thinking about how people who watch the emperor's new groove and somehow come out of it shipping pacha and kuzco, or thinking yzma only became evil when kuzco fired her and that she would've been a better ruler than him, are both so wrong in so many different ways and are also missing one of the things that i absolutely love about the movie. which is that, the way i see it, pacha and yzma are counterparts. as parental figures to kuzco.
like, just to get this out of the way first, yzma was a dismissive asshole to a peasant whose family was starving. and yeah, if kuzco had been in her place he definitely would've also done that, which... is why she would not be a better ruler than him. she'd just be the same because they're both horrible people in the exact same ways. her reaction to being fired is to plot murder, and as soon as his funeral is over she sets everyone to work on replacing paintings of kuzco with paintings of herself and covering the palace with imagery that makes it clear that it's all about her now. i'm not even sure why this is a discussion tbh.
and also, kuzco is literally a teenager. he's barely 18 years old. source: in the movie, yzma says at his funeral that kuzco was "taken from us so tragically on the very eve of his eighteenth birthday." she also claims in the movie to have "practically raised" him, to which kronk replies "yeah, you'd think he would've turned out better". and sure, she could be exaggerating, but what evidence do we have that she is? we learn absolutely nothing of his parents, who are never mentioned even once in the movie, or of anyone else who could've raised him, and she's his advisor who for some reason sees no problem with attending to royal duties in his place. most likely because she's his regent. also, i'm not exactly a fan of the sequel tv series "the emperor's new school" but it does have something that backs up my point: kuzco is revealed to be an orphan and just before his father went and got lost at sea, he asked yzma (who was also his advisor) to take care of kuzco if anything happened to him. so, yeah, the writers who worked on the series clearly thought that yzma genuinely did raise kuzco, and nothing in the movie contradicts this.
and i find the idea of her being his only parental figure for pretty much his whole childhood incredibly interesting because, and this also goes back into why she wouldn't be a better ruler than him--she mirrors him as a reflection of what would've become of him if he'd never met pacha. they're both incredibly arrogant, power-hungry, selfish, and cruel, with a tendency to blame their problems on everyone but themselves. yzma was even originally going to have her own reprise of kuzco's theme song "perfect world", which i really wish had been kept:
[ID: Lyrics that read:
I'Il be the sovereign queen of the nation
And the chicest chick in creation
I'm the cat with all the cream and ooh-la-la
This deadly concentration
Will put an end to my frustration
Now this perfect world begins and ends with moi
What's my name?
Yzma, Yzma, Yzma
Yzma (what's my name?)
Yzma, Yzma (What'd you say?)
Yzma (Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!) Yzma.
End ID]
(this song can be fully heard in "the sweatbox", the documentary about the making of the movie, and is also on youtube btw)
anyway, i'm sure yzma would not exactly have been the most nurturing or hands-on guardian, especially given that she and kuzco don't exactly treat each other like family. but it makes a lot of sense to think that her behavior influened kuzco's throughout the years. and for the entire movie, she remains determined to kill him. when he tries to reason with her and admits that he should've been nicer, she says the same thing to him that he originally said when he fired her. she never grows or changes and in the end, she hurts the one person who was willing to stand by her (and even then, kronk had never fully been on board with her plan) and he ends up trying to crush her with a chandelier. kuzco on the other hand is able to realize the error of his ways, come to regret who he was in the past, and start taking steps toward being a better person. his theme song gets a reprise where it's changed from a song about one person being the center of the world to a Power Of Friendship song. why? because, as i've already mentioned, he has pacha.
pacha, who similarly to both yzma and kuzco is in a position of authority as the leader of the village but unlike either of them is gentle and humble. who isn't afraid to stand up to kuzco and be honest with him even though he's the emperor, who agrees to take him back to the palace but has no obligation to be so helpful, kind, and caring toward him--and just about every reason not to be--and still chooses to be anyway. pacha who is 45 years old (also stated in the sweatbox documentary) and can see that kuzco is practically still a kid, not a single day over 18, who has time to grow and change. pacha, who already has a wife and two kids with another on the way, but practically treats kuzco like one of his own. who acknowledges that if kuzco dies all his problems will be gone and then still worries about him and goes out of his way to rescue him after he wanders into the jungle. who sees kuzco shivering at night and covers him with his poncho, who carries him when he's genuinely too weak to keep walking, who refuses to give up on him even after repeatedly being betrayed by him because he believes there's good in everyone.
