#and donald's about to learn that the hard way

[sunkissedchld]

𝐏𝐈𝐂𝐊 𝐀 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐃

𝒎𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇-𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆

dedicated to @nashikahan for suggesting the idea ❤️

relationships are important of course, no matter if it's a friendship or romantic or work-related or otherwise, but one of the greatest and most important types of love is the love we receive from ourselves.

i've said this before (a very long time ago), but in general, when most people are interested in tarot, they tend to ask about and lean towards content that speaks about the future (ex. future spouse, next 5 years, next career endeavor, etc), but i’ve realized that falling into that trap of future readings can be harmful if it’s all one ever thinks about.

thinking about the future is great of course, and it’s fun and sometimes comforting to think about the future and what successes and highs one might claim, but too much focus on the future makes it hard for one to focus on the present.

you can’t ever reach that future if you’re so wrapped in the fantasy of it that you forget to bring yourself to the present and work on whatever is needed in order to get there.

therefore, this PAC is not about the future. it's about the now. it's about what you need to hear right now in order to find comfort and love for yourself the way you need it.

the piles go from top left to right. so, "you are exactly where you are meant to be" is pile i, "be kind to your mind" is pile ii, and so on and so forth.

take the time to close your eyes, breathe, and meditate on the PAC prompt, then open your eyes and let your guides lead you to the pile for you.

i hope you enjoy and learn to love yourself the way you deserve to be loved 💖

(TW: slight s*icidal mention in pile vi)

𝐏𝐈𝐋𝐄 𝐈

Shufflemancy:

"Rover and Benz" by Aint Afraid

"Blazed" by Ariana Grande

"Lose" by Wonho

Reading:

i think this is my creative pile :)

life is always moving and as hard as it is for you to be okay with it you always find a way to get on the right footing despite there seemingly not being a reason to.

are you a dancer? or at least, do you wanna be? if so, don't deny yourself that art form. i can tell you pour your heart and soul into it. i think it's where you tell the story of your pain. please, continue to use it to continue to be the strong person you are.

you're a fighter and a creative. i don't know a better combo than that to be honest. i don't think you hear this often enough, or you doubt people when you do hear it -- your art form is enough. as a matter of fact, it's more than enough. it's exactly what's needed for the Earth right now and for years to come.

the card i pulled literally says, "SHARE YOUR VOICE" in all caps like that and everything. your mind, your voice, your creativity, your dance, your art is valid. even if self-critique is necessary, also remember that you've come a long way from your very first piece to right now.

the other card i pulled says, "YOUR LIFE IS A CANVAS". continue to use it as such. continue to foster your art. it's beautiful. every ounce of love you put into it can be seen. it's so obvious that art (in whatever form) is of and in you.

love it.

especially your own.

love your own work.

(i promise that it's good enough).

𝐏𝐈𝐋𝐄 𝐈𝐈

Shufflemancy:

"Donald Trump" by Mac Miller

"Run The World (Girls)" by Beyonce

"The Vapors" by Jhene Aiko

Reading:

know that you have a reason to be cocky!

i can tell that you're a hard-worker. every action you take is calculated and in an effort to reach the "promised land" of what you want. what you've always dreamed of. although recently (and maybe just in general) you may feel as if this uphill climb feels harder than ever.

the card i pulled says, "it's happening for you. not to you". i think those words may be of help to you right now. sometimes you may feel like God has put you up against these seemingly unwinable battles, but they are winnable. you're the one that can win them.

although you put in the work and action behind all of your wants, i think you mainly need to hear that you're not alone. you are being supported.

more than anything, i think you need to focus on healing yourself before going any further. specifically, go outside. breathe in the cold air and let it hurt your lungs. let the humidity frizz out your hair. listen to the waves as the crash violently or splash little by little.

i think you already know that you're strong, but also know that it's okay to rest.

it's necessary to rest.

please, allow yourself to do so.

𝐏𝐈𝐋𝐄 𝐈𝐈𝐈

Shufflemancy:

"Songs About You" by Chika

"Fool For You" by CeeLo Green

"Silent Cry" by Stray Kids

Reading:

there's a calling for you to do something, and you're avoiding it.

now babe.. you know better than to do that!

you feel like logic isn't aligning for you to be able to do it, or you doubt your own abilities, don't you? yeah.. you gotta stop doing that like immediately.

that dream or urge you have that feels so integral to your person and so primal to you in terms of needs is something you can totally achieve, but you have to believe in yourself. pay homage to yourself.

you are unique and honestly, your alignment is not of this world. that's why it feels as if the logic is off because they logic you've been conditioned to follow is not the one you should be following.

listen to yourself. listen to your body. trust that you will end up at the right ending because you're the one who knows how to best lead yourself. the cards i pulled say, "trust where you're led" and "surrender to the alchemy of life". i think that's important for you.

the most important thing i can say is that you control your destiny, and know that there's a path for you that so beautifully laid out, and you naturally lead yourself there.

you are worthy of your own trust.

you know exactly what you're doing -- even if it doesn't feel like it.

𝐏𝐈𝐋𝐄 𝐈𝐕

Shufflemancy:

"Sorry Not Sorry" by Bryson Tiller

"in my head" by Ariana Grande

"I'm The One" by Ateez

Reading:

you allow people to walk over you too much :(

is it because you don't think you're good enough? do you think you're not worthy of respect? YOU ARE!

maybe you don't fit society's standard of things. education, beauty, intelligence, material posessions? to be honest, it doesn't matter because you are so much more than that. who you are inside and who you try to be is so much more valuable than any of society's standards.

you don't have to take on everyone's burdens in order to be of use. you don't have to break your own boundaries and beat yourself down in order to receive basic respect.

your unique knowledge -- your unconventional knowledge- is so special to you! it's such a unique trait that gives you a different way of thinking and experiencing than others. use these differences to uplift yourself!

so what you're different? so what you don't blend in with everyone else? THAT'S THE ENTIRE POINT OF BEING UNIQUE AND BEING DIFFERENT!

fitting society's standards isn't helpful to yourself or the collective.

embrace your differences. they are valuable.

𝐏𝐈𝐋𝐄 𝐕

Shufflemancy:

"Alone" by Ayanna

"Motivation" by Normani

"Do It Like A Dude" by Jessie J

Reading:

the people who chose this pile are changing! transtitions and transformations are in progress or on the way, and you feel unprepared for them. that's okay!

you keep holding on to old habits and old ways of thinking, but you need to trust yourself and the universe. the card i pulled literally says, "YES. just say yes". the other one says, "you go first. the universe will catch you".

your old ways of thinking and being don't work anymore because they're too mundane. your ability and your intrinsic nature is so much broader! so much bigger!

your personality and energy is so intoxicating to others. i wish you could see yourself through outsiders eyes. if you felt drawn to pile ii, then go ahead and read it. i think the message there also applies to you.

know that you are so much bigger than the little problems and intrusive thoughts that hold you back. for every pessimistic thought that goes through, write down a positive one.

also, learn to praise yourself. you deserve praise.

you are doing well.

𝐏𝐈𝐋𝐄 𝐕𝐈

Shufflemancy:

"Cuz I Love You" by Lizzo

"Without You" by Ledsi

"Practice" by Drake

"breathin" by Ariana Grande

Reading:

i think you're tired, just like the photo says.

you may feel like you don't wanna be here anymore. not even in a s*icidal way, but more so in a wanting to be away from your environment -- from Earth -- just for a little bit if it were possible.

the people who chose this pile a very likely starseeds. you miss home. you miss being around likeminded people, and more than anything you miss feeling as if you belonged.

you have so much love you want to give to others, but it's like people don't want it. like they follow the saying of "you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make them drink it".

i think you may be tired of hearing this, but you are here for a reason. more than anything you just want the backpack of rocks that lies on your shoulder to be lightened -- even if just by one stone. you're tired of hearing that you're strong and that you can handle it because if you feel that backpack get loaded with one more stone, then you;ll explode.

you don't have to be strong all the time.

it's okay to cry.

please cry.

you are human too.

you have emotions too.

it's valid and okay to feel them.

[dostoyevsky-official]

A People’s Obituary of Henry Kissinger

Henry Kissinger, who was born in Weimar Germany in 1923, is dead. He made it to 100, and in the last years of his life, politicians, writers, and celebrities feted him as if he were the American Century incarnate. In a way, he was.

[...] At every single one of America’s postwar turning points, moments of crisis when men of good will began to express doubts about American power, Kissinger broke in the opposite direction. He made his peace with Nixon, whom he first thought was unhinged; then with Ronald Reagan, whom he initially considered hollow; and then with George W. Bush’s neocons, despite the fact that they all rose to power attacking Kissinger; and finally with Donald Trump, whom Kissinger fancifully imagined as the realization of his belief that the greatness of great statesmen resides in their spontaneity, their agility, their ability to thrive on chaos, on, as Kissinger wrote in the 1950s, “perpetual creation, on a constant redefinition of goals.”

