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calpalirwin · 5 years ago

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Still Into You

Summary: True snippets of a girl (me) in love with her best guy friend (Mr. Hubs) and all their sometimes depressing, but always dorky life together.

A/N: So @carebearofriddles and @baldcalum LOVE my stories of me and my hubs, so I decided to share this with all of you lovely people. Obviously it’s been tweaked into an Ash fic, but all the following stories are 100% true. This is Part 1 of that story. (remember, if this reads weird, it’s because it’s like... real actual shit.)

Content: Uh... it’s kinda dark, not gonna lie. Let’s see... mentions of sex, mentions of abuse, and abortion. Yep, that covers it! Oh! And cussing.

And away, and away we go!

Part 1

~2008-2012~

Ashton and Shay had been friends since a random encounter at a high school football game when Shay had leaned over the railing to spit, just as Ashton was passing by underneath.

“Missed me!” Ashton sneered up at her playfully.

“Oh yeah?” Shay said, taking aim and spitting again.

Ashton laughed as the spit splattered next to him. “You’re bad at this.”

“Oh, fuck you, Irwin,” she laughed.

The two had become fast friends after that encounter. Well as close as boys and girls could be without things being weird.

When other boys snatched Shay’s highlighters out of her backpack, Ashton chased them down for her.

When a friend got cold because she forgot a jacket, Shay swallowed the uneasy feeling as Ashton shrugged his off and offered it to the other girl. She wasn’t sure what the feeling was. Ashton was just being friendly. And Shay had a boyfriend.

~~~

“Hey, Irwin, we’re going to the waterpark tomorrow, wanna come with us?” Shay asked.

“Who’s we?”

“Me, Meg, and Zack.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“Cool.”

~~~

“Well if you’re gonna flirt with every guy you see now that you’re single, I’m leaving!” Zack shouted at Shay.

“Fine, leave!” Shay shouted back at her now ex-boyfriend. “Ugh, he’s such a douche!” Shay muttered to herself as Zack left in a hurry.

“And down we go!” Ashton said, plunging the girl underwater as they floated in the Lazy River.

Shay stood up gasping for air. “You jerk!” she laughed before tackling Ashton in retaliation.

The two friends continued their war, with Meg joining in until the floated their way to an exit.

“Food?” Shay asked.

“Food,” Ashton and Meg agreed.

When Ashton got up to clear the food away after lunch, Shay pulled Meg to her. “I think I like Irwin…” she whispered.

Meg gasped at her friend, “I think he likes you, too.”

“Yeah? How do you know?”

“Well when I hug people, I hug them really close. And he had a boner when I hugged him earlier. Right after you hugged him.”

“Oh. Cool.”

~~~

“I dare you to kiss Shay!” Kaity screeched at Ashton.

Shay looked up at the mention of her name, not paying attention to the game her friends were playing. “What?” she asked.

“She dared me to kiss you,” Ashton said, his gaze ducking down, a hand resting at the back of his neck. “We don’t have to. It’s fine.”

“Nah, you’re my friend, Irwin,” Shay told him. “It’s just a kiss.”

“Alright then.”

The two 15 year olds closed their eyes as they brought their lips briefly together. It was short. It was awkward. It was life-changing.

~~~

“So, you still think Irwin likes me?” Shay asked Meg.

“Pretty sure. He kissed you right?”

“Well yeah. But it was a dare.”

“Oh. Well, doesn’t hurt to ask.”

“Yeah, but I don’t wanna make things weird.”

“It’s Irwin. It’s already weird.”

~~~

At break the day after the kiss, Shay pulled Ashton in for a hug. “Will you be my boyfriend?” she mumbled low and fast into his ear before pulling away.

“What?” Ashton giggled.

“Do you wanna be my boyfriend?” she repeated a little bit louder.

Ashton shrugged. “Yeah, alright.”

“Really?!”

“Yeah.”

~~~

“And I kiss your cheek,” Ashton said, kissing Shay’s cheek.

“And I kiss your nose,” she giggled before kissing his nose. They had been together for a week now, both afraid to kiss the other one on the lips again.

“And I kiss your lips,” Ashton said suddenly before placing his lips on hers.

“And I kiss you back,” she murmured against his lips.

~~~

“Whoa, check this out!” Ashton said, stopping suddenly and bending down to grab something off the floor.

Shay peeked over his shoulder to see what he had found: a 3 tiered necklace with hearts on it. “You just found that?” she asked.

“Swear,” he told her. “Looks like it’s your lucky day.” He unclasped the necklace and Shay lifted up her hair and turned so he could secure it around her neck. “Cool,” he said, admiring it.

“Cool,” she smiled back, fingers toying with the chain.

~~~

“What did you get me?!” Shay asked.

Ashton laughed. “It’s a secret. I’m not telling you until your birthday.”

“You told everyone else!” she protested. She hated surprises.

“Yeah. It’s a secret from you, not them.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You’re a jerk.”

“Still not telling you.”

Two days later, she found out what the present was when he gave her a small box holding a small golden locket. “Oh, it’s beautiful. Thank you,” she told him, kissing him.

He shrugged. “I couldn’t get a picture. Sorry.”

“No, it’s great. Thank you.”

~~~

“Happy Valentine’s Day,” Ashton told Shay, passing a small box across the table at her.

“Happy Valentine’s Day,” she told him back, handing him a small bag.

“Oh, cool,” they both breathed as they revealed their presents. Shay had gotten another necklace, while Ashton got an iPod.

“Oh! I’m gonna go get the movie tickets!” Shay said suddenly, getting up.

“What? No. I’m paying for the tickets,” he protested as he placed cash down to pay for dinner.

“Nope! If you’re paying for dinner, I’m paying for the movie!” she told him before dashing out of the restaurant and across the way to the movie theater.

~~~

“Did Meg disappear?” Ashton whispered to Shay as he wrapped his arm around her in the theater. He could see Zack’s head a few rows up, but the other girl was nowhere to be found.

“Um… I think she’s…” Shay whispered, her cheeks flushing as she realized their friend was giving the other boy a Valentine’s Day present.

“Oh…” Ashton said, understanding.

~~~

“I lost the locket…” Shay mumbled into his chest at lunch.

“What?”

“I lost the locket… it slipped off the chain during PE, I think… I tried to find it… I’m sorry,” she told him, looking tearfully up at him. God, she was the world’s worst girlfriend.

“It’s okay,” he told her. “I didn’t even notice.”

~~~

“Happy 6 months!” she cheered, handing him a heart shaped card.

“Happy 6 months,” he said, ripping off a piece of notebook paper and scribbling on it. “Keep it safe. That’s important.” he told her, placing the scrap of paper in her hand.

She looked down at the piece of paper that had “Irwin’s soul’ hastily scrawled across it. “You’re a dork,” she giggled, thinking how absolutely adorable it was that he had her heart and she had his soul.

He shrugged.

~~~

“I’m so sorry!” she wailed softly into his chest. “I didn’t want to, but I didn’t know what else to do. I kissed him. I’m sorry!”

“It’s okay,” he shrugged, holding her in his arms.

“It is? But… I…”

“It’s not like you were rolling around making out with him, right?”

“Right,” she nodded, tears rolling down her cheeks. How was he so understanding? Any other boyfriend would be dumping her on her ass.

“Then it’s fine. I love you.”

“I love you, too,” she said, wrapping her arms tightly around him.

~~~

“Vote for me in the student elections!” a classmate grinned, handing her stickers to both Ashton and Shay.

“Can’t vote, I’m Canadian,” Ashton deadpanned, handing back the sticker.

“You’re Canadian!” both Shay and the other girl asked in bewilderment. Shay had been Ashton’s girlfriend for 7 months, and his friend for almost 2 years, how did she not know he was Canadian?! Never mind the bold-faced lie that his Canadian heritage prevented him from voting in a school election. Ashton was Canadian?! What?!

“Yep. Good luck, though,” he told the other girl.

“Bullshit… You’re not really Canadian, are you?” Shay asked, once the girl had wandered off.

He laughed. “God, no! I just don’t want to vote for her.”

