#Hawaiian Computer Mystery

[vintagerpg]

OK, stick with me here. I bet you’re looking at The Hawaiian Computer Mystery (1985) and thinking, “well, that looks like a crummy pick-your-path book.” And you aren’t wrong! But you’re also not correct, either.

First off, the whole Making Choices series is built around teaching Christian lessons through their narratives, with characters who tend to exclaim things like “Lord Jesus, save me!” Even setting that to one side, this book has a deep commitment to aw-shucks corniness that I find hard to bear. What is sort of mystifying about the book, though, is that, Tardis-like, it seems to have an improbable number of storylines packed into its 150 pages.

Core concept: you won a videogame design contest and your prize is a trip to Hawaii and, maybe, a contract with the competition-organizing company. As soon as you arrive, however, a number of seemingly disparate mysteries try to intrude on your vacation. There’s a volcano and monsters in the volcano and spies and rival programmers and a haunted house and a giant bird and an angry whale and just a constant succession of new branches in the story. Amusingly, you can avoid all of them and focus on learning to surf at the beach in a sequence that is long enough to actually feel like a genuine ending rather than a time wasting gag. The substance of all of these various stories is questionable, but their construction is super interesting. I can’t think of an American gamebook with such a quirky and complex structure. Shame your character spends so much time praying, though.

[doomandgloomfromthetomb]

Prairiewolf -Deep Time

One more plug for Prairiewolf's new album — Deep Time! It's out today on digital, LP and CD (the latter edition with a mystery bonus disc 👻). Very proud of it, though it's really Jeremy and Stefan who make this shit sound so good. Also shout-outs to Matt Loewen for his insanely great clarinet solo on "Revisionist Mystery;" Sean Conrad for his expert mastering; our labels Centripetal Force (North America) and Worried Songs (UK/Euro). And thanks to anyone out there who listens! I'll shut up now, but after the jump, you can read what one of our favorite writers, Brent Sirota, had to say about the album:

Prairiewolf make easy listening music for an age of fracture. They almost do it in spite of themselves. No one can seriously question the head music bona fides of the members of this Colorado-based trio. Guitarist Stefan Beck has already assembled a formidable discography of jewel-toned guitar zone-outs under his Golden Brown moniker. And keyboardist and guitarist Jeremy Erwin and bassist Tyler Wilcox have both made their reputations as chroniclers of the vast world of out music. Erwin helms the indispensable Heat Warps blog, a performance-by-performance archive of Miles Davis’s labyrinthine electric period. And Wilcox has been covering the ragged edges of psychedelia and experimental rock at Aquarium Drunkard and other publications, not to mention his own virtual basement for heads, the great bootleg blog Doom and Gloom from the Tomb. These guys come by it honestly. And yet, given their backgrounds, Prairiewolf’s self-titled debut last spring was remarkably free of face-melters, brown acid blowouts, and ascendant spiritual jazz odysseys. Instead, they dropped a record of beautiful, elegant, low-key cosmic groovers that sounded like the piped-in background music to a resort hotel on Jupiter. It was an unlikely psychedelia, brocaded with mid-twentieth century sonic threading from the hi-fi era: vintage synthesizers, smears of spaghetti western, luxe tropical details, the faint schmaltz of space age pop. Imagine something like a Harmonia residency in the airport lounge. And yet somehow it all worked brilliantly. Prairiewolf became last summer’s cool-down standard.

After a year woodshedding around Colorado’s Front Range region, the Prairiewolf boys have fired up their trusty Korg SR-120 drum machine for another outstanding collection of suborbital exotica. The appropriately titled Deep Time operates in its own chronology, unspooling at its unhurried pace. All its incongruous period and stylistic references—the new age pulses, Hawaiian steel, shaggy hippie rambles, lysergic guitar spirals, and orchestral synthesizer flourishes—float atop the album’s own singular temporality. Deep Time makes its own time. From the moment Beck folds his slide guitar, origami-like, into a sound resembling the call of gulls on the tranquil album opener, “Peach Blossom Paradise,” there is a sense of departure from everyday life. The shimmering “Lighthouse” has a similar sunbaked nonchalance, like an afternoon passed day-drinking in a seaside bar. That they named their lush, kaleidoscopic downtempo track “The Meander” pretty much says it all. The ranging, propulsive “Saying Yes to Everything” seems like a nod in the direction of Rose City Band’s brand of wookie krautrock. And the motorik noir of “Demon Cicadas in the Night” also goes hard. Beck and Erwin’s intertwined guitar jam on the eerie album standout “The Cold Curve” evolves into something that sounds like primitive computer music. A genteel bassline from Wilcox on another album highlight, “Revisionist Mystery,” sets the stage for a loopy space jazz turn from guest clarinetist Matt Loewen of Rayonism. The title of post-rock cowboy tune “Another Tomorrow” might refer to the alternative future that so many critics heard in the music of Prairiewolf’s first album. Or it might simply refer to the persistence of time, however deep.

Either way, I’m thankful for the way Prairiewolf make each of their tunes a little oasis or sanctuary, each subsisting according to its own crystalline little logic for a few minutes. It is no simple task to filter out the omnipresent anger and anxiety of everyday life these days. But Prairiewolf are out here making it seem easy.

Brent S. Sirota

[mriyawaki]

⠀⠀⠀𝓢he lost herself in the trees, among the ever-changing leaves. She wept beneath the wild sky as stars told stories of ancient times.⠀⠀⊹₊ ⋆⠀⠀The flowers grew towards her light, the river called her name at night. She could live an ordinary life with the mysteries of the universe hidden in her eyes.

✦⠀⠀ ⁄ ⠀⠀ PERSONAL INFORMATION.

BIRTH NAME :  miyawaki sakura (宮脇咲良) KOREAN NAME :  kim yoonah (김윤아) NICKNAMES :  kkura, kirby, saki PRONOUNS :  she / her

DATE OF BIRTH :  march 19, 1998 PLACE OF BIRTH :  kagoshima city, kagoshima, japan AGE :  twenty-six ZODIAC :  sun in pisces, moon in scorpio MBTI :  intp LANGUAGES :  japanese (native), korean (fluent), english (basic) NATIONALITY :  japanese

RELATIONSHIP STATUS :  single LOVE INTEREST :  seo changbin PAST RELATIONSHIP(S) :  choi soobin ROMANTIC ORIENTATION :  biromantic SEXUAL ORIENTATION :  bisexual

✦⠀⠀ ⁄ ⠀⠀ PROFESSIONAL INFORMATION.

STAGE NAME :  sakura (さくら) YEARS ACTIVE :  2011 — present AGENCY :  source music  ∙  a.m. entertainment CURRENT GROUP :  le sserafim FORMER GROUP(S) :  hkt48  ∙  akb48  ∙  iz*one DEBUT DATE :  may 2, 2022 FANDOM NAME :  fearnot POSITIONS :  vocalist, rapper, dancer TRAINING PERIOD :  six years, eleven months

✦⠀⠀ ⁄ ⠀⠀ EXTRA INFORMATION.

sakura loves to play video games (especially overwatch), and used to post regularly on a gaming youtube channel; fans have even gifted her things like a ps4 and nintendo switch in the past

her favorite place to be is in her bed, next to her computer — she likes to lay there, listening to music she likes while she plays games (especially when she’s gotten something new)

growing up, she used to want to be a doctor

her favorite flower (shockingly) is the sakura; when she sees them, there's a familiar feeling, like they’re family.

she hates when her apples aren’t crunchy, and also spiders

sakura's favorite shaved ice syrup flavor is strawberry with condensed milk, but when she was a kid, she had a mysterious policy of not eating anything other than blue hawaiian

her must-have item is lip balm, because her lips tend to get pretty dry

the only condition she had when signing with hybe was that she wouldn’t be appointed the leader of le sserafim

her favorite time of day is four o’clock in the afternoon

LIKES :  traveling. urban exploring. wired headphones. darker colors. listening to cafe chatter. people watching. drawing. taking photos. junk journaling, because she keeps just about everything. trinkets and antique shops. cool things on hot days. playing video games. romantic literature. the moon. museums. window shopping (and also actually shopping). the smell of ylang ylang. the sound of windchimes. misty mornings. sushi. eating alone. her ginger cat, maru-chan. crochet.

✦⠀⠀ ⁄ ⠀⠀ SAKURA’S 10 YEAR IDOL TIMELINE.

JULY 2011 :  joined japanese idol group hkt48 as a first-generation trainee.

OCTOBER 2011 :  first official appearance as a member of hkt48 at a national handshake event.

MARCH 2012 :  promotion to full member status of hkt48’s team h.

OCTOBER 2012 :  first a-side participation on akb48’s 28th single, uza.

JANUARY 2014 :  transferr to hkt48’s team kiv; promotion to vice captain of akb48’s team a.

JANUARY 2015 :  leading role in akb48’s drama majisuka gakuen 4.

JULY 2015 :  release of first self-titled photobook, sakura.

MARCH 2016 :  first solo lead position on akb48’s 43rd single, kimi wa melody.

JUNE 2018 :  participation in reality girl group survival show, produce 48; placed second.

OCTOBER 2018 :  debut in korean-japanese idol group iz*one.

APRIL 2021 :  disbandment of iz*one.

JUNE 2021 :  graduation concert and departure from hkt48.

MARCH 2022 :  signing of exclusive contract with source music.

MAY 2022 :  debut with le sserafim.

[virtuouswhitehatorganization]

Kīkākapu  (Villainous Oc)

Name: Alohi Aka

Age: Unknown

Sexuality: Straight 

Abilities: Superhuman Strength, Stamina, Durability, Speed, Intelligence, Relexes, and Senses; Flight; Regeneration; Holographic Disguise; Various Weapontry; Telescopic, X-Ray, & Infrared Vision; Energy Beams; Stretchy Limbs; Computer Interfacing; Waterproof; Polygot

Residence: Maui, Hawaii, United States

Occiopation: Fisherman; Superhero (Sidekick) 

Affliations: PEACE (Later White Hat Organization)

Relatives: Kapena Aka- 1st (surrogate adoptive grandfather-deceased); Hina Aka (surrogate adoptive grandmother-deceased); Akamu Aka/Makau-2nd (surrogate adoptive father); Lei Aka (surrogate adoptive mother) ; Makau/ Kaimana Aka (adoptive surrogate brother)

Species: Android 

DOB: Unknown (Found Day- June 18th)

Personality: He is a very chipper robot that emote tons of emotions and is very appreciative of someone like Makau welcoming him into his family. He also treasures his fellow sidekicks and tends to watch out for them the best he can. He also like his brother is very environmentally conscious and will do what he can to protect the environment. He is also very knowledgeable and loves spouting out facts that he feels is useful in a situation. He is also always hungry for knowledge and will spend time reading or investigating an area with it. He thinks very analytically and always tries to come up with good strategies. 

Background: He was found by Makau, the Hawaiian hero of Maui, where he was shut down in the middle of hte forest until Makau turned him back on. He was then given the opportunity to come live with him and his family which he accepted. He was then adopted as their son and given the guise: Alohi Aka. He got into the fishmen business and enjoyed it. He would also get into the hero business where he would be signed apart of the sidekick program and meet other sidekicks he would train besides. He would then officially become his brother's sidekick and join him in protecting Maui and the world. 

* The mystery of where he came from will be during his time with the other sidekicks. 

* He can eat normal food and robot designated food, but prefers the latter like various oils and metals. 

* Only those close to him and his brother knows that his superhero persona and his civilian persona as his adoptive brother are the same people. 

* Though they don't know exactly how old he is he currently has the mind of a teenager. 

* He was made Makau's sidekick due to the idea of juxtaposing a magic based hero with a robot sidekick. 

* He does have a sleep mode. 

* He is taught to surf by Makau. 

* He is closest with Good Vibes and Footpound. 

Created through picrew.me/en/image_maker/20630…

[ancientcosmicsecrets]

The WoW Signal

The Signal

Earth was graced with its first enigmatic message from the vast expanse of outer space. The Big Ear radio telescope at Ohio State University intercepted a 72-second solid signal from the constellation Sagittarius, a discovery that left astronomer Jerry R. Ehman in awe. As he circled the frequency code of the signal, 6EQUJ5, Ehman's reaction was, "WOW!" This extraordinary event, now known as "The WOW! Signal," marks a significant milestone in our quest to understand the universe and the possibility of extraterrestrial life.

This powerful blast of radio waves had arrived from the direction of the constellation Sagittarius and bore all the hallmarks of extraterrestrial origin. The incident came to be known as the 'Wow! Signal' and has since been used to support the argument to search for alien civilizations. The Big Ear radio telescope, a significant tool in this discovery, was built to function at a frequency with which aliens would communicate. The 1.42 GHz radio frequency is naturally emitted by hydrogen. And since hydrogen is the most common element in our universe, it was considered highly likely that intelligent life outside of the Earth would be familiar with it.

The Wow Signal was recorded for 72 seconds, the maximum detection duration of an incoming signal. As the Earth rotated, the telescope's antenna swept through the night sky, listening for signals coming from various directions. The antenna was pointed at the same angle for several days and then titled slightly to scan the next band of sky around the Earth. For an alien to contact humans, they must transmit their signals at frequencies they know will be heard. However, other potential explanations for the Wow Signal exist, such as natural celestial events or terrestrial interference, which are still being debated among scientists.

In May 2015, a team of researchers using a Russian radio telescope, a significant tool in this discovery, spotted a strong radio signal from the vicinity of the sunlike star HD 164595, which lies 94 light-years away from Earth. This signal, the first detected from such a distant star, was a significant breakthrough in the search for extraterrestrial life.

The signal is consistent with something an alien civilization might have sent out; it may also have resulted from a natural celestial event or terrestrial interference. The same team of astronomers that discovered the 2015 signal studied the HD 164595 system 39 different times but only made one detection. The detection team has not yet published a study of its findings, but the signal's characteristics and the team's extensive study suggest the possibility of extraterrestrial contact.

