#Captain the Retired police dog and puppies

[thebookwormfairy]

Captain the Retired Police Dogs and His Puppies Part 1

Hey guys sorry for not posting for a while, I had major writer's block, but I'm back and the curse is broken with the sequel series of Captain the Retired Police Dog! So get ready for puppy shenanigans!

Masterlist

Marinette didn't know what to do

She knew Captain would want to be in his puppies lives as much as possible

But she couldn't exactly afford plane tickets to Gotham every weekend, and she couldn't exactly explain her suddenly turning up in Gotham if she used Kalki

They're definitely going to have to go to Gotham this summer

Possibly for the whole summer

But then how would she be Ladybug?

All these thoughts and panic swirs around Marinette's head

Damian: Angel?

Damian's voice was able to snap Marinette out of her panic

Marinette: Sorry I got lost in thought. What are we going to do?

Damian: Well if you want you could spend your summer here? I know father would be more than happy to fly you and your parents over. And you could stay at the manor

Marinette: That does sound grea, and I was looking into applying at some colleges in the States, so it would be a good chance to visit some colleges

Damian: Yeah! I hear that Gotham University has a great fashion and business programs

Marinette: Damian Wayne is this your way of saying you want me to stick around?

Damian: Maybe...

As his human continued to talk to her mate over the phone Captain was freaking out

Ace was pregnant

With his pups

He was going to be a dad

Captain was both overjoyed and nervous

On one hand he was going to be a dad

On the other hand his mate and their puppies are going to be half way across the world

How was he going to be part of his puppies' lives when he lived an entire ocean away?

Marinette: I'll talk to my parents and see how soon Captain and I can go back over

That caught Captain's attention

His girl was going to make sure that he got to meet his pups

Captain jumped up and licked Marinette's cheek showing his appreciation and happiness

Not long after Marinette said goodbye to Damian and went down to talk to her parents

She explained everything to them and even said that with her MDC commissions she could buy the ticket to Gotham and back home

Tom and Sabine were a little hesitant to agree to this

They could tell what Marinette and Damian had was special, but they still didn't want to leave Marinette with a family they hadn't met in person before

Sabine: I'll tell you what honey, you can't go in May, but we can close the backery for the first week of June

Tom: We'll go with you to Gotham meet Damian and his family. If we think it's a safe environment and that we can trust his family to keep you safe, we'll let you stay for the rest of the summer

Marinette: Really?!

Sabine: Yes, but only if we think it will be safe for you

Marinette: Of course!

Marinette ran to the stairs to tell Damian and Captain the good news

Of course Damian was ecstatic to hear that Marinette will be able to stay for most of the summer

He gathered his family as soon as possible to tell them the good news and to make sure they didn't embarrass him while the Dupen-Chengs were there or do anything to make them think it was an unsafe environment for Marinette

Damian: That means no swinging from the chandelier, no pulling out weapons, no hiding weapons, absolutely no fighting

Jason: Well that's just boring

Damian: If we want Marinette and Captain to stay then we have to be on our very best behavior

Bruce: Damian's right. If we want them to stay we have to prove that this is a safe place for their daughter. So we listen to Damian

The boys made a big show of groaning, but they all knew they wanted Marinette to stay so they will do as asked

Ace was so happy to hear that Captain would be there for the birth of their puppies

She could already picture their puppies climbing all over her stoik mate

Just the thought of it made her heart flutter

The bat fam spent the rest of the month getting ready for the Dupen-Chengs arrival

Back in Paris things weren't going so well

Even though Lila was in jail and out of their lives the class didn't come to their senses

Most of them still saw Marinette as the embodiment of pure evil

Though she has gotten closer to Alix and Kim even bringing them into her friend group with Kagami and Luka

They spent most of their hangouts at either Kagami or Marinette's homes with Damian making video chats appearances every once in a while to get to know Marinette's friends

Of course Captain was at every event keeping a watchful eye over his girl making sure no one would hurt her

Then sadly Master Fu had to step down from Gaurdian leaving Marinette alone

Chat started to come to more fights after Master Fu disappeared but he did more harm then good

Now more than ever Marinette needed help

She decided that as soon as she could she would find Batman and ask for his and the Justice League's help

She feared that if this continued any longer she will forever be trapped in Paris

Marinette planned out everything in case of of an akuma

She would use the Akuma alert system sync to her phone

As soon as she got an alert she would use Kalki to return to Paris and fight the Akuma with he help of her friends and hopefully some Justice League members

As Marinette packed up the miraculous box and Captain's bandanas she couldn't wait to get on the plane the next day

She couldn't wait to see Damian and be back in his arms

She even couldn't wait to see his family

The next day Marinette, Captain, and their family got on the plane saying goodbye to Paris hopefully for a few months

@felicityroth @northernbluetongue @mystery-5-5 @sidefrienda @tbehartoo @hypnosharkrebeldreamer @sonif50 @t-nikki10 @dawnwave16

[captainthach]

#EmperorBaoDai Mausoleum (tomb) ••• ••• HELP save lives for humanitarian missions for 501(c)3 nonProfit @SOVAirborne to @StopMilitaryAndPoliceSuicide •• @CitizensObstructPoliceSuicide •• @SEAandPAL •• Our Task Force #CIA • @CIAusAmerica volunteers help Police & Military STOP crime with @ScamLifeGuard • •- “Captain Thạch (TOC) BACK on the CLOCK ! ” 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 Đại Úy CaptainThach.com >>>>>HELP save LIVES • •"Subscribe" >>> https://www.YouTube.com/CaptainThach • • Captain James Văn Thạch Captain, Infantry, United States Army, Retired http://CaptainThach.com • • Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/CaptainThach • Twitter: https://twitter.com/CaptainThach • YouTube > https://www.YouTube.com/CaptainThach • • #Chinese - Beijing - Taiwan - Taipei - Macau - #HongKong - #China - Shanghai - #Moscow - #Hanoi - NewDelhi - #LosAngeles - #Israel - #NYC - #Paris - #Manila - #Tokyo - #Starbucks - #Thailand - #Malaysia - - #Bangkok - #India - #Jakarta - Indonesia - #Canada - Dog - Dogs - Puppy Puppies - Cat - Cats - #Airport servicedog #HCMC #Saigon #Ukraine #HoChiMinh #Rolex #Vietnam #parisfrance #rolexsubmariner #vietnamese • • - We >> STOP >>> Scammer - Scammers Scam Poster help the WORLD • >>> fb.me/SOVAirborne ⚡ ⚡ ⚡ Public Service Announcement (at Paris, France) https://www.instagram.com/p/ClEGhteObIR/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[13uswntimagines]

Puppy Problems (USWNT x Reader)

Request: team x reader where the reader lost her dog and the team manages to find it (maybe it was in a shelter or someone contacted them or something idk) and reunites her with her dog during a match?

Hey dudes, I changed this just slightly because it thought it flowed a little better! I hope you enjoy. Hit me up with requests, questions or if you just want to say Hi!

You loved Lindsey and Emily, you really really did, but you were going to kill them. Really, how could two grown-ass adults lose a giant black dog? A giant black lab who had been trained to be a police dog but turned out to be too kind for the job, who never strayed more than three feet from you at any given point in time. 

He was more than just a puppy. Riker was your best friend. He had been the only one there for you when your grandma died. And now the two lovable idiots before you had lost him.

“Run it by me again,” You ground out, your fists clenching as you glared at Emily, who was attempting to cower behind Lindsey. 

“Riker, Fergs, and Bagle were playing by the wooded area at the park-“ Emily started, avoiding eye contact with you. 

“Without their leashes?” You interrupted, glaring a hole in the side of her head. You had specifically instructed them to not take him off his leash unless he was in an enclosed space. Riker was a good boy, but you didn’t like him running wild when there wasn’t a fence to stop him. Like you, he got distracted and liked to meet new people and animals. At least with a fence or a leash, he couldn’t wander too far. 

Emily took a step back, almost as if she were using Lindsey as a shield. The taller blond rolled her eyes, placing both hands on Emily’s shoulders and forcing her to stand in front of her. 

“Without their leashes, and we got distracted for a second-“ Sonnett tried again, doing whatever she could to placate you. 

“Don’t try and put this on me Sonnett, you were the one who just had to try the swings” Lindsey interrupted her with a scoff. You loved that dog more than anything else on this planet, and she had been too busy making sure Sonnett didn’t break her neck to watch Ri too. This was all on Emily as far as she was concerned. 

“We looked away for one second and Ri was gone,” Emily continued as though Lindsey hadn’t tried to throw her under the bus. 

She bit her lip when you didn’t respond. You glared at the floor, your fists clenching and unclenching. 

“You lost my dog, my best friend because you wanted to go on some swings?” You said through gritted teeth. Retiring your Laser eyes to the two women. 

“We’re so sorry,” Emily said, raising her arms in a calm down motion. But you were way too far gone. You knew Emily could be childish, but this was above and beyond that. This was sheer negligence. Blatant disrespect for your wishes and it had resulted in your best friend being missing. 

“5…” You said your voice deadly calm.

“What?” Sonnett asked, her eyebrows furrowing. Of all the things she thought you were going to say, this wasn’t one of them. 

“4…” You took a step towards them, and they matched you with a step back.

“Em,” Lindsey said with fear in her voice, the wheels turning rapidly in her head. 

“3…” You took another step, a sickening smirk stretching across your face. You were going to kill them. 

“Em, run,” Lindsey said, eyes wide and Emily took off out of the hotel room and down the all. 

“0,” You yelled, chasing after her, catching up to her with ease. It was one of the perks of being a forward you supposed. 

“Hey, that’s not fair,” Emily yelped, as you hoisted her up on your shoulder. 

“Was losing my fuckin-“ You growled, planning on throwing her in the hotel pool with all her stuff in her pockets. You loved towards the stairs, paying no attention to the protesting woman on your shoulders or the women who were peeking their heads out of their rooms. 

