#honestly the only times the team ups between mojo and the girls ever actually made any sense was in the episode ‘forced kin’ and the movie

[gch1995]

@moonsiechild The Professor of the OG PPG cartoon was definitely handsome, and he generally was portrayed as being a pretty attentive and selfless dad to the girls in the og cartoon, though he had some OOC moments in some bad episodes here and there, In character, though he was flawed in the sense that he was prone to sometimes being a cute, but embarrassingly absentminded, cheesy, dorky, doting, and overprotective dad, too. His intentions were good, though.

Also, the writers of the OG classic PPG actually did do an entire episode where Professor Utonium made a supersuit to fight crime with the girls, so they could spend more time together. It was the eleventh episode of season three called “Powerprof.” The girls genuinely had fun fighting crime with their dad at first, but then they got annoyed with him when he started being an embarrassingly doting, old-fashioned, and overprotective parent. He kept talking to them with outdated lingo and slang from the seventies by saying things like “Word up,” and “groovy.” He called the girls his “pumpkins,” “honey bear, “and snookums.”

When Buttercup beat up a bad guy in front of him, he embarrassed her by dotingly calling her his “Butterball.” After Bubbles beat up a criminal in front of the Professor wearing the suit, he became that embarrassingly doting Dad™️, and says something along the lines of “Aww...Isn’t she cute when she’s being tough...You’d never guess she’d wet the bed last week,” which caused all the robbers to start laughing, and caused Bubbles to feel so mortified that she put a brown paper bag over her head. He made the girls wear elbow-pads, knee-pads, and helmets when they went to battle MoJo Jojo to avoid getting “boo-boos,” even though they had superpowers and had beaten up Mojo and other enemies far worse than him a hundred times before without any sort of protective headgear or body armor before.

It was actually a pretty cute episode because the Professor obviously meant well, in spite of being completely oblivious to just how embarrassing he really was being for the girls, and no matter bad you felt for the girls when he started embarrassing by being such a Dad™️ fighting crime with them. The only thing that made it somewhat less than as great as it could have been for me was the way the writers set up the ending.

I totally understand the girls feeling too afraid to hurt their dad’s feelings by telling him that they didn’t want him to fight crime with them anymore because he was embarrassing them, but they could have found a better way to convince him to give up fighting crime at their side than they did at the end. The way they got him to give up fighting crime with them at the end by having Mojo beat him up seemed a kind of uncharacteristically cruel of the girls, not to mention very stupid. It turned out in the Professor’s favor, he beat Mojo, and he saved the girls because the plot demanded it. However, when you really think about it, it so easily could not have turned out it in their favor, and the Professor could have been killed right in front of them, while they were helpless to do anything.

It easily could have gone wrong with Mojo turning on the girls by going too far in beating up, or even killing their dad, and they would have been forced to helplessly stand by in horror and watch it happen when locked up in those cages by him. The Professor had been kidnapped and nearly killed by Mojo to get vengeance before. Seems uncharacteristically careless, cruel, reckless, and stupid of the girls to just trust Mojo, and not think about that possibility in “PowerProf” to me.

It also often felt weird how the girls occasionally went to Mojo for help, believing he could be trusted, and he occasionally actually honored his word to them in those cases when the the plot demanded it. Of course, he played them in “Candy is Dandy,” and stole the candy from the Mayor to mess with them. Yet, he was also still their main antagonist on several other occasions. The team up between Mojo and the girls in the 2002 prequel movie made sense because they had just been born, and they had only just met him. In the 2002 prequel movie, he deceived and emotionally manipulated the girls to convince them that he was a misunderstood outcast, who wanted to “make the world a better place,” so he could trick them into helping him for his own evil purposes, and it made sense because the girls didn’t know who he was yet. The team up between the girls and Mojo in “Forced Kin” against an even worse threat actually made sense because it was a begrudging temporary truce made between them to band together against an even worse common enemy that was going to destroy them all.

However, in episodes and segments of classic PPG, such as “Candy is Dandy,” “PowerProf.,” and “Moral Decay” (at least with Blossom and Bubbles against Buttercup), they didn’t really need to team up with Mojo to get the resolutions they wanted at the end. It just felt like unnecessary twists thrown in to try to be clever or shocking, but they actually made the girls look uncharacteristically bad, devious, and stupid by doing it.

If we went with the same story at the end of “Powerprof,” it would have been better if that battle between the Professor and Mojo had just happened by chance, and then the Professor was convinced that it was too tiring to keep being a hero with the girls after winning. At the very least, it wouldn’t have created a pointless twist that made the girls look bad for no real reason at all, other than to create a twist for its own sake.

Also, wouldn’t the Professor feel more desperate to keep fighting crime with the girls to protect them after they got locked up by Mojo, rendered powerless to fight back, and he had to fight back Mojo by himself to save them? There was a bit of a logical flaw in this sort of writing for the resolution at the end.

I liked how protective, selfless, and sweet of a dad the Professor was portrayed as being in “Powerprof.” However, the execution could have been done better at the end of the episode with the Professor being convinced that it was too tiring to fight crime with the girls, then realizing that they didn’t need him in a battle when he got defeated in a battle that happened by chance against Mojo and/or another villain, and the girls had to save them. I get that they wanted for the Professor to go out as a hero for the girls in “Powerprof,” and that they wanted the girls to feel embarrassed by them when he became such an embarrassingly cheesy, doting, and overprotective Dad™️ But you can’t always have it both ways you want it in a story with good writing that makes sense.

If the girls feel too embarrassed by their dad to keep fighting crime with him, but feel too afraid to tell him, then that’s perfectly understandable within the context of the episode. However, it would have made much more sense, if the girls got called to fight a crime with their dad spontaneously, he got defeated by chance in battle, and the girls had to save him, which then convinced him to give up crime fighting because he realized it was too tiring and the girls could handle themselves. He would still look like a great dad within the context of the episode “Powerprof.” Sure, a misguidedly embarrassing and overprotective one at times, but still one who was admirably caring and selfless enough to make a supersuit, so he could try to spend more time with his crime fighting kids when they had to go save the day.

@rollingrabbit BTW, great artwork! I love all the detail!

professor

[renaerys]

22. for reds 🤡

This is 100% not what you asked for (yet...👀), but I give you part 1 of what we're calling the Weird King AU. I'm turning this into a proper multi-chapter High School fic because I love you and I'd jump on any bandwagon for you.

xxx

Like most young, conventionally attractive Supervillains, Brick had made a bit of a habit of failing upwards. It was pretty easy in a town full of simpering morons content to project their own narrative assumptions onto him, and who was he to crush their dreams when they made his life a little easier?

For example, dating.

“You can tell me, you know.” His cute date, Tracy, sipped her milkshake across from him.

“Tell you what?”

She softened and reached her hand across the table. “Your tragic backstory. I’ll listen without judgment, I promise.”

Brick tried to think of something tragic, but it all seemed pretty underwhelming as far as Supervillain origin stories went. “You mean like how I was born in a toilet?”

She made an oh shape with her lips. “We all have those days where we feel like we were born in a toilet, Brick.”

He’d dated Tracy for three months before she broke up with him out of the blue in tears: sorry she couldn’t fix his baggage, she just wasn’t strong enough to handle all that tortured darkness, but she wished him nothing but health and happiness. Brick deleted her number from his phone and spent twenty whole minutes staring at the toilet in his bathroom, wondering what the lesson here was.

But everything changed when Mojo got out of prison and moved Brick and his brothers back to Townsville, where he enrolled them in the local high school alongside their former arch nemeses, the Powerpuff Girls.

Suddenly, everything Brick did pre-supposed ill intent. These people remembered him as the pest who had graffitied their local monuments and blown up their cars and endangered their children. They held no love for him, and at best they feared him. This was not Citiesville, where he’d been a tall, cold glass of Voss water in a sea of recycled Dasani.

He found himself thinking about his birthing toilet again as he stepped into the cafeteria alone and the conversation quieted down as his new classmates watched him from the safety of their tables. His next moves here were critical. He was no longer at the top of the food chain, but fear and mystery surrounding his origins and character gave him a certain power over his peers.

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of social suicide, I will fear no cringe,” he said to himself.

The jocks were out. Capable though he may be, Brick was not much of a team player unless there was a blood contract involved requiring his participation on pain of satanic torture. The drama kids were also a hard pass, not because he thought drama was lame, but because they had barely noticed him walk in, and Brick did not have the energy to deal with people more self-involved than himself. Some of the unaffiliated tables could be safe, but without a good understanding of the nuanced social dynamics in the high school, he could be heading toward irreversible doom, and that was a risk he was not willing to take.

He saw his salvation just ahead. It was the only option, all else being equal. In an environment where he couldn’t be certain of his baseline status and potential for upward mobility, there was greatness to be had only by association and certainty only in the devil he knew.

Brick helped himself to the empty seat directly across from Blossom Utonium to a chorus of gasps and staring.

Blossom did not startle like her table mates had. She watched him critically behind a head full of bangs as she balanced her soup spoon in her hand. “Really.”

Brick unwrapped the burrito he’d purchased in the lunch line and brandished it before him. “Really.”

He took a bite of the burrito. It was not hot enough. The two girls to Blossom’s left whispered to each other about that bad boy and he’s hot, though.

Blossom daintily spooned soup into her mouth without spilling a single drop as she continued to watch Brick for signs of his imminent dark side transformation.

The guy next to Brick was brave enough to ask him what his next class was. Brick had a mouth full of disappointing burrito, so he passed the guy the printout of his class schedule in lieu of answering.

“Wow, all APs, huh? Hey, we’re in U.S. History together next period, nice. I’m Mike Believe, by the way. Brick Jojo, right?”

Brick didn’t answer him immediately on account of the burrito currently occupying his mouth hole, and Mike took it the wrong way.

“Oh, yeah, we all know who you are. Blossom sort of filled us in.” He winced like he’d inadvertently revealed a terrible secret.

Brick swallowed his food and washed it down with a gulp of water. “Saves me some time.”

Mike looked super relieved. “For sure! Hey, I could lend you my notes if you want to catch up. Gershwin’s giving a quiz on the Progressive Era on Friday, and she’s a hard-ass who definitely won’t care that you just transferred…”

Brick chewed on his lunch as Mike continued to talk at him about classes and other vaguely helpful, albeit uninteresting, information. But Mike seemed normal enough, a little chatty but not in an overeager sort of way. Blossom was no longer clocking his every move and seemed to be absorbed in her friend’s latest swim team cheating scandal, until Brick reached for his water bottle and she suddenly laser-focused on his wandering hand.

Her keen attention to him was honestly flattering, if expected. It was in his nature to be noticed, and in this narrow respect she was no different from anyone else whose head he turned. If she chose to feed her interest with the flames of suspicion, then it was no difference to him.

But if she was anything like him—and on a chemical level she was probably the closest to him that a person could get—he suspected it took tremendous effort to hold her full and sustained attention. The world they inhabited was as vapid and mundane as the humans that surrounded them, and even the most gracious of gods grew bored of worship. Which explained all the smiting and fucking and generational curses upon entire households in everything from Greek mythology to the Old Testament.

Brick was pretty deep into a fantasy of Blossom going full Ixion and the Wheel on the swim team when Mike tapped his shoulder. “You ready to go?”

It took him a moment to realize the bell had rung and he had a class to get to—AP U.S. History with Mike, apparently. Brick gathered his tray and his bag and followed Mike. When he looked back at the table, Blossom was already gone.

xxx

That whole first week was painfully boring. No one bullied him, or pranked him, or picked a fight with him, of course. But no one really approached him, either. His brothers were more determined to make an effort. Boomer announced he was trying out for the soccer team because there was no rule saying a Super with extremely well documented ties to active criminals and the forces of Hell couldn’t kick a ball around a field. Butch had gotten himself invited to a midnight screening of Snakes on a Plane in some rich kid’s home movie theater, but only after that same kid had accidentally spilled milk on Butch and burst into tears in front of a cafeteria full of Juniors and Seniors. Brick declined the invitation Butch extended to him. He had that AP U.S. History exam to study for on Friday, anyway.

He shared all of his classes with Blossom. Even in the classes where her assigned seat was behind his and he couldn’t see her, he could feel her lobotomizing stare at the back of his head whenever she glanced up from her notebook. And while Mike’s notes were perfectly adequate and the friendly gesture counted for more than the content (a gesture Brick would not soon forget), there was a far more efficient way to accomplish his goal of murdering the class averages while also taking the edge off his loner doldrums.

“Can I borrow your class notes?”

Blossom rose from her seat and pulled her hair tie out to re-do her extremely long ponytail. She held the elastic between her teeth as she worked. Her teeth were very straight, he noticed. Some pretty nice girl-teeth, generally speaking.

“Which class?”

“All of them.”

He watched her wind the elastic around her hair with quick, adroit fingers. “That’s a lot of notes.”

“You’re the top of every class. No point in asking anyone else.”

She moved toward the hall. He followed her out. “Why would I help you?”

A legitimate question delivered without venom. Unlike her sister Buttercup, who’d “run into” Brick after school on Monday and told him to watch his back, Blossom didn’t have to do anything but maintain a general proximity to make her superiority complex known. Which was the kind of flex he could fuck with.

“Isn’t helping people sort of your mandate?”

They had arrived at her locker, which she opened with enough force to rattle the hinges. “I help the helpless. Are you helpless, Brick?”

Brick smiled at her baiting. Had she ever actually said his name at a normal volume before? It sounded good even in her baseline bitch timbre. “Critically helpless. I’m the new student who transferred in the middle of the semester, and you’re the only person who knows me.”

A couple other students clearly trying to get to the lockers Brick was blocking hovered just out of reach. They whispered to each other, but neither of them actually worked up the courage to ask Brick to move. He ignored them.

Blossom rummaged in her locker for the binder she would need for the next class. “Make friends.”

“Working on it.”

The locker door slammed and she faced him. There was something confrontational in the way she held herself before him that kicked him in the nuts back in time thirteen years to their more uncouth days when all he wanted to do was destroy her so he’d be the only one. Now they were older and wiser and he actually did need her notes to study, so destroying her was not high on his list of priorities.

“You want to be my friend.”

“We have so much in common.”

“So do lions and hyenas.”

“Both are apex predators, so.”

She took a step closer and peered up at him. Brick did not move, although he wondered what was so interesting about his face. She probably just thought he was hot. She was probably as bored as he was. She probably—

“You have lettuce in your teeth.”

Brick pulled back and covered his mouth on instinct. God fucking damnit.

Blossom was already walking away from him by the time he’d picked the food from his teeth. “I’ll expect my notes back in mint condition before first period tomorrow morning.”

Brick pressed a fist against the lockers and quietly fumed. “Dumbass…”

“Um, sorry, but do you mind…?”

The student who’d been waiting for her locker space to clear up had her palms up as if to assuage a feral stray. Brick pushed off the lockers, but his fist left a dent where he’d unleashed some of his impotent self-pity. He looked back at the girl, and she shook her head.

“It’s fine! It, uh, it happens sometimes.” She pointed a couple lockers down to Blossom’s, which was dinged up worse than the others.

Brick stared at Blossom’s locker, and then back at the girl. Her narrow, dark eyes were wide, but not out of fear. She was waiting for something, and like an idiot it took him a moment to catch up. “You’re trying to make me feel better about fucking up your locker.”

She laughed nervously. “I mean, it’s really fine! You just looked so miserable for a second there, and I just thought…”

Great, he was moping so hard he had an audience.

The five minute warning bell rang, and a flood of students rushed past them on their way to fourth period. Brick stepped aside so the girl could get to her locker.

“Hey, you’re the new guy, right?”

The new guy, yeah. How quaint. Except, she was waiting for a response, which wasn’t the absolute worst thing that had happened to him all week.

“Brick,” he said. But of course, she already knew that, and she was just being nice.

“I’m Kim. Kim Chan.”

“Okay.” He didn’t have anything else to say to her, so he decided to get his shit and get to his next class.

“Welcome back to Townsville, Brick.”

Brick shoved his hands in his pockets and stalked off. It didn’t occur to him until later that Kim was the first and only person who had properly welcomed him back home.

[babyybitchhh]

Thotty Thursday: Part 2

The second installment of Thotty Thursday is upon us. Rejoice, heathens!

Now, let me just say that I’m picking dudes at random while trying to keep things balanced between old shows and new ones but ... y’all really bout to notice some patterns the more we do this so I’m just gonna wait for someone to call me out tbh. 😰

FYI, I like to think of myself as an equal opportunist thirster and if a dude is hot then he’s hot. I’m not one to question this shit. But when you get right down to it I have like four types: high IQ smarty pants, dummy thicc, dad and bad boy bastard. Our next snack belongs in the last category, without question.

He’s honestly prettier than me and that is not an exaggeration but don’t let his good looks fool you

This Arabian Nights styled dime piece has a mean streak a mile wide. Because of Reasons, ofc, but that don’t change the facts

Not only did he once punch a child in the face for no other reason than to assert his dominance (fact) he also pretended to cry in front of the person he hates most just to laugh about how they fell for his (flawlessly executed) act

He honestly may or may not have a few screws loose but that’s part of the appeal, you see. It adds a dash of spice to the meal

And you know what they say about crazy bitches in bed 😏

Full disclosure, I started reading Magi: Labyrinth of Magic before the anime aired and his name was originally translated as Judal so that’s what he’s always going to be in my mind. The official translation is Judar, and I respect that, but at the end of the day I do not know her

Judar who?

