#but since he's supposed to be Ken...well it makes sense

[brother-lipsmackariah]

Barbie Kim my beloved

[hecksupremechips]

To also go off of the point about cop!akihiko being annoying to me I gotta say that Akihiko as a character is very hit or miss with me because of how different adaptations of p3 will subtly alter his character. I felt like in portable with the femc route he comes off best, he’s a bit of a hothead with an obsession with fighting, but he’s overcompensating his strength so he doesn’t feel as weak and helpless as he’s been in many situations. He defines strength in a very literal sense, being physically strong and using that to protect others, but he’s lacking in emotional strength as a result. And in particular in this version I think he’s portrayed as a bit more goofy and sweet in a sense. He cares deeply for you as a friend and leader but he struggles with finding the words to describe how he feels. Hes kinda naive and gullible and has trouble noticing his surroundings. He has no clue what he’s doing but his heart is in the right place. I think he just comes off much more human and he has flaws, many many flaws, and that makes him all the more lovable

But then in other adaptations and spinoffs it’s like. They look at him through some hetero male bullshit filter and seem to view him as a lot more admirable and cool. Like in p3 dancing, theres literally an event where he’s talking with Junpei and Minato and they’re gushing about how perfect Akihiko is and how he doesn’t seem to have ANY flaws at all. And it becomes clear his inability to flirt with women just gets added as a way to make sure you, the Straight Male Player, don’t get insecure being next to such Perfection because at the end of the day, you’re still more charming and sexy than he will ever be because you’re better. It’s a “flaw” that’s only there to shield a sensitive male ego. And then in arena I mean, come on. He’s overly beefy and is a damn cop and travels the world and loves Protein™️ it’s his whole personality and he’s so clearly meant to be seen as hot but like, he’s just some shitty hetero male fantasy. Hes what the writers deem to be a Perfect Man that every guy wishes he could be, but don’t worry he’s still bad with women so you don’t gotta worry about him stealing your property- I mean, girlfriend!

And though I’ve not played reload and don’t really plan to anytime soon, judging from his social episodes they seem to have a similar problem. Akihiko comes off as a lot less approachable, like the year age gap is just too much of a barrier to get to know him properly. And he doesn’t have that dorky sweetness he has in portable, he’s just that perfect hetero male fantasy guy and don’t you fucking worry- he still has his protein powder with him

[laundrybiscuits]

(young man what do you wanna be tag)

“Why won’t you pretend to date me?”

“Jesus fucking—holy goddamn taint-biting hell, Harrington.” Eddie clutches at his chest, trying to recover from a minor cardiac event caused by opening his bedroom door to find Steve Harrington sitting at his desk. “Why the fuck are you here? How the fuck are you here? Also, what the fuck are you talking about?”

“Wow, rude,” says Steve. “Wayne let me in. And Jonathan told me about the, uh, the Will plan. I think Argyle called it Operation Happy Ending? I don’t…I never know how serious he is about that stuff, man. Is he, like…okay?”

“Argyle is an enigma beyond mortal ken,” says Eddie fondly. 

“Sure,” says Steve. He sounds doubtful. “Anyway, why won’t you pretend to date me?”

Eddie groans, pitching backwards onto his mattress and scrubbing his palms over his face. “Because that idea sucks! It’s a bad idea! A better question is: why are you letting Jonathan Byers talk you into shit?”

“It sounds like a pretty good idea to me. It’s for Will, right? Jonathan said he needed to, uh, see a healthy model of a same-sex relationship.” 

Eddie would bet just about anything that the last part is a direct J. Byers quote.

“First, I’m not lying to a child. It’s deeply unethical, and as you well know, I am a scrupulously moral individual at all times. Second, do you really think it’s prime role model behavior to construct a fake relationship which will inevitably be unveiled as a sham and a farce? The foundations of young Byers’s world will be rocked, marking the beginning of a slow slide into disillusionment and crime. He’ll be serving twenty to life before you know it.”

Steve sighs, big and gusty like Eddie’s being somehow unreasonable. “God, you’re impossible. So just—actually date me, then.”

“Right,” says Eddie. “Obviously. Why didn’t I think of that. What the fuck, Steve.”

“What’s the difference between fake dating and real dating, anyway? We’ll go see a movie or something, get dinner.”

“Am I having a stroke? Okay, first of all, we cannot and will not do any of those things. Crash course on being gay in Hawkins: it sucks, and we will get jumped.”

“I’ll protect you,” says Steve, because he’s an arrogant dumbass with a white-knight streak a mile wide. Eddie likes him so, so much.

“Jesus. No, okay? You can’t fist-fight the entire goddamn world. They will literally, literally murder me. Lit-er-al-ly. This is—it’s a fucking stupid idea. You’re not even gay, what the fuck.”

“Uh, yeah, I’m bisexual.” Steve’s got a mulish look on his face. “So you should date me.”

“What.” Eddie sits up. “Since when? This is new information. Is this information I was supposed to have had previously? Is this information that other people have?” If Jonathan and Argyle knew and didn’t say anything, Eddie is going to murder them to death. 

Steve looks away, scratching at his jaw, and doesn’t answer. He doesn’t show when he’s nervous, usually, and it dawns on Eddie that Steve probably doesn’t have a lot of experience coming out of his sporty little closet.

“Ah, hey, I didn’t mean…I’m, uh, proud of you? I support you?” Eddie leans over to pat Steve’s shoulder awkwardly, trying his best to channel Murray but probably landing a little closer to Jonathan Byers.

“So…I can pick you up at six tomorrow?” Steve says. 

“Nope, still not happening,” says Eddie, and leaves the room. 

———

“I don’t get it. You’re, like, in love with him—” Jonathan ignores Eddie’s indignant squawking. “And he asked you out, and you said no?”

“He wasn’t asking me out for real! It was your bullshit garbage so-called plan, which is continuing to ruin my life. When I said I wouldn’t fake-date him, he just—switched tactics. He’s obviously trying to trick me into being part of this whole fake dating thing.”

“You realize that’s completely insane and makes no sense, right,” says Jonathan. 

“I am the Dungeon Master. I see all, and I know all.”

Jonathan squints at him with an undisguised and unwarranted skepticism. “You really gotta stop saying that, man. It does not sound as cool as you think it does.”

“I am extremely cool always. Also, I’m not in love with him. Gross,” Eddie grumbles.

“Don’t be homophobic, dude,” says Argyle peaceably. “Love is never gross in any form.”

“Excuse you, I will be as homophobic as I damn well please. Love is gay and I won’t have it in my house.”

“I’m pretty sure you’re joking but this is making me really uncomfortable,” says Jonathan.

“That’s homophobic, dude,” says Eddie. “Hush up and let the queers talk. I’m not in love with Steve, I’m in love with Argyle and we’re gonna run away and get married.”

Argyle shakes his head, laughing. “Nah, I don’t hang with matrimonial attachments. It’s all a scam by Big Wedding.” 

“Wait,” says Jonathan. “Seriously? Like, even if you fell for a girl?”

“If she’s the right lady for me, she won’t need a piece of paper to celebrate love. Love’s gotta live in the heart-house, Jonathan. In the heart-house.” Argyle taps Jonathan’s chest.

“Hear, hear,” says Eddie, who doesn’t have any particular opinions on the matter but would back just about anyone and any position in the entire world against Jonathan Byers at the moment.

[bullet-clubs-bitch]

Can you please make an Kenny Omega X Fem y/n story fluff

Reader had an hard/tough week at work and no off day to recharge and he's makin sure that she feels loved and that he's always there for her?!

Mondays

Kenny Omega X FemReader

Kenny Omega Masterlist Main Masterlist (Word count 1.1K)

I didn’t hear Y/n come in last night. I didn’t even know she took a red-eye home after revolution. I woke up this morning to find Y/n lying next to me. In a peaceful slumber, catching up on much-needed rest. As much as I was happy that she was home I couldn't imagine how tired she was. I knew more than anyone how hard Y/n had been working to ensure the upcoming PPV would be perfect. I had grown so used to traveling with my wife over the years that it was weird not having her at home with me. I didn’t even care that I wasn’t able to wrestle, I missed traveling from town to town and watching from a backstage monitor all the young talent in AEW. Y/n hadn’t been home in two weeks, I knew she must be exhausted. That is why I wanted to plan a little something something for the 72 hrs Y/n would be home. I decided I would make breakfast in bed, surprise her with a spa day and even go out to dinner. 

“Good morning beautiful,” I said to my wife as she walked down the stairs tiredly. “Morning” “I was going to bring you breakfast in bed” “Aw, that’s so sweet”  “Well since you’re up why don’t you sit down and we can have breakfast?” I poured Y/n some coffee and layed out the variety of goods I prepared for her. The two of us sat in a comfortable silence for a while until Y/n broke the silence. “What did you think of the show?” She asked “I thought it was good. I can’t believe they had Sting lose his retirement match to the Bucks. I wasn’t expecting Flair to cost Sting the match either” “Yeah, that was not my decision. In my eyes that creates a rivalry between Sting and Flair that doesn’t need to be there. As long as I live I will not let Ric Flair wrestle in an AEW ring. I don’t want to be held accountable for that trainwreck. Plus, Sting is retired now. We did all of that hard work for him to have a good send-off. Why would he retire for five minutes just to come back and wrestle Flair? It doesn’t make sense!”