“Whoa there Ms. Muscles, I think you need to take a chill pill,” Ash said, stepping into the hallway, and placing a hand on your chest.

“Don’t tell me what to do Ash, they lost Riker,” You growled at the woman, a touch of just how upset you were leaking into your tone. 

You placed Emily back into the floor, bringing your hands up to scrub your eyes, your shoulders shaking from trying to suppress your tears. Ash immediately pulled you into a hug, glaring over your head at the two women who had done probably the worst thing they could have to you. 

“You two did what?!” She hissed at them. She loved Riker almost as you did. He was Logan and Storms’ best buddy. Plus he was fantastic at keeping you calm. 

“It was an accident,” Emily mumbled miserably, and Lindsey had the decency to at least look ashamed. 

“You left him by himself. Now he’s all alone, probably out there scared out of his mind,” You sobbed into Ash’s chest. She carded her fingers through your hair, running fingers down your back. 

“He’s just a dog, calm down,” Lindsey rolled her eyes, and you lunged at her. A feral scream leaving your lips. How fucking dare her. Ash’s arm wrapped around your middle, preventing you from getting to the blond. 

“Ok, I think everyone here needs to take a breather,” Alex said, finally stepping in, putting in her captain voice. 

“Take Y/n to my room,” she ordered, and ash nodded, lifting you and dragging you towards The room Alex was sharing with Kelley. She waited for the telltale click of the door before turning to the crowd of women before her. 

“We need to find that dog,” Kelley mumbled, not used to seeing you go from adorable and sunny to ready to rip someone’s head off. Alex ran a frustrated hand through her hair. 

“Tobs and Chris check the hotel, Sam and Rose check the park. Kel, you call all the shelters in the area, and Mal, you make sure that Sonnett and Horan stay away from Y/n” Alex ordered, listing off the women on her fingers. 

“And what are you going to do,” Kelley asked with a raised eyebrow. So maybe Alex had a thing for you. A very small thing that the entire team, besides you, was well aware of. They had bets going on how long it was going to take you to finally ask her out or is she was going to ask you out first. 

“Comfort Y/n,” She hummed, looking away. 

“Of course that’s the job you assign yourself,” Kelley’s snort was accompanied by the

“Shut up, and find the dog,” Alex grumbled, a light shade of pink dusting her cheeks. The team mock saluted and headed to their station. 

The sight that met Alex when she entered your room could only be described as pitiful. You were buried under the blankets, curled up next to Ash. Your eyes were red, and the tear stains were burned into your cheeks. 

The sound of the door drew your attention away from the Disney movie playing on the screen, and you opened your arms when you saw Alex. You wouldn’t ever tell Ash, but Alex gave the best cuddles out of everyone on the team. She obliged your request, sliding into bed and pulling you into her chest. She placed a delicate kiss on the crown of your head. You sighed, relaxing back into her. 

“We’ll find him, I promise,” She whispered, and you just nodded, too tired to form words. You trusted her with your life, and now Riker’s. She would do her best to keep her word. 

————-

“How the fuck are we supposed to find one particular Black Lab in a city filled to the brim with them,” Kelley growled, tossing her phone down on the bed. That had been the 4th shelter that told her about the wide array of pups they had, just not the one she was looking for. 

“Didn’t Y/n have him chipped last year?” Mal asked after a few seconds. 

“Mal you’re a freaking genius,” Kelley exclaimed, placing both of her hands on Mal’s face and kissing her forehead. ”So what does that mean?” She asked after a few seconds and the rest of the room’s occupants burst into laughter. 

“It means we just have to wait for a vet or a shelter to call us and tell us that they have Riker,” Emily mumbled, rolling her eyes, but her cheeks still turning upwards a little. Sure, she fucked up, but at least they had a better shot of finding Riker. 

———

Alex sighed in content, running her fingers through your soft hair, and tracing your dimples as you cuddled impossibly closer to her. It had taken both the Little Mermaid and Peter Pan to calm you down after Ash had accidentally put in Lady and the Tramp instead of Aladdin, and she was released that you had finally seemed to settle. 

You were so adorable with the blanket pulled up to your chin, your stuffed triceratops Roary tucked under your arm, all wrapped in her arms. Not Cathay she would ever mention that out loud. 

A knock at the door pulled the both of you out of your quiet stupor, and you Groaned as the knocking got even more insistent. Alex patted your head and got up to answer the door. You heard it click and her soft voice call for you. 

“Alex, I don’t want anyone else trying to cheer me up,” You huffed, rolling over and burying your face into the pillow. Your various teammates had taken turns coming to check on you and Alex, and you were just tired of them treating you like a baby. 

“I think you’ll like this person,” You could hear the smirk on her voice, as a heavyweight was suddenly on top of you. Soft barking filling the air as it started to try and dig you out of your blankets. You immediately flipped over and were met with a million licks to your face. 

“Ri!!!” You squeezed, petting him everywhere you could reach, as he wiggles in your arms, licking you and rubbing his head on your face as if to say that he missed you just as much as you missed him. 

Alex and Kelley watched the two of you reconnect from the door, wide smiles breaking across their face. They knew that you and Riker were close, and the way the two of you interacted only proved that point. They were glad that the two of you were back together 

“She’s so cute,” Alex mumbled under her breath as you moved the covers to let Riker burrow into your side, placing a very sweet kiss on his head. She wasn’t even bothered that she had been replaced by your furry friend. 

“You better make a move before someone else does,” Kelley smirked, bumping her shoulder. Alex’s blush was answer enough. She loved you, and she could only hope that you would love her as much as you loved Riker.

[wienerbarnes]

Breathe Deeper

Pairing: Bucky x Reader (Cheek to Cheek)

Word Count: 2,324

Prompt: “Why is it always murder and mayhem with you? Don’t you ever just do normal person things? Eat a sandwich? Brush your teeth? Do you even brush your teeth?” (from a random prompt generator)

Warnings: murder, violence, staging a suicide, ~feelings~

A/N: cafe bustelo does wonders for you at 1 am anyway ive been trying to finish this for like two months. have a couple more ideas for these two but feel free to send me any ideas or requests and ill do em if the inspo strikes! also title is purely the song im listening to as i type this out and has no correlation to the story LOL but hey if yall like tame impala enjoy

MAIN MASTERLIST | CHEEK TO CHEEK MASTERLIST

A single pop is heard as a bullet flies out of your gun into the head of the old man who opened the door.

“Christ! No build up?! No tension?! No confirmation that it’s even him?!” Bucky yells as he wiggles his ear to rid the ringing from it.

You brush past Bucky and slide the gun back into the holster strapped to your thigh. You step over behind whatever his name was, Bucky’s having trouble remembering after that blow to his eardrum, and hook your hands under his arms in order to  drag him back into the empty house.

“Why is it always murder and mayhem with you? Don’t you ever just do normal person things? Eat a sandwich? Brush your teeth? Do you even brush your teeth?” Bucky questions you as he closes the door behind him, stepping in between splatters of blood.

“Nope, gotta leave leftovers for the bugs that live in my mouth.”

“That’s gross.”

“Shut up, help me lug this guy to the bedroom.”

The two of you are in a small town in Northern Oklahoma on the property of one of your ex-Hydra handlers. After a few days of researching, the two of you were able to figure out where he moved to and what he changed his name to after retiring from his prior lifestyle.

“I knew it was him from the second I saw him. You never forget.” You explain to him, both of you positioning his body in the corner of the room.

“You go clean up the entryway, I’ll finish staging over here.” Bucky offers it to you. He takes out his own gun from his own waistband and fires a single shot through the same hole you put in between the guy’s eyes. The splatter that explodes on the walls behind him are perfect, artistic almost. Bucky then starts looking around the room; in the closet, under the bed, until he reaches the night stand where a pretty little pistol lays. Not the same gun as his, but he has a feeling the police system in such a small and unpopulated town won’t bother to investigate this death as a murder as opposed to the obvious suicide that took place.

Bucky notices the small skull and octopus stamped into the side of the gun as he places it in his hands. He rolls his eyes before making his way back over to the entryway where you’re sat on the ground, scrubbing away with a rag in your hands and a bottle of bleach next to you. 

Bucky walks over and takes a seat on the loveseat positioned a few feet away from where you are.

“So, where we heading after this?” Bucky asks you, leaning forward and resting his elbow on the arm of the seat.

“Back to New York? You probably gonna be busy working on that murder case.” You glance at him confused before going back to scrubbing.

Bucky pauses before speaking again, “How do you know about that?”

“I… keep up with my fair share of news.”

“You don’t pay for newspapers nor do you have a TV or a phone; you don’t have news. Besides, we haven’t released any information to the public about anything before we get more leads. So, how do you know about that?” Bucky stares at you, eyebrows pinched a bit in the middle as he awaits your answer.

“Do you wanna stop and get some pie on the way back?”

“No. Did you see something about the murders?” Bucky ignores your attempt at changing the subject.

“You just said you haven’t released anything-”

“I don’t mean on the news, I mean in that empty head of yours.” He teases.

You sigh, “I hate when you ask me about my… head.”

“Well, you could be helping here! You can try and be good!”

“I’m sitting on the floor scrubbing an old guy’s blood out of the wood of his own house after I’ve just blown his brains out.”

“Yeah, a bad old guy!”

You get off the last of the specks of blood before standing up and screwing the cap back onto the bottle of bleach. “I didn’t even see anything about the killer, anyway.”

“So, what did you see?”

“You’re not gonna let this go, are you?”

“Fetch me a bone here, doll.”

“Yeah, I’m sure you’d like that, dog.”

He grabs the bleach and rag from your fingers to free up your hands from carrying anything. Tingles travel up the tips of your fingers and flow up through your wrist into your chest. You glance up and make eye contact with Bucky and the dramatic puppy eyes and pouty lips he’s throwing your way. 

You stare for a few more seconds before looking away, “Check that huge pond in Central Park tomorrow. His next victim will be floating there.” You satisfy him before turning and making your way back outside and to the car the two of you took on your little road trip.