“You’re such a dork!” she laughed.

~~~

“God! You’re such a jerk!” Shay was screaming at Zack when Ashton showed up. “I see you all the time! I haven’t seen Irwin all summer and he’s my boyfriend! Not you! Just leave!”

“You can’t just ditch your friends for your boyfriend, Shay!” Zack screamed back at her.

“Yo, leave her alone,” Ashton said.

“Stay out of this!” Zack turned his aggression to Ashton. “It’s your fault she’s ditching me anyway!” Then, he swung a fist at Ashton. Twice his fists landed on the other boy.

“Zack! Leave!” Shay screamed, completely distraught.

“Fuck you, Shay!”

“Dude, just leave,” Ashton said, completely calm and unfazed. He was amused even.

“Do you want me to hit you again?” Zack threatened.

“Please,” Ashton said, holding out his arms. “Please. I’d love to get you arrested for assault. Go ahead. Make my day.”

“Fuck this,” Zack muttered, and finally he left.

“You okay?” Ashton asked Shay, wrapping her in a hug.

“Are you?” she countered, still shaking with both fear and rage.

~~~

“Oh, photo booth!” Ashton said, as he pulled Shay through the crowd. “Should we?”

“Yes!” Shay agreed happily. Photo booth photos with her boyfriend at the county fair? Hell yeah!

They snuggled up close in the booth, making faces at the camera, before sharing a kiss for the last picture.

“This is great, thank you,” she smiled, clutching the pictures and the small stuffed purple lobster he had won her to her chest.

“Good. I’m glad you’re having fun.”

“I always have fun when I’m with you.”

“Good.”

~~~

“Happy anniversary,” he told her, handing her a single rose.

“Aw, happy anniversary,” she smiled up at him.

“I gotta say, I didn’t think we’d make it this far.”

“I know, right?” she laughed. A year long relationship in high school? Damn near unheard of.

~~~

Shay opened her English book and found a sticky note from Ashton. It was a hastily drawn heart. She smiled and slipped it into her pocket before setting out to do her classwork.

“You used my book!” she laughed at him during lunch.

“Yeah, couldn’t find mine,” he shrugged.

“That’s cuz yours is on the shelf for your period.”

“Hmm, yeah, you’re probably right.”

“You’re such a dork!”

He just shrugged.

~~~

“What are you DOING?!” Shay shrieked as her guy friends lifted Ashton off his feet, a roll of duct tape and a knife in one of their hands.

They dropped him. “It was his idea!” they all said, pointing at Ashton who stood there with a grin.

“What the actual fuck, Irwin?!”

“What? I wanna see if I can get myself free.”

“So, they’re gonna duct tape you to the playground?”

“Yeah. Why not?”

“You are the stupidest man alive…”

“So…?”

“Well, go on then,” she said, giving them permission to tape him to the playground.

“Alright, here ya go,” one of the boys said, tucking a knife in Ashton’s shoe and placing a toothpick in his mouth. “No one help him. He wanted this.” Then, he snapped a picture of Ashton, who did his best Jesus-on-the-cross impression for the bit.

Shay rolled her eyes while Ashton grinned wickedly around the toothpick and set out to work.

Ashton let out a scream as an arm finally got free. “FREEDOM!” he screamed before using his free arm to rip at the duct tape until pulled enough off to fall from the bars of the playground. “Didn’t even need the damn knife!” he grinned proudly as he continued to pull pieces of duct tape from his body, screaming in agony as he ripped the pieces off his legs, pulling leg hair away with the tape. “Whew! That was fun!”

Shay shook her head at her idiot of a boyfriend as his hazel eyes danced around in his delight.

~~~

“Ah, fuck!” Ashton yelled as he tumbled off the table and onto the concrete.

Shay bust up laughing. He had been jumping across the table tops and finally got snagged by a backpack strap. She kept laughing, waiting for the daredevil boy to pop up laughing himself, only he didn’t.

“No, Shay,” a friend said. “I think he’s really hurt.”

The laugh got stuck in Shay’s throat. “Oh, shit!” she said, rushing over to where Ashton was still crumpled up on the ground. “You okay?!”

“No,” came the whimpered response.

“Oh, my God! I’m so sorry! I thought you were messing around!” The apology flew from her mouth. God, she was the actual worst!

“Nope. Actually hurt. Fuck…” Ashton continued to whimper.

He would be on crutches for the rest of the week while he healed the torn muscle in his ankle.

~~~

“Happy birthday,” he told her, placing a piece of paper in her hand.

“Aw, thanks!” she said, reading the small poem he wrote for her:

“Dear Babe,

Roses are red

Violets are blue

I don’t know how to say this is so many words, but

I love you

It’s the color of your eyes

The beautiful brown

And the gigantic brain

Resting beneath your crown

And without all these things

I would be at a loss

I would be so confused

Because I was lost

And I still don’t know

Why you are with me

Even with all my stupidity

So yeah, I’ve run out of rhymes so I guess I’ll use this:

Happy birthday to you

You look like a

Um… (I forgot the rest)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABE!!”

She laughed. “This is awesome, thank you.”

~~~

“Hey! I was wondering where that went!” he said, noticing her wearing his black and white beanie with the ear flaps.

“I’m cold,” she pouted.

“Good thing you stole my hat.”

“It’s not stealing if it’s my boyfriend’s.”

“Nah, pretty sure it’s still stealing.”

“Do you want it back?”

“No. Then you’d be cold.”

~~~

“Ice skating?” she asked, raising her eyebrows as he pulled her into the ice skating rink.

“Yeah! Happy Valentine’s Day.”

“I can’t ice skate!” she laughed.

“So? C’mon, I won’t let you fall.”

“Wow, you’re smooth…”

“I try.”

So he grabbed her hands, and skated backwards as he pulled her in circles around the rink.

~~~

“Put me down!” Shay squealed as Ashton carried her around on his shoulders.

“Here, I’ll take her,” their friend Chris said, holding out his arms.

Ashton stopped to look at the other boy, his eyes shifting to Chris’ truck parked by the curb. “Truck keys first,” he said, holding out his hand.

So Chris dug out his truck keys, handed them to Ashton, and then put Shay on his shoulder.

“Did you just trade me for a truck?!” Shay screamed at Ashton.

“It’s a stick, he’ll never get it started,” Chris laughed.

“That’s where you’re wrong,” Ashton grinned, running off to start up Chris’s truck.

“You better run,” Shay told him. “He will take your truck.”

“Hey!” Chris shouted, realizing the couple was being serious, and running after Ashton.

“HEY!” Shay shouted herself as her body got jostled. “Put me down! And give Chris his truck back!”

“Damn, so no trade?” Chris joked.

“No trade,” Ashton said as Shay was finally set on her feet.

“I hate you both,” she huffed while they grinned at her.

~~~

“Mmm, what are you doing?” she murmured as he slid her pants down her hips and adjusted himself over her.

“Having sex?”

“That’s what I thought.”

“Is that okay?”

“Yeah. Honestly, I’m surprised you waited this long.”

“What?! You mean I could’ve been having sex this whole relationship?”

She laughed. “No! But you could’ve gotten handsy with me a hell of a while ago.”

“I was trying to respect you.”

“You’re sweet,” she said, kissing him and then gripped the bedsheets as he pushed his way into her.

“You okay?” he asked, kissing her forehead.

“Yeah,” she nodded, grimacing in pain.

“It hurts, doesn’t it?”

“Little bit.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine. I want to do this.”

“We don’t have to. I can stop.”

“No, it’s fine.” Finally, she was in control of her sex life. She was making it happen rather than it happening to her. She wasn’t going to let a little pain get in her way. Although she was really regretting have thrown out the free condoms she had gotten because psh, she wasn’t having sex, what would she possibly do with condoms. Oops…

~~~

“God, it’s like I never see you anymore,” she whined. She had been living with her dad for a month, and the start of school was still a month away. A month still stood in the way of seeing her boyfriend 5 days a week.

“It’s fine,” he told her. “Now, what did you want to tell me?”