Can I also just take a moment to point out that gloriously long, thick braid he’s sporting tho

This man has hair for days and there’s just something I find incredibly attractive about that

I want to take it all down and carefully comb through it, play with it and style it again 

Really show him the attention he deserves

If he decided to suffocate me with it, well, I guess I wouldn’t complain about that either

Now, the setting alone had my interest PIQUED right out the gate because I love Middle Eastern inspired aesthetics and I truly don’t think it’s utilized as a setting half as much as it deserves to be. It’s very beautiful imo and the anime team did a pretty good job of capturing that vibe but if I’m being honest I think the manga was better (up to a point)

However there ain’t nothing quite like seeing your man move on screen or hearing his voice with your own two ears and when I say Judal put on a show each time he showed up ... 🥵

I think I can safely say my pussy clenched whenever I got so much as a whiff of him possibly making an appearance, PHEW

He’s just so pretty and mean

My favorite combo tbh

“But why do you like mean boys so much 🤔?” You ponder aloud and my answer to that is “I don’t know. I just do.”

Judal gets my kitty purring for a variety of reasons but the biggest is probably that I can’t look at him without imagining myself as his feisty little slave girl, wearing nothing but sheer silk and delicate gold chains, completely at his mercy ...

Oops, did I say that out loud? 😳

I mean, can you really blame me when he’s running around in those baggy harem pants though?? Can you really???

So the first thing you probably thought was: damn. This guy kinda dressed like a thot 👀

And you’re not wrong

Does he HAVE to dress like that? Strictly speaking, no. But I am definitely not complaining about his fashion choices

His titties are so close to popping out of that tiny little shirt that we’d be getting nip slips left, right and center if he had any more meat on his bones than that and trust me when I say he did that shit on purpose

This boy is SUCH a fucking tease and he loves the attention it gets him - first and foremost because he’s used to being the CENTER of attention but we’ll get more into that a little bit later

Hes just a tad 👌 narcissistic, loves to show off, definitely bipolar and is in a constant state of feeling himself so he’s hitting all his marks as far as I’m concerned

In short, he’s perpetually oozing big dick fuck boy energy and I live for it

That’s why he’s always showing up with that stank ass attitude, he knows damn well he can pull the baddest bitch around AND her man too

He’d fuck you and your boyfriend at the same time just to prove a point, that’s actually how petty he is

Honestly though I’d like to see ANYbody maintain their resolve when he’s laying on the charm and Judal’s just cruel enough to do it for shits and giggles

Probably wakes up in the middle of his sprawling imperial bed at two in the afternoon and says something like “damn, I need a little pick me up today” and then proceeds to manipulate and harass his lucky unfortunate victim of choice

He’s relentless too and will stop at absolutely nothing to get what he wants, even if that means breaking you in the process

Again, I like the challenge he represents

But also I just like a man who can make me cry 🤷‍♀️

And I don’t doubt he absolutely would. Tears probably turn him on tbh and I’m positive he’s got a bit of a yandere streak too

Are y’all seeing those patterns yet??

So did you guys notice that wand he keeps twirling around like a goddamn baton?

He’s a magic user, or in this case a magi which means he’s literally at the top of the food chain in this universe

He’s special special

Every ounce of confidence he has is rightfully deserved and even tho he’s not the strongest per say, he IS extremely powerful and his destiny as a magi is to influence the world

THE WHOLE ASS WORLD YA’LL

That’s why he’s got such a big fucking ego

I promise these aren’t major spoilers, so you don’t have to worry about that

When he was still a (too precious for words) child, he was abducted by an evil cult so that they could manipulate him and use his powers to influence shit in a bad way. The exact details of what they did to him are hazy, but based on the snippets we did get it seems like they basically put Judal on a pedestal and raised him as if he were some kind of god or a king

I’m talking waiting on him hand and foot, giving him whatever he wanted, essentially worshiping him and using persuasive mind control magic to convince him that he’s the best thing to happen since sliced bread

And it worked

Can you tell exactly how fucked up this kid is right now

Keep in mind here that I’m not saying his screwed up personality isn’t the result of some seriously bad mojo

Magi are supposed to be what tips the scales of fate in this setting which, generally, means for the betterment of the world and this whack ass cult pointedly steered him down a path he otherwise would not have gone

But it’s this tragic past of his that really brings the whole package together

He could be a mean pretty boy for no other reason than because he wants to and I’d still drop into a split on his cock

I like mean for the sake of mean too

It’s just that knowing what made him the way he is gives us the perfect amount of insight to truly feel sympathetic despite all the bad shit he has done and will continue to do

Personally, it makes me want to be the one to show him genuine, tender affection no matter how much he’s initially appalled by the mere suggestion so in a lot of ways it’s similar to how I feel towards Hiei

But that doesn’t mean I want him to change and start being n - 🤢 start being nice - 🤮

He’s perfect just the way he is and there’s just something about big, confident egos that gets me going like little else

And Judal seems to truly believe he’s the greatest gift the world has ever received and he’s not wrong about that imo so yeah he definitely has an attitude problem

But that also means he’s a spoiled brat tho and he’s definitely one of those dudes who needs to be dommed on occasion to really get the full experience 👀

I am not too shy to pin him down and milk his cock for all it’s worth, that is all I’m saying fam

And can I just point out how breathtakingly gorgeous he’d look all flushed and sweaty, whimpering like a needy little bitch in heat while having his prostate relentlessly teased for hours on end?

Goodness, it suddenly got HOT in here, is that just me??? 💦

Ofc the only way that’s gonna happen is if he allows it - which I don’t see being a common occurrence - but that’s why you gotta take advantage of that shit when it does 👀

On the topic of Judal being spoiled, I want to mention that there are actually TWO very different backdrops that I can thot around with him in, and I like that

There’s the fantasy Middle East setting ofc which I personally can’t get enough of

I’m wearing the slave girl Leiah outfit in my mind right now btw

But he also spends a lot of time in this worlds version of ancient China complete with all the dramatic robes and elegant architecture to really set the mood

He has an entire imperial palace on lock and if that doesn’t get you even a little bit horny then idk what to tell you

The royal family for the most part treats him like one of their own despite not being related in any way, if that tells you exactly how much clout he pulls in this setting, and even tho they’re essentially using him for their own gain Judal doesn’t seem to mind it one bit

He likes being at the top and having the freedom to do whatever he wants so if that means doing a little dirty work for the Kou Empire then so be it

And I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t be a ride or die on these little errands

Like, just imagine this pretty boy pulling up to you on his flying carpet (that’s not a joke or something I just pulled out of my ass btw) and asking if you want to come back to his crib for some fun

You say yes, because you might be a thirsty slut but you’re certainly not STUPID

And he straight up takes you to a fucking palace

Be honest with me guys, how fast do the panties come off tho?

Be real with me here

This is actually just the plot of Aladdin but with the gender roles reversed 🤣

Fr fr though, A Whole New World plays softly in the back of my mind every time I think about this dude, except it’s much darker and ... explicit 😏

But my point here is that Judal’s got basically everything he could ever possibly want so he really just needs a pretty little concubine at his side to complete the picture

And I dead ass feel like it should be ME

When I say this man could get it ....

OOF

He is TROUBLE in its purest form and I regret nothing about my choice in fictional men

Absolutely nothing

He could honestly fuck me up seven ways to Sunday and I’d thank him for the honor

Spit on me, king. Please. I don’t need nothing else to sustain me

Unless you want to throw some of that choice dick in for free? 👀

Lord  have MERCY

[stevenuniversallyreviews]

Episode 109: Last One Out of Beach City

“What if I told you that the world was gonna end, and you had fifteen minutes to spend with me or your friends?”

Steven and the Stevens and Hit the Diamond are my two favorite episodes of Steven Universe for reasons I’ve written about at length, but beyond encapsulating the essence of the series and characters and all that, it should be noted that they’re just plain fun. Last One Out of Beach City is smaller in scale, zeroing in on one of the show’s earliest defined relationships and basking in its evolution from a feud to a deep friendship, so it’s harder to use as a stand-in for the show as a whole. But even if it isn’t my third-favorite episode of the series, it stands hand in hand with my top two when it comes to the charm factor.

Last One Out of Beach City is a delight from start to finish. Jesse Zuke’s legendary “Bad Pearl” sketch comes to life in the best way imaginable, and Deedee Magno Hall solidifies her place as my MVP of a killer lineup of voice actors. Actual human being Mike Krol gets tossed into this alternate universe like it was nothing. Crimes are committed. Swears are censored by screeching tires. Juice is spat. Cups, spilt.

This is the promise of Zuke’n’Florido’s brilliant opening sequence of Beta fulfilled: Steven and some Gems hanging out not for half an episode, but an entire one. It’s got sight gags aplenty, supplementing some of the best comedy writing in the series, mixed with the soul-warming joy of watching characters we love getting along. So lest I just turn this review into gushing about individual jokes and lines and moments, let’s dive into why each character we see is terrific, starting with the scofflaw herself.

Last One Out of Beach City does for Pearl what Back to the Moon does for Amethyst and Mindful Education does for Garnet: we see the result of her character growth in Act II, and even if the Mystery Girl looks a lot like Rose, it’s still a huge step forward for our lady of perpetual mourning to develop a crush on someone new (and to be so low-key polite to Greg). The romantic subplot alone could drive an episode, but Pearl gets so many more hats than “girl with a crush” here: she’s a nerd, a badass, a criminal, and a middle-aged mom all at once. She vacillates between genuinely cool and desperately uncool until she fuses these extremes together to become a confident square; it’s perhaps Deedee Magno Hall’s best Pearlformance that doesn’t include singing, and that’s saying a lot. Between her voice acting, the lines themselves (“This is why we buckle up”), and the sheer sense of catharsis from seeing her choosing to move forward with her life, this is my favorite Pearl episode. And that’s saying a lot.

Pearl has always had a weird relationship with humanity. She's distant from modern culture compared to Amethyst, and her misunderstandings about human stuff is often played for laughs, but she’s also a crack car mechanic and is enamored with human concepts like knighthood. She’s not completely removed from society, but chooses not to engage unless something in particular catches her fancy. So it’s fascinating to see her associating moving forward with performing more human activities; she’s embracing Earth as it is, not as it was when the Gem War was raging, and she’s not letting lingering envy from Rose’s love of humans like Greg get in her way.

The reason this works so well is that it’s clearly performative, rather than an actual sudden personality shift. She’s still a homebody who likes puzzles and hanging out with her kid. She’s still snooty, both with her friends (dismissing the idea that anyone could be nostalgic for something as “new” as suburbs) and with her crush (“By the way, I saved your planet and your species and you're welcome”). And she’s still nervous as all get-out, but brave enough to push forward anyway.

Pearl’s maternal nature isn’t ignored, but used as fuel for her attempt at rebirth. There’s a huge difference between an awkward person putting themselves out there for the first time and a semi-retired hellraiser who, after settling into a comfortable groove, seeks to relive her glory days. She’s been dwelling on the negative for so long that she feels out of touch with her adventurous side, to the point where wearing pants and drinking juice is adventurous, but because we know Pearl so well by now we can actually appreciate how big of a deal these minor accomplishments are for her.

While it’s refreshing to see Pearl moving on from Rose, it’s perhaps even greater to see how far her relationship with Amethyst has come. While their longstanding rivalry softened during the Week of Sardonyx, we haven’t gotten them alone together since, and it just feels so nice to see Amethyst ribbing Pearl with that extra burst of sisterly affection, and Pearl loosening up enough to not take every slight personally.

As with Pearl, Amethyst works here because her personality hasn’t been erased; again, she’s still ragging on Pearl. The plot gets rolling because of Amethyst’s well-established fascination with humanity, and Pearl’s decision to see the show is prompted in part by wanting to impress Amethyst, something she never would’ve cared about in Season 1. And for all her teasing, Amethyst encourages Pearl every step of the way, not just out of solidarity but because she’s legitimately impressed.

And in a world where Pearl and Amethyst are egging each other on, Steven has to step up and be practical. I appreciate that his sense of responsibility and realism doesn’t make him a jerk or a brat, but more of a peer than ever among his fellow Crystal Gems. When pointing out the pink-haired elephant in the room, he’s not condemning or teasing Pearl: he’s just clearing the tension, and showing that he’s more aware of the situation than a younger Steven might have been. In this episode, Steven is the friend who looks for a gas station when his buds are freaking out about running out of fuel.

By now Steven feels comfortable with his place in the team, and with his relationships with Amethyst and Pearl as individuals. A version of this episode placed earlier in the series might’ve been about Pearl and Amethyst fighting for his attention, or Steven vying for attention from either of them, but by now he’s happy to do a puzzle with Pearl and to go to a concert with Amethyst, and there’s zero conflict. Immaturity shouldn’t be a go-to character beat anymore, and I love that Steven is acting his age.

Mystery Girl turns out to be more of a device than a character, as we never see her again. But I honestly think that’s fine; what matters is that Pearl is willing to put herself out there, and the result isn’t a new relationship with a new love interest but a new relationship with humanity. The Pearl of Bismuth Casual, hanging out with a posse of human friends and showing off her Gem powers with glee, owes everything to the Pearl of Last One Out of Beach City, and thus everything to Mystery Girl. Perhaps they had a thing at some point. Perhaps they still do have a thing. We don’t know, because Pearl has new hobbies outside of being a Crystal Gem, and that’s the victory.

An in terms of the show’s greater plot, if our new friend never gave Pearl her number, Pearl never would’ve gotten a phone, so A Single Pale Rose never would’ve happened. Perhaps one day he would’ve learned the truth, but certainly not before Yellow and Blue Diamond arrived to wage war on the planet. So thanks for saving the world, Mystery Girl!

The use of music from our universe lends Last One Out of Beach City a uniquely realistic tone compared to the rest of the series; perhaps any such music would do the trick, but a garage rocker is an apt choice for setting a grounded mood. We get a glimpse of Greg’s life outside of being a dad, as he socializes not only with Amethyst but Barb and Vidalia. The car chase lurches to reality when we learn that Pearl doesn’t have a driver’s license, and explicit references are made to the DMV and Pearl’s citizenship. It’s like knowing Steven’s exact age, or having Greg break his leg in Ocean Gem instead of getting a nondescript injury, or hearing Dr. Maheswaran describe PTSD using terms like “cortisol”: these concrete details make these characters feel more like real people. And considering this is a character-centric episode in a show where characters are pretty much always at the center anyway, that realism gives us a deeper connection to what our heroes are going through.

Pearl is by no means a teenager, and the critical element of reclaiming her mojo muddles direct comparisons to a teen protagonist, but the emotional honesty of Last One Out of Beach City makes me feel nostalgic, and not just for the suburbs. Driving around, not quite following the rules, and bouts of chasing meaning when you’re not as interested in traditional adolescent social activities? Those were my teenage years. I don’t always miss them, but this episode brings out the best of my memories.

There’s really not much else to say. I could spend another few paragraphs incoherently gushing about the writing and the animation and the voice work, but I promise the time you’d spend reading that would be better spent rewatching the episode. While I maintain my comparison to Beta, Last One Out of Beach City does stand in opposition to Peridot’s first Meep Morp: it has no functional purpose, it just makes me feel good.

Future Vision!

I already brought up how Mystery Girl’s number prompts A Single Pale Rose, but that episode itself shows that Pearl’s a lot slicker than she thought she was. That’s a lot of codes!

I’ve never been to this…how do you say…school?

Not sure why we get a Halloween-themed promo for an episode that has nothing to do with Halloween and aired in early September, but this is me not complaining about that. (Apparently it’s actually a reference to a Japanese tradition but I don’t watch enough anime to know more about that.)

We’re the one, we’re the ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR!

It’s not my third favorite, but this episode is really high up there. The cream of the crop are episodes that give me the purest emotional reactions: Mirror Gem nails dread, Lion 3 and Alone Together embody two different kinds of wonder, and Steven and the Stevens, Hit the Diamond, and Last One Out of Beach City just make me unspeakably happy.