While walking back to the parked car, Bucky quickly rushes in front of you and grasps the handle before you can reach it, allowing you to get in the car while he holds it open for you. He throws you an innocent looking smile, a smile coming from a person who surely didn’t just stage a suicide. You bite back your own smile before taking a seat and letting Bucky close the door behind you.

…

When you open your eyes after your nap, it's dark outside the moving car. You slowly lift your head up off the car window and glance over at Bucky, who you now realize is on the phone with someone.

“I told you, it was a weird anonymous number, Sam. I don’t know where it came from.” Bucky speaks softly on the phone before turning his head to look at you in your sleepy state.

“All they said was to check the pond in Central Park tomorrow. I know it’s sketchy, but we don’t have any other leads anyway, we might as well try it.”

“We sounds like a lot of people, ain’t you say that to me one time? Not all of us are on vacation, you know.” You hear another deep voice through the tiny speaker of the phone against Bucky’s ear.

“Yeah, yeah, I know. I’ll be back the day after tomorrow, man.”

Bucky wraps up his conversation as you process what you’ve heard. Bucky has lied, again, to the government, to Captain America, in order to protect you and your existence.

“How’d you sleep?” He asks before your thoughts can get too far from you.

“Fine. We’re already heading back to New York?” 

“We’re stopping at a motel for the night, but after tomorrow’s drive, we’ll get there by sundown.”

You sit up proper and stretch your legs as far out in front of you as you can, the bones crunching and popping in relief at the new position. Bucky cringes next to you. He glances at you and watches you pick at the crust gathered at the corners of your eyes, a yawn escaping you along with the last of your grogginess.

Bucky doesn’t know how he’d fully express it to you, but he’s so happy to see the person you’re growing into. Everyday a little bit more of your personality, your mannerisms, your weirdness, your humor, your ideas; everything about the real you, shows more and more. He sees this beautiful woman who, maybe a year and some ago, was walking the line of death and now sits beside him with neon green nail polish and mismatched socks and cute flower earrings adorning the curve of your ear. He stares at the tattoo on your neck, that angry red face with large eyebrows and wonders whether or not that was your idea or not. He wonders if you have any other tattoos hidden among the space of your skin, he doesn’t remember seeing any along your sides or stomach that nightmare of a night in his apartment-

“You’re swervin’.” 

Bucky clears his throat and snaps his head forward, fixing the car to drive straight on the road. Soon, he sees the promising sign, “Motel in 10 Miles,” and the two of you park in the small lot of the light orange building.

The inside smells of old people, an aged scent that isn’t necessarily bad, but makes you scrunch your nose nonetheless. No bugs in clear sight and the roof is still intact, so it should be suitable for a night of rest.

“We only have rooms available on the first floor for tonight, I’m assuming you’ll want one bed?”

Bucky's throat goes dry for a second, “Yes, that’s fine.” He doesn’t want to consult you as you look far off out the front window of the lobby, back turned to the young woman at the front desk. No matter how small a town in whatever state there is at this point in their journey, there is no risking anyone recognizing you, even if your search mission has been deemed unsolved.

A plastic card is slid into Bucky’s right hand and he begins making his way back outside and down the walkway towards their room for the night. You follow him silently.

“I call showering first, I think there’s small clumps of blood still stuck in my hair.” You tell him, flinging your backpack onto the bed, and pulling out a large sweatshirt and panties and taking them into the bathroom with you. 

While the water begins to run, Bucky undoes the blankets, looks thoroughly through the pillows and in between the sheets in search of bed bugs. Next, inspecting the lamps, outlets, and anything else that could possibly hide a camera, microphone, or any other device. He even contemplates tearing apart the carpet under his feet, but decides against the extra work. He places your bag along with his own backpack on the small table in the corner of the room and fixes the bed to not look like he tore it apart recklessly. I wonder what side she prefers-

The bathroom door opens and a cloud of steam flows out, you soon emerge with a towel wrapped around your head, large sweatshirt hanging off your frame and bare feet digging into the soft carpet beneath you. You fling the towel off of your head using momentum from throwing your head and neck forward, the towel landing on the floor in front of you and your wet hair sending a light spray Bucky feels on his warm face.

By the time Bucky finishes with his shower, the room resembles a sauna and his metal arm has gone hot. A long sleeved shirt and cotton shorts are slipped onto his body along with a pair of thick socks to keep him warm at all times. He steps out of the bathroom, using his towel to rub through his hair, and he spots you using the small mirror on the wall. 

Your legs are on display and your underwear is in sight. Bright pink with WEDNESDAY printed on the behind in bubble letters, it’s Friday, the bottoms of your butt cheeks hanging out the bottom of the fabric. The cotton hugs your body and Bucky can’t help but blush at the sight. His mother would smack him over the head if she were here right now. 

Your shirt is lifted, one of your hands holding it high on your chest where Bucky can see a slip of under your breast peeking, the curve intriguing him. Your other hand is occupied rubbing a colorless liquid along your side, Bucky focuses his attention and realizes your rubbing along the scar he left you from your stitches. The bottle on the table has a label that read Vitamin E Natural Oil. 

Your fingers seem unbelievably soft and gentle as he watches them glide along your side, massaging the shiny oil into your smooth skin. You drop your sweatshirt and gather a bit more oil on your hands before rubbing it into your hips where Bucky can see the faintest stretch marks.

“Sorry ‘bout the scar. O-on your side, I mean.” Bucky stutters out, convincing himself that his body is warm from the shower he took. 

“It probably saved my life, so I can’t say I’m sorry about it.” You respond without turning around, as though you knew he was there watching you lather yourself in oil like the beginning of a softcore porn but didn’t mind him enjoying the show.

“What’s that stuff for, anyways?” Bucky asks as he gathers his old clothes back into his bag, folding each piece before placing the packed bag next to yours on the table. Your bag that clearly does not have folded clothes, only crinkled ones. Bucky empties your bag and folds your clothes for you before neatly packing it and closing the zippers.

“Helps fade scars.”

“Yeah, but why? Scars are cool.” 

“I suppose. I’d still like to lighten them a bit. So they look better, prettier.”

“You’re probably the most beautiful woman I’ve seen in the last few decades.”

“You don’t even remember most of the last few decades,” You try to joke.

“I mean it. It’s a compliment. It’s okay to accept and enjoy compliments, doll.” Bucky looks at you, forcing you to meet his eyes. You see in your peripheries as he puts the cap on the bottle of oil and places it next to your bag. A small smile adorns his face as he looks at you, and you can’t help but feel a knot form in your throat.

It’s been a long while since you’ve received any kind of love, whether that be physical, emotional, mental, or self. It’s an overwhelming feeling when someone who you aren’t actually the closest with gives you such a deep and personal compliment. 

Aren’t the closest with- this is your only friend he the only person you even know. The point is, being the most beautiful woman of the century is much different than having pretty hair or a good sense of humor.

You look away from him before the small bit of wetness can gather in your waterline.

“Which side of the bed do you prefer?” Bucky whispers softly to you, as to not break the safe atmosphere created by his sweet comment.

You clear your throat that now feels thick with tar, “The right.”

“Good. I prefer the left.”

[disneytva]

NEW DISNEY JUNIOR SERIES ALERT: THE CHICKEN SQUAD

Production has begun on Disney Junior's "The Chicken Squad," a new animated series for preschoolers and their families slated to debut in 2020. Inspired by Doreen Cronin's popular book series, "The Chicken Squad" follows Coop, Little Boo and Sweetie-a trio of young chicken siblings-and Captain Tully, a seasoned watchdog, who use teamwork and critical thinking skills to solve problems in the neighborhood,and keep the peace in their backyard. 

The announcement was made today by Joe D'Ambrosia, senior vice president, Original Programming and General Manager, Disney Junior.D'Ambrosia said, "We love the fun, silly humor found in 'The Chicken Squad' book series and are excited to have the opportunity to use that original material as a jumping-off point for our newest Disney Junior series. Full of humor, heroism and heart, we can't wait for our young viewers to follow along on the adventures of these adorable problem-solving chickens and their police dog mentor as they model what it's like to be good community helpers."

The Chicken Squad" voice cast includes Ramone Hamilton ("The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants") as Coop, the enthusiastic and inventive leader; Maxwell Simkins ("Bizaardvark") as Little Boo, the quick and confident younger brother; Gabriella Graves ("Coop and Cami Ask the World") as Sweetie, the strong and big-hearted sister; and Yvette Nicole Brown ("Community," "Elena of Avalor") as Captain J.J. Tully, a caring retired police dog and mentor to the Chicken Squad.

Emmy® Award-nominated Tom Rogers ("Elena of Avalor") is executive producer and Humanitas Prize-winner Rachel Ruderman ("Sofia the First") is story editor. Tony Trujillo ("FarmVille 2") is art director, and Scott Bern ("Puppy Dog Pals") is supervising director. The series is produced by Wild Canary in association with Disney Junior.

[theartofdreaming1]

Partners - Part 1: A New Partner

Pairing: DickBabs

Rating: T

Summary: This was inspired by @avataraandy ‘s awesome AU picture of Dick and Babs as fellow police officers. I had been thinking about writing something based on this drawing for over a year (I haven’t written a lot of DickBabs fanfic), but never dared to actually write it since I don’t have a lot of time to research the cop stuff as in-depth as I would like - so I just decided to go for a collection of vignettes, inspired by Dick’s Officer Grayson run :) Check out the notes at the end of the chapter for issues I referenced ^^ You can read it at AO3 here.

In a police station in the rather infamous city of Blüdhaven a young police officer had just finished her shift and was now looking at the precinct’s large wall clock with an uneasy air about her. Her name was Barbara Gordon.

Barbara, a very clever and committed police officer, was easily distinguishable with her vibrant red hair and bright blue eyes that always held the look of pure determination in them - and with good reason: Barbara had big plans and was determined to see them fulfilled.

