#i love my sweet louie so bad

[dumplingm0nster444]

my sweet louie

[tokuvivor]

Can we just talk about how good this scene in The Spear of Selene! is?

To start, we’ve just got the gradual buildup of Dewey and Webby adventuring around Ithaquack, just to find some sort of answer about Della. It all culminates in this line:

Webby: We’re so close to the truth! Why won’t you let us find it?!

Dewey: Because…what if my mom was a bad person?

And even though she really wants to figure this one out, Webby respects Dewey’s wishes, and decides to drop it for now. But then Dewey has a change of heart, deciding that if they’ve gotten this far, they should see it through to the end.

At which point, an ominous figure jumps out from behind them…

…who turns out to be the Goddess of the Moon herself, Selene!

One thing I will make note of is the fact that Frank and Matt were originally intending Selene to be more serious and regal, but they ultimately reworked her characterization to better fit Nia Vardalos’ voice, which is how we ultimately got the wise, yet laid-back and playful Selene we all know.

Anyway, Selene explains that the whole gauntlet Dewey and Webby just went through was intended for Della, because she knew Della would find it fun.

On the topic of whether Selene would have actually known that Della got stuck on the moon, her moon, I would like to think that yes, she did know. I mean, besides the previous point, she and Della are super close; it just doesn’t seem right to have her not know what happened to Della. As for why she couldn’t do anything about it, well, need I remind you who her father is? But I digress.

So Selene, despite being this all-powerful goddess, doesn’t know what Dewey’s talking about by a “Spear of Selene”, but eventually realizes that he’s “Della’s kid” when Dewey brings up “his mom” taking it.

Even though Dewey’s dismayed that he’s now back to square one, Selene assures him that Della was a good person. The greatest, even. And she made everyone around her better.

She even gives it to Dewey for him to keep.

And she assures Dewey not to give up his search, because Della wouldn’t have, either.

And then we get this sweet bit…

Also, I just love how gentle Selene is with Dewey in this scene. I mean, the boy’s never met his mother, has been looking ceaselessly for answers about her for months, and even though Selene doesn’t have all of them, she tells Dewey what he needs to hear, and even gives him a much-needed hug. She’s not Della, but she gives Dewey that maternal guidance that he really needs right about now.

Random headcanon: Just like Louie with Goldie, Dewey calls Selene “Aunt Selene”. Well, I can see all the boys doing that at some point, but Dewey would probably be the first one.

(Minor credits to TV Tropes for this analysis)

[kallulily]

Also, thoughts on Polymar? (Louie/olimar/olimar's wife)

I enjoy Polymar!!!! While I personally have head-cannons that makes the ship not really work out in my aus. I do appreciate and admire the hustle of others who are into the ship! I love a simple solution to solve ship discourse being “x- character has two hands!” And I think a lot of the portrayal I see in the tags is very sweet. Kind. Heartwarming and just. FULL of good energy. It’s very inclusive and there’s a lot of possibility’s and potential for everyone’s story’s.

It’s also nice to see more love and thought catered to Olimars wife. As a character and as given more thought than “just his wife.” It’s something I ,as someone who enjoys louimar needs to keep in mind when I’m writing her. Divorce is very complex, and having characters break up can often lead to one character being the “bad guy” of the story. Which, if you are breaking up characters just so one can get together with someone else, it’s best to be aware of the tropes and what kind of message you are sharing without simply having olimars wife just be the abusive one/the one in the wrong. Even if there’s only so much canon information to go off of, thinking about making a character like olimars wife feel understandable but flawed is very important. Never been fond of others just labeling her as a “bitch” or something like that

ANYWAY that’s something I find nice with seeing people write/draw with polymar. It’s them exploring this character without needing to worry about that big topic of divorce if they wanted Louie to get involved. It’s exploring interests, communication with olimar and the wife. Acceptance and open mindedness…. It’s a feel good ship in my eyes.

