character of John Henry Irons. And that first look at him—you can definitely see why they thought that Shaquille O’Neal would work for this character.
Next is a spooky look at the Last Son of Krypton, who I 100% believed was the real Superman, mainly because of his appearance. The panel of Superman lowering to finish off the thug is a great, eerie look, and I dig the Gandalf the White style dialogue here, too.
I love everything about the “Metropolis Kid” section, because it’s all built-in, and even gives us hints of this character’s “tactile telekinesis” with the grating not being damaged from his blow. Maybe it’s just nostalgia, but man, it’s a great costume too.
Lastly, the Man of Tomorrow segment, which is such great, great storytelling, as, until the very last second, you don’t realize anything is amiss, in spite of the facial expressions of the tourists. [Max: This guy freaked me out even before I saw his full face, and I just realized why: the panel of him turning to face the family reminds me the end of this traumatizing BTAS episode.]
STRAY OBSERVATIONS:
It’s interesting to me that this issue establishes that Jonathan Kent fought in the Korean conflict, and not, as was established in the World of Smallville mini-series, World War II. It’s amazing that enough time had passed by this point, that they had to move the timeline up. I suppose if Pa Kent were still in modern stories, he’d have been a Vietnam veteran by now. I’ll admit being surprised watching Smallville that Jonathan Kent had never been in any war—I thought for sure they’d have made him a Gulf War veteran or something.
Even completely in shock and grief and confusion, Lois Lane really rocks those stretchpants.
GODWATCH: This is the big one, where, as hinted to in past issues, the belief system that the Kents raised Clark within is made explicit. First on page 22, in a moment of despair, Lois admits she wishes her faith were stronger, and Martha relates that their beliefs included Heaven, and that Clark himself, to her knowledge, subscribed to those beliefs. Finally, when Pa stabilizes, Ma Kent thanks the Lord, on page 42. [Max: I also find Pa’s theory that Clark only ended up in this limbo because he’d been raised as a mortal pretty interesting.]
“Sure—have some of my hootch, why don’tcha?” A very funny exchange. [Max: I forgot to mention High Pocket’s essential contribution to this issue, when he fishes Jose out of the river, gives him booze, and tries to recruit him for some larceny! Shame on me.]
#superman#jerry ordway#tom grummett#louise simonson#jon bogdanove#roger stern#jackson guice#dan jurgens#ma kent#jose delgado#cat grant#vincent edge#the prankster#blaze#kismet#steel#superboy#newsboy legion#karl kesel#reign of the supermen#doug hazlewood#dennis janke#denis rodier#brett breeding#gangbuster#pa kent#jor-el#cleric#high pockets and lamar#inspector henderson
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(OUTDATED) Episode 1 - It’s Electric!
A/N: Wassup, everybody. I haven't written anything in awhile so of course it's gonna be bad. It probably would have been even if I posted my last chapter yesterday, but whatever. Anyways, hope you enjoy! Here are a few warnings:
1) This series will be AMERICANIZED! The names will be all from the 4Kids/4K Media dub and will take place in an American state of my choice: New Jersey. Don't like it, then don't read.
2) This story will feature Yaoi/Slash/Shonen-ai/MalexMale/etc. Don't like it, then don't read. I might even feature Yuri, but for right now, it's just Yaoi.
3) Characters WILL be OOC. This is meant to be a re-imagining of Yu-Gi-Oh! not a direct interpretation and there will be OCs. Don't like that, then don't read.
Rated: T (for violence, language, and some minor suggestive themes)
Words: 4,047
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It was the late hours of the night in Domino City. Some of the residents were asleep while others were out and about for work or fun. Two particular men were busy robbing a closed jewelry store, quickly pacing to their vehicle before the police arrived
Before they could start the engine, a large black creature landed in front of the car, pushing its claws down on the front bumper. The criminals exited the vehicle and immediately began shooting at their obstacle. The figure deflected the bullets off its body and then let out a monstrous roar, startling them. They decided to ditch their getaway car and started to run, but the eerie shape pounced on them, putting an end to their clean escape.
A few minutes later, the police came and by that time, other people bared witness to what had just occurred. The officers abandoned their vehicles and saw the two robbers tied back-to-back against a street lamp with a black rope and the bag of jewels by their sides. Next to them was the Greek letter Omega burned into the side of the road. Seemingly knowing how it got there, one police officer looked up and saw two bright red eyes beaming at him from the rooftop before they suddenly disappeared.
CRISIS OF THE ELEMENTS - IT'S ELECTRIC!
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The next day, a young girl with blond bangs and long black hair with pink streaks and magenta eyes walked up to a group of two boys.
"Hey, Joey, did you hear about what happened last night?" The girl held up her cell phone which had a news article opened, titled Vengeance Strikes Again?
"Why do they call that thing Vengeance anyway?" The blonde teen known as Joey asked, looking at the photos of the tied up robbers and the Greek letter Omega branded into the road.
"I think it all started with the first string of criminal acts." Another boy with a similar hairstyle to the girl's said, "One of the criminals said she called herself Vengeance."
"Yugi, I don't think it's a chick. It's obviously a robot or some crap like that, that some lonely nerd made to play hero." Joey muttered with a shrug, "What do you think, Kaya?"
"Could still be considered a female, from the low res pictures and videos I've seen, it appears to have large breasts." The girl, Kaya, revealed.