As the daughter of Gotham City’s Police Commissioner James Gordon, she had seen her Dad fighting tooth and nail to clean up the GCPD from the bottom up, ever since her childhood- and after many, many years, James Gordon had succeeded in making the Gotham City Police Department a better and much more honest police force.

Barbara was incredibly proud of her father’s accomplishment and aspired to do the same. And she would let nothing get in the way of that, least of all some new partner she just got assigned to and was about to meet any minute now.

First Meeting *1

Barbara wasn’t exactly giddy at the prospect of getting a new partner. This was Blüdhaven, after all, a city that had more Big Belly Burgers than honest cops. She was not looking forward to having to look the other way whenever her new partner was accepting a bribe or something of that sorts (Blüdhaven PD did not take well to rats), while simultaneously having to keep an eye on them to stop them from crossing a line (she’d heard locker room talk from fellow officers who bragged about beating the shit out of petty criminals like it was something to be proud of). Her last partner, Officer Crowne, had been lazy and old, practically just waiting to go into retirement; he had let Barbara do her job in peace, as long as he got some undeserved recognition for some of their cases and didn’t have to do anything that involved getting up from his ass.

It hadn’t been a dream partnership, but in contrast to alternatives such as trigger-happy Officer Richter, misogynistic pig Penham or a ruthless brawler like Officer Hannity, Crowne had been the lesser evil by far.

Barbara’s eyes wandered to the wristwatch her father had given her for her college graduation: her new partner was already 5 minutes late. Great.

“Gordon!” The unmistakable, authoritative voice of Captain Mercklesone let Barbara know that the moment of truth was here; in his tow the captain had a dark-haired young man, who exuded a strange mixture of calm confidence and puppy-dog-like excitement.

Mercklesone just barely waited until the newbie had completely caught up with him, barked “Meet your new partner, Officer Richard Grayson,” towards Barbara and, without any further words, stormed off in direction of his office.

Taken aback by this sudden exit, Grayson stared after Mercklesone’s retreating figure with a disbelieving look on his face, which gave Barbara an opportunity to take her new partner in more closely: She would guess that he was a little younger than her (so he probably was a complete rookie, oh boy), was about her height and looked pretty fit (he’d probably just left the academy, Barbara supposed), so he’d hopefully not drag her down too much.

Grayson turned around to face her and Barbara could see that he had pretty dark blue eyes and an easy smile, which he was now flashing at her. Barbara couldn’t help but notice that her new partner was ridiculously handsome. But he also looked strangely familiar.

“So, um, hi. I’m sorry for being late, took a little longer to get my uniform and gun,” Grayson explained apologetically, holding out a hand that Barbara grabbed for a short, but firm shake.

“Officer Barbara Gordon,” she properly introduced herself, “welcome to the Blüdhaven PD.”

Upon hearing her name, the newbie squinted his eyes, “Are you by any chance related to Gotham City’s Police Commissioner James Gordon?”

‘A Gothamite’, Barbara realized, surprised. You didn’t meet many Gothamites in Blüdhaven. Gotham City on its own already wasn’t really the nicest place to live in; people who lived there usually didn’t feel the need to migrate to their even worse-off sister city...

“If you think being his daughter counts as a relation, then, sure,” Barbara joked, affirming the newbie’s question. While the words were leaving her lips, the penny finally dropped and she suddenly realized why her new partner looked familiar: he was the Richard Grayson, adopted son and heir to billionaire Bruce Wayne, or the “Prince of Gotham”, as the tabloids liked to call the man who owned half the city!

“Well, the apple obviously didn’t fall far from the tree,” Grayson said warmly, unaware of Barbara’s sudden epiphany, “I’m really looking forward to working with you.”

Barbara gave her new partner a scrutinizing look, trying to read him - Why would someone with roots in Gotham’s high society come to rotten Blüdhaven to work as an underpaid cop?!

She couldn’t shake the feeling that it was no coincidence that he got partnered up with the only Gothamite in their precinct; surely some strings had been pulled to make sure his partner knew that they had someone from Gotham’s ‘royalty’ before them...

“What are you doing here?” Barbara asked brusquely, not liking the idea of being some sort of piece in the game Blüdhaven’s corrupt higher-ups were playing.

Grayson looked at her with wide eyes, clearly taken aback by her sudden change in demeanor.

“I suppose the same thing as you?” he said haltingly, confusion evident on his face, “just wanting to help where I can. ‘Serve and protect’, right?”

That sounded sincere enough, if mightily naive. Maybe he really just wanted to do some good, though her superiors probably thought he needed babysitting. And Barbara had just proven with her prior partner that she could work around her partner’s lack of input. Great.

“Our shift starts tomorrow at four. Be here by three. And don’t be late.”

The Observation *²

The next day, her new partner was at the precinct at three o’clock sharp, looking both nervous and excited. Barbara took him with her to the briefing room, where he listened to Mendelsohn‘s rambling briefing with intense concentration. Well, Grayson was definitely putting effort into this. For now at least.

She and her new partner were assigned the observation of 2741 Bowline Street. Apparently the apartment complex was the residence of the girlfriend of Digby Carnes, a robber with a long rap sheet of holdups going back to grade school, and Detective Division was hoping their perp would show up there. It wasn’t the most promising lead, but a lead nonetheless.

Barbara reasoned that there wasn’t much that her new partner could screw up during the observation. Plus, this could be the perfect opportunity to figure Grayson out.

Half an hour into the observation and Barbara had found out one important thing about her new partner: he just couldn’t sit still. He had started with occasionally shifting in his seat while asking some questions about their perp and then some about his new fellow officers. Barbara had barely noticed it then. It was after Barbara had answered all of his questions and a silence had fallen over them, when it caught her attention: the wiggling of his foot, the squirming in his seat, the erratic rhythm his fingers tapped against his thigh - it was driving Barbara up the wall.

“Would you please stop that?”

“Stop what?” Grayson asked confused, completely unaware of the restlessness he was exhibiting.

“That,” Barbara said, pointing to his left leg, which he was currently bouncing up and down. “You’ve been fidgeting the entire time since we’ve started our surveillance and it drives me crazy.”

“Oh,” Grayson said sheepishly, stopping his wiggling at once. “Sorry.”

For a few minutes, both cops continued their observation in complete silence and stillness.

But all too soon the finger tapping started up again. Barbara let out a deep sigh.

“You hungry?” Grayson said half an hour later, gesturing towards a food cart one block down the street.

She didn’t feel particularly hungry, but Barbara figured that a quick snack couldn’t hurt (especially if that meant a few minutes of calm), so she said: “Sure.”

“What would you like?” Grayson asked, an intent look on his face when he took her order.

Just as Barbara was about to pull out some money, her new partner waved it aside, telling her he “got it.”

That almost made Barbara feel bad for being so annoyed with him (or rather, his fidgetiness). When the bouncing in his leg returned ten minutes into their stakeout snack, she felt a lot less bad, though. She did notice him stopping his wiggling whenever he became aware of it - the following stillness lasted maybe about five minutes, but Barbara appreciated the effort.

Instead of blowing a fuse as she normally would have by now, she just ground her teeth together, praying for their perp to make an appearance.

It took Carnes two excruciating hours before he finally strolled down the street.

Barbara was pretty sure that her teeth were completely ruined by then.

The Bar *³

It had been two weeks after the rocky start of their partnership and they had just apprehended a car burglar. Grayson hadn’t been such a hindrance after all and even helped her at some point. Barbara was finally starting to warm up to her new partner and she felt in a celebratory mood - so she decided to invite him for a drink at Hogan’s Alley, a popular cop bar in Melville Section.

Her new partner looked positively elated. Poor guy, after all the crap she had given him, he apparently was now over the moon for something as simple as regular after-work-bonding. Maybe she had been too hard on him.

“Welcome to Hogan’s Alley,” Barbara said, leading Grayson inside the familiar and always crowded place, “it’s kind of the hangout for Blüdhaven cops.”

Grayson surprised her with his reply: “Oh, I know. I know this place well.”

“You do?”

Grayson didn’t necessarily strike Barbara as the kind of person that would spend a lot of time drinking in bars...

But as if to confirm his claim, Barbara’s partner easily navigated the crammed room to find them two empty seats at the end of the bar, where he was cordially greeted by the owner himself:

“Grayson! So you’ve finally found your way back here, huh?” “Hello, Mr. Hogan, it’s nice to see you again. How’s Michael?” 

“He’s doing really well… Does his homework like a good boy, helps me out sometimes on the weekends… I think he has settled in just fine.”

“That’s great to hear.” Grayson now turned his attention back to Barbara, who had observed the exchange with puzzlement, “Mr. Hogan, meet my partner, -”

“Gordon, if I recall correctly,” Hogan said, eyeing Barbara intently, “you used to come here with Crowne occasionally, right?”

“That’s right,” Barbara nodded, impressed by the man’s memory. She must have been here maybe six times over the span of her two years on the force.

“And now you’re partnered up with this one, huh?” Hogan said amused, nodding in Grayson’s direction. “How’s he doing so far?”

Grayson suddenly looked a little nervous. Poor soul.

“Not half bad, I’d say,” Barbara answered nonchalantly, a smile tugging at her lips.

Barbara noticed the tenseness in her partner’s shoulders disappear and saw that he was sporting a much more relaxed expression on his face now. She hadn’t realized that he would be this worried about her judgement.

Hogan seemed to have noticed, too; the bar owner let out a chuckle before taking their orders and serving the two cops their drinks, while chatting with them companionably. He then turned his attention back to his other customers.

Barbara looked expectantly at Grayson, who was now sipping on his drink, oblivious to her stare.

“So,” she said, unable to ignore the curiosity that had been sparked after watching the unaffected interaction between her partner and the bar owner, “how come you know Hogan so well?”

“Well, I worked here until I finally got into the BPD.”

Barbara couldn’t help the disbelief she felt seep into her words: “You worked here?!”