[...] “We’ve got to break the back of this generation of Democratic leaders,” Kissinger told Nixon, as the two men plotted to use foreign policy for domestic advantage. Nixon responded that “we’ve got to destroy the confidence of the people in the American establishment.”

“That’s right,” Kissinger answered.

Yet, even as the breakup of the old national security state was proceeding apace, Kissinger helped with its reconstruction in a new form: a restored imperial presidency based on ever-more-spectacular displays of violence, more intense secrecy, and an increasing use of war and militarism to leverage domestic dissent and polarization for political advantage.

[...] Kissinger served as not just a foil but also an enabler for the New Right. Over the course of his career, he advanced a set of premises that would be taken up and extended by neoconservative intellectuals and policymakers: that hunches, conjecture, will, and intuition are as important as facts and hard intelligence in guiding policy; that too much knowledge can weaken resolve; that foreign policy has to be wrested out of the hands of experts and bureaucrats and given to men of action; and that the principle of self-defense (broadly defined to cover just about anything) overrules the ideal of sovereignty. In so doing, Kissinger played his part in keeping the great wheel of American militarism spinning ever forward.

[...] At the very least, we can learn from Kissinger, who unhesitatingly supported Gulf War One and Gulf War Two, and every war between and since, that the two defining concepts of United States foreign policy—realism and idealism—aren’t necessarily opposing values; rather, they reinforce each other. Idealism gets us into the quagmire of the moment; realism keeps us there while promising to get us out; and then idealism returns anew both to justify the realism and to overcome it in the next round. So it goes.

[nachofuck3r]

Johnny Cages future partner!Reader Intros + others

Johnny: You're just what the doctor ordered

You: I didn't know doctors prescribed ass whoopings

You: So, kenshi tells me you have a PhD

Johnny: I'm packing more than a doctors title babe

You: I'm never attempting small talk with you again

You: How come you and Johnny are friends?

Kenshi: It's not that hard to believe.

You: No, it really is.

Tomas: I am Johnny's new prescribed wingman

You: And that concerns me because?

Tomas: Well-

You: Hard Pass.

Johnny: Kenshi talks about my PhD?

You: Yeah, but anytime he does he seems like he still can't fathom you actually achieved something.

Johnny: Ouch.

Liu Kang: What you have with Cage is long foretold.

You: yuck.

Liu Kang: There are multiple timelines-

You: I'm gonna beat your face, god or no god.

Mileena: Still in denial about your unwavering future?

You: I didn't think a princess was into earthrealm gossip

Mileena: No, but I do like to see you and Cage fumble

Tomas: What kind of movies do you like?

You: Looking to ask me out, smoke?

Tomas: Ehrm well I-

You: anything that doesn't feature Johnny Cage

Tomas: Oh-

Tanya: At first I found Mileenas attitude to be a pain, but getting to know her made my heart grow fond-

You: Stop, listen you guys are cute but yall need to mind your own business! I am not hooking up with wish.com Chris Evans.

You: Madam Bo keeps asking about you

Johnny: What why?

You: She offering to do the catering at our wedding

Johnny: But I haven't even proposed yet!

You: yet?!

Johnny: You gotta stop running from your destiny, babe

You: Only if it stops pursuing me!

Johnny: That we were at that same mc donalds at 3am was a total coincidence!

You: You're a performer at heart- I just wish that didn't get in the way of your critical thinking skills.

Johnny: You're right, I'm such himbo.

You: Ok, no more small talk! I mean it this time!

Bi-Han: My condolences, I could not possibly imagine, having my furture tied to Cages.

You: I don't recommend imagining it.

Johnny: Hah! I saw that, you smiled. You are happy to see me

You: Oh, I was just thinking about wiping the floor with your face

You: I am the only Earthrealmer you have tried persuing, why is that?

Johnny: You haven't seen me with Kenshi on karaoke night.

You: Why don't you pursue Kenshi, he seems far suited for you!

Johnny: He lacks the what you have, tenfold

You: Don't say looks...

Johnny: Sass! I was gonna say sass!

You: I'm starting to come around to the idea of us being acquainted

Johnny: Knew you couldn't resist the Cage experience

You: I never learn.

(I have a whole one shot planned out but this is a little something for the ride since I am way too busy this week to come around to writing)

[dominicsorel]

Not really one to articulate what I’m thinking the best but I did want to discuss this at base level at the very least because it’s a feeling I’m quite familiar with. I didn’t think as much into it when I was a kid myself. Probably because I felt it was only natural to want the things Sora and Riku did. I wasn’t happy, after all.

Sora and Riku going to the play island to “get away” from their home as far as they can go is REALLY sad...and Riku saying the adults won’t let them go alone until their older hints to me more than just “wishing for independence”. It makes me wonder just WHY they want to be independent at such a young age- not to say it’s uncommon for kids to think this way in general but bare with me and remember what I said at the start.

Like not to say this to me is a red flag that something happened to Sora and Riku that made Riku want to get Sora and him out of there and is part of why Sora is interested in leaving as well but...yeah, it’s exactly that. Why is it that Sora and Riku want to leave their hometown (world, whatever) this badly? Because we know why Kairi wants to stay, why Kairi feels the way she does. Trauma, grief, a need for connection, something to hold onto, something to go back to when things get too scary or hard to deal with. Makes perfect sense!

But what started to seed the desire to leave for the other two of the Destiny Island kids and what made it their very goal at the start of KH1 and what makes them keep choosing to leave it despite any of the nostalgia surrounding it and an idealized wish for simpler and peaceful times?

We see Riku in flashbacks telling Sora that one day they’ll get away from all this and go on real adventures and stop being treated like kids which...strangely now sounds more reassuring rather than some “macho” talk from a little kid. It really sounds like he’s reassuring Sora he’ll get them out of there and then you realize...this is right after the meteor shower promise where he vowed to protect Sora, externally. What do I mean by “externally”?

The thing is we already see Riku in BBS knowing he wants to protect Sora and that he knows he can’t do it best by them both staying there so...what caused things to sprout this way? Why would Riku be so dead set on protecting Sora if there wasn’t something that could actually hurt him? It’s not just loving someone that makes you think stuff like that at such an age, it’s seeing the people you love being hurt. And how else would it make you feel as a child to be utterly incapable of doing a thing about it? Seems like your self-esteem would take a hit, over and over again. Same if you were being hurt or were hurt and couldn’t protect yourself or had to rely on someone else to do it for you. You’d probably try to overcompensate for what you think you’re missing.

Why would Kingdom Hearts spend time establishing healthy (albeit not perfect but practical) connections between these two and adult characters in their life that they only met once they leave the island? Why is Riku’s main adult support Mickey and Minnie rather...rather than his parents? Why is Sora’s main adult support Donald and Goofy rather than his parents? Why do Sora and Riku learn so much more from the adults they meet on their journeys than the ones at “home”. Terra and Aqua gave them hope that they could leave one day and a reached out hand to help make it happen. You can go on about how you think Kingdom Hearts is bad at writing relationships or whatever but it certainly has intention, even if the intention evolves as a series is going- such is the very nature of writing. Things evolve before your very eyes and older things seem different under new lenses.

And be it trauma, abuse, and/or neglect...even if by the end of the series, this isn’t brushed upon as obviously as I put it in favor of focusing on the traumas we’ve gotten to seen happen, I still believe it remains an important part of the overarching narrative and adds another layer to why Sora and Riku wanted to leave in the first place. And it’s part of why I don’t think they’ll live on the Destiny Islands in the end. They own phones now, after all. They can call their parents any time, if they wanted. But I hope they don’t.

[korkorali]

Oooooohhhh are we talking about Bradford telling Della about the Spear of Selene? I think we're talking about Bradford telling Della about the Spear of Selene!

Okay okay this is something I have Ideas™️about- specifically why he told her, and why she believed him.

The answer (as I have so humbly decided is obviously the abject truth) is the same for both: Because he'd been manipulating her for years.

He was trying to be the Emperor Palpatine to her Anakin Skywalker.

Why? Simple: The Papyrus of Truth.

Think about it- it doesn't make sense to immediately go 'oh, only Scrooge McDuck's heir can find the Papyrus? Welp, time to steal some of his DNA and make a kid!' That's supervillain territory, and Bradford isn't a supervillain! (He's just a bit of a scumbag, but that's not a supervillain so it's obviously fine.)

So picture this: he finds out about the wish Scrooge made on the Papyrus, that only his heir could find it, and his thought patterns line up with Scrooge's:

He thinks "Alright, then it has to be one of those rugrats."

The question is, which one? Della, or Donald?

And honestly, when they're both kids- it's not really that much of a question, is it?