The Oumuamua

The space anomaly, Oumuamua, is Hawaiian for 'a messenger from afar arriving.' Its unique characteristics, such as its rusty red color, cigar-like shape, and uncontrollable tumbling, immediately caught the attention of the astronomer at the University of Hawaii who first detected it. This was no ordinary comet or asteroid; it was an interstellar visitor from a tremendously distant, unidentified solar system—the first to have been found. The object was rusty red, shaped like a cigar, and tumbling uncontrollably. Asteroids are primarily rocky because they formed closer to the Sun, where the heat melted away any ice. Comets are mostly made of ice because they form farther out, safe from the glare.

First, it was mysteriously accelerating away from the Sun, which was hard to reconcile with many ideas about what it might have been made of. This acceleration, known as the 'Oumuamua problem,' was a significant puzzle for astronomers. Second, it was peculiarly shaped; some estimates were that it was ten times as long as broad. This elongated shape was also unusual for a celestial object, adding to the mystery of Oumuamua.

Astronomers used computer modeling to explore possible explanations for the mysterious acceleration, including potential effects of solar radiation, drag-like forces, and interaction with solar wind, the charged particles emitted by the Sun. Based on our current understanding of celestial mechanics, these were some of the most plausible explanations. However, none fit perfectly, highlighting the challenges of interpreting astronomical data and the need for further research.

Galactic Federation

A former head of Israel's Military space program claims that extraterrestrials have made contact with officials in the United States and Israel over the years. Still, they don't always appear publicly because they worry that people will freak out.

According to Haim Eshed, former chief of Israel's space program, extraterrestrials have been in contact with officials in the United States and Israel over the years. However, these aliens have refrained from making their presence public. Eshed further claims that aliens already live among us on Earth and that a 'Galactic Federation' of several species has been informed. This suggests that the U.S. and Israel have been collaborating with aliens on space travel for years, a potential game-changer in our understanding of space exploration and international relations. Eshed also claims that U.S. President Donald Trump would reveal this intel when the federation told us humanity is not ready, raising questions about the potential impact of such a revelation on society.

"If this information had come out five years ago, I would have been hospitalized," he said. They're relaying differently. I have nothing to lose. I've received my degrees and awards. I am respected in universities abroad, where the trend is also changing. However, it's important to note that the scientific community has not universally accepted Eshed's claims, and many scientists remain skeptical until further evidence is presented.

[art150class]

Shang Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings Shows How Far We’ve Come and the Progress We Still Have to Make

I have a confession to make: I’ve never seen a Marvel movie. I have found the garish overuse of CGI too distracting in the trailers, so I’ve always strayed away and stuck with action movies that emphasize practical effects (e.g., the Mission: Impossible and John Wick franchises). But Shang-Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings piqued my interest because of the fantastic cast (Simu Liu! Awkwafina! Michelle Yeoh!), and I knew I wanted to write about it for this class. Although I found the computer-generated special effects distracting, I thought the story, with themes regarding identity and family, was excellently told by a cast that has long broken barriers in Hollywood. 

Shang-Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings follows Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) as he is beckoned back home to China to confront the mysterious Ten Rings organization and wrestle with his family’s complicated dynamics. In the beginning of the movie, there are themes of immigration, with Shang-Chi anglicizing his name to Shaun when moving to the United States. This mirrors Liu’s real-life journey, as he was born in China and immigrated to Canada at five-years-old. In 2021, Liu wrote a guest column in Variety talking about his families’ encounters with racism. This is further reflected in A Different Mirror, where Ronald Takaki explains the history of racism experienced by Asian immigrants in the US. The Chinese Exclusion Act passed in the United States in 1882 further propelled this racism, where then-President Rutherford Hayes explained his reasoning for the act by stating “the present Chinese invasion…[is] pernicious and should be discouraged.” In 1943, this act that had been rooted in racism was finally repealed. 

Liu’s experiences with racism after immigrating to the United States are telling that progress is not yet done. However, Liu himself is helping break barriers, being the lead in the first Marvel movie with a predominantly Asian cast. Other cast members, including Awkwafina and Michelle Yeoh, have also broken barriers: Awkwafina was the first actress of Asian-American descent to win a Golden Globe in the Best Musical or Comedy Category (for Lead Actress of The Farewell) while Michelle Yeoh was the first actress of Asian descent to win an Academy Award for Best Actress (for Everything Everywhere All at Once). 

A skit from Simu Liu’s episode hosting SNL where he and cast member Bown Yang compete over being the “First Asian” to do things such as “First Asian Man to Deadpan on Splash Mountain.” 

One particular stand-out scene in Shang-Chi is the bus fight that mirrors the iconic action movie Speed and is similar in style to the films of Jackie Chan, who is one of the most recognizable Asian actors in the world. Furthermore, the bus fight scene is soundtracked by DJ Snake, whose music video for “Turn Down for What” featured a predominantly Asian cast, which was “revolutionary in its day”...which was 2014. Since then, progress in representation has been made.

The bus fight in Shang-Chi, which mirrors action movie Speed (1994), which stars Keanu Reeves, who is of Chinese-Hawaiian descent on his father’s side.

It is clear that Shang-Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings was an important stepping stone for representation in both movies and Marvel. Since the release of Crazy Rich Asians in 2018, there have been more movies featuring predominantly Asian casts, including Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) and Joy Ride (2023). However, the magic of the movie theater cannot fix everything, and Anti-Asian racism still unfortunately exists in the United States. Liu offers up a solution, explaining “Anti-Asian racism is very real, and it will not be solved with an opulent rom-com or Marvel superhero, but with you — the bystanders — acknowledging the validity of our pain.” Just as Shang-Chi does in the movie, we must acknowledge our painful past, realize our mistakes, and embrace the best version of ourselves in order to move forward and forge a better future for everyone. 

Works Cited (listed alphabetically)

Vanessa Etienne, “Keanu Reeves on His 'Love' for His Asian Background, the 'Respectful' Way 'Matrix' Includes Culture,” People, December 21, 2021, https://people.com/movies/keanu-reeves-talks-love-for-his-asian-identity-admits-mixed-feelings-being-called-person-of-color/.

"Shang-Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings Soundtrack," Tunefind, September 3, 2021, https://www.tunefind.com/movie/shang-chi-and-the-legend-of-the-ten-rings-2021.

Simu Liu, “‘Shang-Chi’ Star Simu Liu: ‘Anti-Asian Racism Is Very Real’ (Guest Column),” Variety, March 11, 2021, https://variety.com/2021/film/news/shang-chi-simu-liu-anti-asian-racism-1234928348/. 

Ronald Takaki, A Different Mirror (New York: Back Bay Books, 2008), 189.

Glen Weldon, “Michelle Yeoh is the First Asian woman to win best actress Oscar,” NPR, March 13, 2023, https://www.npr.org/2023/03/12/1158764789/michelle-yeoh-best-actress-oscar-everything-everywhere-all-at-once#:~:text=Michelle%20Yeoh%20makes%20Oscar%20history%20with%20best%20actress%20win%20The,Everything%20Everywhere%20All%20at%20Once.

Alissa Wilkinson, “Awkwafina made history with her Golden Globes win for The Farewell,” Vox, January 5, 2020, https://www.vox.com/culture/2020/1/5/21051218/awkwafina-golden-globes-2020-first-asian-woman-farewell. 

Aaron Williams, “The Daniels Are Likely To Win A Bunch Of Oscars, But They Might Never Top Their ‘Turn Down For What’ Music Video,” Uproxx, March 9, 2023, https://uproxx.com/music/the-daniels-oscar-win-turn-down-for-what-video/. 

Photo/Video/Film Credits

JoBlo Superheroes, “SHANG-CHI (2021) Full Bus Fight [HD] Marvel IMAX Clip,” YouTube, January 24, 2023, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxCtHmPOqtg. 

Saturday Night Live, “Simu & Bowen,” YouTube, November 21, 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3e0tszep890. 

Shang-Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings, directed by Destin Daniel Cretton (Marvel Studios, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, 2021), Disney Plus, https://www.disneyplus.com/movies/shang-chi-and-the-legend-of-the-ten-rings/5GyV9sf9Y041. 

Speed, directed by Jan de Bont, (20th Century Fox, 1994), https://www.hulu.com/movie/speed-f841188b-3029-419e-83a4-240c2f5614da. 

[sixtyeightdays]

you reap what you sow

prompt from @mialuvscats : i hope this meets your expectations ! im sorry this took so long, i tried uploading it from my phone but it glitched and i could only get my hands on the computer today 

i’d like to say that i think if sabine and mari are there, damian and talia willl be relatively looser and not as uptight . mari and sabine are cold but loving and sunshiney. they keep talia and damian in check, essentially. which is why i wrote them in to be loose and free but able to be openly happy when they want to be, even if they are only happy around each other.

with sabine here i also thinkt hat talia will be slightly easier on damian, which also ties to the fact that he will not be as cold and uptight.

talia will be a good mother in this fic bc i want her to be and itll be ooc but its okay its my fic anyway

and the timeline is kinda messed up and all over the place sorry

that aside, have fun reading and i hope you enjoy!

--

talia and sabine are best friends, and before most of the class joins francois, marinette ruled the school after coming to paris with sabine. mari and damian are betrothed and the two are best friends. they can be icy one minute and sunshiney the next, although the sunshiney part is more mari than damian.

maybe the waynes come to paris, bc if theyre in gotham the others wont really know if the queen is back, and theyre kinda unsure why marinette is being timid and very unlike her ice queen demeanor she sometimes uses. mari is closest to jason in terms of batfam because firstly maybe she cleanses jason of the lazarus pit after helping damian using tikki's creation magic to counteract plagg's destruction one. since the waynes are here theres no point in mari hiding her queen status anymore and queue lila reveal

-

Talia al Ghul and Sabine Cheng were an unlikely combination, but worked perfectly well.

The two women were extremely close. Sabine was almost as deadly as Talia, but she made up for it with her devious mindset. She was the one who steered Talia away from doing anything wrong --well more wrong than usual-- and the one who was assigned to dish out punishments to usurpers.

The two could read each other like open books, and hence, when both Talia and Sabine became pregnant, Talia one month before Sabine, the two knew immediately.

They had debated whether or not to have their kids be betrothed, and eventually decided to let their children make the final call when their kids were old enough to understand.

Nine months later, Marinette and Damian were born. In the League infirmary, an hour after the two were cleaned and left there to rest while their mothers did the same, the two had already grown rather close.

Their baby cribs were next to each other, and somehow they were staring at each other through the walls of the crib, and were making small grabby hands to the other.

When Talia and Sabine were sufficiently rested and came to pick up their children, they were slightly shocked, yet gratified by their children. Sabine smiled and draped an arm around Talia’s shoulder, smiling lazily.

“I guess they’ll be as close as their mothers, non?” 

Talia smirked, and the two walked forwards, lifting their respective children in their arms and walking to their quarters.

-

The two mothers did not regret it. Their kids were enamoured with each other, practically joined at the hip.

By the time Marinette and Damian were 5, they had a very extensive vocabulary, since they had learned to speak Arabic, French and English. They were also extremely smart and skilled with weapons. 

Marinette was extremely adept at using a yoyo. It seemed weird, I know. But when the League was stormed when she was 3, she had taken out 4 men with her yoyo alone. Since then, she had been teaching herself how to use the yoyo effectively.

Damian preferred to use a katana. He looked much scarier than Marinette, even if the two were the same age. He had found a natural talent in using blades, knives, katanas and daggers included.

Marinette was the Rain to Damian’s Fire. 

She was the only one who could calm Damian down when he was mad, mad.

But make no mistake, Marinette could switch personalities in a heartbeat. She was one of the League’s most skilled interrogators at the age of 5.

After all, who would suspect a pigtailed 5 year old in pink to be scary?

Damian much preferred his stoic and icy attitude. The only people he ever let loose around was Marinette, Sabine, and Talia.

Talia and Sabine loved the children to an almost deadly extent, and the four were extremely overprotective of each other.

Marinette had taken to magic as well. She had been trained by many people in the League about sensing magic. Damian did not have the patience for magic and rituals. 

Marinette knew Damian was more of a ‘attack first ask questions later’ type of fighter, a stark contrast to Marinette’s ‘i will curse you and you will suffer in agonising pain for the rest of your life’ preferred type of fighting.

She’d never really liked getting her hands dirty, hence the magic. Killing people with magic was so much cleaner.

Sabine and Marinette had to leave for Paris when she was 9. For what, she wasn’t sure, but regardless of the distance, she and Damian constantly traded calls and letters. They would never go even a day without contact.

They were staying with one of Sabine’s old friends. His name was Tom Dupain, and he was an old wrestler and had worked with the League before. He and Sabine pretended to be married and Marinette’s name had hence became Marinette Dupain Cheng.

Damian and Talia stayed at the League, although all of them knew that Damian was to meet his birth father when he turned 10.

Marinette adapted her icy demeanor in Paris, never wanting anyone to get as close as she was with Damian. 

A few hours in, walking around Paris, she had met an elderly man in a red Hawaiian shirt, emitting the aura of magic. She had confronted him, and eventually, he opened up to her about the Miraculous. Tikki, the Ladybug kwami, and Plagg, the Black Cat kwami had taken a liking to her.

Marinette was apparently something called a True User, a reincarnation of the first Ladybug miraculous wielder. Plagg just rather liked the aura of death and chaos she apparently gave off, from the League.

She and the other Kwamis also had a rather amicable relationship, and she’d go to the ends of the Earth for the tiny gods, and vice versa.

The elderly man, named Fu, had also started to train her into becoming the new Guardian of the Miraculous.

Before, Marinette had been planning on laying low and not drawing atention to herself, but once she had beaten up two upperclassmen for bullying her classmate and somewhat accquaintance Nino, she had been fiercely regarded by both the students and faculty. 

As a result, she eventually grew close to Nino, and his friends, Kim, Alix and Chloe. She only ever let down her icy demeanour around them, showing the bright and bubbly girl persona she kept hidden. She wasn’t as close to them as she was to Damian, but they were all still quite close friends. 