“Sounds like you have a lot on your plate” 

“You have no idea. Like, I thought I would be okay not wrestling anymore Ken. I thought being a Vice President would be fine, writing storylines and doing all that Jazz was fine. But- I don’t think I can take it anymore. I’m going insane! Why do we keep signing talent left right and center when we have SO much talent we don’t use. If you want new talent, fine, but release some people then. I know how hard that is but it has to be done. It’s not personal It’s business. It’s like we can never win. People bitch and complain about using the same talent every week but when we use different people they complain they don’t get to see their favs. If we sign someone great! Then people complain we have too many wrestlers, then it crates a rift and everyone gets fucked. Like Jay White for example. Remember how HARD I had to work to get him signed, You and I had to do so much for that to happen. He is an amazing wrestler who deserves to be doing so much more than what he is doing now. He was supposed to be the new Champion after MJF who by the way should have NEVER broken your record for the longest reign, But then of course no one likes to listen to Y/n anymore and that never happened. If you wanted MJF to win, fine but why randomly drop the title to Samoa Joe, I know Max is injured but that is why I said to drop the title to Jay! Now everything is fucked and everyone is complaining and I don’t know what to do because all my ideas aren’t being used and everyone is pissed off!” 

I didn’t say anything, I just sat in peace across the table listening carefully as Y/n got everything off her chest. She needed this. 

“Don’t get me wrong I like Bullet Club Gold but did Jay really leave NJPW and Bullet Club just to be back in this new version of Bullet Club? The Bang Bang Scissor gang is absolutely ridiculous. He should be a world champion not in this super faction. I just can’t Kenny! At every press conference, I get asked when I will make my return and when I will wrestle again. They know I won’t wrestle again and it makes me feel like I’m disappointing everyone.” I saw the tears start to form and then fall during that last sentence, god how I hated people. 

“Y/n you're not disappointing anyone. You don’t owe it to anyone to go back to wrestling. They need to learn to let it go, your mental and physical health is more important.” I told Y/n as I went over to comfort her. “How about we move somewhere more comfortable?” I asked. The two of us moved to the living room, continuing our conversation as I held Y/n in my arms.

“I’m really sorry you have to deal with this baby, I wish I could help.” I told her sincerely. “It’s not your fault. I’m just under a lot of stress right now. I just really missed you, It’s been hard without you.” I felt a wave of guilt wash over me. I knew none of this was my fault but I wished I was able to be there with Y/n so she didn't have to go through this alone. She flew in at 4am just so she could get a day at home before the next show. 

“Is there anything I can do for you? I can book a spa day. A nice massage is always good!” I hated seeing her like this, poor thing looked so tired. 

“No, I just want to stay here. Can you just hold me? Can we spend the day cuddling in bed,  eating chocolate?” Y/n asked, her face buried in my chest

“Whatever you want my love,” I told her “Maybe later you can give me a massage?” “Of course baby. I love you, so very much Y/n” “I love you too Kenny”  "I'm always going to be here for you. I'm just one text, one phone call, one plane trip away. If you ever need me I'll be there"

[skxllz]

𝒫𝓲𝓷𝓴 𝓣𝓸 𝓜𝔂 𝓡𝓮𝓭

ken x male! reader

{ song; hey lover, the daughters of eve }

summary; ken discovers y/n's soft side after an argument.

warnings; sad ken, mentions of a panic attack. upset/angered reader, says things he doesn't mean. some angst but fluff at the end!! I think that's all? :'')

side note; I'm still new to writing for ken so I apologize if I haven't fully grasped his personality yet. leave feedback in the comments/reblogs! not proofread.

date started; 11.11.23

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“ y/n! please, talk to me! ” ken insisted for the umpteenth time throughout a span of fifteen minutes.

see, he's been pining after you like a puppy dog since you've woken up. the blonde resides in your house - and even though you've made it clear you're not interested in him that's a lie, he continues to bother you as if the pair of you are dating. from what you've heard, he used to be obsessed with barbie - and yes, you're aware of his situation of being a doll and coming from barbieland and all that complicated shit.

but, what you don't understand, is how he managed to find an interest in you. not only were the two of you complete opposites, but aren't dolls supposed to stick to their counterparts? barbie is his counterpart, isn't she? plus... do dolls even know about different sexualities, or is this one of those situations where labels aren't a thing?

well, no matter what the hell is happening, you just weren't bothered for it. ken was annoying you, actually making you regret taking the blonde in. again, a lie.

you just wished you could think. with him around, it was impossible to. work has been stressing you out, family troubles had arisen- you just didn't want the responsibility of a doll who was now in the real world as a fully grown man. did he even fucking age? probably not.

“ ken! ” you whirled around finally, stopping the male in his tracks from yapping your ear off again and again with the same choice of words. please talk to me, y/n! you were tired of it. “ please, for fucks sake, stop! ”

ken's worried expression turned down. his lips fell into a puppy-fied frown; his usual happy, sparkling blue eyes now reflecting... a broken sense of hope. “ what? ” he spoke quietly, voice cracking.

no, did he mess up..? was this... was this barbie, all over again?

surely not! y/n wasn't like that. he was always quiet; and even when he seemed moody, he was nice to ken! y/n didn't mind his presence, nor his quirky attitude, nor the fact that he could only ask questions and tell him how he was so good at beach!

... right?

“ ken, ” you took a deep inhale through your nose, closing your eyes to try and calm your growing irritation. once the irritating arose, so did the anger. and when you got angry- “ please. just... quit. I need some time to myself. ” your eyes opened back up, to show irises that held nothing but seriousness. “ do you understand? ”

“ but... y/n. ” ken breathed, quickly grabbing the hand that had lifted to make a knowing gesture - only to bring it to his chest with a big smile now lighting up his face! “ I'm here for you! I love you! please, let me he- ”

“ fucking- no! ” you snatched your hand away, only to probe a finger to his broad chest, which was displayed since the man never buttoned his shirts. “ I told you, again and again, that I need space right now. ”

he looked devastated, backing away - but you only moved closing, poking his chest with a rough touch and startling him. “ y/n- ” ken's voice came out in a whimper, but you cut him off again.

“ you're pissing me off. ” you growled, Corning him into the wall. the anger in your blaming eyes shone through, scaring the blonde that was already trembling. he had never experienced such... an emotion. sure, he's gotten mad at ken in the past, but ken's never seen it get this bad! the way y/n was staring him down, brows furrowed to the center between his eyes, teeth gritted- it made men's body react in a way that he didn't want if to.

why was he shaking?

you surely didn't notice, too caught up in the fuel of your raging emotions. “ you've been annoying the fuck out of me, ” you smacked his chest. he jumped. “ constantly down my throat! with, ‘ oh, y/n, what's wrong? please talk to me’ - well guess what?! I don't want to talk! ”

your breathing had become harsher, leaving your nostrils to flare. ken didn't know how to respond; his mouth was dropped ajar, shock and hurt evident in his face. “ I'm tired, ken. ” you rasped, your voice strained. “ of the constant whining, and your questions, and the god damn fact that I can't have any time to myself. you're always around! ”

ken's mouth closed, and he thickly swallowed. what were these things he was feeling? he's felt some... hurt with barbie before, but never this strong. it's like there is a dull throb in his chest, and it hurt more and more with each harsh word y/n said. ken didn't like it, mot one bit.

and now.. water was sliding down his cheeks? these are what barbie referred to as tears, right?

why were tears coming out of his eyes?

that's when he noticed he wasn't listening any longer, either. your shouting filtered out, blending in with the background noise of the whirring fan and television lowly playing. why couldn't he hear?

why was his... breathing picking up?

and- his stomach. It hurt. like knots, or something, was in his abdomen. it made him grab at his torso, forearms pressing tightly.

that's when you slowly calmed down, your breathing becoming regulated. you had turned away from him in the time you were yelling - not because you couldn't stan's to look at his pretty face, but because... that expression he wore.. it made you feel bad.

why'd he look like such a kicked animal? you hated it - the fact that he had you wrapped around his stupid finger. the fact that you knew, deep down, you had fallen for ken just as he had you.

that's exactly why you didn't want to be near him. It hurt, to know you were gaining feelings for another person. after your ex, you didn't want another relationship - not so soon, or... at all. the pain just wasn't worth it.

but, ken? he was an absolute babydoll. his blue eyes lighting up everytime he spoke about the beach, and the other ken's he got along with, and everything he's learned in the real world - including things about horses! he loves horses...

your brows curved down and you swallowed the ball that was arising in your throat. you couldn't... you had to apologize to him. you didn't mean anything you said.

and, as you slowly turn around, you realized that the sound of a sob caught your attention. your ears perked and you straightened, facing the bolonde.

ken had slid down against the wall, now on the floor, face in his hands as he cried. he kept furiously wiping at his eyes, trying to stop the tears - but as you could see, they wouldn't.

a frown immediately overtook your face, as did the look of regret and guilt.

“ ken... ” you mumbled, feeling horrible. what had you done?

you glanced away, sighing to yourself. then, cursing under your breath, you decided to finally out away your pride - you needed to help him. comfort him. and so, you closed the small distance between you two and kneeled.