Is it Donald, the angry coward who loves to hole up in his room and write songs about eating the rich and basically doing everything that Scrooge hates?

Or is it Della, the adventurous and energetic ball of high-octane excitement and adrenaline, unable to sit still for a single moment, who acts like Scrooge McDuck, who likes all the same things as Scrooge McDuck, who is pretty much every single thing that Bradford Buzzard hates about Scrooge McDuck, all rolled up into a bratty child?

(Nevermind the fact that she isn't actually like that, not entirely. Nevermind the fact that she's doing all that because she feels she has to be useful, to be likeable, and that means mirroring Scrooge McDuck because if he likes himself so much then he must like seeing himself in her.)

Obviously it's Della. It has to be.

Which means, in order for him to get the Papyrus, he needed to get his claws into Della.

Which shouldn't have been hard- you can't tell me that Scrooge wouldn't do the same thing with Donald and Della that he did with Louie. He'd take them to the Money Bin (after all, it's like a second home for him), then head into his office and tell them not to disturb him.

And that'd leave Della in the perfect position for Bradford to begin to wheedle his ways past her defenses.

(Of course, multiple problems arise, not the least of which is she's a child and Bradford undoubtedly hates children. But moreso it's that she's genre-savvy, and also (and we love her for it, but) kind of dumb. It's a very frustrating mix that leads to her very nearly calling him out on what he's doing a lot.

But also, despite all that- she's still a kid.

And despite how much she thinks she knows, he's still better.)

It'd take a while, and I don't think he ever really manages it, but he still gets her to trust him.

Eventually, of course, he learns that Della isn't the 'heir of Scrooge McDuck.'

(Not sure how this happens, but it obviously does- I'm sure that lots of the Adventure Trio's adventures in the earlier days were spent searching for that missing Papyrus, but for some reason they stopped. The whole thing threatened to tear Donald and Della apart, or something.)

And that makes all the work he spent on her useless. All the time spent manipulating her, and trying (and -mostly- failing) to get her to be something he wanted, to push her to break up her family, all for naught.

Or- maybe not.

Because Scrooge keeps a secret. He makes her a spaceship. An untested, unreliable, terrible spaceship that literally runs on money.

It's horrible.

It's a waste.

It's perfect.

All the work doesn't have to be for naught. All Bradford has to do is let Della come to him one day, when she's at the Money Bin (probably because she and Donald and Scrooge were going shopping for baby toys, and she kept trying to get these really dangerous and deadly-looking ones, and ultimately got sent to the Money Bin as a bit of a 'time out'), let her rant and burn herself out to him about how frustrating Donald and Scrooge are being, how unfair they are (how scared she is, how much she just wishes they'd let her actually handle some stuff, how bad they make her feel for still wanting to adventure at a time like this, how much it feels like all either of them care about anymore are the kids and not her), how much it blows to be stuck like this.

And all Bradford has to do is offer up some half-hearted consolement, assure her that (while Donald is definitely being too overprotective) that of course Scrooge still cares about her, is still thinking about her, is still thinking about her, after all he's making her the-

And then cut himself off, like he said too much. That's aaaaallll that's needed to peak Della's interest, after all. And as soon as that's peaked- it's over.

All he has to do is hem and haw back and forth, say 'oh but he made me promise never to say anything' and 'I could get in trouble' and so on and so forth. Make it seem like he didn't want to say anything. Make Della feel like she earned the information, that he didn't plan this from the start.

And when she finally gets the information about the Spear out of him, and her eyes light up like stars and she darts off to go see if he was telling the truth, he can be confident that she'll never remember that he was the one who told her about it. All she'd be able to think about is 'I figured it out.' Because she had, after all. She'd figured it out, all her, he definitely hadn't pointed her in that direction at all.

He got to get rid of a liability and break the family, all in one fell swoop.

[cyanide-sippy-cup]

Okay I literally never do this but episode 7 was so good I gotta do an episode review.

Spoilers ahead obviously

First things out of the way: FUCK FUCK WHY IS SHE HERE FUCK OH MY GOD JESUS CHRIST. When she slammed Mark into that crater I legit began hyperventilating (albeit very lightly). I was so not ready for her to show up and oh my god, the terror conveyed in Zazie's voice acting was legit. That fight scene absolutely kicked ass though, I got hyped as hell when Mark dropped that "no". Now that she's in the show I really hope she doesn't garner any fans because WOW they are gonna be in for a shock. And lastly FUCK YEAH ALLEN KICK HER ASS.

The breakup scene was fantastic. The episode focusing on so much of their relationship kinda made it clear something was gonna happen but when Mark changed up his schedule for her I was like "oh that's really nice" and then she showed up. As I said that was all fantastic, from Cecil's panicking to Amber's terror the presentation was great. Although now that they're broken up, I really hope they go somewhere else with Amber that isn't... that storyline.

REX IS THE GOAT. I love how he just tells Mark "pick a day and we'll cover for you". An absolute bro for sure, I'm loving his character arc. Can't wait for everyone to learn his origin and be like "oh shit" like after Eve's special. Speaking of which, do ya think we're gonna get a Rex-focused special about his origin like we did Eve?

Donald talking Rick down from the ledge and learning about himself in doing so was fantastic. We stan Donald. And man, am I glad they replaced Justin. Like, I know they had to after his actions came to light but also if I'm being honest I despised Rick's voice. Justin was good for silly characters but if I had to listen to him try to do the emotional segments I would've pulled a Rick (sanchez) and put my head in a lazer.

Still don't like Immortal's sad arc. Don't get me wrong, they're doing an awesome job with everything post Kate's "death" but the fact that we literally never saw anything more of their relationship than a shower fuck kinda makes it hard to feel anything when he talks about how sad he is.

Last but not least, OH SHIT OH FUCK IT'S HIM IT'S... *checks notes* Langstrom Sleazy...?

Look I'm sorry I like Angstrom and that end reveal was AWESOME and I am so scared and excited for what's definitely gonna be the plot of season 3 but also I can never remember his fucking name for the life of me and I have no idea why.

Anyway with Anissa here at least that means Thragg's not far behind. Hell we might see him next episode what with the whole prison thing.

[iceman-kazansky]

4 times Donald Malarkey Wanted to kiss you , the one time he did.

Pairings: Donald Malarkey x f!reader

Requested by: none, just an idea I had :)

Warnings: Bastogne, Mentions of depression, character death, Donald being flustered, uhh tons of switches of POV's but just read it and be happy.

A/n: reallllyyy didn't like this. I mean, I like the Toccoa part (#1) but I felt like it gradually decreased in quality as it went on. Also, my first ever band of brothers fic so be weary.

˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙

1. Close call in Toccoa

Malarkey, shamefully, had noticed how much his thoughts were about you. He found you occupying his mind about anything and everything. Something you said yesterday, your smile when Luz had mocked Coronel sink, your eyes and how they shined in the dark moonlight during the notorious night march, your hands when you'd accidentally brushed your knuckles against his during breakfast this morning.

All the little things nobody else would care to notice Malarky cherished like it was religion. Of course, Malarkey's best friends, Muck and Penkala, had caught wind of his obsession when he spoke just a little too much of the woman within the company.

They teased him for it, as all friends do when they learn their best bud is crushing a little too hard on a girl.

Sitting in the cafeteria, Malarkey was subject to that teasing. "Whatcha dreaming about larkey'?" Warren asked, a cheeky smile stretched across his face.

"You already know it's Y/n, so why'd you ask?" Alex was quick to respond, Warren nodding in fake thoughtfulness.

"I imagine Malarky sits and dreams all about kissing Y/n. I saw him staring at her yesterday. Ain't that right Malarky? What were you thinking about then?" Warren's smile grows even larger and he puckers his lips, "mhmm" He groans with a mock high-pitch voice, "y/n, Please kiss me! You're so pretty! I really, really love you y'know!"

The ginger flushes red from embarrassment, Although, Donald won't lie to himself, he does think of the softness of your lips more than he'd like to admit… but that wasn't the point. He thinks to himself while he swats his friend harshly from across the table, trying to shut him up before the whole company learns his secret. "Can it, will you?" He whisper-yells, kicking Warren in the shins full force to which causes the blond haired boy to exclaim in agony.

"It's true! I swear, you probably think about kissing her–" Warren is cut off by a very familiar voice and Malarkey's stomach drops in fear.

"Who's thinking about kissing who?" You say, plopping down in the seat next to Malarky innocently, while the poor ginger turns as red in the face as his hair on his head.

Theres a few beats of stunned, awkward silence before finally Alex answers "Malarky thinks about kissing-" Donald shoots him a warning glare and a hard nudge of his foot, "-Margaret. Yeah, a girl back home whom he knew. A real broad, that one."

Malarkey doesn't notice the way your face falls at the mention of someone at home, "Y-yeah" He stutters out. "Margaret. Real pretty." Or the way you go silent and your shoulders slump.