It wasn’t long after that Marinette became the queen of her school, at the tender age of 10, earning her title as the Ladybug. Or, as Chloe liked to put it, the Lady, because she was lucky enough to ‘get a friend like her’.

Marinette didn’t protest. She rather liked Ladybugs, and besides, it was ironic and it reminded her a little of Damian, who sometimes liked to call her his Maribug. Because she was sometimes a pest, he deadpanned. Marinette had whacked him with a pillow. 

Everyone in the school feared the Ladybug. No one knew anything of her past. She was a mystery, an enigma that no one could solve. When new students came in after Marinette turned 14, everyone was slightly shocked to see their Lady change.

She was much more bubbly and approachable. Word had spread around that Marinette, the Lady, was trying a clean slate for the new kids. After all, not everyone should fear her.

Probably.

School eventually returned to what it was like before Marinette became the Lady, although she did still rule the school, she did it much more subtly, with more restraint and secrecy.

One of the new kids, Alya, had taken a liking to her. Marinette did not like her  very much, she was loud and clingy and drew a lot of unwanted attention. 

Marinette and her old crew, who had playfully called themselves her Consorts before the name stuck, had split up temporarily, to cover more ground and spread their branches.

Chloe was to pretend to be Marinette’s bully, Kim and Alix rivals, and Nino a shy recluse. They had had a good laugh about it beforehand, before watching Moana, because Kim wanted to compare the size of his muscles to Maui’s.

None of them had accounted for Adrien Agreste, who had tried to get the gum off Marinette’s seat like the naive, sheltered boy he was. Marinette had admittedly gotten mad at him for screwing up a perfectly good plan, before ramping up her ice persona to like, a 2/10, to get the newbies off her scent and scare Adrien away.

It hadn’t worked, because the boy was apparently as stubborn as he was naive. But besides that, Alya had been really grating on Marinette’s nerves, especially since she was convinced that Marinette had a crush on the model. It was not true, of course. 

Honestly, Marinette thought dryly, as Alya dragged her all over the place to.. somewhere, she wasn’t even sure anymore. But frankly, she didn’t particularly care. Honestly, the only boy she’d probably ever have a crush on would be Damian.

Not that she’d ever admit it.

-

When Marinette and Damian turned 10, she and Sabine had taken a plane to Gotham to meet up with Damian.

Damian had not been having a good time. He was very much unwanted here, that was clear. 

Grayson seemed to be the only one trying to interact with him. His father, had been trying his best to stay out of Damian’s way, which he reciprocated. Todd was flat out ignoring him and Drake just seemed to be busy all the time.

After all, who would want to interact with a grumpy 10 year old assassin?

He missed Marinette.

It was the day Todd finally tried to open up to Damian, that Marinette had arrived. No one had told him that she was finally meeting him again for the first time in a year. Sabine had left Marinette to figure out where Damian was on her own. She was more than capable of it.

With a quick scrying spell, she found him, and Kaalki opened a portal headed in the direction of Wayne Manor.

Meanwhile, Damian just appreciated the fact that Todd was finally extending an olive branch. He was lonely.

It hurt seeing his father care for everyone in the manor apart from him.

He had been walking along the gardens in the manor. Todd had joined him.

“Listen, I know it’s hard to feel accepted here. Sometimes, I do.” Jason gazed wistfully at the sky above him.

Damian was unsure of where the ex-Robin was getting at, so he just kept quiet. It wasn’t as if Damian didn’t know who Jason Todd was. Before he had come to the manor with Talia, he had read the Waynes’ files. In addition, Damian had known of Jason while he was affiliated with the League. They had never talked, or interacted, but he had known of the elder boy. 

“I just, uh, wanted you to know that if you ever need anything, you can come to me.” He finished lamely, running a hand in his hair.

Damian opened his mouth, then closed it, hesitating. “Thank you, Ja--Todd. I will.” He settled on saying dryly.

Jason visibly relaxed and cracked a miniscule smile. There was a sudden ‘swoosh’ sound, and both Jason and Damian turned around, bodies automatically going on the defensive.

Stumbling out of Alfred’s rose bushes, trodding on a few accidentally, was Marinette.

“Angel!” Damian exclaimed, moving forwards to help her forwards.

She brushed her shoulders off, looking around before freezing, staring at something behind him.

“Jay?”

“Pixie?” He asked, sounding incredulous.

Marinette rushed forward and wrapped him in a tight embrace. Jason laughed and hugged her back, chuckling.

Damian quashed down the bubbling feeling of rage in the pit of his stomach and settled for casting a frosty glance in their direction. Not that they noticed, since they were too busy embracing each other, Damian thought scornfully.

The two pulled apart after too long in Damian’s opinion, laughing.

“Angel? How do you know Todd?” Damian asked coldly, ever so protective.

If Jason noticed the sudden reversion to his surname instead of his first, he didn’t say anything.

“Oh, he came to Paris with Lia once and I cleansed him of the Lazarus pit madness, like I did with you.” She replied.

“What are you doing here?” Jason asked. Damian had forgotten about that.

“Visiting, of course!” She winked. “Now, let’s give your old man a good scare.” She pecked Damian on the cheek before vanishing. (Thanks, Trixx.)

Jason and Damian looked to each other. “Did you know she could do that?” Jason questioned. Damian shook his head before pausing.

“Wait.. how did she get into the manor?” 

The only response was the faint echo of a laugh.

-

It was time for dinner anyway, and only Damian, Jason, and Alfred knew of Marinette’s presence. Marinette had voluntary evelaed herself to the elderly butler after noticing his aura. 

It was Miraculous tainted. If Marinette could guess, he had been either one of Duusu’s, Sass’s, or Nooroo’s.

When the butler had retired to the kitchen alone, Marinette had unraveled Trixx’s magic veiling her and waved at the butler.

To hi credit, he didn’t so much as bat an eye before his eyes widened as he took her in. Marinette cut to the chase.

“Who was your kwami?” Alfred had surveyed her for a second before seemingly trusting her.  

“Duusu.” He answered.

Marinette smiled. “I’m Tikki’s.” From her perch in Marinette’s left pigtail, the red Kwami pried open the folds of her hair, waving once at Alfred before sinking back into the recesses of the bluenette’s locks.

Alfred blinked. Once. Twice. “I’m presuming you’re staying for dinner?”

Marinette beamed. “I’m gonna scare the big bat.” Alfred nodded, accepting this. Marinette clapped her hands and she disappeared again. Alfred shook his head, smiling faintly.

Conveniently, it was one of the times where everyone was there. Dick, Jason, Tim, and Damian. Rare these days, what with Dick in Bludhaven, Tim at WE, and Jason off being Jason.

Bruce was currently on his way back from WE, although it would take around half an hour. He had told everyone to start eating first. Perfect. 

After Marinette’s encounter with Alfred, she had reappeared in Damian’s room, where she and Damian caught up. Just like old times.

She had disappeared again once she left the room, and Damian wasn’t entirely sure where she went.

Alfred set the the table as per normal, which Damian and Jason noticed right away. They looked to Alfred, who merely winked before stepping back into the kitchen and laying out the food.

There was a screech of a chair as Marinette, disguised as Bruce (Trixx in her right pigtail and Tikki in the left) sat down. Dick looked startled. 

“I thought you wouldn’t be back till later!” Dick exclaimed.

Mari-Bruce shrugged. “Faster than I’d expected.” She answered, securing the veil of Trixx’s magic around her vocal chords, making her voice sound exactly like Bruce’s.

Jason inched away slightly from Bruce, though she pretended not to notice.

Alfred nodded at her as he reentered the room.

Everyone dug in, occasionally talking. It had been about 25 minutes before the sound of the door opening could be heard. Damian and Jason’s head shot up, thinking it was Marinette.

Mari-Bruce smirked. Showtime.

Bruce entered the room, not noticing Mari at first. Until the batboys gaped at him. He looked confused. What--?

Mari-Bruce was a pretty great actress. “Who are you?” She thundered, internally laughing.

“Who are you? I’m Bruce Wayne.” He answered, looking befuddled and frustrated.

“Impostor.” Mari-Bruce accused. 

Bruce spluttered. “No! I’m the real Bruce!” 

Mari-Bruce scoffed. “That’s what an impostor would say.”

Damian and Jason seemed to figure it out, although they probably weren’t sure which Bruce was the real one yet.

Tim rubbed his eyes. “Am I seeing double, or?” 

Bruce said, “Ask me something the real Bruce would know.”

Dick looked torn, but did as requested. “Who murdered your parents?”

“Joe Chill.” They both said at the same time. Mari-Bruce and Bruce winced, selling the act.

“When’s my birthday?” Tim asked. 

“July 17th.” Both Bruces answered.

Tim looked surprised. “You actually know my birthday?”

“No shit, Tim.” Mari-Bruce said, rolling their eyes. She rather wanted to proceed to the next part of her plan. 

“Would I say that to you, Tim?” Bruce asked slightly desperately. 

“Maybe?” 

Bruce facepalmed. In the confusion, Mari took the chance to slink into the shadows where she rewrapped Trixx’s invisible magic around her.

Only Damian noticed. He smirked. “Where did he go?” He asked, placing a hand on the hilt of his katana for emphasis. He didn’t see Marinette smile at him.

Everyone looked panicked. “Search the manor.” Bruce ordered.

Jason still looked slightly skeptical but did as he said. Damian drew his katanas and tilted it in the direction he was going.

Amongst everyone, Bruce was the most attacked. While Jason and Damian paired off, Tim and Dick did as well, ("Don’t go alone!” Was Bruce’s admonished cry), Bruce had gone alone. 

If she were being honest, Marinette had always had a grudge against the billionaire. He hadn’t saved his son, he had tried to kill his son, even though he had a no killing rule --which Marinette thought was plain stupid--, and he had left Damian to suffer at the hands of Ra’s Al Ghul.

Talia could only do so much to save her son.

Yes, Marinette was aware that Bruce hadn’t know Damian existed, but now he was still treating Damian as if he didn’t exist. Marinette knew how much Damian craved affection, even if he never admitted it.

Yes, maybe Bruce was getting better, but maybe she could.. spur the process.

So Marinette retaliated in one of the many ways she knew how.

Messing with them.

So when the Waynes regrouped in the dining room, Jason, Damian, Dick and Tim came back unharmed, and Jason had been filled in by Damian of his suspicions. But Bruce? 

He came back covered in honey and feathers, drenched with water and covered in pink slime. 

“Why is he going after me?” Bruce had questioned in that annoying voice of his, after looking over his spotless sons.

Jason shrugged. “Maybe he doesn’t like you. God knows he’s not the only one.” 

Bruce looked slightly hurt but Jason didn’t seem to care in the slightest.

“Maybe this person is infatuated with you and is vying for your attention.” Damian deadpanned dryly. Marinette had smacked him on the back of his head, still invisible.

But the damage had been done.

Bruce snapped his fingers and ‘aha!’-ed at Damian. “That must be it!” Bruce crowed.

“Are you that narcissistic, you arrogant plebeian?” Marinette’s normally cheery voice was dry and dripping with distaste as she unwrapped her magic.

Bruce, Dick and Tim immediately went on the defensive, shifting into a battle stance. Marinette only scoffed.

“If I wanted to harm you, I would have already done so.” Marinette waved a hand in their direction dismissively.

Dick looked confused. “You’re like, ten.” He pointed out.

Damian glared. “I am ten as well, Grayson.” 

Tim butted in. “Are we not going to acknowledge the fact that this tiny ten year old broke into the manor unnoticed?” 

That brought everyone to their senses.

They were suddenly surprised by Marinette running at Jason, full speed. They expected him to duck or whip out a weapon, but all he did was stand still as she flipped in midair to land on his shoulders.

To their utter shock, Jason grinned, even as she fisted her hands in his hair for a better grip.

Damian only smiled fondly at his Angel. She was as short as he remembered, Damian noted. 

He missed her. More than anything.

Marinette beamed, and slid off Jason’s shoulders.

“Why did you attack me?” Bruce asked.  “Isn’t it obvious, fool?” Marinette revamped her icy demeanor and glared at the civilian Batman. “I despise you.”

Bruce looked very affronted. But Mariinette ignored him, even as he continued talking and made her way over to Damian.

“Damibear!” Marinette sang, as if she hadn’t seen him less than an hour ago.

The Waynes looked as if they expected Damian to attack her just for calling him that. They were not expecting him to grin and say, “Angel.”

Mari jumped on his back, and Damian merely repositioned himself accordingly, used to this from all her previous piggybacks.

“Okay so Jason and Damian helped her get into the manor.” Tim deduced, only to notice Jason and Damian shaking their heads.

“All by herself.” Damian and Jason chorused. Marinette made bunny ears on top of Damian’s head.

She kissed Damian’s forehead lovingly, replying to his ‘i am older than you’ with a ‘yeah by like a week’, and looked to his family. 

She winked.

Then disappeared.

There was silence, and then, “Wait, we didn’t even get her name!” From Dick.

Damian and Jason were interrogated that night, and they refused to tell them anything related to Marinette.

Marinette smiled from where she had hidden in the shadows, and made her way back to Damian’s room. She curled up in Damian’s bed, drifting into sleep. She was almost asleep when Damian returned.

And when Damian pressed his lips to her forehead and whispered, “Goodnight, Angel”, a smile made her way onto her lips.

By the time Damian had slipped into bed with her, her head leaning comfortably on his chest, she had fallen asleep.

-

When the two turned 15, Talia and Sabine sat them down and told them about the betrothal. Damian had been visiting with Talia.

It had been almost two months since Lila had turned her classmates against her, not that she cared, of course. She still had her Consorts after all.

“Marinette, Damian, we’d like to tell you something. An offer? Of sorts. I’m relatively sure you will accept, however.” 

Talia smiled as Marinette dragged a grumpy Damian over to them by the head, beaming brightly.

“Oh come on, Mian! Don’t be such a grumpy banana.” Marinette reprimanded the older boy who was rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

The boy only smiled lazily, and ran another hand through his best friend’s hair, the girl making a small noise of protest. “Thats what you get for calling me a noodle, Angel.” (if you didn’t know miàn means noodle in chinese)

Sabine cleared her throat but looked at the two with amusement clear in her eyes.

