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popculturebuffet · 4 years ago

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Ducktales Finale Review: The Last Adventure! or So Long and Thanks for All The Ducks

Hello all you happy people. The day we’ve all simultaneously waited for and dreaded is here. The grand finale to a five year journey.. and for me an almost one year journey of covering season 3 as it came out. It was thanks to this show i’ve been able to make money doing what I love. Without it I never would’ve found my patreon Kev, and I never woul’dve had the solid focus to keep going as long as I have. And I never would’ve had all you lovely people reading my work. Thank you for that. I hope you’ll stick around even though the series is gone, I love you all. But as the sun sets on this series I have one last episode of the season, and the series to cover. I won’t be doing it in my usual recap style due to it’s sheer length and scope, but I promise you if you join me under the cut I will break down eveyrthing I can about this final adventure, it’s huge, awe inspiring twists.. and it’s heartwarming conclusion. It’s everything you could want from a finale short of a Grandma Duck Cameo, and i’ts under the cut with full spoilers. Seriously if you do not want any spoilers TURN BACK NOW. I’m opening with probably the biggest spoiler of the finale.

I Think She’s A Clone Now You were warned. So.. Webby is Scrooge’s Clone, made by FOWL as part of a decades long scheme to find the papyrus of binding, and raised by Beakly to keep this precious child out of their sinister clutches. I have hundreds of reaction images, several for what the fuck.. none of them seem sufficient.. ALL OF THEM together like some megazord of what the fuck are not sufficient for how much this reveal caught me off guard. It caught ALL of us off guard. I’m sure even those who called it still were suprised that’s the direction it took. I think we all expected her parents died by FOWL, or her parents were FOWl with Pepper being one of them, or anything else. So naturally it took around 14 drafts, and me going the fuck to sleep as I had stayed up to watch the finale and thought I could just smoothly transition into writing the review despite there being a LOTTTTT to unpack.

Even after the recharge though this took a bit of doing... so now i’ve done it... what’d I think? Whelp....

I liked it. I like it the more I think about it. Even the problems I had with it just kinda melted away as I thought about it. I understand if you do not. This twist will not be for everyone, it changes Webby’s character and story entirely, ruins tons of fan theories, and in general is batshit even for a series that in the same finale, turned Manny into a shout out to Gargoyles, complete with Keith “My Body is Ready” David. This series is genuinely batshit and loves it, but this is a LOT to ask dramatically, a lot to rewrite expectation wise and a lot to thinka bout. There’s a reason besides sleep deprevation it took me a whlie to fully grasp how I felt. So if you don’t like it fine, but i’m going to make my best case.

Starting with something that made me realize I fully like it: It dosen’t invalidate Webby’s charcter. The one little problem I had left was “Well dosen’t Webby having the McDuck bloodline mean she couldn’t be specail if she wasn’t a McDuck? That sure the rest of the cast are specail but you can’t be really important without it?” Honestly.. no. Webby is who she is not because she’s a McDuck.. but because she’s Webby. She got her martial arts and mystery solving skills through Beakly and being raised. She had intate talent sure.. but as we’ve seen with the boys through the whole series, talent has to be honed. Skill has to be earned and learned. Webby worked hard to research other civilizations, worked hard to hone herself into a deadly fighting machine with her mother’s help, worked hard to be every bit as cool as her idol who turned out to be her biological dad. She earned her badassery, her wisdom and her courage SQUARE.

And more than that she’s her own person. Her adoptive parent and biological parent are both paranoiacs afraid of betryal, unwilling to trust, and slow to let anyone in. By all accounts Webby should be the same.. but she’s not. Oh sure she has some paranoia and is willing to slit some throats, she was raised by the world’s best spy and is the daughter of the world’s greatest hero, that was never going to be gone entirely. But at her core she just wants to trust people. She just wants to love them and be loved. And.. that’s why her family loves her. Because she’s the kindest, the warmest and the best of them. They love her because she’s Webby and that’s she’s family, they could care less who she’s related to. All it really changes is how Scrooge acts around her and that gives us fans tons to work with.

It’s also expertly revealed, which helped ease us into it. Webby is just as shocked and confused as we are and is seriously hurt, which makes her vulnerable to the villains. Kate Miccui deserves a goddamn award for voice acting and if their isn’t an award show for that their should be. While she’s been fantastic with Webby all series long this is her finest performance, going from Webby’s usual self, to all the hurt she goes through.. to her quitter moments at the end, calling Scrooge dad and giving out a little noise that makes it clear as Beakly tries to leave, that no.. she’ still her family.. she’s still her mom and she’s not going anywhere.

As for the concept being a bit ridiculous yes it is.. but so is this universe. This universe is entirely insane in the best fucking way possible: I mean.. look at this final group shot.

We have an old man whose somehow still alive simply because he was too busy to die, an inventor whose cloned himself multiple times so clones are fesable and is probably a clone himself given how the last finale went, an awkward armored superhero and his biotech filled girlfriend, a small boy robot weapon of discretion who put his head on his brother’s body, a no longer headless manhorse former harbinger of the apocalypse with the silky voice of keith david as one big homage to gargoyles, a lesbian living shadow and her sister, a superhero who based himself on a fictional character and his boyfriend/sidekick who by all accounts should be dead by now, a lesbian military superheroine from the moon, STORKULES COCKBLOCKER OUT OF MYTH, his moong goddes sister, two adopted family stunt pilots, a bunch of super intelligent mice, an odd duck whose kinda sorta dating a giant shrimp, his cousin with super luck powers, my globetrotting boys, an immortal treasure hunter and in the family proper: a former spy turned adopted mom of a clone, a woman who lived on the moon for a good decade, a man who once trapped everyone in what would essentially be the plot of the mcu’s second best work by pure accident, a blue boy whose piloted a plain, captained pirates, and has his own talk show, a green boy whose ran a multi-trillion dollar company, nearly destroyed all of time and space and is under investigation for fraud, and a red boy who has a hulk-esque rage filled embodiment of all his suppressed emotions, whose fondest wish was tall legs, and who can easily take out a giant magica supermachine with some fancy wiring. So the richest duck in the world having a clone daughter, while divisvie and what not.. is far more plausable than we give it credit for. As are her new sisters who Id in’t forget but are part of the whole twist.

So yeah, I like the twist and my nitpick is more that despite having a full season to set it up.. they saved it for the last episode. Instead of BUILDING on Webby’s desire to know more about her family and having the twins show up earlier.. it’s all shove into the finale. It’s a well done shoving but there’s so much that could be explored with Webby being Scrooge’s daughter, so much that futzes with the regular family dynamics and we don't’ get any of it. Sure it was probably saved for a possible season 4 but they treated this season as the last. Manny being an apocalyptic man horse voiced by the uber sexy keith david, and no I will not stop bringing that up even outside of it’s own section and why yes it is getting it’s own section, is the kind of revelation you can leave for one last episode. “One of the main cast is a clone” really isn’t and that’s disapointing.

Especially since thinking back to life and times.. Webby IS a lot like Scrooge was before circumstance hardened him. She’s tough, resourceful.. but also has a peppy spirit to her. It adds interesting shades to her character, where she zigs where Scrooge zags, how much of it is her upbringing with Granny versus his with his parents, how much did Beakley play into it. There’s A lot to dig into and given I have most of the series left to review, I will get to dig into it, and there’s a lot to be explored in fanfic so if I wasn’t already planning a massive one before I sure as fuck am now. So it’s not a bad twist nor bad we get to write the future.. but I do wish the crew THEMSELVES had done more with it. Still my bar for “not fucking up the entire show” is pretty low after Star Vs ended with her committing implied genocide to stop a genocide and How I Met Your Mother ended “But the real journey was in how much I want to bang, bang bangity bang I said a bang bang bangity bang your aunt robin now your mother conveniently died”. I can handle “This twist is kind of weird but also really intresting.” If the twist isn’t for you, as I said i get it. This is my opinion. Now for the thing I won’t shut up about.

I LIVE AGAIN:

Look i’ve made no secret how thirsty I am for Keith David nor how much of a national treasure I rightly believe him to be. He’s one of my faviorite voice actors, with a mind boggling number of awesome rolls, mostly recently as a fowl mouthed coffe cup encouraging a teacher to sabotage his rival teachers breaks on close enough. Even if I didn’t like Gargoyles, which I do, i’d have an entire section talking about that Manny reveal.

Manny was already objectively one of the best parts of the show, a hilariously weird addition that was also relatable as he just wanted to fit in. I did not know you could make him better. Then they gave him Keith David’s voice and revealed he’s one of the four horseman of the apocalypse, but doesn’t want to end the world he just wants to be a normal dude, AND turned him into a shout out to the last part of the disney afternoon they hadn’t touched, my favorite part of it and a show i’ve been sitting on watching in full for far too long. Motherfucking Gargoyles.

But given how unique it was for the Disney Afternoon and how much Disney had no desire to ever reference or use the franchise, still no fucking clue as to why they are sitting on money here, I expected it to be sadly but understandably left out. Instead they made Manny into an expy for them, gave him the voice of their leader Goliath, the voice of an angel, and had him say “I LIVE AGAIN” complete with the utterly transcendent theme song. Seriously give it a listen.

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So yeah I couldn’t not mark out at this. Amazing fucking stuff and almost as unexpected as the clone thing and easily my second faviorite part of the fiinale only NARROWLY topped by the curtain call. Which we’ll get to. Keith David took his time getting to this series but they saved the best guest voice for last. Utter tremendous.

Huey Season?: I”ll save more of this for my breakdown as the season as a whole but yeah while the finale as a whole was good.. I do feel Huey got short changed. He got PLENTY of development this season, and some REALLY good scenes with Bradford.. but ultimately he got overshadowed by the Webby thing. it just never quite felt like Huey got a real resolution to his character arc the way his brothers did. He still got some REALLY good moments, his “Just cough up the information Bentina!” was one of his finest and Danny Pudi did his best. The BUILDUP was good but hte payoff was non existant and easily the weakest part of an otherwise triumphant finale. I feel the final plot was ultimately just a bit too jam packed to really have Huey feel vital to it the way Dewey was to the Della arc and Louie was to his own arc. Both tgot big emotional payoffs in his finale but the most I could gather here was he accepted adventure? I guess. It just really feels off, like I missed the payoff to everything when it’s probably just nonexistent and that bothers me a lot. In a finale that was almost all hit.. this was easily the biggest misstep. I don’t have as much to say here on it.. but that’s because it’s really that simple: they gave Huey’s arc a ton of build up in this last episode and some of his others, really made him into Bradford’s good counterpart.. then just sorta.. forgot it because “oh shit Webby’s scrooge’s daughter kinda need to pull focus here”. Had they given this arc at least one more episode, we might of had time for it. Granted i’m not sure how much they could get away with but we clearly needed at least one more episode and what they chose to jettision, the climax to Huey’s story.. was way more important than they clearly thought and i’m heavily disappointed.