Top Twenty

Steven and the Stevens

Hit the Diamond

Mirror Gem

Lion 3: Straight to Video

Alone Together

Last One Out of Beach City

The Return

Jailbreak

The Answer

Mindful Education

Sworn to the Sword

Rose’s Scabbard

Earthlings

Mr. Greg

Coach Steven

Giant Woman

Beach City Drift

Winter Forecast

Bismuth

When It Rains

Love ‘em

Laser Light Cannon

Bubble Buddies

Tiger Millionaire

Lion 2: The Movie

Rose’s Room

An Indirect Kiss

Ocean Gem

Space Race

Garnet’s Universe

Warp Tour

The Test

Future Vision

On the Run

Maximum Capacity

Marble Madness

Political Power

Full Disclosure

Joy Ride

Keeping It Together

We Need to Talk

Chille Tid

Cry for Help

Keystone Motel

Catch and Release

Back to the Barn

Steven’s Birthday

It Could’ve Been Great

Message Received

Log Date 7 15 2

Same Old World

The New Lars

Monster Reunion

Alone at Sea

Crack the Whip

Beta

Back to the Moon

Kindergarten Kid

Buddy’s Book

Like ‘em

Gem Glow

Frybo

Arcade Mania

So Many Birthdays

Lars and the Cool Kids

Onion Trade

Steven the Sword Fighter

Beach Party

Monster Buddies

Keep Beach City Weird

Watermelon Steven

The Message

Open Book

Story for Steven

Shirt Club

Love Letters

Reformed

Rising Tides, Crashing Tides

Onion Friend

Historical Friction

Friend Ship

Nightmare Hospital

Too Far

Barn Mates

Steven Floats

Drop Beat Dad

Too Short to Ride

Restaurant Wars

Kiki’s Pizza Delivery Service

Greg the Babysitter

Gem Hunt

Steven vs. Amethyst

Bubbled

Enh

Cheeseburger Backpack

Together Breakfast

Cat Fingers

Serious Steven

Steven’s Lion

Joking Victim

Secret Team

Say Uncle

Super Watermelon Island

Gem Drill

Know Your Fusion

Future Boy Zoltron

No Thanks!

     5. Horror Club      4. Fusion Cuisine      3. House Guest      2. Sadie’s Song      1. Island Adventure

[littlemisssquiggles]

mojo72400 asked

“Combat goggles is yang x neptune and gelato is neo x roman”

yellow-eyed-green-crocodile replied to your post “What's your favorite rwby ships? Mine are rosegarden, white knight,...”

Gelato is the ship between Neo and Roman, but I don't know about Combat Goggles. I think it's Yang x Neptune. Which I ship myself, because of the cool girl/uncool guy dynamic.

lookyeekiti replied to your post

“What's your favorite rwby ships? Mine are rosegarden, white knight,...”

I agree with Rosegarden and the between of Blacksun and bumblebee wholeheartedly!

niteangel496 asked 

“On the subject of RWBY Ships, I ship Rosegarden (they're just so precious), Renora (been shipping them together since v1), Jaded (their back & forth banter is amusing to watch), & Gelato (Torchwick showing worry for Neo in v3, then fighting Ruby even more ferociously afterward basically made me like the ship even more). I also kinda have a softpot for Illia x Blake (I love how Illia didn't resent Blake for loving someone else & how she was so focused on helping her people no matter what)” 

Squiggles Answers: 

Thanks for clarifying the ships for me Mojo, Yellow and Nite. Appreciate it. Funnily enough, I thought Roman and Neo’s ship was called Froyo for some reason. Blame it on RWBY Chibi.

RWBY Chibi made me appreciate the Gelato ship. Their relationship dynamic in the Chibi-verse is too cute especially with how eagerly devoted Neo is to Roman. I loved the episode with the red button where Roman ends up falling into a black hole and Neo’s all like “He’s a dum-dum but he’s my dum-dum” before jumping in to join him. 

I thought that was adorable. Gelato in the Chibi-verse is win-win in my books. 

Ooooh yeah, I forgot that Yang and Neptune had a ship too. If that’s the case then I used to like Combat Goggles as well. Back when Neptune was introduced in V2, ever since the ‘Paint the Town’ episode where Neptune was paired with Yang, I liked how Yang and Neptune looked together. 

While they lacked any kind of romantic chemistry, still thought they looked cool. I even did a little fanart of them together once because I thought they looked so cool side by side. Aaah good times.

Combat Goggles was part of Past Squiggles along with the time I considered shipping Lancaster and…begrudgingly Team RWBY with Team CRDL. Now before you thwack me, let me explain.

Back in Volume 1, when I first got into RWBY and was still getting used to the characters, I considered Jaune and Ruby because Jaune was technically the first person to reach out to Ruby and from there, I always liked their rapport as the two leaders of our two main teams.

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to ship them. I was more like, “Well, if things don’t work out for Jaune with Weiss or Pyrhha then Ruby would be my third option.”

At the time, I wasn’t sure if romance was in the cards for these two but for the first volume, I saw Ruby as Jaune’s backup love interest in a sense. But that was since RWBY V1 days. I don’t think about Ruby and Jaune’s relationship like that anymore and you can tell that the main canon series is more or less setting up Jaune and Ruby caring about each other like family. Jaune is the big brother figure in Ruby’s life and was the proxy replacement for Yang during V4 and V5. And Ruby is like a little sister to Jaune. He obviously cares a lot about her but not in way that screams anything beyond platonic and mutual respect. This is only my opinion though. No disrespect for the proud Lancaster shippers.

As for CRDL and RWBY---Again, wayyyy back in V1 when we got our first glimpse of Team CRDL during the ceremony when the teams were being formed by Ozpin, I actually thought CRDL, as the main all boys team would be paired with RWBY.

I thought the series might pull a Winx Club---y’know where the main all girls team would be paired off with the members of the main all male team like how it was with the Fairies of the Winx Club and the Specialists team.

BOY WAS I WRONG! I thought that was going to be the case…up until the episode afterwards where CRDL were revealed to all be a bunch of irredeemable jerks that would bully Jaune and harass poor Velvet for being a Faunus. It’s a stain on my past as a RWBY shipper. One that I can shamelessly admit now. But hey, I was young and still getting into RWBY back when all it had was the one first season. Mistakes were made.

@lookyeekiti and @niteangel496 Damn skippy RoseGarden = love! Joooooooin me brothers and sisters! I honestly have high hopes for Ruby and Oscar’s friendship. Though I’m still unclear if the CRWBY Writers plan on getting romantic with these two younglings, it’s a concept I welcome because, for me, it’s refreshing to see Ruby getting attention from a young boy closer to her age that isn’t just purely companionable; if y’know what I mean.

Oscar was hinted at having a crush on Ruby last volume so I’m really hoping that, even with all the madness to come from this new volume with the journey to Argus, the show still takes the opportunity to highlight this aspect of Oscar’s feelings towards Ruby. If RWBY is an anime then in true anime fashion, I want some deep blushing moments where Ruby smiles or just breathes in Oscar’s direction and his whole face turns into a spotted tomato.

Bonus points if Maria Calavera picks up on Oscar’s crush on Ruby and boldly designates herself as his wing women; playing matchmaker by constantly creating opportunities where Oscar and Ruby can be alone or at least closer to each other. It doesn’t need to be on-the nose since, as I said, there’s a lot to come this season for both Ruby and Oscar’s development. But little hints and nods and gabs would be greatly appreciated.

@niteangel496 Ilia and Blake are cool. Speaking of Illia, I hope she and the Belladonnas keep safe this volume. While I’m still unclear on what the CRWBY Writers’ intentions for Adam’s story are this season---hunt down Blake for revenge or…personally target cutting down the New Faunus Brotherhood since the Belladonnas are a part of it along with Ilia in order to hit Blake where it hurts and draw her out to face him. Whatever they decide to do with Adam, I’m concerned for what it will mean for Ilia’s fate.

But for now, let’s only think of the cute moments with Ilia. Speaking of which, can I just say that I really adore Ilia’s new look. I like how it shows off her freckled tum-tum which I find so cute as its covered in spots. I want somebody to poke the freckled tummy, mainly Sun because he totally would.

~LittleMissSquiggles (2018)

[brightdcys-blog]

we’re back !! with my sunshiny healer girl !!! but do not be fooled.....the sun gives life nd warmth but can also burn u to death much like sunhi.

you’ll find her bio, headcanons, and wanted connections under the cut !!

☾*✧･ﾟ:*「 kang seulgi. cisfem. she/her. 」did you know that there’s a witch in haneul known as ryu sunhi? they have been living here for six years and is a healer in training. they are currently twenty two and was a student at crocus institute of higher magic in the house hyacinth. i heard that they are known to be erratic, but worry not ! i heard they are also very passionate too. remember to stay out of trouble, the ju jak are lurking around every corner !

BIO:

sunhi was raised in the countryside outside of busan !!

her family wasn’t poor but they weren’t the most well off either. her parents ran a small potions shop that catered to both humans and magi. the divide between the two groups seemed to have not touched her small town as much as it did bigger cities.

from the age of seven her parents sent her to a magic prep school in busan to give her a leg up when she finally went to crocus. it was expensive, and they spent a large chunk of their income on it, but they truly believed it was what was best for their little girl.

from september to may she attended school in the city, living in the dormitories. during summers she would go home to the countryside.

she was a terrific student in school. since her parents were working so hard to get her an education she worked really hard to be top of her class and not step a toe out of line, for fear of ruining her chances at getting into crocus and letting her family down.

despite being a good student, sunhi’s time at the prep school wasn’t all that pleasant. she was often the target of bullying from other girls from richer families who deemed her unworthy of being there.

summers home were always her favourite because she got to spend time with her family, as well as her best friend --- a neighbourhood boy named jaejun who she had befriended in her early childhood.

the two would spend practically every day together while she was at home ( that she wasn’t working ), swimming in the lake or going on adventures in the woods. when she was away at school they kept in constant contact via handwritten letters that they would send one another every few days.

she was defs highkey in love w/ him but never said anything because she didn’t think it would be fair of her to expect a relationship when she was away in busan most of the year.

had a summer job at a tea house in her town. she saved every cent she earned so that she could move to seoul when she graduated.

at sixteen she graduated from the prep school and, as planned, moved to seoul all on her own !! she got a tiny, crappy loft apartment that was basically just a room with a kitchen on one side and empty space on the other, but it was hers and she loved it.

for two years she worked three jobs to save up enough money to continue paying her rent and living expenses while she attended school. she didn’t want to have to move into the dorms, the thought making her anxious due to how horrible her experience was in busan. she preferred the comfort of living in her own space where she could have everything her way.

a year after she moved to seoul, jaejun reached out to her after a year of very little contact asking if he could stay with her until he got himself on his feet. of course she said yes, and he moved in right away.

having him living with her was simultaneously the best and worst year of her life. the best because it was jj, the worst because of who he had become. she spent most nights waiting up for hours until he got home, constantly in a state of worry that ate away at her.

lucky for her ( i guess ) she doesn’t remember !! any of it !! because right before the two of them started attending crocus, jj wiped her memory of him and dipped.

because of that she has a lot of blank spots from her childhood. situations that don’t add up or make sense when she thinks back on them. found a shirt of his he forgot in the laundry and had no idea where it came from or why there was a guys clothing in her house. still wears the sunflower necklace he got her when they were thirteen but couldn’t tell you where she got it. 

when she started at crocus she was sorted into hyacinth. despite the house’s reputation for spitting out herbologists and seers, sunhi decided she wanted to be a field healer.

almost all of her professors tried to talk her out of it, saying that she was too softhearted for a job that draining, but that only made her want to do it more so she could prove to them ( and herself ) that she was strong and capable.

had a boyfriend for a little over a year. he sucked so she ended things to focus on school. she doesn’t really like to talk about him much because it’s still a touchy subject.

was somehow very involved but also very uninvolved with social activities at crocus. a bit of a floater, she never really settled into any particular groups of friends, instead casually befriending random people here or there. nothing really stuck though, because despite her extraverted and friendly nature she’s horrible at keeping up friendships.

graduated in the top of her class at the age of twenty one, and was quickly taken on for practical training at a magi hospital in seoul !! she’s currently employed there and mostly works with children ( even though she isn’t the biggest fan of them ) but is hoping to start field training once she’s done the basics.

just moved into a new, much nicer apartment !! thanks healer salary, u a real one !!

HEADCANONS & RANDOM FACTS:

literally probably the most social person on the planet. she will strike up a conversation with anybody anywhere because she’s just so curious about everything.

very organized and particular about her things and her space. her apartment looks like something out of home and garden and even her purse has a specially tailored organization system.

avid hockey fan !! will stay up into the wee hours of the morning to watch the live broadcast of nhl games. her favorite team is the montreal canadiens.

has a tendency to get very stressed very easily. one little thing can ruin her mojo for an entire day and she’ll be very snappy until something calms her down again.

claims to have a horrible memory because of how little of her childhood she can recall. little doES SHE KNOW !! IT AINT HER FAULT !!

is a vegetarian.

she’s so competitive it’s like an issue. she will compete with the person walking beside her down the street to see who can reach the crosswalk faster ( without even mentioning it to them ). she will even compete with herself as a way of “ self improvement. ”

pinky promises are a binding contract in her mind. will mumble a charm to herself upon making a pinky promise that will cause minor inconveniences for the other person if they should ever break their promise and not come clean about it. 

seems like the type of person who would like kids but she...really actually doesn’t. she finds them messy and annoying and she doesn’t ever plan on having kids of her own.

has a very impressive collection of scented candles.

when she’s at home she does not wear pants. she hates pants with a passion.

cannot leave the house without putting on mascara and lip tint, even if she’s just running to the mail box.

dresses like a grandpa.

cannot cook to save her life. she’s truly horrible at it, her mother is very disappointed.

keeps a very detailed planner, it’s always in her purse.

knows standard korean and when she’s working she speaks very professionally. when she’s anywhere else that busan satoori be poppin.

so loud. someone pls tell her to shut up.

if music is playing, she is dancing. she cannot be stopped. she’s just gotta groove.

WANTED CONNECTIONS:

former classmates:

sunhi was a social butterfly in school and probably knew most of the people in her year !! tbh she probably knew most of the people not in her year as well. chances are if she attended school at the same time as your muse she would know them at least a little !

competitors:

was defs that bitch who always wanted to be top of her class, and if she knew someone else was trying to encroach on that she would get very riled up and very competitive.

friends:

pls. she loves basically everyone. 10/10 will always go to lunch or just to run errands with you if you asked because she just loves being around people.

coworkers:

other healers who maybe work at the same hospital as her ? pls.

That Ex From Crocus:

big oof. don’t wanna give too much detail for this connection cause i wanna leave it open ended !! only criteria is that the relationship did not work out. gimme this one for the angst !!

someone to teach her how to cook:

i’m begging. she can’t eat takeout forever. someone save this poor woman.

i’ll add more to this as time goes on, and i’m not limited to just these connections either !! i’m honestly down for pretty much anything, just say the word and i’ll probs do it cause i’m a hoe for plots uwu

[joyofcrime-elinorhigh]