"Heh, even more of a reason to believe it was built by a lonely nerd." Joey snickered. Yugi and Kaya rolled their eyes.
Just then, three brunettes passed them.
"Hey, Crystal, Halle, have you two seen Tristan?" Joey questioned two of them.
"Sorry Joe." Crystal, the girl with brown hair and brown eyes, said.
"We separate when we enter the school." Halle, her sister with black hair and hazel eyes, declared.
The third girl with a mixture of brown and blond hair with brown eyes was Joey's younger sister, Selena.
"Bye, boys, bye Kaya," the three said in unison as they left.
"I swear those girls brainwashed my sister." Joey affirmed as he watched them leave.
"They're nice though." Kaya said, "Right, Yugi?" No answer, "Yugi?"
Kaya and Joey turned to him and noticed his violet eyes fixed on a girl by a locker four doors down from them. She had shoulder-length, light brown hair that covered the right side of her face. She wore a long-sleeved shirt and a glove on her right hand.
"I wonder who she is." Kaya said.
"I've never seen her before." Yugi finally disclosed, still staring at her as she placed books in the locker.
"Hey, Joey, would you hit that?" A voice said, snapping Yugi out of his thoughts. The voice belonged to a young man with pointy brown hair and brown eyes who had his arms around Joey's shoulders.
"Ew no way, T," The blonde pulled the newcomer off him.
The mystery girl took one look at Yugi and his friends and then walked away with her books clutched tightly against her chest.
"There you are, Tristan." Kaya spoke, "Where were you?"
"I had to finish my Geometry test from yesterday." Tristan said.
"Nerd," scoffed Joey.
"Is that the word of the week with you?" Kaya wondered.
Before Joey could reply, "Come on, guys, we have class." Yugi interrupted, looking at his phone.
The four friends went on their way to their first class.
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On a remote volcano located on an island far from Domino City, two mysterious figures were hidden in the shadows.
"Stan, where are the Elemental Crystals our father has tasked us with collecting?" A person asked in a feminine voice.
"Raven, dear, we have been searching for a good year now. They have to turn up sooner or later." Stan said by Raven's side.
Lightning struck the volcano and a dark-skinned man stood before them.
"Jackson Fierce, what brings you here?" Stan interrogated.
"It's Sparkman and I have news. The Dark Crystal has been located in Domino City, New Jersey." Jackson responded.
"Father told us about that place." Raven said.
"Yes, it is where he was born." Stan added.
"But there's more, the one who poses a threat to our cause is also there." Jackson implied.
"Our father's enemy," said Raven, "Jackson, you should be strong enough to take him and anyone that gets in our way down, so go!"
"I will, Ms. Burst Lady." Jackson bowed, "And it's Sparkman!" He disappeared in a bolt of lightning.
"Do you think he'll return with the crystal?" Raven asked.
Stan chuckled, "No."
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A few hours later, the high school students left the building. Yugi and his sister, Kaya, headed for the bus. On their way, Joey's sister, Selena, walked up to them.
"Yo, Kay, can we talk for a sec?" She requested.
"Sure," Kaya turned to her brother, "Yuge, can you save me a seat?"
"Yeah, just hurry up." Yugi entered the bus.
As Kaya and Selena talked, a furry, brown ball crawled out from under the bus and wiggled its way into Kaya's slightly opened backpack.
"Yeah I know. Australians are hot." Selena clarified.
"I better get going. Bye, Selena." Kaya waved to her best friend and then finally made her way onto the bus.
Yugi looked at her from the window seat when she sat down, "What did you two talk about?"
"Oh, you know, boys." Kaya giggled.
"Of course," Yugi slumped in his seat.
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After the bus took off, Kaya noticed a familiar face on the other side of the bus in their row.
"Yugi, look," She whispered.
Yugi turned his head in the direction she was looking and saw the lone brunette from earlier. She was sitting by herself playing with a black hexagon-shaped pendant between her fingers. The right side of her face was still hidden by her bangs.
"I guess she takes the bus." Yugi said.
"Have you seen her on here before?" Kaya asked.
"No," Yugi sat back in his chair.
"Hey, when the bus stops, you should talk to her."
"What? Why me?"
"'Cause you're the nicer one," Kaya replied.
"You're more popular." Yugi said, sliding down slowly in his seat.
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The bus stopped a few blocks from Yugi and Kaya's house which doubled as a game shop. Yugi and Kaya were the second to last students to exit the bus. Behind them, was the lonesome brunette who briskly passed them and walked the opposite way.
"Maybe we can talk to her tomorrow. Come on." Kaya and her brother walked to their home.
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The shop was still opened when the teenagers returned, but there were currently no customers at the Turtle Game Shop. When they arrived, an elderly man behind the counter greeted them.
"Hi, Grandpa," Kaya waved as she and Yugi entered the house area.
"Oh, Kaya, it's your turn to take over the shop." Their grandpa insisted.
"Right, uh, let me just change first." Kaya and Yugi hurried upstairs to their rooms.
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Kaya went into her room and tossed her backpack on the bed. It let out a disgruntled cry that startled her for a moment.
"What was that?" Kaya beckoned as she then went over to her closet to gather her casual clothes.
After putting on a baby blue sweatshirt and jeans, she turned around and covered her mouth when a gasp escaped her lips. The brown fur ball was rubbing the top of its head with its tiny green claws.