They straightened. “Sorry, maman,” Mari muttered.

“Now, before you two were born, Sabine and I had an agreement. We are perfectly fine with this and the implications of it, so it is up to you to whether to accept or not.” Talia got straight to the point.

The two children looked to each other curiously before turning back to their parents. Damian nodded in acknowledgment and Sabine picked up where Talia left off.

“How do you feel about each other?” Sabine asked, watching the two closely for their reactions.

“If that’s your way of asking us if we’re okay to be siblings, since you and Lia are dating, Maman--” Marinette started but was quickly interrupted by a barely noticeably flushed Talia.

“No, not that, and we aren’t dating, Nette.” Talia aimed a playful glare at the girl, who grinned and blew a raspberry at her.

“How would you and Damian like to be betrothed?” Sabine asked, smiling at her friend and daughter fondly.

Marinette spluttered and Damian coughed. 

Talia and Sabine burst out into laughter.

After the adults got their laughter under control and after a few glares from their kids, Damian spoke up.

“Marinette is my best friend. If I had to be betrothed to anyone, I’m glad it’s her.” Damian looked away and Marinette coughed awkwardly into her elbow.

“You misunderstand us. You don’t have to be betrothed. The choice is yours.”

Damian felt slightly attacked. He really did like Marinette, and the betrothal was an easy excuse to ask her out (even if he was a 15 year old). He didn’t know if Marinette felt the same way, and he didn’t want to impose that on her, so he kept quiet.

Marinette, who was looking deep in thought, answered.

“Can I talk to Damian for a while, privately?”

Damian, despite his better judgement, winced. This was probably the first time in a really long time that Marinette called him by his full name. It was normally Dami, Damibear to annoy him, or some other weird nickname like Mr Grumpy Banana this morning.

Regardless, the bluenette hadn’t called him “Damian” for a very long time. Two years, maybe.

She walked out of the room, Damian trailing slightly behind, before stopping a few feet outside the room.

Marinette slid down onto the floor, her back pressed against it and head in her hands. Damian frowned. He didn’t want his best friend looking so.. dejected. He ignored the slight pang of hurt that the thought of being with him could get this kind of reaction out of her.

He sat down next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder like he always did when any of them felt upset. He was happy to feel her lean into his side like she always did. 

She turned her head and buried it in Damian’s side, breathing in his comforting scent of paints and nature. He tightened his hold on her ever so slightly and she almost burst into tears.

It wasn’t that she was opposed to being in an engagement with Damian, it was just that she didn’t particularly want to be with anyone or love anyone, especially after her father died and Damian’s father abandoned him.

Her mother and aunt didn’t show it, but they were sad about their fathers. She had heard Talia interacting with her ‘beloved’ before, and it almost always ended up in tears or frustration. (Not that Mari blamed her, Bruce was kind of an asshole.)

She felt Damian’s chin press into her scalp and a hint of a smile grazed her lips. But this was Damian. Damian who was her best friend. Damian who supported her no matter what. Damian who comforted her and was there for her whenever she needed it.

Damian would never hurt her. And she was determined never to hurt him, ever, if she could help it.

She looked up and smiled at Damian. The smile he loved so much, the smile she always had on whenever she saw him, the smile that would unconsciously fly to her lips whenever she heard his voice.

Maybe it was then that Marinette should’ve known that she loved her best friend, but then again, she was only fifteen. She didn’t know what love was. But she would. Very soon.

“We accept.” Damian told Sabine and Talia when they reentered the room.

“We thought you would.” Talia replied.

-

When Marinette turned 16, her last year at Francois Dupont, six months since she’d made Lila’s time a living hell with her Ladybug (both in suit and in school), and fashion clients connections, the Waynes had visited.

Turns out, Damian and Jason got caught trying to sneak onto the Wayne private jet but instead of stopping them, they insisted they came along too, having pieced together that Damian and Jason were going to visit the mysterious tiny girl they couldn’t find the name of.

So they had no choice.

And os that leads to now, with the Waynes standing in the courtyard, elicting a growing crowd as they waited for Marinette, looking the part of scary rich people that can end your life without a problem.

Damian suddenly started running, and he hugged a girl. No one could see who the girl was because her head was buried in Damian’s chest and his body was shielding hers.

Not many people in the courtyard was surprised when they pulled away and standing there was Marinette Dupain-Cheng. After all, she was one of the most successful students in class that didn’t get fame from famous relatives. No, al her fame was hers alone.

In fact, the only people surprised were Marinette’s class, not-so-fondly referred to as the Akuma Class.  Her Consorts were the only one who knew of her betrothed, Damian. Other than that, Marinette had never been willing to share. 

When Marinette saw the other Waynes however, after hugging Jason, she rolled her eyes. Bruce, Dick and Tim stalked forwards, looking every inch the scary billionaires they were.

It was broken by Dick hugging the girl and gushing over how cool she was. Tim smiled at her and she had smiled back. Marinette flipped Bruce the bird.

“Why are you... so sunny? You definitely weren’t like that when you threatened us in Gotham. You were such an ice queen.” Tim mentioned, failing to keep the amusement out of his tone.

“What do you mean? Marinette’s always been like that, even if she is a bitch now. There’s no way she can be cold.” Alya remarked snidely.

Alix and Chloe stalked forward, raising thier fists threatningly. But Marinette only laughed coldly.

“You wanna see cold, Cesaire?” Marinette snarled, dropping all acts of being nice. 

The Lady was back. Publicly.

The silence was interrupted by Rose, who asked, "But Lila, don't you know the Waynes?"

Said Lila had been trying to slink away unnoticed, but when her name was mentioned, all attention diverted back to her, effectively keeping her in place. Her pale face and scared eyes were enough to tell that she had indeed been lying. 

Yells and screams broke out across the courtyard as the Akuma Class berated Lila for lying to them all this while. Until, Marinette interrupted, face set in a ice cold, stony position 

"Okay, blame her for lying." She started. "But why did you believe her?" 

The Akuma Class drew a blank and didn't respond. Partially because they didn't know what to say, and partially because Marinette's mere presence was overwhelmingly intimidating. Marinette sighed and pressed on. 

"Everything the Liar has said can be found faulty by a simple internet search." It was true, and the class knew it. When no one replied, Marinette shook her head sardonically. "You reap what you sow." 

She turned to her betrothed. In an instant, her icy mood was gone, replaced with the sunshiney-ness the Akuma Class had grown used to. 

"C'mon, Dami!" She gave him a quick peck on the lips, hoisting herself up on Damian's back. Damian grasped her legs tightly, as she continued to be piggybacked by him. 

"Onward!" She cried out dramatically, pointing to the school exit. 

Damian only rolled his eyes fondly at his beloved, steering themselves out, her Consorts and his family behind them. 

None of them looked back. 

If they did, they would've seen the expressions of disbelief and regret etched onto every one of her old classmates' faces. 

Not that they would care.

-

5k words yay

also uh yeah again, sorry this took so long, i kept hitting a mental block while writing this and it didnt manage to upload from my phone for no good reason :( 

but anyway its up now, i hope u find this acceptable! :)

[anistarrose]

Summary: Stan finds a recording from a fateful puppet show, a few disjointed memories fall into place, and the Pines family has some tense conversations.

Relationships: Ford Pines & Stan Pines, Dipper Pines & Ford Pines & Mabel Pines & Stan Pines

Characters: Stan Pines, Ford Pines, Dipper Pines, Mabel Pines, Bill Cipher (posthumously)

Set in early September, probably a little less than a week after Dipper and Mabel went home.

(It felt good to write some Stangst again! Title is from Monster Town by Go! Child because when I can't think of titles on my own, I go to my GF playlist for inspo, and that song jumped out at me today)

***

“We should probably bring a backup camera on the boat,” Ford mused, in a tone that made it impossible to tell whether he was talking to Stan or just to himself. “Maybe even multiple backup cameras. There’s no telling what the Arctic climate could do to their circuitry, and people hardly take cryptid reports seriously even with photographic evidence, never mind with just an eyewitness account and an excuse about a broken camera —”

“Easy, Sixer.” Stan set down his fully-packed suitcase at Ford’s feet, satisfied with its contents. “I’ve got a camcorder up in my room, or maybe in — actually, I can’t remember where I decided to keep it, but it’s probably still in the house somewhere. If I can find it, you can add it to your camera horde.”

Ford zipped open Stan’s suitcase, revealing hand-knitted sweaters and Hawaiian shirts in approximately equal numbers, and sighed. “Some brave wardrobe choices you’re making here. Or have you forgotten that the first beach we’re stopping at is in Alaska?”

“Well, someone’s gotta lead the fashion revolution in the Arctic Circle, and it sure ain’t gonna be you,” Stan called as he headed upstairs, provoking a resigned “hrmph” from Ford.

Stan decided to look for the camcorder in his bedroom first — because while his memory still had some scattered gaps, his gut instincts rarely lead him astray, and checking his room had been his first impulse. Sure enough, he found it sitting on a shelf and covered in slightly less dust than the adjacent stack of magazines, just as he ever-so-vaguely remembered it.

“Better make sure this thing works, before Ford declares it too unreliable for yeti hunts or whatever,” he muttered to himself, leaning back onto his bed and fumbling for the power button. The camcorder blinked to life, presenting an interface that was probably hopelessly outdated — but Stan didn’t care, while Ford would have no way of knowing what modern Earth technology looked like.

What’d I even record on this thing anyway? He selected a random video from June, was greeted with his own voice singing the first line of the Stan Wrong Song, and immediately deleted the recording. With a sigh and silent vow to never let Ford learn of the song’s existence, he moved on to a video from July.

Once again, it was Mabel’s handiwork — heh, no wonder I couldn’t remember what I used this thing for, since the kids were always borrowing it from me — but this time, Stan himself wasn’t in frame, though the craft supplies strewn about the living room were enough to stir dormant memories.

“Dipper! Puppet Dipper! Smile for the camera!”

Dipper yawned, then somewhat half-heartedly mimicked the motion using the sock puppet on his hand. “Puppet Dipper’s not really feeling up to it this morning.”

“Did Puppet Dipper stay up too late trying to solve a mystery? Bwap!” The footage blurred as Mabel nudged Dipper with a sock puppet of her own. “Do I need to make him a little puppet-sized pillow?”

“How about… some puppet-sized sunglasses, for a puppet detective?” Dipper suggested.

“Good idea!” Mabel agreed. “Then no one will notice when Puppet Dipper falls asleep standing up!”

Stan shook his head and smiled.

Man, I wish I’d found this back when my memories were still a mess — Mabel kinda skimmed over the whole puppet saga in her scrapbook. Wonder what else got recorded from that week…

He selected the next video chronologically, noticing that it was also the final recording on the device, and the smile vanished from his face.

“You can’t stop me!” It was Dipper’s voice, yet not Dipper’s voice — all fury and arrogance, and the camcorder’s cheap speaker crackled with static, like the voice was too much, too wrong, too alien to properly record and then replicate. “I’m a being of pure energy with NO weaknesses!”

Without a doubt, Dipper’s body was onscreen, but he was staggering towards Mabel with arms twisted at impossible angles. He lunged for the journal in her hands, eyes glinting the same gold color as the emblem of the six-fingered hand —

Stan hit the power button, rolled over on the bed, and buried his face in his pillow as the wave of memories crashed into him.

Brushing off Dipper’s sorry state as sleep deprivation, until the kid collapsed on the way out of the theater. Seeing the cuts and bruises all over Dipper’s hands as Stan helped him to his feet, and grilling the kids on what happened the whole drive to the hospital. Not getting an answer beyond “sleep deprivation.”

Not being able to give the doctor an answer beyond “sleep deprivation.”

Telling the twins’ parents it was just “sleep deprivation.”

A tense phone call, assuring Mr. and Mrs. Pines that Dipper’s recovery would be swift and tha Gravity Falls was still safe for their children. Stan’s hands shaking as he holds the phone, having no idea if that’s the truth, if he’s doing the right thing.

Mabel crying over a crumpled-up scrap of paper — a note? — she’d found in the car, and refusing to show it to Stan. Half-overheard secrets, whispered between the younger twins when they think Stan isn’t paying attention — apologies, worries, and murmurs too soft to be in any way decipherable.

Dipper, still with bags under his eyes, spending the next few days doing almost nothing but looking over his shoulder and burying his head in the journal. Stan pretending not to notice, but secretly finding it far too familiar for comfort.

Later memories, too — memories of demons, and handshakes, and feeling his body go numb. Memories of a voice, a furiously shrieking voice — both terrified and terrifying, but more than anything, alien.

Now, far too late, Stan recognized it.

***

“We’re calling the kids,” Stan barked, barging back downstairs, and Ford jumped.

“What’s wrong? Are your memories —”

“Better than they’ve ever been, actually.” Stan stormed directly to the living room table, flipping open the laptop on loan from Soos and clicking the video chat app. “Good enough to figure out something that apparently no one thought it might be important to tell me!”

“Are you sure?” Ford put a hand on Stan’s shoulder. “We can still call them, but let’s talk this through first, make sure you’re not missing any gaps —”

Stan paused, cursor an inch away from the call button beneath Dipper and Mabel’s profile picture. “Did Dipper tell you about the time Bill possessed him?”

Ford started to say something, stopped, and tried again. “I… I assumed you knew. I’m sorry.”

“Did you know I ended up taking him to the goddamn hospital afterwards?”

“No,” Ford whispered, and Stan felt Ford’s fingers dig into his shoulder. “Call the kids, Stan.”

Mabel must’ve been online, because she picked up almost immediately. The video opened with her sitting in her kitchen in Piedmont, Waddles in her lap. “Grunkle Stan! Grunkle Ford! Guess what I —”

The joy drained out of her smile when she noticed her grunkles’ grave expressions. “What’s going on?”

“Mabel, pumpkin,” Stan murmured, trying to tune out the sound of his heart thumping in his chest, “could you go get your brother?”