Powerpuff Girl 2016 REVIEW: Part 2

Point Four: The Chararcters  So now that I've talked about the pre-show controversies I can now move on to the show itself (only two thousand words in!) And the most importaint part of any story, at least in my unprofessional opinion is the characters! So how do the reboot characters stack up to there 1998 counterparts? What is the same and what is different? Well the best place to start is with the girls themeselves, so let's jump into this, shall we?  Blossom is the commander and the leader. She is also the most drastically changed between versions. This old version of Blossom was the responsible leader. She was the smartest of the three girls and wanted everybody to do things her way. She was useally the voice of reason of the three girls. This version of Blossom is still the leader, but they tone done the responsible aspect and play up the smart aspect. Now I'm not saying she's not responsible, but there tends to be a lot less focus on that aspect of her. Instead the focus seems to be on her being the steriotypical "nerd" archtype. Now I'm not agianst the idea of this, as it could be interesting to see Blossom be a little nerdier and maybe even less popular than her two sisters because of that, but they don't really do that here, or at least not thus far. Instead they mostly focus on same "OCD needs to be in control, neat freak nerd tropes" that we've seen from other characters in a ton of other cartoons. Over all I think Blossom is my least favorite of the three girls in this incarnation, but than agian she's also had the least ammount of episodes about her so far (which is odd since she is the leader.) Maybe she'll improve as the show goes on but I feel like she's really been flanderized in this show. Maybe if they tonned it down a bit and focused on how being so smart and nerdy effects her as a character, or if the "nerd jokes" where just more original maybe I would like it more. Hopefully it will improve as the show goes on, but so far I say that Blossom is a down-grade.  Bubbles is the Joy and the laughter. In the old version Bubbles was the kindest of the group. She was sweet, ditzy, loved animals, and was kinda a cry baby. Dispite this she could definetly go hard core an once assulted a innocent dog. Now, how does she stack up in the new show? Well don't you worry, she still assulted an inncocent dog in the new series, so y'know, character saved. (Did Bubbles ever assult an innocent dog in Powerpuff Girls Z?Tell me in the comments if she did, and if she didn't she should of.) Now Bubbles in this show is pretty close to how she was in the old show, while still being different enough to be a new version of the character. She's still super cute, in fact she might even be cuter in this show because of the funny things they do with her eyes and facial expressions and the fact that Kristen Li has the cutest frickin' voice ever! This version of Bubbles still has the hard core streak she had in the old show, though unlike in the old show where her changes from sweet to hard core gradually this Bubbles will switch to hard core mode for one second and then switch back a second later like nothing happened. This leads to some very funny comedy, to me at least. She also seems a lot ditzier in this show, as she tends to just ramble nonsensically whenever she tries to make a point. (She actually reminds me a lot of Elinor from "Elinor High" to be honest.) She's also a coder now. At first I thought it was weird that Bubbles was the coder instead of smart girl Blossom, but as I thought about it I started to like the idea of Bubbles being the coder instead. I liked as it showed that being a coder didn't just require intelegentce but also creativity. It also helps makes Bubbles look smarter by showing that she can do something that her sisters can't do, besides speaking Spanish. Out of the three girls in this reboot, Bubbles is easily my favorite.  Buttercup is the toughest fighter. She is also the one that the show and the marketing is really pushing. Now a lot of people seem to be annoyed by how much the show is pushing Buttercup. I admit that CN might being going a bit overboard with all the Buttercup, but I don't mind as much as other people do because Buttercup isn't an awful character or anything, and it's not like there not pushing the other girls as well. It's not like in Teen Titans Go! where 80% of the episodes are just about Robin. I kinda understand why CN is pushing Buttercup. When I was a five year old boy Buttercup was my favorite of the girls because she made me feel less insicure for watching a "girl show" (also green was my favorite color of the time so that might of had something to do with it) Now I know now that that resoning was kinda silly, but when you're five you think of things like that! So I wouldn't be suprised if CN is pushing Buttercup to help get the "Girls have cooties" demo. I mean this show is targeted at children so I wouldn't blame them for doing that, but I have no proof, maybe that's not the reason there doing this. Maybe they just like Buttercup, I don't know.  Anyway, in the old show Buttercup was the mussle of the group, and the team tomboy. In this show she is also like that. She seems a bit more mischiveous in this show, Which isn't nessicarily bad thing. This mischiveous nature is the biggest change between this Buttercup and the old version. This Buttercup seems to be a bit more joke-y and maybe it's just me but she seems a bit dumber. Granted she wasn't a genius in the old series or anything but that's at least how it feels to me. She seems to also be a bit jerky-er too but it is in the jerk with a heart of gold way. She does feel remorse when she does something wrong, like when she was responsible for hurting Bubbles on accident or loosing Octi. If Blossom is my least favorite of the girls in this series and Bubbles is my favorite than I would say that Buttercup is the one I feel the most indifferent too.  All three of the girls seem a bit more childish, which is an interesting ideea for the series. In the old show they pretty much acted like adults unless an episode had them doing something childish, sort of in that "Calvin in Hobbes" way. Here they are children. This show keeps in mind the idea that they are suppose to be five years old. Granted they do act a bit older than five but between the way they sound and the way they act they deffinetly seem to be trying to play up the fact that they are little girls, and I don't really have a problem with that. It's a unique way of seeing the girls.  But it's not all about the girls, we also have the other characters, old and new. I'll go over them quickly because this section is already pretty long already and a lot of the characters we've only seen once of twice thus far. The Professor is still the Professor. He's still the doting father like he was in the old show. (The Professor still acting all supportive during the talent show, even though the building was on FIRE is still one of my favorite jokes in the series XD)  The Mayor is still the Mayor. He's stupid, silly and far less annoying than he was in season five and six of the old series. He also shows a level of competents as he's been shown to not only survive alone on Monster Island and was able to fight of the Bikini Sisters. Ms. Keane is still the same, and theres some controversy about her not having boobs in this show, or something like that. I mean that seems like such a minor thing, I mean are you really this upset that this school teacher is boob-less? It's just a design change. I don't see how her laking boobs is sexist like some people are saying, it seems like such a weird thing to complain about.  On the villian side of things Mojo seems to be about the same as he was in the old show. We've seen his silly side, which is true to the character but I hope we do get to see his villianous side as the series goes on. Also he seems to sometime refer to himself in the third person. Was this something he did in the old series, I honestly don't remember. Like i know he said thins like "I am Mojo Jojo" but did he ever refer to himself as just "Mojo Jojo?" He doesn't do this all the time but it just seems a little weird, espically because he DOSN'T do it all the time. Anyway Him seems to be pretty much the same, though I have to say his apperance in "Tiara Trouble" wasn't as scary as he was in the old show. However that episode wasn't just a Him episode,  it also had a lot of other villains so maybe that's the reason why it wasn't as scary as the old show. However it was still pretty creepy in it's own right and totally seems like something Him would do. Princess, as stated partically last time, is a lot less whiny. She seems a lot more just full of herself and they make a lot more jokes about the absurd things she has because of her wealth. We also got some new Villains like Manboy, The Bikini Sisters, and Packrat. Manboy can be kinda funny with the absurdity of some of the stuff he can do, I also like the idea that he isn't actually a man, but a little kid who acts like a man. It makes his sexism a lot less cliche and more understandable because he's probably about the same age as the girls. My only concern is that I'm not sure if his theme is really deep enough to be a recurring villain. I mean I'm not sure how many jokes you can make out of him being manly, but we'll have to wait for him to appear in more episodes to see if he's more than just a one trick pony. Also I think it would be adorable if he had a school boy crush on Femme Fatale. That would be amazing. The Bikini Sisters meanwhile I think are kind of weak. There only real gimmik is that there fashionable, and that one of them is a gorrilla. I mean we already have Mojo as our monkey villain and another one just seems like overkill. Bianca was actually pretty threatening when her hair got all messed up and was attcking the Mayor trying to stab him, but other than that there not that interesting. At least so far. Plus they feel kinda simular to Sudussa, even down to becoming the Mayor's aid. I like Packrat and his Gollum meets Magpie from Batman style personality. He's probley my favorite of the new villians, as the idea behind his character is pretty good, and the show seems to show him at least somewhat symathetically. Plus I'm interested to see where the show will go with him having the robo-cast.  One thing I do like about this show though is the introduction of some allies for the girls. The Derbytantes I actually really like and would love if they came back as a semi-reccuring characters. Same thing with Donny the Unicorn. I like the idea of the girls getting some recurring allies along with enimes, and maybe even becoming some kind of Justice Leauge Unlimited style thing. This probley won't happen but I think it would be kinda interesting if it did.  Now to move on to the big controversy. Well, maybe not the biggest...like in the top five in terms of controversies this show has had. Ms. Bellum is no longer in the show. The creators said that they don't want to use her, as she doesn't match the show. Now everybody has assumed that the reason for this is because of how sexual she was in the old show and this show is trying to more femminist, and this is a bad thing because Ms. Bellum was a role model and yada yada yada. Now I just want to say, first and formost, that the creators NEVER gave a reason on why they replaced Ms. Bellum. We ASSUME it's because of how sexualized she was but we don't know. Not one hundread percent at least. Now personally, I think that getting rid of her was a bad idea. I think she is a good foil to the Mayor and without her there isn't really an explenation of how the city manages to run (I mean the Mayor himself wouldn't be able to keep order) I also don't like the way they got rid of her, because the explantion expects you to be upset this character is gone when in THIS series we've never even seen this character before. If you're a kid, and you've never seen the 98' series you would have no idea who this character is and why everyone is sad that she is gone. If they didn't want to use Ms. Bellum than I feel it would of been best if they just never brought her up, saying she just didn't exist in this universe. Though then people would be mad that they didn't explain why she's there and that would of started a whole new controversy, so I see why they did it. It's just not they way I think they should of went with. Part 5: The Story and Humor  So now that we know about the characters, it's time to talk about the story and the humor. Honestly this, along with the animation, is where the show falls flat. The show, at least to me, isn't all that funny. Most of the jokes aren't that bad, and there are some really good jokes that feel one hundread percent at home with the writting of the old show, but for the most part the humor just doesn't really stick out all that much. This is kinda a problem, espically since the show doesn't really focus as much on the action. I don't really know what else to say about the humor to be honest, it's just pretty average, and compared to the humor of other current Cartoon Network shows it seems a bit sub par.  The stories for the episodes also have some problems. Now in order for me to talk about this i might have to go into spoiler territory on a couple episodes, so if you don't want to know spoilers you might want to skip this part of the review. Some episodes seem oddly paced, and try to shove in way to much into an eleven mineute episodes. An example of this is in the episode "Tiarra Trouble", where we have to juggle the main plot about the girls trying to win the talent show, the rivalry with Princess Morbucks, all of the villains also entering the contest, Princess turning into a monster, and the introduction of Him! You honestly could of cut out Mojo, Fuzzy, and the Gang Green Gang from the episode entirely and lose pretty much nothing story wise. Another example is in the episode "Princess Buttercup", where we have to show the the Derbytantes and there character arc, Buttercup and her character arc, Blossom and Bubble's perspective, Princess evil plan, a giant monster attack, and a final battle. There are more episodes like this, however these types of episodes do seem to be becoming less common, as newer episodes seem to be keeping there focus a bit more.  Another thing with the story in this series is that a lot of episodes seem simular to episodes of the old show, which I guess I can understand as the old show ran for six seasons, but still. Now this show does not have any episodes that DIRRECTLY rip off the old show, I want to make that clear now, but a lot of episodes do feel simular in story and message. Some examples include "Strong Armed" and "Bubblevicious" are both about Bubbles trying to prove she can be strong, features Bubbles fighting with her sisters, and as previously metions features Bubbles assulting a innocent dog. "Bye Bye Bellum" and "Something's a Ms." Both involve a villian replacing Ms. Bellum as the Mayors assistant. And "Man Up" and "Now and Zen."  are both about Buttercup trying to become more peaceful. Again, there are more examples than this, and the show does change things up a bit, like how in "Man Up" Buttercup becomes a hippie and in "Now and Zen" it's more of a monk type thing, but still. It is something that is notcable if you've seen the old series.  This will conclude Part 2 if the Powerpuff Girls 2016 series REVIEW for now. In Part 3 we will discuss the difficultly of making a reboot in this day and age, and the dankiest of memes. I hoped you enjoyed this review, and remember that I am in no way trying to push my opinions on anybody, i just wanted to take a look at this show in I way that I don't see many other people doing. If you liked this than you might also like the first part of this review or my on-going series "Cartoon Thoughts." Or maybe you would like my webcomics, "Joy of Crime" and "Elinor High." Either way I hoped you liked the review, and have a great day.

  https://www.deviantart.com/joyofcrimeart/journal/Powerpuff-Girls-2016-REVIEW-Part-2-604161979 DA Link

[deborahaphillips54303]

Teenage Ice Cream Shop Employees Are Getting Harassed By Anti-Maskers

The conversation has raged on for months as to whether or not we should be covering our faces, which materials are the most effective at preventing the spread of COVID-19, whether the masks that medical professionals were already wearing for hours a day will randomly suffocate you, and what wildly misinterpreted Constitutional excerpts are "at stake" every time you're asked to wear a mask to buy peanut butter at a Trader Joe's. (To reiterate, experts and medical professionals pretty much unanimously agree that we should all be wearing masks in public in the middle of a deadly global pandemic.) 

Many of those debates stay on social media (Twitter was already a hellhole for years), but more and more of those arguments seem to be manifested as screaming at a 16-year-old with a stack of waffle cones. 

Ice cream shops have become ground zero for mask debates, with troubling regularity and particularly harrowing experiences for their young employees. On Saturday, the teenage staff at the Front Porch in Springlake, Michigan were verbally abused by four groups of customers who didn't want to wear masks in the store, and a fifth group was so awful that the shop's owner had to call the police. 

Kelly Larson told MLive that she thought that people wouldn't be surprised by the Front Porch's mask requirements at this point, and she also hoped that everyone would be slightly nicer to her teenage workers. 

“I’ve got to speak up not only for my kids but all of these kids, that’s who our frontline workers are in Grand Haven," she said. "They need a lot more respect and love from us than they’ve been getting.”

In a followup Facebook post, she wrote that she doesn't see masks as a political statement; she sees them as a way to help her business, her employees, and her community "see the other side" of the pandemic. "These aren't our rules but we are mandated by the health department to follow them," she continued. "If you want to make a statement, call our elected officials or better yet call the governor's office. Start a peaceful protest. But to yell at teenagers in an ice cream store and make them cry is not a way to promote change." 

And again, this isn't an isolated event. Here are several other incidents that involved maladjusted adults taking out their frustrations on teenage ice cream shop employees. Here's just a sampling:

May 8: Polar Cave Ice Cream Parlour (Mashpee, Massachusetts) 

On the day that Mark Lawrence reopened his ice cream shop for the season, he said his "A-Team" of workers—all between the ages of 15 and 20—had clocked in and were ready to go. Six of them were inside the shop and seven were outside, split between stations so they could take orders from parked cars, scoop ice cream, and field online orders. By the end of the night, the staff had been subjected to so much abuse that one 18-year-old girl quit. Lawrence told the Boston Globe that after "hours of F-bombs and slurs" she didn't even want to be paid or take her tips, she just wanted to dip out. In a heartbreaking Facebook post, Lawrence called that night "the lowest feeling I have ever felt" in almost two decades of running the shop.

June 29: Little Man Ice Cream (Denver, Colorado) 

Owner Paul Tamburello told 9News that he was "shocked" by the reactions that he'd seen from customers when they were told about the shop's mask policy. He said that one customer coughed all over the counter and toward others who were waiting to order, while another actually spat on one of his teenage workers. “I understand people’s choice not to wear a mask," he said. "I don’t understand them taking it up with a 16-year-old scooping ice cream. I just feel like that’s not the place to do that.”

June 29: Twist Ice Cream (Swartz Creek, Michigan) 

In a Facebook post, the shop warned that if customers continued to cause problems and harass its workers over its mask requirement, it would be forced to close its lobby for the rest of the season. "We cannot let our employees continue to be treated in this manner," the owners wrote. It repeated that request in an attached graphic that explained its assorted pandemic related policies. "We ask that you do not take your frustrations out on our employees," it explained. "These are kids and young adults trying to earn money for school, and in many cases, working to help out their families who have also been affected by job loss during these times." 

June 30: Mootown Creamery (Berea, Ohio) 

Owner Angela Brooks is clear: customers either have to wear a mask inside the store, or they have to wait outside for a (masked) staffer to take their order. You might've picked up on a theme here, so no, that approach hasn't been received well in Ohio, either. “We’ve had everything from customers stomping their feet, slamming the doors, screaming and yelling, cussing at the girls, calling them names, it’s been awful,” Brooks told WOIO. ("Does it feel good to make a 16-year-old girl cry in the bathroom? Or sob on her way home from work?" she wrote on Facebook. "Knock it off!!!!!!") 

"No one’s enjoying it, like no one thinks this is fun or anything," Mootown worker Eva Mihelich said. "Like, [COVID-19] ruined my senior year of high school and everything, so like the last thing I want is for someone to come in and yell at me and that I’m the problem." 

July 2: Coldstone Creamery (Leavenworth, Washington)

When the Coldstone staffers told a teenage girl that state law said they couldn't serve her unless she wore a face mask, she angrily left the store. Two hours later, her mother went back to screech at everyone behind the counter for enforcing the policy. A 21-year-old Coldstone employee defended her coworkers and was ultimately fired for it (although Coldstone later offered to re-hire her). The 'adult' in the scenario told KING5 that "leftists" had created a "hostile environment in Leavenworth" and that's why her kid didn't get a cup of Mud Pie Mojo or whatever. 

July 7: The North Pole (Chittenango, New York) 

A maskless woman and man were stopped at the counter by The North Pole's two teenage employees and told that they needed to cover their faces in order to be served. Instead of complying, the couple yelled at the girls before going on a lengthy rant about how they didn't need to wear masks or "need to believe" the World Health Organization. The workers closed the window to the ice cream stand, but the woman physically wrestled it back open so she could keep screaming at them. "It was honestly very scary for us," 18-year-old Tori Broniszewski told Syracuse.com. 

Two days later, another female customer berated the employees so aggressively that the police had to be called. "If you DON'T WANT TO WEAR A MASK, please just stay home, don’t purposely drive to my parlor to harass my girls," The North Pole's owner, Alexandria Ciotti, wrote on Facebook. "I don’t want to lose my staff because they are afraid to come to work. They mean so much to me."

July 15: Brickley's Ice Cream (Wakefield, Rhode Island) 

The owners of Brickley's Ice Cream made the decision to close their Wakefield location for the rest of the year after two men “argued with, swore at and verbal [sic] abused both our staff" after being told that they couldn't eat their ice cream inside the shop. When another customer stepped in, the two men started to threaten that person, too. "[T]hings almost came to blows," Brickley's wrote on Facebook. "This is unacceptable and is becoming unsafe for both our staff and customers. We have a limited and young staff at our Wakefield store and must keep them safe.”

July 20: Uhlman's Ice Cream (Westborough, Massachusetts) 

Kelly Donley, the manager at Uhlman's, told the MetroWest Daily News that she has had to call the shop's owner at least six times this summer to help de-escalate situations involving customers who have gotten aggressive over its mask policy. "The sad part is that these people are yelling and screaming at 16 and 17-year-old employees," she said. Last month, an Ohio family of five—including their young kids—all took turns shouting at the Ulhman's workers about "constitutional liberties." They eventually left after the owner threatened to call the cops.

It should go without saying, but for the love of god, don't do this. If you want ice cream but don't want to wear a mask, it's probably best for everyone if you just stay at home and place a GoPuff order. 

via VICE US - undefined US VICE US - undefined US via Mom's Kitchen Recipe Network Mom's Kitchen Recipe Network

[cyberpoetryballoon]

Teenage Ice Cream Shop Employees Are Getting Harassed By Anti-Maskers

The conversation has raged on for months as to whether or not we should be covering our faces, which materials are the most effective at preventing the spread of COVID-19, whether the masks that medical professionals were already wearing for hours a day will randomly suffocate you, and what wildly misinterpreted Constitutional excerpts are "at stake" every time you're asked to wear a mask to buy peanut butter at a Trader Joe's. (To reiterate, experts and medical professionals pretty much unanimously agree that we should all be wearing masks in public in the middle of a deadly global pandemic.) 