"What on Earth are you?" She huskily whispered as she walked to her bed.
It looked up at her and cooed, "Bo, bo."
Kaya looked at her door and then back at the critter, "I knew I should have closed my bag all the way."
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In his room, Yugi sat at his desk doing homework. He suddenly paused for a moment and glanced at a small, golden box on his desktop with the Eye of Wdjat etched on the front.
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After the sun set and the city grew dark, it was quickly lit up by the street lights and more. Dark clouds appeared to go unnoticed as Jackson Fierce emerged in a flash.
"This feels like the spot where the Dark Crystal is located." He peered out across town and saw all the vehicles and civilians traverse the busy streets and sidewalks, "Alright, humans, it's time to fear the Elements!" Jackson said as a golden suit with wings, a helmet, and blue markings surrounding the armor covered his body.
He then held out both of his hands at either side and unleashed a series of electrical surges throughout the city, causing a citywide blackout and a mass panic. Dozens of people screamed and became scared. Those that were driving slowly slowed down their vehicles to a halt, while the faster drivers lost control and crashed into whatever was near them whether it was a wall, pole, tree, or an unlucky pedestrian that reacted late to the blackout.
Jackson marveled at the hysteria he caused and bolted over to the top of a gas station by a convenience store.
"The crystal's energy is strongest here."
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At the closed Turtle Game Shop, Yugi activated the flashlight application on his phone, "What happened." He looked out the window and noticed the blackout expanded throughout the city.
"Yugi!" Kaya cried from the living room. Yugi hurried down the stairs where his grandfather and sister stood in the center of the room with Kaya holding her own cell phone as a light.
"What's going on? Are you guys OK?" He asked with worry.
"What could have caused this?" Kaya begged with fear in her voice.
"Don't worry. We'll be safe if we just stay here." Yugi deduced.
There was suddenly a knock on the door. All three let out a yelp and dropped their phones as Kaya and her grandfather huddled behind Yugi.
"Why is everyone hiding behind me?"
"You're the bravest Moto, Yugi." Kaya said. Grandpa nodded in agreement.
Yugi and Kaya picked up their cell phones and held them up as they inched closer to the shop all still close together.
"W-Who's there?" Yugi asked, loudly.
"Guys, it's me, Joey Wheeler." Joey shined his own light through the window on the door.
"Joey!" Yugi and Kaya rushed to answer the door and then quickly shut it when their friend entered.
"Are you all OK?" Joey asked.
"Yeah, we're fine. How did you get here?" Kaya wondered.
"I was on my way here to hang out. When I parked my car, that's when this mess started." Joey stated.
"Are you hurt?" Yugi asked.
"Nope," Joey smiled, "But I did wanna show you this." He went to a saved news alert on his phone and it showed a hard to make out figure on a building.
"People are saying it appeared after a single lightning strike." Joey said.
"You think it has something to do with this blackout?" Yugi concurred.
"Worse, I think it caused it." Joey proclaimed, "Think about it, what if it's a real-life super villain?" He asked, growing excited.
"Joey, this is serious." Yugi groaned, "Where was it last seen?"
"Let's see." Joey looked back online.
"Well, it's a good thing the blackout isn't affecting the phone companies." Kaya said.
"That's weird." Yugi thought.
"Blackout in Domino…people injured…Yadda, Yadda; Yadda…Downtown only affected…bla, bla, bla…"
"Wait, did he say 'just downtown'?" Kaya rephrased.
"Oh, here we are, mysterious gold person spotted at a nearby Circle K gas station." Joey professed.
"If that thing can cause blackouts, then it's even more dangerous at a gas station." Kaya said.
"Joey, which Circle K?" Yugi asked, abruptly.
"Uh, the one on Thompson and Weidenbaum Street," Joey looked at him, "Why?"
"That's where our mom works." Yugi looked at him with wide eyes.
"What does that thing want?" Kaya panicked, voice breaking slightly.
"Kaya, Grandpa, I'm going to get Mom and bring her home." Yugi murmured, still looking at Joey.
"Don't be an idiot, Yuge." Joey said.
"I'm coming too, then." Kaya added.
"No, none of you are going?" Their grandfather said.
"Grandpa, we lost Dad because I couldn't save him. I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you two or mom." Yugi concluded, lowering his head and still refusing to look at his family.
"What if we lose you?" Kaya asked, grabbing his arm.
Yugi turned slowly and smiled at her, "You won't." He then pulled away and quickly left the store.
"Yugi!" Grandpa yelled, angrily, "If that boy lives, he is so grounded." His face suddenly softened, "Please come home, my boy."
"Don't worry, Mr. Moto, I got his back." Joey followed suit.
"They're nuts." Kaya said to herself.
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On the streets, Yugi ran toward the convenience store where his mother worked. Joey ran up next to him.
"Wassup, Yuge?" He enjoined as they continued to run.
"What the hell are you doing, Joey?" Yugi asked.
"Not letting you play idiot hero alone."
"You're supposed to be looking after Kaya and Grandpa."
"Hey, don't worry about them. They're safe inside. It's you that I'm worried about."
Yugi shook his head, not knowing how to reply to him.
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The two finally made it to the store and the streets and pavement were blocked off by police.
"Man, I knew cops would block our way." Joey remarked, snapping his finger.
"Look," Yugi pointed at Jackson on the roof of the gas station.
"If they shoot that thing, they might make this whole area go boom." Joey said.