But speaking of my own characterization of Louie and olimars wife (still deciding on her name) there are some hurdles. Being as Louie is… strictly monogamous and very gay.

The divorced couple are both realizing they might not be straight. Balancing the kids and picking up their lives once again. They both felt much more open and started learning things about themselves.

Louie’s been crushing on Olimar for so damn long. But he just knew that a relationship with him was never going to happen, he was content with just being around him.

Until, he realized olimar in fact got a divorce. The weird man suddenly forgot how to walk. Louie’s doomed and the crush is HIGH in his mind.

And Louie is a selfish grabby clingy kind of guy, when he realizes there’s something he wants and it’s possible to get.

And if he gets it

NO way is Louie thinking about sharing his treasure

Mans a greedy guy. And Olis wife, while she’s open. She can be quite catty and very competitive

But instead they get along when Louie’s in a relationship with Olimar. She’s able to share many details about olimar to him while Louie occasionally gives her any hot gossip from their work. (Or dish recipes)

[drawingducktalesducks]

Huey: Name the scariest thing you can think of-

Louie: Webby.

Dewy: Yeah, with all due brotherly love and stuff, definitely Webby.

Huey: Well I’ve got one that’s even scarier.

Louie: Not possible.

Dewy: TWO Webbys..?

Huey: Nope. The only thing scarier than Webby is… someone who looks at Webby and goes “yep, very cute, 12/10 would hug and hold and sing cute un-cool songs to on our anniversary”

Dewy: OH! IT’S-

Dewy:

Dewy: …who?

Huey: LENA!

Louie: It’s Lena, of course it’s Lena.

Dewy: Ohhh. Cool!

Huey: Seriously Dewy? Seriously!?

Louie: No but that is pretty terrifying. Like. My first memory of Lena is this blur standing next to Webby in the playground, then me hitting the dirt, and my feet LEAVING the dirt, because a girl with cool hair didn’t like us interrupting her Webby-time and had me by the shirt collar ready to smash my face in.

Huey: It was SO sweet.

Dewy: Yeah, she does have cool hair. Not as cool as the Dewy’s, naturally, but- Oh wait WAIT I’VE GOT ONE!

Huey: A hair?

Louie: A brain?

Dewy: A thing! Something scarier than Webby OR Lena!

Louie: Okay that is legit not possible.

Huey: I call bluff.

Dewy: No no I'm serious! We’ve met and lived through it before, guys! We BARELY survived! AND WE STILL HAVE THE MENTAL SCARS SEARED UPON OUR SOULS!

Huey: …go on.

Louie: I mean you’re still gonna be wrong, but yeah, entertain me with your epic fail.

Dewy: The scariest, most terrifying thing in the world is….

Dewy: Webby.

Dewy: WITHOUT Lena!

Louie:

Huey: oh my duck oh my duck…

Louie: You win. I for real just felt my heart speed up and got shivers.

Huey: OH MY DUCK OH MY DUCK OH MY DUCK-

Louie: Huey, air. You need air.

Dewy: It kinda looks like he doesn’t though?

Huey: OH MY DUCK OH M-

Huey: Sorry. Had a nasty traumatic flashback to finding Webby sobbing her heart out in Lena’s basement room thing.

Louie: That’s rough buddy.

Huey: Anyway, good one Dewy! I think you’ve nailed it!

Dewy: You mean I ~Dewy’d it~?

Huey: No.

Violet: ....

Violet: For your consideration-

Huey: AAAAAAA!

Louie: EEEE!!

Dewy: MOMMY!!!!!!!

Violet: I should like- stop screaming please, it is distracting- I should like to put forward an alternative candidate for the title of “Most terrifying”.

Huey: HOW DID YOU GET IN HERE??? THE DOOR IS TRIPPLE LOCKED!

Violet: Locks only prevent things from entering a room, Hubert. They do not guarantee that the room was empty to begin with.

Louie: You were here the whole time?!

Violet: Precisely.