Many of those debates stay on social media (Twitter was already a hellhole for years), but more and more of those arguments seem to be manifested as screaming at a 16-year-old with a stack of waffle cones. 

Ice cream shops have become ground zero for mask debates, with troubling regularity and particularly harrowing experiences for their young employees. On Saturday, the teenage staff at the Front Porch in Springlake, Michigan were verbally abused by four groups of customers who didn't want to wear masks in the store, and a fifth group was so awful that the shop's owner had to call the police. 

Kelly Larson told MLive that she thought that people wouldn't be surprised by the Front Porch's mask requirements at this point, and she also hoped that everyone would be slightly nicer to her teenage workers. 

“I’ve got to speak up not only for my kids but all of these kids, that’s who our frontline workers are in Grand Haven," she said. "They need a lot more respect and love from us than they’ve been getting.”

In a followup Facebook post, she wrote that she doesn't see masks as a political statement; she sees them as a way to help her business, her employees, and her community "see the other side" of the pandemic. "These aren't our rules but we are mandated by the health department to follow them," she continued. "If you want to make a statement, call our elected officials or better yet call the governor's office. Start a peaceful protest. But to yell at teenagers in an ice cream store and make them cry is not a way to promote change." 

And again, this isn't an isolated event. Here are several other incidents that involved maladjusted adults taking out their frustrations on teenage ice cream shop employees. Here's just a sampling:

May 8: Polar Cave Ice Cream Parlour (Mashpee, Massachusetts) 

On the day that Mark Lawrence reopened his ice cream shop for the season, he said his "A-Team" of workers—all between the ages of 15 and 20—had clocked in and were ready to go. Six of them were inside the shop and seven were outside, split between stations so they could take orders from parked cars, scoop ice cream, and field online orders. By the end of the night, the staff had been subjected to so much abuse that one 18-year-old girl quit. Lawrence told the Boston Globe that after "hours of F-bombs and slurs" she didn't even want to be paid or take her tips, she just wanted to dip out. In a heartbreaking Facebook post, Lawrence called that night "the lowest feeling I have ever felt" in almost two decades of running the shop.

June 29: Little Man Ice Cream (Denver, Colorado) 

Owner Paul Tamburello told 9News that he was "shocked" by the reactions that he'd seen from customers when they were told about the shop's mask policy. He said that one customer coughed all over the counter and toward others who were waiting to order, while another actually spat on one of his teenage workers. “I understand people’s choice not to wear a mask," he said. "I don’t understand them taking it up with a 16-year-old scooping ice cream. I just feel like that’s not the place to do that.”

June 29: Twist Ice Cream (Swartz Creek, Michigan) 

In a Facebook post, the shop warned that if customers continued to cause problems and harass its workers over its mask requirement, it would be forced to close its lobby for the rest of the season. "We cannot let our employees continue to be treated in this manner," the owners wrote. It repeated that request in an attached graphic that explained its assorted pandemic related policies. "We ask that you do not take your frustrations out on our employees," it explained. "These are kids and young adults trying to earn money for school, and in many cases, working to help out their families who have also been affected by job loss during these times." 

June 30: Mootown Creamery (Berea, Ohio) 

Owner Angela Brooks is clear: customers either have to wear a mask inside the store, or they have to wait outside for a (masked) staffer to take their order. You might've picked up on a theme here, so no, that approach hasn't been received well in Ohio, either. “We’ve had everything from customers stomping their feet, slamming the doors, screaming and yelling, cussing at the girls, calling them names, it’s been awful,” Brooks told WOIO. ("Does it feel good to make a 16-year-old girl cry in the bathroom? Or sob on her way home from work?" she wrote on Facebook. "Knock it off!!!!!!") 

"No one’s enjoying it, like no one thinks this is fun or anything," Mootown worker Eva Mihelich said. "Like, [COVID-19] ruined my senior year of high school and everything, so like the last thing I want is for someone to come in and yell at me and that I’m the problem." 

July 2: Coldstone Creamery (Leavenworth, Washington)

When the Coldstone staffers told a teenage girl that state law said they couldn't serve her unless she wore a face mask, she angrily left the store. Two hours later, her mother went back to screech at everyone behind the counter for enforcing the policy. A 21-year-old Coldstone employee defended her coworkers and was ultimately fired for it (although Coldstone later offered to re-hire her). The 'adult' in the scenario told KING5 that "leftists" had created a "hostile environment in Leavenworth" and that's why her kid didn't get a cup of Mud Pie Mojo or whatever. 

July 7: The North Pole (Chittenango, New York) 

A maskless woman and man were stopped at the counter by The North Pole's two teenage employees and told that they needed to cover their faces in order to be served. Instead of complying, the couple yelled at the girls before going on a lengthy rant about how they didn't need to wear masks or "need to believe" the World Health Organization. The workers closed the window to the ice cream stand, but the woman physically wrestled it back open so she could keep screaming at them. "It was honestly very scary for us," 18-year-old Tori Broniszewski told Syracuse.com. 

Two days later, another female customer berated the employees so aggressively that the police had to be called. "If you DON'T WANT TO WEAR A MASK, please just stay home, don’t purposely drive to my parlor to harass my girls," The North Pole's owner, Alexandria Ciotti, wrote on Facebook. "I don’t want to lose my staff because they are afraid to come to work. They mean so much to me."

July 15: Brickley's Ice Cream (Wakefield, Rhode Island) 

The owners of Brickley's Ice Cream made the decision to close their Wakefield location for the rest of the year after two men “argued with, swore at and verbal [sic] abused both our staff" after being told that they couldn't eat their ice cream inside the shop. When another customer stepped in, the two men started to threaten that person, too. "[T]hings almost came to blows," Brickley's wrote on Facebook. "This is unacceptable and is becoming unsafe for both our staff and customers. We have a limited and young staff at our Wakefield store and must keep them safe.”

July 20: Uhlman's Ice Cream (Westborough, Massachusetts) 

Kelly Donley, the manager at Uhlman's, told the MetroWest Daily News that she has had to call the shop's owner at least six times this summer to help de-escalate situations involving customers who have gotten aggressive over its mask policy. "The sad part is that these people are yelling and screaming at 16 and 17-year-old employees," she said. Last month, an Ohio family of five—including their young kids—all took turns shouting at the Ulhman's workers about "constitutional liberties." They eventually left after the owner threatened to call the cops.

It should go without saying, but for the love of god, don't do this. If you want ice cream but don't want to wear a mask, it's probably best for everyone if you just stay at home and place a GoPuff order. 

via VICE US - undefined US VICE US - undefined US via Mom's Kitchen Recipe Network Mom's Kitchen Recipe Network

[carolrhackett85282]

Teenage Ice Cream Shop Employees Are Getting Harassed By Anti-Maskers

The conversation has raged on for months as to whether or not we should be covering our faces, which materials are the most effective at preventing the spread of COVID-19, whether the masks that medical professionals were already wearing for hours a day will randomly suffocate you, and what wildly misinterpreted Constitutional excerpts are "at stake" every time you're asked to wear a mask to buy peanut butter at a Trader Joe's. (To reiterate, experts and medical professionals pretty much unanimously agree that we should all be wearing masks in public in the middle of a deadly global pandemic.) 

Many of those debates stay on social media (Twitter was already a hellhole for years), but more and more of those arguments seem to be manifested as screaming at a 16-year-old with a stack of waffle cones. 

Ice cream shops have become ground zero for mask debates, with troubling regularity and particularly harrowing experiences for their young employees. On Saturday, the teenage staff at the Front Porch in Springlake, Michigan were verbally abused by four groups of customers who didn't want to wear masks in the store, and a fifth group was so awful that the shop's owner had to call the police. 

Kelly Larson told MLive that she thought that people wouldn't be surprised by the Front Porch's mask requirements at this point, and she also hoped that everyone would be slightly nicer to her teenage workers. 

“I’ve got to speak up not only for my kids but all of these kids, that’s who our frontline workers are in Grand Haven," she said. "They need a lot more respect and love from us than they’ve been getting.”

In a followup Facebook post, she wrote that she doesn't see masks as a political statement; she sees them as a way to help her business, her employees, and her community "see the other side" of the pandemic. "These aren't our rules but we are mandated by the health department to follow them," she continued. "If you want to make a statement, call our elected officials or better yet call the governor's office. Start a peaceful protest. But to yell at teenagers in an ice cream store and make them cry is not a way to promote change." 

And again, this isn't an isolated event. Here are several other incidents that involved maladjusted adults taking out their frustrations on teenage ice cream shop employees. Here's just a sampling:

May 8: Polar Cave Ice Cream Parlour (Mashpee, Massachusetts) 

On the day that Mark Lawrence reopened his ice cream shop for the season, he said his "A-Team" of workers—all between the ages of 15 and 20—had clocked in and were ready to go. Six of them were inside the shop and seven were outside, split between stations so they could take orders from parked cars, scoop ice cream, and field online orders. By the end of the night, the staff had been subjected to so much abuse that one 18-year-old girl quit. Lawrence told the Boston Globe that after "hours of F-bombs and slurs" she didn't even want to be paid or take her tips, she just wanted to dip out. In a heartbreaking Facebook post, Lawrence called that night "the lowest feeling I have ever felt" in almost two decades of running the shop.

June 29: Little Man Ice Cream (Denver, Colorado) 

Owner Paul Tamburello told 9News that he was "shocked" by the reactions that he'd seen from customers when they were told about the shop's mask policy. He said that one customer coughed all over the counter and toward others who were waiting to order, while another actually spat on one of his teenage workers. “I understand people’s choice not to wear a mask," he said. "I don’t understand them taking it up with a 16-year-old scooping ice cream. I just feel like that’s not the place to do that.”

June 29: Twist Ice Cream (Swartz Creek, Michigan) 

In a Facebook post, the shop warned that if customers continued to cause problems and harass its workers over its mask requirement, it would be forced to close its lobby for the rest of the season. "We cannot let our employees continue to be treated in this manner," the owners wrote. It repeated that request in an attached graphic that explained its assorted pandemic related policies. "We ask that you do not take your frustrations out on our employees," it explained. "These are kids and young adults trying to earn money for school, and in many cases, working to help out their families who have also been affected by job loss during these times." 

June 30: Mootown Creamery (Berea, Ohio) 

Owner Angela Brooks is clear: customers either have to wear a mask inside the store, or they have to wait outside for a (masked) staffer to take their order. You might've picked up on a theme here, so no, that approach hasn't been received well in Ohio, either. “We’ve had everything from customers stomping their feet, slamming the doors, screaming and yelling, cussing at the girls, calling them names, it’s been awful,” Brooks told WOIO. ("Does it feel good to make a 16-year-old girl cry in the bathroom? Or sob on her way home from work?" she wrote on Facebook. "Knock it off!!!!!!") 

"No one’s enjoying it, like no one thinks this is fun or anything," Mootown worker Eva Mihelich said. "Like, [COVID-19] ruined my senior year of high school and everything, so like the last thing I want is for someone to come in and yell at me and that I’m the problem." 

July 2: Coldstone Creamery (Leavenworth, Washington)

When the Coldstone staffers told a teenage girl that state law said they couldn't serve her unless she wore a face mask, she angrily left the store. Two hours later, her mother went back to screech at everyone behind the counter for enforcing the policy. A 21-year-old Coldstone employee defended her coworkers and was ultimately fired for it (although Coldstone later offered to re-hire her). The 'adult' in the scenario told KING5 that "leftists" had created a "hostile environment in Leavenworth" and that's why her kid didn't get a cup of Mud Pie Mojo or whatever. 

July 7: The North Pole (Chittenango, New York) 

A maskless woman and man were stopped at the counter by The North Pole's two teenage employees and told that they needed to cover their faces in order to be served. Instead of complying, the couple yelled at the girls before going on a lengthy rant about how they didn't need to wear masks or "need to believe" the World Health Organization. The workers closed the window to the ice cream stand, but the woman physically wrestled it back open so she could keep screaming at them. "It was honestly very scary for us," 18-year-old Tori Broniszewski told Syracuse.com. 

Two days later, another female customer berated the employees so aggressively that the police had to be called. "If you DON'T WANT TO WEAR A MASK, please just stay home, don’t purposely drive to my parlor to harass my girls," The North Pole's owner, Alexandria Ciotti, wrote on Facebook. "I don’t want to lose my staff because they are afraid to come to work. They mean so much to me."

July 15: Brickley's Ice Cream (Wakefield, Rhode Island) 

The owners of Brickley's Ice Cream made the decision to close their Wakefield location for the rest of the year after two men “argued with, swore at and verbal [sic] abused both our staff" after being told that they couldn't eat their ice cream inside the shop. When another customer stepped in, the two men started to threaten that person, too. "[T]hings almost came to blows," Brickley's wrote on Facebook. "This is unacceptable and is becoming unsafe for both our staff and customers. We have a limited and young staff at our Wakefield store and must keep them safe.”

July 20: Uhlman's Ice Cream (Westborough, Massachusetts) 

Kelly Donley, the manager at Uhlman's, told the MetroWest Daily News that she has had to call the shop's owner at least six times this summer to help de-escalate situations involving customers who have gotten aggressive over its mask policy. "The sad part is that these people are yelling and screaming at 16 and 17-year-old employees," she said. Last month, an Ohio family of five—including their young kids—all took turns shouting at the Ulhman's workers about "constitutional liberties." They eventually left after the owner threatened to call the cops.

It should go without saying, but for the love of god, don't do this. If you want ice cream but don't want to wear a mask, it's probably best for everyone if you just stay at home and place a GoPuff order. 

via VICE US - undefined US VICE US - undefined US via Mom's Kitchen Recipe Network Mom's Kitchen Recipe Network

[melodymgill49801]

Teenage Ice Cream Shop Employees Are Getting Harassed By Anti-Maskers

The conversation has raged on for months as to whether or not we should be covering our faces, which materials are the most effective at preventing the spread of COVID-19, whether the masks that medical professionals were already wearing for hours a day will randomly suffocate you, and what wildly misinterpreted Constitutional excerpts are "at stake" every time you're asked to wear a mask to buy peanut butter at a Trader Joe's. (To reiterate, experts and medical professionals pretty much unanimously agree that we should all be wearing masks in public in the middle of a deadly global pandemic.) 

Many of those debates stay on social media (Twitter was already a hellhole for years), but more and more of those arguments seem to be manifested as screaming at a 16-year-old with a stack of waffle cones. 

Ice cream shops have become ground zero for mask debates, with troubling regularity and particularly harrowing experiences for their young employees. On Saturday, the teenage staff at the Front Porch in Springlake, Michigan were verbally abused by four groups of customers who didn't want to wear masks in the store, and a fifth group was so awful that the shop's owner had to call the police. 

Kelly Larson told MLive that she thought that people wouldn't be surprised by the Front Porch's mask requirements at this point, and she also hoped that everyone would be slightly nicer to her teenage workers. 

“I’ve got to speak up not only for my kids but all of these kids, that’s who our frontline workers are in Grand Haven," she said. "They need a lot more respect and love from us than they’ve been getting.”

In a followup Facebook post, she wrote that she doesn't see masks as a political statement; she sees them as a way to help her business, her employees, and her community "see the other side" of the pandemic. "These aren't our rules but we are mandated by the health department to follow them," she continued. "If you want to make a statement, call our elected officials or better yet call the governor's office. Start a peaceful protest. But to yell at teenagers in an ice cream store and make them cry is not a way to promote change." 

And again, this isn't an isolated event. Here are several other incidents that involved maladjusted adults taking out their frustrations on teenage ice cream shop employees. Here's just a sampling:

May 8: Polar Cave Ice Cream Parlour (Mashpee, Massachusetts) 

On the day that Mark Lawrence reopened his ice cream shop for the season, he said his "A-Team" of workers—all between the ages of 15 and 20—had clocked in and were ready to go. Six of them were inside the shop and seven were outside, split between stations so they could take orders from parked cars, scoop ice cream, and field online orders. By the end of the night, the staff had been subjected to so much abuse that one 18-year-old girl quit. Lawrence told the Boston Globe that after "hours of F-bombs and slurs" she didn't even want to be paid or take her tips, she just wanted to dip out. In a heartbreaking Facebook post, Lawrence called that night "the lowest feeling I have ever felt" in almost two decades of running the shop.

June 29: Little Man Ice Cream (Denver, Colorado) 

Owner Paul Tamburello told 9News that he was "shocked" by the reactions that he'd seen from customers when they were told about the shop's mask policy. He said that one customer coughed all over the counter and toward others who were waiting to order, while another actually spat on one of his teenage workers. “I understand people’s choice not to wear a mask," he said. "I don’t understand them taking it up with a 16-year-old scooping ice cream. I just feel like that’s not the place to do that.”

June 29: Twist Ice Cream (Swartz Creek, Michigan) 

In a Facebook post, the shop warned that if customers continued to cause problems and harass its workers over its mask requirement, it would be forced to close its lobby for the rest of the season. "We cannot let our employees continue to be treated in this manner," the owners wrote. It repeated that request in an attached graphic that explained its assorted pandemic related policies. "We ask that you do not take your frustrations out on our employees," it explained. "These are kids and young adults trying to earn money for school, and in many cases, working to help out their families who have also been affected by job loss during these times." 