Bradford’s Big Hole Speaking of payoffs the missing mysteries payoff.. is a mixed bag. I expected all of them to combine some how into some elaborate plan I just wasn’t seeing. In hindsight it does make sense that wasn’t it: Bradford hates overcomplicated schemes, so his would be incredibly simple and require as few moving parts as possible. It still dosen’t stop the fact that the big plan to cap off the entire series built over a season... was to build a giant stygian hole of non existence to throw people into.

Yes really. Instead of using the Payprus to write them out of existance, if carefully worded or try doing it all at once or anything practical.. Bradford just plans to shove everything he dosen’t want in the world anymore into a hole. Look i’ts not like it ruins the episode, there’s still tons of tension from him holding Scrooge’s loved ones over his hole and threating to throw them into it’s gaping void. And it’s foiled by a 12 year old just.. shutting it off. Like I get him leaving an off switch on, that’s just common sense.. but why wouldn’t he have a remote or something to turn it back on? one with a password or something to lock it. There’s something inherently underwhelming about as series ending plan that can be summed up “hope no one shuts my unguarded hole. “

The finale does make for it by using the missing mysteries all in VERY clever ways. In fact every episode in the season had some sort of payoff here. It’s what makes up for how baffling the main plan is: every other thing, from the missing mysteries to the guest stars has lead up to this one moment, this one final adventure. Which leads me too

An Hurricane of Payoffs:

So from the top Challenge of the Senior Junior Woodchucks!: Isabella Finch herself ends up being VITAL to the story and to Bradford’s backstory, as does Junior Woodchucking as a whole. Quack Pack!: Gene is the fuel for Blot’s glove.. though he also fucks off right afterwords.. never to be seen again or help out at any point...

Double-O-Duck in You Only Crash Twice!: This was the most unexpected and elevated the episode in hindsight for me as what seemed like a waste of time.. wound up setting up the first part of the finale, and the final battle with Steelbeak, and in clever ways with Steelbeak using the intelliray on himself, Launchpad muttering the map in his sleep via his smart self and Dewey remembering the base layout.

The Lost Harp of Mervana: Used as a lie detector for that heartbreaking interrogation scene.

Louie’s Eleven: Introduced Daisy setting up Donald’s plot which i’ll get to.

Astro BOYD: My baby boy comes back for this episode! He also gets one of the best lines of it “I’m a Head!”. That is the most ralph wiggum the boy has ever been. I’m so proud.

Rumble For Ragnarok: Okay I was wrong nothing from this one comes back. Still a great episode. Same with the trickening. Both are VERY stellar episodes though, so I give it a pass. You can’t give a nod to EVERYTHING.

The Phantom and the Sorceress: The Blot and Super Sayian God Super Sayian Lena, as well as Lena’s character development from said episode. They Put a Moonlander on the Earth!: Launchpad helping Penny realize her purpose. Forbidden Fountain: Jeeves is un-babied as a trap Let’s Get Dangerous!: Drake and Gosalyn Return, and Solageo’s Circut ends up being vital to the climax.. in the strangest and funnest way to say possible but still. It counts. Escape from the Impossibin: Beakley’s near breakdown at the idea FOWL has come back. It was already heartbreaking and the first adventure had made it even more so.. but now it’s out and out DEVISTATING. The one thing after her daughter is not only back.. but SHE’S the reason he’s in Scrooge’s life and home and her giving up SHUSH has now left her wide open.

The Split Sword: Probably the best out of all of these as it ends up directly playing into the climax in an awesome way i’m saving for Bradfords New Gods: Storkules shows up. Okay so that every episode claim bit me on the ass. Also when did these two meet? I mean probably at end of spear of selene but the more important question is WHY DID YOU ROB ME OF THESE TWO MEETING AT ANY POINT IN THE SERIES.

The First Adventure: Naturally the Payprus comes back as Does herons needling bradford to stop denying what he is.

Fight For Castle McDuck: Suprisingly the blessed bagpipes ended up being VITALLY important. And giving us sexiest man alive infinity years running Keith David for an episode. Last Christmas; Santa Cameo

Beaks in the Shell: Gandra being taken and the Lost Library being setup for this episode.

Lost Cargo: The Stone of What Was. And Credit where its due what FELT like simply a filler episode with a tantengal connectoin.. ended up probably being one of the most important episodes. Fair play.

Life and Crimes: Magica turning Bradford into a non sentient bird, like what happened to her brother.... proving once again this episode really REALLY needed as subplot attached to lead into the finale or something.

Bonus Round: Pilot payoffs by the pound. Seriously Scrooge and Donald’s last lines to each other, the badass return of “I’m a Pilot”, more on that in a minute, and even other smaller call backs like “Keep Getting Up” and webby sucessfully getting some juice to Louie’s pride. All top notch stuff and it really makes the finale FEEL like one with all this coming back full circle. So i’ve hinted at it enough, let’s bring on the bad guy.

The First Woodchuck

We’ve had some mixed payoffs so let’s get to one that’s just out and out excellent. Bradford Buzzard.. is the best villian the show ever had. Now I will give the caveat that my favorite forever and always will be

You know it, I know it. But Bradford is the best genuine threat of the series, with Marc Evan Jackson perfectly balancing his menace and genuine evil.. with his steadfast believe that he isn’t evil, and his calm, controlled business demeanor. It’s one of the best performances of the show and he deserves all the credit for it and after seeing him in supporting roles for his career, even if his role as Kevin on Brooklyn Nine-Nine is fucking awesome and I’m sad that show is ending, it’s nice to see him step into a big meaty role as the big bad and utterly nail it.

And the finale.. pays eveyrthing off with him, apart from the plan itself perfectly. Starting off him being revealed as Isabella Finch’s grandson... was a stroke of genius. I didn’t expect her to come back in play but it gives perfect reason both why he knew about the mysteries.. and why he’s like this.

Like Scrooge did with his nephews, niece and daughter, Isabella dragged Bradford all around the world seeing the unseen, thinking it was fun. The problem was... Bradford HATED it. He hated every minute of it, like as one post pointed out Rusty Venture from the Venture bros, and felt he should be in school. He wanted a normal life and a normal world and not.. this waking nightmare. So to him, fixing the world, stopping this sort of thing is the only way and that doing so is a good thing. His problem is how he adapted to it.

We see that best in his mirror images, the people he’s in direct contrast with and the show knows it. Starting off with the one he’s not like at all is Scrooge. Part of what makes Bradford perfect is he’s Scrooge’s evil opposiite. The Luthor to His Superman, The Joker to his Batman, the Green Goblin to his Spider-Man, the Iron Monger to his Iron Man, the Sinestro to his Green Lantern. Both come from a long line of adventure but while Scrooge embraces that and loves it, Bradford hates it and wants to destroy it. One is energetic and always ready, the other’s calm, calculated. And one sees what he is.. and the other dosen’t. Simple as that.

But his other mirror’s are more like him, moving onto Huey. Their both woodchucks, both prefer caution and planning, and both want to make some sense of a nonsensical world. Both want to feel safe when they constnatly don’t. One’s prone to panic attack the other’s calm. But what makes Huey the better man... is that he accepts the world is the way he is. It goes all the way back to terror of the terrafirmains. While he was all for adventure he started his doubting things, not beliving things were real.. because the reality that there are some things you just can’t prepare for, just can’t know, and you can’t be always ready.. it shattered him. He nearly let himself die rather than live knowing what’s out there. Webby pulled him out of that, literally and figuratively.. and he never went back. Sure he still tries to have an order to things, still breaks when his structure’s broken.. but it’s gone from a paranoid fear of the unknown and weird to embracing it. To relishing in finding unsolved mysteries and new clues to unlock, to finding new things to explore. He went from seeing this chaotic world as something to run from, to embracing and studying it. To loving it the way it is the way his family loves him for who he is. Bradford.. denies reality belongs the way it is and wants to force it into what HIS idea of it is Superboy Prime Style. The world isn’t waht he thought it should be so he’ll MAKE it that way. Huey grew as a person.. while his arc didn’t have a full payoff.. it still pays off here by showing what he COULD’VE been. had he let his earlier fear and his always present neurosis drive him like Bradford has. Let his big brain make him think he knows what’s better for EVERYONE instead of using it to genuinely help people. Bradford lacks the boys heart and empathy and that’s why he fell. Huey had his family backing him, his best friends coming to get him, and his brothers ultimately rescue him. Bradford.. threw his only true ally down a styigan murder hole.

Finally.. we have the one that’s not brought up directly.. but is very much there. Donald. While the two don’t interact hardly at all... it’s VERY fitting that Donald is the one Bradford picks to threaten Scrooge with. Like Bradford... Donald grew to hate adventure, he wanted to get as far away from it as possible and took it from his boys for as long as he could. Granted that was in part Bradford’s fault, and that was an INCREDIBLY clever twist: it dosen’t make him entirley responsible or anything that robs the moment of it’s imapct, Della still chose to take it out by herself, she still lied to Donald and she still got lost all by her own decision and impuslviness. But it fits perfectly into it: Bradford’s horrifying smile when Scrooge gets taken away from saving her is even WORSE now with full context, and it still fits that knowing about the project.. he’d want to set it up to screw up Scrooge’s life. I don’t think he sabotaged the rocket or anything, too obvious and something Della would’ve mentioned by now.. but he knew it was unfinished.