"Sounds real nice." You half mumble while you shovel a spoon of oatmeal in your mouth.

Muck and Penkala glance at each other with looks that say 'oh fuck' while everyone resumes eating breakfast in an awkward silence.

Oh fuck was right.

˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙

2. Thunder and flash

Malarkey hit the ground with a thud, his white parachute settling on the ground behind him while he worked on cutting himself free and condensing the fabric into a tight roll.

It was dark, with sounds of gunfire in the distance. A rustle in the bushes caused Malarkey's head to snap in that direction. "Thunder?" He called out hesitantly, cautious not to be too loud.

The bush moved, followed by "flash" in response and a silhouette stepped out.

With the limited lighting Malarkey was squinting to see who he had reunited with. Was it Liebgott? Toye? Winters? Was it you?

It didn't take long to get an answer when the person made themselves known, stepping into a thick beam of moonlight, face illuminated by the white light.

Malarkey was beyond relieved. He had found you. Even better, still alive and breathing. He doesn’t know what he would've done had it been your body, strung up in the branches of a tree.

"You're alive." He all but whispered.

"What'd you think was gonna happen? Really thought the Krauts got the better of me?" You chuckle, a warm smile on your face, "Have a little faith, will you?"

Oh how he wanted to cup your cheeks and kiss you.

Malarkey wanted to reach forwards, grab your face with his hands, and plant his lips on yours. He wanted to show you how worried he was. How sickeningly scared he had been that you were dead before he'd even jumped from the plane.

There is a silence while you move to embrace each other, eyes staring into one another's in an emotion you both can't quite name, something you'll find out later when feelings unravel themselves.

Malarkey doesn't notice the way you both subconsciously had begun leaning into each other, faces inching closer. A thought flashed across Malarkey's mind. He could kiss you. He could ruin his friendship.

Little did he know, none of that would need to be decided as A voice calls from the bushes "Thunder?" immediately met with you calling out a quick 'flash!' And pulling away.

Begrudgingly, Malarkey realizes he must find easy company, there's no time to sulk, he finishes packing his parachute into a tight ball and stands to join you and the new soldier they joined with.

˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙

3. Drunken confession in the times after Carentan

The bar was deafening and unorderly. Soldiers of all ranks and ages were drinking, a golden yellow ale were being thrust into the air in cheer over the recent win in Carentan.

Malarkey and his best friends, Warren Muck and Alex Penkala were seated in a small booth towards the back of the bar with each of them having an ale on the table.

Malarkey excuses himself, going to grab another drink, he blows a sigh through his lips and begins pushing himself through the mass of people and to the bar.

When he finally got to the counter, two bartenders were rushing between calls for another beer. He was going to be here for awhile.

While standing patiently waiting for a drink, a figure approaches. Malarkey recognizes it as Lieutenant Winters and immediately is straightening himself out when he approaches. "Sir?" He questions when the red-headed lieutenant stops in front of him.

"Malarkey. I think it'd be best for sergeant Y/n to be off for the night. Except, she won't listen to me."

Donald smiles at the Lieutenant, peeking over his shoulder in the direction he came, sure enough seeing a drunken you, half asleep and nearly falling off your chair. "Will do, lieutenant."

"Have a good evening, Malarkey." And with that the man was off.

Making his way over to you, the ginger tapped you on the shoulder gently, prompting a grunt in response. "C'mon y/n, we gotta get you to bed."

Attempting to stand you nearly topple over, Malarkey's hand reaching out to grip your forearm, a giggle escaping your drunken lips. After stumbling out into the warm summer air and across camp, Malarkey had you nearly in bed and was ready to leave you to your own.

He draws in a deep breath and leans down hesitantly. Malarkey places his lips lightly on your cheek for a moment, hunched over your half-asleep form.

Moments pass where you stay like that before he whispers a soft "good night" and exits the room promptly.

when he leaves he can feel the giddiness running through his veins, a smile pulling itself onto his lips.

Oh god he was in for it.

˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙

4. Bastogne; frozen hell

Malarkey wasn’t sure what to do anymore. There was a dull ache that filled his chest, a sensation that he could only describe as a leech sucking the life straight from the organ that pumped blood throughout his body. He was a man stranded on an island, unable to get off.

Muck was gone. Penkala was gone too. Gone as in, He’d never talk to them again. Bodies blown into oblivion by a direct hit of a mortar. If he’d known the last words he had spoken to them would've been so soon, he would have told them a whole lot more. Told them how good of friends they had become and how dear they had become to him. But he'd never get that chance because they had been taken from him all too soon. Like a bandaid being pulled off a fresh wound, much to early to fend off the infectious depression threatening to poison him from the brain. Kill him with his own emotions.

Oh god, he wanted to break down. He wanted to be held in the arms of the person he loved. Wanted to cry so hard all his worries went away. But Malarkey wasn’t supposed to do that; wasn't allowed for he was a man in a time of war.

Malarkey was perched on the edge of the cot he was assigned, elbows resting on tired knees and supporting his head while he stared meaninglessly at the floor. His eyes traced over the brown cracks etched into worn floorboards, following each individual splinter and fissure, curious to where they ended up.

“Malarkey?”

He knew it was you, in the back of his mind your voice clicked, but he didn’t have it in himself to look up or respond in fear he would break down. He didn’t want to seem so vulnerable in front of you.

“Don?”

Malarkey could feel a piece of his cold, lifeless gaze peel away with the soft mention of his name, the syllables falling delicately from your perfect mouth. And when he looked up, his crestfallen gaze meeting your concerned one, he felt the strong want to cry. The emotion must've crossed his face more prominently than he’d have liked, as something flashed in your gaze and immediately you were ready to comfort the grief-stricken man.

“Oh, Malarkey.” You say, breath no louder than a whisper, immediately seating yourself beside him on the bed and wrapping your arms around him, pulling him into the most delicate hug he’s ever had.

He finds it comforting how it reminds him of his mother back home. How she used to wrap him up in her arms and whisper sweet nothings into his ear when he would cry. Malarkey thinks about a lot of things while lying in your arms. He thinks about Muck, teasing him about something stupid he had done while Alex laughs from the side, adding on to the playful mocking they induce. He thinks about home, about his brothers John and Bob and his sister, Marilyn, or his mother and father, how they were all waiting patiently for his return to the states.

“I’m so so sorry.” You mumble into his hair, rocking the boy gently, “I know how much they meant to you.”

Malarkey doesn’t respond, he just cries silently into the comfort of your shoulder. He weeps onto your clothed arm, snot and wet tears soaking into the worn green fabric of your tunic– not like you mind.

When he feels like he's had enough, he's pulling away, red eyes puffy with tears and staring at you. "Thanks." It's quiet, such a low whisper before Malarkey is pulling away and standing up, leaving the tent.

˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙

5. A broad named Margaret

Malarkey was done with war, done with the horrors forever etched into the fabrics of his very brain, done with firing a hot round of smoking gunpowder and bronze metal into a German's body and watching them fall to the ground.

He never thought he could have been happier when he received the news that the last of the German army surrendered.

The first thing he did was go looking for you, asking his fellow easy company boys if they'd seen you. After many, 'I Don't know, sir,' Liebgott was his savior and pointed out you were in a building just across the street.

Malarkey, bursting with joy, raced across the street and into the house, nearly running into you as he threw open the door.

He didn't even think, he just grabbed you and kissed you out of glee. He pulled away shortly after, barely recognizing the fact he probably ruined a good friendship out of his own moments of joy, and you looked like you were about to short circuit, pure surprise painting your face, "The Germans surrendered, the war's over!"

Malarkey is smiling down at you when your fist grab his collar harshly and yank him back down into a kiss.

He blinks in surprise, taken aback by your boldness, before melting into the kiss.

Yours and his lips move in sync, the world muted around the both of you, and the only sound was the beat of your hearts. The kiss was sweet as honey, soft and gentle, but full of love and affection. The taste of his lips lingered on yours, like a memory etched in your soul that you would never forget.

"Im sorry-" you splutter out shortly after.

"Sorry? About what?" Malarkey asks, a look of shock melting into his features.

"About Margaret– you love her, not me, and I just ruined that.. oh my God you probably hate me right now! Im just–"

Malarkey smiles and crashes his lips onto yours to silence your rambling, "You don't know how long I've wanted that." He whispers when he pulls away and leans his forehead against yours.

"B-but Margaret?"

"Oh silly," He chuckles, "Margaret was never real. We were talking about you."

"You were… thinking about kissing me?" A look of confusion paints your face while Malarkey laughs.

"Yes, sweetheart." He says before kissing you again.