Dewy: im scared

Violet: Very gratifying, Dewford. Thank you.

Huey: … So… your most scariest thing of choice would be…

Louie: Oh man this is gonna be bad, whatever scares YOU has gotta be-

Violet: Me.

Huey:

Dewy:

Louie:

Violet: On the whole I agree with your ranking system so far, but it does not take into account one crucial detail.

Violet: Namely that Webby and Lena are nearly always in a good mood when around each other, and prying them apart is quite difficult- not even death seems to be permanently effective- which severely limits the times during which they are a truly terrifying presence in the world.

Violet: My own brand of terror is, however, not limited by any such factors. It is also highly motivated, actively cultivated, and completely immune to them both.

Violet: Ergo, at any given moment, it is far more likely that I am the one you should be afraid of.

Huey:

Huey: I’ll add it to the guidebook.

Louie: Cool, I’ll add it to my nightmares.

Dewy: i want mom

Violet: Della Duck is a highly resourceful and accomplished woman, even beyond her history as a Woodchuck, but I doubt even she would be enough to save you.

Dewy: mommy....

[poppytuft]

the bear s3 spoilers

below the cut! thinking about claire and stuff we saw this season re: carmy/syd/the restaurant/donna, just finished the season so itll be a mess and also im comin in way too hot on this so my bad

sometimes...... sometimes i believe you guys are all watching different tv. im not sure how this season didnt feel like a direct through line from s2?? and im not sure WHY everyone is SO MAD about claire LITERALLY "haunting" this season. girl. come on. we need to have a sit down talk about how the berzatto generational trauma is the real meat of this show (this will make sense, just trust me). thats the MAIN EMOTIONAL POINT. syd's relationship with her dad, marcus and his mom, richie and evie, even tina and louie are all examples of parental relationships that are tender, sweet, supportive, etc. these are INTENTIONAL!! by creating these relationships we see PLAINLY how fucked donna is and how much she fucked up all of these kids. thats why "ice chips" was such a FANTASTIC episode. there was SO MUCH unpacked, so much revealed, so much worked through with sugar and her but at the end of the day she's still learning how to unlearn all of this horrific narcissistic bullshit. SHES STILL UNLEARNING THOUGH. thats where fucking DONNA of all people sits right now——somehow, she's learning how to heal. EVERYONE IS LEARNING. that's also what is so important about that episode.

now lets look at carmy. in "ice chips" we are LITERALLY told about how each berzatto is born: mikey fighting against the idea of being alive at all, nat into a quiet, soothing room, and CARMY is fucking born into EVERYONE SCREAMING and ARGUING and FIGHTING. we are BLATANTLY told that all carmy has ever known is HELL and all he's ever known how to communicate is through exploding. this is so violently against what we also know about his personality from childhood in "fishes" (anxious growing up, arts-oriented, had a hard time making friends). now, he works a violently stressful job, processing the trauma from both his mother (and chef fields [joel mchale], realistically) through the high-stress environment.

NOW. ENTER CLAIRE.

HOW is she not fascinating to you all. we don't see her whole story (because the bear, duh) but we are given just enough pieces here to put together that her story runs parallel to carmy's. how are you not getting this. walk with me.

claire. glasses, nerdy, quiet, sweet, girl next door. family friend! cute, but considered mid for a long time by everyone at school, but suddenly the berzatto men all badger carm, "oh she got a glow up, oh shes looking for you, she wants to see you," etc etc etc. what happened in between?

she finds herself. she finds the stressful thing she LOVES, which is the hospital. her job is objectively more stressful than carmy's (illustrated by that scene earlier in the season but i forgot the episode, where claire talks about the girl who got her shit wrecked by the glass table), and while we don't have an exact understanding of what her home life was like, we understand that her and carmy both have a level of internal anxiety that thrives on the stress of their careers. HOWEVER, claire does it because she loves it. carmy just doesn't know how to stop.