“Yeah,” Grayson affirmed casually before giving her a very piercing look: “Despite what you might think, I’m no stranger to work.”

Barbara felt her cheeks redden. This had been the first thought on her mind.

Grayson shifted on his stool, now fully facing her, a solemn expression on his face. Barbara felt herself leaning towards him.

“Look, Barbara, you’re smart and a Gothamite - I’m sure you know whose adoptive son I am.”

Barbara couldn’t help but be surprised that Grayson was openly addressing his connections now; he had made no allusions whatsoever to his high society ties these past two weeks - despite her harsh treatment of him throughout all this time.

“But I can assure you that I’m not one of these spoiled rich kids who think that they are edgy for mingling with the ‘plebs’ until they get bored and then return home where everything is ready to fall into their laps, that’s just not who I am nor who I want to be. Heck, that’s the whole reason why I left Gotham for Blüdhaven in the first place: to get out of Bruce’s shadow and forge my own path.”

“And your path leads you to Blüdhaven’s rotten police force?” Barbara asked, genuinely curious.

“Yeah, I think so…” Grayson said quietly, his voice now barely above a whisper, causing Barbara to lean in closer, “I told you that I just wanna help where I can, and if there is any city in desperate need of good, honest cops, it’s the ‘haven, isn’t it? I mean, isn’t that exactly why you’re here, too?”

Grayson locked eyes with Barbara and the intensity and honesty she was met with made her wonder how she could have ever believed him to be a spoiled airhead.

“I guess so,” Barbara admitted in an equally hushed tone.

Her response was greeted with a quick, faint smile.

“You see, you and I, we both know why we need good cops.”

Barbara immediately thought of her dad, who had seen a city worth saving in Gotham, just as she was seeing now in Blüdhaven, and she thought of a young boy who had lost his parents through a most violent tragedy, orchestrated by mob boss Zucco, and who had been adopted by Gotham’s most famous billionaire and was now looking right at her.

“Yeah, we both do…” Barbara said earnestly, causing Grayson to flash her a warm smile and reassume his relaxed position from before; the tension that had surrounded them dissipated immediately.

Barbara couldn’t help feeling bad for assuming the worst when she’d found out who her new partner was.

“I’m sorry I have been so hard on you the past two weeks,” she apologized, while nervously fiddling with her drink, “I couldn’t help but be suspicious that you were partnered up with the only other Gothamite in the precinct...”

“Yeah, I get it; it took me by surprise, too - kinda undermined the whole reason why I relocated...”

“Tired of being treated like Gotham royalty, ‘Richie Grayson’?” Barbara said teasingly.

“You have no idea,” Grayson said, shuddering at the use of the name the tabloids were fond of calling him,”just hearing that name makes me feel phony.”

“So what else should I call you, Grayson? Richard?”

“Actually, my friends call me Dick.”

Barbara raised an eyebrow, unable to hide her smirk, “Are you sure they are your friends?”

Grayson just rolled his eyes.

“Ha-ha, very funny,” he said dryly, before giving her an curious look, “What about you? What do your friends call you? ‘Babs’?”

“Not really; plain old “Barbara” usually does the trick…” Barbara said, not bothering to mention that there hadn’t been that many friends to call her nicknames in the first place.

“Shame... Now that I said it, I feel like Babs would actually suit you…”

“Well, knock yourself out; I don’t think I’ll mind you using it, Dick,” Barbara said, shrugging.

Grayson gave her a delighted smile, “If you say so, Babs.”

Barbara couldn’t help but let out a snort.

“This is so weird,” she felt the need to point out, all of a sudden acutely aware of how bizarre her life has become, “three weeks ago, I never would have thought that I would sit in a bar, chatting with the Richard Grayson, discussing nicknames…”

Dick scrunched up his nose when Barbara stressed his name that way, clearly not comfortable with its underlying connotation.

“Please don’t have any illusions that I actually fit in that high society world; I was born and raised in a traveling  circus... I suffered from a complete culture shock when I attended my first Wayne Gala - apparently it’s not proper etiquette to hang from a chandelier while the hors d’oeuvres are being served.”

The vivid picture her imagination provided her with made Barbara laugh.

Dick grinned, then continued: “And all things considered, I think I grew up very normally - I even went to public school and all that.”

“Really? Why that?”

Dick leaned closer to his partner in a conspirative manner. Now really intrigued, Barbara found herself mirroring his movement.  

“You don’t get to hang around girls much when you’re being home-schooled, you know,” he said, a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

Barbara rolled her eyes but couldn’t help laughing, playfully swatting his arm, “Ugh, and just when I was starting to like you.”

Looking positively gleeful, Dick gave a dramatic gasp: “Oh, so it’s happening? I’m finally winning you over?”

“Sorry buddy, but that comment just set you back another two weeks.”

To be continued... here.

Notes: 

*1

Nightwing #48: Mercklesone is the person that calls Dick to tell him that there is a position free at the BPD - he is not a police captain, but since I wasn’t sure who actually was the captain of Dick’s precinct, I decided to go with that name; it’s also the issue when Dick starts his job at the BPD; his partner, Amy Rohrbach, is not especially happy to work with him, because she thinks that he is “buds” with some of the corrupt higher-ups (she is not completely wrong - seems like the shifty Inspector Mac Arnot character arranged for Dick to be hired... I don’t remember if there was a specific reason why; he and Dick went to the academy at the same time - although Arnot rarely every attended the classes... he had his “connections”)  

Nightwing #61: Richter is another officer at the BPD; he’s a douchebag and we’re gonna meet him in the next chapter 

Nightwing #64: Hannity is another of Dick’s fellow officers; Dick has seen him “beat a suspect raw”

*²

Nightwing #64: Mendelsohn is one of Dick’s fellow officers in this issue.

Nightwing Secret Files and Origins #1: Bowline Street is a real street in Blüdhaven; at least according to this map (right upper corner)

Nightwing #49: Dick and Amy observe the apartment of Digby Carnes in this issue. Dick does not fidget during that observation (he’s been trained to be a detective since the age of nine in the comics, he can sit through a boring observation; plus, he’s sleep-deprived in that scene in the comic because he’s also a friggin’ superhero), but you can tell that he’s bored and dying for some action

*³

Nightwing #4: Dick gets a job as a bartender at Hogan’s Alley; the owner, Hank Hogan, is a former cop 

Nightwing #12:  the "Michael" (sometimes also called “Mike”) Dick is referring to is the street kid "Mutt", who tries to break into Dick's apartment; when Dick realizes that the kid has nowhere to go, he arranges for Hogan to take the boy in, giving Michael a home :) Michael make is helping out at the bar in Nightwing #42, when Dick celebrates his graduation from the academy with Clancy, his landlady

Nightwing Secret Files and Origins #1: according to this map from this issue, Melville Section is an actual district of Blüdhaven, although I have no idea if Hogan’s Alley is located there ^^;

Robin: Year One #1: Dick’s joke about girls being a perk of going to public school is something I burrowed from that issue ;)

[thebookwormfairy]

Captain the Retired Police Dog and His Puppies Part 4

The puppies are here!!!!! The puppies are finally coming!

Captain Masterlist

Part 3

After that Marinette spent the day with Harley, Ivy, and Edwin it seemed they popped up around the Manor more often

Usually it was just to say hi, and in Edwin's case to flirt with Marinette

Not that she paid the flirting any mind she was very happy with Damian and only saw Edwin as a friend

And Edwin was respectful and backed off when Marinette said he had gone to far

And finally it was time!

Ace was having her puppies!

And Marinette was alone!

It was a little past midnight when Marinette woke up to find Damain gone and Ace in labor and Captain freaking out

Marinette jumped out of bed and rush over to the 2 german sheperds

Marinette: Hey it's okay. Calm down

Marinette rubbed Ace's head to comfort her

Captain still freaking out: What should we do Marinette? What should we do?

Ace: Darling you are freaking out more then me. Calm down.

Captain sitting besides Marinette: You're right, you're right. I have to he strong for our children

Captain sunk down and place his head on top of Ace: But what if something happens

Marinette: Dont worry you two I'm sure whatever villian Damian is beating up right now can wait.

Marinette frantically dialed Damian's number

It turns out that the bat fam were in the middle of a taken down one of Penguin's lesser skeems

Robin was literal beating up a henchman when a song about angles blasted from his pocket

It caught everybody so off gaurd that everybody good and bad paused and stared at Robin

Robin: Sorry, I have to take this

Robin pulled his phone out and hit answered

Robin: Hey Ang-

Marinette: ACE IS HAVING HER PUPPIES NOW!!!!

Robin putting his phone on mute: Bathound is having her puppies?!?!

Jason: The puppies are coming?

Marinette: YES! Can you finish what ever Robin business you're doing and come back?

Marinette eyes widen when she realized that she let it slipped that she knew about the Wayne family's nightly activities

Damian's eyes also widen before a now common lovesick grin spread across his face

Robin: Of course you figured it out Angle

Marinette blushing: Sorry I was going to wait until you were ready to tell me.

Robin: It's okay Angle I'll be there soon this really isnt a big deal I've just been playing with this guy anyway. He's completely incompetent

Henchman: Hey that's rude

Robin didn't listen to

Robin: Batman I will be leaving now

Redhood: I'm going with him!

Red Robin: No fair I wanted to sse Bathound give birth too

Batman sighing and turning to Penguin: Any chance we can cut this short?

Penguin: Yeah besides this jewel isn't worth the trouble if we don't

Batman: Thank you sorry about this

Penguin: No problem bats, I do request a picture of the puppies after they're born

Batman: I'm sure the children will make sure everybody they see has pictures of the puppies

When the Waynes got back and changed they rushed to Damian's room to see Ace giving birth to her third puppy

Marinette looked up at the sound of the door opening

Marinette: I'm so glad y'all came back in time. So far we have 3 healthy puppies

Damian rushed over to Ace to do a quick look over of the puppies that were already born making sure they were all okay

Marinette: So far so good they've been coming pretty quickly

Damian grabbing Marinette's face and kissing her: You are truly amazing Angel

The Wayne family and Marinette watch in fascination as 5 more puppies came in to the world in the span of 3 hours

Marinette: I can't believe it 8 puppies!