“ ken- ” your voice, for the first time since ken had met you, was as soft as melted butter. in any other situation he'd be quick to look at you- because y/n, sounding as silky smooth as that? It couldn't be. but alas, he did not raise his head.

the sobs continued. his shoulders shook, his body trembled. you had really hurt the man, and it was setting in just how dire the situation was. ken has never experienced such a pain...

“ ken, sweetheart. ” you called once again, this time reaching forward to take ahold of his finger tips. he tried to jerk away, a reasonable reaction, but you wouldn't let him; sliding your fingers forcefully around the front of his own to pull them back from his face.

“ don't look at me! ” he cried out, squeezing his eyes shut and whipping his head away. his eyes were raw, red around the outside... his cheeks were tear-stained and his smile lines were biting through, making his frown that much more noticeable.

it was breaking your heart to see him like this.

ever so gently, you moved one hand away from his own to lift it to his face. your fingertips met the corner of his jawline, only to slide under; cascading to cradle the underside of his jaw and lift his head. “ ken. ” your voice was still soft, but held a sternness to it. “ ken, can you look at me? please? ”

ken had stopped sobbing by now, but the tears were still rolling. he was sniffling, hiccuping; trying to stop himself from looking so pathetic. It definitely wasn't manly to cry - and he didn't like that. why couldn't he stop crying?

the ache in his chest, it just hurt so much.

“ baby, ” that caught his attention, as he sniffled again, “ look at me. ”

for a moment, he didn't listen, and you thought perhaps he was being stubborn - which was valid -, but slowly he began to lift his eyes to meet your own.

his bright, baby blues were glossed over; sadness in them. tears kissed his lashes, making them stick together. he looked... pretty. but you still didn't want yo see him cry.

ken deserved to smile, and laugh - and you enjoyed seeing the corners of his eyes crinkle up when he grinned. his orbs always sparkled, radiating the best glow-y energy... but as of right now, they didn't. heartbreak just settled within them.

your frown deepened, thinking over what exactly you had said... It was some pretty fucked up shit. If it were you, you definitely wouldn't have wanted to hear it. the only difference is that you can take such words with a hard stare, not easily letting things like that effect you - but ken? his heart was as sift as a teddy bear. It's no surprise he ended up in a pile on the floor.

“ ken- ” your thumb stroked the side of his jaw. since he was calming down, he took notice - and he happened to like it. “ I'm sorry, for what I said.. ” your voice was no more than a whisper. you didn't want to startle him even more.

and, somehow, he took notice of that. ken was not the brightest, you knew that and so did everyone around him- he was the natural stereotype of a blonde. but, by the way he glanced down at your thumb while you moved it in slow circles, you knew that he knew you were trying.

“ I... ” you sighed, shoulders slumping “ I didn't mean any of it. I'm just frustrated, and overwhelmed. ”

ken was quiet, so you kept speaking. at least... the tears stopped. “ I know it isn't an excuse to yell at you, ” your eyes momentarily flickered down to his pouting lips. he didn't notice, so you quickly looked back to his eyes before he could. “ but I did. and I'm apologizing, because you didn't deserve that. any of it. you're a sweetheart - the sweetest guy I know. ”

“ I am? ” ken's voice finally rang out, coming out raspy and raw from crying. you winced from that, a pang of guilt taking over your chest... nonetheless, you nodded.

“ yes, ” he was looking up at you, eyes big and doe eyed as you spoke. you could feel a big, melty feeling in your chest. It was warm. “ you are. the sweetest, honey. ”

now that he was more focused, ken actually acknowledged the pet names you were using. his lips parted slightly and his brows raised curiously. did he hear you right?

you were no dummy, instantly taking notice. It made you grin, just the tiniest bit. “ I don't actually find you annoying. ” your fingers moved, gently scratching on the other side of his jaw.

ken's face was slowly lighting back up. the attention he was receiving was the kind he's always wanted. his heart, now moving faster like it always did when you were near, felt as if it was doing flips and turns and downright juggling.

shouldn't he be mad, though? you had hurt him.

but... you said you were sorry. you're giving him attention, and calling him sweet names, and even specifying the apology. that should be more than enough, shouldn't it?

but dear god, he wanted more.

you had been speaking the whole time, but of course the poor man zoned out; too busy focusing on your lips, and pretty hair, and gorgeous eyes, and tge way your mouth moved, looking oh so kissable-

“ y/n? ” ken spoke out before he could even comprehend it himself. you paused, looking at him expectantly- and a smile melted onto your lips.

“ yes, dear ken? ” you hummed, rubbing the pad of your thumb over the lining of his jaw. his eyes fluttered at that, nearly making you laugh.

“ can you.. ” he was breathless. “ can I... kiss you? ”

the movement of your thumb paused. your eyes zeroed in on his lips, then flickered back to his baby blues. he noticed, yet said nothing; choosing to let out a hopeful breath.

“ ... hm. ” you hummed, pretending to ponder. teasing was in your element, and often you'd do it to people yoy fancy- never to ken before, but.. he was an exception now, wasn't he? “ you want to kiss me? ”

“ yes. ” the blonde whimpered, eyes dancing across your face in impatience. “ please. ”

“ why should I let you? ” a twitch of a grin raised your lips, the corners if your mouth threatening to break out a full blown smile.

ken frowned at that. immediately, he thought this was more rejection- of course it would be. why would you suddenly want hi-

but you didn't let him think negatively. not anymore.

leaning forward, you pressed a soft, meaningful kiss to ken's lips.

ken was left... speechless. his eyes widened, and his cheeks turned rosey. why did he feel hot? warm? warm and hot? his body was tingly and on fire.

chuckling, you parted your lips from his, amusement shining in your orbs. “ you okay there, cowboy? ”

“ perfect. ” he breathed, staring ahead with sparkles in his eyes. literal sparkles.

you would've thought broke him if it weren't for his eyes flickering back into you, seconds later. his chest fell quickly in a large exhale of excitement. “ can you do that again? ”

you grinned.

“ of course... come here, blondie. ”

[bradshawsluvr]

Roosters and Flowers

Chapter 2

Rooster x OG fem Mitchell Character <3 & Rooster x OG son character

Summary: Pete finally meets Louis and Flo and Roo have there first sorta meeting.

Warnings: none

A/N: hope you like it :))

“Tell me about my grandson” Maverick says, sitting in a chair in her office.

“Well he’s 6, he plays for the local Junior baseball team and he likes to spend time at the beach” she explained.

“6? Wow, I do think he takes after you” he added looking at the picture of the two.

“Nah he looks more like his father in my opinion” she was now also looking at the picture.

“I know you only just told me Mavey but if he has our last name then what about his father?” Asked Pete.

“Ah that’s a story for a different time dad” she added smiling awkwardly.

“Oh okay” sighed Maverick “so when can I meet him?”.

“Well you can come over this weekend” she smiled at him.

“Perfect” he smiled back

———————————🪩————————————

The sun was setting as Florence walked towards the Hard Deck.

She had decided that she wanted to venture out to the Hard Deck in hopes to see Penny.

She knew that Bradley could be there but she was also aware that she was going to run into him at some point on base.

And given the little mini me that was at home being babysit by Amelia she knew that it was probably best that they talked.

Opening the door she heard the all too familiar bell, she practically strutted her way to the bar taking a seat.

“Well well, what’s a fine lady like you doing alone at a bar like this” she heard, turning to her right to find a human version of a Ken, she also noticed his obvious kharki uniform.

“Excuse me” her brows furrowed.

“Leave the poor girl alone Hangman” chuckled Penny serving Flo her usual.

“Hangman?” She asked “what kind of nickname is that”.

“Oh sweetheart you couldn’t tell” he looked down towards his uniform “I’m in the navy, I’m a pilot” he smiled all cocky gazing down at her.

“Oh really” she forced the sarcasm down.

“Bagman” she heard behind her, she turned around only to come face to face with Rooster; he was wearing a colourful Hawaiian shirt good to know he kept the same sense of style she thought. “Leave the lady alone” he said glancing towards Flo.

Hangman chucked “sorry darlin looks like I’ll have to cut our time short” he said with his southern drawl “if Rooster doesn’t meet your standards you know where to find me” he winked as he stepped away.

“I suppose I owe you a thanks then” she looked up at him who was already getting settled in the seat next to her.

“Yeah Bagman’s pretty insufferable” he replied.

“Yeah I can tell” she chuckled.

“So how have you been?” He asked making her roll her eyes “what?” He looked confused, “don’t do that Brad” “do what”.

“Pretend like things are normal” she looked him in the eye.

“Alright fine. I’m sorry Flower okay” he took a deep breath “don’t call me that” she muttered as she turned away, “I’m sorry I left really I am”.

“Why’d you leave then?” She said turning Back towards him, he opened his mouth to speak but she beat him to it “you know what never mind I don’t want to hear your bullshit excuse right now” she got up and walked towards the door.

“Florence wait” he immediately got up and went after her, she opened the door and stormed her way to her car; he grabbed her wrist “Florence please just listen to me”.

She huffed “fine” she crossed her arms.

“It’s just…I miss us okay and I was stupid to leave I know that I’ve regretted since the second I did it. So please can you just accept my apology, I’ve missed you and I’ve missed our relationship” he tried to reason to her releasing his hold on her wrist.

“Fine. But only because of the complication of the mission and dad” her arms moved to be on her side, “have you spoken to Mav” he asked “yeah he came to see me on base, and from what I’ve heard you two have had quite some rekindling conversations yourselves”.