"No kidding," Yugi agreed, looking toward the store, "You have to distract them while I go inside."
"What? I don't need a criminal record." Joey defended.
"Then why are you here if you're not going to help me?" Yugi rebutted.
Joey sighed, "Fine, fine."
He made his way toward the barricade as Yugi followed behind him for a couple steps until he made it to an opening to get behind the store.
"I wouldn't shoot me if I were you pathetic officers. You might miss and hit the gas tanks." Jackson laughed.
"He's taunting us. I know I'm a good shot." An officer said, aiming his gun.
"Josh, he's wearing armor. What if it deflects the bullets?" A second one counterclaimed.
"'Sup?" Joey greeted from behind them.
"What the hell?" The first cop asked as the others turned around, aiming their weapons at him.
"Whoa! Take it easy, coppers. I'm just your friendly neighborhood Joey Wheeler." He chuckled nervously, holding up his hands.
"Kid, this isn't a joke; now get out of the way." The second cop told him.
"Oh, perfect," Jackson raised his wings and flew down directly in front of them.
"Ah, Birdman!" Joey cowered behind Josh the police officer.
"Birdman? No, I'm Sparkman. Now, who wants to be the first to die?" Jackson asked, electricity hissing from his hands.
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Meanwhile, Yugi managed to sneak inside the store.
"Hello?" He called out, holding up his phone.
"Who's there?" A female employee examined with her own light.
Yugi followed the light and found four workers including a woman with short red hair and brown eyes.
"Yugi?" The woman asked in shock.
"Mom!" Yugi ran into his mother's arms, hugging her tightly and dropping his phone again.
"Lyra, what is your son doing here?" An older teen with brown, long spiky hair wondered.
Yugi turned to her. "I've come to save you guys."
"Is he for real?" A male employee asked.
"Yeah, Joey and I…" He suddenly remembered, "Joey!" Yugi grabbed his phone and headed for a door.
"Yugi!" His mother cried behind him.
"I knew we should have locked those doors." The brunette worker disclosed.
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Yugi made it outside and noticed the cops and Joey hiding behind the police car with Jackson floating over them.
"Joey!" Yugi's cry echoed throughout the area.
"Not another one," said Officer Josh.
"Hey, that's my pal." Joey argued.
"Are you both crazy?"
"Nope, it was all his idea." Joey laughed.
Jackson turned to Yugi, "And what do you want, spiky?"
"Whatever it is you want, you can't have it, so leave now!" Yugi hollered, glaring at him.
"Oh, is that right?" Jackson held up his crackling hand.
Yugi swallowed hard, "Y-Yes."
"You're just a wannabe hero." Jackson shot a lightning bolt at Yugi.
"Yuge!" Joey cried out.
Yugi closed his eyes, preparing for the worst. When he opened them, he noticed a large wolf with dragon wings in front of him, leering at Jackson.
"You're…" Yugi tried to get out.
The massive beast turned its head at him, "Vengeance." It said in a low, feminine voice.
"Yeah, it's the real life superhero!" Joey cheered.
"So, you're the one that was created by the enemy of our father." Jackson clarified, "It'll be nice to kill you and obtain the Dark Crystal."
"Dark Crystal?" Yugi questioned.
"The Dark Crystal is one of ten Elemental Crystals that will increase the power of a hybrid like me." Jackson said.
"Hybrid?" Joey asked.
"I was made from the DNA of a human and a cuckoo bird."
"What the hell is he talking about?" Josh queried.
"He's cuckoo alright?" Joey joked.
Jackson shot an energy blast in Joey's direction, but Vengeance jumped in front him and quickly absorbed it.
"She's fast." Yugi mentioned.
"Why do you protect these fools? With your power, you can be on our side and once and for all become the master race over humans." Jackson said.
"I will never join the side of evil." Vengeance growled and pounced on top of Jackson, biting down on his battle armor.
"You giant bitch!" Jackson thrust the beast of him and zapped her in the chest, knocking her back into the ground.
Jackson shuffled backwards seemingly malfunctioning from his last attack as Vengeance's saliva dripped down his body.
"Water," Yugi noted to himself. "That's it!" He ran back into the store.
"Oh, it's it alright." Jackson said as he prepared for another attack aiming at the gas station.
"I think we all should evacuate the area." Josh announced. "If the gas station explodes, it could take out the entire street, even more."
Joey looked at the store, "C'mon Yuge."
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Yugi hurried to his mom and the others still in the corner.
"He's back." The brunette said.
"What is it, Yugi?" Lyra asked.
"Mom, I need some water bottles." Yugi said.
"For what?" Lyra questioned.
"We can't give any to him. We might need them if the power never goes back on." The male worker said.
"Trust me; I think it might help stop that thing." Yugi stressed.
"What thing?" The female supervisor asked.
"There's apparently a super villain with electrokinesis outside." The brunette affirmed.
"Are you serious?"
"They're on the first shelf by the checkout." The brunette then said.
"Thanks, Valerie." Yugi picked up four water bottles and hurried outside."
"So, you're saying there's a dude outside with magical powers?" The boss prided.
"No," Valerie articulated matter-of-factly, "I'm saying there's a dude with electrical powers outside."
"Oh boy," The supervisor placed her head in her hands.
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Outside, Jackson charged enough energy to attack.
"Time to die," Jackson said.