If Malarkey thought he was happy about the end of the war, boy was he wrong. This made his whole life a greater place that he'd describe as a sunny meadow with white clouds scuttling across a vast blue sky and a colorful array of daisies and red eyed-susan's that blow gently in a breeze tainted with a smell of salt that wafts from the nearby ocean. That was his dream. To live there, in that place, with you. Luckily for him, the war was over, and you were both going home, together.

[littlewestern]

Ducky

You spoil me!

Duck is probably my favorite toy to mash together with other engines during shipping playtime, probably as a result of him just having so many great interactions with some of the best characters in the series and enough material to work with to extrapolate what other relationships outside of canon might look like. He's just so complex and likable! Many thousands of words have been dedicated to everyone's favorite pannier tank engine. Here's a few more:

OLIVER:

Hi. I'm the problem, it's me.

I love this ship and my love only grows stronger every day. To me, this ship elicits the same kind of reaction as seeing a frog on a lily pad or a cat napping in the sunlight. Like, "Yeah, that's exactly how it's supposed to be. :)"

Outside of vibes-based ship assessment, and more to the point: I love this ship because it really highlights how differently these two characters approach their shared identity, how their experiences shaped their worldview and how that's impacted the way they feel about their old railway, their new home, and each other.

Duck has never borne the burden of questioning his identity. His relationship to the GWR is uncomplicated. He loved it, he misses it, and espousing its virtues to these NWR engines is not only something he feels he has to do, it's something he enjoys doing!

Oliver - notably - does not behave like Duck. I have chosen to interpret this as a sign that his experience with the GWR wasn't the same as the one Duck had. To what degree it was different is up for debate, but I think it's reasonable to assume that it wasn't great, or at the very least, wasn't enough to engender that same loyalty in him that it did in Duck.

But here they are, together on Sodor, and Oliver isn't out here telling everyone about the two ways of doing things, but he *is* working very hard and wearing his colors (that he had no say in picking, because this was for Duck's branch line), because out here they're all each other has of their past life, and it clearly means a lot to Duck.

I like to imagine that Duck sees and appreciates the effort being put forth here, that it softens him on Oliver a lot after the turntable incident. And gosh that GWR green makes him look a lot like home...

In my ideal world, Oliver starts looking-looking at Duck when it becomes clear that Douglas isn't an option anymore (more on that in another ask, perhaps?), and Duck who has always sorta been looking-looking since Oliver got painted green starts responding to that attention with an acknowledgement that Oliver is doing his best. I think previously, Duck would have been reluctant to offer that kind of verbal affirmation considering what happened the last time Oliver got compliments, but I think it really does make Oliver feel good to be told that he's worked hard and done well - especially considering the adverse circumstances he's faced up to this point. One imagines that he didn't get that kind of praise on the GWR very often, and definitely didn't get it on the BR. It's enough to go to your head a little bit, except he's already learned that lesson once and doesn't want to lose ground by disappointing again.

That being said, I think this is a relationship that works best in the short-term. Duck and Oliver are both grown enough that they can satisfy a passing infatuation and move on without anyone's feelings getting hurt, which is one of my favorite things about them as characters. It would be good for both of them. Duck, I imagine, lacks experience with this sort of thing and Oliver is a very easygoing engine to practice your moves on, and Oliver gets to come away from it feeling better and more secure in his place on the branch line and in Duck's life in general. They get to have a nice Great Western Time about it and then move on, and I love that for them so much.

DONALD:

Alright, we all knew this one was coming.

Donald. Is so great. I don't think I've yet written why I love Donald so much, but that's more of a personal failing than anything since I know at least one person has asked previously and I definitely just forgot to reply in a timely manner. While we can't remedy that in full here, a quick rundown:

Donald is one of those guys who is in the enviable position of being everything desirable to other engines in one convenient package. He's clever, hardworking, funny, devastatingly handsome, whip-smart, reliable and wholly singular (despite being a twin). You like him and you want him to like you back just as much!

All engines love attention, and this one is no exception. And unlike his brother, I think this absolutely goes to his head at times. Donald could easily land any engine he wants, but he's enjoying the freedom too much to let the burden of choosing slow him down. He's having fun flirting with the rest of the railway, why should he have to commit?

Of course Duck is not immune to Donald's charms, but he's also not built to make a game out of his feelings the way Donald does. If you can have any engine you want, why would you settle for Duck? I've got time, Donald thinks. None of us are going anywhere. I like the way he looks at me, and I'm having fun so what's the problem?

Unfortunately, this comes across as Donald toying with his boss's affections, which... [Everyone disliked that.]

Douglas especially hates what's going on here. He's like, "You're going to get hurt or hurt him and then neither of us will be welcome back here. They'll stick us in Great Waterton or send us away like what happened when Duck was quibbling with that diesel engine."

Donald just rolls his eyes and tells his corny romantic of a brother that he's worrying too much, it's all just fun. Just a couple of friends having a good time, nothing to be concerned about.

And It becomes immediately concerning when Duck and Oliver start making eyes at each other across the yard and Duck stops looking at Donald at all. Sure, they're still friendly but Duck doesn't make those flush-faced little expressions at him anymore or laugh all sweet-like when Donald flirts with him. It's so concerning.

It's so concerning that Donald has to go reaffirm how desirable he is by scurrying to every corner of Sir Topham Hatt's railway and propositioning every pompous tender engine he can get in contact with.

He makes a pass at Gordon (who turns him down flat). He makes a pass at Flying Scotsman (who turns him down much more gently). he asks Mavis if she'd kill him for asking Spencer to double-head with him and she just laughs in his face. Donald's whole world is falling apart and Duck doesn't even care because he's having Great Western Hours with Oliver at the shed where they both sleep next to each other every night and this was NOT how this was supposed to go!!!!!!

Douglas can only tut gently and say, "I dinnae want to say I told ye so, but..." and Donald just tears off in a huff. Meanwhile every time Donald catches Oliver's eyes in the yard, Oliver just looks at him all smug-like. Just dreadful. 0/10 experience, completely humiliating.

Of course, because I am a hopeless sucker for romance, when Oliver and Duck have closed that brief chapter of their relationship, Donald gets to turn up, hat-in-hand, and apologize for everything. And Duck forgives him because he's a fucking catch and Donald should have seen that from the jump. Everyone gets their happy ending!

I'd go into why they're good for each other, except better writers than me have already done so and I've taken up so much of your time already. If you made it this far, you're a peach. Thanks for the ask!

[rosiesdisneydrama]

Android Donald AU Idea

I was hit by a variant of an Android Donald au I've seen on here (this one, to be specific) while at work and I wanna share it. This is pre-dt17/in the same universe. Potentially pre-Spear of Selene as well.

Basically, Donald gets hurt really bad while out fighting. Like really, really bad. He manages to drag himself back to Ducklair Tower, but he's basically in critical condition. Uno isn't as ready as he would have liked for this, but he does have something that can help.

It's basically a healing pod that Ducklair (or maybe Uno himself) had made that wasn't any good for commercial/hospital use because of how much the material cost was and took a lot of time to do its job. But it would take a long time and Donald's family would notice if he just- went missing for a year (or likely longer). It could buy him, buy them, some time to figure out a more efficient way to heal Donald.

But he knows Scrooge and Della are off on an adventure at the moment (Donald had mentioned that it seemed like a long one this time), so he has roughly a month to come up with a plan.

He also has Layla and a tremendous laboratory at his disposal (and he's a supercomputer).

And he hits on something that should allow Donald's body the time it needs to heal as well as keep anyone from getting suspicious.

It's honestly a simple plan overall.

He makes an android body that looks like Donald and (through handwaved science things) he transfers the duck's consciousness to it and makes a link to his own servers with it. Even connecting himself to the body to make sure he can help/make sure he's alright at any time while this is set up.

Donald can pilot the droid body to keep his family from knowing that he'd been hurt while his real body is in the healing pod recovering. And, with the direct link to Uno, he can basically have his partner at a moment's call and even just- Have another person "with" him while dealing with his family. (Also, finances. Uno is a godsend for dealing with all the numbers that Donald just doesn't have a head for.)

The two of them continue this charade for a while, sometimes with Uno actually being with/in Donald's head for a few adventures.

Until Ducklair comes back and (unknowingly) royally screws up the previously smoothly working plan before vanishing into the aether again.

When he shuts down Uno and locks down the tower, Uno actually has part of his AI in Donald. So he's not gone, but he is cut off from his main network. He is still able to get data for the healing pod which is still working, thank the stars. But they can't get to it now since it's locked behind the security of Ducklair Tower.

Both of them are Stressed:tm: about this but there isn't much they can do. So they make do with what they have to work with and keep going. And things mostly go well.

Then the Spear of Selene happens and the duo have a whole new pot of issues to deal with.

Raising triplets is hard, but Uno and the scanners built into the android body make it easier. And Uno is down to help out with more than just that. So things are fairly good, if not as good as either of them would have liked.