Back to the parallel the diffrence is once again.. change. Donald let go of his hate of scrooge and his past and realized it wasn’t all bad. He let himself grow as a person after a decade of bitterness and anger. But most tellingly and poignantly is Quack Pack... both had a chance to make a world that was safe, normal and what they always wanted. Both out of terror of the danger of this world. Thing is.. Donald’s was noble. He feared for his kids, his sister, his uncle.. loosing one again and any of them at all. He wanted a normal life to be safe, to hide from that.. but it’s not what THEY wanted or who they are. He accepted that’s not how the world works and how it does.. is still pretty great. And his growth shows: he’s ending the series planning to go off with his girlfriend globetrotting, KNOWING things might not be safe, but diving into adventure, having accepted it as part of him. He even finds some new family and takes in two girls who badly needed a home. He learned to accept things how they are... and Bradford refuses, not beliving in this world as it is and vowing to force it into the way he wants it to be.

And it’s that inherent selfishness.. that makes Bradford the Cartoon Supervillian he desperatley claims he isn’t. Bradford dosen’t care how many lives it takes, how much worse it makes the world, or how many people he has to stab in the back... the world WILL be “normal”. Bradford cares for no one and nothing except his own ambition. He kills Heron despite her loyality, and his own clones who loyally served him.. simply because their chaos too. No one or nothing else matters, not how they feel, not their right to exist.. only HIS vision. If he wanted to keep the world safe he’d be more of a hero, if still throughly a bastard... but he dosen’t. He wants to make it “normal”. He wants the world the way he thinks it shoudl be and damn anyone else and perfectly represents all the old assholes like him today who refuse to accept something diffrent or against the norm because “that’s how it’s always been”. Like those real world assholes.. Bradford is wrong. The Duckverse is beauitful how it is in it’s chaos and risk and love. And he just can’t see it because it’s not what he WANTS to see.

And that’s why I also love the Sword giving him big, black and red classic villianous monster, slowly mutating him as he fights the duck family. Because that’s his inner strength: he may deny he’s a villian but he’s forcing his will on others, refuses to see the world as it is for selfish reasons, and is willing to kill his own friends and allies if it means getting it. He’s the bad guy. And while he denies it to those around him... it’s clear from the fact the sword is working for him that he KNOWS IT, he knows he’s a villian and this is just what he wants but is so up his own ass he can’t SAY it or admit it. And in the end he’s fully beaten by the fact that his forcing his will on everything’s what’s unnatural: While his plan was ingenious, have scrooge sign a contract agreeing never to adventure again, since he’s right Scrooge would solve nonexistance it’s the same reason “launch hulk into space” only resulted in a smarter, more skilled hulk coming back with a space army to get revenge. He just didn’t bank on the inherent rediclousness of the unvierse: family really is the greatest adventure of all.. and the papyrus accepted it. It was the one thing he coudln’t palnf or because he can’t see the woirld how it is.. and that’s why he lost. He was so confident how he saw the world and how he worked was the only way... another way beat him.

His fate.. was also awesome and endleslly apporirate. Being mocked by the other villians who while less capable aside from Magica, at least admit what they are and what their doing.. and turned into a Vulture for Magica, left to be a mindless lackey in tons of chaotic schemes for the rest of his life. It couldn’t of happened to a nicer jackass. Okay three more sections to go. Let’s go.

Come Sail Away, Come Sail Away, Come Sail Away With Daissssyyyy

Donald’s leaving for a long, romantic adventure with Daisy is the perfect capper to Doanld’s character. Donald started the series hating adventure: blaming it for della being gone, his rough times during it, and wanted to escape it in the boat and keep from loosing his kids to it. He felt like a looser for not having reached his dreams or properly provided for his nephews, when really he did his best and still raised three wonderful kids. A bit overproective, god yes.. but despite his grief and anger he still got through ten years with them on his own merits, hard work and determination.

As the series went he reconclied with his past, realized Scrooge lost something too and that blaming him soley when it was Della’s choice was just taking his anger out on the one person he had left to take it out on instead of embracing his only family left, accepted Storkules as his friend (JUST his friend), accepted adventure through quack pack realizing that while it may be weird, dangerous and sometimes stressful for him... it’s what his family love doing and they should be who they are instead of who he wants them to be, and finally.. accepted himself by finding Daisy, someone who loves him for who he is, and literally and metaphorically understands him and turned right back around from dumping him to save him from a giant monster she roared at. He’s finally at peace.

And that’s why leaving. Not forever, He , Daisy, and his girls will be back in a few months or even a month. It’s very clear this is a vacation.. but it’s one he’s earned. He’ll always love his boys, his surrogate daughter/cousin, his sister, and his best buddy launchpad. But it’s okay for him to want to form his OWN family, to spend time with his future wife and show her the world. To make his own story for once instead of sharing it. To find his voice.

I also find it very poetic that a story that started with Donald raising his nephews like their dad.. ends with him adopting two more children. Two kids whose lives had been misrable: rapidly aged in tubes, deemed failures, constantly bellittled by the closest things they have for parents, so desperate for answers they’d kidnap their own sister and betray her trust and do things they know are wrong, And all this.. for nothing as their Dad kills their mom, bad as she was, and plans to kill them. And Donald’s first thought when given the chance to have a kid free time to himself, with no guilt having earned it? To take these girls in, start his own family, if Daisy’s cool with it mind he thankfully clearly called to talk this over first, and give them their own. Because that’s who Donald is, a good man whose finally earned his happy ending and the life he always wanted.. and accepted who he always was. An adventuerer, a loving fiance.. and dad.

The Real Hero: One last one before the bonus round and a quick one. The Launchpad Scene.. was one of the shows best. His arc in this episode of thinking he’s not a hero.. made sense. He’s been plenty heroic.. but his boyfriend is a martial arts and gymnastics savant and one of his three best friends has a giant suit of armor and is a genius. But the payoff made even more: He may not be the strongest, the most skilled or the smartest.. but he has the heart of a hero. He’s always been the kindest, most trusting, most friendly one of the main family, a guy who never gives up, even when he should, never surrenders and loves everybody. And that’s why he’s inspired so many people: Fenton to not give up after his firing and keep going, leading to his path as Gizmoduck. When Drake was lost, his fllm gone and his mentor seemingly dead (In fact skulking around the sewers like an evil ninja turtle), and his future unclear... TOLD HIM he could be Darkwing, that he could become the hero they both ihdolized and the inspiration to kids he wanted to be by his own bootstraps, and he gave Gosalyn faith in darkwing and hope at at time she had none. He also gave those mice their freedom. Not as poignant but you try creating the rescue rangers and see how far you get. I’ve lost a lot of chipmunks and mice that way.

Launchpad’s last stand makes up for his lack of being in the season during the final half. Launchpad realizing that despite his quirks he’s just as noble, valuable and wonderful as his families, both of them. And that he is a pilot. Sure he gets the gizmoduck armor.. but the armor isn’t what makes hi ma hero... i’ts being launchpad that makes him a hero. Loving adopted dad, wonderful partner, best friend... and a pilot

Bonus Round:

Okay this is just stray stuff from throughout the episode I didn’t have several paragraphs worth of material on before we get to the final thoughts. But it had so much good I can’t not talk about it. So...

Gyro calling Little Bulb BOYD’s brother. My heart wept. So sweet. As was him fixing his son at the end. BOYD has the two loving families he deserves.. and the brother he deserves.. and the brother he dosen’t deserve who will probably also is skulking around the sewers like an nafarious ninja turtle as the series ends.

Gosalyn fixing up Darkwing’s outfit for him. Awwww. Adopt that child you coward. Also if they don’t base the reboot on frank’s work here, I will riot.

“Just cough up the information Bentina!” that was just pure comedy gold especially the sheer fear radiating off him. Also right.

Manny’s “I can explain” and , once he has silky smooth keith david voice going “Come on man I just want to live my life.” That man is a legend.

Dewey and Louie just not talking the “you kids stay behind shit” pointing out both their stake in this and how they’ll just go anyway and him proudly accepting it. Given the kids turned the tied of things a lot, good call.

Dewey and Don Karnage singing their own background music as they air joust. Hell yes.

Pepper got a promotion! Goodf or her... it’s meaningless now but hey she has a partner in both senses.

Speaking of pepper she had the best line of the episode “He’s a grown man who has the strength of a baby!”. Only Amy Sedaris could’ve given that delivery just the perfect way she did.

The Funzo’s opening sequence was dynamite, from how well set up it was as an infilfration, to Webby having learned how to scam free drinks (Louie was so proud), to Lena cheating for her sister at DDR, to Scrooge paying full price.. it was wonderful> The payoff was also great as rather than be mad her special day was used as part of an elabroate spy operation.. she’s giddy. Because of course she is. Two specitic bits that get their own items

The Cabs came back one last time! It dosen’t effect my now finished retrospective, but after spending all that time with them it was nice to see them for what will probably be the last time for some time.

The whole scene where Della finds out about the trip. Just all of it. Her casually and accidentally choking daisy TWICE, Fethry, who sadly did not get an episode this season, being the one to blab about it and only realizing it .. after repeating that they told him not to, and Gladstone who not only was casually winning at Skeeball while his cousins both got pissed at it, relateable as hell, but then awkwardly escorting his baby cousin out of the situation.

“Satstically with Hubert gone one of us should be pancking but WHO I ASK YOU WHO?” As if I needed more evidence they were perfect for each other.

Lena just.. slumping over after Dewey finally has her drop the cloak. Comedy gold. BOYD scanning her later likewise so.

The second best line and line read of the episode goes to Louie/Bobby Monihan. “That is not comforting, I do not want to die”. He couldn’t of summed up Louie in one line any better.

Ludvwig was a national treasure. Not only did I squeel internally when it turned out he was alive but the explination for it was hilarious as it was batshit, and him just causally revealing Webby’s origin was fucking amazing “Ill give you all a moment ot process” The acomplanying “bless me bagpipes” was also amazing.

I do wish we found out where FOWL went but it was probably to leave the remains all free to come back as villians of the week. Frank outright said they had a tailspin sequel episode ready to go.

The Webby and June fight was a masterpiece and I REALLY need to do a top 12 fights list someday.

Lena connecting with the new twins , having pretty much the same background of being created by a villian for shitty reasons.

“one is silver and the other is “ “Flintheart glomgold!” they should consider a teamup. What’s a little brainwashing between friends?

“We’re sisters’. No you and violet are sisters, Webby is your girlfriend your both just in denial. I only say this because Webby also thinks Della and Penny are just friends and I feel she simply dosen’t know what being gay is or again is in denial. They’ll get there. Plus it feels like Lena just didn’t want to loose her and would say anything which is valid.