"It's too late to tell everyone around here to leave." A third cop declared.
"With all the cars surrounding us, it might take out more than just the street." Josh said.
Vengeance opened her eyes and struggled to stand.
"Hey, Sparky!" Yugi called. Jackson turned to face him, "It's bath time!"
"Killer one-liner," Joey noted as the officers continued to watch.
"How about you be the first to die?" Jackson moved his arms just as Yugi ran and tossed the bottles at Jackson. The conduction combined with the added-up energy forced Yugi to the ground unconscious as Jackson began to short-circuit, "Damnit, I was so close!"
"Maybe if you would have just killed us instead of stalling, you would have won." Joey taunted.
"Shut-up!" The DCPD yelled at him.
"What?"
"Your pathetic city is spared for now but I'll be back!" He exclaimed, leaving in a bolt of lightning.
"He's gone." Josh said.
"Yugi did it!" Joey voiced.
Everyone was relieved when the power suddenly returned.
"Oh-no!" Joey ran up to Yugi, "Yuge, are you OK? Speak to me, pal." He knelt down and held his friend up over his lap.
Soon, people started appearing from their homes or cars to see what caused the commotion. Lyra and the others exited the store.
"Yugi!" Lyra ran up to Joey holding up her son, "What happened?"
"He's not breathing." Joey tried to feel for a pulse. The cops surrounded them.
"Not my son," Lyra sobbed. Valerie placed a tender hand on her shoulder.
Joey then began to perform CPR as tears formed in his eyes, "You're not leaving me, pal!" After a few chest compressions, Joey pinched Yugi's nose and breathed into his mouth before resuming compressions. He repeated the process for a good few minutes as he sight grew foggier from built-up tears.
"Stop," Vengeance said.
Joey did what he was told and stared at best friend's lifeless body. He then pulled Yugi close to him and let out an incoherent cry as a cascade fell from his eyes.
"Lay him down." Vengeance finally said.
"What?" Joey solemnly looked up at her.
"I said, 'Lay him down'."
Joey once again did as he was ordered. Vengeance loomed over him and examined his frame.
"I can't let a hero die." She whispered before slowly licking his face once,
"You're still warm, so it's not too late ."
After a few seconds of people staring in awe and hope, Yugi suddenly gasped for air, pushing himself to sit up.
"Yugi!" Joey hugged him tightly.
"How did you do that?" Josh asked.
Vengeance smirked, "Everybody gets one."
"What happened?" Yugi rasped in between breaths.
"Doesn't matter, you're OK." Joey said, letting go and wiping away the moisture from his face.
"My baby!" Lyra pushed Joey out of the way and held Yugi herself, planting kisses on his face.
"Mom, there are people watching and they have their phones." Yugi groaned. He then looked at Vengeance and quickly noticed a black hexagon-shaped pendant fall from its hiding spot under her fur.
"Now that Sparkman is gone, I must go." Vengeance shook out her fur, "But fear not, for Sparkman will be back and so will I."
"And we'll be ready." Joey made a fist and smiled at Vengeance before she howled and then flew off over the Circle K building.
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At the game shop,
"You sure you should be walking, Yuge?" Joey interrogated.
Yugi looked into the window and saw his family in a group hug, "Yeah, I think I'll be fine, Joey."
"Aw, I love you, man." Joey hugged him tightly, "And I totally mean that way if you want."
Yugi laughed, "I'm flattered, but you know I'm not gay."
They pulled away and both smiled.
"I love you too, Joey." Yugi said with a bright smile.
"Goodnight pal. Glad to have you back." Joey chucked with a blush and then ran off to his car, waving 'goodbye'.
Yugi thought for a moment, "What does that mean?"
"Yugi," Kaya opened the front door, "It's time for bed."
"Alright, I'm coming." Yugi interlocked his arm with his sister's as they both returned home with their family.
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CRISIS OF THE ELEMENTS - AFTER CREDITS
Yugi was in his pajamas ready for bed when he once again looked over at the golden box on his desk. He slowly walked over to it. When the lid was carefully removed, Yugi admired what was inside as his room illuminated with a golden light.
To be continued...
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Next time on CRISIS OF THE ELEMENTS:
Joey: [at school] If there are more of these 'Elements', then we need to figure out how to take them down once and for all before they find those 10 crystals.
[A man made out of gravel breaks out of the ground just outside of Domino]
Yugi: [at school] I died, Joey, then how is possible that I'm here?
[Yugi walks up to the girl with brown hair and the black pendant]
Yugi: [before the girl] Are you Vengeance?
[The girl frowns and looks down]
[The rock humanoid swings at Joey and then hovers him as he prepares to punch him in the face, assuming to kill him but a diamond white dragon grabs the man by the arms as Yugi and Vengeance arrive and gasp in shock]
Joey (V.O.): [as the dragon and clay man stare each other down] Where are these dragon superheroes coming from?
CRISIS OF THE ELEMENTS
A/N: Well I hope you enjoyed. Many questions will be answered in the coming chapters like: Who is the mystery girl with brown hair and black pendent? Is she Vengeance? How? How did she save Yugi's life? Will it have side effects? Probably. Don't worry, if you're wondering where Serenity Wheeler is? She wasn't replaced with an OC and she'll appear in a later chapter. Is that "Bo, Bo" creature Kuriboh? and what is its purpose? That and more will also be answered soon. Lastly, all of those characters you thought might be one-off episodic characters (Officer Josh and Valerie and more). If they have names, they will become important later. Bye bye!