Huey, Dewy, and Louie don't know that their Uncle is an android but they do know about Uno.

Since the two shared a body, it was impossible for the boys to never learn about Uno. But since they're really young, Donald and Uno agree that they probably won't understand that Uno is an AI. Advanced computer engineering and robotics are a bit beyond the understanding of a trio of four-year-olds.

The boys end up thinking that Uno is the ghost of a really smart scientist-friend of their Unlce that's possessing him now because he was locked out of his house by his wizard dad. (It wasn't explained in those words, but that was what the boys came away from the conversation thinking.) They have to keep Uncle Uno a secret because otherwise someone might think he was hurting Uncle Donald and would try to make him go away. And their Uncle Uno is cool and knows all kinds of cool things and they don't want someone to make him leave. So they promise to help keep him a secret.

Fast forward to the start of dt17.

I have more, but my brain is tired (it's 10 p.m. rn) so I will continue this later.

[bruhstation]

I'm interested in what the trains in your humanization prefer to eat (What if Henry loves apple charlottes?)

yes!!! eating is one of life’s biggest joys! always love talking and learning about food and watching people cook and eat and express their happiness, so this was a fun one to answer.

thomas a. billington: thomas needs something to chew or suckle on in the break room. think of any candy that your grandma would store on her detailed glass bowl. tootsie rolls, werther’s hard caramel candy, jolly ranchers… you get it. he doesn’t have any particulars when it comes to filling dishes and most of his diet consist of snacks and candies hence his thinner and shorter build.

edward pettigrew: he loves a good hot black tea with a side of rich tea biscuits or scones. he’s the guy who knows too much about tea. stomach ache? ginger tea. sleep aid? chamomile’s the way. for the more filling dishes, edward prefers light savory dishes with feta cheese involved. he’s really fond of fërgesë from his home country, but there’s no place on sodor that could make a mean one, so he settles with making it at his own home.

henry stanier: sliced apples! when he’s in a good mood, he’d shape them into little bunnies. he likes anything savory with a strong taste too, like his mother’s curry. henry loves a full course, hearty meal that tastes and feels good, and growing up, he’s always had a large appetite (fast metabolism). henry doesn’t like anything greasy or deep fried because it’ll make his stomach acid flare up. I had to look up what apple charlottes is, and yeah, I can tell you that henry would love it.

gordon j. gresley: gordon has a sweet tooth but he’s self conscious about it and has an image to uphold so he’ll tell anyone who’s making him coffee to make it black (he adds a packet of cream and sugar when nobody’s seeing) without anything added (his friends see right through him). his favorite dessert is orange float with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. gordon also likes food that is usually eaten together with friends or family (something something lazy susan) like pork roast or kway teow or thick beef stew with mashed potatoes. big portions are necessary!

james a. hughes: sweet margarita is james’ favorite drink to have during outings with his friends. he also loves a good french onion soup, especially paired with croutons (do not make them too hard or he’ll riot!!). speaking of croutons, james loves fondue and he always fights over it with thomas. really, any food that looks good and makes him look well-off would be on his favorites list (please, james, why does most of these dishes involve alcohol in one way or another). he also likes sweet danish pastries.

percival “percy” avonside: he’s a simple man when it comes to food he likes. sandwiches are the way to go! carbohydrates, proteins, the tasty stuff — it’s all there! eggs benedict (he puts another english muffin on top so the sauce won't spill everywhere) is his most favorite since it makes him feel special and fancy. percy also loves good coffee, usually mixed with condensed milk or mocha, since he delivers the night mail train.

tobias “toby” holden: tiramisu is his favorite dessert and he prefers it made with more coffee content. he has helped out henrietta many times with making it to the point he’s has the process memorized. for savory dishes, he loves some good lasagna with extra beef content in the sauce. it’s gotta drench. really, toby loves his layered food huh

montague “duck” collett: he’s not picky when it comes to food given to him, so he just eats what any average joe would eat (eggs on toast for breakfast, sandwich for lunch, sausage with potatoes and peas for dinner). normal person food. duck makes sure he has his meal three times a day and follows the motto; “eat before you’re hungry, stop before you’re full.” also diesel made mango panna cotta once for him as a desperate token of apology and duck fell in love with it.

donald and douglas dunalastair: like thomas, they don’t really have much preference for filling meals. dessert, though? now that’s the stuff. donald loves cranachan so SO much he wishes he could eat it every day. douglas likes candies more instead of softer, silkier desserts, like black licorice or peppermint candy. they also eat only twice a day since they get full super quickly. amazing how so much strength for shoveling snow is stored behind their lanky bodies. they also drink irn bru

oliver t. swindon: oliver loves shepherd's pie because it’s practical. everything he needs is right there, fitting for someone who doesn’t like complicated things. as for the sweet stuff… even after forgetting some of his memories after his rescue, oliver remembers the feeling and taste of halo-halo on his tongue clearly, something he missed dearly.

giovanni vin diesel: diesel loves bruschetta. he puts some pepper flakes on top for that spice kick. he also loves sfincione, specifically the way his family would make it, but, like edward, nobody on sodor knows how to cook a decent one (too much sauce, too thick of a bread, or too soggy) which makes him a bit sad. diesel’s kind of picky when it comes to the meals he can consider “favorite” because he believes he’s the most qualified in the culinary field on sodor due to his upbringing.

mavis hawthorne: a slice of blackforest cake always makes her heart sing. not too heavy on the whipped cream, though, because she doesn’t like her desserts too sweet. she also likes baumkuchen. whenever toby cooks lasagna, he’d make another portion to give to mavis, which quickly became her favorite and something she looks forward to during lunch breaks.

rebecca nassif: rebecca likes snacking a lot. she finds joy in eating! she grew up surrounded by meals. like diesel, because of her upbringing, she’s always been an enthusiast of not only food, but culinary arts as a whole. she loves cold desserts that usually remind her of her old neighborhood like this pistachio kulfi that she would made when she was younger. rebecca also missed having knafeh and mafruka since moving to sodor (it’s been like... a week.)

nia e. wanjala: whenever nia feels like treating herself to something good, she’d make her own version of the gatsby sandwich at her house. she’s especially keen on the french fries and enjoys extra hot sauce with it. it’d take two meal times for her to finish it all. lately, nia’s also been enjoying pastries like chocolate muffins and bombolone (chocolate fillings are her favorite).

lady: as part of her mission to understand humanity and their intrapersonal relationships, lady developed an affinity to eating. she’d eat anything as long as it’s acceptable by human standards even though she doesn’t have to. lady wants to understand that people eat not only to survive but as a way to show their love and culture. isn’t the greatest blessing to be bestowed upon living things the ability to consume to their heart’s content? does her lack of mortal needs indicate her lack of personal desire? anyways her favorite foods are fish and chips with sweet mayonnaise on the side and soft serve vanilla ice cream.

diesel 10: his go-to is black coffee mixed with red bull (added with some other weird concoction if he feels like it). some scrambled eggs with a dash of hot sauce for breakfast. some fried bacon if he has some self respect for the day. some dried sardines if he wants to feel miserable. some baklava with extra syrup and pistachio if he wants to treat himself because the sound of the crunch eases his stress

[tokuvivor]

could you write a story about Donald and Fenton?

Absolutely! Love both of them; intrigued by the idea of their dynamic.

And I will also get to that other story you requested; don’t worry.

I give you…

The Best Role Model

Originated from this post.

Fenton Crackshell-Cabrera was a lot of things. He was a hard worker. He was a good son. He was a scientist (at least, he was still trying to work his way up there). And more recently, he was working on being a good friend.

The friend in question here was Huey Duck, the oldest great-nephew of Scrooge McDuck, for whom Fenton was employed.

Now, it may have been a little odd for Fenton to find a friend that was so much younger than him. After all, Fenton was in his mid-20s, while Huey was only 11. But Fenton liked Huey. Huey reminded him a bit of himself when he was younger. Besides that, Fenton didn’t know if he (or, for that matter, Dr. Gearloose) would’ve been able to fully figure out Fenton’s Gizmosuit were it not for Huey’s keen eye and pointers, which helped the two older scientists realize that the key to controlling the suit was Fenton himself. Or rather, his mind.

So needless to say, Fenton had a great amount of appreciation and respect for Huey. They’d occasionally hang out on their own, and more recently, Huey started helping out at the lab. Fenton was amazed at how hard Huey worked. It’d started out with basic tasks, like mopping the floor or helping clean the glassware, but gradually, Huey’d been taking on bigger and bigger roles in the lab. He felt so proud, and so was Fenton.

On this particular day, Fenton had just gotten out of work. He was feeling a bit worn-down, so he decided to go to a nearby cafe and get something to drink and boost his spirits.

He had just gotten his smoothie, and was turning towards the small arrangement of tables inside, when…

“Gah!”

He accidentally bumped into somebody.