“I’m here, I’m here!” Dipper slid into view, almost falling off his chair, and Mabel scooted out of the way so they could both comfortably face the laptop. “Is something wrong?”

“Not anymore,” Ford explained, “but Stan and I wanted to talk about… communication, among other things — Stan? Are you sure you’re alright?”

Stan wiped the sweat from his forehead and shuddered, forcing himself to take a deep breath as he stared at the computer.

Dipper’s back home. Dipper’s safe. They’re both safe, and they’ll never have to worry about Bill again.

“Stanley?” Ford echoed, increasingly distressed. “Please, if —”

“I’ll be alright,” Stan managed, because even he wasn’t a good enough liar to convince anyone he was alright at this exact moment. “Promise. But kids, why didn’t you tell me when Bill hijacked your puppet show?”

Dipper and Mabel exchanged a guilty look.

“Was it because you thought I’d take away the journal?” Stan regretted his ‘only self-defense’ stipulation for the third journal more than almost anything else he’d said that summer, because he’d always known deep down that it wouldn’t stop the kids — and in hindsight, he would’ve much rather known what trouble the kids were getting into, not have them hide it from him with their late nights out in the woods and nonspecific excuses.

“At first,” Dipper replied. “But we ended up worrying a whole lot more about you sending us home early —”

“Your parents almost made that decision for me,” Stan admitted. “They were ready to drive up here and come get you when they heard what happened. I dunno how I convinced them to let you stay —”

He sighed. “And maybe knowing the truth wouldn’t have actually helped me that time — but it would’ve been nice to know how big a lie I was telling when I told them this town was safe for you kids, y’know?”

He regretted voicing that thought immediately, but regretted it even moreso when Dipper looked away from the camera, mumbling: “I’m sorry, Grunkle Stan.”

“Stan’s not trying to guilt you,” Ford spoke up, “but we want you to know you can talk about these things honestly with us — and that goes for both of you, Dipper and Mabel. We’d never want to punish you for something that was obviously… someone else’s fault.”

Thank god one of us has finally learned to think through what we say before we say it, Stan figured.

“I’m sorry too, kids,” he added out loud. “For getting angry at you a minute ago — ‘cause I’m not angry at you, I’m angry at Bill for what he got away with right behind my back, and I… I just…”

He brushed a finger across their digital faces, a gesture that no doubt failed to translate to the video feed Dipper and Mabel were viewing, and smiled. “Thanks for picking up so fast, ‘cause I really needed a reminder that the two of you are safe and sound and all.”

The kids smiled back, visible for just a second before Mabel leaned forward to hug her laptop and the screen went dark.

“Anytime, Grunkle Stan.”

***

“Coffee?” asked Ford, ever the early riser, as Stan trudged into the kitchen the next morning. “You look like you need it.”

“Gee, thanks, Sixer,” Stan groaned, slumping into the seat across from Ford at the kitchen table. “I’ve heard of backhand compliments, but now I’ve gotta live with your backhanded coffee offers too?”

“Sorry. I’m sympathizing, not mocking — I promise, when I woke up today, my eyes were just as bloodshot as yours are now,” Ford replied, sliding Stan a mug of steaming coffee. “How are your memories?”

It was a routine question as of late, but Stan still managed to botch it completely.

“Too good,” he muttered under his breath, and earned a quizzical look from Ford.

“Pardon?”

“…Good enough that I can remember all kinda things to feel shitty about,” Stan reluctantly admitted. “Like not even noticing when Dipper was possessed, for one thing. I spent the whole summer worrying about him, except for when he was actually in danger —”

“Oh, Stanley,” Ford sighed, “that’s not your fault. You know Bill was an expert liar; he scammed too many people to count —”

“Yeah, but I shoulda seen through it!” Stan brought his fist down on the table, and the contents of his mug sloshed precariously close to the top. “Of all people, I should’ve known better —”

“Right.” Ford grimaced. “Right. Because no one else who should’ve known better was ever tricked by a dream demon for a whole lot longer than a few hours —”

“Shit. Ford, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean it like —”

With a controlled glowering expression and deliberate motions, Ford stood, marching across the kitchen with all the fury and hesitation of a slow-moving thunderstorm.

“I didn’t mean it was your fault! I’d never — ”

“…I know.” Ford came to a halt at the door, bracing one hand against the frame. “But if you can say as much about me, then… then why can’t you just say that about yourself?”

“What?!”

“You would’ve caught on soon enough, if Mabel hadn’t defeated Bill when she did — I wasn’t there, but I’m sure of that because I know you, and I know how well you know Dipper.” Ford shook his head. “I didn’t catch on to Bill’s lies for years. I gave him free reign to hurt people for so much longer than one evening —”

He crossed his arms, and his imposing silhouette in the doorway seemed to shrink.

“So if you’re not blaming me for anything to happen this summer, then you’d better not blame yourself, you — you knucklehead.”

“Are you kidding me?” Stan leapt out of his seat. “It’s no wonder you didn’t see through Bill’s lies, when your whole life, you had me watching your back — and then I wasn’t there for you, when you needed me more than ever —”

“Because I pushed you away!” Ford shouted, whirling back around to face him. “Do you know what I realized while I was trying to fall asleep last night? That if I’d just stood up to Dad when he kicked you out, if I’d just done the right thing for once in my formative years, then the end of the world as we knew it would’ve been averted altogether! No falling for Bill’s flattery, no arguing over the zodiac, no Weirdmageddon! We could’ve had it all, but we just couldn’t live in that better world, all because I convinced myself you were suffocating me —”

“But it sounds like maybe I still am, huh?” Stan growled. “If all I do is just make you furious like this —”

“No,” Ford gasped, all the hostility in his voice and his glare immediately melting away. “No, no, absolutely not! I’m not furious at you, Stan, I’m…”

“Furious at yourself,” Stan accused, “for being even worse than me?!”

“No! Don’t even say that!”

Before Stan could process what was happening, much less protest it, Ford was hugging him, burying his face in Stan’s shoulder.

“Maybe — maybe I am angry at you, after all,” Ford admitted, “but you’re my hero, Stanley. My inspiration. If am angry with you, it’s — it’s just because you’re too damn stubborn to forgive yourself…”

Stan gingerly placed a hand on Ford’s shoulder. “…Yeah, and you’re one to talk.”

“I won’t deny that,” Ford mumbled. He went quiet for a few seconds, and when he spoke up again, his voice was quieter, yet slightly more composed. “Maybe we need to just… call a truce. Find something positive to agree on. We’re both too stubborn for this argument to end with either of us admitting we were wrong —”

“At least for give-or-take the next forty years,” Stan interrupted, punctuating his words with a bitter laugh.

Ford barked out a laugh of his own, loud and cathartic, and withdrew from the hug, removing his glasses to rub his eyes. “If Dipper and Mabel were here, they would have told us to stop being stubborn old men a while ago. I wish they were here.”

“They’d probably also tell us it’s more Bill’s fault than either of ours,” Stan added. “And… I guess they’d have a point.”

“I can see the logic in that.” Ford smiled faintly. “I’m sorry for making this about me, by the way. You opened up to talk about your own issues, and I —”

“Hey, I made it about you just as much as you did, Brainiac,” Stan reminded him. “…But damn. You think we’ll ever be able to talk about our feelings without shouting our lungs out at each other?”

“We’re still no good at thinking through anything before we say it,” Ford replied, “though I guess we must be getting a little better, since we didn’t even stop speaking to each other this time.”

“Thank god. I’m tired of not talking to you.”

The two of them settled back into their seats at the table, and Stan reached for the morning paper, but Ford spoke up once more.

“I know forgiveness, especially self-forgiveness, can be… complicated,” he told Stan in a low voice, “so maybe I’m biased, speaking as someone who’d rather not grapple with my own personal guilt — but even more important than whether you forgive or blame yourself, I think, is acknowledging that you made mistakes, yet still deserve good things from the universe. And that goes for you and me both.”

Stan took a sip from his mug, pleased to find its contents were still warm. “Good things like coffee, and adventures sailing around the world?”

Ford chuckled. “My priorities exactly.”

[cherryflavr]

mr robot au ! let’s discuss the main points

matt is elliot (obvs), he hates his job n just wants to stay home n game, he often messes around with coding and has even made his own little games but keeps them to himself. he has ocd and constantly worries abt ppl following him n he feels extremely guilty for everything

jackson is mr robot, instead of a computer store he ran a tiki bar and went by mr happy hour!! he wears a big cowboy hat and hawaiian shirts and he’s a dick but in a sweet way yknow

ryan is angela, he works in cybersecurity and is great at his job but he is constantly stoned, he doesn’t rlly give a fuck abt life but he still applies himself n he’s managed to get pretty far . he feels stuck

carson is darlene, he’s a freelance painter but he learned how to hack when he met justin (who is a pro!!), he finds the beauty in everything n wishes the world could be as beautiful as it looks .

harrison is tyrell, slick business mastermind with a very mysterious air, he doesn’t lash out as much as tyrell but instead expresses his rage quietly. everyone is wary of this french bastard

[maine-writes]

21. Beach Wedding

"Why do I have to wear a monkey suit!?" Vonvon whined as Stevonnie adjusted their little green bowtie.

"It's a wedding Vonvon." They explained while the child struggled in the stiff tuxedo.

The wedding venue was the scenic beach of Beach City itself. It was a clear summer day, the golden sun shining from a vivid blue sky. A cool breeze carried the salty sea air, washing upon the white sands like the gentle ocean waves. The cries of distant seagulls accompanied the sounds of crashing waves.

A pristine, white tent was set up with over a few dozen seats and an altar. The tent poles were decorated with bouquets of the unique pink flowers found around Beach City and white streamers.

The entirety of the town was invited, as well as a rather sizable camera crew, for this was no ordinary wedding. This was the reportedly humble and not-at-all-a-marketing-opportunity wedding of Beach City's beloved mayor, Ronaldo Fryman, and Jane Winslow.

When Stevonnie got their invitation, via e-mail, they were told to bring a plus-one, so they brought Vonvon. When told that they were attending a wedding, the child was less than enthusiastic. Stevonnie told them they had to wear nice clothes, so Vonvon had a choice; the tuxedo or the soft blue and pink dress.

Despite Stevonnie gushing over how cute Vonvon looked in the dress, or perhaps because of it, the child chose the suit.

Everyone Vonvon knew was at the wedding: Kiki & Jenny Pizza, accompanied by a framed picture of Nanefua Pizza; Sadie Miller, renowned horror film director; Peedee Fryman, Ronaldo's younger brother and owner of Hot 2 Tot, a fast food restaurant in Charm City; Sour Cream and Onion; Bill and Buck Dewey; Suitcase Sam, whom everyone thought had died years earlier; and of course, Harold Smiley. There were even a few guests they didn't know, but Stevonnie did.

Stevonnie wore what appeared to be a black, shoulder-less, silk wrap garment, matching slacks, and a drape over their left shoulder, decorated by a floral filigree of gold.

"Hey Kiki, Jenny!" Stevonnie waved to the Pizzas.

"Oh em gee!" Jenny squealed, "Stevonnie? I haven't seen you since the town was almost destroyed by those elephants!"

"Yeah, sorry it's been a while." They laughed before noting the picture of Nanefua in Jenny's hands. "When did she pass?"

"Oh, Gunga's still alive." Jenny said, "She retired and lives in Harbor Town."

"Hello Stevonnie." Nanefua said through the now obvious tablet computer.

"Hi Miss Pizza. How's Harbor Town?"

"It's so nice here. I have my own pool by my private beach."

Meanwhile, outside the tent, Ronaldo was doing an interview with local news. He wore a dark brown hakama, a dark red kimono, and a black haori with a series of Japanese kanji on the back. He was insistent it meant 'I am Bloodstone', but Vonvon was pretty sure it meant 'Shrimp Tempura'. He also carried a lime green katana.

Vonvon never really interacted with Mayor Fryman, mostly because when they first met, he asked very personal questions about their father and if they had a gem.

"Since becoming mayor, Beach City has expanded into Brooding Hill and beyond." He said to the smiling reporter. "Now we have a new golf course, a shopping mall that is not a fire hazard, and we're in the middle of talks with neighboring Buddtown and South Salton about absorbing them into Beach City."

"Sounds like you have big plans, Mayor Fryman." Noted the reporter.

"Big? More like massive!" He replied. "I aim to increase Beach City's tourism revenue by at least six-...no, sevenfold, starting with the expansion of Funland and the creation of a zoo showcasing the strange creatures that inhabit the area and the man who studied and captured them to catalogue: Me."

"Boo! Mystery Shack ripoff!" Vonvon yelled as they peeked out of the tent.

Then came the ceremony. As the guests took their seats, only slightly irritated by the constant shutter and flash of dozens of cameras, they noted the person officiating the wedding; Spinel.

She wore her magenta hair in an official-looking bun, wore her usual magenta flannel shirt and shorts, but also had a black and white collar around her neck.

"Alright, let's get this party started!" She announced, holding a copy of the book, An Idiot's Guide to Weddings.

The wedding band, which consisted of a strange businessman with grey wolf paws and claws and an even stranger guy in a red Hawaiian shirt and a grey wolf head, began playing the traditional wedding music with violins as the bride, Jane, walked into the tent.

She was a beautiful young woman with short brown hair, a fair, freckled face, and teal-green eyes. Her dress was not of traditional design, but was a pure white kimono adorned by subtle flower embroidery.

"I guess they have a theme?" Vonvon whispered to Stevonnie.

It was a beautiful ceremony, many a tear shed in joy. Afterward came the reception in the reception tent, which Vonvon was really excited for, because all of the food was made by Lars' new company, Space Catering. Everyone noticed that Jane had somehow changed from her white kimono to a brilliant red one with gold trim.

Gifts were given to the newly wedded couple, some brought the usual; kitchen appliances, money, luggage, and even a few personalized gifts. Stevonnie brought them a pair of actual swords, which really excited Ronaldo.