also, while yzma ends up repeating kuzco's harsh words of dismissal as she tells him of her plans to kill him, kuzco had previously repeated pacha's words that "nobody's that heartless" after he saved pacha's life. and as the movie progresses kuzco and pacha's relationship becomes more and more equal and is constantly contrasted by moments of yzma being cruel and unappreciative of kronk's kindness. a good example of this is how kronk is constantly being forced to carry yzma everywhere on his back while yzma literally walks all over him and steps on his hands when she gets down, whereas when pacha briefly carries kuzco after the latter collapses he tells him he'll have to walk the rest of the way later and kuzco doesn't even protest.
idk if i'm even explaining well what i'm trying to say here. but basically, if yzma actually raised kuzco and contributed to his current behavior, then she and pacha both are figures who guided him and helped him grow. only yzma helped him become the tyrant that he was at the start of the movie, who was selfish and callous and saw everyone else as beneath him. whereas pacha helped him see the value in being selfless and considerate of others. and in the end, yzma is stuck as a cat and nobody is concerned about her. kronk has found a new job that makes him genuinely happy, while kuzco has decided to build a hut on the hill next to pacha's and effectively joined his family. in the sweatbox documentary it's even mentioned that chicha and the kids were at risk of being removed from the film, but it was decided that they needed to be there because having just pacha as a single guy who lived alone wasn't interesting enough--kuzco needed to go from having basically an empty world where he had nobody to being able to come together with pacha's whole family. and i just think that's incredibly satisfying and beautiful. it also leads up to one of the few things i really do enjoy about the emperor's new school, which is the fact that during the show kuzco moves in with pacha and chicha and pretty explicitly thinks of them as basically his parents while he's like a son to them.
idk. i feel like my mind went in a million different directions while i was writing all this. but i guess i just think that for all of the praise the emperor's new groove gets for its comedy and for how hilarious yzma and kronk in particular are as a duo, the movie also has a lot of genuine heart that gets overlooked. kuzco's character growth and his unique dynamic with pacha is, for me, really what elevates the movie from just a funny movie that i like to one of my favorite disney movies. and i wish more people appreciated that aspect of it and saw it as a found family story in the same way that treasure planet, brother bear, and lilo and stitch are all found family stories.
655 notes
·
View notes
when his parents are fully recovered, Duke still spends his weekends at the manor with the bats
that would take a looooooong time imo, there is a period of time its like a year maybe two where Duke just kinda Hovers over his parents, like if he lets them out of eyesight (of which he has a Lot of mind you) theyll just up and disappear
the fact that he has to leave for hours at a time to attend classes or be a hero Kills him every time
it comes to a point where his parents have to basically throw him out, tell him he can't waste his whole life watching over them, that he needs to live for himself
he doesn't know how to tell them that he doesn't remember how to be himself anymore, its the part of him that is most like Bruce, he doesn't know who he is without the mission
"Living in fear isn't living babybird," his mom has to tell him. "You're surviving, nothing more."
"Life is hard, its sad, its confusing and it gives you no instructions or hints," his dad continues. "Its a bunch of leaping without looking and thats just that."
Here's something instead, the bats come to Duke. Wayne money puts them in a nice townhouse on the lower west side, its more than big enough for the three of them (so much so that Doug complains about dusting it all, but manages it anyway)
luckily its never just the three of them
babs takes the subway a little ways off from old gotham on fridays after work, she brings muffins from the little bakery around the corner and talks with Duke's parents for long enough to be invited for dinner
cass swings by when she's getting off patrols and duke is starting his, she brings coffee and funny stories to tell, she's there so often that it might as well be her third home, on rotation from the manor and the clocktower, she soaks up easy affection like a cat in a sunbeam.