Captain nuzzling Ace: 8 puppies! Can you believe it my Love 8 puppies!!! You did fantastic! And all our puppies are absolutely beautiful!!!

Ace exhausted: That's wonderful Darling

Captain: Rest now my Love I'll watch over our children

Ace falling asleep: Thank you dear

Captain started sniffing his children nudging them towards their mother so they can stay fed and warm

Tim: They are so tiny! Can we keep them Bruce?

Bruce: Jason we can not keep 9-10 German Sheperds, a Turkey, cat, and cow

Jason: You also shouldn't be able to keep half the kids you adopt yet here we are

Bruce pinching the bridge of his nose: We'll have to see

Marinette: Dont worry Jason even if you don't keep all of them we'll find good homes for them

Harley:We heard the puppies have arrived!

Harley and Ivy burst into the room carrying balloons and plush dog toys for the puppies

Marinette: Harley! Ivy! What are you two doing here?

Harley: Alfred was a doll and called us! Edwin would've been here too but he's hanging out with friends for the week

Damian whispering to Marinette: Thank goodness

Marinette gently elbowed Damian in the ribs: Be nice

Harley: Oh my goodness Iv look at this one!

Harley gently lifts one of the puppies who had brown fur half way up all his legs

Harley: Omg it looks like his paws were dipped in Pudding! Can we keep him?

Ivy: We don't even know if they're up for adoption

Bruce seeing the future if he doesn't find the puppies a home: Please take one

Harley: Awesome! But we'll have to wait 8 week right?

Damian: That's right

The next day after everybody got some rest as the new parents spent more time with their puppies

And Marinette sat down with the Waynes

Damian was sitting besides Marinette as she fidgeted with her fingers

Marinette: So I know you are Batman, Red Hood, Red Robin, and Robin

Tim totally unconcincing: What?! No... That's impossible....Where would you get an idea like that...

Eveybody in the room gave Tim an unimpressed look

Tim: Okay I'm not fooling anybody. You are good Marinette

Marinette: Thank you

Bruce: I trust that you won't be telling anybody about this

Damian: Father!

Marinette: It's okay Damian. You can trust me Mr. Wayne, because I have my own secret. I'm also a super hero called Ladybug

Waynes: What?!

Tikki flew out of Marinette's pocket

Marinette: Let me show you, Tikki?

Tikki: Ready Marinette

Marinette: Okay, Tikki Spots On!

As Marinette transformed the other inhabitants in the room stared as the girl transformed into her hero form

Damian with a love struck smile: Just when I thought I couldn't love you anymore Angel

Marinette: Tikki Spots Off

Marinette detransforms, but Tikki stayed out were the Waynes could see her

Tikki: Hi my name's Tikki I'm Marinette's kwami

Kaalki: Does this mean I can finally stop hiding my beautiful self

Kaalki came out of Marinette's other pocket that held her miraculous

Marinette: And this is Kaalki the kwami of teleportation

Bruce: I feel like you have a lot to tell us Marinette

Marinette: That is correct but first. I as one of the heroes of Paris officially request assistance from the Justice league with the situation in Paris

Damian: What situation?

@felicityroth @northernbluetongue @mystery-5-5 @sidefrienda @tbehartoo @hypnosharkrebeldreamer @sonif50 @t-nikki10 @dawnwave16 @nach0

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[captainthach]

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[supercoolgamesstuff-blog]

The Geek's Guide To Movies In 2020

New Post has been published on https://www.coolgamingzone.com/the-geeks-guide-to-movies-in-2020-6/

The Geek's Guide To Movies In 2020

With 2020 looking to be a great year for video games, we wanted to look ahead at all of the movies plotted out for the new year. While the Marvel Cinematic Universe is in a state of refresh following the cataclysmic events of Endgame and Star Wars is taking a breather on the heels of The Rise of Skywalker, there are plenty of films in nerd culture to look forward to this year.

Check out our list below and start planning which ones you’re going to leave the comfort of your house for, and which you’ll probably wait until they’re streaming to see.

Winter

Dolittle – January 17

We’ve previously seen the likes of Eddie Murphy and Rex Harrison take up the role of Dr. Dolittle from the Hugh Lofting children’s books, and now we get to see how Robert Downey Jr. handles the role of the doctor who gains the ability to communicate with animals. Downey is joined by Antonio Banderas and Michael Sheen as live-action actors, while a star-studded cast with the likes of Rami Malek, John Cena, Emma Thompson, Kumail Nanjiani, Selena Gomez, and more handling the animal voices. Fans of Marvel movies will even be able to enjoy a psuedo-reunion between Iron Man and Spider-Man, as Tom Holland plays Jip, a dog who wears glasses.

Bad Boys for Life – January 17

Nearly 17 years later, the long-awaited conclusion to the Bad Boys film trilogy is finally here. Will Smith and Martin Lawrence return for one last action-packed showdown, this time taking on a cartel mob boss before retiring from their jobs at the police department.

Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) – February 7

The prevailing notion of 2016’s Suicide Squad is that while it wasn’t a great film, Margot Robbie does an excellent job giving Harley Quinn her live-action silver-screen debut. While 2021 will bring a new take on the Suicide Squad with a mix of new and returning cast members, in the meantime, Robbie returns as Harley in Birds of Prey. The storyline follows the crazed clown princess after she breaks up with Joker. However, she hasn’t completely escaped trouble, as Black Mask (played by Ewan McGregor) starts stirring things up. This film promises appearances from other beloved female superheroes like Black Canary, Huntress, and more, but according to Robbie, we shouldn’t expect to see Jared Leto’s Joker appear at all.

Sonic the Hedgehog – February 14

After outrage ensued following the reveal of the original design of Sonic the Hedgehog for the upcoming live-action film, Paramount pushed the release back to February 14, 2020 to create the version of Sega’s iconic blue hedgehog you see above. In addition to Ben Schwartz voicing Sonic, the live-action cast features James Marsden as Sonic’s friend Tom and Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik. In typical Sonic fashion, the story revolves around collecting rings and stopping Robotnik from conquering the world. Here’s hoping it can defy the odds and continue the trends set by live-action, game-inspired properties like Detective Pikachu of delivering an enjoyable end-product.

Onward – March 6

As the magic-using power of society diminishes thanks to the convenience of science, two teenage brothers set out on an adventure to recapture the abilities their world once wielded in order to save their father. This Pixar adventure stars Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and more.

Bloodshot – March 13

While Marvel and DC may reign supreme in the comic-book movie world, Valiant Comics is trying its hand at producing a blockbuster based on its property. Vin Diesel already looks and sounds (and has a name) like a comic-book character, but to this point, he’s been relegated to voicing a single line of dialogue for a sentient tree in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Bloodshot brings him out of the voice booth and into the spotlight as the eponymous technologically augmented killing machine on a quest for vengeance.

A Quiet Place: Part II – March 20

The tense first part, which stars John Krasinski and Emily Blunt, delivered a compelling and daunting tale of a family trying to survive in a world invaded by blind extra-terrestrial hunters who will tear anything they hear to shreds. Krasinski returns to the director’s chair once more, with Blunt joining the remaining cast in front of the camera.

Mulan – March 27

Disney’s live-action remakes with Aladdin, Dumbo, and The Lion King have consisted of varying degrees of quality, but everything of Mulan looks terrific. Those familiar with the source material will revel in seeing iconic scenes recreated in stunning live-action sequences, while the uninitiated will be able to enjoy the tale of Hua Mulan overcoming obstacles put in her way as a result of the Imperial Chinese Army’s perception of women as she strives to join the ranks of the military in place of her ailing father.

Spring

The New Mutants – April 3

Though Disney is poised to absorb the X-Men property into the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a part of its acquisition of Fox, the final 20th Century Fox Marvel film is set to release this April. The New Mutants was originally supposed to be a jumping off point for a trilogy based on the comics of the same name, but with the acquisition and Disney likely already putting things in motion to bring mutants and the X-Men into the nearly all-encompassing MCU, we’re not so sure how this fits into the Marvel puzzle.

No Time to Die – April 10

Daniel Craig takes up the mantle of 007 for the fifth time in No Time to Die. This time, he’s opposite Mr. Robot, Bohemian Rhapsody, and Until Dawn star Rami Malek. The story centers on a post-retirement James Bond who, predictably, gets sucked back into the secret agent lifestyle through the abduction of an important scientist.

Black Widow – May 1

After the events of last year’s climactic Avengers: Endgame (and the wrap up in Spider-Man: Far From Home), the Marvel Cinematic Universe has slowed down just a bit while it readies the stage for its next major narrative arc. Despite being set immediately after the events of Captain America: Civil War, Black Widow is said to serve as the jumping-off point for the next phase of the MCU. Whether that comes in the form of villain Taskmaster or some other way remains to be seen, but it will be great to finally see Natasha Romanoff take the spotlight for a long overdue solo film.

Scoob! – May 15

This origin story tells the tale (tail?) of how Scooby-Doo met the Mystery Inc. gang. With movie posters featuring puppy Scooby-Doo and the film possessing an endearing computer-generated art style, Scoob! looks like a cute and fun adventure for theater-goers of all ages. Throw in a voice cast featuring Will Forte, Zac Efron, Amanda Seyfried, Tracy Morgan, Ken Jeong, and Mark Wahlburg, and you can see the studio is hoping to create something more than simply another adventure with these beloved characters.

Fast & Furious 9 – May 22

For a series that started as a story about Paul Walker and Vin Diesel racing cars illegally at night with an occasional high-speed truck heist, the recent movies sure veer closer to the superhero genre than anything else. Who knows what we’ll see in the ninth mainline entry of the series: Tanks flying through the sky? Cars backflipping over bodies of water? Vin Diesel punching through a nuclear reactor? Sure. Why not? None of the plot matters, but that doesn’t mean these movies aren’t relentlessly entertaining thrill rides, and we can’t wait for the next entry. Oh, this one has John Cena and Cardi B.