“Oh don’t even go there” he combed his hand through his hair “I meant what I said Flower I have missed you” he looked down at her, “yeah I’ve missed you too” she looked back up at him.

“But I should get home” she finally said after a beat of silence “oh yeah of course sure” Bradley replied.

“Oh by the way I like the moustache it suits you” she added as she walked away towards her car.

“What” he smiled, hearing exactly what she said but wanted her to say it again.

“Nothing Rooster” she laughed as she got in her car.

Rooster watched her drive off just before he went back inside and eventually left himself.

————————————————————————

Rooster and Florence finally meet again after 6 years 👏

Dm me to be added to the tag list !!

Tag list: @rosiahills22 @hangmandruigandmav @shanimallina87 @abaker74

[somatheking]

Seven Nights At Soma's

In which in a sci-fi AU, you're the new communications officer at the Beach, one of Hatter's luxury space cruises. As part of your training, every day you receive tapes from an old employee explaining the ins and outs of the ship. However, it's not long until things start to sound... off.

Disclaimer: I mention several canon AiB characters in this, but rest assured that they aren't based on anyone's portrayal of them, only on my own interpretation.

Day 1: Slate 1 - 15/09/2023

Good morning! Or good evening, or good night. I’m not sure when you’re hearing this tape but I hope you decided to listen to it first thing after you woke up, mainly because it’s gonna help you get through the day. 

First off, let me give you the obligatory greeting (I’m reading this from a card I’ve got right here, so don’t mind me if I sound too weird): 

Welcome to the Beach! Combining classic elegance and cutting-edge innovation, our space cruises offer the latest in comfort, gastronomy, innovation, entertainment and onboard experience. Our new and improved spaceships are also pushing the boundaries of sustainable tourism, by employing robotic assistants as personnel so as to focus on environmental well-being and minimising waste… 

Sorry, sorry, I had to cut that short because I’m starting to laugh. Assistants, more like ASS-istants, am I right? Haha, yeah, it’s a funny word.

Anyways, yeah, I’m supposed to give you a rundown on your new job, although it isn’t precisely new, is it? Hatter told me he was thinking of filling the vacancy with someone who already worked here, but since I’m the vacancy, I’m not sure whether he ended up doing that or he simply hired someone new. Still, I figured you’d need some help, so I made you these tapes. Seven, one per day, which would cover the amount of time we need to get out of the Milky Way and into another galaxy, and after that you’ll literally be on your own. Well, I’ve only just recorded the one, so maybe I’m here saying it’s gonna be seven but it ends up being three, I don’t know. I guess we’ll see! Man, I’m more excited about this than you probably are, haha. 

As I told you before, I’m the guy you’re replacing. I was actually the ship doctor, but the previous communications officer left, so I had to replace him. Doing both jobs and only getting paid for one, which is pretty rough, but hey, we gotta do what we gotta do. You know how in the Barbie movie, Ken’s job was ‘beach’? Well, mine is doctor and comms officer, haha. I was actually friends with the guy that left, and I imagine I must’ve spent so much time hanging out with him that Hatter thought some knowledge passed on to me. I have to say, this ship mostly runs itself, so I didn’t have much trouble. And you won’t either!

Anyways, yeah, let’s talk about the elephant in the room and get it over with. You’re on a cruise where the vast majority of personnel are robots. It’s more efficient that way; as I said in the presentation, ‘environmental well-being and minimising waste’. There’s so many I’m not even sure I know all their names, but to be honest, they’re not gonna bother you much. So, how about instead we run over some of the people you’ll be working with?

First off, since you’re a comms officer, you’ll sadly have to keep in touch with Chishiya, who’s in charge of logistics. He’s, excuse my French, a huge ass bitch. Yeah, that’ll make more sense when you meet him, but mark my words, you’re gonna hate the guy. I did, so it makes sense that you will too. I don’t wanna keep talking about him, so let’s move on.

Oh, these aren't employees but I figure you could say hello to them since they're pretty nice. Arisu and Usagi are this couple who've been together for what seems like forever and they're so cute. You can feel the love radiating from them, it's like they were made for each other. They are so, so sweet; talking to them always brightened up my day. Sometimes I got claustrophobic here, and when that happened I usually went to them to cheer up. They… I don't know, this might sound stupid, but they reminded me that there's more things to life other than a job. 

You also have Kuina, who is an absolute sweetheart. She’s head of security, but she’s always super willing to help out if you need anything and she isn’t busy. Fortunately for her, this is a pretty tranquil ship; problems rarely arise here, at least the violent types. There hasn’t been any fights breaking out in… months? Probably even longer, yeah. Between you and me, I think the passengers are scared of doing something illegal in the presence of robots. They think they’re gonna bug out or something and accidentally kill them. Boy, Five Nights At Freddy’s really did a number on you all, huh? But yeah, Kuina. She trains once every three days, which means you'll get to see her. I recommend you go talk to her, but be careful not to bother her while she's training! Talking to her impacted me a lot, made me consider a lot of things about my life, plus, she’s very welcoming and one of the best people here. A literal ray of sunshine. 

Oh, God, it sounds like I have a crush, doesn’t it? Haha, no, no, it’s not like that. Well… no, not really. Now you’ve got me flustered, though. I guess I’m ending the tape here, then. I’ll see you tomorrow!

[wanderlust-in-my-soul]

My weekly roundup CW 15

Well, I watch a lot during the week, as you all might know. I really want to write a little bit more about the stuff I watch, but time and work kind of get in my creative way. So I try to write down my thoughts after watching stuff to create a little weekly ranking in relation to the previous week on my, most of the times, quiet sundays (and because I love lists and this is a good excuse for me to create a new OneNote journal!).

The Promise is on hiatus, so it didn't make it on this week's list.

↑ 1. The Eighth Sense (Ep 5+6)

I love it. This series is so brilliantly good. What I especially like are those little gestures, like how excited JaeWon was when he called JiHyun and how he smiled when he told his therapist about him. The entire beach scene made me melt. What a wonderful love scene! Very aesthetically pleasing and realistic, because you can have fun with something like this and explore the other in a playful way, not everything has to be oversexualized. The series really does so much right here! The end of the episode on the other hand…I have read quite a few analyses about the next episodes and I guess we will suffer together with Jaewon, who will fall back into his old pattern and his old life to not cause more harm to the one he cares for the most and in the end harming himself, because he can't live the life he desperately wants; and we will suffer with Jihyun, who is in love and understands that Jaewon has some baggage, but is left alone in the end and is hurting and that will make my heart hurt very much and thinking about all this makes me tear up...

→ 2. Unintentional Love Story (Ep 9 +10/Final)

One of the best encounters with an ex took place this week. And Wonyoung kicked that guy's ass! In general, he has grown a lot over the episodes and has undergone a good character development. He has gained more confidence and seems more mature than he did at the beginning. I also found the phone call between Wonyoung and Taejoon a good solution to make Taejoon realize that it's not just Wonyoung who did something wrong and that the past can definitely get in the way. All the nicer that they end up watching the sunset together. I liked the series a lot.

☼ 3. Our Dining Table (Ep 2)

Yes, this won't be the most dramatic thing we're currently seeing, but that's just fine. It is a pleasant and calm balance in this rather hectic series environment. Everywhere they try to lure you in with more action, more suspense and drama, more trauma or more sex and here we have a young man overcoming his eating disorder and finding a family with the help of two brothers. It's nice and quiet and doesn't hurt anyone. I'm really looking forward to the next episode and can't wait to see what they will cook next and where their conversations will take them.

↑ 4. Chains Of Heart (Ep 9)

Okay, we now have a psychic on board who can see people's past by touching them…Nothing really surprises me anymore! But seriously, what an episode! Finally we have Mr. Lue/Din and Ken together! Even though Ken seems to be in denial that Mr. Lue is Din? I think he knows, but can't stand the thought of Din lying to him all this time. So Mr. Lue is supposed to make him forget what he knows and wow, he does! These two were really starving for both affection and passion. What else happened? The scene also made me forget what happened next. Hin is the older brother of Din…Wouldn't have thought that, I thought he is the younger one. And then he is also the brain-cell of the whole episode! I am very impressed, he seemed more like the simple-minded shadow of Yu. All in all, once again a very good episode.

↑ 5. A Boss And A Babe (Ep 7)

So Gun is just the best in this series.

How he came into Cher's room after the shower and just doesn't give a shit what others think and says goodbye with "I'll wait in bed." And Cher's friends…they already know something since the BBQ, but they happily ignore it away. That's another way of dealing with it. Some say that not much happens and the show has no real plot. Does something outstanding always have to happen? Aren't everyday problems and how to deal with them sometimes enough? Like the problems with the foster brother or overcoming a first love and discovering a new, different love. I really liked walking with Cher through his life this week.

☼ 6. Naked Dining (Ep 1)

What do you do when you want to relieve stress? I craft or watch series or listen to loud music. Our protagonist eats…naked. And feels free. Honestly, if it helps? Who am I to judge? He finds a letter in the mail from his grandmother, who has already passed away. She wrote the letter six months ago and put it into a program that sends mail at a chosen time. He visits the house to clean it up and relax a bit from the stressful world of work. There he meets Miki Mahiro, who has taken the grandmother on a culinary journey to discover the world in this way. And as fate would have it, he discovers that our protagonist likes to be naked while eating. The scene was hilarious!