She felt tears well up in her eyes and wanted to run. Her ex had been abusing her throughout the entirety of her relationship with Ashton and she needed to come clean about it. But, she was so scared of losing the boy sitting next to her. “Um, it’s there on the computer,” she said, nodding to the letter she had typed out because if she had to physically say it out loud, she was going to shatter. “I’m gonna go to the bathroom, I’ll be back.”

“Okay,” he said, pulling the laptop to him and began to read her confession.

She took her time in the bathroom, peeking her head out to gauge his reaction. Unfortunately, Ashton had an annoying knack for keeping a straight face. It was part of what made him such a believable liar. “Hey,” he said, when he realized she was watching him.

“Hi…” she mumbled, coming out of hiding to sit next to him. “So…?”

“So, what?”

“So, that,” she said, pointing at the computer screen.

He shrugged. “It’s fine.”

“Really?” she choked. She had fessed up to a nearly two years worth of shady behavior due to a manipulative asshole, making herself sick with guilt over what Ashton��s reaction would be when he found out, because she ultimately felt responsible for her actions, and he was shrugging it all off like it was nothing? What?!

“Yeah. You love me, right?”

“Yes. Very much so.”

“Good.”

“You’re not mad?”

“Zack’s a douche. This isn’t news.”

“But… I…”

“Made a mistake and are sorry. And I’m okay. Just don’t do it again, okay?”

In what world did she deserve a boy like him?

~~~

“Why are you wearing a skirt?”

“I thought you’d like it…” Shay said, looking down shyly. She had wanted to look nice for their 2 year anniversary.

“I do. But… it’s cold. I’d rather if you were comfortable.”

“I am,” she said, crossing her arms. She was lying. She was cold.

“Here,” he said, shrugging off his jacket and draping it around her.

“I’m already wearing a jacket. And now you’ll be cold.”

“I’ll be fine. You, on the other hand, are going to freeze your ass off in that skirt. So, wear the damn jacket.”

“Happy anniversary,” she smiled, twirling in his jacket that dwarfed her small frame.

“Happy anniversary,” he chuckled at her. God, how did he manage to keep her for 2 years? He was just some nobody and she was going to be somebody. What on Earth did she see in him?

~~~

“What do you want for your birthday?” he asked. It was her 18th birthday so whatever he got her had to be perfect.

“Mmm, a ring?” she hinted. She’d known for a while she wanted to marry this boy. A ring seemed like a perfect place to start making that dream happen.

“Okay, what size are you?”

“Wait, really?!” she asked, her eyes going wide. No freakin way he was going to get her a ring. They were seniors in high school. This was real life, not some movie.

“That’s what you want right?”

“Yes.”

“Then why wouldn’t I get it for you?”

So, on her 18th birthday, he presented her with a ring: a two-banded thing with a gap in the middle, stones decorating each band. “Wow, it’s pretty,” she breathed as she put it on. “Thanks. Does it mean anything?”

“Uh… it means happy birthday?”

“Irwin…” she pressed.

“What?”

“Is it a promise ring?”

“A promise ring? What do I need to promise?” he scoffed

She rolled her eyes and ignored the sinking feeling in her heart. Was he just a dense teenage boy? Or was he growing annoyed and bored with her?

Whatever his feelings, it didn’t stop him from giving her a second ring for Christmas- one that fit perfectly in the gap of her birthday ring.

~~~

“I think I’m pregnant,” she whispered to him in the alleyway by the movie theater.

“What?” he choked. She was 18, he was 17. She couldn’t be pregnant. They were in high school. They had real lives to start living after graduation. They couldn’t be parents. Oh, God… her parents were going to kill him...

“When we had sex… and the condom broke… and I think I counted the days wrong…”

“Well, are you late?”

“No, I start in a few days.”

“Then let’s not worry until we have something to worry about.”

~~~

“No… no, no, no!” she cried a week later in her bathroom, looking at all 3 positive pregnancy tests in front of her. “No!” She rubbed her eyes, praying she no longer knew how to read. “No!”

“I’m pregnant,” she told him the next day at school.

He slumped back against the wall, hands covering his face. “SHIT!”

“What… what do we do?”

“I don’t know…”

Later that afternoon, he texted her: You have to get an abortion.

What? No! I can’t!

Well we can’t have a kid!

Irwin…

Do it to prove your loyal to me.

She gasped at her phone. She knew she had her faults, but did he really just say that to her? She was already distraught, and now he was making her angry. She had her fingers ready to type an angry, hateful message back when her phone pinged.

Shit! I didn’t mean that! I’m so sorry! I just… I dunno what to do here. We aren’t ready. I’m sorry. Please. Do this now and I promise you next time. I’ll give you all the kids you want when we’re ready. Just… please…

She cried at her phone. Okay, she typed back, clinging to the hope that this wouldn’t break them wide open.

~~~

“I can’t believe you’re letting him do this, Shay!” Zack screamed at her as he drove her home from making her appointment for the abortion. “You told me you wanted to wait until you were married before you had sex! You told me you were pro-life! He’s changing your morals!”

She stared out the back window, wondering what fucked up life she must have lived in the past to deserve this hell. “Shut up!” she snapped, the stress finally making her lash out. “This is my life! You don’t get to lecture me on how to live it! You’re just jealous because you can’t get your own girlfriend pregnant! So, shut up!”

The pure joy she felt coursing through her body for finally standing up to him was nothing compared to the sheer disgust she felt the next day when Meg came up to her and whispered, “I’m pregnant, too. And we’re also getting an abortion.” God, Zack was such a fucking hypocrite, she could puke.

~~~

In desperation, Shay told her other friends about her upcoming abortion, praying for understanding, support, and a ride that wasn’t from Zack. Their response solidified her faith that these were the type of friends worth keeping.

“C’mon, it’s okay,” Ashton whispered as he wrapped a protective arm around Shay and walked her into the building amongst the protesters handing out pamphlets. “We’ll be right here when you’re done,” he assured her as he took a seat with their friends in the waiting room and she was taken into an exam room.

“Hey, how are you feeling?” Ashton asked, once she was out.

“Hungry. And sleepy.”

“Okay, we got you some chicken tenders in the car. C’mon.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead.

They spent the rest of the afternoon curled up on a friend’s couch watching movies until Ashton’s mom came to pick him up. “I love you. Get some rest,” he said, kissing Shay before waving goodbye to the other friends.

“Love you,” Shay mumbled.

“You know, Shay,” her friend Stasia said. “I’ve never really liked your boyfriend.”

“You don’t say?” Shay said with an eye roll. Stasia had a strong dislike for Ashton and didn’t bother hiding it.

“No. He’s annoying and an idiot. But, he loves you.”

“I sure hope so,” Shay said with a weak chuckle.

“No. He’s fucked up, Shay. He was crying in the waiting room. He’s really torn up about this.”

“But, he…” Shay said, confused. This had been his idea. She had agreed. She knew her decision was going to have repercussions she wasn’t sure she was prepared to handle. But that would have happened with any decision she made. Why was Ashton upset?

“He hates that he did this to you. It’s just a shitty situation, Shay. And while I may not particularly like the guy, I definitely respect him. He cares about you. A fuckin lot.”

“It’s true,” Chris said.

Shay smiled. Her situation sucked start to finish, but at least she had Ashton Irwin as her boyfriend.

~~~

“I’m sorry,” Shay said into the phone. “I’m a mess right now and I just… I’m not trying to fight all the time with you. I just…” She stopped to find the words. She felt like she was constantly fighting with and then apologizing to Ashton these days and it sucked. It didn’t help that the boy had become distant. Was he finally fed up being the boyfriend to the girl who just constantly fucked up? “I’m scared. My parents are divorced. What if I’m destined to make the same mistakes they did?”

“But we’re not your parents. We’re gonna make our own mistakes. We’re gonna be fine, okay? I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

~~~

“Irwin still hasn’t asked me to Prom…” Shay whispered to her classmate.

“Well, you guys are going right?” the girl asked.

“Yeah. We got the tickets, the limo, I have my dress. Everything. But, I kinda wish he would actually ask you know?”