Artemis Fowl – May 29

Based on the books from Eoin Colfer, Artemis Fowl is about a 12-year-old genius who comes from a family of brilliant criminals. However, when his father mysteriously vanishes, Artemis must investigate the disappearance, which kicks off an adventure. Disney has brought in a supporting cast that features Judi Dench, Josh Gad, and more to help tell the story.

Summer

Wonder Woman 1984 – June 5

As the sequel to the best film in the DC Extended Universe, Wonder Woman 1984 has lofty expectations placed on it by fans. Gal Gadot has shown to be the perfect casting for Diana Prince, and with Wonder Woman set to face off against both Maxwell Lord and Cheetah with a 1980s backdrop, it’s easy to see why this is one of the most anticipated DC live-action films in years.

Soul – June 19

Pixar makes this list for the second time with Soul, a film that features Tina Fey, Jamie Foxx, Questlove, Phylicia Rashad, and Daveed Diggs in both writer and voice-actor roles. The story is set to tell the tale of an aspiring jazz musician whose soul gets separated from his body. The dynamic duo of Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor are set to provide the score in what is sure to be a crowd-pleasing animated film.

Top Gun: Maverick – June 26

Set 30 years after the events of Top Gun, Maverick looks to do for the Top Gun series what all direct sequels that come 30 years later do: revitalize the series with a mix of heavy-handed nostalgia from the original cast while giving the audience reason to be excited for the future thanks to a charming cast of new characters. Top Gun: Maverick places a keen focus on Maverick, reprised by Tom Cruise. With a story that involves the son of Maverick’s late best friend Goose, and Val Kilmer returning to the role of Iceman, this sequel has all the nostalgic trappings fans of the original are likely looking for.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife – July 10

Set 30 years after the events of Ghostbusters II, Afterlife looks to do for the Ghostbusters series what all direct sequels that come 30 years later do: revitalize the series with a mix of heavy-handed nostalgia from the original cast while giving the audience reason to be excited for the future thanks to a charming cast of new characters. As you might expect, much of the core original cast returns in unknown capacities, but we’re just excited to see Bill Murray as Peter Venkman once again – we just hope he has a bigger role in Afterlife than Luke Skywalker had in The Force Awakens.

Purge – July 10

With creator James DeMonaco saying the 2020 entry will be the final entry in the series, those who have been following the franchise are hoping the team can close it out in a satisfying manner. Unfortunately, not many details are available at the moment, but Everardo Gout is set to direct.

Tenet – July 17

Christopher Nolan films always garner a certain level of attention, but Tenet was off many fans’ radars until IMAX theatergoers were treated to an extended Prologue for the film before screenings of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. A secret agent with the ability to time travel must use his powers to prevent World War III in what is sure to be a mind-bending, action-packed film that hits way too close to home in 2020.

Bob’s Burgers: The Movie – July 17

After the success of The Simpson’s Movie, Fox hopes to effectively transition another one of its beloved animated series to the silver screen with Bob’s Burgers: The Movie. The voice cast from the popular show returns for what is being described as a “musical comedy.”

Jungle Cruise – July 24

Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt headline the newest Disney film to be based on a Disney ride – hey, it worked for Pirates of the Caribbean. The group heads out into the jungle in search of the Tree of Life while avoiding dangerous wildlife and racing a rival expedition.

Morbius – July 31

Jared Leto may not be in the Birds of Prey film, but that doesn’t mean comic book fans will be completely deprived of his acting. The Thirty Seconds to Mars frontman and (former?) Joker actor steps into the role of Michael Morbius in the newest film in Sony’s Marvel Universe based on the characters surrounding Spider-Man.

Bill & Ted Face the Music – August 21

Set 30 years after the events of Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey, Bill & Ted Face the Music looks to do for the Bill & Ted series what all direct sequels that come 30 years later do: revitalize the series with a mix of heavy-handed nostalgia from the original cast while giving the audience reason to be excited for the future thanks to a charming cast of new characters. This August, Keanu Reeves will take some time out of running around Night City in Cyberpunk 2077 with us to join Alex Winter on yet another nostalgic time-travel romp.

Fall

Monster Hunter – September 4

If Capcom has demonstrated one thing with its loose game-to-film adaptations, it’s that it loves Paul W.S. Anderson and Milla Jovovich. The spousal combo that ran and starred in the Resident Evil films respectively returns to similar roles in Monster Hunter. Milla Jovovich stars as Natalie Artemis, a captain in the United Nations military team. Her team falls into a portal that leads to an alternate world full of giant monsters, and the adventure begins to save Earth from the invading beasts. Did I mention it’s only loosely based on the games?

The King’s Man – September 18

A prequel to the over-the-top action franchise Kingsman, The King’s Man tells the story of a man who must stop a group of history’s worst tyrants and criminals in order to save the world from a devastating war. If you’ve seen the first two movies, you probably have an idea of what to expect, but having it set in the early 1900s and starring a completely different cast gives us something new to look forward to.

Venom 2 – October 2

Two years after one of Spider-Man’s biggest rivals kicked off Sony’s Spider-Man-less SpiderVerse, Venom is back for a direct sequel. Tom Hardy returns to the role of Eddie Brock, while Woody Harrelson looks to deliver on the post-credit tease of his interpretation of the popular and brutal villain Carnage. Additionally, rumors have circulated that Tom Holland could have a small role in the film, which would connect Spidey (and potentially the MCU) to the Sony SpiderVerse.

Snake Eyes – October 16

The G.I. Joe film franchise has been dormant since Retaliation in 2013, so it would make sense to bring it back with a prequel film telling the origin story of one of the most popular characters in the series. Previously played by Darth Maul actor Ray Park, the titular character is now portrayed by Crazy Rich Asians star Henry Golding.

The Eternals – November 6

While Black Widow kicks off Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in May, The Eternals looks to continue it by telling an extraordinarily different kind of story. Taking place over the course of multiple millennia, theatergoers will learn about this immortal alien race created by the Celestials. The Eternals also signals the entry point to the MCU for several high-profile actors including Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Kumail Nanjiani, and Kit Harrington.

Holiday

Godzilla vs. Kong – November 20

Legendary’s MonsterVerse comes to a head with Godzilla vs. Kong, the fourth film in the franchise. Bringing the Godzilla that has starred in 2014’s Godzilla and 2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters face to face with the King Kong from 2017’s Kong: Skull Island should be an exciting cinematic affair for those who love kaiju films. The human actors are often meant to convey that everyone is afraid and things are out of control, and Legendary has tasked Alexander Skarsgård and Millie Bobby Brown in those roles.

Dune – December 18

Based on the classic novel of the same name, Dune adapts the first half of the iconic science-fiction book with a star-studded cast. Those who watch the film will see the novel brought to life by actors like Timothée Chalamet, Oscar Isaac, Zendaya, Josh Brolin, Dave Bautista, and Stallan Skarsgård.

West Side Story – December 18

The beloved musical gets a modern interpretation. Directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler, this story of forbidden love is said to follow the original script more closely than the 1961 film many know.

Coming 2 America – December 18

Set 30 years after the events of Coming to America, Coming 2 America looks to do for the Coming to America series what all direct sequels that come 30 years later do: revitalize the series with a mix of heavy-handed nostalgia from the original cast while giving the audience reason to be excited for the future thanks to a charming cast of new characters. Eddie Murphy returns to star, joined by a star-studded cast featuring Arsenio Hall, Jermaine Fowler, Leslie Jones, Tracy Morgan, Wesley Snipes, James Earl Jones, and more.

Tom and Jerry – December 23

The timeless and iconic dynamic of Tom and Jerry makes its way to the big screen just in time to close out the year. This time, the classic animated series joins the trend of animated characters joining the live-action world. It will be interesting to see how the eternal game of cat and mouse translates to this latest cinematic trend this holiday season.

For our list of the games coming out in 2020, check out our constantly updated list.

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This story was reprinted with permission from the Ole Miss Alumni Review.

“What would you do tomorrow if you didn’t get paid for it?” is the question Mike Stewart (BPA 75, MCJ 78) of Oxford-based Wildrose Kennels challenges people to ask themselves when they want to know the secret of his success. They pick his brain because they know he pulled a complete career 180 with optimal results.

Today, Stewart, 60, certainly gets paid for what he pursued [he’s even graced the cover of Forbes magazine as the purveyor of a “recession-proof” business], but it didn’t happen overnight. You could say it’s been generations in the making.

“My father was a horse trainer and a really good one,” says Stewart. “But I’ve always gravitated to dogs.”

In high school, Stewart even wrote a biology paper on dog training, delving into dog behaviors.

“I think the teacher just let me get by with it because I couldn’t do anything else in biology,” he says. “I’ve always been blessed to live an outdoor lifestyle around animals. So many people today were born two and three generations away from the farm, so they’ve lost a lot of aptitude for how animals think and how they work. I grew up around animals, so I always had that in my back pocket.”

The back pocket he refers to was on a pair of rigid police uniform pants. The University of Mississippi grad went into law enforcement full-time in 1974 and spent seven years with the Oxford Police Department, working up from dispatcher to captain, before going to Ole Miss’ police department as chief of police in 1981. He also graduated from the FBI National Academy in 1989 and served in the U.S. Navy Reserve as a commander.

The entire time Stewart was in law enforcement, training dogs remained a hobby for him.

“I had beagles, treeing dogs,” he recalls. “I had obedience classes in town. I lived on Sisk then, and people would bring their dogs, and we’d work ’em. So, I’ve always worked with dogs, all the way back to junior high school. The interest has always been there and always been very keen.”

COPPING A NEW CAREER

In 1998, while chief of UPD, Stewart bought land east of Oxford, primarily, he says, to run beagles on. He soon ran a cattle business there and got into holistic gardening.