this is what makes claire feel like "peace" to carmy——because her high-stress job is a choice, an active choice she is making because it fulfills her. it's not to prove her dead brother wrong, or to honor his own legacy, or to prove that dickbag boss wrong, or to leave a mark on the world, or to make her own life worthwhile, or to prove that she doesn't need anyone else. she genuinely enjoys helping people even when the days are stressful, or scary. he's obsessed with this. he wants to know how she does this. every day she leaves that stress at home——and he wants to learn how to do that too.

claire is VITAL to this season and to understanding carmy's stress——and how far back he is in his healing process. it should only become more and more apparent, as we see characters like tina (the beef/the bear became vital to her success/development as a chef AND person, both for the people AND her love of food), marcus (not hiding his grief, but using it to help rationalize how much his mother loved him and wanted to be surrounded by people that love him), and richie (finding a purpose through service/expo and understanding he can start over again) push through their own traumas and struggles to become better people. if donna can be not only present at sugar's bedside during labor, but WELCOMED at this point in the show, it makes carmy's inability to heal all the more present. claire is an important part of this puzzle: she helps us see a window into a world where carmy is balanced emotionally, but unbalanced professionally, because he has no idea how to make the two coexist.

however, the idea that he can be balanced emotionally at all is so fucking enticing——with the help of someone who experiences stress in the same way as him (and who is familiar with his familial trauma), he has the opportunity to grow up and move on from his family trauma and wounds perpetuated by the industry he works in.

on the flip side of this....... his inability to process any of this is starting to impact syd. and frankly, that's some bullshit. his lack of communication, inability to community build/trust ANYONE, and his violent stubbornness is pushing her into the same space that he was in under chef fields, in a much slower, more subtle manner, and for slightly different reasons. her panic attack at the end of the season could read in two directions to me: her stress over the responsibility of changing so many people's lives has boiled over once she remembered that the beef once was truly great (hey five star review on the fridge!), OR, she realizes how much she isn't in it for the food. fuck a Michelin star: she wants to cook with her family. chef terry says at the end of "forever", in the garage with carmy, that she's so grateful she got to do whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted, where she wanted, with the people she wanted to do it with. sydney is so close to having those things at the bear——but carmy's dysfunction is keeping it just out of arms reach. the two of them are now on opposite sides of the approach from last season: syd dying for a star, and carmy dying to cook for the woman he loved. now, carmy is hungy for recognition again, desperate to prove something, and sydney is remembering (thanks to the conversation with other chefs during the ever funeral service) why she loved cooking in the first place. so this leaves us to wonder: should she stick it out? for the people? or make something of herself? is she carmy, or is she terry? i guess we will just have to see.

all this to say: every character is connected. the bear is a show about family, found and blood, and the choices we make for, with, and because of the people we love, for better or for worse. food is only the center of it, because it's the center of all of our lives. you can't hate claire without understanding where she sits in the web of the berzatto family. and really, you can't hate her if you understand what her presence means for carmy, for syd, and the restaurant as a whole.

[lesbianjobutupaki]

Art practice by trying some other artist's styles that I'm a huge fan of!

From Top Left to Bottom Right:

@ghostishere0 - the original reason I started this doodle, as I wanted to draw a "shepherd lovers squad" and their OC (who I don't know the name of F) was the perfect fit for it.

@luminesparkz - the best interpretation of Pom pikmin. If I were Mr. Nitendo, I would make them the official comic creator along with the manga comics.

@marblyso - If I was a little more unhinged and made a shrine to Erma Shepherd, it would be mostly marblyso's art of her, it's my absolute favorite Erma depiction <3

@rexscanonwife - another OC that I don't know the name of, but she makes such a cute pair with Shepherd and has such cute art that why not, let Shepherd have multiple canon wives at this point.