damian comes by on saturdays, elaine puts on a pot of tea (something she got at some point or another, its all just a routine by now) they sit in near total silence while they drink their tea, damian does his homework, and elaine devours the newspaper, she reads him the funnies and when duke gets back, they play mario cart and try not to kill each other
Bruce starts off awkwardly at first he feels immense guilt for what happened to Duke and his parents and doesn't really know how to express it outside of sullen silences, it's been so long since the last time they met that he's not even sure he's welcome, he is quickly disabused of the notion, and is now regularly goes with the Thomas's to Knights games
Idk sometimes the manor is too cold too full of ghosts to full call it home, sometimes u need to drag your nocturnal found family kicking and screaming into warmth and light
52 notes
·
View notes
RealAgeAu Drabble - Day in Town
The poll has ended (and as always i sneaked to see the results early :3) and this one won out! @spotaus
You guys really just like the domestic fluff of these guys trying to parent. Don't you? It is okay. They are rather sweet :D
First Drabble
Prev Drabble
Next Drabble
Lets get to it! (and for those who forgot because i did because i only mentioned the name ONCE. Crop's brother is called Straw :D) Also I had to really consider who's POV I was going to use for this one as they all would have worked but I ended up going with Killer because he is silly and hasn't had a turn in a while. At least that is what it feels like :D
*----------------*
Killer taps the door as he stares out of the window of the truck. People would assume it is crowded but it honestly isn't that bad.
Mostly because Horror is sitting in the by rider seat with Nightmare in his lap, safely seated. Cross and Dust decided they prefered to drive in the actual cargo area of the truck. Which left only Killer and Crop in the backseat.
Killer honestly also thinks that Dust specifically prefered to sit in the back as he wouldn't have to see Straw. Dust still has the most issues with seeing any other universe's Papyrus. Killer would have gone to sit with him but Cross had been faster with offering it and there is no way in HELL that Killer was going to leave Horror and Ngihtmare without a set of extra sockets.
Doesnt make the drive any less tense.
tap. tap. tap. tap.
Crop sends him another nervous glance before clearing his throat "So.. you guys are finally going to see the town! excited?"
Killer huffs "Not really. But Dusty mentioned needed actual stuff for Nighty." which is why Killer leans closer to the seat before him holding Horror and Nightmare. He looks over the side and grins at Nightmare "sup tiny boss."
Nightmare looks over and sends him a tiny glare "You should have your seatbelt on."
Killer coos "Aw you do care~ such a sweet baby."
Nightmare blushes and mutters as he hides his face in Horror's sweater. Horror sends him an amused look "Killer. stop that."
Killer shrugs and leans back in his seat. feeling very accomplished.
Killer just needs to make sure that Nightmare doesn't fall into old patterns of trying to be the adult and leader. He doesn't need to do that and it isn't healthy for the babybones. so. Time to unlearn! At least those moments have been getting less and less frequent so there is progress!
Killer still doesn't appreciate the look send their way from both Crop and Straw, Yes he knows tiny boss is adorable but if they as much as try to get closer there is going to be spilled dust.
Straw stops the truck and announces their arrival.
Crop gets out quickly and they are on a parkinglot outside a shopping street. It isn't too large by the looks of it and just shops and a bar restaurant thing, probably this universes Grillby's.
Crop smiles at them "Okay! First day out!" Crop looks almost as nervous about this as Cross looks and Cross is actively looking around and has his hand ready to grab his knife.
Crop must see it too as he and straw share a look. Straw motions towards them and the town and Crop waves it off.
Crop turns back to them and Killer grins "SOmething the matter?"
Crop is quick to answer "What?! No! Of course not! It is just. a lot. This can be a lot and i just want to be sure everything is fine!"
Killer chuckles and sees Horror shoot him a disapproving glance. Still Horror goes over to Cross and hands Nightmare over to him. Cross is quick to hug him close and Nightmare has his grumpy face on again but still holds unto Cross. Clearly comfortable.
Horror joins his side "Killer. Stop." Killer sticks his tongue out at Horror and Horror's disapprovement makes way for amusement.
Hah! Still got it!
Horror looks at Crop "This isn't first time for us. We know how to behave."
Crop nods as he rubs his arm "I figured! It is just... If this works out you guys can stay longer and have something of a base to fall back on. I am just worried because some people can be..." he searches for the words.
Straw leans clsoer "Mean, harsh and rude."
Crop sends him a glare and Straw shrugs "It is true!"
Crop sighs "Anyway." he turns back to them "Ready to introduce yourselves?"
Killer grins "And spread rumours!" He can see Dust pull a pained face again. Dust is still not a fan of the backstory they settled on but they are already commited to it after the doctor's visit!
Crop chuckles and grins "I am still curious about what you guys settled on myself..."
Killer shakes his skull and shakes his finger "No no. No cheating. figure it out yourself" and he grins.
Cross huffs as he keeps Nightmare fully against him "Lets just get this over with..."