“Hey, what’s the big idea?”

“Oh, my gosh, I’m so sorry! Are you alright?”

“I’m fine. Just a little jostled, is all.”

Fenton looked up, and finally got a good look at the man he had run into. The voice was unmistakable, but the black sailor suit confirmed it.

“Hey, you’re the boys’ uncle.”

“And you’re that scientist that Huey hangs out with.”

“I guess I am. It’s a pleasure, Mr. Duck,” Fenton replied, sticking out his hand.

“You can just call me Donald,” the sailor replied, shaking Fenton’s hand in return. “Donald Fauntleroy Duck.”

“Fenton Manuel Crackshell-Cabrera.”

“I just need to get my tea,” Donald pointed out. “Where are you sitting?”

“Oh! Uh, let’s do right over there,” Fenton answered, pointing to a table sort of nestled into a corner.

“Perfect.”

So Donald got his mug of tea, and then the two men sat down at the table.

“So,” Donald began, taking a sip of his tea, “what’s it like working for Uncle Scrooge?”

“There are things about it that could be a bit better,” Fenton admitted, “but it’s fun. It’s absolutely been a dream.”

“What’s it like with Gyro as your boss?” wondered Donald.

“He can be a bit cranky,” Fenton continued. “But he’s a good boss. His critiques only make me work harder.”

“Well, good for you,” Donald beamed. “And I agree; he can be a bit much at times.”

“Wait, you know Dr. Gearloose?” Fenton quizzed.

“Well, yes,” Donald admitted. “We actually go quite a ways back. We were good friends, er, back before I left to raise the boys. And after…”

“After…?”

“It’s complicated,” concluded Donald.

Fenton elected not to pry. “I’ve certainly heard about you raising the boys all in your own for ten years,” he continued. “That’s very admirable. And I should know. My p’pa died when I was very young, so most of my life, it’s just been me and M’ma. You’ve done very well for your nephews. You’re a very good role model.”

“Well, thank you,” replied Donald. “You’re not so bad yourself, from how I hear it.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that.”

“Really. You shouldn’t sell yourself short on that, Fenton,” Donald elaborated. “Huey seems to have learned very well from you, and I appreciate you and Gyro taking him on in the lab. Well, not “taking him on”, per se, but you know what I mean. Huey has actually admired Gyro’s work for some time, even before he knew he worked for Uncle Scrooge. And he really looks up to you.”

Fenton was surprised at this. “He-he does?” he asked.

“Yep. For most of his life, he’s been the oldest, trying to be the model for his brothers,” Donald explained. “But even the oldest child needs someone to look up to like that. Tell me, Fenton. Do you have any siblings?”

“I do not,” Fenton replied.

“Well…” Donald trailed off.

“I mean, I’ve had a lot of friends,” Fenton admitted. “But really, none have been like Huey. He’s fantastic. And-well, shoot,” he said, swallowing a lump in his throat. “*cough* Sorry. I mean, if Huey does see me in that way, I’m honored. I can definitely see him like an hermanito, too.”

“Good. I’m glad,” Donald responded. “You know, I’m happy to finally get to talk to you, Fenton.”

“As am I, Donald,” agreed Fenton.

As the two men continued talking, they both realized something: despite their differing backgrounds, they weren’t so different themselves. They were both hard workers. They both knew how to put their minds to something and get it done. And their meeting also reiterated to Donald, and made Fenton fully realize, that they were both good role models.

[imsoquarky]

Donatello Hamato

Donnie, Dee, Donald, Purple, BootyyyShaker9000, Othello Von Ryan, etc etc.

Refs For The Others: Mikey, Leo, Raph

Height Chart

He's here! Keep in mind majority of the aspects of his appearance are personal headcanons (And sometimes projections-)

The flags included are: Demiboy & Asexual

Other headcanons:

Doesn't sleep because they don't want to, not really because he can't.

Takes baths when he's feeling overwhelmed or just needs the silence and sensory rejuvenation.

Bites, hard. (Splinter has a scar from him as a toddler)

If he's watching someone else play a game and they aren't doing it his way, he'll point out how they're "wrong", they were a lot worse about it when they were younger.

Broke their nose testing out the first version of their battle shell because the spider legs threw them into the ground.

Doesn't believe in twin telepathy, but sometimes reconsiders his stance on it. He'll never admit it, of course.

Learned ASL, then worked out a way to speak it with only 3 fingers to help themself and Leo through non-verbal episodes.

Has listened to true crime, and knows a little too much about how to hide a body.

While most of Leo's stims tend to be verbal, most of Donnie's are physical. ♠️ - ♣️ - ♥️ - ♦️

There is a height chart I will post after everyone is revealed!

[alioks-blog]

You'd think that you're a celebrity. Probably the biggest one on the planet - no "real" person made of flesh and blood can rival you in that matter. You even have your own star on the Walk of Fame! People meet you in their childhoods, but you never leave their memory because you're always in sight. On t-shirts, on posters, on bags, on... logos.

You're a celebrity. But so little people know you.

In comparison, of course. A portion of the entire planet is still a big quantity, but not compared to the planet itself. What do most people think of when looking at you? Corporation. Capitalism. Greed. Injustice. Consumerism. And many other negative things. They see you as a symbol of these things. On one hand, now that we've watched a documentary about you, we understand why that is. The studio was afraid to risk you, and you didn't appear in cartoons, you really only were the face of the company. And that's entirely the fault of the latter.

But we know a different you. Not a symbol, but a character, a person. We know that your full name is Michael Theodore Mouse. You were such a mischievous little fella way back when! But now you're cute and kind, often too kind for your own good, but it doesn't stop you. You live in your little house in the town of Mouseton, you visit your friends and go on different adventures. After your attempts to cook, the kitchen is a total mess. You have an older sister and brother, the latter of whom you met fairly recently. You're often insecure, be it because of your short height, squeaky voice or some other flaws. But your friends and close ones still love you. Yes, even Donald, although he can be mean and jealous. Because you, with all your insecurities, remain the heart of the group. Sure, you make mistakes, but in the end your goals are always the most noble. We think that's why you're so liked by all who know the character-you: in reality, contrary to popular belief, you're not perfect, just like a real person, but you're the most kindhearted, compassionate and pleasant person. It would be great to be friends with you.

We know, we know that we have to accept the existence of the other you, Mickey the Symbol, at least as a completely different and separate mouse. After all, he was created by human imagination, just like you. But it's incredibly hard. No, it's abhorrent! To accept basically an opposite of you, and at that as the more known one, the main one...! It's simply outrageous for us! Because no matter how hard we try, we see a nice, kind little mouse in his place, and our hearts bleed when we see him depicted so horribly just to throw tomatoes at him afterwards. For people, you became a a punching bag for when they're mad and bitter.

And we grew up with you. We started drawing with you, we learned about things like fandoms and AUs - all with you. And now we're living and growing older with you as well. That's what you symbolize for us: art, childhood, warmth, optimism, imagination.

That's why we'll be loudly denying the existence of an evil corporate mouse. Let them find a different way to berate the Disney studio, the faults of which we don't deny. But let them leave our little mouse alone.

[simplyanotherartist]

hi am a 7th grader and I was wondering how you don't get embarrassed bc in my school they make fun of me for things I like like dt and you really encourage me to ignore those people and keep liking what I like

I know it's long, but I want EVERYONE to read this.

Okay, this REALLY hit home, because even though I am just recently entering college(I'm 19), I still feel this way at times. But you know what? It's okay.

At your age, other kids in your school or even a little older than you will probably tease you about this, but not for the reasons you'd think. I mean- what? DuckTales is an amazing animated show about a family that goes through hardships and helps protect one another and all that they value. It's a reboot from an old classic revolving around Donald Duck- one of the most popular animated characters in the world(to be honest I often see him being more popular than Mickey even). Something about this that makes it so amazing, to help you not feel embarrassed? The show is made by adults. Not overgrown children: adults. These people are well older then even myself, voicing, writing, and animating anthropomorphic ducks for one of the largest and most popular film/entertainment industries in the world. This was made by adults, and it's enjoyed by adults. Most of the humor or context provided in the show can't even be understood by most children younger then you, which just goes to show that it's well loved by those even older.

It's not just a kids show. And even if it was- guess what? You get a larger excuse then someone like me even, because you're still a kid. You can like this and people don't have the right to say anything about it.

You said you're in seventh grade? Do me a favor then: show pride in liking this show, and if someone so much as gives you a dirty look for it, I want you to say "Well what kind of shows and movies do you watch?"

If those kids are honest, then the majority of them like watching Disney and animated films as well. If they don't, then it will still be a show meant for younger teens/kids. If they answer that they watch shows and movies that are rated R or meant for adults; then point out that they're still kids too and that their parents shouldn't be okay with that as it is inappropriate most likely. Watching DT17 though? There's is nothing wrong or embarrassing about that.