@citruscrisp - I think this is secretly Alph in an alternate universe where he makes comics about himself, because citrus has Alph's character SPOT ON, and also loves to put that boy in a situation (which I am happy for, I enjoy seeing that boy in a situation)

@daisythecomic - oooaaaaaaaaaa they look like little mice people they look so soft and sweet I love them so muuuuuuuuuccchhhhhhhhh

@louie-posting - I can't not include actual Louie Pikmin on this list.

@kiwilittle - the soft, the sweet, the one who makes the best family style art, really making me wish I was an inch tall so I could go to holidays with the olimar family, also their wife design is so cute that if Olimar didn't already get it I would shoot my shot for her m a a m

@pikbugz - really nails the soft aesthetic that makes pikmin such a calming series, and their coloring style is so soft and good that it gives me the ratatouille nostalgia flashback moment.

@splitster - more than just the wraith au guy, they are the one who makes incredible and funny comics; I've seen so many fics with the rescue corps where I can pick up that yes, this trait came from a splitster comic, and that's a GOOD thing. Made me actually LIKE Dingo, the nerve.

@diesaur - I can't do diesaur's incredible, unique art justice, they are amazing at using geometrics and have the best charlie (his little teefs...)

@solluxander - Cars, one of my favorite pikmin Ocs I've ever seen! Collin deserves a slightly unhinged sentient fluffball boyfriend, and I always love seeing the new ways Cars will interact with him.

@sillypikmin - all hail the best pikposter, who I'm still convinced is an actual leafling living on actual pnf-404, literally every time I have a bad day I look at drawings of Moss and feel better.

@eggpathy - thank goodness they came back to give us old man yaoi. I keep their drawing of olimar kissing the pikmin good night on my phone and look at it before I go to sleep and so far I have yet to have a single nightmare.

@the-knife-consumer - the only person I trust with Louittany, toxic yuri my beloved, I just adore their beasty brittany design so so much, I wish I could have a small brittany to live in my house...

anyway they have the best headcanons for our beloved blorbo hamster people

@natibranch - there's a voice line of Louie going "wa-ha!" in this really cute sing-song voice and every time I see any art by natibranch I hear that sound in my head as a little burst of serotonin, they just nail that exact feeling so so well.

@pikked-min - Another of my favorite Pikmin OCs, Yuva! A really interesting and unique character concept with a lot of thought put into the worldbuilding, followed by a strong unusual personality that had me looking at the pikmin world through a new perspective entirely. Please, someone, give them some sunglasses. Read the fic it's so good

@ssserf - artistic and deep while still somehow looking like official nintendo tm art, genuinely the best at the pikmin proportions, how could I resist trying my hand at the classic amazing beautiful Brittany Fruit Sweater moment, literally SO iconic

@kashi-pon - while I was working on the part of this that was just kashi's various highlife dresses there was a part of me that wanted to dedicate the rest of the space to paying homage to the joke comic of Louie lifting his skirt to show Olimar that he's wearing shorts, except this dress....well......

@diamondwerewolf - the reason we got louie in a little bunny outfit anyway, and thus why we got kashi's dress version. you single-handedly turned Louie into a tumblr sexyman, how could you

[violetganache42]

Here are my highlights from the Valentine's Day watch party, all in chronological order and categorized this time around:

"Mr. Duck Steps Out":

Just everyone's reactions to Daisy's voice when she made her debut

"Till Nephews Do Us Part":

The thirst counts for Missy and Mina overloading

The return of Bohemian Quacksody

Scrooge having paintings and a statue of Goldie EVERYWHERE (He is a fucking SIMP)

Corporate Cupcake, Money Muffins, Sweet Stocks …You know what? Just the pet names in general.

"KILL HER, BEAKLEY! GET HER ASS!"

WriteBackAtYa: "Spaceballs Ass Luggage"

Us when Millionara falls in the river:

Jamie: "PULL THE LEVER KRONK" Me: "WRONG LEVERRRRR" Tokuvivor: "Why do we even have that lever?!"

Magica cameo?!

And a Sixpence in Your Shoes

Goldie Shotgun!