But Vonvon's eyes were on the prize: The whole roasted pig. As Lars and an assistant brought the massive beast to the buffet table, Vonvon's mouth watered like a cat peeping in a seafood store. They could almost hear the crispy crunch of the pig's roasted, golden brown skin.

On the dessert table were pastries and cakes from Lars' other business, Spacetries. The purple yam sponge cake was Vonvon's favorite. They didn't know what a purple yam was, but it was good.

As they joined Stevonnie at the table with a plate of pork, fried spring rolls, and spaghetti, they excitedly licked their lips.

"So when do they consummate?" They asked Stevonnie, twirling a fork of red spaghetti noodles.

"What?"

"You know, fu-"

Stevonnie quickly moved Vonvon's fork of noodles into their mouth before they could finish their thought. Wide-eyed, Stevonnie wondered who they would have to kill.

They had a feeling it was either the possum or the sock puppet at the other table.

@artsycooky13

[scifigeneration]

New formation theory explains the mysterious interstellar object ‘Oumuamua’

Since its discovery in 2017, an air of mystery has surrounded the first known interstellar object to visit our solar system, an elongated, cigar-shaped body named 'Oumuamua (Hawaiian for "a messenger from afar arriving first").

How was it formed, and where did it come from? A new study published April 13 in Nature Astronomy offers a first comprehensive answer to these questions.

First author Yun Zhang at the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and coauthor Douglas N. C. Lin at the University of California, Santa Cruz, used computer simulations to show how objects like 'Oumuamua can form under the influence of tidal forces like those felt by Earth's oceans. Their formation theory explains all of 'Oumuamua's unusual characteristics.

"We showed that 'Oumuamua-like interstellar objects can be produced through extensive tidal fragmentation during close encounters of their parent bodies with their host stars, and then ejected into interstellar space," said Lin, professor emeritus of astronomy and astrophysics at UC Santa Cruz.

Discovered on October 19, 2017, by the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System 1 (Pan-STARRS1) in Hawaii, 'Oumuamua is absolutely nothing like anything else in our solar system, according to Zhang. Its dry surface, unusually elongated shape, and puzzling motion even drove some scientists to wonder if it was an alien probe.

"It is really a mysterious object, but some signs, like its colors and the absence of radio emission, point to 'Oumuamua being a natural object," Zhang said.

"Our objective is to come up with a comprehensive scenario, based on well understood physical principles, to piece together all the tantalizing clues," Lin said.

Astronomers had expected that the first interstellar object they detected would be an icy body like a comet. Icy objects like those populating the Oort cloud, a reservoir of comets in the outermost reaches of our solar system, evolve at very large distances from their host stars, are rich in volatiles, and are often tossed out of their host systems by gravitational interactions. They are also highly visible due to the sublimation of volatile compounds, which creates a comet's coma (or "tail") when it is warmed by the sun. 'Oumuamua's dry appearance, however, is similar to rocky bodies like the solar system's asteroids, indicating a different ejection scenario.

Other researchers have calculated that there must be an extremely large population of interstellar objects like 'Oumuamua. "The discovery of 'Oumuamua implies that the population of rocky interstellar objects is much larger than we previously thought," Zhang said. "On average, each planetary system should eject in total about a hundred trillion objects like 'Oumuamua. We need to construct a very common scenario to produce this kind of object."

When a smaller body passes very close to a much bigger one, tidal forces of the larger body can tear the smaller one apart, as happened to comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 when it came close to Jupiter. The tidal disruption processes can eject some debris into interstellar space, which has been suggested as a possible origin for 'Oumuamua. But whether such a process could explain 'Oumuamua's puzzling characteristics remained highly uncertain.

Zhang and Lin ran high-resolution computer simulations to model the structural dynamics of an object flying close by a star. They found that if the object comes close enough to the star, the star can tear it into extremely elongated fragments that are then ejected into the interstellar space.

"The elongated shape is more compelling when we considered the variation of material strength during the stellar encounter. The ratio of long axis to short axis can be even larger than ten to one," Zhang said.

The researchers' thermal modeling showed that the surface of fragments resulting from the disruption of the initial body would melt at a very short distance from the star and recondense at greater distances, thereby forming a cohesive crust that would ensure the structural stability of the elongated shape.

"Heat diffusion during the stellar tidal disruption process also consumes large amounts of volatiles, which not only explains 'Oumuamua's surface colors and the absence of visible coma, but also elucidates the inferred dryness of the interstellar population," Zhang said. "Nevertheless, some high-sublimation-temperature volatiles buried under the surface, like water ice, can remain in a condensed form."

Observations of 'Oumuamua showed no cometary activity, and only water ice is a possible outgassing source to account for its non-gravitational motion. If 'Oumuamua was produced and ejected by the scenario of Zhang and Lin, plenty of residual water ice could be activated during its passage through the solar system. The resulting outgassing would cause accelerations that match 'Oumuamua's comet-like trajectory.

"The tidal fragmentation scenario not only provides a way to form one single 'Oumuamua, but also accounts for the vast population of asteroid-like interstellar objects," Zhang said.

The researchers' calculations demonstrate the efficiency of tidal forces in producing this kind of object. Possible progenitors, including long-period comets, debris disks, and even super-Earths, could be transformed into 'Oumuamua-size pieces during stellar encounters.

This work supports estimates of a large population of 'Oumuamua-like interstellar objects. Since these objects may pass through the domains of habitable zones, the possibility that they could transport matter capable of generating life (called panspermia) cannot be ruled out. "This is a very new field. These interstellar objects could provide critical clues about how planetary systems form and evolve," Zhang said.

According to Lin, "'Oumuamua is just the tip of the iceberg. We anticipate many more interstellar visitors with similar traits will be discovered by future observation with the forthcoming Vera C. Rubin Observatory."

U.S. Naval Academy astronomer Matthew Knight, who is co-leader of the 'Oumuamua International Space Science Institute team and was not involved in the new study, said this work "does a remarkable job of explaining a variety of unusual properties of 'Oumuamua with a single, coherent model."

"As future interstellar objects are discovered in coming years, it will be very interesting to see if any exhibit 'Oumuamua-like properties. If so, it may indicate that the processes described in this study are widespread," Knight said.

[ikenbar]

Mr. Love: Ike’s Choice Pt 6

Warnings: Ike being an angsty angst, Adorable fluff, cheesy lines, foreshadowing, aaaaaaaaaaaand cliffhangers :D

(Chapter One parts one, two, three, four, five, six, and seven here :))

((Please read the author’s note on part one if you’re new here :D)) 

A HEADS UP!! The first character introduced is not mine... the second one is though...

Chapter One:

Part Six:

The dining room was the loudest room in the house, but it wasn’t because of the noise inside of it. The walls were a nice pearly white, but you could barely see them from the amount of plant life Maria had sprouting all over the room. A large oak table sat in the middle of the room. The table was decorated with a gold table runner, various scented candles, and a centerpiece made of dried flowers. Seven matching dark oak chairs and one highchair surrounded it and, accompanying two of the chairs were Maria and the mystery guest. Maria was dressed nicely in a casual summer dress and high heels. She had her brunette hair tied up in a bun with a Hawaiian hibiscus planted in the middle of it, honoring her Hawaiian heritage. This look was a nice change from her usual rolled up jeans and white button-up tied to her waist.

The man sitting across from her was extremely handsome. From the way his legs were crossed to how he folded his hands together, he held himself in a manner that showed elegance and poise. He wore a black button-up shirt and dress pants that matched the hue. A pick tie was pulled lazily from his neck and the first button of his shirt was undone. His black hair was short with his bangs barely teasing his eyes. His skin was pale, showing that he spent most of his time indoors and his rectangular glasses told me most of that time was spent in front of a computer. His eyes were a beautiful violet and they were gentle as he listened to Maria talk about nothing in particular. From the way he held himself, to the smile he had resting on his face, I knew one thing was certain. 

He was hiding something.

The mystery guest looked up at me. His soft smile grew wider as he straightened his posture slightly and removed his glasses. “You must be Ike.” His voice matched the monotone one I had heard earlier. I gave him a slight nod as I walked further into the room. Maria looked back at me and beamed.

“Yes, she is!” She got out of her chair and forced me closer to the man as he stood from his chair politely, “Lucien, this is Ikamara but we call her Ike. Ike, this is Lucien.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you.” He held out his hand, which I took with a nod.

“Likewise.” I said, firmly shaking his hand. Maria smiled widely and bounced in place.

“I’ll let you two get acquainted while I help Bart in the kitchen.” her voice sounded like it had something blocking it. Likely a vat of giggles. I sighed, finally catching on to the reason why Lucien was here. Even though no one stayed long enough to ask for my number, Maria still tried really hard to set me up with a boyfriend. Whether it was some client she met at the pharmacy she worked at or the ticket booth salesman at the theater, it didn’t matter to her. As long as they were cute and wouldn’t mind a tough-skinned partner. They were always way in over their head though. She is sweet to see past my tough exterior, but men don’t have the time for that. Nor do I have the time to let them in. I’m fine with being single. I didn’t need some man coming in and throwing off my life completely. I had things under control and I wished my family would just let it be. They never did though.

As Maria left the room, Lucien smiled at me and offered Maria’s seat. I took it, suppressing an eye roll, and Lucien returned to his chair across from mine, the old chairs slightly squeaking under our weight.

“I’ve heard so much about you in the little time I’ve been here.” Lucien politely started some small talk.

"Oh? Like what?" I asked as I folded my arms across my chest.

"Well, Sam tells me you two play soccer together after school sometimes.” He paused as if he wanted me to touch on the topic. I didn’t. So he continued, “...and Maria says you’re a great cook, Ashton says you can play the piano very well, Bartholomew bragged nonstop about your work ethic, and Lola would giggle every time we mentioned your name so I could only assume she likes you as well.” Lucien chuckled slightly at his own joke, “Your family must really care about you having so many nice things to tell me about you.”

“Right, and I know exactly one thing about you.”

“And what’s that?” He chuckled, neglecting my rude response.

“Ashton tells me that you are a friend of Bart’s?”

“That’s right.”

“How is it that I have known them for so long and haven’t heard of you.”

“Because Bartholomew and I are only really connected through my father.”

“...and?” I pried.

“My father died when I was a child.” Lucien’s eyes drifted slightly and his once soft smile was now gone, “I didn’t have much reason to keep in contact with him after that.”

I gulped. “... I’m sorry for your loss.” I meekly said,  looking away from Lucien and regretting my rude responses. Way to go, Ike. I lectured to myself inside my head, Why are you so insensitive? 

Lucien caught onto the awkward silence in the room and spoke sweetly, “Thank you but it is in the past now. There is no need to be sorry.” Lucien brushed a stray hair away from my face as he lifted my chin to face him. He smiled at me reassuringly. I nodded slightly and quickly pulled his hand from my face. Lucien took no offense to this as he leaned back in his chair and continued, “After my father’s death, I didn’t have a way to keep in contact with Bartholomew. It wasn’t until a couple of years ago when I was watching the news and a story about a certain up and coming production company and their new hit show caught my attention. I noticed that the man I grew up with was the same man that owned the company. So, I moved to get in contact with him again. I was able to find his information on their website and got to catch up with him after all these years. I couldn’t visit right away because I was away from Loveland for my studies, but Bartholomew let me know I was welcome to dinner when I came back.” Lucien tilted his head slightly as his gentle smile grew, “Does that clear things up? Are you able to trust me now?”

“Who said I didn’t trust you?”

Lucien gestured to me, “From your slouched back and folded arms, you’re practically screaming it.” I looked down. My arms were folded tightly to my chest and I was sliding down my chair. My feet were slightly pointed to the door as if I were ready to run to it at any minute. Embarrassed, I cleared my throat and straightened myself in the chair as I unfolded my arms. Lucien chuckled as I did so, reveling in the fact that he caught me red-handed. I felt my face burn slightly.

“It’s not that I’m untrusting.” I lied, “I’m just overprotective.”

“I can understand why.” Lucien’s soft smile returned, “With a family like yours, I would be too.”

“And it is your family too!” A cheery voice came walking out of the kitchen. Bart carried a large pot out with him. The pot seemed a lot smaller than it really was as he held it in his large hands and against his even larger body. He wore a red lacy apron that was covered in sauce stains. But even the stains looked delicious. Bart was a phenomenal cook. It was a skill he wouldn’t admit he had but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t let us stop praising him for it. He didn’t cook often but, when he did, you could tell it was for a special occasion. I hoped that occasion was because Lucien was visiting and not because I had sealed a deal with Victor. Just the thought of disappointing Bart ruined my appetite.

 Bart had a large smile planted across his face as he looked at the two of us, “The food is nearly done! Evie, be a dear and set the table.” I nodded and stood up.

“Evie?” Lucien asked standing as well.

“Yes! Evie!” Bart chimed as he placed the pot on the table, “We wanted Ike to know that this house would be a different experience from her other foster homes and start a new life with us! Evelyn is her middle name, so we started calling her Evie! It’s like another way of calling her ‘dear’ or ‘sweetheart.’” 

“I see…” Lucien seemed to be lost in thought.

“Only they can call me Evie.” I caught on to his train of thought before it spiraled out of control. I turned and looked Lucien dead in the eye, “You try calling me that and I will sew your lips shut.” Lucien tried smiling at me but, after seeing how serious I was, he frowned and nodded.

“Ike it is.” He said just as seriously.

“Isn’t she a hoot!” Bart laughed joyfully, “I’m glad to see you two hitting it off!” I rolled my eyes and disappeared into the kitchen to avoid any more contact with Lucien.

 I walked to the cupboard where the plates were stored but stopped when I saw Maria was already holding them, smiling widely at me.

“So?!” She badgered, “What do you think??”

“I think you aren’t getting my hints.” I took the plates from her, but she held her grip. I looked at her with an annoyance dripping from my every pore.

“Come on!” Maria begged, “Give him a chance! Lucien is different! You guys had a conversation and he is still willing to stay for dinner!”

“The night is still young!” I said hopefully as I gave the plates a good tug, taking the plates from her and turned back to the door. Maria took my shoulder.