June 30: Mootown Creamery (Berea, Ohio) 

Owner Angela Brooks is clear: customers either have to wear a mask inside the store, or they have to wait outside for a (masked) staffer to take their order. You might've picked up on a theme here, so no, that approach hasn't been received well in Ohio, either. “We’ve had everything from customers stomping their feet, slamming the doors, screaming and yelling, cussing at the girls, calling them names, it’s been awful,” Brooks told WOIO. ("Does it feel good to make a 16-year-old girl cry in the bathroom? Or sob on her way home from work?" she wrote on Facebook. "Knock it off!!!!!!") 

"No one’s enjoying it, like no one thinks this is fun or anything," Mootown worker Eva Mihelich said. "Like, [COVID-19] ruined my senior year of high school and everything, so like the last thing I want is for someone to come in and yell at me and that I’m the problem." 

July 2: Coldstone Creamery (Leavenworth, Washington)

When the Coldstone staffers told a teenage girl that state law said they couldn't serve her unless she wore a face mask, she angrily left the store. Two hours later, her mother went back to screech at everyone behind the counter for enforcing the policy. A 21-year-old Coldstone employee defended her coworkers and was ultimately fired for it (although Coldstone later offered to re-hire her). The 'adult' in the scenario told KING5 that "leftists" had created a "hostile environment in Leavenworth" and that's why her kid didn't get a cup of Mud Pie Mojo or whatever. 

July 7: The North Pole (Chittenango, New York) 

A maskless woman and man were stopped at the counter by The North Pole's two teenage employees and told that they needed to cover their faces in order to be served. Instead of complying, the couple yelled at the girls before going on a lengthy rant about how they didn't need to wear masks or "need to believe" the World Health Organization. The workers closed the window to the ice cream stand, but the woman physically wrestled it back open so she could keep screaming at them. "It was honestly very scary for us," 18-year-old Tori Broniszewski told Syracuse.com. 

Two days later, another female customer berated the employees so aggressively that the police had to be called. "If you DON'T WANT TO WEAR A MASK, please just stay home, don’t purposely drive to my parlor to harass my girls," The North Pole's owner, Alexandria Ciotti, wrote on Facebook. "I don’t want to lose my staff because they are afraid to come to work. They mean so much to me."

July 15: Brickley's Ice Cream (Wakefield, Rhode Island) 

The owners of Brickley's Ice Cream made the decision to close their Wakefield location for the rest of the year after two men “argued with, swore at and verbal [sic] abused both our staff" after being told that they couldn't eat their ice cream inside the shop. When another customer stepped in, the two men started to threaten that person, too. "[T]hings almost came to blows," Brickley's wrote on Facebook. "This is unacceptable and is becoming unsafe for both our staff and customers. We have a limited and young staff at our Wakefield store and must keep them safe.”

July 20: Uhlman's Ice Cream (Westborough, Massachusetts) 

Kelly Donley, the manager at Uhlman's, told the MetroWest Daily News that she has had to call the shop's owner at least six times this summer to help de-escalate situations involving customers who have gotten aggressive over its mask policy. "The sad part is that these people are yelling and screaming at 16 and 17-year-old employees," she said. Last month, an Ohio family of five—including their young kids—all took turns shouting at the Ulhman's workers about "constitutional liberties." They eventually left after the owner threatened to call the cops.

It should go without saying, but for the love of god, don't do this. If you want ice cream but don't want to wear a mask, it's probably best for everyone if you just stay at home and place a GoPuff order. 

via VICE US - undefined US VICE US - undefined US via Mom's Kitchen Recipe Network Mom's Kitchen Recipe Network

[carolinechanson97838]

Teenage Ice Cream Shop Employees Are Getting Harassed By Anti-Maskers

The conversation has raged on for months as to whether or not we should be covering our faces, which materials are the most effective at preventing the spread of COVID-19, whether the masks that medical professionals were already wearing for hours a day will randomly suffocate you, and what wildly misinterpreted Constitutional excerpts are "at stake" every time you're asked to wear a mask to buy peanut butter at a Trader Joe's. (To reiterate, experts and medical professionals pretty much unanimously agree that we should all be wearing masks in public in the middle of a deadly global pandemic.) 

Many of those debates stay on social media (Twitter was already a hellhole for years), but more and more of those arguments seem to be manifested as screaming at a 16-year-old with a stack of waffle cones. 

Ice cream shops have become ground zero for mask debates, with troubling regularity and particularly harrowing experiences for their young employees. On Saturday, the teenage staff at the Front Porch in Springlake, Michigan were verbally abused by four groups of customers who didn't want to wear masks in the store, and a fifth group was so awful that the shop's owner had to call the police. 

Kelly Larson told MLive that she thought that people wouldn't be surprised by the Front Porch's mask requirements at this point, and she also hoped that everyone would be slightly nicer to her teenage workers. 

“I’ve got to speak up not only for my kids but all of these kids, that’s who our frontline workers are in Grand Haven," she said. "They need a lot more respect and love from us than they’ve been getting.”

In a followup Facebook post, she wrote that she doesn't see masks as a political statement; she sees them as a way to help her business, her employees, and her community "see the other side" of the pandemic. "These aren't our rules but we are mandated by the health department to follow them," she continued. "If you want to make a statement, call our elected officials or better yet call the governor's office. Start a peaceful protest. But to yell at teenagers in an ice cream store and make them cry is not a way to promote change." 

And again, this isn't an isolated event. Here are several other incidents that involved maladjusted adults taking out their frustrations on teenage ice cream shop employees. Here's just a sampling:

May 8: Polar Cave Ice Cream Parlour (Mashpee, Massachusetts) 

On the day that Mark Lawrence reopened his ice cream shop for the season, he said his "A-Team" of workers—all between the ages of 15 and 20—had clocked in and were ready to go. Six of them were inside the shop and seven were outside, split between stations so they could take orders from parked cars, scoop ice cream, and field online orders. By the end of the night, the staff had been subjected to so much abuse that one 18-year-old girl quit. Lawrence told the Boston Globe that after "hours of F-bombs and slurs" she didn't even want to be paid or take her tips, she just wanted to dip out. In a heartbreaking Facebook post, Lawrence called that night "the lowest feeling I have ever felt" in almost two decades of running the shop.

June 29: Little Man Ice Cream (Denver, Colorado) 

Owner Paul Tamburello told 9News that he was "shocked" by the reactions that he'd seen from customers when they were told about the shop's mask policy. He said that one customer coughed all over the counter and toward others who were waiting to order, while another actually spat on one of his teenage workers. “I understand people’s choice not to wear a mask," he said. "I don’t understand them taking it up with a 16-year-old scooping ice cream. I just feel like that’s not the place to do that.”

June 29: Twist Ice Cream (Swartz Creek, Michigan) 

In a Facebook post, the shop warned that if customers continued to cause problems and harass its workers over its mask requirement, it would be forced to close its lobby for the rest of the season. "We cannot let our employees continue to be treated in this manner," the owners wrote. It repeated that request in an attached graphic that explained its assorted pandemic related policies. "We ask that you do not take your frustrations out on our employees," it explained. "These are kids and young adults trying to earn money for school, and in many cases, working to help out their families who have also been affected by job loss during these times." 

June 30: Mootown Creamery (Berea, Ohio) 

Owner Angela Brooks is clear: customers either have to wear a mask inside the store, or they have to wait outside for a (masked) staffer to take their order. You might've picked up on a theme here, so no, that approach hasn't been received well in Ohio, either. “We’ve had everything from customers stomping their feet, slamming the doors, screaming and yelling, cussing at the girls, calling them names, it’s been awful,” Brooks told WOIO. ("Does it feel good to make a 16-year-old girl cry in the bathroom? Or sob on her way home from work?" she wrote on Facebook. "Knock it off!!!!!!") 

"No one’s enjoying it, like no one thinks this is fun or anything," Mootown worker Eva Mihelich said. "Like, [COVID-19] ruined my senior year of high school and everything, so like the last thing I want is for someone to come in and yell at me and that I’m the problem." 

July 2: Coldstone Creamery (Leavenworth, Washington)

When the Coldstone staffers told a teenage girl that state law said they couldn't serve her unless she wore a face mask, she angrily left the store. Two hours later, her mother went back to screech at everyone behind the counter for enforcing the policy. A 21-year-old Coldstone employee defended her coworkers and was ultimately fired for it (although Coldstone later offered to re-hire her). The 'adult' in the scenario told KING5 that "leftists" had created a "hostile environment in Leavenworth" and that's why her kid didn't get a cup of Mud Pie Mojo or whatever. 

July 7: The North Pole (Chittenango, New York) 

A maskless woman and man were stopped at the counter by The North Pole's two teenage employees and told that they needed to cover their faces in order to be served. Instead of complying, the couple yelled at the girls before going on a lengthy rant about how they didn't need to wear masks or "need to believe" the World Health Organization. The workers closed the window to the ice cream stand, but the woman physically wrestled it back open so she could keep screaming at them. "It was honestly very scary for us," 18-year-old Tori Broniszewski told Syracuse.com. 

Two days later, another female customer berated the employees so aggressively that the police had to be called. "If you DON'T WANT TO WEAR A MASK, please just stay home, don’t purposely drive to my parlor to harass my girls," The North Pole's owner, Alexandria Ciotti, wrote on Facebook. "I don’t want to lose my staff because they are afraid to come to work. They mean so much to me."

July 15: Brickley's Ice Cream (Wakefield, Rhode Island) 

The owners of Brickley's Ice Cream made the decision to close their Wakefield location for the rest of the year after two men “argued with, swore at and verbal [sic] abused both our staff" after being told that they couldn't eat their ice cream inside the shop. When another customer stepped in, the two men started to threaten that person, too. "[T]hings almost came to blows," Brickley's wrote on Facebook. "This is unacceptable and is becoming unsafe for both our staff and customers. We have a limited and young staff at our Wakefield store and must keep them safe.”

July 20: Uhlman's Ice Cream (Westborough, Massachusetts) 

Kelly Donley, the manager at Uhlman's, told the MetroWest Daily News that she has had to call the shop's owner at least six times this summer to help de-escalate situations involving customers who have gotten aggressive over its mask policy. "The sad part is that these people are yelling and screaming at 16 and 17-year-old employees," she said. Last month, an Ohio family of five—including their young kids—all took turns shouting at the Ulhman's workers about "constitutional liberties." They eventually left after the owner threatened to call the cops.

It should go without saying, but for the love of god, don't do this. If you want ice cream but don't want to wear a mask, it's probably best for everyone if you just stay at home and place a GoPuff order. 

via VICE US - undefined US VICE US - undefined US via Mom's Kitchen Recipe Network Mom's Kitchen Recipe Network

[latoyajkelson70506]

Teenage Ice Cream Shop Employees Are Getting Harassed By Anti-Maskers

The conversation has raged on for months as to whether or not we should be covering our faces, which materials are the most effective at preventing the spread of COVID-19, whether the masks that medical professionals were already wearing for hours a day will randomly suffocate you, and what wildly misinterpreted Constitutional excerpts are "at stake" every time you're asked to wear a mask to buy peanut butter at a Trader Joe's. (To reiterate, experts and medical professionals pretty much unanimously agree that we should all be wearing masks in public in the middle of a deadly global pandemic.) 

Many of those debates stay on social media (Twitter was already a hellhole for years), but more and more of those arguments seem to be manifested as screaming at a 16-year-old with a stack of waffle cones. 

Ice cream shops have become ground zero for mask debates, with troubling regularity and particularly harrowing experiences for their young employees. On Saturday, the teenage staff at the Front Porch in Springlake, Michigan were verbally abused by four groups of customers who didn't want to wear masks in the store, and a fifth group was so awful that the shop's owner had to call the police. 

Kelly Larson told MLive that she thought that people wouldn't be surprised by the Front Porch's mask requirements at this point, and she also hoped that everyone would be slightly nicer to her teenage workers. 

“I’ve got to speak up not only for my kids but all of these kids, that’s who our frontline workers are in Grand Haven," she said. "They need a lot more respect and love from us than they’ve been getting.”

In a followup Facebook post, she wrote that she doesn't see masks as a political statement; she sees them as a way to help her business, her employees, and her community "see the other side" of the pandemic. "These aren't our rules but we are mandated by the health department to follow them," she continued. "If you want to make a statement, call our elected officials or better yet call the governor's office. Start a peaceful protest. But to yell at teenagers in an ice cream store and make them cry is not a way to promote change." 

And again, this isn't an isolated event. Here are several other incidents that involved maladjusted adults taking out their frustrations on teenage ice cream shop employees. Here's just a sampling:

May 8: Polar Cave Ice Cream Parlour (Mashpee, Massachusetts) 

On the day that Mark Lawrence reopened his ice cream shop for the season, he said his "A-Team" of workers—all between the ages of 15 and 20—had clocked in and were ready to go. Six of them were inside the shop and seven were outside, split between stations so they could take orders from parked cars, scoop ice cream, and field online orders. By the end of the night, the staff had been subjected to so much abuse that one 18-year-old girl quit. Lawrence told the Boston Globe that after "hours of F-bombs and slurs" she didn't even want to be paid or take her tips, she just wanted to dip out. In a heartbreaking Facebook post, Lawrence called that night "the lowest feeling I have ever felt" in almost two decades of running the shop.

June 29: Little Man Ice Cream (Denver, Colorado) 

Owner Paul Tamburello told 9News that he was "shocked" by the reactions that he'd seen from customers when they were told about the shop's mask policy. He said that one customer coughed all over the counter and toward others who were waiting to order, while another actually spat on one of his teenage workers. “I understand people’s choice not to wear a mask," he said. "I don’t understand them taking it up with a 16-year-old scooping ice cream. I just feel like that’s not the place to do that.”

June 29: Twist Ice Cream (Swartz Creek, Michigan) 

In a Facebook post, the shop warned that if customers continued to cause problems and harass its workers over its mask requirement, it would be forced to close its lobby for the rest of the season. "We cannot let our employees continue to be treated in this manner," the owners wrote. It repeated that request in an attached graphic that explained its assorted pandemic related policies. "We ask that you do not take your frustrations out on our employees," it explained. "These are kids and young adults trying to earn money for school, and in many cases, working to help out their families who have also been affected by job loss during these times." 

June 30: Mootown Creamery (Berea, Ohio) 

Owner Angela Brooks is clear: customers either have to wear a mask inside the store, or they have to wait outside for a (masked) staffer to take their order. You might've picked up on a theme here, so no, that approach hasn't been received well in Ohio, either. “We’ve had everything from customers stomping their feet, slamming the doors, screaming and yelling, cussing at the girls, calling them names, it’s been awful,” Brooks told WOIO. ("Does it feel good to make a 16-year-old girl cry in the bathroom? Or sob on her way home from work?" she wrote on Facebook. "Knock it off!!!!!!") 

"No one’s enjoying it, like no one thinks this is fun or anything," Mootown worker Eva Mihelich said. "Like, [COVID-19] ruined my senior year of high school and everything, so like the last thing I want is for someone to come in and yell at me and that I’m the problem." 

July 2: Coldstone Creamery (Leavenworth, Washington)

When the Coldstone staffers told a teenage girl that state law said they couldn't serve her unless she wore a face mask, she angrily left the store. Two hours later, her mother went back to screech at everyone behind the counter for enforcing the policy. A 21-year-old Coldstone employee defended her coworkers and was ultimately fired for it (although Coldstone later offered to re-hire her). The 'adult' in the scenario told KING5 that "leftists" had created a "hostile environment in Leavenworth" and that's why her kid didn't get a cup of Mud Pie Mojo or whatever. 

July 7: The North Pole (Chittenango, New York) 

A maskless woman and man were stopped at the counter by The North Pole's two teenage employees and told that they needed to cover their faces in order to be served. Instead of complying, the couple yelled at the girls before going on a lengthy rant about how they didn't need to wear masks or "need to believe" the World Health Organization. The workers closed the window to the ice cream stand, but the woman physically wrestled it back open so she could keep screaming at them. "It was honestly very scary for us," 18-year-old Tori Broniszewski told Syracuse.com. 

Two days later, another female customer berated the employees so aggressively that the police had to be called. "If you DON'T WANT TO WEAR A MASK, please just stay home, don’t purposely drive to my parlor to harass my girls," The North Pole's owner, Alexandria Ciotti, wrote on Facebook. "I don’t want to lose my staff because they are afraid to come to work. They mean so much to me."

July 15: Brickley's Ice Cream (Wakefield, Rhode Island) 

The owners of Brickley's Ice Cream made the decision to close their Wakefield location for the rest of the year after two men “argued with, swore at and verbal [sic] abused both our staff" after being told that they couldn't eat their ice cream inside the shop. When another customer stepped in, the two men started to threaten that person, too. "[T]hings almost came to blows," Brickley's wrote on Facebook. "This is unacceptable and is becoming unsafe for both our staff and customers. We have a limited and young staff at our Wakefield store and must keep them safe.”