"Fungus Amongus":

Godfrey and I sharing the same brain

Melody: "WHY ARE YOU BUYING CLOTHES AT THE DUCK SOUP STORE?!" Me: "FUCK YOU!"

Everyone going crazy over Morgana

hueberryshortcake: "Save me Scrooge McDuck" Me: "Scrooge McDuck" Godfrey: "Scrooge McDuck save me"

"Prissy is pissy"

DW not denying the girlfriend part

A sax play in the BG whenever Morgana is onscreen, just like Rouge in Sonic X

"NOOOO, NOT LAUNCHPAD!"

"The Golden Lagoon of White Agony Plains!":

RAID THE BUFFET!

Us going FERAL over Goldie

puffywuffy8904: "MY EX WIFE STILL MISSES ME" Me: "BUT HER AIM IS GETTIN' BETTER"

Let the lady lead

Jamie mentioning the "between the legs" joke from Life and Times (No filter, Don Rosa. lol)

THE FUCKING ELEVATOR JOKE

Bisexual waterfalls

Rexx shouting at Missy via an audio message

Foghorn Leghorn

"You loved gold more than you loved me."/"And that's why you loved me."

Jamie's storyboard project

Discord buffering during the FUCKING TANGO SCENE

"The Adorable Couple":

Me: "Piss on the moon, you cloud!" Godfrey: "YESSS PISS ON LUNARIS"

Rainbow connections

"The Duck Who Knew Too Much":

Us @ Fenton, M'ma, and Gandra's OG versions:

GONDRA

Learning OG Fenton was voiced by Hamilton Camp, thus bringing DT17 Fenton being voiced by Lin-Manuel Miranda full circle

Oppenheimer mention (Stop stealing from the ducks, Nolan!)

Goid

Missy: "cant believe they whitewashed daffy guys"

"SCROOGE, YOU DUMBASS"

Brunette Fenton

QUACKERJACK MENTION???

This whole fucking episode being worthy of the DT17 adaptation fic treatment *cough* Jamie *cough*

"Ghoul of My Dreams":

DRAKEPAD KISS

Archie being a hater

"WHERE IS GOSALYN?"

Jealous Launchpad

DEEEAM WORLD

Morgana needing better lipstick because of how fast it disappears in between scenes

WriteBackAtYa having so many jokes in his head about… goofy ass noises

"And now, with the city asleep, I can FINALLY STEAL ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY OFF MY STUDENT LOANS!"

Lottie pointing out how Archie looked like—

Me: "Goldie Shotgun sequel when?"

puffywuffy8904: "HOW IS THIS MF SLEEPIN IN THE DREAM WORLD" Us: "*Louie voice* I just am."

"The Dangerous Chemistry of Gandra Dee!":

DOOFENSHMIRTZ

puffywuffy8904: "Webby we need to get Fenton rizzed up"/"Please never say that again"

POWERPUFF GIRLS NARRATOR

Fenton's little growl

*seeing Fenton's hand-me-down suit from his dad* Goofy?

Prego

"YOU WILL RUE THE DAY!"

Gandra obliterating the wrong twink

"What kind of monster doesn't like glazed donuts?"

"Do you feel that spark?" ⚡️ZAP⚡️

The Beaks dab

"What? No signal? Boo!"

"TWO BAD THINGS COULD HAPPEN!"

"I've got your kids! Maybe. I'm not sure how this family works."

ANCHOR ARMS

Coach Dad

🎶IT'S A DAAATE🎶

"Two Can't Play":

Mullet Donald

AIRHORNS

"THEY'RE IN FUCKING TRON"

"A DuckTales Valentine":

DT87's love for mentioning Fort Knox for some reason

puffywuffy8904: *mentions the "DuckTales Apology Video" ranking* Me: "*Miles voice* I made a mistake."

Webby on Scrooge's desk like: She likes to be tall.

Me: "GOLDIE SHOTGUN THREEQUEL WHEN?!"