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Looking Back on 2019: A Year Of Highs and Lows
And just like that, 2019 is a wrap. It seems like every time I sit down to write these reflections posts, I can’t believe just how fast the year went. As I’m writing this article, I have my furry friend (Spare Dog) at my feet, my furry Nick next to me (he needs to shave!), and I’m looking out to the sea and mountains beyond.
This past year was filled with adventurous travel to new and repeat countries, highs and lows on the business and personal front, love and laughter on the relationship side and lots of fun here in Grenada. So much has happened, that I had to consult my iPhone photostream to remember all of the amazing things we got up to!
Images of mountains, colonial towns, ancient sites, and tropical islands dominate the feed. It’s been a pretty great year. Every 12 months has a feeling, a vibe, or some sort of big event that stands out. For 2019, I’m dubbing it “A Year of Highs and Lows”. And you’ll see why after reading — the year was amazing, and then seemed to plummet at the end.
Here’s a recap of the year, and what we have planned moving forward into 2020.
Travelling around the Galapagos was a highlight of our year!
I’ve been doing these roundup posts for quite a few years! Here are the ones from previous years if you’re interested:
2012: A Very Memorable Year
2013: A Year of Firsts
2014: Started and Ended With Mexico
2015: A Year of Spontaneity
2016: A Year of Big Decisions
2017: A Roller Coaster Year
2018: A Year of Achievements
Celebrating our 12 year anniversary!
Achieving Goals Set For 2019
At the end of each yearly roundup article, we set some goals that we want to achieve in the coming new year. This is what we wanted to achieve in 2019:
Being more active (going hiking more and joining yoga again).
Exploring more of Grenada
Continue to create and provide useful information on our website
Help out (volunteer work, donations, environmental causes)
I’m happy to report that we accomplished those goals!
Being More Active
This year, we got back into “hashing” here in Grenada, and while we didn’t join the hikes every weekend, we did do quite a few. I’ve also joined yoga and attend classes two times a week, most weeks. And, we now do much more walking then we used to, plus some at-home workouts as well.
Nick and I both did a couple of detoxes this year, one with natural pills, and one simply with smoothies and fasting. We actually just finished up a two-week booze detox and smoothie diet which is what we previously did when we were feeling a little heavy.
We thought it was a good idea to slim down and dry out before the holiday season! Nick lost 10 pounds, and I lost 8. In case you missed last year’s post: “We Got Fat – Dealing With Blogger Bod“.
When we’re living somewhere, we find it hard to be active. When we’re travelling, it’s much easier as we’re always out walking around new cities, hiking to new sites, or just wandering aimlessly. Since we’re not getting any younger, we’re putting health and wellness at the forefront of our goals.
Hiking is our favourite way to stay active
Exploring More of Grenada
Even though we’ve spent 5 years in Grenada (on and off), it always amazes me that there are still new places to discover. This year we explored a couple of new hikes and walking trails, offtrack beaches and some great new restaurants that have popped up.
On top of just finding new places to walk and eat, we found ourselves attending numerous events — wine festival, Carnival, music festival, and chocolate festival. Plus, we explored the sea by sailboat on numerous occasions, did some deep-sea fishing, and Nick checked out the underwater world on scuba.
We also celebrated 3 birthdays with staycations here on the island. One on a cacao farm, in a treehouse cabin, surrounded by nature. Our four-legged friend also joined in on that bday weekend! My 35th birthday was celebrated with live music, beach bar drinks, and lazy pool days at one of the hotels here, plus a private sunset sail. Nick’s 35th was recently spent enjoying a dinner party, followed by a night at a boutique seafront hotel in a cute bungalow.
Yep, I’d say we did Grenada justice this year.
Sailing into 35!
Continuing to Provide Useful Content on Our Website
As with every year, we are always creating new articles, videos and posts on our social media channels to hopefully inspire and assist others when it comes to making money on the road, and travelling the world.
In 2019, we published 157 articles on Goats On The Road, filmed and edited 20 YouTube videos and posted on social media 237 times!
This year, we also kicked it up a notch and created a digital course to help bloggers progress from hobby bloggers to a profitable business. And by we, I mean Nick.
Nick planned, filmed, and created the SEO Made Simple online course — spending hours to ensure it was detailed, professional and most importantly, actionable. Each of the 300 students who have purchased the course are also in Nick’s VIP Facebook group where he shares his wisdom and advanced methods for SEO. It’s been very rewarding for both of us to see the students’ progression!
Because Nick created that course, we were invited to be a part of the Paradise Pack in 2019. For the past 3 years, we have promoted the pack (because it’s filled with awesome products), but this year we were invited to have our course in the bundle of online resources.
We were ecstatic!
Chatting with Travis and Jason from the Paradise Pack was a lot of fun
We did an hour-long live chat online with the creators of the pack (Travis and Jason), with over 3,000 people watching at a time! We then did an hour+ podcast with Jason, where we spoke about our lives as digital nomads and travellers. Chatting with online colleagues is always a lot of fun, and we love this style of interview.
Special!
If you’re interested in learning some of our SEO secrets, but aren’t sure if you want to purchase the SEO Made Simple course, we’re offering a free 1-hour session, here.