July 20: Uhlman's Ice Cream (Westborough, Massachusetts) 

Kelly Donley, the manager at Uhlman's, told the MetroWest Daily News that she has had to call the shop's owner at least six times this summer to help de-escalate situations involving customers who have gotten aggressive over its mask policy. "The sad part is that these people are yelling and screaming at 16 and 17-year-old employees," she said. Last month, an Ohio family of five—including their young kids—all took turns shouting at the Ulhman's workers about "constitutional liberties." They eventually left after the owner threatened to call the cops.

It should go without saying, but for the love of god, don't do this. If you want ice cream but don't want to wear a mask, it's probably best for everyone if you just stay at home and place a GoPuff order. 

via VICE US - undefined US VICE US - undefined US via Mom's Kitchen Recipe Network Mom's Kitchen Recipe Network

[goodsoldierandnothingelse]

Introductions || Mac and Dean

Adventures on Kik with 0fcourage Blockquote: 0fcourage ; plain: me

The brick exterior and multi-paned windows eluded to times long past. She could smell the rot and mildew inside the walls, even hear the shifting of the building as age settle into its bones further. A decrepit location for rest, though the usual tenants were likely as decrepit as the walls. Except for one, the one she had come to see.

She’d had to wait. He worked like clockwork, she knew, always needing to escape his housemates to sate the thirst of the blemish to his flesh and soul. The thing that made him even more dangerous and terrifying than even before, which many would day was saying quite a lot.

Her knock was light, but loud enough do he’d hear. She knew he was awake, so she had no concern for waking him. Her concern was the weapons she knew would be trained on her and at the ready even before he opened the door.

It had gotten bad again, way more quickly than the last, which had induced a tightening of his chest that threatened to choke him from the inside out. Panicked that his end was racing towards him like a wildfire, but even more so at the thought that no one could stop him before it became too late.

He had been struggling to focus on his laptop’s screen for about a hour, at least. The blood rushing in his ears, the fast pounding of his heart, was making it difficult, but what really broke his attention was a timid knock at the door. It was like a switch turned on, drawing him to his full height and unsheathing his weapon as his Hunter instincts took over. He knew, just by the knock alone, that it wasn’t Sam, which lead him to his next conclusion, but looking through the peephole-- instead of a brunette-- stood a blonde. His brows furrowed. “Ya have the wrong room, Sweetheart,” he informed through the crack in the door.

“That would be impossible, Dean Winchester.” She gave a sad smile as she lifted her hands to show she was unarmed. “I don’t make such mistakes.” She glanced past him into the room, what she could see from the small opening he had made with the door, then back to him. “I have come to offer some support, if you’ll allow it.”

The blood drained from Dean’s face out of habit, hearing his name come from the unknown girl and putting him at a disadvantage. He didn’t like it. He adjusted the angel blade in his fist, ready to use it if need be, even though her stance shifted into an even less defensive one than before. “Support?” he questioned, doubt-filled and suspicious. “I ain’t runnin’ a charity.”

Her lips pressed together in a thin line.  “I’m aware help from my siblings has been minimal... At best.” She also knew many who had offered their assistance in the past had done so for their own selfish and not entirely well meaning needs. “Castiel is not well accepted by many, but those who do accept him wish to follow his lead. In doing so, I’m here to offer whatever I can provide. Including information.”

The girl let slip of what she was by a familiar phrase, paired with the way she spoke, making Dean’s mind jump to Cas. It didn’t take much time after that for her to confirm his suspicion. “Uh huh,” he said, glancing behind the girl before returning. “Cas send you?”

She hesitated, biting her lip at the question he directed at her. She didn’t communicate with her brothers and sisters much. Cas knew of her wish to help, to specifically get involved with the Winchester brothers, but she had yet to speak on this with him. That was probably something to have been done before this moment. “Not exactly. But he’d vouch for me were you to ask him about my intentions and loyalty. You’ll find I’m not much like my siblings.”

The hesitation gave him the answer before she even opened her mouth to reply. He glanced out into the hall again before he stepped back opened the door further to let her in. “Not sure if that’s as comfortin’ as you’re tryin’ t’make it sound.” Once she was in he shut the door behind her, re-locking it. “So which Bible-thumper are you?” he asked turning to face her. The blade remained in hand but it was now held more loosely than before.

She smirked at his verbiage, always amused by the differences in speech from one human to the next. “Machidiel. You can call me Mac.” She replied easily. She moved into the small room, gaze rolling across the walls a moment before she found a chair and sat, one leg crossing over the other automatically. “I don’t mean to cause alarm. There’s a lot-- including plenty you have no knowledge of-- happening, now. It’s simply time I take my stance, and I’ve chosen you, the hunters, as my side to align with.”

Her name didn’t ring familiar, but that didn’t mean much, nor did it give him any hint on whether or not she was lying. His instinct was, of course, to assume she was, but he’d give her the benefit of the doubt-- for now.    Dean watched her stroll into the room before planting herself on a chair, sitting straight and proper, the kind of rigidness that came from being an Angel. She spoke then, claiming her presence wasn’t cause for alarm but that she was simply choosing a side. “Well, that’s great an’ all,” Dean replied, unable to keep the skepticism completely out of his tone. “We’ll be sure t’send ya the starter pack, but, uh... Is there a reason why you’re here? Or how you even found me, for that chance?”

“It wasn’t easy, and it’s doubtful any my siblings could find you without help. So no, you don’t have to worry about a sudden flood of angels at your door.” She smirked at the thought before she continued. “Your journey has been long and difficult, not unlike others before you. The courage and strength you expel daily, especially in your current condition, is exceptional. I only offer my help and guidance to those who show they are worthy, as you have.” Her lips pursed. “I want to try to help you with the Mark of Cain, since Castiel is wrapped up in things he shouldn’t honestly be worrying about.”

Well, that was reassuring, he guessed. Angels, who weren’t Cas, didn’t seem to see eye-to-eye on anything, and that level of frustration was probably the last thing he needed right now. And this ‘Mac’ character didn’t seem much of a contrast to her ‘siblings’ as she had first claimed. But maybe that was just because he was judging too quickly, stereotyping her on the few similarities she held because of what she was. He needed to take a step back before he did something rash and possibly unnecessary. So instead he listened, trying not to pick her apart by the way she moved or said something but actually absorb what she was saying. Initially, it proved difficult, but then she mentioned the Mark of Cain and he was all ears. He had to blink a few times before he could answer. “You-- wanna help-- me?” he asked. Was the disbelief too hard to hear? “Seriously?”

Her brow furrowed at his response. Was he stupid or just surprised? She could assume both from what she’d seen and heard, but she’d behave herself. For now. “Seriously.” She confirmed. “Castiel is busy, and you clearly need more guidance on the matter before you destroy everything and everyone that matters to you. I watched Cain do it, I don’t want to watch you do it, too.” The last was said with conviction, though she’d admit (only to herself) that she feared she was too late. Still, it was worth a try. Cain had never had angelic support, and maybe that had been why he’d ended up the way he had. Of course, she was more understanding of things than most angels, so that might have had something to do with it. Then, she had been forbidden to involve herself. Now? She made her own decisions.

The Angel, of course, seemed confused when he didn’t jump for joy at her offer out of nowhere from someone he had just met two seconds ago, and Dean couldn’t but see Cas in the confusion. It might’ve sparked a smirk had the girl not turned the conversation dark by focusing on the obvious. His stance had become slightly defensive unconsciously, the matter just a bit too personal for some unknown Angel to speak so openly about. “No offense, uh-- Mac, was it? But last I checked your angel mojo couldn’t touch it.--So unless you’ve got the updated weapon pack I don’t see what you can really do.” His face had fallen into despair, hopelessness filling every crease; the look of a man who had clearly already given up.

She watched the emotions play through his features in the brief silence that settled between them. When he spoke again, his tone was that of the Dean Winchester she had come to know so well from the stories and watching him from afar. “You’re right, our Grace does nothing to the Mark.” Her lips pursed. “But last I checked, your pet angel hasn’t been around to help you much. I’m not Castiel, but I’m not useless. And from what I can tell, you’re low on options.”

Machideiel validated his knowledge, that, probably all, he assumed, Angels couldn’t remove or alter the mark residing on his arm, but also added that the usual angel on his shoulder was off dealing with his own problems and therefore not available to help, unlike she, apparently. Her reason: because she decided to join Team Hunter. At least according to her, but only having just met her Dean had no reason to trust her and believe anything she said. Unfortunately, however, she was right about one thing: he had low to no options, and his tightened jaw said that he wasn’t happy about it. “Fine. I guess,” he said, gruffly. “Maybe some unfamiliarity is a good thing...”

A smug look crossed the angel’s features and she sat a little straighter. No one ever said living among humans for so long hadn’t had any affect on her. “Glad you could come to your senses.” She said with a bright smile. “Oh, I almost forgot. I’m pretty sure I can help with another problem you’re having. No promises, but--” she shrugged. “I’m pretty good.”

Dean rolled his eyes. “Yeah, whatever. You’re only a substitute, so don’t get too comfortable.” He’d much rather have Cas, the two of them having gone through much together that he trusted him wholly, but as she said, Cas already had his hands full.    Dean’s brows furrowed when she mentioned another problem he was dealing with and how she could help. “Okay, settle down there, Blondie,” he told her, not missing the arrogance like she was his literal gift from heaven. “What other problem?”

“Oh, I’m aware. As any of my siblings would be.” She noted, his anger at her not being Castiel clear in the way he spoke. His demeanor shifted again and he threw that famous sarcasm and attitude her way. She quirked a brow. “Auryon.” The woman herself was a problem, never mind what she had become in the last year or so. Mac hadn’t been part of Heaven or its workings, but she knew when to pay attention. And when the King of Hell dragged a hunter back from Hell reeking of his power, everyone paid attention. The fact that that simple hint of power had since turned into something she knew even Crowley himself was growing wary of was something to definitely pay attention to. No matter what he had done to her, that power would destroy the woman if Crowley-- or someone else-- didn’t do something soon.

As long as she understood her position, and that he only agreed because of his dire need for help. And that his desperation didn’t mean he trusted her, neither. Although he was sure that was conveyed with how he stood rigid in front of her, and how the weapon in hand still remained unsheathed.    Dean asked her what other problem she was referring to and the single-worded answer she gave had his defensive stance faltering, unable to help it. “You can help her? Free her from Crowley?”

Her lips pursed as he eyed her, his thoughts and feelings on her clear in so many ways. Fine. She hadn’t expected easy, not with a Winchester. His question came with a swift chance to his demeanor, to his entire attitude. “I may,” she admitted slowly. “I have been on earth a very long time and observed things my siblings have not. I believe I know for a way to help her. But I will not promise anything; nothing is guaranteed.” She knew her answer would anger him but also hoped he would see she was trying not to mislead him. That would end worse than anything, se knew.

A spark of hope ignited in him at the angel’s maybe, to which he fought ardently to stomp out. Maybe’s were not guarantees, and false hope did nothing other than disappoint in the long run. And the woman basically said as much, but a maybe was better than sitting around on their asses, doing nothing. “I want you t’help her,” he said firmly, his expression hardening. “Ya wanna help? Fine. But I want your efforts focused on helpin’ her.”

Her lips pursed as she eyed him quietly, weighing the words she wished to use. Finally, she nodded her agreement. “May I ask you something, though?” She inquired carefully. It was something that truly bothered her, along with a few others like her. Maybe an answer would help her feel better about everything.

Following his decree, the young and blonde appearing angel stared at him with a pondering look, and Dean could only imagine what she was thinking. Angels were much harder to read than humans. After a moment, though, she nodded her consent, but her condition was an inquiry. Dean fave a short pause, but eventually said, “Yeah. What?”

She weighed his tone a moment, knowing her words were some that others had probably asked. But it was something she wanted to know the answer to herself, before she did anything. A soft clearing of her throat and the angel focused again on the hunter she had decided to help. “Why don’t you think you’re worthy of saving? Heaven itself-- God himself-- has found you worthy many a time. And yet you ask me to help only a woman you care for and not yourself.”

The woman seemed, again, hesitant, like she wasn’t sure what kind of reaction her words would cause, and she was smart to be so but the slowness also sorta bothered Dean. He wished she’d just spit it out and hurry the moment along. Time was not his friend, never really had been, but even more so lately, that he did not like to waste it. Eventually, she asked her question, one he didn’t expect, and again, he felt exposed with her hitting too close to home. Stupid perceptive angels. He scoffed under his breath, shaking his head, before answering. “I need Ry safe. Alright? Away from Crowley. That’s all that matters. Everything else...” He swallowed, looking down for a second and then back up with a weak smile plastered on his lips. “Well, let’s just say I’ve accepted my fate.” The smile vanished as his determination came back. “But Ry’s fate is not sealed. Not as Crowley’s-- super suit. No. She deserves better.”

She listened to his words, heard and saw the emotions. For the most part, he seemed sincere and devoted to what he said. But she had been on Earth a long time, had spent decades of her existence among humans. During that time, she had found that every man, woman and child had a will to live that never went away. So while Dean was honest in his declaration, she could see he was not so fully committed to that acceptance as he would like to believe.    Love did that to people. His love for the woman, Auryon, and for his brother while we were on the topic, overwhelmed everything else. But it was that love, she could tell, that kept a part of Dean Winchester from really, truly accepting his fate. A fate that she wasn’t so sure he was doomed to.    “I’ll help her to my fullest ability,” she promised when he finished speaking. “But I’m not giving up on you so easily. Castiel has not, therefore I will not either.” Not that Cas would know her as anything other than a sibling. But it was difficult not to know of and about all that Castiel had done and was doing.

If Dean knew what she was thinking, and what she had concluded, he would’ve repeated himself about angels being perceptive. Because, yes, she was right, he couldn’t actually fully accept that his time was up. He wanted to, it’d make things easier, and he could actually have some peace of mind, but there were two things stopping him. And he needed to know they were safe and that they would be okay before he could finally let go.    Mac promised she’d help with Ry, but that she wasn’t going to give up on him either. “Fine, whatever,” he said after a moment, not as comforted by that as she may think. “But only after you’ve done everything you can t’help her. She comes first.”

She accepted his gruff agreement of her words with a small smile, giving him a nod in response to his final demand. “Of course,” she agreed softly. “She will be my foremost concern, Dean. You have my word on that.” She knew her word, to him, would mean little. But it was the most important and strongest promise and bond she could offer. It was not something she gave lightly, and never had. In all her time, she could count on her hands the number of humans she had truly offered her binding word to. But, of course, he would not know nor care for this fact.

Dean allowed himself a deep breath, nodding. He still needed to check with Cas, make sure this angel was who she said she was before he could actually trust her to do anything, but if she could really help... Having another angel on their shoulder was something they could use. “I want you t’promise me somethin’ else, too,” he muttered after a moment, looking back at her. “If I--” He swallowed thickly but continued all the same. “If it becomes too late for me... I won’t become that thing again. So I, uhm-- need ya t’take me out. Just in case Cas isn’t around. Do whatever you have to, but... Don’t let me come back with black eyes. I can’t...” He shook his head, trying to escape the memories that had formed. “I won’t relive that.”

She allowed him to get his request out, keeping her gaze on him but her mouth closed. His demeanor had changed enough that she knew his words held a deep importance. Once he finished, she pressed her lips together thoughtfully, nodding slowly. “Again, my word. I would not wish that on anyone.” She assured. But she felt a sharp jolt within at his request. She truly hoped it wouldn’t come to that; she didn’t truly know if she’d be able to follow through. A normal demon, sure. A Knight was harder. Especially one that also happened to be Dean Winchester. “You have nothing to worry about.”

Dean stared at her intently, making sure the importance of his request got through to her and searching for any flicker of deception on her host’s face. A moment later, satisfied, he dialed it back and scoffed dryly at her assurance that he didn’t have to worry. “No, but you will if you don’t stop me,” he replied, again giving her a meaningful glance before he dropped it, pawing absently at his arm with the blade still held loosely in his fist. “Do ya keep your ears on or do I need a number to get a hold of ya?”

She had to force herself not to sigh at him as he got that final comment in. She knew Castiel was busy with other things, such as Heaven, but she also knew he’d never neglect helping Dean. Especially with a situation such as this. And she’d do her best to assist.

“I have a phone,” she confirmed, “But I also listen for those who need me. I’ll give you my number, however, just in case.” It was best he had more than one way to call her, anyway. That way he’d be sure to get her attention when he needed it.

“Phones are better for me anyhow,” Dean admitted, still not comfortable, even through the years, with praying, and fished out his phone from his pants’ pocket. He pressed a couple of buttons, the phone beeping as he did so, before he held it out for the young blonde to take. “I hope you’re more familiar with technology than the rest of the God Squad.”

She smiled at his phrase ‘God Squad’. “I know my way around it.” She chuckled, punching in her number. “I’ve been around Earth a little more than most of the others.” She added as she handed the phone back. “Is there anything I can do for you while I am here? I have some time, and I know Castiel is busy.”

Well, that was refreshing to hear. Training Cas hadn’t exactly been easy, to say the least, and he still didn’t fully comprehend the voicemail function. “That’s a relief,” he uttered, taking back the tiny machine and re-pocketing it. The angel-- Mac asked then if she could do anything for him while she was there, like she was a new maid he had just hired.    “Uh.” He hesitated, again wanting to run her name by Cas first, but... “Ya know of any cases in the area?”

