So Danny, as any high school teen would do, makes videos on the latest video sharing social media site. In this case that's tiktok, although if we look at the time that Danny Phantom came out Vine might be more appropriate...
Either way, he makes silly little videos that range from funny jokes, A Day in the Life at Casper High, Space Fact Friday, POV: You live in Amity Park, roasting whatever ghost happens to be attacking that day, ect. He gains a small following of people who like his content but it's nowhere near being able at call himself tiktok famous. Until one post...
"Hello, my name is Danny, and this is my Official Application for Bruce Wayne to adopt me"
He jokes about how he is a young teen male with black hair, blue eyes, and a questionable home life which makes him the perfect candidate for a Bruce Wayne adoptee. The video goes viral so Danny leans into the bit and starts making more of that content. Photoshoping myself into a Wayne family photo, What I would wear to a Wayne gala, Taking a 'Which Wayne Are You' quiz.
When the Wayne kids find his account they think it's hilarious and keep an eye for new posts from him. One day Tim is stuck in a boring WE meeting so when he gets a notification that Danny posted a new video he will gladly take the distraction. He wasn't expect what he would find...
The video opens with the camera facing Danny, but he's not in any of his usual filming locations. It's hard to tell what exactly is happening around him but there's shouting in the distance and the sound of sirens. In fact, it looks as if Danny is leaning against an ambulance. Danny looks unusually pale and has what looks like a shock blanket wrapped around his shoulders. The camera is shakey and when he speaks his voice comes out weak.
"Hey guys... It's Danny. You know how I joke a lot about being adopted by Bruce Wayne?..."
Danny pauses and takes a shakey breath. It seems like he loses his grip on the phone for a moment because the camera fumbles before being held upright again. It's not a great view, but viewers can catch a glimpse of a destroyed building in the background, firefighters still working to get all the flames doused. When Danny starts speaking again he seems to choke on the words.
"W-Well, something happened and.. I'm k-kinda and orphan now? So uh..." Danny gives a small sad sounding chuckle that fades into a light cough, "this is my official application for Bruce Wayne to adopt me. Internet, do your thing..."
So Danny would feel exasperated, and probably should. But Dan is actually doing good and hasn’t even bitten anyone during this situation so that’s a win in his books. Now if the turned-into-a-four-year-old could tell him where he managed to grab this other child when he was supposed to be at the babysitter’s, that would be swell.
Or why there is a hero who nearly broke the door down in a right panic.
Like genuinely, he doesn’t know who was more surprised, him, or the hero who came running up half in a panic attack.
Look, I know that Ratchet being so different in RiD15 than in TFP is a thing of like different genre and target audience or whatever but I think it's funny to come up with possible in-universe reasons, like:
[Image ID: Several digital doodles, accompanied by text. The first one in the top left is of TFP Ratchet, looking tired, with the text "Poster boy of mental health issues" written next to him. To his right is an arrow pointing to the right, with the text "like 5 years". At the other end of the arrow is a doodle of RiD15 Ratchet, smiling, with the text "joyful individual?". Below the first drawing of TFP Ratchet is the number 1. Accompanied by the text "He's been doing just as bad, he's just currently having a good time". To the right of the text is a drawing of RiD15 Ratchet shinjiposing (sitting on a chair with his head in his hands, top-down perspective). To his right is an arrow pointing to a drawing of RiD15 Optimus and Ratchet, both smiling and blushing with their eyes closed and with flowers floating around them, indicating happiness. Below the drawing of Ratchet shinjiposing is the number 2. With the text "spite" in big letters, and the text "for the government" in brackets. To the right of the text is a drawing of one of the councilmembers with a speech bubble that reads "Optimus Prime sucks and so do you so we're like banishing you or whatever". Ratchet is drawn looking bored with a thought bubble that reads "damn, now I have to get better". Below the drawing of the councilmember is the number 3. accompanied by text that reads "having a little buddy to hang out with is really good for your mental health". The text is accompanied by a drawing of RiD15 Ratchet and Undertow sitting next to each other, both looking deadpan. The text "dead silence" is placed above Undertow and the text "+1 Mental health" is placed next to Ratchet, repeated 12 times like how status updates are placed in video games. / End ID]
Pickles has a pizazbox on top, yes.
That good old warm rain in the spring! Steam is coming up from the concrete. Second piece of the spring collection! ^^
Hello! I hope I won't sour your mood with this ask but I have been thinking a lot about your gay dogs this month especially.
I'll just try to keep the context short but in general I'm someone that has accepted being romantically undesireable. It was hard but in the end I have built my life just around me, my humble family and at this point in time I don't even think I have the time for a partner. And considering that it's the love month and a lot of people are preparing to celebrate it with their SOs I assumed that, actually, this is a thing that I sort of have in common with Machete.
From the miscellaneous lore on your profile I see Machete as someone that also has kind of rejected love. That also has built his life around his job, possibly hobbies, his family or mentors (depending if we're talking about canon or modern au). Who kind of forgot that relationships are a thing and that people bond with others in that way. Well, at least he did until meeting Vasco.
I just love thinking about their awkward beginnings. Machete being 100% sure that Vasco is just joking, maybe even sometimes teasing him (in a friendly banter type way) or just explaining to himself that all that kindness and interest is just him being a very considerate friend. And then we have Vasco that just tries to be subtle, as if he was trying to pass a fawn without it noticing and running away, but also with time gains confidence and tries more risque moves. Vasco being all smug and Machete being flustered when their hands or shoulders or tails brush in passing. And then when both are sure of their feelings we have Machete who has to choose between God and his love. Who, at first, unwillingly accepts that divine wrath will be worth their brief love.
I just love your boys. I swear they are all the love supply one might possibly need
Thank you for such a long and thoughtful message! I don't know why you thought you might accidentally sour my mood, I'm utterly delighted whenever I hear that someone has been pondering my little guys (rotating them in their head, as they say), and when they go through the trouble of sharing their findings and conclusions I'm so happy I could crawl up a wall.
I think you deciphered Machete's inner workings very well, especially those of the original canon version. The concept of love is of course prominent in Christianity, so even as a kid being raised in a religious environment that discouraged overt displays of affection and close personal bonds, Machete wasn't completely alienated from it. But it has always been a nebulous, unperceivable and unattainable thing for him. When he was old enough to lock down his career choice he readily accepted he'd never have romantic relationships, spouse or a family, and I think he must've been too young and socially inexperienced to think of it as a significant loss. Either he consciously blocked out the need for companionship by studying and working like his life depended on it, or he didn't really consider that being genuinely befriended, appreciated and loved as a person instead of a respectable and competent authority figure was even an option for him, at least not until Vasco came along.