“Yeah, that sucks. Sorry…”

“Can you help me get him to ask? Like when we play charades in Drama Club today, make him play and turn it into a bit where he asks me?”

The other girl’s eyes lit up at the idea, “Oh that’s cute! Yeah, I’ll do that for you.”

“Thank you!”

So, Shay waited in anticipation until lunch. It wasn’t that she needed to be asked necessarily. But it would be nice for Ashton to put in more effort than scribbling “yes” and “no” on either of her boobs like he did last week.

“What are you doing?” Ashton asked, playing along with the improv game even though he was visibly uncomfortable. He had taken Drama so he and Shay could finally have a class together. He hated acting. He much preferred to work backstage. Participating in this stupid improv was killing him. But he played along because the faster he got through it, the faster he could hide in his seat.

“Asking my girlfriend to Prom!” the girl told him, shooting a wink at Shay.

Ashton held back the eye roll as he dropped to his knees in front of Shay’s desk as the class erupted in cheers and laughter. Ashton Irwin doing a Promposal? This was pure gold his friends were never going to let him live down. “Will you go to Prom with me, Shay?” he mumbled.

“Yes,” Shay told him with a smile.

Ashton took his seat, his face red, and didn’t say a word the rest of lunch.

“Oh, what’s wrong?” Shay asked, knocking playfully into his shoulder as they walked to 5th period.

“That was embarrassing…”

“I was just having fun…”

“Well it wasn’t fun for me. It’s not like I’m not taking you to Prom. I was going to ask…”

“When? Prom is literally tomorrow.”

“Just forget it…”

But Shay couldn’t forget it. Something had been off in their relationship for a while. The end was coming, she could feel it. And she wasn’t ready.

~~~

“Shay! You’re boyfriend’s being dumb again!” a friend shouted and she could hear the laughter from the living room as she peeked her head out of her bedroom. It was Prom and she had offered her house to be the designated go-to spot.

She looked over at her boyfriend who was in his tux, sitting on the couch, grinning stupidly at her. “I handcuffed them the wrong way,” he explained, showing her the predicament he was in. On his right leg was a set of handcuffed, one link right above the other, with the lock facing inwards towards each other, making it impossible to get the key in the lock.

“Seriously?” she laughed. “One day! You can’t be normal for one day?!”

“Anybody got bolt cutters?”

Bolt cutters were found, courtesy of a friend’s dad and Ashton leg was set free from its prison. “My handcuffs,” he pouted.

“You’re an idiot,” all his friends told him.

~~~

“Night’s almost over,” Shay said, finding Ashton outside.

“Yeah, sorry. My head’s been killing me all night. Are you having fun?”

She wrapped her arms around him. He admitted to having a headache the minute they got to the dance, so he’d been sitting out all night. “Yeah. But I’d have more fun if you came and danced with me.”

“Last dance, okay?”

“Last dance,” she agreed, heading back inside to dance with her friends.

When the DJ announced the last song of the night, Ashton headed inside to find Shay. “C’mon, let’s get this over with.”

She laughed and let him sway her back and forth in time to the music, grateful that for one night she felt like they were on the same page again, happy and in love.

~~~

“Oh, wait, let me put on my shoes,” Shay said, noticing the puddle in between her and the limo. She’d rather take the time to slip on her heels than risk putting her dirty barefeet in equally dirty curb water.

“C’mon,” Ashton said, scooping her up instead and placing her in the limo before crawling in after her. “You’re holding up the line,” he told her while she smiled at his thoughtfulness. Was there a way to always be this in love with a boy forever?

~~~

“Well?” she demanded, tears streaming down her face. “Are you planning to break up with me, yes or no?”

“Damn it! I wanted to wait!”

“You wanted to wait?! How long have you been planning this?!”

“A while…” he admitted. “Look, this has just been hard. But I wanted you to have a good Prom and end of school year. You deserve to be happy.”

“I’m happy with you!”

“Look. Here’s what you’re gonna do. You’re gonna hang up the phone. You’re gonna call the girls to come hang out with you. You’re gonna be fine.”

“Don’t do this! Please!”

“Hang up the phone and call them, Shay.”

“No!” she sobbed. “Please! What happened?! What went wrong?! YOU PROMISED!” she was screaming now, hurling everything she had at him, hoping to break his heart the same way he was breaking hers.

“I’m sorry. Call the girls. Let them be there for you.”

“No! Please!”

“I’m sorry,” he said again before the line went dead.

Shay stayed where she was on her bedroom floor, sobbing. It hurt to breathe. How was she going to survive this? She had chosen to go to a community college to stay close to home for him. She was making plans for her future that included him. And now they were gone. In 1 fuckin phone call. Phone. Call the girls. Let them be there for you.

“Shay?” Stasia’s voice said, surprised her friend was calling instead of texting. Shay hated to talk on the phone.

Shay answered in a heart wrenching wail.

“Stay put, we’ll be right there.”

Her friends came into Shay’s apartment to find her sitting on the couch wrapped in a blanket, staring blankly at nothing.

“Shay, what happened?”

“He… broke… up with… me!” she said, and started to cry again. “He promised me!”

“Promised you what?”

“That we would have kids!”

“Oh, honey!” Three pairs of arms held her together while her world fell to pieces.

Then, when it got a little easier to breathe, Shay sat in a chair in her kitchen and handed Stasia a pair of scissors. “Cut it off,” Shay said, showing the other girl how short to cut her hair.

“Shay, that’s a lot…” Stasia said, uncertain about her friend’s ability to make sound decisions.

“Do it,” Shay whispered. “It grows back.”

#still into you #part 1 #ashton irwin #5sos #shayton #galcal irwin #it has a happy ending I PROMISE!!!!#welcome to my real life love story y'all

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monkey-network · 7 years ago

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Good Stuff - THE (FULL) TROOF ABOUT STEVEN UNIVERSE

WARNING: What you’ll see under the cut is possibly one of the grandest things I will ever do and generally one of the biggest SU Crit posts of all time. Be advised that explicit language is present and we ask that readers are open-minded and reasonable with any given retort. Note that this has been edited due to Tumblr’s limitations of presentable media so click here for the Director’s Cut.

Do like & share if you enjoyed it or if I fought your boredom. Thank you and take care out there.

Steven Universe is a charming, popular show with a quad-polar fandom, and I’m only here to point out what I say is legitimately wrong with this cartoon. Simple enough? Fair enough.

POINT #1 - THE ACTION:

Okay, my first point really doesn’t just apply with cartoons, but fights in general. Question: what’s the one thing that people get the most out of seeing a fight? The impacts. Those moments where the opponent is given such a crushing ass blow, that you can feel the effort that went into that attack. Yeah, Steven Universe lacks this. I mean, it can look like the characters are putting effort into fighting their opponents and it can look like they’re getting hurt pretty bad (thanks to applied visuals and sound effects), but it never feels like the characters are actually hitting each other. There are instances of impact, but they’re menial and they’re scattered between the duelists smacking each other like helium filled action figures; feeling as tender as any other motion the characters do throughout. Now if you’re wondering what I mean by impacts, note these prime examples; because animes know their action.

Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure

Hajime no Ippo

Summer Wars

My Hero Academia

If present, violence can/should provide a stark raving contrast to the supposedly grounded world in any series, and the impacts of violence should be escalating with every punch or kick. Attacks should fly with fierce swiftness, the weight/force of any blow can be seen; raw power, speed, and stamina should be pushed to limits unknown. Now, I’m not saying Steven U has to imitate any incredible, well animated fight scene that anime has flawlessly provided by now, but more effort should have been made to escalate the impact of their fights, not keep it steady tuned with

*Smear work to make the boring motions look fast paced

*Spiky white marks to show a clash

*quick visual instances of impact that lets you know a character is getting hurt

*and tons of smoke to cover the possibly graphic imagery

Steven Universe has the fundamentals of action down, but they don’t go beyond that (plus ultra). Their fights can look technically similar with the characters being the only real source of variation, especially when you can figure out their attacks ahead of time. So I hate to say this, but if you’ve seen one fight, you’ve seen ‘em all.