Adn they walk into town.
People are staring which they all had expected and should be used to at this point. But Killer doesn't like the fact how many people see Nightmare at the moment, and by the looks of it, neither do the others like this. Cross keeps trying to hold Nightmare as close as possible and almost hide by Horror. Dust has started to fully shadow the two as he barely looks around.
Crop and Straw obviously see the tension and seem to be sharing more uncertain looks.
Nightmare however doesn't seem to share their issues as he happily leans away from the hold to enable himself to look around. He studies buildings and vehicles. and even just stares back at people staring at him. Clearly more interested in learning about this new place than actual worry.
Or maybe he just feels safe with them and that does THINGS to Killer.
Crop stops them near the middle of the streat "okay! This is it!" he waves around himself "It isn't a lot now as people are still waiting for the produce to finish growing. But. Generally." he points to a shop "General store. they have most things needed." he points to the shop next to it "Bookstore. self explainatory." he points to the large bar "Grillby's is a bar and restaurant. people spend most of their free evenings there."
Hah! Called it!
Crop points out a few more buildings but most of those are for farming things and supplies.
Dust nods and looks over at them before looking back to the bookstore and general store "Going to get things. be back soon."
They watch him casually walk away on his own.
Yeah no absolutely not!
Killer is already half jogging after Dust as he waves at Cross, Horror and Nighmare "You guys stick together and get a feel for other people!" After which he sprints to catch up with Dust.
They enter the general store together.
Dust shoots him a look "don't need a babysitter."
Killer huffs and grins "Says you!" and he follows Dust as Dust looks at things. Killer just doens't like any of them being alone unless it is at a secured place. So Killer will jsut stalk Dusty for a bit! It is perfect!
Dusty looks at items and ends up getting two more notebooks and some pencils. he nods to himself and gets in line to pay for the items.
Killer checks the funds and frowns. They are running out and they will either have to go to another universe to steal more and risk drawing attention or actually think of a way to make money the legal way.
A groan from upfront and Killer looks up to see a teenager panicking over the cash register. the customers before them all look angry and annoyed.
The teenager presses buttons but nothing seems to help "I am sorry. I am sorry! It just... has issues once in a while. I can fix this!" the teenager does not look any clsoer to fixing it!
Dust huffs and turns to him "Hold." and Killer gets the few school supplies pushed into his arms. Dust afterwards walks over to the front. He grabs the basket of items and pushes it into the arms of the man in front "Hold." the man goes to say something but Dust just hops on top of the counter and sits next to the register. He turns it this and that way.
Dust hums as he pulls out his pocket knife and undoes some screws. the cap opens and he looks into the darkness, a shift in his socket and his eye light now lights up the inside of the register.
He looks at the teen "Got tape?"
The teenager blinks at him before nodding.
Dust nods "Get it." and turns back to the register as he removes some wires and starts making tiny cuts.
The teen grabs it from a drawer and hands it over "Euh... sir... I don't... i mean... i am not allowed... i don't know if you can..."
Dust hums and doesn't listen at all as he redoes some of the wires and removes some of them that looked burned through. He secures things with the tape and closes the back up again. he turns the register back in place and hits the side once.
The register lights up and asks for a log in.
Dust looks at the teen "Fixed." he hops down of the counter. Takes the basket the man in front is still holding dumbfounded. DUst places it back on the counter and walks back to Killers side where he takes his own stuff back.
Killer grins at him "Nicely done. I think that is a new record for you fixing soemthign."
Dust may appear calm but Killer know shim and can see the smaller skeleton looks smug "Easy fix. just a burned wire."
Killer nods "Still a new record! Sadly i didn't have the free hands to time it."
Dust shrugs and acts like he doesn't care but Killer knows better.
The line goes a lot quicker and once it is their turn they quickly pay for the items.
The leave the store and Killer points at the bookstore "Do we need anything from there?"
Dust thinks for a moment before shaking his skull.
Ah. seems like Dust doesn't plan on expanding the classes just yet. Likely wants to see if they actually stay for longer here first.
So they walk back to the group as Dust holds a tiny bag with the new things. they see them near another store and they seem to be talking to a bunny and a dog monster.
The bunny coos as they stare at Ngihtmare and Killer feels himself glae as he rushes to their side "Hey!! Whatsup!" and he nuzzles Nightmare in greeting.