Like I said; it's made by adults, it should be enjoyed by adults. It's a kids/family show? Then it's enjoyed by kids and families! My mother doesn't care to watch Tv, but when I played the intro for her, she was so happy because it reminded her of her childhood watching the original show and she and my older family members like watching it from time to time because that's what reboots and Disney do. The show is meant to be enjoyed by people your age and even decades older- that's the pure beauty behind it!

If people give you a hard time on it, you know what's the problem? They're embarrassed themselves. I've seen it and received this issue in person myself. Other kids have teased me on liking "little kids shows", only for me to learn later on that they like something others would have found even more childish. They're embarrassed because they have an interest in either the same thing or something else, but they don't want others to find out and act rudely towards it to be kept secret. It's sad, and it's slightly pathetic, but it's understandable because they're just as embarrassed as you and me.

When I got to college, I was more nervous about it then I was even back in high school- but you know what? On the first day, I saw nearly twenty different students wearing clothes with animated characters on them- from Mickey Mouse to Batman, and from Stich to Bratz. The thing is; people stopped caring what others thought, and it helps us realize that others don't actually care. Think about it; if you saw someone at your school wearing a hoodie themed after Bluey or Hilda or Adventure Time, would you care? Probably not in the way you think others would. If people your age do care, its because they're reaching an age of "maturity" where they think they're supposed to grow up and out of these things, when these fandoms are actually aimed to them.

Unfortunately, I will have to admit that the acceptance of this doesn't really fade away early enough. People will act like they're too mature and grown for such things for a while, with the once in a while exception of that one kid you shows off their interests at every turn(this level of confidence is something I will always admire). This usually shows up as early as fourth grade, and it will mostly continue until you all graduate from high school. But when you become an adult and finally leave school, you'll look at the world differently, realizing that this is now your world too. The feeling will be real and you'll actually feel it after you graduate, and goddamn is it a scary but exhilarating feeling. But you know what happens after that? You'll look around and see that most adults won't care- you say you like Disney shows and movies; "Dude, same! I love watching the old classics and reboots!" I have heard this response more times then you would ever believe.

It's just how people your age feel because you're all growing up. But please for the life of me- don't. Don't try to grow up- not like this. If you do, then you'll push yourself away from the beauty that the world tries to give you as a child. I know you can't stop from growing up, but truly enjoy it for now, before it becomes expected of you.

If you like DuckTales? Then show it off. If people make fun of you or tease you, even if they're your friends? Then who needs them. Your real friends will understand and accept you, and the others are either lying to themselves; they grew up too fast and are making fun because they aren't as happy as you, not enjoying their childhood as much as you, and not letting themselves experience the world like you.

Your interests are your interests. Screw the haters.

[johannestevans]

M3gan and a lonely child

“She’ll take care of the little things, so you can spend more time doing the things that matter.”

From left to right, M3gan (Amie Donald), Gemma (Allison Williams), and Cady (Violet McGraw). Image via IMDb.

M3GAN, directed by Gerald Johnstone and written by Akela Cooper, is a great little horror film — it’s funny, it’s freaky, it’s well-paced, and obviously M3gan herself is a really great character who’s already had a lot of impact in memes and pop culture.

Cady (Violet McGraw), a quiet and self-effacing little girl, is orphaned when her parents are killed in a car accident, after which she’s sent to live with her Aunt Gemma (Allison Williams). Her aunt, a workaholic engineer at a famous toy company, pairs Cady up with the newest toy in development — M3GAN, standing for Model 3 Generative Android, a life-sized human doll that uses AI learning models to engage with, teach, care for, and otherwise be a companion to the children she’s paired with. M3GAN (played by Amie Donald, voiced by Jenna Davis) spends time with Cady while Gemma focuses for the majority of the film on her work, not realising that she’s neglecting Cady’s emotional needs or that M3gan’s learning model is more dangerous than she anticipated.

One thing I didn’t expect going into it was how much the central politics of the film would hit me and how hard — M3GAN throughout shows you a deeply unhappy, lonely little girl, and step-by-step goes through what has made her that way.

It would have been very easy for the film to basically treat M3GAN as a metaphor for the terrors of “screentime”, and how too much screentime harms a child — it stunts their growth! They become too used to screens! They become lonely and sad!

I don’t disagree that too much time using screens can be detrimental to anyone’s life and development, but it can’t be denied that screentime is frequently used as a boogeyman to distract from the real issue: that many caregivers give their children TV, computers, or their phones, because they don’t want to waste their time interacting with them. Children are stranded with screens and technology because their parents are busy, or tired, or just want them to be quiet. The technology itself is not the problem, but the desire to put this technology in your child’s hands and then walk away or mentally disengage so that you can do something else.

While there are a few moments in the film where Gemma (Allison Williams) treats M3gan with the casual disregard she might do an iPad, the core of most of the film is in that M3gan is making Cady feel cared for, which nobody else does.

Before I dig in, according to the NSPCC, these are the four main forms of child neglect:

Physical neglect. A child’s basic needs, such as food, clothing or shelter, are not met or they aren’t properly supervised or kept safe.

Educational neglect. A parent doesn’t ensure their child is given an education.

Emotional neglect. A child doesn’t get the nurture and stimulation they need. This could be through ignoring, humiliating, intimidating or isolating them.

Medical neglect. A child isn’t given proper health care. This includes dental care and refusing or ignoring medical recommendations.

Apart from medical neglect, in the course of M3gan, Cady experiences all of these forms of neglect from Gemma, and potentially from her parents as well. As well as Cady, a boy called Brandon (Cady’s bully who is killed by M3gan) also appears to be neglected by his mother, and Dewey the dog is also heavily neglected and not given appropriate care as a pet by Celia, Gemma’s neighbour.

The whole film is about desires to replace the basic responsibilities of caregiving with various alternatives, and also about avoiding the basic responsibilities of other relationships with each other and our communities.

M3gan’s not the cause of any of these, but a symptom, and a catalyst for their being shown more obviously.

Read on Patreon / / Read on Medium.

About 10k, a 38min read.

[perdvivly]

Hi, I'm Viv. You may know me from such blogs as 'Ontologicalidiot' or 'Perdviv' or 'Perdecum'. But I'm not at any of those places anymore, I'm here now, and I'm sad.

I have a degree in Philosophy and a Masters in Logic and Philosophy of Mathematics and about half another Masters in Computer Science. My academic interests run along these lines.

My interests in philosophy tend to skew analytic but not exclusively so. I'm interested in logic, both classical and non-classical but particularly higher-ordered logic and paraconsistent logic. I'm also interested in the foundations of mathematics. One thing I haven't studied much but am currently meaning to get around to are extant neo-logicist programs. I typically assume logicism epistemologically dead at t=1931, but this is clearly not the case and I'd like to know what's going on there.

I'm interested in consciousness. Both hard and soft problems.

I studied axiomatic set theory at university but I never learned forcing, which I would like to do at some point in my life. I would also like to study category theory. I also want to learn more about homology and cohomology. And I'd like a working (read: quantitative) understanding of general relativity too.

As for less-academic interests:

I enjoy sports-ball! I'm the one who does that. I enjoy and am relatively good at athletics. In particular I really like swimming, climbing (boudlering), Brazillian jiujistu, and wrestling.

I am a board games lesbian (this is stolen valour, i'm not a lesbian, i'm very bisexual (but you understand that Boardgames-Lesbian is the type of guy I am)). I really like: Dominion, Catan, Articulate (poetry for neanderthals), Betrayal at House on the Hill, Codenames, Nomic, and Chess. I will very happily play anyone at chess whenever works for them! Always looking for more chess friends.

I really enjoy the arts. I especially enjoy and actively want to get better at: drawing, music, and poetry. In particular, I'm trying to work on portraiture and figure drawing--I'd like to one day get into oil painting but I am very intimidated by the amount of work I need to put in before this becomes viable for me. I used to play the drums when I was younger, I'd like to pick that up again. Percussion holds a place in my heart but I'm also compelled by piano and violin. I like music theory but Schoenberg took it too far (This is a goof (I'm also very goofic)).

I enjoy and may sometimes post about sex. I think talking about fetish and kink in an open dialogue is helpful for me to feel less isolated with respect to some of my desires. Though, better than talking is action.

I try to be as open as feels safe and comfortable, but I am also a deeply neurologically pathological person. I try my best to extend grace to others and this feels poignant to me because I know how often I need it too.

Also! At the start of 2023 I decided that I would start reading from scratch again. I made a new goodreads account and I told myself that I wouldn't add any books I'd read before 2023. I've found this pretty easy to keep to, though it's also a marvel how much I was able to read before. My time feels limited in ways I don't understand and that don't leave much room for extensive reading these days. Anyway, it's here if you want to check it out and add me as a friend :)