↓ 7. Bed Friend (Ep 9)

I'm only watching now because it'll be over soon. The series started really strong, but somehow it lost me. The positive thing about this episode was that for once there was no drama and Uea could take a breath (okay, except maybe at the very beginning, but that's positive drama when the former abuser is arrested and the abusive mother is done with the world). And finally Uea came around and accepted King as his boyfriend. It was getting a bit exhausting to see King begging and at the end I was just confused what their status is now. The introduction to King's parents I found really charming, between door and hinge. So not the hit for me this week.

☼ 8. My Story (Ep 1)

There's so much going on that I've lost track of everything. But one guy is a cook and goes to Thailand to earn money and meets the future love of his life there. And another one takes in a young man in his dormitory, which the dean finds totally fine, also that they have to share the bed together and that's why he just gets put up there from school and you can already tell in episode one that the two of them are going to be exciting. They have definitely stolen the show for me.

→ 9. Tin Tem Jai (Ep 7)

Now why the hell did Park have this change of heart? It feels like yesterday he wanted to do everything to convince Tin that he doesn't like him and will never marry him, and suddenly they're sitting in the living room and he confesses to him, in the creepiest way possible, that he tried to think of him as just a brother, but the older Tin got, the prettier he got…What masterful mind-brain came up with this dialogue? And those random jumps in time and space, and why didn't Tin and Park talk to each other? And Park really only has three emotions…annoyed, tired or neutral…Nothing else comes across…I can't really feel his affection for Tin either. Anyway…Three more episodes and if this doesn't end with the wedding of the two, I'll throw hands.

→ 10. PastSenger (Ep 6)

Okay, they like each other. Everybody likes each other. I just can't see the chemistry between Plawan and Moodaeng. For me, there's nothing there and it feels a little too rushed how Plawan got over his crush on Bamee. Then Kiev and Bamee…just talk to each other! But no, argue. And by the way it's totally normal when your friends want to interfere in your life or at least worry! What kind of friends are they who just let him work in this place? I would have taken him in and looked for something more suitable…And Franc is suddenly not so bad after all and makes her laugh? Very fast and confusing changes that happened this week. And I'm not talking about the kisses…Except maybe you shouldn't have held the camera on them quite so long…Had to look away briefly at the drunken mouth on mouth placement…

[yousei-no-mori]

Ijiranaide, Nagatoro-san - Rant

I am currently watching season 2 and I have some thoughts (about both seasons).

First of all why did I start watching this anime? Erm... So I know what the target audience is, it's people who self insert as Naoto and want to date Nagatoro. As for me? Oh, it's the other way around. I think Naoto is cute and I want to bully him. I thought maybe my female friends were similar but the only friend I have who read the manga wants to make out with Nagatoro. Sorry, I forgot lesbians exist.

Uh, anyway yeah Naoto is cute and I want to be Nagatoro. Not sure if girls like me watching this was intended since these anime are usually made for lonely dudes, lol. Anyone else feel like me though?

The scrunkly.

Okay, so, my thoughts on season 1... Lemme check the episodes to bring back my memory a little bit, as I watched that to calm down from the stress that is social work during last Winter.

The first two episodes made me really scared to watch this series, for real. Nagatoro just straight up mentally tortured Naoto, and not in the hot way. I felt really bad for him because I know what it's like to be the shy nerd kid. Anyways at around episode 3, I think, Nagatoro starts showing her softer side more. And she hardcore crushes on Naoto.

The dynamic between Nagatoro and Naoto is really cute in my opinion, even if it is very simple. Nagatoro has her first crush because she finally found a guy that doesn't bore her to death but she doesn't know how to handle it so she bullies the fuck out of him. Naoto is pretty much the opposite? He doesn't really realize how much he likes Nagatoro sometimes and thinks he would rather not be around her. He tries to manage that by fighting her off in which classic anime romcom things happen. You know the "Holy crap you did something on accident, PERVERT!" thing, except it sometimes works really well. Maybe it's just because I think both of them are really cute, but I like when they have their little "Oh god, we both fucked up" moments.

Then there's the more obvious romance aspects and they're by far my favorite. The momens of honesty and the cute glances... Yep, they're adorable. I don't want to give away too much, sorry. Just know it's, in my opinion, the best thing in the series.

I don't care for the side characters by the way, but they can be enertaining when they point out how obviously both of our main characters are trying to "prove" that they don't like each other. They're the audience, the "just kiss already!" guys.

Also funny face cute. I like when she snaps. I like her. The cutesy. Okay no, for real, I love when Naoto and Nagatoro support or protect each other when they really need it. They can be a bitshitty towards each other sometimes but in the end they're actually kinda... healthy? Like Nagatoro is creepy but I love when the girl is a creep instad of the guy, since Naoto is actively watching out not to disturb Nagatoro. And how she will constantly accuse him of being a creep makes sense later when you realize that she's actually much worse than him, lol.

Okay let's get to season 2, since I keep using too many screencaps of that season anyway.

Oh boy, another anime studio took over with season 2 (now OLM, before it was Telecom) and it's very noticeable. The animation is stiff and sometimes just straight up doesn't move right, the art is a lot more bland, in season 1 there were a lot of beautiful warm colors and lineart, and the voice direction is very strange... That and also our main characters seem to regress a bit? Now being overly flustered over small things that they would've been fine with in season 1? I get it, they're supposed to be cute and awkward but it's the classic romcom regression...

I'm in the middle of watching season 2 and sadly the things I loved in season 1 just aren't that apparent anymore. It's still cute and I love Naoto and Nagatoro together, but I can hardly pay attention to that when Naoto is animated like Chargeman Ken.

^ little appreciation for the beautiful lighting in season 1!?

Anyway, Ijiranaide, Nagatoro-san will forever be my biggest guilty-pleasure comfort anime and I'm only a little ashamed.

Love ya

[rue-bennett]

there are some really basic problems with the barbie movie as a whole starting with her character specifically. side note I am very tired rn

barbie is afraid of cellulite and of not being pretty? why? because barbie is supposed to be perfect? how does she determine what flaws or imperfections are especially since barbieland is so diverse? if the criticism is about a woman's value in a patriarchal society being determined by their appearance why does this affect Barbie who exists in a matriarchy? that would imply that the patriarchy was in barbieland from the very beginning and is baked into the very concept of barbie herself? wish we could have explored that *shrug*

also barbieland isn't a utopia, its a matriarchy in which the kens are forgotten and ignored and exist as props to support barbie. kens taking over with the patriarchy is more akin to misandry overtaking the patriarchy irl, and by the end it returns to the status quo. it undercuts its own message by framing the return to barbieland as a victory over the patriarchy which it isn't, because the dismantling of the patriarchy is about breaking down societal barriers and expectations which ultimately harm everyone, men included. they made a joke alluding to this but being aware of your own writing flaws doesn't make them go away.

a big problem is also her whole character arc? we dont know where her fear of being imperfect come from or what drives her? what is it like to be a barbie, how does it limit her or confine her and what does becoming a real person offer her? barbie gained more complex emotions through Gloria (America), but ken didn't? and he had an existential crisis too? which means that barbies and kens are capable of emotional complexity without being human or being influenced by a human. why can ken have an existential crisis all on his own. It wasn't because he absorbed it from the human world because ken felt that way all along his experiences of feeling valued and powerful for the first time through the patriarchy is just what cracked him.

I know it was supposed to be about her becoming a more complex and embracing humanity and the beauty of being real, but you cant do that without showing her gain a deeper appreciation for that in the real world and showing how barbieland doesn't meet her needs anymore. there were a couple montages and that one scene on the bench that were foreshadowing but other than that nothing showed how barbie had been changed by her experiences. if her motivation was that as barbie she would always be static and incapable of change or experiencing the world they should have shown that but they didnt and they dont even show how being barbie limits her.

her arc was about the messiness and ugliness of being human is beautiful and worthwhile it just wasn't shown well because we would need to know why she has this fear in the first place and what drives her into turning her back on her whole foundational sense of self. I dont think the moments she had were enough.

how am I supposed to think that barbies character arc about accepting the beauty of humanity, of being imperfect if I dont even know why she feels so much pressure to be perfect. people are being incredibly generous with their interpretation of the movie and are adding a lot of nuance the movie does not provide because as far as the movie tells us barbie wants to be perfect because shes barbie and shes barbie because she's perfect. that is something that needs to be unpacked. how can margot give a nuanced performance about a doll becoming human when her arc is a few sentimental moments tied together by a shoestring.

theres also the fact that within her own movie she never acts only reacts. kens character arc drives almost the entire story. barbie goes through an existential crisis because of glorias character, kens character arc is entirely internally motivated.

The same with Gloria. Shes barely a character, just a plot device and a mouthpiece for giving the big speech at the end of the film. Why is she depressed and having an existential crisis? because shes a woman and her daughters growing up? what does she do to resolve that? gee whiz I wish we had gotten a comprehensive story arc to unpack that. gloria was a bland character and the performance wasn't anything remarkable because it didnt require anything remarkable.