She squinted thoughtfully at his question, sending out her senses to fell for anything unnatural around them. A few docile beings, but nothing causing a disturbance. Not in the immediate area, at least. As she pushed herself further away, she caught the sensation of a demon. Strong, dangerous. Wreaking havoc. She snapped back to the tiny room with Dean and focused on the hunter. “There’s a demon.” She said softly. “Three towns over. Been there a while, somehow keeping under the radar. He’s powerful.” She locked her gaze on the man. “I’d take great pleasure in helping you destroy him.” She was aware of the change in her tone and demeanor. A danger to her seeping through that she often kept in check. Nothing alarming, just a reminder of the soldier of war she had been created to be and escaped long ago. But certain things brought it out. One of the worst of demons se’d encountered in a while happened to fall into that category.

It was like a switch as she searched the surrounding area with her Grace or whatever; her face went idle, her eyes glossing over, and reminded Dean of a loading screen. He waved a hand in front of her face; no reaction. Not even a blink. Dropping his arm back to his side he waited impatiently through the next few seconds before the angel rebooted and came back online, focusing on him.    “Well?” he asked, eyebrows in anticipation, and she informed him that there was a demon, a strong one, infesting a town not far from where they stood. Not being able to rely just on her word, not yet, and needing to see some kind of proof to back up this claim Dean moved over to his laptop and started typing away.    He was about to ask her the exact town when she locked eyes with him and let out her shocking statement. He was slightly taken aback, but also knew, through past dealings, that some angels could be quite ruthless. Mac just hadn’t come across as one. But that might of had something to do with the fact she was sporting a young woman, barely out of her teens. “Okay, settle down there, Buffy. Just tell me what town he’s in.”

The reference was lost on her, bus she chose not to comment. Instead she simply watched the hunter do what he was best at doing. She rattled off the town the demon was in, now constantly aware of the creature at the edge of her senses. “I don’t mean to sound eager about killing,” she said after a moment of thought. “But this particular demon has a dangerous habit that many avoid. I’d much like to ensure he’d taken care of.”

Dean typed the town into his computer’s search engine and began scanning the news, looking for any tragedy that could be the handiwork of a demon. He was in the middle of a promising article when his company-- someone he almost forgot was still there-- added onto her earlier comment, about not meaning to sound eager when it came to killing. “First off, when it comes to killing demons-- Ain’t nothin’ wrong with some eagerness. Just as long as it doesn’t get ya killed. Being able t’dance on their graves is definitely a perk of The Job,” he told her, glancing up from his screen. “Secondly-- How much experience ya got with demons? ‘Cause I ain’t gonna hold ya hand.”

She let him respond, amuse by his verbiage. She so enjoyed the differing ways humans used their languages. She was more amused by his question, however, and smiled at him as he finished. “I think I can manage,” she replied without hiding her amusement. Not all angels were accustomed to facing demons, but they could all stand their ground with the use of their blades and their Grace. Mac had been on Earth for a millennia, and had faced her fair share of demons during that time.

While Dean knew that Angels had, yes, been around much longer than he had, there was no guessing how much field work and how recent this particular angel had logged. Especially when he knew that it had only been a few years now that they had come down from their perches on the observation deck. He just didn’t want her in the way. He needed a kill, his body taut with the undeniable urge, and this demon had just made top of the List. “Uh huh,” Dean replied after squinting slightly at her once again expressed cockiness. Over-confidence could often be an issue when it came to hunting. “Well, if I decide t’say yes to God as my co-pilot... Just-- make sure t’stay outta my way.” That wasn’t said out of over-confidence but rather a warning, knowing just how badly he needed this, and the Mark wasn’t picky whose blood it fed on. “An’ that you follow my lead.”

She wasn’t ignorant to the sensation of pure need that came from him. She was aware of the cause and what the need was. She had done well to ignore it. If she was honest, she normally would have pushed the subject until the other snapped. But this was different. She had seen what it made Cain into. That Dean had withstood for so long was something to be said for his strength. But no on was completely unbreakable. Clearly he had found ways to sate the bloodlust, but that didn’t make it safe. In fact, it could be quite the opposite if they weren’t careful. “Right,” she replied with as much cheer as she could muster. “You’re the boss.”

Dean nodded once, satisfied and somewhat relieved that she chose to comply instead of argue. While angels were usually prone to following Mac had already said herself that she had chosen a more independent, lesser traveled path to walk. But she had seemed keen on helping him... Leaning back, away from his laptop, he reached across the bed to grab his phone off the nightstand. A notification showed a text from Sam, but Dean ignored it for now and went to his contacts, clicking on Cas’s name. He shot him a text, asking him about Mac and what he knew about her, before throwing it back over his shoulder. “So, Mac,” he started, looking towards the screen and to her. “What made you decide t’go rogue?”

A smirk formed at his question. that was a long story that they didn’t have time for. Luckily, she had a shorter version. “I’ve been on Earth for a very long time. Since about the time the vikings rose up.” She shrugged. “You could say I was a bit of a rebellious teenager. I thought humans had more to offer than my siblings did. I wanted to be among them, to learn about them... and I just never went back.”

Controlling family meets rebellion; that’ll do it, as Dean knew too well. “So, basically you’re The Little Mermaid,” he summed up for her, and as an afterthought hoped she didn’t understand that reference. “Do you regret it?”

She lifted a brow at his reference. “I suppose you could say that. But instead of giving up my voice, I gave up everything I knew. And no, I don’t regret it one bit.” She should be surprised that she didn’t have to think, just answered, but after so long she should be able to answer that question with ease. Still, she would always have that little nagging feeling in the back of her mind.

To be fair Dean hadn’t actually watched the Disney flick but just happened to stumble across its plot lie when browsing the internet for research on sirens. It was a strange thing for him to retain, but strange is what usually stuck with him. That didn’t stop the slight reddening of his face, however, when she gave him a peculiar look.    He cleared his throat, looking back at the screen. “Good,” he commented. He didn’t need an angel who wasn’t fully committed. And as soon as he heard back from Cas, he could actually begin to trust her, if only just so.

Dean clicked on a few articles before deciding that it was enough to go on and shut his computer. He got up and started packing up his few loose items, but was still careful around the woman.

She had to hide the small smirk that formed at his small display of embarrassment. It didn’t even phase her but he was able to reference a children’s movie. Hadn’t every human seen it? The short response was again not unexpected. She was just glad he hasn’t tried to kill her yet.    As he moved around the room, packing up his items, she took the time to look around and get to know the type of person he was. Neater than she expected, but not so neat that it was unusual. Any human that was particularly tidy was not always as they seem.

“We’re taking my car,” he informed, leaving no room for argument, as he finished his task. “That means no zapping. You’re gonna sit your ass in the vehicle an’ you’re not gonna whine about it. Also, there will be no touching of the radio.--Now I’ve sent word to Cas, an’ if you don’t sit right by him then you won’t by me either. You can go find some other Hunter to flock with. We understand each other?” He wasn’t unkind as he spoke to the young woman, but merely stating that that was the way things were gonna be.

Her brows lifted, but she didn’t argue. In fact, she had to fight not to let her smile of glee show. She loved cars. Sure, they were slower than flying, but they fascinated her. The mention of her brother had her nodding. She was sure Cas remembered her and knew she was not a danger. But she couldn’t help the tinge of worry she had that, for some reason, he had forgotten her or that his feelings had changed. “I understand,” she stated. “Like I said; you’re the boss.”

Dean took a moment to pause, searching her expression thoroughly as he was trained to do, but seeing no deception he nodded once, satisfied. “Yes, I am,” he murmured as he moved past her, opening up the door. His manners kicked in then, as he stood to the side and waited for her to exit first. He’d also feel better to have her in front of him, instead of behind, as they made their trek to Baby.

She offered a sweet smile as he held the door for her. “Thank you,” she added as she passed and exited the room. She blinked at the change in light and the shift in the sounds around her. “Is there anything specifically you’d like me to do when we get where we’re going?” She wondered.

Dean acknowledged her thank you with a curt nod but no comment, shutting the door behind them.    Once outside he squinted, repositioning his bag across his shoulder, and gestured towards the shiny black Impala just across the tiny parking lot. The Angel took the time to ask an inquiry as they walked the cracked, worn pavement. “Don’t die,” was the first thing that came to mind. If the demon was as powerful as she suggested he’d need the backup. “Oh, an’ don’t let me die.” With a squeak, the trunk opened and Dean unloaded his crap before shutting the hatch again. “Though, it would be funny t’see the demon’s face when I resurrected...” He had a small, amused smirk playing on his face before it dawned on him that imaging that wasn’t funny.    Giving Mac a side glance he walked over to the driver’s side and got in.

She watched him go through the motions as a man who had done this countless times before. A ghost of a smile crossed her face, fleeting though it was, because it was moments like this that were her favorite part of being among the humans. They were, whether they were noticed or not, private moments. Small peeks into who the person was and what they loved most. This man was made for this job, and he knew that he was. Despite all that he had been through, all that he had lost, he had embraced his life.    “It would certainly be amusing, yes.” She commented with a chuckle. Following his lead, she opened the passenger’s side and climbed in, closing the door once she had settled into the seat. The dashboard seemed miles away from her vessel; clearly a much larger person had sat here before her. “And I won’t let you die.”

Dean had leaned over the bench seat in attempt to open the passenger’s door as an afterthought but only managed to get it unhinged before the small blonde swung it open fully.    Repositioning himself back in his seat he watched her follow suit. The girl she was in seemed so young, almost too young, and it made him wonder about her; if she was still even alive in there. Frowning he looked away, focusing out through the windshield.    After a moment, she’d said that she wouldn’t let him die, to which he nodded and started the car.

They had gotten a few miles down the road, music filling the silence, before Dean turned it down a bit and asked the obvious question. “So... What makes you think you can help me?”

“Which situation do you ask about? Because my answer depends on what you’re seeking information on.” She glanced at him, trying her best not to read emotions that she could see filtering through his green eyes. He was expressive through them, especially when she could tell he was trying to hide all emotion. His curiosity was tinged with more emotions than she wanted to put words to, but especially doubt and suspicion. Both of those made her feel uneasy. Not because she feared him or what he could do to her, because let’s not be ignorant, he could most certainly do plenty to her even without killing her. No, the uneasiness was because she knew that if she didn’t deliver what she was promising she was letting someone else down. And Dean Winchester was not someone you wanted to let down.

Okay, so he thought it was the obvious question. But she did have a point. She had offered to help with more than one problem. “Well, I guess in general,” he answered. “As you know I’ve already for angel help.” An angel he trusted with his life, and knew that if he was able to help him he would have. “An’ no offense or anything, but you don’t strike me as anything special.” And she had already admitted that her power couldn’t touch the Mark, and he knew that it couldn’t sever the link between Ry and Crowley either because Cas had already tried. “Not that having another angel in your corner ain’t useful...” Especially when headed into a fight, like they were now.

She hesitated long enough to think about it. She knew her answer, but she needed to be sure. “I have seen more of my brothers and sisters die than I’d like to count. I haven’t been a part of the inner workings of Heaven for-- a very long time. But I know that it is chaos there, and that Castiel has a lot of work ahead of him.” She paused to lick her lips and pressed them together a moment. “I have seen you, and your brother, come out of situations most would have long failed at. I tend to like to support those I think are the strongest, the winning side. And that’s you, Dean.” She let the words for a few moments while she gathered in the emotions she suddenly felt. She knew she’d said more than he was expecting, but it was needed. She cleared her throat before she finished what she wanted to say. “I’m not the strongest of my kind, certainly. But I’ve been on earth long enough to know more than most. I can offer a different outlook, and I want to do that to help ensure you are able to come out of this standing, again.”

There was a pause, and Dean looked over to see the calculations practically play out in her expression. He wasn’t sure if the hesitation should give him comfort or not. Developed instinct automatically had him doubting, but the woman hadn’t done anything yet to put him totally off to her. So he tried to stow his paranoia for when she did answer he could focus on what she told him.

A little further down the lane she broke the silence and went into a monologue. At first, he was confused at where she was going with it, since it seemed unrelated to what he had asked, but as she continued her thought process connected. Though, if he was being honest, her speech didn’t do much to provide him with the hope he had been subconsciously seeking.    “Well, that’s...very ambitious of you,” he concluded. “If not a little misguided.” But beggars can’t be choosers.

Her gaze snapped to him, and she had the decency to look embarrassed. “Sorry, I got carried away. And while that’s all true-- I also just want this shit to be over with. I’m tired of watching people and Angels die. And you’re the only ones that I know of that can end it. So, I’ll do everything I can to help you.”

Dean frowned and was silent for a moment, wondering if he should say what was lying on his tongue or to just let it slide. He chose the former after clearing his throat. “I uh, know you guys are all about faith or whatever...but uhm-- you may be placing a little too much in me an’ my brother,” he admitted. “I mean, yeah, we’ve taken a few names, but not without costs. We never come out on top. Not really. I can say, looking back over the years, that Death honestly follows us around. I’d hardly refer that to the ‘winning side’.”

She couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped. She knew that that was how he felt but it still baffled her to hear him say it. “People die, Dean, every single day. They die of natural causes, they die from accidents, from monsters we can’t catch, and so many other reasons. It’s going to happen no matter what you do, and you can’t control that. And the costs that you speak of? Those are going to come with every situation no matter what side you’re on. But what you and Sam have done? The amount of people that are still alive because of the things you’ve done completely outweigh those that were lost in battle to get there. Of people knew the things that you did, the lives you saved, you would be much more than just Heroes. So you may not see yourself as the winning side, but there are many that do whether you realize it or not.”

His brows furrowed at hearing laughter come from his passenger, when he wasn’t trying to be funny but serious, and he looked over at her, his expression a confused scowl. The angel went on, not explaining her reaction but telling him her side of things, how she saw it. Honestly, most of it, he had heard before, but none of it ever stuck with him, and wasn’t any different. Maybe once he had considered himself a hero, but not anymore. Not after all the crap he’d done and gone through. Not with this brand on his arm.    Dean scoffed under his breath. “Well, sister, then they are just as delusional as you,” he muttered.

She rolled her eyes at his response, sighing and leaning her head back against the headrest. “Delusional or not, you’re stuck with me.” She noted. “Whatever you want or need, just say the word. If Cas isn’t available, I will be.” She knew that meant nothing to him now, before he knew her, but eventually she would be sure he understood the weight behind those words.

Dean was starting to get that, when she said he was stuck with her. At least if she was telling the truth. Again, she hadn’t done anything to cause suspicion, but Dean wasn’t exactly the most trusting of people. Especially as of late. And Angels were no exception. In fact he was probably even less trusting of them than actual people. Given his history, it was understandable.    Suddenly his back pocket vibrated, alerting him of a new message. Maneuvering with ease, while keeping the car straight on course, he dug out his cell. “Speak of the devil,” he murmured, smirking slightly at an afterthought, and opened up the text from Cas.

She didn’t say anything when she noticed his phone go off and that he looked at it. Even if he was driving and looking at his phone, she assumed he had practice on it whereas she certainly did not. She stayed silent and waited for him to speak again, his muttered comment making it clear that her sibling was the one contacting him.

Dean read through the text quickly, ignoring the scattered, and numerous, emoticons throughout it, and while it wasn’t exactly a shining recommendation he was searching for, it was good enough. At least for now. He’d know more about what she was really like after this excursion together. “Good news. Your ass gets to stay planted where it is. At least for now,” he informed. “Your final grade won’t be available until after we close the case, however.”

She quirked a brow at his words, smirking slightly. “Sure, okay. I can live with that. My ass is pretty comfy, anyway.”

“That’s cause that’s where my Sasquatch of a brother usually sits,” he informed. “Definitely been broke in a few miles back... Probably wouldn’t like it too much if he knew you were sittin’ in it though.”

She smiled brightly. “I’m sure he’d change his mind once he got to know me.” She replied, feeling that Sam would be the easier of the two to bond with.

Dean glanced over at her briefly, knowing she was probably right. “Demons are more his type,” he mumbled, a bitter taste in his mouth leaving a sour look on his face.

Mac pressed her lips, knowing the situation that was being spoke of. She hadn’t known that Dean still held on to that he prayed in frustration so tightly. “I didn’t mean in that sense,” she said with a sigh.

“I know what you meant,” he muttered in reply. “An’ you’re probably not wrong. Sammy’s more trusting than me... A little too trusting sometimes. Especially when it comes to the supernatural...and women. Double especially if its both.” He shook his head before he returned his attention back to his cell, pausing for a moment to decide something. Eventually he sent Ry a text to meet him at the town they were headed to.

“Well, you and I both know that he’s not stupid, despite his willingness to trust easily. I’m sure he can muss out whether or not I’m worth trusting.” She certainly hoped that, by then, Dean trusted her, too.

“Yeah, maybe,” Dean said, but he had someone else on his mind to help him determine that. Someone who was a little more hardened like himself; the same person he had just messaged to inform them of a change in plans. “For right now, that doesn’t matter. Like I said your official stamp of approval will be decided at a later date.” Actions spoke loud than words, after all. “In the meantime, we listen to some tunes.” He reached for the dial to turn it on.

Her lips pressed together, and she nodded as the music switched on. She listened for a few minutes, then turned her attention out the window and her thoughts for the remainder of the drive.

Continued here