“I was always into the natural order of things and how crops grew, and grass-fed beef,” he says.

While dealing in cattle, he kept up his dog-training hobby, and he says these experiences with the natural way came to bear on his interest in dogs, to train them “in a more positive way — not using as much force but trying to take the natural ability of the dog, applying certain controls and then training the people to work their dogs better. It caught on.”

In the mid-’90s, Stewart found a kennel in Tennessee called Wildrose that was going out of business.

“I merged it with my operation here, and it took off fast enough that I had to get out of the cattle and get strictly into dog training,” he says.

But more than the cattle business would have to give.

“After that, I was faced with either cutting down on the dog side of things or retiring from Ole Miss,” says Stewart. “Most departments would open around 8 and be over at 5, whereas we ran around the clock, seven days a week. It was hard to get [the kennel business] going, so I faced leaving Ole Miss a little earlier than I anticipated. I enjoyed the work out there and the relationships, and things were going very well, but I couldn’t work all those shifts and keep up with all the manpower.”

In 2000, he made the break, and he hasn’t looked back.

His wife, Cathy, a former teacher who for 20 years directed the annual Faulkner and Yoknapatawpha Conference at Ole Miss, is his vice president of Wildrose Kennels. They live in a house within throwing distance of the Wildrose facility, on the same property. Stewart eases home for lunch or when he needs a little peace to work on what he’ll say as keynote speaker at various events for schools and groups.

THE WILDROSE WAY

Stewart has distilled his training methodology as “the Wildrose Way” and shares it with the hunting market on two DVDs and in one book, published last year.

“It’s our unique, balanced training philosophy,” he says. “We use a lot of positive reinforcement to engrain skills in the dog that are going to endure a lifetime.”

A pup, reporting to Stewart at around 8 months old, will stay an average of six months to experience the Wildrose Way — a dynamic curriculum to be sure.

“To be able to hunt upland in one minute and go down and handle duck hunting and hand signals on the water in another, that’s a lot to cover in five months, and most of them will stay about six,” Stewart says.

Wildrose focuses on one breed: British Labradors.

“All our genetics are original and authentic, imported from England and Northern Ireland,” Stewart says. “We breed them here and raise the pups. When I started, there was virtually nobody doing that — maybe one other kennel in the country. I had the only ad in Ducks Unlimited magazine in the 1990s; now there’s 16 to 18 ads. So, we’ve created divergence in the market. You’ve got the American Labrador and the British Labrador. When I started, there was no difference at all.”

Decades into honing his specific angle on Labs, Stewart knows what he wants.

“What we’re looking for in our dogs is their size, their athletic ability and their natural nose,” he says. “They’re a bit smaller and more compact than the average Labrador.”

Customers have options at Wildrose. Some buy “started” pups bred there — in black, yellow, chocolate or fox red — for $1,750 to $2,000. The owners then send them back to train. Others save some money by buying pups elsewhere and enrolling them at Wildrose for their education. Still others, willing to pay $12,000 to $15,000, get the “totally finished turnkey” job — buying a Wildrose-bred pup and leaving it with Stewart’s team until it’s 2 1/2 to 3 years old.

Certainly, to put it lightly, a customer must really enjoy hunting to outlay such an investment, and it’s no surprise Stewart says it’s worth the price. In the grand scheme of the hunting world, though, it does make sense.

“These dogs are not like bird dogs that you just take out and turn loose and kill some birds with them,” Stewart says. “These dogs live in your home and travel with you; they are 365-day dogs. When you look at it that way and you get around 10 years of companionship, and you amortize it out, it’s probably the cheapest thing the hunter owns — when you start looking at duck leases, fuel, corn and everything to produce the duck sites and hunt. It’s a pretty expensive hobby. The dog is probably only about $1 a day when you look at it.”

Oxonian and Ole Miss alum Bradley Rayner (BBA 00, BBA 02) got his “started” fox red Lab Nella as a pup from Wildrose and sent her back at 8 months of age for training for six months.

Rayner notes that the dogs aren’t the only ones getting an education.

“The things that Mike and his crew can accomplish with a dog are amazing,” Rayner says. “I know a number of people that have sporting dogs from Wildrose Kennels, and they are among the best in the field. The trainers work closely with you and play a critical role in your understanding of how to work your dog. The entire staff is friendly and willing to help you better your Wildrose dog, even after [the dog has] left training.”

You could say lifelong duck hunter Jeff Buckner, founder of financial planning firm Plancorp in St. Louis, is a believer in the Wildrose Way.

Buckner’s gotten three Wildrose Labs — one for himself, one for his son [who went to Ole Miss] and one for his grandson, so he’s more than qualified to be a part of a customer base he calls “the Wildrose community.” Buckner says his dog Rebel is the best duck dog at his club and swears the other members will vouch for him on that.

“Most of the non-Wildrose dogs I see in the field are pretty hyper and sometimes not very well-behaved in the blind, and that can be a problem,” says Buckner. “A big part of success in hunting is having total control over the dog.”

Buckner says Rebel has an “off switch” and can hang out at his office “with all the distractions going on without making a noise or disturbing anything, and then he’s capable of getting into the truck and going to the club and turning the switch back on in terms of high-powered performance in the field.”

Like Rayner, Buckner is a believer in the importance of the care Stewart takes to train owners.

Wildrose customers visit the Oxford facility for weekends at a time to learn how to properly handle their dogs. Stewart says being located in Oxford has worked out very well as an attractive community for folks from far away who are drawn to Wildrose.

Architect Heather Cass and her husband, Baltimore Ravens president Dick Cass, are both Yale graduates, so perhaps it’s natural that for a companion dog, they appreciate a Lab educated by the canine-training equivalent of an Ivy League professor.

Their last few dogs have been Labs, and a few years ago when her last Lab grew old, Heather Cass began contemplating how she could ever replace the beloved family member. The idea of starting over with a puppy in the home seemed daunting. That’s when she happened upon the Forbes article about Mike Stewart and Wildrose.

“I read it with interest, especially the part saying that they sell finished dogs,” Cass says. “One of the benefits of the whole investigation would be getting to come to Oxford because I’m a Faulkner fan and heard wonderful things about the town.”

About six months after the passing of her previous Lab in 2010, Cass visited Oxford and Wildrose Kennels.

She was floored by Stewart’s operation and impressed that he actually first asked her what she wanted out of a dog in her life. He invited her to check out one of his handler workshops so Cass could get to know the Stewarts, and they could get to know her, to better begin developing a plan for the right dog for her. She used one of their dogs in a workshop to get a feel.

“A few months later, Jack arrived in our life, and the rest is history,” Cass says. “We could not be happier with him but more importantly with the whole experience.”

BREEDING BUSINESS

In the mid-’90s, Stewart latched onto a succinct term: “Gentleman’s Gundog.” He picked up on it from a customer.

“I was training his dogs, and he mentioned that term one day,” Stewart says. “He was a stately gentleman with a big mustache. I thought, ‘I like that; I think I’ll keep it.’ It’s now the trademarked slogan of Wildrose Kennels, and Stewart says it helped gain his business a little more word-of-mouth.

“What kicked the can way down the road is when, in 2001, Ducks Unlimited gave us the contract for Drake, the first DU mascot,” Stewart says. “That was a huge long ball.”

The result was, Stewart says, that more people knew about Wildrose nationally in hunting circles than they did in Oxford. Drake now shows grey hair on his chin and is joined at Wildrose by Deke, the newer DU mascot.

“People come to Oxford and say, ‘We want to visit Wildrose,’ and people say, ‘What?’ They didn’t know where it was. Most [businesses] start locally and branch out; I did just the opposite.”

When Stewart retired from UPD in 2000, he had only one employee in his dog-training enterprise. He now has 14 to handle the many-pronged operation, including breeding puppies, training, running a full retail outfitter store on-site and an 1,800-square-foot vet-tech health care facility.

“Our vet-tech staff works from 6:30 in the morning to 9:30 at night, seven days a week.”

What’s more, Wildrose raises its own flight birds for training dogs. Five trainers come from different parts of the country. Some are Ole Miss alums, but the team includes staffers recruited from as far as Colorado and Wisconsin.

Originally, Wildrose’s scope was mostly breeding and some training, but training is now at least half of the operation.

“In the training, when we’re completely full, we manage about 100 dogs at one time,” Stewart says.

Training also isn’t limited to the Wildrose headquarters’ property in Lafayette County.

“We have now four facilities across the country. One is in northwest Arkansas on the Buffalo River, and we’re guests on a ranch in Colorado,” says Stewart. “The newest facility we just purchased … one of my partners and I are going to develop a duck-hunting operation in the Mississippi Delta. Each of those sites allows us to get realistic training for the dogs.”

In 2007, Stewart ventured outside the hunting dog paradigm, developing a training model for adventure dogs.

“That’s for people who don’t hunt that much, but the dogs complement a sporting lifestyle — hiking, biking, camping, canoeing.”

About five years ago came a third type of dog that Wildrose would produce: diabetic-alert dogs.

“We do a few of those, and it’s a nonprofit side of the company,” Stewart says of the Wildrose collaboration with the Tupelo-based CREATE Foundation.

THE OTHER SIDE

With all his success from what had been a lifelong hobby, Stewart offers some perspective from the other side for anyone mulling over the idea of turning a favorite hobby into a career.

“If you’re older in life and you want to follow a dream, and you have a passion — whether it’s a bicycle shop or pottery shop or whatever it is — get it going before you quit your day job,” he advises. “Do a good job there and get the other side going, and see if you can actually make a living at it. I was able to do that, and I was very fortunate.”

By Tad Wilkes. Photos by Nathan Latil. 

This story was reprinted with permission from the Ole Miss Alumni Review. The Alumni Review is published quarterly for members of the Ole Miss Alumni Association. Join or renew your membership with the Alumni Association today, and don’t miss a single issue.

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