I would have been so down for getting an acting nom for margot especially, but how can you even give a nuanced performance if the character is so poorly written and it sucks because there are a couple easy fixes to massively improve her entire character and streamline the movie. (I can get into that but I dont have the energy tonight).

one of the easiest ways to show how poor the writing is that they had the mattel team visit barbieland and it had zero point. like zero relevance, gloria told them her idea for a quick gag but it was a pointless plot point. them showing the team irl wasn't written very well but it was an important thematic and comedic moment but after her escape, their presence added nothing to the plot or message and it wasn't that funny.

its completely ridiculous to blame the patriarchy for ken being more popular or acknowledged over barbie when the MOVIE also gave more importance to his character. him choosing to pursue barbie is integral to the rest of the plot happening, his choice is what kickstarts the entire movie. the climax of the movie is the climax of his character arc HE GOT A MUSICAL NUMBER.

if people are going to be mad about the academy passing over women in favour of men the call is coming from inside the house my friend because it started with the move itself.

Okay these are some veryyy interesting points I’m gonna have to digest and I don’t have much to add. I think that the marketing of it and some aspects of the writing being very feminist-forward are doing heavy lifting in getting the audience to suspend its disbelief at some of the contradictory aspects of the movie itself and some plot holes, because, it’s a fantasy idk. The 4th to last paragraph in particular, I AGREE. Hell I wish she’d been nommed but it isn’t a crime against women either.

[itcamefromthetoybox]

Beach Party Himbo

We’re a little closer to the premier of “Barbie,” so that means more Barbie reviews! This week, I wanted to look at a doll made specifically for the movie, and I especially wanted to look at everyone’s favorite Barbie accessory, which means that it’s time for us to look at “Barbie: The Movie Ken!” Let’s take a look at how Barbie’s second banana came out and if this Ken deserves your money.

From what we’ve seen so far, “Barbie: The Movie” takes place in a world where almost everyone’s a Barbie or Ken, with the exceptions of Midge and Allen. Don’t worry, Midge and Allen, you’ll always have a place in my heart. Ryan Gosling’s Ken, whom we’ll be looking at today, is the beach-themed boyfriend of Margot Robbie’s Barbie, the star of the whole shebang. From what we’ve seen in the trailers, Ken is not exactly carrying a lot between the ears, but he adores Barbie enough to accompany her on her adventure. Until the movie comes out, that’s about all I got here. It’s kinda hard to talk about a movie character whose movie hasn’t come out yet. I could tell you about my many Ken dolls, but I don’t think that will be helpful. Though I do adore my Kens. Anyways, moving on.

The dolls for “Barbie: The Movie” are actually aimed more at collectors than kids or casual fans. What this means is that they tend to be pricier, but with really good articulation. These dolls also have higher quality outfits, which makes sense, since the dolls can do more than the average Barbie. You don’t wanna wear out the outfits. While Barbie products in general are very easy to come by, I actually haven’t had any luck in finding the movie dolls at mass retail yet. Based on everything I’ve read, they’re a limited edition line of dolls, and from what I’ve seen, they can only be found online. I’ve had pretty good luck with Amazon and Mattel’s website, but absolutely zero success at physical stores.

In terms of build, Ken looks very pretty. This is a guy who very much works out and definitely has a beach bod, which, based on what we know of the character so far, is exactly what we want. His head does a pretty good job replicated Ryan Gosling in doll form, but the lack of the stubble that Gosling has in the movie makes this Ken look younger and preppier than you’d expect. Also of note here is that this Ken, unlike most Kens you’ll find at mass retail, has rooted hair. It’s also gelled to hold in place, which I personally think works very well for this doll, especially since it’s a doll based off a man who’s supposed to be a doll.

Hair of gold, brain of lead

Ken’s outfit is very bright and colorful, which I absolutely love. It’s nice to see dudes in bright colors, especially since society keeps encouraging guys to wear drab, darker colors. The world of “Barbie: The Movie” is bright, fun, and colorful, and I am delighted to see Ken wearing outfits that go along with that. Ken’s outfit consists of white sneakers, beach shorts, and an open beach shirt, so that I can gaze upon Ryan Gosling’s sculpted (literally) abs and be reminded that I no longer have the metabolism I did in college and that I should probably eat healthier, but that I won’t because burgers taste too good.

I could look like this if I worked out more! And got extensive surgery! And dyed my hair! And was 12 inches high! And was made of plastic!

Ken, like every doll in the movie line, is heavily articulated, which is absolutely what you want for a doll whose whole purpose in life is to party on a beach. He’s got joints in his shoulders, arms, wrists, legs, knees, and neck, so you can put him in all kinds of poses.

Thirst Trap Ken

Aside from his clothes, Ken comes with one accessory: a blue surfboard. It’s proportionate to Ken, which means it’s pretty big. I am a bit let down by the fact that it doesn’t have any detail, but if the idea was to replicate what a classic toy surfboard from the 50’s would look like, then I guess mission accomplished.

Does this paint job have you feeling “board?” Surf pun! Delightful.

 The surfboard has two clips on top, which you can attach to Ken’s wrist, so he can hold the board, or feet, so he can ride the board. The clips are pretty strong, so Ken’s not going to fall off the board any time soon, but that also means that you might have a hard time detaching the board from Ken’s arm. Just keep that in mind so you don’t break something.

I know nothing about surfing culture, so anything I say here will sound forced.

“Barbie: The Movie Ken” has so far only been found online, where he goes for about $25, and is recommended for ages 3+, but is aimed at older kids and collectors. Would I recommend him? Definitely. He’s a very good doll and a fun addition to any fan’s collection. Besides that, he’s also the least expensive Movie Ken doll currently available. If his price seems a little high, remember that this is a very articulated, limited edition doll, which makes that price a pretty good deal in my book. Next week, we’ll be wrapping up our look at Barbie with one more doll from the movie line, so come on back and see what’s happening! This is JS signing off and wishing you Happy Toy Hunting!

[hummingbird-of-light]

Against All Odds

Part 833

McCoy

Dinner had been eaten listlessly, but at least it had been eaten. Spock had offered to clean up and Jim volunteered to help. Robbie had tried, but they had told him no, saying they understood if he wanted to go call Leah early.

Scotty had given his brother a very tight hug and whispered something to him in Gaelic. Robbie’s eyes had glistened for a moment before he turned away quickly.

“What do you want to do darlin’?” McCoy asked.

Scotty moved close so McCoy could put an arm around him.

“I dinnae ken,” he answered. “I wish we knew if Granddad was coming back tonight.”

McCoy nodded. “I know. How about we go relax, lie down and I’ll read to you?”

“Ok love,” Scotty said quietly, wrapping a hug around McCoy.

“Why don’t you head up and I’ll let Spock and Jim know what we’re doing.”

“I’ll make sure the house is locked up first,” Scotty said as he released McCoy.

McCoy went to the kitchen. It was silent except for the sound of water splashing. McCoy watched Spock and Jim for a moment wondering if they were communicating through their bond or just being quiet.

“We’re heading up to our room,” McCoy said.

Spock and Jim looked over their shoulders.

“Scotty’s locking up, but you guys can do your own thing.”

“Of course sir,” Spock said. “Rest is a good idea.”

“Let us know if you hear anything more from Granddad,” Jim added.

“Yeah,” McCoy nodded. “Night guys.”

Jim and Spock’s good nights followed him out of the room.

Upstairs, McCoy got himself undressed and pulled on some pajama bottoms. From the bedside table he picked up the book they had been reading in the garden. They hadn’t read any since then.

Scotty came in a moment later, his face twisted in an expression McCoy didn’t recognize.

“What is it?” he asked, moving quickly to his fiancé.

“Granddad or Mum usually do that,” Scotty said softly.

“Oh darlin’,” McCoy whispered sympathetically. “Let’s get you changed and comfy.”

In a few minutes they were curled together in bed. They had pushed the covers back for the moment. McCoy sat against the headboard to read the book, and Scotty stretched up against his side, head resting on McCoy’s chest.

He held the book with one hand and let the other run over Scotty’s back. He could feel the tension in his fiancé’s muscles. McCoy kept his touch light.

McCoy was surprised by the first soft snore from Scotty. It was much sooner than he had expected, but he supposed after the unexpectedly stressful day they’d had it made sense. McCoy marked the page he was on, then continued to read aloud. He’d make sure Scotty was good and asleep before he stopped.

He was yawning when he finally set the book aside and turned the lamp off. Carefully McCoy shifted in the bed to lie down. He didn’t want to wake Scotty.

They had heard nothing else from Granddad so McCoy assumed the older man was staying at the hospital that night. Scotty snuggled closer in his sleep as McCoy finished moving himself. He smiled, but it held sadness too.

How could Francine be hurt and in the hospital? How was that fair? McCoy’s thoughts raced. He realized he hadn’t let his own parents know. Should he have told them? Would Francine want him too? Or would she want to keep it private? Keep more people from worrying about her?

He’d wait. Besides, if Robbie had talked with Leah, he knew his parents would know soon. He picked up his comm carefully, and without disturbing Scotty, sent them a note. Then he set the device down, turned more towards Scotty and wrapped him close in his arms. The Scotsman had taken care of McCoy so well the previous summer when the king had had a heart attack, it was the least McCoy could do to return the favor.

Part 834

Robbie

After dinner, Robbie retired to his room. His feet carried him to the bed as if of their own accord and he dropped onto it.