Another reason I presented Steven U’s lacking action is because tts not just about fists flying or weapons clashing, but the balance of emotion that goes with the foes putting their heart and soul into taking each other down. But, for most of the time, I don’t see SU’s fights present any real hook of seriousness, even if it wants me to, and most of them feel present for (basic) comedy. I feel less invested in who’s fighting, or why, than I am at how they’re getting beat up. Ironic, being a show that’s all about being open with its “serious” emotions. Combined with its lackluster animation, and they don’t add much contrast towards an otherwise easy going series

This here is honestly the most funniest a fight scene of theirs can get (mostly ‘cuz Peri deserved that), but after seeing the pretty slow animation, it can lose its luster no matter how deserving it may seem. Now notice this whopping scene, from the anime One Punch Man, below.

You can know nothing about One Punch Man, who these characters really are, but you can tell from these 5 seconds alone that when a fight happens, there’s a fast, over the top sense of comedy that comes with the brutal nature of a man that can apparently KO anybody in one swing, ironic and even more comedic with said one hit wonder being the most emotionless looking character on the show.

Seriously, that’s his face for almost the whole series

Now I know what you’re thinking, “But Monkey Network, it’s mostly a slice of life cartoon. The action scenes aren’t that prominent in the series as you might think and hope. It’s not supposed to be a violent show.” And I’d say fair point except for the fact that Friendship is Magic is also a slice of life cartoon that only has a few real action scenes under its belt, and this particular one is the best fucking thing I’ll ever see.

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AGAIN, you can know nothing about the series as a whole, or this episode in general, but this fight alone perfectly captures the game Steven Universe has never really utilized since its early days. It has some seriousness with its escalating over the top attacks, the pace never feels constant, and even though they’re evenly matched, the things they do look fucking cool. The only downside is that since the show has puppet flash animation, it does looks limited, but even then they made the most of it. Steven Universe is hand drawn, so with all due respect, they have no fucking excuse. Their fight scenes amount to stay the course animation with glimpses of impact and a flashy style to avoid it from being pod racing levels of BORING. I’ve seen fan animations that would give this show a run for its money.

The Fandom provides more than the actual show

Even before Garnet’s fight with Jasper, Steven Universe’s action sequences was a sweet chunk of what made the show investing to watch, and looking at back at it, I was a bit too invested in something that wasn’t that invested in itself. Again, I know it can’t stack up to the God tier works that the anime world’s made for itself, but compared to other action present cartoons (Voltron, Star vs. the Forces of Evil, Avatar, The Powerpuff Girls, MLP, OK KO, any shonen anime), I think maybe they could/should git a little gooder in providing actual fights, not sparring matches. That, and if Sugar Honey Ice Tea and her crewniverse can put such effort into the facial expressions, they can make the fights more expressive too.

POINT #2 - THE “VILLAINS”:

Now, I fucking love villains. Not just for the who, but why and how they do it. When bad guys like the Joker, Lord Dominator, DIO, or Him do their thing onscreen, I enjoy every moment of their threatening essence (except Jared Leto’s Joker, he sucked). Villains remorselessly do unethical, downright vicious, things to fulfill their goals while initiating setting up the heroes to correct these effects with their efforts and abilities. Steven Universe has villains, sure. Yet, after having so many chances, Rebecca Sugardaddy has failed to make them REAL villains, specifically the Great Diamond Authority.

Now originally, I was gonna compare the Diamonds to the likes of Fire Lord Ozai(Avatar: The Last Airbender) or DIO (JJBA); villains that work in the shadows and when they’re eventually revealed, they’re already a force to be reckoned with. But looking into how they and Homeworld is set up, there was no other villainous ensemble that could stack up with the Diamonds perfectly like the Gorosei from the anime One Piece.

Looking more badass than the US Government

Now these five gentlemen aren’t necessarily what make up the end all be all for the series, but above all, the Gorosei are the ruling leaders of the organization that controls the entire world of One Piece. They command the military, the police, and other agencies, like their investigative and espionage departments, and the only people that out rule these gentlemen are the descendants of those who created it several centuries ago. Like the Diamonds, they seek to maintain order and justice for the people of their world and doing so means taking on any sign of revolution (namely Pirates) that could damage not only their image, but their purpose. Both Authorities possess absolute rule over the many classes that are under them and their stance of power can be present with the many actions that effect the characters we focus on currently. The difference between the two ruling classes is nuance, aka a grey sense of morality, aka an actual sense of relatability. So when I see a series having an overall narrative villain, Steven Universe has shown me that sympathy should NOT be a factor in storytelling.

Now when I say this, I don’t mean you can’t sympathize with any villain you see. Most of the time, you can feel for the antagonist when their lives never were good to begin with, that’s namely how villainy starts out, therefore making their actions not so much justified, but understandable. Take the rogues gallery that are the enemies of Batman.

Every one of them has a story to tell and a method to their madness. Their histories weren’t as nice or as hopeful as they may have hoped, and you can feel their pain as their efforts to be successful at something grand falls apart due to the Dark Knight or life’s unforgiving nature. However, the sympathy stops there because none of these masterminds, with the Joker being an exception, serve as a main villain to Batman’s crusade for justice, they’re continuous rivals and one off stories that expand the DC Universe. No evil in Gotham is powerful enough because Batman’s story has no real endgame. Steven Universe and One Piece will eventually have an endgame. And while the Gorosei represent an Oligarchical commodity that separates its order seeking rule from their affiliating countries, The Diamonds have amounted to being under one system alone:

Or generally cruel Collectivism if you wanna sound smart

And it’s weird I bring this up. For I would’ve thought to have called Homeworld an authoritative caste system where the gem you’re born with defines your class and status, coinciding with the gems’ natural abilities. The specific gems are given a role and everyone plays a part to maintain societal order, like what India has, with the Diamonds being the biggest and strongest gems and therefore are the de facto Matriarch of the gem society, you feel me? That would’ve earned a little sympathy from me, because the Diamonds losing Pink would’ve meant the massive changes to accommodate their order and resources might not have worked out so well and their image as leaders are slowly diminishing and that can explain the huge resentment for Earth and Rose’s Rebellion.

But no. Instead the Diamonds are a repressive totalitarian government that basically control everyone and everything, all the gems below to strictly follow and almost never question their line of reasoning, and they’re reasons for destroying the Earth has been summarized down to the emotional baggage and grudge that came with their failure long ago.

CAN YOU NOT FEEL THEIR STRUGGLE?!

Wanna know why I didn’t compare the Diamonds to Avatar’s Fire Nation when talking about humanizing the enemy and the connection couldn’t be more obvious? Because before Ozai is ever mentioned, The Last Airbender states very clearly that the Fire Nation is the region Aang and his friends need to infiltrate to stop their manifest destiny. And when we’re early hinted that Zuko’s not full on evil, it lets the audience know that not everyone is on board with those in charge of the Fire Nation invasion, leading up to Ozai’s big debut where we see that as the endgame villain, he’s irredeemable and has such a lust for power, that he’s recognizably the main drive everyone has to stop. Avatar did this right because little by little, the main enemy was narrowed down to a single force that hasn’t made itself known until near the end when his presence bear more importance. The same can’t be said for Steven Universe because Rebecca Sugar Rush presented yet another faint mistake.

The Diamond’s personalities are given to us before they’ve shown us who they are and what they’re capable of…

So we see Yellow Diamond as a vindictive, no nonsense leader that wants shit to get done and Blue Diamond as a more tender looking, yet no nonsense leader that’s grieving over Pink Diamond’s death and does whatever she can to move on and remember the fallen fondly. So, have they done anything before we’ve met them personally? Sure.

*They corrupted thousands of their own kind (because of the rebellion)

*Allowed experimentation towards shattered gems to make artificial fusion or disembodied amalgamates (because of the rebellion)

*And let’s not forget the Cluster (because of the rebellion)

So yeah, quite a lot actually. Now you might be thinking, “But Monkey Network, what does those five old men have to do with what the Diamonds did?” Well, when you see the villainous shit the Gorosei have commanded, their actions are actually more relatable than one would expect.