Curtain Call and Final Thoughts:

The Curtain Call was the perfect way to end a spectacular finale. Each bit of it’s a masterpiece, and every character gets one last awesome, heartfelt and hilarous goodbye with the camera and ending how it should: on our five most important characters, in a circle, together, smiling, freefaling into the next adventure. I”d have it no other way and any other series finale credits and last moments will now pale in comparison.

So the finale as a whole is messy, some bits aren’t resolved as good as they could’ve been, Huey go the shaft, and it REALLY needed another episode leading into it to help take the pressure off. While it needed 90 minutes for the plot it had to tell, it needed more to build up to that and while the season was tight with episodes they BADLY needed one more they didn’t get or even a subplto to help take the load off this episode.

But even with that... it was an utterly awesome finale on par with other recent standouts like “Let’s Fight to the End”/ “Thank you For Watching the Show” (Both feel like finales to me but in diffrent ways), “The Future” and the whole arc leading up to it, both parts of “Heart” and “Nice While It Lasted” . It was heartstopping, heartrending and heartfelt and ended the show as it should be: with over the top insanity, big reveals, a hell of a final battle.. and a focus on family. It’s not the perfect finale, and I defintely need more ducktales.. but it’s still a classic one and one of the series finest hours.. literally in this case.

I.. am going to miss this series. I went into it before but it’s thanks to this series I make a living. If you’d like to contribute to that, I have a patreon, patreon.com/popculturebuffet, my next stretch goal is a darkwing duck epsiode a month so kick in a buck won’t you? and take comissions so if theres an episode from the first two seasons that’s not part of the season 1 arc (I’m almost done there) or Lena’s story (already being paid for that) feel free to shoot me a line to comissoin it for five bucks an episode.

But more than that it was an excellent well crafted show that took a franchise I love and updated it for a new generation. My nieces love it, I love it, and I will always love it for that. Young or old, this show as phenominal, it was stupdendous.. it was a duckblur. It will remain in my heart for probaly the rest of my life among such shows as Steven Universe, Parks and Recreation, The Venture Bros, Letterkenny, DBZ Abriged, and so many more that have touched my life. It was simply the best. And i’m going to miss it. Thank you for reading this, i’ll see you at another rainbow, if not one quite like this.

Next on this Blog: Duck week continues after this review took two days to complete. Sorry about that. Our heroes head to castle McDuck and Dewey is forced to face the consequences of his actions, while Scrooge yells at his dad , his dad yells at him and his mom is the most precious thing tha’ts ever lived. Also Launchpad in Donald Cosplay. And it won’t stop there as till saturday the rest of the week is all dedicated to Ducktales as I finish up the Della and Lena arcs for season 1 and get started on Lena’s last three episodes. So if you liked some ducktales, stick around. And once again.. thank you.

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impalementation · 5 years ago

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“Something’s cooking, I’m at the griddle / I bought Nero his very first fiddle” -Sweet, 6.07 Once More, With Feeling

"Wow. They're all so...identical." "Yeah. They all start to look the same to me too." "Oh, no, not the employees, the, the chicken slices." -Buffy & Manny the Manager, 6.12 Doublemeat Palace

“Will you stop wolfing down those chips? One more bag and you'll pop right out of your cummerbund. You're not even hungry, you're just nervous.” -Anya, 6.15 As You Were

“No, we’re gonna sit down and have a real dinner. Someday.” -Buffy, 6.14 Older And Far Away

“So! Who’s hungry? We got, uh-” “Ice cubes.” “All you can eat.” Buffy & Dawn, 6.15 As You Were

“Breakfast will make all things better.” -Tara, 6.01 Bargaining, Part 1

buffy season six imagery: food [ 2 / 2 ]

[more quotes and images in part one. commentary below the cut.]

This motif is one of those things that you don’t necessarily notice until you know to look for it, and then suddenly it’s everywhere. Season six is stuffed with food imagery (so to speak), to the extent that I could have filled up an entire other image set with it. And all of that imagery is pretty meaningful.

The most obvious thing that food is associated with in season six is nurturance. Especially when it comes to Dawn. In Bargaining, Tara and the Buffybot make breakfast and sandwiches. But the fact that the bot overdoes the sandwiches shows that her nurturance is fake, and not a replacement for the kind of love that Dawn would have wanted from Buffy or her mother. It’s significant then, that when Buffy is trying to prove her okay-ness at the end of After Life, that she brings Dawn lunch. She is trying to be a nurturer for Dawn, but it’s still slightly put-on like the bot’s nurturing was. As Willow and Buffy spiral downwards in Smashed and Wrecked, once again Tara takes on the task of feeding Dawn, this time by giving her a milkshake and trying to make pancakes. The fact that those pancakes then burn shows how much everyone there is failing Dawn. And by extension, themselves. They’re burnt out, so to speak.

There’s also an implication of failure in feeding Dawn junk food. In Bargaining there’s a pizza box on the table between Dawn and Spike, and later in Gone Buffy will gleefully wave a pizza box around, to Dawn’s distress. In Life Serial, Buffy brings home a bucket of fried chicken that no one actually needs. In As You Were, Dawn is mildly disgusted by being given yet another squished Doublemeat Medley. (Later in the episode, Dawn will note that all they have in the house is “ice cubes.”) You could even maybe say something about the old man in All The Way calling himself “daddy” and almost feeding Dawn a rice crispy treat, and then ending up dead. Like even the unsettling version of a “parent” can’t feed her right. By contrast, Dawn is excited in Dead Things that her friend’s mother is going to teach her how to make “real tortillas”--as opposed to the “peanut butter and banana quesadillas” that she scrounged up for herself. Once again, she’s getting “real” nurturance from someone that isn’t Buffy. At the beginning of Older And Far Away, Buffy apologizes that she can’t be there for a “real dinner” with Dawn, and the party Dawn traps everyone in is full of fancy-looking canapés. As in, she wanted to trap people in a place with food. Finally in Entropy, when Buffy is in full seeking-forgiveness mode and wanting to be a good caretaker, she goes overboard in making Dawn breakfast. A sign that she’s now more fully committed to taking care of Dawn.

Symbolically-speaking, I’ve discussed in the past how Buffy’s relationship to Dawn in season six represents Buffy’s relationship to life. So Buffy being able to feed and nourish Dawn is really about Buffy being able to nourish herself and live a fulfilling and responsible life. And when other characters feed Dawn, or fail to feed Dawn, it’s a sign that Buffy isn’t present in her own life, whether because she’s actually dead in Bargaining or because she’s too depressed to manage it.

The junk food versus real food dichotomy goes beyond Dawn, though. Obviously, there’s everything with the Doublemeat Palace. The fact that Buffy is serving fast food--which the visuals go to some effort to make as grotesque and unappetizing as possible--is a sign that she’s not just failing to nourish Dawn, she’s also failing to nourish herself and the people she serves. It’s the opposite of fulfilling work (emphasis on “filling”). It’s work where she’s at first afraid that she’ll be eaten up instead. Willow too has her moments with food. In Flooded she snacks on a boxed cookie in a cavalier way, perhaps echoing the way that she doesn’t have respect for the reality of what she’s done. Whereas in Gone she tries to make herself an omelet, ie make herself something real, but isn’t quite ready for it, and gives up. Lastly, it’s significant to me that Xander and Anya spend parts of the season snacking on junk food, whether that’s Xander’s doughnuts in Once More, With Feeling, the popcorn in Doublemeat Palace, or the chips in As You Were. It’s food treated compulsively, or disrespectfully--when Xander plays with the doughnuts--instead of as a source of nourishment and pleasure. It seems meaningful to me that in Once More, With Feeling Xander fails to understand the appeal of Anya’s “stinky cheeses.” Xander’s lack of appreciation for a “real food” along with his playing with junk food, is perhaps a sign that he’s not ready for something real the way that Anya is. Anya in Older And Far Away is in charge of carefully arranging the canapés, whereas Xander is eager to chow down on the Buffybot’s mechanical sandwiches in Bargaining, and the fake-meat Medley in Doublemeat Palace. He also jumps to serve Buffy pizza After Life. In his future vision in Hell’s Bells, the meals are unhappy affairs accompanied by alcohol (which per this post on the season’s use of alcohol, is a sign of unhealthiness and irresponsibility). As in, he can’t imagine a real and nurturing future. And in general, just isn’t yet quite mature enough for it.

But the characters do yearn for something nurturing. There are lots of scenes with characters around Buffy’s kitchen island, trying to feed themselves. In All The Way and Older And Far Away, Buffy’s house hosts a party full of snacks. There’s also the “family meal” at the beginning of Life Serial. Almost all of those food scenes are troubled in different ways, but they speak to the fact that the characters are trying to have a house that is full of company and food. Even if they’re still too young and confused to really be able to pull it off.

#season six imagery series #s6 #i really like this one #since it's something i don't think i've seen many people talk about #but it's a big part of the season

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bluebird167 · 5 years ago

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The Sinners and Their Saints Chapter 27: An Old Enemy Part 2

They drove back to the organization where Manny's wounds were treated and Frida was tended to by Nora and Gardner. For a while they calmed her down and helped her fear subside then after she was calm they began to discuss with her about the heaven's light.

"Manny just who on earth was that man who attacked you?" Connie asked him.

"His name is Django. Django of the Dead, he was a guy I knew back in the 1800's and he used to be my best friend. We met as kids when he picket pocketed my grandfather, I chased him down and made him give it back. He was impressed that I was able to catch him and we became friends. We were close, we spent our days pulling harmless pranks on adults but that was when we were twelve, as we got older things changed."

"What do you mean?"

"As we reached late teen hood our pranks began to change while mine remained practical and harmless just for my own amusement his were more dangerous and deadly which he used as revenge on the people he believed had wronged him. His dark nature caused us to drift apart but what destroyed our friendship entirely was when we fell for the same woman."

"Analia?"