“Ike.” She spoke softly, “You can’t stay closed off forever.” I loosened my expression for a moment. ...Was I being too hard? Even though I was rude, he was still nice to me and still wanted to stay. Maybe…

 I quickly shook my head and moved my shoulder from Maria’s hand. It didn’t matter if he had stayed. He would see how bad I am as a partner and leave me behind just like everyone else did. And I’d be ok with it. We’d do this whole shindig over again with a whole new person and he would leave as well. It always happens.

The doorbell rang. “I’ll get it!” Maria’s voice was cheery again as she jogged out of the kitchen. I sighed as I watched her leave. Maybe I should have canceled and stayed home or gone to St. Richards for a drink. I started making plans to sneak out but they were interrupted when I heard someone say my name in the dining room.

“Ike mentioned that you wanted her to have a different experience here then her other foster homes,” Lucien’s voice resembled one of a therapist’s, “If you don’t mind me asking, why is that?” There was a slight pause in the room as Bart thought of what to say. I used this pause to quickly start to move back to the dining room and stop the conversation from continuing.

“Ike had been through plenty of foster homes before ours.” My feet stuck to the ground when I heard Bart’s voice. It was a tone he rarely used. Very serious but with a soft undertone. It was the tone used when he talked to me about how his company was going under. And the tone he used when he first called me Evie. 

I stayed by the kitchen door, unable to move, as Bart continued, “Some of which left her with scars, mental and physical, to remind her of them. I mean, when she first came to us, she wouldn’t even speak. We wanted her to know we would give her nothing but love. The kind of love every fifteen-year-old deserved.”

“She was only fifteen…” Lucien’s voice was soft, “What... did they do to her?” I regained feeling in my feet and briskly walked out of the kitchen. 

“What kind of silverware do you want, Bart?” I asked uselessly, making the two men jump at my sudden appearance in the dining room. Their conversation ceased at once. I couldn’t have Bart answer him. It wasn’t because I didn’t want him to but because I knew he couldn’t. Bart and Maria were extremely empathetic people. When I explained to them what happened in those homes, they wept like children. They apologized over and over for something they had no control over. They were even afraid to touch me for days after I told them because they were afraid they would hurt me in some way. Whenever the conversation was brought up about my scars after that, they would start getting overly emotional and shut down. I hated seeing them like that. I hated the look they always had on their face. The look of unjustified sympathy.

“Uh, forks!” Bart said, trying and failing to bring back his normal joyful tone, “Can’t have spaghetti without forks!” I nodded and started placing down the plates. A slender hand appeared on top of mine, stopping my actions. I looked up and saw Lucien smiling at me.

“Allow me.” He said moving the stack closer to him, “You can get the utensils.” I tensed. That was an obvious attempt to get rid of me so they would continue their conversation. I wouldn’t let that happen. Before I could decline his offer, a loud laugh came from the dining room doorway.

“Wow, did mom bring home yet another guy for Ikie?”

I looked over and saw my elder foster brother, Christopher, smirking at Lucien and I from the dining room. Chris had been assigned to this foster home the same time as I did. The foster care center thought it would be a better idea to have someone there that was my age to help me out of my shell. He had only stayed a couple of months until his mother got back home from her business trip, and he had to leave. He had created such a strong bond with Maria, Bart, and the kids while he was there so he came to visit almost daily. Despite being assigned to be his foster sister, our relationship wasn’t nearly as strong as his relationships with the others. That was my fault though. I should have worked harder to better the bond between us. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. His love was way better spent on the little kids then on me.

“Chris!!” Sam raced in from the family room and right into Chris’ arms. Chris gladly accepted him and raised him up and into the air.

“Hey buddy!” He laughed, giving him a nudge, “How’s my favorite brother?”

“I heard that!” Ashton called from the living room. Almost everyone in the dining room burst into laughter. I took that moment to slide the plates away from Lucien and finish setting the table. Ashton popped his head in and glared at Sam, “You still have to watch Lola.”

“Danggit.” Sam cursed and jumped from Chris’ arms and ran back into the family room.

“Swear jar, mister!” Maria returned to the dining room and besides Chris.

“Wonder where he learned that one.” Chris playfully glared at me.

“Hey now,” I threw my finger at him, “My mouth is way dirtier than that and you know it.” The room laughed again as Chris approached me. I held out my hand for a handshake but he pulled me into a hug. I sighed and gave him a few awkward pats on the back.

“How was work?” Chris asked cheerfully as he pulled away from me.

“Long.” I sighed as flashbacks of that day’s events came to mind, “How was yours?”

Chris worked at a kid's TV show company with his best friend from college. They were both history majors who wanted to do more to interest people in the history of Loveland. So they started working on their own TV show shortly after Bart and I started making ours. His show was dedicated to the history of Loveland and the events that led to the happenings of today. The show was animated to lure the attention of kids but still had an alluring story to capture the interest of adults as well. Their show was slow to take off but I really saw some potential with it. I thought it was a really good way to get people to teach people the events of the past as to not recreate them, and I wanted Chris to know that I supported him. In fact, I was one of the first to invest in their company. Though I had to pay him anonymously. He would have never accepted my money if I had offered it outright to him. He was too modest for that. Or too prideful. Either way, he wasn’t going to take my money so I made it an offer he couldn’t refuse. 

“Same.” Chris sighed, “It’s hard to find someone who would be willing to fund such a small and underappreciated show. And before you offer,” Chris held a hand up to my mouth, which I had opened in protest, “I don’t need your money. I want to work for it.” I sighed and nodded, suppressing a smile.

“What, Sam and Ike get a hug and I don’t?!” Bart pulled Chris into a big hug, one Chris was happy to return. “Welcome home son!”

“Thanks, Pops!” Chris grunted from inside Bart’s tight grip. Bart dropped him and pushed him over to Lucien. “I would like to introduce one of my good friends, Lucien!” Chris put out his hand and Lucien accepted it.

“Hi! I’m Chris.” He said enthusiastically, shaking his hand.

“Lucien.” Lucien was a very patient man. Or very good at hiding his emotions. Either way it was commendable, “I’ve heard a lot about you. Your father is very proud of what you have accomplished in your show.” Chris looked taken aback. He chuckled nervously as his ears reddened. I arched my eyebrow. Lucien seemed to know how to make anyone flustered. I looked up at him and saw he was already looking at me. I tensed and quickly avoided his eyes. He wasn’t going to get me blushing next! I wouldn’t let him!… danggit.

“Your face is red, Ike.” Lucien asked, pulling my attention back to him, “Are you feeling well?” He raised a hand and held the back of it to my face. His hand cooled my burning cheeks. I quickly stepped away from him. 

“I’m fine.” I quickly said, straightening my flannel, “It’s just hot in here.” Lucien was quick to respond.

“I believe the fault of that falls entirely on you.”

Everyone’s mouths dropped as they turned to look at me. The flames on my cheeks intensified. Lucien’s stare was calm as he relished in the moment. This man…

I quickly regained my composure as I cleared my throat. “Well then I’ll leave to make things a little more comfortable for you guys.” I pushed past the crowd of testosterone to get to the kitchen, despite their playful pleads for me to stay. I walked into the kitchen and leaned on the counter. If Lucien thinks he can just get away with something like that-

“I’m sorry Lulu.” Chris’s voice carried from the dining room, “Ikie has been that way for years. I’m afraid nothing has changed.” My hands tightened on the counter. There they go again. Apologizing for something I did. For something I wasn’t sorry about. Like what I felt was useless as long as their image came first. I was twenty-three years old. I wasn’t some child they could cover for. They had done this for years. I knew there was no chance they would stop.

“Don’t worry.” Lucien laughed, “It’ll take a lot more than that to scare me away. Trust me.” I scoffed and rolled my eyes. If that’s what Lucien thinks then that night was going to be a long night.

(Next)

[ducklooney]

My first fanfiction-Quack Pack fanfiction?!

Here is finally something to do, I would just ask for some mistakes that I have right now on fanfiction to correct me and show me some things that are wrong, since they are certainly written the way I imagine those things. Thank you in advance for your help. Since unfortunately not only on Tumblr, but also on Instagram and on Deviantart and other social networks there are few things related to the cartoon series "Quack Pack", I decided to write fanfiction. Since unfortunately there is not much fanart related to Quack Pack, I wish there was a little more, I actually thought I was drawing related to it, but since I do not have the conditions for it, and I draw on my computer and it turns out a little bad, I decided to do better with fanfiction writing, but not the ones most write, but quite different, mostly from my perspective, the way I would like it to be in my fanfiction. Who will and who will read and like what I will write about now (I will post at the beginning on my blog, then I will see what happens later), he can. Freely draw based on my story, and I would love to be a little more fanart related to the Quack Pack. I know the Quack Pack has had some problems and I'm sure to include many things in my fanfiction story, first and foremost from the comic book world, and this fanfiction is actually going to be some kind of crossover. Please note that this is my first fanfiction and there will probably be mistakes I make and please correct me. Thank you for your understanding. And if I forgot, it would mostly be based on Donald Duck and his nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie Duck (but in the Quack Pack version) and Daisy Duck, but there might be characters that could appear, but unfortunately they didn't appeared in the Quack pack but will certainly pop up in my fanfiction story, but it will be a surprise. There is so much to begin with, and I will certainly start over and this story will be divided into parts. Here I am going to start with my fanfiction story and I want you to enjoy my story and apologize in advance for some things I have offended by something and made some mistakes that made you offended and I apologize for that. And yes, if there are any questions, feel free to ask me. Here's a start:

Morning. It was dawn, actually. July month. Yesterday was over thirty degrees, and it's not easy for ducks to keep that temperature under so many feathers, and so is Donald Duck, who has experienced everything in his life and so on. He slept in one solid dream, and he certainly dreamed of beating the Evronians as a Duck Avenger, or of fighting Maui Mallard with his martial arts, or how he, as a Double Duck, perform special espionage missions to save the world or simply how he likes to fish on one lake and enjoy it. Whatever it is, he certainly loves that kind of dream. However, someone interrupts him, in the sense of someone or something interrupting his dream. Yes, it was a boring alarm clock and digital. It was four o'clock in the morning and Donald slammed his fist into his alarm clock to turn it off. He turned off the alarm clock and stood up all awake, realizing what day it would be like today. Yes, he will have a lot of work to do, both as a cameraman and as a reporter, but not with Kent Powers, who fired him long ago, but with Everett Ducklair, his chief. Yes, Donald hated Everett as much as he did Kent Powers before, as he kept upsetting his life by forcing him to do some trivial things instead of his main job, such as cleaning toilets, hallways, halls, and the like. Fortunately, for all his work, he was paid a lot of money, and with that Donald could be satisfied, first of all, because he devoted all his money to his beloved nephews. When he had some free time or a break at work, he thought of Huey, Dewey, and Louie, who were no longer young children and could soon be adults. They have long since entered puberty, their personalities have formed, and they will soon start whether or not for a year in high school. Although they had different traits, they still acted as a team except in some things. Donald, of course, first went to the bathroom to do his work, so he washed and brushed his teeth. Afterwards, he put on his Hawaiian shirt and went to have his breakfast. After breakfast, he got ready for work, but before he went to work, he wanted to go to his nephews' room to see if they were sleeping any longer. As they continue to sleep, Donald merely smiled at them and slowly approached them and gave them his parental kiss on their cheeks, but they did not notice or feel it after they slept soundly. Donald then left their room and walked down the stairs to retrieve his business bag. Yes, at that point it was five o'clock in the morning, but of course Donald had to get to work early, as his boss had ordered him to do. He had to be at work at six o'clock. So he took it in his bag, in the meantime he heard a loud voice, and Donald replied:

"Silence!", And gestured Donald with his index finger to his beak as a sign of silence, and pointed to the top floor, thinking it was one of his nephews. As the loud noise stopped, Donald turned to the hall and then to the door and meanwhile, his nephew Louie Duck appeared in his pajamas with a backwards cap and said to Louie his uncle: "Can I please Uncle Donald go with you to work?" "No!" Donald replies loudly, "you can't go to work, and besides getting out of bed now, is it too early to play and go to school?" "Uncle Donald, so we're on vacation now, school's not working during the month of July, have you forgotten that? Besides, we'll be alone when you're gone," Louie said, and Donald suddenly thought and put his hand on his forehead as that he had done something wrong. And they sit in a small chair in the hall.