*Ordering the destruction of an island of archaeologists because they were secretly researching forbidden history

*Ordered death to any pregnant woman in sight fearing that one could be pregnant with Gol D. Roger, the OG Pirate King’s, child. Said slaughter lasted for around two years (Special thanks to @des-the-girl for this info)

*Directing the Marines, or the front line enemies of our Pirate heroes

*And contemplating their system’s next move when updates arrive

Now I don’t know about you, but these gentlemen make up quite an authoritative class with understandable motives and relatable notions on running the world without necessarily being on the front lines. Kinda like the US over the years? Even when their level of corruption can be on par and we still know little of their true power and who they really are, they’re instantly better than the Diamond Authority because we can see why they’re in command, their thoughts and actions towards our heroes shows no sign of being sympathetic, and yet we see where their motives lie. I mean, their Government’s enemies are pirates. You know, Pirates? People who’ve robbed and killed and are the opposite of order? See where I’m going here? They namely go after our heroes who are seen to be the enemy even when the Pirates and plenty others consider them the enemy. It’s almost as if there’s a grey choice for the audience to wonder whom the real bad guys are. OooooOOh. Also, quick side note. The Gorosei look fucking cool. Like their designs aren’t exactly human, credit towards Eiichiro Oda and his expressive designs, but they’re drawn with such a level of seriousness and stature that it presents their elder wisdom and grave subtlety towards a subject in a contrasting light to the pirates bombastic, emotional appeal.

So, what’s the tl;dr aspect of this since you probably won’t take this seriously? Well, call this a domino effect. Basically, Rebecca Sugardop has given us nonthreatening villains that showed no sign of any redeemable qualities beyond their ability to mesmerize us with their acting, and the audience should have a bit of sympathy for their side (see ”Bismuth”). In doing so, she failed to make them real villains. In doing that, there really are no real villains in the show. And when there are no villains, the conflict feels dry and absent. And without conflict, she failed at putting together HALF an overall story. And when you’re a coming of age story where it has to end on some note with maturity and change, after almost five years in the making, you just FUCKED yourself over when you didn’t even invest time in HALF of what makes an overall story of good and evil investing and engaging. Oh I’m sorry, what makes an overall story of a blurred line between good and evil. Investing and engaging.

Ugh, I can’t care anymore. If they get redeemed, sure. If they end up dying like a tragedy, fine. They feel less like villains to overcome and more like stairs Steven has to step on to become a better person. Just let White Diamond be as grandiose and badass as Tumblr’s AUs of her, because again…

The fandom is doing the show a bit of justice

POINT #3 - BEACH CITY:

Okay, before I provide attention to our main gem heroes, I thought I’d give their home of Beach City a vocal point to express the diversity they offer and what makes them an essential drive for Steven and the Crystal Gems to protect the Earth by any means. I mean, they offer such valid representation for the show’s world building and can offer plenty of stories to tell to give us that slice of lifevibe the show really needed. But I believe, after seeing Beach City time and time again over the course of 4 years, that I can summate its presence in the show with a single- Nay. With two simple yet comprehensible words.

Who cares?

Whooo CARES?

youtube

Thank you, respectable actor Elaine Stritch. Rest in Peace

To continue, don’t get me wrong. Worldbuilding is more than essential for a story like Steven Universe, Berserk, Friendship is Magic, Legend of Zelda, and so on. Whether big or small, expanding a setting is important to giving characters a versatile way to look at their world in a differing light than before. But suffice to say, what world has Steven Universe built for itself?

*A populated province in the East Coast?

*A barn?

*Ancient ruins? Among other distant gem territory?

Aye, this troof is gonna be hard to explain. We just have locations, people. That’s it. They’re no special than the mini Galaxies from Super Mario Galaxy 2, only on Wii, Rated E for Everyone. A place can look cool and a population there can bring life to it, but they should have something for the characters to interact with and visibly wonder about what they might get into as they adapt and progress in some way. And by some way, I don’t mean insert plot devices that help make the characters do significant looking things, and I’ll get to that a bit later. But to sum it up, Steven Universe present locations, but those locations lack identity and coordination.

Stick around, Link, I might need your example

I got a short story to tell. True story. And this story provides my reason, above all else, for why Beach City doesn’t hold much water anymore when talking about world building, specifically after the show’s first season (or Full Disclosure).

There’s a comic book TV show called Preacher, premieres Mondays @ 9, only on AMC. Essentially it’s about a criminal turned Priest, possessed with a supernatural power, going on a cross country road trip to find the physical form of God with his his mate who’s also a vampire and his ex-girlfriend. Pretty vivid premise, but see for yourself. The first season however sets up the road trip where the priest, his ex, and vampire friend stay in a small town in Texas to not only introduce them, the power that the priest gets, and the type of humor throughout, but flesh out a few citizens they encounter pretty well in a thematically connected turnabout for ten episodes straight. All seems good.

Up until the entire town loses their minds, after losing all faith in belief, which eventually leads to a methane nuclear sized explosion that wipes out everybody except the three main characters who exited a few scenes before.

The End.

Now, let’s talk relevance. If I ran Steven Universe, and I don’t think I can, and I pulled 👆👆 that on Beach City at season 1′s end. Erase everything you’ve seen, every citizen will be forced to disappear except the major plot oriented characters, basically resetting the structure. If I did that, how much would it change? What would we really lose? The diverse Beach citizens that don’t and can’t do shit against the enemies we’ve see unless they’re forced to get involved in some way which rarely happens?

You can put as many people of color and as many personalities in your world all you want, but effort should also be put into not just making them NPC levels of value to the point where a reset button wouldn’t put much a dent to the “world building”. The worst part is that it’s not like Batman’s Gotham City or Spider-Man’s New York; places where the villains are plotting while they’re within city walls. Steven Universe’s enemies have to either be brought out somewhere (gem monsters, Lapis) or brought to (Jasper, that red Eye, Aqua and Topaz) Beach City for the place to provide any significant or value. So…

Just saying.

Now if the whole series was like season one with the non “To Be Continued”slice of life episodes, then it would’ve work. Phineas and Ferb, Foster’s Home, and Friendship is Magic has done this well with keeping their main location (The Foster House, Danville, Ponyville, etc.) as their central hubworld for casual stories with a venture outside of them from time to time. I would’ve been okay with Beach City being the spot for Steven and his limitless squad to grow together like Rebecca intended at first. Then I’m reminded that there’s an world expanding story in this, with bigger consequences and threaded arcs, and I’m stuck between investing in the many things they give me, complaining towards full episodes that add up to nothing and went nowhere special, and whining about the lack of reruns it gets on TV compared to Teen Titans GO.

Bottom line, you had/have your comic series to commit to your slice of life genre instead of trying to keep it in the show.

Now, I’m at a disadvantage here. If I want to talk about the actual “SCIENCE FANTASY WORLD BUILDING”, then I’ll have to talk about the Crystal Gems’ involvement in them and I can’t really do that. Luckily, I don’t have to, for SU has unintentionally played itself: when it comes to the Gem oriented locations outside Beach City, they tell but never really show. And turns out I don’t need Link’s example, but Samus Aran’s. Namely, her universe in the Metroid Prime series.

A key element to world building is the control and fun in exploration where you find and somewhat interact with aspects of an environment’s purpose and history while you’re on the go, giving the place more of an identity. Metroid Prime does this well where you journey through different parts of the Galaxy and with your scan visor, you can catalog and figure out the intricacies of the settings, the enemies within them, and info that seem trivial at first, but can offer much in progressing ahead in the game. Note the example before you…

And don’t stare deep into Samus’s blue eyes

Sure it’s an optional part of the game, and you can still trek on with or without having to continuously research the world’s lore, but it offers that versatility where you’re well in control in how to experience the game. Then again, this is a video game, where your skill in figuring things out is the only way to progress anything. What cartoon has this similar level of versatility? I mean, what else?

What else?