Nightmare huffs and whines "Killer! Careful for my ice cream." Killer pulls back and sees now that Nightmare is also holding ice cream. woops. Killer looks down adn yeah that is ice cream on his shirt. Oh well. he shrugs.
Cross laughs as he smiles at Nightmare "Still good to eat?"
Nightmare studies his ice cream before nodding and going back to eating it with tiny tiny licks. dust joins them again and Nightmare immediantly looks at him. Killer can spot their tiny Nightlight starting to raise an arm towards Dust but he stops himself and pulls it back.
Luckily, or unluckily, Dust is very observant and saw it right away. He gives the bag to Killer and easily climbs the haystack Nightmare had been sitting on. Dust next pulls Nightmare into his lap without disturbing the ice crema eating process.
Nightmare hums happily and leans back into the hug as a tiny purr starts to leave him.
Killer grins as he leans against the hay stack and looks at the two other monsters, who are staring very intensly at Dust and Nightmare and Killer feels... something protective rise up. still he keeps asmile on his face as he speaks "who are the new fluffballs?"
The bunny smiles brightly "Hey! I am Ellie and this is Dani, we are fellow farmers like Crop. We own a tree farm and cherry farm."
the dog, Dani, nods "Yeah! Crop asked us if we had any spare clothes so we kinda knew some people moved in. it is nice to meet you five!" she smiles brightly.
Killer nods as he keeps his arms crossed and his grin sharp. stop looking at them. stop looking at them. stop looking at-
Horror nods "Nice to... meet friendly faces. We are still...settling..."
Cross helps quickly "As Horror said, we are still getting used to things around here. we are very lucky that Horror and Crop were friends and he was willing to let us stay."
Dani looks curious "I hope you don't mind me asking... why the name change from Sans to Crop?"
Killer freezes as he tries to think but Cross shrugs "Skeleton naming thing. Normally you are named after fonts that we speak in, yes we can see fonts and yes it gets weird and yes it takes magic. We just kinda know the vibe and with magic can see those. You can named after that. problem, we all speak in the same font type. Meaning we all kinda had the same name." he rubs his neck "Two people with the same name you can work around but six gets confusing. So nicknames."
Ellie smiles brightly "Dani and I are the same! We were both named Danielle and when we met we realised this would get annoying. especially when we.. euh... got together together." she giggles "so. we are now Dani and Ellie!"
Dani looks highly amused "Our house voicemail is still, the house of Danielle however. It was too good of a joke to pass up."
Ellie nods and smiles "If you guys need anything or help let us know. We have a lot of leftover stuff from our own moving and getting settled and saved everything we could." She looks at Nightmare and Dust again and smiles "And can I jsut say the tiny one is adorable." she looks curiously at them all "So... you guys got one?"
Killer feels that portective rage turn into protective and possessive smugness as Dust answers "he is mine. we all work together." and he shrugs at the questioning look.
Cross shakes his skull at the questioning look "That... is rather personal... they prefer not to talk about it."
Killer can see Ellie and Dani share a worried look before both smile reassuring "That is fine. Take it easy okay?" Dani smiles as Ellie nods along.
They continue the small talk for a moment longer before Ellie reminds DAni that they came to get fertilizer and they two walk off hand in hand.
Crop watches them go "That... went very well..."
Horror looks at him amused "Told you."
Crop laughs adn nods "Yeah you were right. You guys totally got this."
They remain there and meet a few more people from town as they wait for Straw to finish getting what Crop and him need for their actual farm.
Killer relaxes in the sun as the day slowly passes.
When they get back Cross will probably force him out of his now sticky shirt. Killer will tease him about wanting to undress him which will make Cross sputter and blush. Killer will end up wearing aclean shirt and probably watch as Dust teaches Nightmare more about math while Horror and Cross help Crop and Straw around on the farm.
Killer hadn't expected this all to go like this but it is nice. it is quiet. and most important, they are all safe.
*------------------*
All in all? Great success!
I still don't feel like i quite nailed Killer. Killer is a curious character to write as he is very silly but also wickedly smart. mmmmh. but then again this is a drabble. *shrug*
Realistically? If this was a full on chaptered fanfic this would probably be a chapter i had to rewrite a few times. Just to make sure I get Killer's character and behaviour right. But for now it is fine :)
First Drabble
Prev Drabble
Next Drabble
50 notes
·
View notes