"Yeah, I wasn't the only man who's heart she had stolen. Though I don't think he really loved her more like he lusted for her. Analia cared for us both but it was me she loved and that's what drove Django to his breaking point. He began attacking people of the church and started burning down churches and holy grave yards, it was the only thing that brought him joy. He hated them with such a passion but out of all the people he hated, it was God he hated the most. When I learned of his attacks I tried to talk to him but he just laughed like a mad man and he revealed a horrifying secret to me. He was a devil, a full fledged devil, he told me of his plan to create a better world where he would reign supreme and Analia would rule by his side. She and I were both horrified and disgusted by his offer and we both refused to have any part of it, in rage he tried to kill us both but I stabbed him with a crucifix which we thought had destroyed him but I guess things aren't always what they seem in his world."

"Is this him?" Dipper asked pointing to an article in one of his books about demons and devils through out history. "Django of the dead, demon from hell, conceived after the demon Zhar raped a woman who was part of a cult of devil worshipers, when his mother found out she was pregnant she committed suicide by swallowing arsenic,but his grandmother, Zhar's mother Sartana had him be reborn as a demon and raised him. He spent his life to causing misery and suffering to anyone who showed any devotion to God, according to this he saw God as a cruel tyrant and swore to take his place as the all powerful ruler of the universe."

"Lunatic alert." Steven said.

"He said he found a way to accomplice his goal but the book doesn't say what it was."

"He can't really pull it off can he?" Connie asked concerned.

"Of course not do you have any idea how many times some maniac has tried to become a God? It's impossible for anyone."

"But that doesn't mean he can't cause harm while trying to do his crazy stunt." Manny said. "Believe me, Django may not be able to become a God but that doesn't mean he won't try."

"How bad is this guy anyway?" Dipper said.

"You know that corrupted priest you want to send to jail? Django is ten times as evil as he is. This priest is just a mad man who hides his treachery behind the bible but Django is no man, he's a demon who knows no morals, no empathy, no fear, and no reason and it's beings like him. Beings like Satan, who are the most frighting things in all the world."

"Manny this is the most serious you've ever been." Steven said. "Are you afraid of him?"

"It's not Django that I fear, it's what he can do to certain people that I'm afraid of."

"What can he do?"

"Things, things that you only see in your nightmares, things that people want to do only if they truly have no good in their hearts, things that Satan himself has driven men to do and but what I'm really afraid of is the last thing he said to me before he was destroyed."

"What was that?"

"He swore to me that one day he'd come back and that when he did he would use me to full fill his psychotic dream."

"You're not considering helping him are you?"

"Of course not! You'd have to be out of your damn mind to try and over throw God! No doubt he'll probably try to force to help me but I can take anything he throws at me...At least I hope so."

"Can he be killed?" Connie said.

"To be honest I have no idea." Manny said. "But right now I think we have bigger fish to fry. Any luck on the tablet Dipper?"

"So far no. I can understand Latin but this is very difficult to read from a photograph." Dipper said. "I'll have to read it up close."

"And how do we do that exactly?"

"Well I found a flier saying that they will be unveiling the tablet along with many artifacts at some gala tomorrow night. If we could get in there I could get close enough to read the tablet better."

"Wait a minute I've heard of those." Connie said. "Don't you need an invitation to get in?"

"Yeah only high society people get invited to those." Steven said. "And last I checked we're not high society."

"No but we know someone who is." Dipper said.

"You mean Pacifica? What makes you think she'll get us in?"

"You'd be surprised Steven, I have a way with the ladies."

"Yeah right." Manny chuckled as he put on his jacket and headed for the door.

"Where are you going?" Steven asked.

"Out!"

He went to visit Frida. She was laying in bed listening to the music box he had given her.

"You still have that?" He said coming into her room. "I thought you got rid of it."

"Yeah I thought about leaving it behind but I don't know I just couldn't. You okay?"

"My throat's gonna be sore for a few days but I'll live. What about you?"

"What do you mean? He didn't hurt me."

"Not with his fists but he did hurt you with something."

"If you're referring to what he said about my family it's no big deal."

"You were crying and you passed out."

"Okay maybe it hurt me a little to think about them but it's no big deal. Really."

"Hey, you never have to be afraid to cry in front of me you know."

"I know but right now I don't wanna cry. So what's new?"

"We found out the slime is after some tablet but for whatever reason, I have no idea. It's got some words but they're in Latin. Dipper can understand Latin but he needs to get a closer to it to read it better."

"So where is it?"

"At the museum under lock and key but it'll be free for close ups tomorrow night at some party or whatever."

"So we're going to a party tomorrow? Great I could use some fun."

"I don't think we're going because it's just a place where snobs can meet and talk about unimportant stuff."

"Maybe or maybe we could find a way to make it more fun."

"What do you mean?"

"I'll tell you in the morning right now I just wanna sleep."

"I hear ya, I'll leave but quick question do you still have that belt?"

"Yeah."

"Can you put it on me?"

"You want it back on?" She asked surprised. "You sure?"

"Yes now hurry before I change my mind."

She went to her suitcase, opened it, and pulled out the belt which she put on him. Then he left her room and decided that he needed some sleep.

"What is this woman to you?"

Django's words were stuck in his mind. Ever since he had said those words Manny found himself very confused. Then he realized something, he was always thinking about Frida. Ever since they all split up five months ago she had constantly been in his thoughts. He just couldn't stop thinking about her but he didn't know why? At first he thought it was because of that damn belt but then he remembered that before leaving she had taken it off and even after that he still thought about her. The whole thing both confused and scared him because he hadn't thought about anyone like this in a long time. Thinking it over that night he had come up with one conclusion. He had lost his mind.

#cartoon crossover #el tigre au #el tigre the adventures of manny rivera #steven universe #steven universe au #gravity falls #gravity falls au #the sinners and their saints

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marcusxflores · 6 years ago

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basic information

FULL NAME: Marcus Alejandro Flores

NICKNAME(S): Marco, Tats (Sydney exclusive), Ally (family exclusive), and Montana

AGE: 33

DATE OF BIRTH: October 18th, 1985

HOMETOWN: Wilmington, NC

CURRENT LOCATION: Wilmington, NC

ETHNICITY: Mixed - mostly Mexican but there’s some Irish and Aztec dabbled in

NATIONALITY: American

GENDER: Male

PRONOUNS: He/Him

ORIENTATION: Openly Bisexual

RELIGION: Catholic

POLITICAL AFFILIATION: unlabeled for the aspect of him seeing both sides of the coin and how he likes different ideologies of both.

OCCUPATION: Chef at Black Sea Grill

LIVING ARRANGEMENTS: He recently moved into a small house squished between everything else in downtown. It did cost a pretty little number, but he thinks it’s worth it just because of the kitchen aspect of the house aka the only thing he’s concerned about.

LANGUAGE(S) SPOKEN: English and Spanish

ACCENT: I feel like he might have a drawl on certain words but certainly if he’s around people with a strong southern accent, his will shine through quite easily.

physical appearance

FACE CLAIM: Manny Montana

HAIR COLOUR: Black

EYE COLOUR: Brown

HEIGHT: 6′-1″

WEIGHT: 210 lbs

BUILD: He’s not exactly athletic type build but he certainly is fit cause he does yoga and kickboxing but like he’s not ripped or anything.

TATTOOS: He has full sleeves on both of his arms (x) and his right leg (x)

PIERCINGS: None at the moment but he used to have his nose pierced

CLOTHING STYLE: Colorful, colorful, colorful. He’s never been afraid of color and so about 90% of the time it’s included in his outfits whether it’s just a little pop or the standard floral shirts he wears.

USUAL EXPRESSION: It’s a very judging look though he doesn’t judge, he just blames it being a sort of resting bitch face

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS: Besides his tattoos? He chews on a toothpick pretty much all the time.

health

PHYSICAL AILMENTS: None

NEUROLOGICAL CONDITIONS: None

ALLERGIES: Wasps, bullshit, and coconut

SLEEPING HABITS: So for work he usually is an opener and then depends on the night but he usually doesn’t get to bed until maybe 11-12pm. I think at most he gets 9, but the average is about 7.

EATING HABITS: Despite cooking food literally all the time, he does a good job on not overeating to the extreme. That’s mostly because he rarely cooks for himself and instead lets his friends have whatever new thing he tried to make.

EXERCISE HABITS: He does yoga more often than kickboxing and since his sister owns a dance studio he’s pretty much her guinea pig and dances with her.

EMOTIONAL STABILITY: Has he ever been stable in his life? Just like everyone else he has his ups and downs, but he isn’t new to causing scenes and letting his emotions get the best of him.

SOCIABILITY: A social butterfly. He loves to get to know people and figure out their deepest secrets. He’s curious about everyone else’s life but keeps any personal questions about himself out of the picture.

BODY TEMPERATURE: Somewhat on the colder side which is why he’s usually in jeans (ripped mostly).

ADDICTIONS: Sex sounds about right

DRUG USE: He does smoke weed on a once a week basis

ALCOHOL USE: At least three drinks a week if he’s not out with friends then it’s more

personality

LABEL: The Epicure

POSITIVE TRAITS: Charismatic, daring, hardworking

NEGATIVE TRAITS: Aloof, mischievous, stubborn

GOALS/DESIRES: Five words - tequila uncle who beach hops

FEARS: Commitment and roaches

HOBBIES: Does cooking count? He used to have a skateboard when he was younger so you beat your ass he’s gonna be eating dirt when he finds it. He has dabbled in painting though it hasn’t gotten anywhere. Uh tattoos could be considered something.

HABITS: Clicking his tongue and whistling are the major ones that it’s probably so annoying now. Uh, he dances anywhere and everywhere he doesn’t care.

favourites

WEATHER: Summer because he likes to wear less clothing

COLOUR: Teal

MUSIC: 80% of it is the top 50 latin pop hits and the other 20% is top 50 US pop hits

MOVIES: the Paranormal Activity series

SPORT: Considering he played baseball in high school, it’s baseball and soccer.

BEVERAGE: Watermelon Sangria

FOOD: His own twist on street tacos

ANIMAL: Whale Shark

family

FATHER: Juan Flores (estranged)

MOTHER: Delfina Martinez (estranged)

SIBLING(S): Twin - Adrianna Flores

CHILDREN: None that he knows of as of right now

PET(S): N/A

FAMILY’S FINANCIAL STATUS: Well it’s just him and his sister now so I’m gonna say middle class because they aren’t poor and they aren’t rich just somewhere in the middle.