Gravity Falls may have stayed in one place, but it gives the characters and audience so much to explore and theorize on. They don’t tackle “everything” the world might have offered (bigfoot), but still give you so much to look out for without ever holding your hand or giving a cliffnotes version on a mystery of theirs. Hell, the fandom was hollering on Tumblr over predicting one of the show’s biggest mysteries being confirmed long before it aired. Hirsh didn’t just give those theory nuts what they wanted, his crew eased us in on how the narrative is taking a turn to someplace different and new without really forcing it on everybody. There was still that enjoyable sense of control that resonated in both the show’s direction and the audience’s experience.

I mean come on, this just oozes the moment of truth

Don’t get me wrong. The crewniverse offer very interesting locations and things that resonate with Gem stuff. My final problem with this is that when I think they might utilize these different places and things, they hold back to sharing but a glimpse of anything the show has plenty of utilizing potential for. Like…

Could this control room present more information about Homeworld’s plans for the gems than just the Cluster? “Probably not, it fulfilled its purpose. Let’s move on.”

What about these drills? Could we personally see how one works, like accidentally reactivate it to see how it functions? “Nah, they’re all dead. Let’s move on.”

Or what about the holes? Could we have some kind of flashback depicting how a gem leaps out the ground? “Nope.” Not even the off col- “NOPE.”

What’s that supposed to be? Is it something important to Homeworld? “We’ll get to that later. Let’s move on.”

Man, this place looks cool. Connie might consider this since she handles weapons and might want something new, like armor or throwing weapons. “Look man, this tour is scheduled. You’ve seen it, we’ll get back to it later. Moving right along.” This tour sucks. “You paid for it, my friend.”

Egoraptor said it best: I’m not witnessing an adventure, I’m a guest at their theme park. This is Kingdom Hearts levels of dragging it along, and I know… “But Monkey Network, they might come back to all that stuff soon. It’s called foreshadowing, you whiner.” To that, I say HA! There’s a huge difference between foreshadowing and giving us cameos. And that is in...

PRESENTATION!

Long story short, if it’s subtle and holds a threatening or vague presence, THAT’s foreshadowing. If it’s already out in the open and is not given a lot of screentime or detail, that’s cameo-ing and waiting for more. The last thing a show should do is hold back and have its audience wait like shoving a secret box in our face, and that’s all Steven Universe has been doing. That’s why so many rant about what’s filler or not. That’s why so many theorize on the most reaching of details. That’s why people proudly growl at what could be the crew’s simple decisions. Because when everything must come back to Beach City, post “Full Disclosure”, exploration can be limited, detail can be limited, and it’ll be up to the audience to speculate/construct the world-building for themselves, making the control and experience for the show feel one sided, therefore UNFAIR.

Like I said, the things I’ve seen offer so much to think about, but Rebecca Sugar sack could’ve done better with presenting them in a better light than a dim mode. The fate of Steven Universe’s future is a mystery to me, and I don’t know what they’re gonna cram in season 5 this fall. All I know is MJ (or Mystery Girl) is fine as fuck and we’re all gonna get something good eventually. My man Ian Jones-Quartey said good world building takes time, and they sure are taking their time.

POINT #4 - THE REPRESENTATION:

Representation in media can be easy when the right writers are at the helm to present (not push) a message of acceptance and acknowledgement towards an audience that may or may not feel the same way. It takes different strokes to rule the world, after all. However, when it comes to character in general, there are two factors in characterization that when used correctly can appeal their message of acceptance for their audience. One, visual acknowledgement of the representing characters (POC, LGBT, belief, etc.) in question and two, giving the subjects good quality participation to show that they are just as adept to the world as any other without phoning in the fact that they are this or that. Long story short, make ‘em good characters and the representation can earn the audience’s respect for itself. Steven U lacks this too, and this comes from them often showing us stuff and expecting us to just go with it, with themes that are enough just to get by fans. Hell, they show us as much as a drive by…

Not even a cool one at that, fresh

I’ll say this to start off: Lars Barriga (my neega) was a stagnant and frustrating character to deal with; nobody in Beach City moved him in any way (not even his own supporting parents), and the writers just shotgunned him growth (more than once) after he basically had to cheat death (more than once) to gain a better conscience. It’s like they wanted to call him a lost cause but had to hook him back in some way for the audience to not deem him a lost cause. So with all due respect, does it matter that he’s Filipino or a trans boy when nothing valuable or thoughtful has come from him especially? Those trivial tidbits can mostly come off as add ons or secondary nods, when they should’ve been welcomed knowledge about his character. Want an good example? Look to the comic series Lumberjanes, especially issues 14-17 and 28. SPOILERS, though…

They did this right for characters Jo and Barney (Jo’s the one in the 2nd panel, Barney’s in the first). They already established these two as well defined characters that make mistakes but are willing to get shit done for their friends by any means. The dialogue above is when Barney is thinking about joining the girl oriented scouts even when he’s considered a boy scout, wondering where does he want to belong. Jo gives him reassurance that she herself felt the same and just wants Barney to assert himself with what he wants to be like she did. And when he does later on, he’s accepted without any forced gratification and the writers gracefully accommodate this to not only make him (now “them”) a good addition to the story’s world, but a welcoming new perspective.

The representation is therefore earned, not just shown off

Now I’d talk further on other characters like Lars, but that would be singing the same beats as my previous piece on world building and would spoil notes on the final 2 parts I’m working on now. Instead, the gems are another reason why the rep-pres-sen-tation in SU is nothing but small fractured penny in the gold mine that is anything else going on, with fusion diminishing the relationship representation of Steven U; however you may see it. Now excuse me… this is the hardest part of my job.

Criticizing love

Garnet is not a good embodiment of Ruby and Sapphire’s love; Ruby and Sapphire is. I would love to see Ruby and Sapphire being together and showing me why they decided to elope, but I can’t because Garnet is a curtain that metaphorically and literally covers said love from having anything more to say than “HELL YEAH WE LOVE EACH OTHER!”. You could say ‘Keystone Motel’offered some adversity for the two, but knowing Steven U, it didn’t feel like much beyond me knowing they’re getting back together in the end because they love each other and they just go back to being Garnet because she’s the personification of their love and such.

Fusion is something I have a disdain for now because they’re exchanging two characters’ development of united growth for basically an entirely new/different character, that don’t have much screen time or development anyways (vice versa in Flourite’s case). You could say ‘Know your Fusion’ presented an evolution for Smokey Quartz, among the other known fusions, to being more than a versatile fighter, but not really no. We were already aware that Steven and Amethyst were acknowledged sad sacks before they fused, so what else does this fusion offer differently than in their ability? As for Sardonyx, she hasn’t changed from her first cameo awhile back and her vanity was the only thing that made her stand out in said episode. All in all, fusion doesn’t reflect a relationship, no matter how hard Rebecca Suge Knight is saying otherwise, it reflects an aftermath; one that’s in and out as a firework. This and up ‘til now, the real couples we see are pretty general or under the rug. To show how the most mentioned and presented couple in the series, RubyXSapphire, has continuously got the shaft, I present the one dynamic you’d least expect: A boy and his stuffed toy.

My personally favorite example so far.

Calvin and Hobbes is a series about boy Calvin and his stuffed tiger Hobbes that comes to life through Calvin’s imagination. Reality is like Garnet in this case, where it’s just Calvin having his stuffed animal around to get into zany hijinks like any other kid his age. Then again, the imagination or the living Hobbes is whom is given more of a focus, allowing their dynamic to bloom in a way that wouldn’t be understood if we just saw Calvin just talking to his toy the whole time. It makes their bond feel real and that’s what RubyxSapphire should be, giving them the floor in a way that adds up to Garnet’s eventual debut. “But Monkey Network, what about ‘The Answer’?” The Answer is an episode that, while sweet and good looking, literally danced over much necessary development in favor of only showing us how they eventually stuck to being Garnet forever. Not saying Garnet doesn’t have any character herself, but her integral backstory was/is one of the most beloved and talked about in terms of relationships, yet little has actually been given to us beyond face value and basic understanding and the writers have generally avoid pressing this any further. In a way, that episode diminishes the representation of real queer relationships, bogging it down to early Disney romances like Snow White’s, and practically blindfolds us about what we want to see vs what we should be seeing.