US IN UTTER DISMAY UPON SEEING WEBBY CRYING 😭😭😭

Sunglasses swag

GOLD FEVER REAL

"A swift kick in the ribs!"/"A what?"/"Aagh!"/"Aah! My ribs!"

Webby running up to Scrooge and hugging him! 💖

"Aww, he does love his family!"

"My Valentine Ghoul":

Gosalyn FINALLY appearing in today's watch party!

Negaduck appearance!

puffywuffy8904: "he's just darkwing after some cigarettes"

"TIME TO GO A COURTIN'"

Missy getting double whammied with emotes of Prissy and Scrooge getting sprayed with water

(Screenshot edit by @tealottie)

Missy's thirst levels reaching CRITICAL MASS

Quackrinomicon being voiced by KING CANDY

Archie still being a fucking hater

"Keen gear!"

Godfrey and I still being on the same wavelength

NEGMEISTER

THE GIRLS ARE FIGHTINGGGG

Rexx reviving the Missy thirsy count

Missy: "I NEED HIM JESUS" WriteBackAtYa: "No, you just need Jesus"

RED FLAGS! 🚩🚩🚩

"New Gods on the Block!":

Della using party cannons like Pinkie Pie

Scrooge's transition from wallowing to anger and his tail shake

"Why don't you turn into a swan and FUCK OFF?!"

THE FRAMES

"IT CONSUMES ME!"

"What are your intentions with my Donald?"

Megamind (literally) Huey

Pig couple: DESTROYED

Chris Diamantopoulos having the ✨RANGE✨

Greek God Groupchat

Webby being utterly TERRIFYING with god powers

Dewey having the best handling of his god powers through sick dance moves

"My Don-Don"

"You killed my boyfriend!"/"Boyfriend? Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!"

The immediate failure parallels

Just how much Della has improved as a mother

AND THEN ALONG CAME ZEUS

[astro-duck]

The finale of DuckTales is deeply flawed

I don’t know if I’m alone in thinking this, but I’ve always wanted to explain this to someone.

It’s not all bad. It’s actually an enjoyable watch, it’s fun and charming like most episodes are. The animation is incredible, even more so then it usually is, there’s lots of great moments that are really beautiful. I also enjoy a fair few of the plot moments, the one that stands out most to me is Scrooge immediately surrendering to Bradford the second he threatens to kill Donald, saying “it’s not worth the risk.” Really, all of Bradford’s eventual surrender to petty villainy is well done.

I will likely end up making a post talking more in-depth about why the finale is great, but that is not this post. This post is strictly about the flaws in the plot of the finale.

A few important notes:

I am not a genius media critic, I’m an asshole on Tumblr. This is entirely my opinion and if you love this episode/this one is your favorite I am genuinely happy for you. I understand that it can suck to have someone criticize your favorite piece of media, and if you don’t want to hear this then I don’t want you to hear it either. (/gen)

I, as a person, am very resistant to change. I find it difficult to cope with extreme changes to form in the media I love. I tried to look at this from a non-biased perspective, and I think I did a good enough job, but I’m sure my personal bias slipped through the cracks very frequently.

The very final episode made me cry, despite all this. I cried because the end credits were so sweet and I cried because it was over. I was watching the end credits and I cried. So, that’s something.

I will refer to the three part finale as “The episode” throughout, because this is the easiest way for me to understand it. I will specify if I am talking about a specific part, but for the most time it is just “This Episode” or “The finale”

Actual Episode Criticism:

I think May and June were a terrible idea. I think that the reveal that Webby is a F.O.W.L clone of Scrooge was also a terrible idea. I think the episode has too many plot twists and characters thrown in and it means hardly anything truly meaningful happens.

I believe that May and June were a harmful addition to the finale and the overall canon of the show. Strictly speaking from a finale perspective, they are completely new characters who take up a large portion of the finale of a show, especially in the first part. The episode should not have centered around new characters, but instead been a grand final adventure with the existing characters all having their moments, but especially showcasing the McDucks.