Helping Out
Finally, our last goal for 2019 was to help out more. In 2018, we were able to do quite a few things in Grenada, but this year we wanted to do more, both at home and away — there’s always more that can be done.
As with last year, we sponsored an eight-year-old girl from the orphanage so that she could attend a four-week summer camp here on the island. Her weeks were filled with arts and crafts, history and culture, sports and activities, plus a couple of outings to the beach to learn about marine life and the environment. I hope that this summer camp continues for these children as it’s a great initiative.
We also assisted an artist in his “Beautify Grenada” project where he sources out blank walls around the island and looks to brighten up the community by painting unique images on them. “Our” wall that was painted is one that we drive by every day. It’s is in front of a preschool and is now home to colourful turtles, balloons, trees, children, and of course, goats! I hope this talented artist continues his pursuit of beautifying the island.
Plastic is a problem worldwide. Our eco-blogging, travelling friends from The Dharma Trails put together a “Green Up Grenada” project to bring awareness to the plastic issues and to clean up the beaches (and underwater).
Nick heading out on a dive to cleanup the underwater world
We participated in the clean up of La Sagesse Beach (323 pounds of garbage was collected), and the scuba diving clean up at Grand Anse Beach where 150 pounds of garbage was pulled from the sea. This was a great campaign and hopefully it raised more awareness about the unnecessary use of plastic here on the island.
Utilizing Our Home as a “Base”
A month after ringing in the New Year in Grenada, it was time for us to pack away the household items we had accumulated over the past year, load up our backpacks and hit the road. Every February, the owners of the house we rent return to spend 5 or so weeks here. This means we have to vacate — which is OK as we go travelling again!
We had been pretty much stagnant for most of 2018, and not really utilizing our home as a base, which was the whole point of settling here — we planned to stay, and then travel, and repeat. Instead, we felt a pull (is it actually called a “pull” if we don’t go anywhere?!) to stay put.
This year, we were ready to properly make use of our base. Live, travel, repeat. It was time to get back out into the world. And, we actually ended up doing quite a bit of travelling this year — 5 months to be exact.
Eating bbq chicken in the sea with Spare Dog, after hiking – a great day!
Travelling for almost half of the year and staying still for the rest seems to be the perfect balance for us. It allows us to have exciting adventures, sample new foods, and learn about new cultures, but also gives us enough downtime to rest, work and catch up with friends.
I don’t want to jinx it, but after travelling for 10 years, and blogging for 7 of those years, could it be possible that we’ve finally found a work-life balance that suits our lifestyle?!
Having explored Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, and Colombia in 2017, we knew we loved the continent of South America. So, when considering where to go in February, we took a look at the map and decided on Ecuador and Peru for our next adventure…and what an adventure it was.
We were offline for this entire trip and had a great time backpacking around these two countries. You can read about our thoughts and highlights of this trip in our roundup article here.
The hiking around Otavalo was amazing!
Read Our Ecuador Articles Here:
12 Things To Do in Quito, Ecuador
Mindo: the Complete Travel Guide
Otavalo: The Ultimate Guide for Travellers
Hiking the Quilotoa Loop: A How-to Guide
Galapagos Islands Travel: A Guide To Travelling Independently
Press Trip Partnerships
Going on press trips/FAM trips isn’t our main blogging income model, but when we’re invited somewhere that resonates with our travel style and interests, we happily accept the offer.
This year, we were invited on 6 press trips and had an incredible time exploring new destinations — all of which were a great fit. Sure, we had been to these countries in the past, but the provinces, cities, and islands that we visited were new to us.
Nova Scotia
Even though we’re Canadian, we’ve seen very little of our home country. So when the Nova Scotia tourism board invited us to experience what the little province has to offer, we jumped at the opportunity to see the east!
Jagged coastline, hiking routes, fishing villages, fresh seafood and welcoming locals — this is Nova Scotia. We picked up our rental car and had an incredible time road tripping around the province for 3 weeks, while experiencing all the fun things to do in Halifax, and beyond.
With so many places to visit and adventures to have, we would definitely return and explore more of the culture, cuisine and nature.
Read more about our experience in Nova Scotia on the blog, here.
Beautiful nature in Nova Scotia on Cape Breton Island
Indonesia
This island nation is one of the countries we visited on our first backpacking trip in 2009. We then returned to live in Canggu, Bali for a couple of months, and Nick went on a scuba diving trip with the Indonesia Tourism Board.
This time around, we were invited by Lotus Hotels, to experience their dive resorts and share our findings with you.
We travelled to 4 different destinations over the course of 15 days — Gangga Island in North Sulawesi, Birie Island in Raja Ampat, Candidasa on Bali Island and the island of Gili Trawangan. Even though we were on a trip that was planned for us, visiting these destinations (some of which are quite offtrack) was an incredible experience.
Sunsets on Gangga Island were amazing
The majority of the trip was centred around the epic scuba diving and snorkelling that Indonesia is known for, which was perfect for Nick! The accommodations were lush, the natural beauty was out of this world (especially in Raja Ampat!), and we enjoyed visiting villages, dining on fabulous food and interacting with the welcoming residents of each island.
The beauty above and below the sea, the friendly people, the tasty cuisine and the overall vibe are the reasons we find ourselves returning to Indonesia. There’s just something magical about this country, and we’re always happy to come back.