And I already got cute girls not kissing last year. It’s the current fucking year

I would talk about all the other canonning “ships” but nothing comes to mind other than the gems are getting along better than before, Mystery Girl is still fine as fuck, Steven and Connie are bound to elope since it’s been presented since the beginning, Lapis and Peridot get along as college roommates, Lapis might still have issues after Malachite happened, Jasper regrets nothing, Topaz sounds cool from the little we got of them, and everything has amounts to having a sob story and/or a recollection of thoughts just to say “Hey, we’re good together”. They implicitly share infatuation and good vibes to each other, but nothing to say their themes of LGBT, relationships, and characterization are groundbreaking. The latter I’ll get to next time. I mean anybody can put effort into writing a genuine romance novel, though it takes more effort to push the romance to challenging means without leaving skeptics at the door, something Sugar has been very casual about and is starting to openly show in the show. That and tears. Because you know what they say, open emotions are better than emotional maturity. Isn’t that right, TV?

Don’t get me wrong. Rebecca Sugarbark is out here doing her darndest as…

CARTOON. NETWORK’S. FIRST. FEMALE. ANIMATED. SERIES. CREATOR!

and when she does themes right, the show provides some good things to think about. But when she muddles them up or casually throws them in, especially when these themes come from the different aspects of what makes a person different yet real, it is unforgivable. And when people of all ages are watching this, thinking with their living ideologies about what could be used to think differently? This makes for a very risky tightrope that can lead to either people taking it appropriately or blindly, good and bad alike. I can only hope that as the show goes on, there are less assumptions and implications from both the show and the audience alike and more assertions and certainty that elements like representation of any kind are brought to a more applied approach than a glanced approach.

AND STEVEN - POINT #5:

What makes a great character? Charm? Growth? Badassery? Nah, it’s the struggle son. To cheaply quote Pixar: “You admire a character more for trying more than for their successes.” And while Steven does try, does he really fail? Let’s look back. He has three skillful and powerful guardians that care for him. He has a father who is filthy rich (’member that). He has a sweet ass pad. Everyone that knows him likes/respects him. He has powers retained from his mother. He has a lion for a pet. He redeemed/helped three of what were once his enemies. He has a best friend that joins in the action with a sword. He clearly has the capable knowledge of reaching out to anyone. He’s outdone death more than once. He’s practically invulnerable (see “Steven vs. Amethyst”). Everyone that doesn’t like him could eventually see his way with good convincing and a middle road to come to (except Kevin). While there are things he needs to do and characters that’ll he have to confront sooner or later, I’ve started to think less of how he’ll succeed and more of when he’ll succeed. I’m thinking less of who he is and more of what he is. Here’s what I mean…

I don’t see Star Butterfly as an upbeat, independent, cocky, and enduring magical princess who loves rainbows and puppies and struggles to balance fun, romance, and responsibility in one go. I see an up and coming teenage princess that’ll defeat all the evil, hook up with her friend Marco, and claim the title of Mewni’s Queen while doing it all her way.

And I don’t see the JoJo bloodline as a group of distinct protagonists that have their own goals and passions all the while seeking justice against the evil that surrounds them. I see the main characters of 8 different parts that have the ability to defeat the final enemy at the end.

It’s the “Man of Steel” effect; when you do nothing but show how Steven is becoming like or better than Rose, it takes away from letting Steven see who he really is and wants to be. Season one did Steven good (begrudging to say, I know) where he was devious, self-centered, and oblivious but basically was a goofball kid with a good heart; like Ash Williams from Evil Dead. Halfway in and they basically took that away in favor of him just being the pacifistic hippie boy scout that doesn’t want to do wrong or hurt anybody and wants to be a better version of his mama and… and…zzzzzzz. Yeah, I don’t know how to put this, but Steven is now as good of a main character as a sheet of paper. Like, on paper he had potential, but as paper he’s pretty ineffective.

Hell, even paper can show you wonders

“But Monkey Network, he’s a character that goes through many hardships and has a lot on his mind and is going through plenty like most people.” Yes he is, but he’s really done nothing to better himself. “Mindful Education” brings this up, but immediately sweeps it clean in favor of a song about trauma (ironic) and giving Connie more of the floor. And “Storm in the Room” perfectly captures how flat his guilt complex really is…

This episode could’ve given Steven a better perspective on what he wants to be, how he should see Rose, and how things in his life will change from that point on. No, it amounted to saying Rose wasn’t in the wrong for anything (clearly a lie) and Steven being basically gaslighted to believe that he’ll be around to fix what she didn’t do herself, never stating how he should go about doing so. He has guilt and unsure regrets, and yet now nothing feels like things for him are getting any better through his efforts. Knowing that he’s basically Jesus, I am stunned I don’t see him curing every ill-ridden human on the planet and is instead trying to make peace with everything that wants him dead. Also, if I wanted a show that mirrors the possible regret and turmoil I force myself to suffer with everyday, weed and a literal mirror would create a similar effect. And all this leads to–

“But Monkey Network, he’s at least a pacifist who tries. He only wants to share peace and enlightenment to everyone he meets and that includes those who are trying to defeat them.” True, but there is something called “being pushed to a limit”. Yeah I see Steven stand up for himself while choosing not to hit anybody, but there are some people that don’t deserve anything but a good blow to the face. We see Steven get angry and mean, but has he really been pushed to a limit?

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Mob Psycho 100 (Ep. 3) A limit that, while possessing regretting, let’s one know they can be a force to be reckoned with?

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Trigun: Badlands Rumble A limit that forces them to take immense action without breaking their code of pacifistic honor?

I mean there’s being a pacifist, and there’s being an peaceful spouting wimp I can whup easily before somebody beats me up to stop it. The point of having pacifism in a show is the counterpoint where that ideology’s being tested and momentous reactions result from it. Yeah, he showed sheer ire towards Kevin in that one episode but that was it, and that was a one off excursion with the only irredeemable character in the series. Now I know violence is not always the answer and this isn’t suppose to be a violent show, whatever, but violence is present more than enough times in this show. So I must topically ask, what was stopping Steven from five knuckle shuffling Aquamarine when he clearly had the chance to, freeing his friends and getting the chance to escape their clutches? There’s the peaceful route, and there’s showing us nothing.

Boy must have a weak ass jab

“But Monkey Network, he has development and growth with this being a coming-of-age story.” True dat, but to an extent. I’ve noticed that when it comes to Steven Universe’s development, everyone is given development with Steven tagging behind. Connie, Amethyst, Pearl, Peridot, Lapis, Lars, you see them learning and growing on the front lines, but Steven’s been kinda consistent wouldn’t you say? I mean, he does grow in seeing many different perspectives, but does he really grow with the said varied perspectives or does he just acknowledge them while doing his usual helping routine to try making things better? You know who is a better main character than Steven? Well….

You could get with this^Or you could get with thatv

Wouldn’t you agree? They’re forced to look out of their comfort zone, they make mistakes but see to getting back up, they grow to understand how this new world works and take it to heart, they’re not mopey little shits and constantly take initiative, still having a lot to learn, and I find their voices less annoying than Steven’s. Okay, that last part is a preference but still.

I’ll say Steven’s a fine protagonist, but he’s a boring protagonist to sum it up. Nothing about him makes me want to care anymore and while I look towards new episodes, all I can do now is tolerate him. They could do better with season 5 upping the ante, but at this point I’m more invested in the world of Steven Universe than Steven himself, and that is sad. You know your cartoon is crumbling where your world generally revolves around the main character and said MAIN CHARACTER is whack! Rebecca Sugar Schnapps and her crew just better git good this season; because it can look good and sound good as long as it wants, but it needs to feel good to be a real show, you feel me?

And that’s my Troof. The whole and nothing but. Thank you <3 Roy M.

#steven universe #su #su critical #su criticism #su critique #SU Crit #anime #cartoons #analysis #reviews #long post #the full shebang #Roy Macintosh #Good Stuff #ye #awesome

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