#xx. development #i just really liked these gifs and they easily fit how i imagine marcus daily #the rest is under a read more cause this shit is long #plus these gifs ARE PRETTY AF

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rkxsungwoon-blog · 6 years ago

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a small rkfifth post ❤️

hi everyone! nik here. i remember first hearing about rookies almost three years ago. i was new to the krp community and rookies’ name was tossed around as THE krp directory to join. i’m sad to say that i was too intimidated to consider joining at first! there seemed to be so much going on that i was afraid of getting lost, so it took me almost six months before i finally worked up the nerve to submit my first muse.

suffice to say i was overwhelmed by the directory pretty quickly and didn’t stick around. in the intervening years, i had a few more short lived muses here. some of my favorites were rkvivi and rkrena, but school and other commitments didn’t allow me to be as active on here as i’d like (which is something i still struggle with!). after rkrena died, i really didn’t expect to ever join rookies again; i figured i’d given it enough tries. it clearly did not seem to be the directory for me.

then carly came to me and pitched the idea of daniel and his metalcore band. at first i wasn’t sure about the concept, but the more carly and haru talked about it, the more intrigued i became. i love bands, and the majority of my rk muses have been band-related rather than idol related. the concept appealed to me even though i didn’t know a whole lot about metalcore, and i eventually pitched the idea of sungwoon as the lead singer on a whim. i didn’t expect the idea to stick and i certainly didn’t expect him to become one of my most beloved muses.

i’ve almost given up on sungwoon more times than i can count. this past year has been extremely difficult for me personally. i’m in my last year of university, and it’s been tough trying to juggle all my coursework with my hobbies. i’ve also been trying to figure out what to do with my future, which has a lot of other baggage tagged along with it. some of that stress and anxiety worked its way into sungwoon (especially during the mgas!) and at times i’ve just wanted to drop him and retreat.

but i love sungwoon, and i love empty enigma. i love his development and his story-line so far. i feel like he has a long way to go and a lot more to show to people. he’s just gotten to a point where he’s comfortable with who he is, what he can do, and where he wants to go in the future. as a mun, i know i have to try harder to make sure he can reach his fullest potential, but i’m determined to do it for him! writing for sungwoon is always a joy, and the relationships he has with other muses are exciting. i’m constantly thinking about what more i can do with him!

i still feel overwhelmed in rookies sometimes. i still question if i belong here. i have a lot of insecurities: am i doing this right? do people like my muse? will sungwoon ever amount to anything? should i even keep him? but at the end of the day, i’ve really enjoyed my time here and i know i’ll continue to enjoy it in the future. i want to push myself and sungwoon to see what we can accomplish and how far we can go.

i want to say a big thank you to everyone who has plotted with me, has threaded with me, and has appreciated sungwoon in general. i especially want to thank carly, haru, moose, and manni for being amazing and always putting a smile on my face with empty enigma shenanigans (and occasionally tears because they’re emoboyes). i also want to thank my sister sunny for no particular reason; i just feel obligated to acknowledge her.* for those who i haven’t gotten the chance to interact with, i appreciate you guys too and i hope we get the opportunity to write together in the future!

happy fifth, rookies! here’s to many more!

* actually, i’m really proud of sunny for everything she’s achieved in rookies. i love rkmeiqi and the way she’s developed her. she’s a super creative and dedicated mun and i will always be hers and rkmeiqi’s biggest fan! @ sunny i’m never gonna let you drop rkmeiqi; she’s meant to conquer the world and so are you ❤️

#rkfifth #( ooc: mun speaks )#( this is a bad post but i wanted to get something out there! )#( one big sap coming up )

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mannyxnavarro-blog · 6 years ago

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manny intro!

⋆ ◦ ° ☾ miguel angel silvestre + cis male+ he/him— have you seen manuel navarro ? they sure have been hanging out at sharp shooter's a lot recently. they are a thirty-five year old known as the optimist, and they currently work for the cobras as a police officer, which they’ve been doing for six years. a heterosexual aries, they are upbeat + funny, as well as over-dramatic + impulsive. police badge, stolen evidence, pool table. × stormy. twenty-nine. she/her. central. ×

from spain, his mother divorced his father when he was young and moved the two of them back there until he turned 13 where he finished school in america

he has a half sister named mariana whom he loves dearly, despite the fact that his mother isn’t too fond of her, nor his father being too fond of him (and recently her

is excited to be an uncle

loves his family and is very loyal to it, and that includes the cobras

his job as a cop became a necessity within the cobra infrastructure so that he could have easier access to hiding evidence that could put his cobra family behind bars

he’s very good at “losing” evidence or planting it if need be

his real passion is his online presence on instagram where he moonlights as a fitness model and makes the ‘big bucks’

is a bit afraid of commitment and has had a friends with benifts relationship with his partner, tas

more to come as i figure him out :)

WANTED CONNECTIONS:

crush - reciprocated or not

love interest - both interested in each other

protector - someone that would fight/die for him or someone that he could protect

best friend - the ride or die

worst enemy - the why won’t you die

the ex - someone that could either have a good or bad relationship with him

the stalker - the person that is onto all of manny’s crooked cop behavior. basically, they aren’t on the take like the other cops and have noticed things going on in the department that is gang related. Can be a superior, or just another cop on the force.

drinking buddy - someone to have a good time with

fuck buddy - no strings attached sex (female)

the photographer - someone who takes all or most of manny’s instagram photos for a small fee, but also has a friendship with him as well as a working relationship. if female, could have a one sided crush on manny or they could develop into more if that’s where the story heads :)

#outlaw.intro

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maloleysweekender22 · 7 years ago

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‘Clinging to the Past Cinco’ A Divorce Series

The snow falls lightly creating a Christmas Miracle as Aaliyah puts it. She’s been waiting for snow to fall since December came. I watch her eyes gleam with happiness as she watching the snow cover the ground. I laugh lightly as I watch push open the curtains more.

“Liyah sometimes I wonder if your a 5 year old trapped in a 18 year old body” I tell walking up behind and give her a hug. She shrugs and leans her head on my shoulder.

“On a serious note. Do you- Do you think Shawn and you will work things out?” Aaliyah says still looking out the window. Removing my arms from her I look for Manny it Karen in the living room. Not spotting them I tug Aaliyah to sit on the couch with me. It’s been a month since I came back from the hospital knowing I’m pregnant with Shawn’s child. A month of constant updates and missed calls from Shawn to talk about the divorce I presume. A month with the guilt killing me in not telling the Mendes family or Shawn about my pregnancy.

“Liyah I signed the divorce papers” she looks at me stunned with my sudden confession. “That’s not all, Liyah I’m pregnant” she looks back and forth between my face and stomach. A tear falls down her face before she embraces me into a bear hug. I hug her back crying as well as she sobs into my shoulder.

“So it’s final now? Are you going to do this alone? Are you going back to Illinois? Will you forget about us?” She says all in one breath looking at me frantic eyes wide. Mouth parted as she tries to catch her breath.

“I think so, I hope I won’t don’t this alone. I hope I still have you, Karen , and Manny to help me out. Along with my family and a few friends I made here. I’m still thinking about it, maybe going back home will help me heal instead of staying here you know. Don’t ever in your life ask such a silly question Aaliyah Mendes! Will I forget about you guys? No, because you treat me like family for the past 8 years. I don’t forget about the people who made Pickering and Toronto home for me. Who excepted me the very first moment Shawn introduced me to you guys. I love you and will always hold a special place for you guys in my heart. Doesn’t matter if I’m right here or a thousand miles away.” I feel someone hug me from behind and see Karen crying and Manny right behind her.

“You’ll always have us no matter what happens with you and our son Y/N” Manny speaks up before saying to wipe our tears and decorate some cookies. We make into the kitchen where a fresh batch of gingerbread men sit on the island. As we are decorating Aaliyah dots my face with pink frosting. In the end we are decorating each other’s face with frosting. The moment is so full of happiness and pure joy.

“Hey I brou—“ Shawn appears at the kitchen doorway watching us. Manny, Karen, and Aaliyah leave the kitchen hugging Shawn hello. “Hey Y/N....” he walks slowly towards making sure I’m comfortable in his presence.

“Hi” he embraces me in a hug. My arms stay by my side before slowly moving to hug him back. I’ve missed his familiar scent and snuggle into his chest. Shawn chuckles faintly as he finds it astonishing I still manage to snuggle into him despite everything he’s done.

“I’ve missed you” I sincerely tell him as he hugs me tighter in his embrace. One of his hands entangle themselves in my hair massaging my head.

“I threw them away” he says all of a sudden causing me to step away from his warm embrace.

“What?”

“I threw the divorce papers away. It seemed so real that I wouldn’t have you in my life anymore. The past two and half months I’ve spent it in a hotel room wondering if I made the right decision. The next week I went to our house to look for you, but your stuff was gone. Dad wouldn’t tell me where you went, nor would Mom and Aaliyah. I was losing my mind trying to find where you were. The following week I took a flight to Chicago to try and see if you went back to your hometown. Your parents said you’ve been staying my parents for a while. I booked another flight to return home and found you in the guest room sleeping. Y/N, I’m an idiot who doesn’t deserve to be given a second chance to make our marriage work, but give me a second chance to make things right. I wasn’t afraid of commitment I know that now. I was afraid you’d wake up one day and realize you weren’t happy with me by your side” he says tears falling down his cheeks, voice cracking in the end, and his chest heaving up and down.

“So you put me THROUGH what you were afraid was going to happen to you! Do you know how much tears I wasted over a a stupid fear you had. I told you I wouldn’t leave you no matter what happened. THE WAY WE WOULD LEAVE EACH OTHERS SIDE IS WHEN WE DIED!” I yell at him catching the attention of the Mendes family in the living room. He tires to touch my hand, but I pull away.

“Y/N....”

“No Shawn! I actually thought something was wrong with me. Was I enough for him? Did he fall in love with someone else? Who will help me raise our child now?” I tell him raising my voice with each word.

“Child?”

“What??? What child???” I tell him knowing fully well I let it slip.

“Y/N’s pregnant Shawn” Aaliyah says from the living room peeking her head up from the sofa. Karen and Manny look at her then Shawn and I.

“Y-Your pregnant?”

“Liyah doesn’t know what she’s talking about” I tell him as she goes upstairs. I hear drawers opening and closing before ‘here finally’ from her. She skips down the stairs near tripping and hands Shawn an envelope. My heart stops as I see the writing on the envelope ‘Baby’s first ultrasound’ in my cursive hand writing. “How? How did you know where to find that Liyah?” I question her as she looks at me.