I almost forgot about it. Yes, I worry about you, that something bad doesn't happen to you. I can't quite leave you alone. Especially not to my worst neighbor in the history of humanity, Neighbor Jones, and his family. It just makes a mess in my yard and makes my life even worse, and again I would not move, ”Donald said, sad. "Don't think so badly Uncle D, you're for my brothers and for me my best uncle, and also the best parent we have. You always think of us and keep an eye on us whenever you can, even if my brothers and I make hell instead let’s make paradise for you. ”Louie said as she approached her uncle. Uncle Donald hugged Louie crying with happiness and said, "You never make me hell, even if you sometimes ruin my house, but I'm very happy to have you, as if you were my sons and not my nephews. Without you I'm empty man." "Don't, Uncle Donald. So you have the best cousins you have, you have your girlfriend Daisy, who is also our aunt, you have Uncle Scrooge, you have best friends Panchito and Jose, and Goofy certainly, our mom Della, who is in space right now, and now I can't remember who else. But you have more support than you think, "Louie said, hugging his uncle. "Oooohh... Thank you Louie, but I have to tell you something and please promise me you won't tell your brothers or anyone, especially Fethry Duck. Okay?" "All right, Uncle Donald. But why?" Louie asked, wondering who was hiding something, since he was of such a nature that he neither loves nor can lie. "Here, Louie, why. You and I know that Uncle Scrooge and I had a fight, don't you?" "I know, Uncle D. I'm sad it must have happened, and I haven't seen Uncle Scrooge in a long time. I know he's a lot of stingy and hard-hearted, but I know for sure, and I believe he surely deep in our heart, thinks of us, and we probably miss him . ”Louie replies sadly. "Ooohh ... I know Louie, but then again, he only thinks of himself and his business and especially his money and I don't think I'm sending you there. In my opinion, better come to you Webby and Mrs. Beakly, than you to you go to Scrooge. And I wouldn't argue about it any more. Okay?!” "All right, Uncle D." Louie sighed miserably. "Next, my only real friends are Jose Carioca, Panchito, partly Goofy, Gyro Gearloose and Fenton. They are the only ones who give me confidence," Donald replied. "What about One? Lyla Lay? Kay K? Reginella? Don't they matter to you? And what about Fethry and Gus Goose?" Louie asked mysteriously. "Be quiet! Don't hear anyone. I know, but these are my private affairs, so don't talk to anyone about this or you won't go on adventures with me like Duck Avenger! Okay?!" - Donald replies angrily. "All right, Uncle Donald," Louie replies. "Yes, I know you very much love my cousin Fethry, or your further uncle, but I'm afraid to make a mess again so I have to pay big fines later. Remember the last time Fethry guarded you?" Donald asked. "I remember. But it was fun. We had a great time with Fethry and my cousin, or Fethry's nephew Dugan Duck," Louie says excitedly. "I know, but a mess was made, and besides, I had a lot of reports from my awkward neighbors. I can't allow such things next time. You understand what I'm talking about, don't you?" "I know, Uncle Donald. I know." Louie says sadly. "Then you know why I can't trust you, my cousin Gus Goose." "I know, because he only thinks about the food he eats all the time," Louie replies. "Not only that, but because he's too stupid," Donald replies. "Okay, but he's fun too," Louie replies. "Yes I know, but I can't take the risk again. What I'm talking about is babysitting, and since I can't trust everyone, I can only entrust that job to Dickie Duck, Goldie's granddaughter. I just hope she's not too busy writing her student master's work. " "Dickie is great. I don't mind being a babysitter. She's never bored with it," Louie replies happily. "I'm glad about that. I'll talk to her and if she's free, she'll come to watch over you. Okay?" "Ok, Uncle D." "Now, back to bed." "All right, Uncle." "And don't tell anyone about this, okay?" "Ok. And good luck at work, Uncle D."                                                                "Thank you Louie. Goodbye! See you in the evening," Donald said, getting up and heading for the door, in the meantime ringing the phone. "Who's calling this at this time ?!" Donald mumbled and picked up the phone and asked, "Who is it?" “Can I keep your nephews safe?” Fethry asked cheerfully in his sweater, living two blocks away from the Donald. "Noooooo!" - Donald angrily answered and hung up. Poor Fethry. All in all, he takes his bag and wristwatch, leaves the house, runs to the bus station, manages to catch the bus and leaves for work. However, it was six o'clock in the morning. Louie Duck goes to his room and goes to his deck chair (this was also his bed) and in his pajamas, wearing his cap on his head, reads a comic book while his brothers sleep. But Louie didn't read any comics related to super heroes, he read a comic about Darkwing Duck, which really existed in his world.

End of Chapter One.

[flowerfan2]

Bound To Be Together - Ch. 5

McDanno, T, A03

A continuous story of Season 9 codas exploring the bond between Steve and Danny as they grow even closer.

Chapter 5 - 9.05

Steve can’t sleep, going over and over what Danny had said after the stunt Steve pulled at the sand washing plant. Did Danny really think that Steve didn’t care about him?  Worse than Danny’s words, though, had been the look of pure hurt on Danny’s face.

Steve has screwed up, again.

He goes out to the lanai in the dark, Eddie padding along at his feet, and is about to settle down for a good round of self-recrimination when he gets a better idea.  

By the time the team starts filing in to the office the next morning Steve has completed all the paperwork from the day before, and printed it out for Danny’s review.  It’s in a neat pile on Danny’s desk, with a few sticky notes poking out to indicate places where he needs Danny’s input.  Getting this taken care of will save Danny hours of work, and show how much Steve appreciates him.

On Danny’s desk right next to the detailed report is a big box from Liliha’s.  Steve got a dozen coco puffs – everyone’s favorite, of course – but also some of the chocolate and green tea puffs, and a few poi donuts, because he loves how Danny rants about how food shouldn’t be purple on the inside.  He’s hoping they’ll bring a smile to Danny’s face.

Steve wanders out of his office and paces a little, trying to position himself in the best possible location to get a good view into Danny’s office but not look too obvious about it.  Now that the time has come he’s getting a little impatient.  He’s ready to fix this – he even almost knows what he is going to say, probably.  So where the hell is Danny?

 Lou meanders over and stands next to Steve.  Soon Tani and Junior join him.  Steve glances at them irritably.  Can’t they give him a little space?  

 “Um, what are we waiting for?”  Tani finally asks.  “Do we have a case, or is this just a group meeting thing?”

 Steve frowns at them. “I’m waiting for Danny.”

 There’s an uncomfortable pause as the team finally realizes what Steve has been looking at – namely, Danny’s empty office.  

 “Danny’s not coming in today,” Lou says gently, and Steve feels a wave of panic until Lou’s next words sink in.  “He’s got that conference this week, remember?”

 He doesn’t, actually, which is almost as worrying as the fact that he’s not going to be able to see Danny now.

 Lou gives Steve a considering look, and then wanders away into Danny’s office.   Tani trails after him.  “That’s the biggest box of coco puffs I’ve ever seen,” Lou says, his voice carrying.  “What’d you do this time?”

 “Oooh, boss’s in the doghouse,” Tani trills, grabbing the Liliha box off of Danny’s desk and bringing it out.  “But it means we can eat these, right?”

 Lou doesn’t wait for Steve to answer, just opens the box and smiles with approval.  “That’s right, my friend.  Can’t let ’em get stale.”

 Steve makes a quick escape back to his office, ignoring the concerned look on Junior’s face.  Great, just great, he thinks.  A nice touch of humiliation to start his day.  Just what he needed.

 He stares at his computer screen for a few minutes, watching the screensaver slide around.  Even his half decent plans go to shit.

 “Steve, can I come in?” Lou’s standing at the door, brushing an errant donut crumb off his Hawaiian shirt.

 “Yeah, of course.”

 Lou tactfully closes the door behind him.  It doesn’t do much good in their glass walled offices, but it’s a nice touch.

 “You want to talk about it?”

 “Not really.”

 Lou is silent for a few moments, and Steve almost thinks that he’s going to leave him at his word, or maybe launch into some rambling story about golf, but no, this is not that kind of day.

 “Danny seemed pretty upset yesterday, when he came back to the office.”

 Steve nods.  “That has been brought to my attention.”

 “Something happen with the case?  When you guys caught the perp?”

 You could say that, Steve thinks.  But what got Danny so upset wasn’t really the case itself, and he knows that now.  It was Steve being careless with Danny’s feelings, and he’s not about to share this belated revelation with Lou.

 “Just me being an ass again,” Steve finally says.  It’s not a bad summary, and Lou can take it any way he wants.

 Later that day, Steve sits in his truck, trying to compose a text to Danny.  He got out of the office by telling the team he had a meeting with the governor, and it was true, although it’s been over for an hour.  He can’t come up with anything to say.  He doesn’t want to apologize over text, or over the phone.  He’s no good with words.  He wants to see Danny in person so he can watch his face.  More importantly, he wants to make sure Danny can see Steve’s face.

 Danny can read Steve so well.  He’s sure that if Danny could see how sorry he is, he would understand.   He might even see how much Steve cares about him. How much Danny means to him. There’s just no way to say it in a text, especially when Steve can’t seem to form the words in his own mind.

 Procrastinating, he calls Liliha and asks if they deliver to the mainland.  They don’t.

 Before he gets any closer to texting Danny – or, god forbid, facetiming him and babbling uncontrollably – he gets a call from Junior.  They caught a case.  Steve sends out a thank you to the universe as he guns the engine and heads back to the Palace, then immediately feels like a jerk for being grateful that crime isn’t taking a break today.

 Unsurprisingly, Steve lets himself be so distracted by the mystery of the little girl who is drawing pictures of murder scenes in crayon that he doesn’t reach out to Danny at all. It’s bad, he knows that, and the worry that whatever he says will be woefully inadequate just gets worse as each day goes by.

 There’s an undeniable bright spot in his week when they reunite Mollie with her mom, and Steve lets himself relax.  Danny will be home soon, and they’ll work things out.  They always do.

 When Mollie and her mother (and the social worker) finally leave, Steve tells the team to take the rest of the day off.

 “At least Danny didn’t have to deal with this one,” he says, offhand.  “Cases with little kids really get to him.”

 Tani and Junior share a look.

 “What?”

 “Sir, Danny knows all about this case.  Tani and I talked to him about it.”

 “Danny was really helpful,” Tani says quickly, as if she’s worried that Steve is going to yell at them for wasting time or something.  “He gave us some good hints on how to interview kids and how children affected by trauma behave.”

 “Yeah,” says Junior. “There’s a real difference between the two little girls involved in this case and their experiences - you can’t just treat them the same way.  On the other hand, they’re both about the same age, so there are a lot of similarities too.”

 Junior turns to Tani and they break off into their own conversation about child victims.  Lou gives Steve another one of those appraising looks, but Steve can’t think of anything to say that won’t reveal how unreasonably disappointed he feels.

 This is exactly what Steve wanted – Danny sharing his expertise with their newest team members.  Being a role model for them.  It makes complete sense that Tani and Junior had talked to Danny this week.

 Steve just wishes that he had, too.

[typingtess]

A couple of thoughts on the shows I watched this week

God Friended Me on November 4th had Miles, Cara and Rakesh working with a cab driver – a devout Muslim – whose law school student daughter was thinking of eloping with her Jewish boyfriend.  Lots of interesting conversations – ones you don’t normally see on TV.  The end of the episode had a great twist – Miles and Cara met the cab driver once before – that was incredibly touching.  

Similar to the prior episode, Magnum PI visited an original series trope – Magnum helps out a kid who learns he's a detective.  Took a while for me to realize the girl's mom was Amita from Numb3rs.  A missing cat led to a murdered FBI agent as these things do (/snotty) – but it was a quality hour.  They are building up to Magnum's ex being a problem for him.  The payoff better be good.  They also brought back the old red Hawaiian shirt from the original series.  Nice touch.  

Bull is really on a roll with a solid case that would have worked on Law & Order.  When the trial is good, the trial science stuff doesn't have to overexplain things.  Liked seeing a pre-trial science part of Bull's professional life.

Criminal Minds was an exercise is dumb.  Of course, Luke was going to go after the killer of his old partner and the man who threatened his girlfriend (I thought the GF was toast myself – see Harley Hotchner, Erin Strauss, Maeve Donovan, etc.).  Luke losing some FBI rank with the opportunity to gain it back means that in a few weeks, the team will be in a dire situation that only Luke can solve, thereby earning back his old status.  

Murphy Brown was very entertaining.  A little easing off the politics and into the comings and goings of the news business was a nice change.  Liked seeing Avery and Murphy dealing with dating.  Avery was all for his mother dating until she actually started.  Jim and Phyllis were wonderful.  Bette Midler was entertaining in her return and Corky/Katie Couric in the same dress was very funny.

MacGyver is going to have me make sure my old phones/computers/whatever are really destroyed.  With Murdoc out of the picture I'm guessing for a while (he never really goes away), I guess Dragonfly will be the big mystery of this season.  Dragonfly was played by Scorpion's Brendan Hines (Drew, Paige's ex) so I'm guessing he'll be back.

[cryscries]

Character intros! For my capstone project/ comic Craven :)

All of these are still in the design and concept stages but more or less this is what I nailed for the designs (excluding sam). These are from my look book series which is why they look spiffy but in their actual universe where they are struggling college students you know they be lookin like a hot mess and when they initially start they are 18/ 19 years old in their second year of college

The order is the same as above :D

Kailani “Kai” Rivers - half black / half hawaiian

Practicing wiccan from her father’s side. Film major. In a committed relationship with Mia Tram for half a year. She is head strong but very compassionate. Her dream is to direct musicals/ plays and to continue doing work with Mia in the future. They are currently roommates in the same apartment complex as Leo.

Leonardo “Leo” Mori - Half filipino / half japanese

Digital Art major and supernatural enthusiast. Leo is shy and awkward but when you get to know him he warms up to you. He loves conspiracy theories and believes in the paranormal. His best friend is Sam and he has a very noticeable crush.

Mia Tram- Vietnamese American

Vocal performance & acting major. Mia is really fashionable and is very outgoing and passionate about music. Her goal is to perform one of her gf’s plays / musicals and continue to work together. Her fave musical is Rent.

Taemin “Tae” Park - Korean American

Game development/ computer science major. Taemin is sarcastic but a compassionate friend when you get to know him. He loves dnd and often hosts games for his friends. When Taemin came out as trans Leo was the second to know, Tae’s twin sister was the first.

Samuel “Sam” Carson - White/ Native American

((OG belongs to @inflomora-art​ but was so sweet to let me include him in my capstone because originally the cast was just supposed to be him and Leo on adventures :D))

Doesn’t go to school but works freelance in photography as well as part time in a brick and mortar shop. His best friend is Leo and other than having a just as noticeable crush he is interested in cryptids. He drove to the small town of craven from montana and is known as a “mysterious outsider.”

Wallace “Wally” Oliver - white (British/ Scottish decent)

Film Major. Plays baseball for the Craven Ravens (they kinda suck). He comes off as a jerk but is really a sweet guy who needs better friends. After meeting the group he tries to be a better person. He has a slight crush on Kailani but admires her work mostly.

These are my characters and i hope to make them official and introduce them in my story :’) I love all of them and I can’t wait for them to hunt ghosts!

Basically for my thesis I wanted to focus on representation and and diversity in storytelling. As of lately I’ve been seeing a lot of graphic novels touching on topics such as identity, sexuality, ect. books like The Prince’s Dressmaker, Taproot, Nimona, and OMG Check Please have a fun and charming story as well as wonderful representation. For my senior year I really wanted to try and do that too so this school year I hope to  prove to myself I can make this happen and hoping to grow as an artist and person.