Drone’s eye view of the FAM islands in Raja Ampat
In between Indonesia and Japan, we hopped over to the Philippines for our friend’s wedding. We enjoyed some downtime with friends, a lovely wedding ceremony, and some exploration of Siquijor Island by scooter!
Japan
Just a few days after being invited to Indonesia, we received an offer to travel to Japan and check out some of the more offtrack prefectures (which are similar to provinces/states). In 2017 we visited Tokyo, Takayama and Kyoto and enjoyed the culture shock, cuisine and people of Japan.
This time around, we were going to experience more of the natural beauty, plus an offtrack city and learn about the culture of soaking in a sento (public bath).
Four different tourism boards and associations invited us to visit their destinations, which were all places we hadn’t been to yet — Akita and Aomori in the Tohoku Region, Okayama City, Nakatsugawa City and the Tokyo Sento Association.
Hiking the Nakasendo Trail in Nakatsugawa, Japan
We lined it up so we could visit all destinations during just one trip to Japan. There were a couple of free days during our 16-day trip, including some time in Tokyo to hang out with our friend Jason from the UK who we met while backpacking around Central Asia in 2013!
This time around, we felt as though we learned much more about the intricate culture, and were able to dig a little deeper into the history, customs and cuisine. There’s much more of Japan to see and we can’t wait to return.
The Ups vs. The Downs
We arrived home on a high. We had just enjoyed an incredible couple of months travelling around Asia, we reconnected with some great friends on the road and our website was doing well in terms of partnerships, traffic to the site, and income.
We caught up with our friends (including Spare dog) when we got home, reflected on the trip and the year as a whole and were excited about the holiday season. More importantly, once we had finished our deliverables for the Indonesia and Japan campaigns, we had lots of plans for how we were going to improve our business — we were excited!
But, between the time we arrived back in Grenada from Asia (November 9th), to when this article was published (just over a month later) it feels like all of our amazing accomplishments, adventures and “ups” from the year have been snuffed out.
A beautiful sunset from our house
Goats On The Road was one of many websites that took a huge hit during the November Google algorithm update. What does that mean exactly? Well, Google changed the way it shows content to those who are searching.
So let’s say for example you were searching for “things to do in Thailand”, rather than having us show up as #1 or #2 because we’re a well-respected travel blog with long, informative content, we have now dropped down and you are being shown more “authoritative” sites (ie: big companies).
Why did this happen? We don’t know. Which is incredibly frustrating.
Our traffic has dropped and we’re scrambling trying to figure it out. Traffic affects our income and partnerships, and how many people will see our message, which is why it’s such a big deal. One thing is for sure, we will continue to create useful and informative articles for you and hopefully, Google will be happy with us once again!
This update pretty much affected sites across the board in the recipe and travel industries and while we still have a lot of traffic, it’s difficult to see it go down overnight and knowing there’s nothing we can do to fix it.
However, business and money are trivial in comparison to what happened 4 days ago.
From the time I was basically finished writing this article, to the time it was published, our friend Spare Dog passed away. This has been incredibly hard on us as even though we were his petsitters, we thought of him as our own, and spent so much time together.
Spare Dog will be loved and missed
Spare was the reason we came to Grenada in the first place back in 2014 and was the reason we kept on returning. He was the first (and only) dog I ever loved — no others will compare. This year has ended with sadness for us, but we’re trying to focus on the fantastic life he led, and all the adventures he enjoyed — he explored more of Grenada than anyone we know!
This little furry character made an impact on everyone he met and thought of himself as human, rather than animal. From waterfalls and private islands to offtrack trails and brewpubs, Spare went everywhere and everyone knew him.
Nick and I are grateful for the last 10 days we had together with Spare at our home, and that his parents returned from the UK in time to say goodbye to their sweet boy. We’ll miss Spare (Doodle) Dog dearly and Grenada won’t be the same without him.
haha, this photo is my favourite! Excited for an adventure, Spare?!
Moving Forward into 2020
I’ve been speaking with blogging colleagues and travel friends who all have their 2020 calendars filled with plans. Currently, for us, there are no plans — which I think is great! No work commitments planned, no flights booked, and nowhere we have to be.
We’re thinking of 2020 as a blank slate. It’s a fresh, pure year waiting for us to colour in the time slots as, and when, we want.
For me, 2020 means “vision” and “clarity”. And while everything looks a little bit blurry at the moment due to the stress of the past weeks, once we move into the new year I’m certain some definition will start to appear.
I have a feeling there are some epic changes on the horizon and we’re excited to see where we go, and what we end up doing!
Wishing you an amazing year ahead! (photo taken during Nick’s birthday surprise)
Since this is a travel and lifestyle blog, we’ve always been honest and upfront with you, with the hopes that you’ll appreciate the real people behind the words. Rather than being just a generic travel website, we think personality and personability are an important part of sharing and connecting with our readers.
As we head into 2020, Nick and I want to sincerely thank you for following our journey this past year, and we’re looking forward to sharing our upcoming adventures (whatever those may be!) with you in the new year.
We hope to inspire you to travel to some new destinations and maybe even find work doing what you love while on the road. We’d love to hear from you as well, so please comment down below, or send us a private email.
Wishing you health, joy, and love in the coming year.
Dariece & Nick (the Goats)
The post Looking Back on 2019: A Year Of Highs and Lows appeared first on Goats On The Road.
Looking Back on 2019: A Year Of Highs and Lows published first on https://travelaspire.weebly.com/
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