“You didn’t close your door all the way after coming back from an appointment two weeks after you got discharged from the hospital. I saw you hide it under your papers in the night stand. Everything added all up when you told me today that you were pregnant” Shawn opens up the envelope and two photos are inside. His mouth parted open sobs falling from his parted lips.

He looks up at me with happiness in his eyes. A smile gracing his features as he looks at the ultrasound.

“We’re parents!” He says as he keeps looking at the ultrasound photos. Shawn freezes and rubs his eyes over and over again. He blinks several times before looking up at me. “Twins?!!” I nod slowly as I watch him do a little happy dance in the kitchen.

“Shawn this doesn’t change anything” I tell him when he sets down the pictures on the island. He looks up at me and then down at the pictures.

“This changes everything Y/N. We’re going to be parents!! Our children need us to be together and love them.”

“No, Shawn. Our children need to have parents that love them and get along even though we aren’t together.”

“I won’t except that Y/N! We can work this out and— we can’t work it out Shawn! What happens when you wake up again one day and are afraid of me leaving you? Huh? Because frankly I don’t think I can go through what I’ve been through the last two and a half months. Especially if my children are on the way.” I interrupt him causing him to take a step back.

“Your children? You mean ‘our’ children. I won’t make the same mistake again. Believe me, trust me, and come back home with me.” Shawn pleads standing right in front of me.

“I want to believe you, but I can never trust you the same way I used too. As for going back home it isn’t a home anymore Shawn. And I’m total honesty I don’t think it will ever be one again.” I tell him my voice cracking at the end. Shawn looks at me like I just committed a crime. “I just need time Shawn..... it’s not about me anymore”

Shawn turns around walking towards his family who are waiting patiently in the living room. I hear whispers here and there.

“Merry Christmas everyone..... Y/N I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me and return back home again.” Shawn says as he closes the door to the house with a slam.

I watch him walk down the snow covered drive way and enter his car through the window. He wipes away at his eyes harshly as tears cascade down his face. Trust. Am I willing to trust him again only to be left heartbroken.

#shawn mendes imagines #shawn mendes #shawn mendes fanfic #shawn peter raul mendes imagines #shawn mendes blurb #shawnmendes #shawn peter raul mendes #shawn mendes smut #shawn peter raul mendes smut #niall horan imagines #niall horan smut #liam payne imagines #liam payne #jack gilinsky smut #jack johnson imagines #louis tomlinson #celebrity #celebrity smut

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francisfvckcff · 7 years ago

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triggers: referenced transphobia, abuse, attempted sexual violence

The Typical Basics

What is your real, birth name? Any nicknames?

What the fuck kind of question is that? No, no nicknames. And Francis. Francis Fehler. You’re not getting me to say it, I’m not deadnaming myself for your dumb ass.

When and where were you born?

Fort Gibson, the oldest town in Oklahoma. Born there on June 23rd, 1998 at two somethin’ in the A.M.

What is your ethnicity (their racial/cultural group) and nationality (what country were they born in)?

I dunno. Some shade of white, I don’t really keep too connected to my parents, they have all of that information. If they do. If not, well. Either way I’m shit out of luck. I’m American born.

What is your Myers-Briggs Personality Type? (If you don’t know go here, this question is optional.)

ENTP-A, The Debater.

What do you look like? (Include height, weight, hair, eyes, skin, apparent age, and distinguishing features)

I’m nineteen, five foot seven, Dunno what I weigh, probably one-thirty, one-fifty. Brown hair, brown eyes, curls when it gets long enough. Pale but not pasty. Got a few birthmarks, moles or whatever. And gauges.

In your opinion, what is your best feature?

My acidit wit.

Familial Questions

What is/was your family structure like? (i.e. are you adopted, how many siblings, pets, etc.)

I had a dog, name was Rusty. And an outside cat that my dad tried to shoot once. Her name was Oscar. Um. I had two older brothers, and both parents.

Who was your father, and what was he like? Who was your mother, and what was she like? What was your parents marriage like? Were they married? Did they remain married?

My dad’s first love was Yuengling. And his second love was the NRA. I think the only thing after my mom on his list was me. My mother was a trailer park kid who wanted to be a Stepford wife when she grew up. And I guess the only thing in the way of that was me. Not the drunk husband or abusive son or anything. They’re still married, far as I know. Don’t think they’ve got anything better lined up yet.

Do you have any siblings? If so, what are/were your siblings names? What are/were they like?

My oldest brother was named Scott, and the middle brother’s Boone. Last time I saw Scott he was using performance enhancers trying to get to college ‘cause he couldn’t do it with his brain, and his girl was goin’ all the way up to Ohio State. Boone’s just an asshole. He’s gonna be a pastor or a politician, and we won’t know either way until he fucks some dude in a bathroom.

Who are your closest friend(s)? Describe them and how you relate to them. If not, do you wish you did? Is there anyone you wish they could build such a relationship with?

Um. I mean, obviously Stuart, Gemma, Manny, Rosa. The circus gang as a whole, they’re family. Way more family than mine ever was. And I’m grateful for that. They’re all a guy could need.

What is your relationship status? If you’re not single, who are you with? Describe them and how you two met and what your relationship is like with them? If you have a crush, feel free to describe them as well.

I’m single. Um… Yeah. Nothing to report.

What Is Your Opinion On…

Rant about that’s eating you up.

Okay. Free pass. I’ll take it.

Some dumb fucker on the bus this morning asked me why I was so fuckin’ short. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not exactly Shaq, but I’m lookin’ around and there are guys all over the damn place out there looking like honest to god beer cans, so I look at him and ask, you know, “Is there some kind of a problem here? It’s not like I’m even the shortest guy here, what’d I take your seat or somethin’?” And don’t get me wrong, in retrospect - you know, hindsight is 20/20 - in retrospect the signs were all there, this was an older gentleman, whatever, had that look. I just wasn’t ready for it, I didn’t even have my coffee yet this mornin’. He asks me again, I ask again why it matters, he says it just does. So I just make some shit up about not getting my protein, who fuckin’ cares, it ain’t even seven in the morning yet, and what does this ugly fucker say to me?

“I bet I could help you with that.”

Fuckin’ unbelievable.

What would/would’ve make you drop college/university?

Finding something better.

Are humans better at creation or destruction?

I don’t think there’s any one way people are better at than the other. There are all types, and we never really move in one direction or the other. Just try to fix shit and fail. So both. We fuck ourselves over, see?

If you could sum up humans in 3 words, what would they be?

Messy irritating fucksticks.

Are some lives more valuable than others?

I’m supposed to say no, right? Because yeah. Of course there are lives more valuable than others. If you had to run into a burning building, and you could go in two doors, alright? Behind one door is a baby, behind the other is some dude who killed five babies. You can only save one before the building collapses, you’re gonna save the baby. Because you’re not an idiot. So yeah, of course they do.

Do you believe there is good in everybody?

I believe there’s good in everybody to start. I do think some people burn it all out of themselves though.

Would you ever turn on someone you just met in order to save themselves?

Remember the baby killer? Could be that guy. I don’t know. So yeah, I’d leave them to fend for themselves. If the universe takes ‘em instead of me, that’s on the universe.

Which of the seven deadly sins do you most embody?

Probably wrath. I have a little bit of a temper.

If you were omnipotent for just one day, what change would you make in the world?

I’d hopefully make it at least a little bit less shitty. I dunno. If I could snap my fingers and make people less stupid, I guess that. Help us all out for the longrun.

Tapping Into The Psyche

What is your biggest fear and why?

Abandonment. I’ve got a whole family’s worth of daddy issues. Manifesting in daddy, mommy, and bro-y issues.

What makes you really angry? Be honest.

… Everything? A lot? Stupid people?

What is something unforgivable that could destroy a relationship?

Misgendering me to my face is a once in a lifetime experience.

What’s one experience you had that made you very afraid?

I got caught in the wrong place. Had a smoke at the wrong time. Thought things were going to be fun, thought I was having a good time making jokes with this guy. He asked some weird questions, I gave some weird answers, thirty minutes down the line, Rosa was the Incredible Hulk, he almost didn’t have a dick, and I was crying on a sidewalk corner, so. That probably tops the charts.

What does it take to make you cry?

A whole lot more than a sad song and chopped onions. You could make yourself cry easier than you could get me to.

Would society call you a good guy or a bad guy? What would you say you are?

I’d be down with either, long as society’s calling me a guy. I don’t know, though. It depends. If I like you, I’m a good guy. If I don’t, I’m probably not the best.

Have you ever committed a crime, or something you felt was wrong? What was it?

I stole deodorant once. I was in a hurry and couldn’t find the shop owner. So sorry about that, whoever was one short on deodorant next inventory. Boys are smelly.

Do you hold grudges?

With abandon.

Does you have a deep and/or dark secret? If so, what is it?

… These questions seem loaded, every now and then, you know that?

No. No deep, dark secrets. I have my secrets, and I share them when I feel like it.

Do you like to suffer? Like to see other people suffering?

No? Who wants to do either of those things? I’m just trying to make it through to the weekend, I figure everybody is.

Are you more physically or emotionally strong? Why do you believe so?

Emotionally, 'cause I haven’t found the right gym to get me on my way to the biceps of my dreams like all of the posters say.

Have you ever lost a loved one? What happened to them, and are you the same as you were before you lost them?

Yeah. Uncle Ty. Uh. No, probably not. I’d probably still be at home if he was there. But shit happens, right?

What do you want to be remembered for after you die?

Being fucking hilarious.

#wdpachallenge #🐞;; challenge

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welcometophu · 8 years ago

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Anger Management 4

Twinned Book 1: Commit to the Kick

Anger Management 4

[ Previous | First | Next ]

The first taekwondo tournament of the season is in just under three weeks. Not everyone will be competing—anyone with Talent isn’t allowed—but everyone in the club is working hard to help the competitors prepare.

Pawel takes over for the start of practice, splitting them into groups to work on their forms. He runs them through their forms over and over again, until Alaric has sweat in his eyes just from trying to keep his moves sharp, and strength high. His form is simple—a series of steps, blocks, and a few punches and kicks—but it lets him focus in on each move, perfecting it. Losing himself in the repetitive motion.