And suddenly, everything that had been building up inside him burst out of him. All the emotions that he had tried to hide, broke free.

He cried and sobbed into his pillow, trying his best not to scream.

How much he wanted his mother at that moment. How much he wanted to lie in her arms and hold her tight.

But his mother wasn't there. She was in the hospital. Injured, in pain.

How? How did he and the rest of his family deserve all this? It just wasn't fair!

The ringing of his PADD made Robbie's head jerk up and he looked to the side. The device was lying on his bedside table. Tired and exhausted, the Scotsman sat up and reached for the PADD.

It was Leah.

Robbie closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm down. Then he pressed the screen and instantly looked into his girlfriend's worried face.

"Robbie! Are you all right? I just checked the news and saw that there's been a car pile-up near Aberdeen!"

Of course. Leah always checked the news about Scotland. It had become a thing after they became a pair.

Try as he might to hold back the tears, Robbie just couldn't. He sniffled.

"Mum... Mum was involved in the accident," he breathed softly and Leah's eyes immediately widened even more.

"Oh my- how is she? Where is she?"

Robbie swallowed hard. The lump in his throat seemed to be getting bigger and bigger.

"She's in hospital. Granddad's with her. She's got... some broken ribs and a broken arm. And she has a concussion."

The thought of Francine being unwell made her son feel sick too. It was a terrible thought.

"I'm so sorry about that. If there's anything I can do for your family," Leah began, but Robbie shook his head slowly.

"Nae, mo chridhe. Right now, there's nothing we can do but wait."

Something the Scotsman hated all too much. Especially when it came to situations like this.

"And... for you? How can I help you, Robbie?"

Desperation was written all over Leah's face. Robbie knew she just wanted to do something. She never wanted to be idle.

So he wanted to give her something to do.

A soft smile formed on his lips and he looked deep into his girlfriend's eyes.

"Will ye... stay with me tonight?"

They had spent so many nights after his abduction leaving their PADDs on all night. And now too, he just wanted Leah close to him.

"Of course, sweetheart."

Leah put on a smile, too, and they talked for quite a while before Robbie lay down. And somehow, with Leah by his side, he finally managed to fall asleep.

Tomorrow the world would look different again.

[scruffyplayssonic]

Are the ArchieSonic comics actually an 80's/90's syndicated cartoon? Episode 59: Stranded in the ocean 

Welcome back to my look at the ArchieSonic comic series, and how it shared a lot of the same story tropes as a typical ‘80s or ‘90s syndicated cartoon! So you guys know how Sonic hates water, right? Because of that whole not-being able to swim issue? Well why don’t we look at an episode based around the stuff of Sonic’s worst nightmares?

Episode 59: Stranded in the ocean 

Okay, so to be honest this one doesn’t really count. The cover for issue #109 very much oversells the drama of the actual story, which is about the Freedom Fighters travelling to the frozen north sea in Rotor’s submarine to free his family from Eggman’s mind control. Eggman wasn’t too pleased that his enemies were meddling in his affairs again, and sent out a giant robotic electric eel to attack them.

The Freedom Fighters escaped though, and just continued on with the mission. There was no dwelling about losing their ride or being stranded or anything like that. That’s probably because this story is from (in my opinion) one of the two worst periods of the comic, at a time where it felt like they were trying to cram the comic with quantity rather than quality. The cover stories usually felt like they were being rushed to make room for all the other stuff they were jamming into the issue. So what else did they put in this issue? Well, there was a short story where Mina and Sally talked about Sonic, and Sally finally found out that Sonic hadn’t been a willing participant in the smooching session Sally had witnessed between him and Mina back in issue #99.

Honestly, this was probably the best part of this issue, especially since it was the beginning of the resolution of the stupid love triangle. There was also the ongoing drama of Ken Penders’ green Knuckles saga, because heaven forbid we have an issue without his echidnas.

No, I still refuse to explain why he is green. I don’t want to talk about it.

There was also a crossword puzzle, because that’s what people want to see in a comic book about Sonic, right? Oh, and don’t forget the answers to the Knuckles family tree puzzle from a previous issue.

A family tree that only started making sense when these answers were released, because Ken Penders had to put his precious Knuckles at the top of the tree. The descendants are supposed to be at the bottom of a family tree, you loon. 😛 So yeah, I think this era of the comic would have been a lot better if they'd tried to cram less in there and focused more on quality stories rather than jamming in as much crap as they could.

But let’s get back to the actual topic, about being stranded in the ocean. Another story that comes to mind is one I looked at last week, Waves of Change.

Technically the Freedom Fighters weren’t stranded in the ocean and could have left any time they liked, but I doubt Sonic felt that way.

The one instance I can think of where anyone was actually stranded in the ocean was a story that didn’t involve Sonic. It was Pirate Plunder Panic, which ran in Sonic Universe issues #55 - 58. Amy and Cream were sent to Blaze’s world, and teamed up with her and Marine to fight the evil Captain Metal for ownership of the last Sol Emerald.

Blaze tried to infiltrate Captain Metal’s ship and take him out single handedly, but hit a snag when Captain Metal blew up her ship, with her friends still on it.

Amy, Cream and Marine managed to escape the explosion by hiding in a crate, but were left adrift and taking on water. Things looked pretty bad for our heroines, but fortunately a pod of dolphins came along to rescue them.

I know this is a slightly shorter episode than I usually do, but those are honestly the only instances I can think of that involve Sonic and friends being stranded in the ocean. …in ArchieSonic, at least. Remember that time Sonic got stuck on a cruise ship in Sonic X though?

Hahaha, it’s funny because he’s scared of water.

Are there any other instances of being stranded in the ocean in ArchieSonic that I missed? Let me know in the comments! Next week we’ll be going from being stranded in the ocean to its opposite: stranded in the desert! See you then!

[116t98]

I think Emily should’ve been in “Max Out” instead of Ken

I think Ken, Gwen’s older brother, is a character the show could’ve done a lot of interesting things with (like exploring how he’s the only grandchild of Max and Verdona who’s left out of the alien/magic loop), but it’s hard to accept that he’s supposed to be important when he’s never seen or mentioned ever again in any capacity (he’s not even in the family photo on Gwen’s desk in “What Are Little Girls Made Of?”)

As much as I like the concept of Ken, he’s entirely needless; in fact, his episode could’ve played out perfectly fine, maybe even better, without him

How?

By replacing him with Emily, Gwen’s apparent best friend since childhood

Emily is also a cool one-time character who’s, unfortunately, never mentioned again after her debut episode, but her existence and supposed importance to Gwen is easier for me to accept bc she’s not a Tennyson, so her not being brought up in casual conversation is kinda understandable (unlike Ken, who you think would’ve at least been mentioned in passing at least once prior to “Max Out”, and then occasionally throughout the franchise)

I know that Ken only exists bc the show needed a good excuse to justify Max coming out of hiding, and what’s a better excuse than to rescue your grandchild? However, I honestly think he would’ve went looking for Emily too; not only is she a civilian in need (you can’t tell me Max the heroic ex-Plumber wouldn’t have tried to save an innocent person if he could), but she’s his granddaughter’s best friend, and it’d make sense for him to want to save someone Gwen’s familiar with

So, imagine this:

Max finds out that Emily was abducted and decides to go after her himself. Meanwhile, Ben (who’s just learned the same thing) asks Kevin to help find her on Gwen’s behalf since she’s on the phone in the background (learning more about the situation from Emily’s parents)

Kevin asks if Emily’s a Tennyson too; when Ben says “no”, he questions why he should care if she’s not their family, which is when Gwen tells him she’s her best friend. And since he’s whipped for her, Kevin agrees to help them

On the drive over to her last known whereabouts, Gwen talks about her relationship with Emily, mentioning that they’re super close, but they haven’t been talking lately bc of a fight they recently had (the reason for said fight will be revealed later on). Maybe this could be when Kevin notices Ben isn’t super jazzed to be talking about Gwen’s missing friend, which is when Gwen mentions that Ben and Emily aren’t talking either bc of a date that “went poorly” (which happened before “Pier Pressure”, so he didn’t cheat on Julie or anything like that)

The interrogation scene could play out similarly to how it is in the show, except when Emily tries to claim that she doesn’t know anything, the DNAlien doesn’t believe her since “they have reason to suspect that she knows more than she’s letting on”

Fast forward to the scene where the trio saves her from the xenosite, Gwen rushes to make sure her friend’s okay, and after confirming that she’s fine, Emily swears to Gwen that she didn’t tell the DNAlien anything about them, revealing to the audience that she already knows about Ben and Gwen’s powers

Gwen then takes the opportunity to apologize to Emily, who we now learn was upset and hurt that Gwen didn’t tell her about their powers herself, as Emily had to demand answers from Gwen afterward her disastrous date with Ben (we still don’t learn what actually happened in their date in this episode, but we eventually realize she only found out bc Ben transformed in front of her and left her on top of a building). Emily, now fully comprehending just how dangerous it is for her to know their secret, forgives Gwen for the secrecy, and the two finally make up

Then they all team up to find Max, and you know damn well Gwen taught her best friend some martial arts moves for self defense, so Emily would actually hold her own in the fight against the DNAliens (think of Oracle from DC comics)