When Mac calls out to gear up, Alaric grins. This is what he needs tonight. He needs to be able to let go. He catches Jackson’s eye, and they both gear up together, then set up at one end of the room. They bow when told to and shake hands, then fall into ready position with a shout.

It’s long rounds tonight, a solid two minutes with a one minute breather before the next. Alaric loves sparring with Jackson. He has to stay moving, get out of the way because Jackson has long legs with a good reach, and isn’t afraid to use his advantage. Alaric ducks back, tries to remember to circle so he doesn’t just keep going backwards until he bumps into someone else. Alaric uses his own speed to dart forward, trying to get inside Jackson’s reach so he can get him hard with a roundhouse kick.

Somewhere in the middle of the first round, he feels the tension start to let go. It becomes a series of kick and move, move and kick. The round ends, and they bow, and Jackson tilts his helmet back and rubs across his face.

“Keep your hands up,” Jackson says, gesturing for emphasis. “You may be able to take the kick, but it’s still worth points. Don’t let me score just because you don’t care if you get hit.”

Alaric grunts once and nods, glancing across at Mac, where she weaves between the groups, offering advice.

“Grab a new partner!” Mac calls out, and everyone moves.

Alaric finds himself with Mason next. Mason’s shorter, but he’s fast and not at all worried about throwing spin kicks. Alaric tries to overpower him, but Mason comes in tight with a series of spins and lands two head kicks in swift succession. It leaves Alaric’s ears ringing, and when he tries to shake it off, Mason punches him in the chest, then darts backwards, shaking his hand.

“Ow,” Mason grumbles. “That’s like hitting a wall.”

Alaric grins and closes in again, kicking Mason in the chest with two strikes, solidly enough that he hears the air whoosh out.

“Shake it off, Mason!” Mac yells out, and Mason exhales roughly.

He comes back in for a roundhouse, and Alaric ducks to the side, but it’s the wrong direction. Mason fakes the kick, using it to jump and bring his other foot up, which means Alaric moves right into the kick. It goes across his cheek and his face hurts from the impact.

It feels good.

Alaric growls softly, air puffing out in a soft cloud around him as he circles Mason, blocks the kicks that come at him. He spins, too slow to hit Mason with his back kick, but the technique is good. He’s learning, even if he feels like a lumbering bear.

“Time!” Mac walks over to them. “Mason, good job keeping going. Alaric’s got a strong strike, and if you can take that, you’ll be able to handle anything. Ric, tone it down. If you hit some of the other belts like that, they’re going to fold.” She raises one hand, calls out, “Mannie! Come over here, I want you to partner Ric next round.”

At this point, they all know each other. Alaric’s worked with Manuela before. She’s a freshman and a green belt; she’d started training in her senior year of high school, and decided to continue in college. She’s also smaller than Alaric by over a foot. She grins up at him, bows sharply. “Ready?”

Mac checks her watch, calls out to bow and shake hands. Alaric tries to think through what he needs to do differently, both to use his height as an advantage, and to avoid kicking Mannie across the room.

Mac yells to start, and Mannie doesn’t give him the chance to think. She darts in tight, too close for him to be able to strike with a kick, and lands two quick kicks on his chest, and a third with a kidney kick. He steps to the side, trying to open up the distance to something he can use, and she follows him with a spin hook that lands hard against his chest, and a roundhouse that catches his hip.

She’s not giving him a chance to breathe.

He starts blocking, lets her run into his punch so that she bounces off of it, and he’s able to get a kick on her. She shouts and laughs, then circles back in tight, forcing him to go on the defense. He can’t think; he can only defend, and it’s easy to get lost in the motion. He circles and blocks, tries to get away, but she’s like a gnat buzzing in close, her kicks a constant irritant.

He huffs, and smoke puffs around him. Mannie spins, her foot coming up just as he leans in to punch, and she nails him in the face. He reels back, teeth aching, a growl shuddering out in a fresh billow of smoke. He lurches forward, not thinking as he swings for her, but Mannie’s not there.

“Time!” Mac yells, and she’s somewhere by the windows, her arm around Mannie’s shoulder. Alaric has no idea how they got there, wonders if he lost time in the fugue of not quite shifting. Mac leans in to whisper something to Mannie, and Mannie heads off to find a new partner. Mac stalks over to grab Alaric’s wrist. “Come with me.”

Alaric hesitates, and Mac tightens her hold. “You have claws,” she says quietly. “And I don’t want you hurting anyone, so come with me. We’re going to take some time out.”

Alaric grumbles, but he follows her to the corner of the room. She pulls a fresh water bottle out of her gear bag and passes it to him, then sits on the windowsill to drink her own. Alaric closes his eyes and downs most of the water in one long swallow.

Pawel starts the sparring again, and the room is loud with echoing thumps of feet against gear, and shouted kihaps. It’s familiar, and it makes Alaric itch to be back on the mat, losing himself in it. He leans forward, and Mac touches his shoulder.

“Not tonight,” she says quietly. “Working out might be good for you, but I don’t think you should be sparring right now.”

He curls his lip, snarls at her, but she just stares at him. Her hand slides from shoulder to his forearm, rests there as a warm weight. He looks at it, remembering what Jackson said when she’d touched him at breakfast, and his brow furrows. “Are you interested in me?” Her fingers tighten, and he has to explain. “I’m not going to be interested whether you are or you aren’t; doesn’t have anything to do with you. Jackson’s thought you were flirting with me sometimes.”

“I think that’s because Jackson’s interested in you,” Mac deadpans, but there’s a sorrow underlining her scent. “And no, I’m not flirting with you. I’m just trying to treat you like Clan. Physical closeness and comfort is a good thing between friends, right?”

There’s no lie in her words. Her heart rate is steady, despite the sour grief in her scent. Whatever’s upset her, it isn’t his words. He shifts, drops an arm across her shoulders and tugs her in, curls her head against his chest. It’s not comfortable with their gear still on, but he lightly strokes her back while her breath shudders. “Yeah, it is,” he murmurs. “Still trying to learn what humans mean when they do it, though. ’S’different.”

“It’s different depending on the person, too. Some people just are like that—they touch everyone. Some people have meaning behind it, and it could be friendly, or sexual.” Mac’s words are a murmur against his chest protector. She huffs a small sigh, and he feels the shrug of her body before she pushes back. She tucks a stray curl under her bandana. “You don’t have to worry about me coming on to you. Or anyone. I’m not in a place where I’d even want a relationship.”

The sour notes of her scent multiply, then slowly fade as she turns away, grabs another water bottle from her bag and tosses it to him.

The sparring ends, and people start taking up the mats. Ric thinks about asking them to leave some out, asking if he could work on a bag, but the pricking under his skin is gone now. Dissipated. Instead, he shrugs out of his gear and drops it next to his bag before he drinks down his second bottle of water.

“Thanks,” he says quietly, and Mac taps him in the chest.

“Anytime,” she says. “Sometimes it’s nice to let someone else hold you up, right?”

“Hey, Ric!” Jackson’s got his bag over his shoulder, gear already off. Alaric’s nostrils flare as he takes in the scent of sweat and stale gear, stronger now that they’ve all stopped working. Jackson gestures at the door to the hall, where Alaric can see shadows of people waiting outside. “A bunch of us are heading to Teas Please to rehydrate. You want to come with us?”

Jackson scrubs a hand through his hair, tilts his head and regards Alaric, waiting. There’s a scent of nerves in the air, mixed with sweat, and Alaric scowls. “Before showering? We reek.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve gone there straight from practice, and no one’s kicked me out yet,” Jackson admits. “You should come with us. I’ll treat.” A quick smile. “You can pay me back by dragging me out during basketball season.”

Alaric’s jaw tightens. Mac smells amused, her lips pressed tightly together as she turns away. He looks at his gear that stills needs to get cleaned and bagged, then back at Jackson. “I don’t….” He shrugs. “I’ve got to get cleaned up.”

“We’ll be in the hall for a bit anyway. We’re still waiting on a few people. Just come out when you’re ready if you want to join us.” Jackson claps him on the shoulder, squeezes before he walks away.

Mac snickers. “Like I said,” she says, voice low, “Jackson’s interested. That was asking you out.”

Alaric grumbles, “It’s a group thing. Not a date.” He grabs one of the bleach wipes from the canister on the windowsill and starts cleaning his gear more roughly than it needs or deserves. “Does everyone see potential relationships everywhere?”

“I overheard him talking to Sera and Trish at the house,” Mac admits. “I’m not seeing things, but he’s not sure you’d be interested so he’ll ignore it if you brush him off. Or you could tell him flat out that you don’t want a date, but you’ll join for the group. You should get out with your friends. You probably need it.”

He grunts in response and bags his gear. His phone buzzes and he thumbs it open to find a message from Rory.

Jackson says he struck out.

Alaric looks to the door, sees Rory standing just outside. Rory lifts one hand, waves, and Alaric can see familiar faces beyond as well. He hears Thorne’s voice talking to Chris.

I’ll come with you guys, he types back. You have to help me figure out how to tell Jackson it’s not a date.

Mac snorts. “Let me guess, Rory’s texting you. I see him with his phone there.”

“How do I tell Jackson it’s not a date if I go with them?”

Mac tilts her head, makes a face. “Well, there’s the blunt option. Or just not sitting with him when you get there. Or you’ll come up with something. Or if he asks again, tell him you’re not interested.”

There’s a heavy weight on his shoulders at the idea that his friendship with Jackson could be in jeopardy because Alaric has no idea how to handle this. “You coming with us?” he asks, and Mac shakes her head.

“I think I actually just want a night in. And since I hear Sera out there, that means she’s not hanging out with Trish, which means the house’ll be a little quieter.” Mac shoulders her bag. “I’ll see you here on Friday. If you want to train another time, just let me know, okay? If I can help, I will.”

She still smells like grief, rank and sour. Alaric reaches out without thinking, tugs her close and tucks her against his chest again, his chin on top of her head. He nuzzles her hair, leaving his scent behind, and holds on until he feels her relax, just a little.

“Clan gives the best hugs,” she murmurs against him. “Noted for future reference.” She brings her hands up, nudges him lightly. “Now go out. Have fun. Relax.”

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#welcome to phu #welcometophu #commit to the kick #phu twinned #twinned #cttk anger management

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