Maybe this gets Kevin to like her, mirroring how he eventually sees why everyone thinks Ken’s so cool; perhaps he wasn’t impressed by how Gwen described her in the car (thinking she was just another preppy snob), but seeing this side of her makes Kevin reevaluate his assumptions of her. And likewise, maybe seeing Kevin be a hero and caring for Gwen makes Emily change her mind about him, having previously assumed he wasn’t anything other than the town’s resident good-for-nothing bad boy

Skipping to the end of the episode, the four teens are left alone after Max’s sacrifice

It still baffles me how Gwen reacts like this after Magister Labrid died

But she (along with Ben) reacts like this after her grandpa sacrificed himself

So, I’d have Gwen fall to her knees in despair, crying over Max, while Emily pulls her into a hug and comforts her, showcasing how supportive she is of Gwen

Ben would be silently crying too, and Kevin would put his hand on Ben’s shoulder, trying to comfort him in his own way

But they’re still in the middle of a mission and he needs to act like the team leader Max wants him to be, so Ben wipes his eyes, looks out to the horizon and rallies his team in the wake of Max’s “death”, even more resolved to end what his grandpa started

[lizardcrimson97]

What’s been on my mind after the Barbie Movie

After watching the Barbie Movie with some friends, I'm pretty shook up , so I thought I’d share what’s on my mind. I’ve been thinking a lot about the sense of belonging, how the Barbie Movie approached that theme, how I’ve faced issues with belonging both now and in the past, and how society views it

To preface, I’d like to note that I am a rather average looking 26 year old cisgendered white straight man, so this post will be rather male-centric. It’s not my intention to undermine women’s issues in society. They’ve struggled and continue to struggle with much more than men do, but I could see how my perspective could come off as undermining. So this is just a disclaimer that if you’re not good with those kind of things, you don’t have to read further.

Anyway, the scene at Weird Barbie’s house when Gloria is rattling off all the issues she faces as a woman really stuck out to me. I found myself constantly thinking “yeah, I’ve felt that. Gone through that. Felt that one too.” But this scene was meant to explain issues that women face in the world, and I am not a woman. Thinking that way gave me a sense of guilt, and I feel in a sense that society has been going in a direction that if you’re not a women and feel that you’ve faced similar injustices to those typically associated with women, then the issue is with yourself and you’re expected to change and apologize for how you felt. 

I’m not the strongest guy out there. I can’t grow facial hair, I don’t like sports, I used to play with dolls as a kid, was the person that cooked for the family as a teenager, and continue to do the house chores as an adult, even though I live on my own with some roommates. Now I’m not saying this to be like “hey look guys, I’m just like your stereotypical woman and therefore struggle alongside them,” no. I’m more trying to show that I’m not the stereotypical man. I don’t meet a lot of people’s expectations of who I am supposed to be, and constantly feel alienated from others around me. In a sense, I constantly feel like I have to bring something to the table, whether that be dinner, entertainment, or a shoulder to lean on, otherwise I lose my purpose and people will abandon me. I think about how others might feel about me quite often. That’s why that scene in the movie was so impactful for me. I felt like since I am not a women, I don’t get to feel the way I do. When people say “you’re valid” or “you’re enough” I rarely feel like that’s directed toward me and struggle to believe it for myself if it is. And if I show that side of me to others, in my mind they’ll reject me, so I just hide away anyway before that can happen. 

Now, I don’t think that the Barbie movie neglects to touch on this. The character of Allan seemed to represent what I’m feeling, and I saw myself a lot in him. He’s not like the Kens and constantly took a back seat in situations, but whenever people were spreading good vibes and he’d try to chime in to feel included, it seemed he was often ignored or legitimately driven out. His character never really got the resolution I was hoping for

But yeah, I guess what I’m getting at is that you don’t have to be a woman to face women’s issues, and I don’t think that’s explored enough in these kinds of discussions. If that makes me a jackass, well, then I guess I’ll just keep in in therapy

[realcatalina]

Most Pleasant song of Lady Bess doesn't make any sense.

At least not when it comes to description of Henry VII.

So in this poem/somg Humphrey(the guy who is said to have wrote it) is send to deliver message to exiled Henry in Bretagne...And he doesn't know him...but he knows the porter, who shows him king from distance and says which one of the men it is...

By first describing Henry's clothes...and then him. And that 2nd paragraph is the illogical part. WTF is going on with the wart?!

Version 1:

„Thereby the prince know may you A privy warte withouten lett And had littil above chyn, His face is white, the wart is red. Therebye full well yee may hym ken.“

(Tbh i don't understand half of this one.)

Version 2:

„There-ye the Prince know may ye. A wart he hath, the porter said, a litle alsoe above chinn, his face is white, his wart is redd, no more than head of small pinn: You may know the Prince certain. As soon as you look upon him truelly.“

Now either the porter was an idiot! ...because tiny wart is not a major identifying feature...you'd use for somebody to better identify somebody!

It makes zero sense for porter to go on and on about the wart! And not give Humphrey the better identifying features"

Or it's transcribing error. The poem/song is from 15th century...but oldest two surviving versiosn are from c.1600 and from reign of Charles II. And it was edited in past...

So...then i thought about it, again, and decided to read more of the text, and it is interesting...(i'll leave link at end of post),

On first glance this seems as closer to original because you can't understadn it that well, but idk truly:

„Thereby the prince know may you A privy warte withouten lett And had littil above chyn, His face is white, the wart is red. Therebye full well yee may hym ken.“

I was looking for similiarities in the text, and i found several things which go against the alleged meaning.

the phrase withouten/without lett is used several times.

Since in english a phrase 'without let or hindrance'

means without obstruction or impediment.

...It makes zero sense for Wart to be without obstruction.

Also, word chyn in text appears only once again, when decribing Richard's death.

They carryed hym naked into Layceter, and bouckled his haeire under his chyn, Bessie mett hym with a merye cheare.

It doesn't make sense either...that they buckled his hair under his chin? But 2nd version said Richard head was pulled under his feet...no mention of his chin. Unless it used to be shin. Part of leg.

I cannot be of course sure it actually means shin...but it's one of possible variants.

So maybe...this is still describing Henry's clothes.

„See where he shooteth at the buttes, and with hym are lordes three, he weareth a gown of velvette blacke, and yt is coted above knee, with longe visage and pale, therebye the prynce know may yee, a privye warte withouten lett, and hathe a litill above the chyn(shin), His face is white, the warte is red. Therebye full well yee may hym ken.“

See, where he shoots at the buttes*, *it's a game and with him are lords three, he wears a gown of velvet black, and it is cut? above knee, with long visage and pale, thereby the prince know may you, a privy?/private? ward/word without hindrence*YES! and had a littil? above the shin/chin His face is white, the warte is red. Thereby full well you may him ken/ know?

*Yeah, private word without hindrence...that would make absolute sense!

...I am not sure if littel is supposed to mean little. if it is above shin...could it be part of dress? I am sewing anti-tallent so I truly don't know.

But I think the verses are mixed a bit, and probably part is missing because even if it is part of garment, it cannot be both above shin and above knee. ...You'd not describe it like that.

The author used a rhymes a lot...but modern pronounciation vs old can be different and so some words might not rhyme these days, but used to in past. I'll try to fix it. But I think i also need to look at 2nd longer version of the text.

„Low where he siteth at the butts certaine, With other lords two or three, he weareth a gown of velvet black, and it is cutted above the knee with a long visgae and pale and black Thereby know that prince may ye, a warth he hath, teh porter said. A little alsoe above the chinn, His face is white, his wart is redd No more than head of small pinn.“

Low/look? where he (is) seated at the butts certain* *like is he good at the game?*

With other lords two or three, he wears a gown of velvet black and it is cut above the knee with a long visage and pale and black* *still describing clothes, probably Thereby know that prince may you A wart he had, the porter said, A little also* above the chin/shin *Why also? His face is white, his wart? is red No more than the head of a small pinn.

So Henry probably wore some gown like this-cut above knees, but black, with different coloured sleeves, possibly with some pale and black pattern?

So far so good.

What if the word also was added? A little above chin/shin

...hair comes to mind. or boots? From those above ankles I keep only find those which are above knees...no reason to describe these as being above shin...

I think logically if I tried to describe somebody I'd describe their clothes, their figure, their colouring.

This is best I could come up with:

I shall thee tell, said the porter then, the prince of England, know shall yee(you). See where he shoots at the butts, and with him lords three. He wears a gown of velvet black, and it is cut above the knee. With a long visage, pale and black. ...And verse is misisng here. His face is white, the warte hair is red, and a little above the chin. A wart he had, the porter said, no more than head of small pinn. You may know the prince certaine, as soon as you look upon him truely. ...

A private word without let* *hindrance ...(then the porter said?)

Now that the porter is he gone, with him he tooke the mules three. To earl Richmonde he went alone, Where the other lords did be* *were

...

Not really sure about the 4th paragraph...I think it could easily be from 2 separate paragraphs, with several verses missing.

When you read it...it's quite melodic and rhytmical.

Still this is only version I found logical, after reading both version and comparing the texts. Neither seems to make sense on its own.

First clothes, then Henry's skin, his HAIR, and then little mention of wart...used more to keep the rhyme going...

Anyway here is link, for those of you who would wish to study it in full, both versions are in the book:

Please tell me in comments what you think, and any suggestions about 2nd and the 4th paragraph.