They divert so much of the time of the episode away from other characters that nobody else really gets to shine. Huey, Dewey and Louie sort of get replaced by Webby, May and June. They feel like the new triplets because it’s literally Webby and two clones of her. However, instead of being three distinct personalities, they’re all just literally clones of Webby, personality and all. I have nothing against Webby, but I don’t think having three of her running around taking up 60% of screen time in the finale was good.

The “Webby is a Scrooge Clone” thing is dumb as hell. Especially because Webby calls Scrooge “Dad” at the end of the end of the episode. I’ll get in to this more in a second, but it sort of shits on the message that family isn’t blood. I don’t think Webby needs to see Scrooge as a father. It also doesn’t make sense that they made her a girl, even though trans Scrooge/Webby is a good thought, it’s not canonical.

This is also another twist that they shouldn’t have thrown in last second, because it’s such a large idea to flesh-out. I’m glad they kept it for the finale though, strictly because I would not have enjoyed the arc of Scrooge and Webby being Father/Daughter. Especially because it doesn’t make sense, like if May and June are “sisters” to Webby and they’re clones of her, wouldn’t Scrooge be more like a brother? At least save Webby calling him “Uncle Scrooge” for this grand moment at the end, if you’re going to go to this terrible twist.

These two plots shit directly on the face of whatever message the show was saying up to that point, that “Family is just the people who love you.” Because when May and June show up, Webby immediately begins calling them her sisters because they have the same blood as her. She goes directly against the wishes of the people who, up to that point, were her actual family. Just for two girls who are F.O.W.L spies and who she doesn’t know.

Webby being genetically identical to Scrooge also flies in the face of this a little, because it makes it so that the Papyrus appearing to her, and Webby and Scrooge being family, arguable as being because they are genetically related. This is not the point the show is trying to make, but it still is an argument to be made. Why do they have to be biologically related at all? Why can’t they just be family?

Especially because this show had, for a while, done such a good job portraying non-standard family dynamics. An uncle raising his sister’s kids? A grandmother raising her (adopted) granddaughter? Both in non-standard environments? We don’t often see things like this casually portrayed. But with the return of Della and the Dad-ification of Scrooge it almost feels like they’re saying families aren’t complete without a mom or a dad. Even though they aren’t saying that, it’s still there.

Gosh this post is getting long. Last thing, nobody gets any screen time. So many characters are in this episode, and they had 60 minutes to use them all, but so much of it was dedicated to Webby, May and June that it’s nearly impossible for anybody else to get a complete arc. Webby and Huey are separated from the rest of the McDucks for a while, which would be fine except they don’t even really get a proper reunion. Webby doesn’t get one at all, and Huey gets a quick “I’m so happy to see you, I used your book to find you.” Before they are immediately captured again. Most of the cast actually spends a large portion of the part just before the climax in cells, not being a part of the action.

I mean, Gyro has a few references yo feeling like he’s “losing his touch” before it’s never a big deal again. Della is mad that Donald is leaving but they don’t ever talk about it and then Della just decides it’s okay. Donald never interacts with May and June before deciding to take them on his boat with Daisy. B.O.Y.D, Goaslyn, Violet and Lena don’t really do anything at all, except for B.O.Y.D and Lena having some plot point that no one else really would have been able to do (Reprogramming the Gizmoduck armor and making the ship invisible.) I think that the addition of these characters feels forced, when they should have been a natural addition to a grand adventure finale.

Overall:

May and June are unnecessary and hinder the other characters relationships and I don’t think Webby should be genetically related to Scrooge because then it feels less like “Found Family”. I think nobody gets enough screen time except Webby and her clones, but I don’t think they should have been the focus of the episode.

I’m sorry this post was so long, remember that I don’t hate watching this episode. I just think that the finale of my favorite cartoon should have been handled better.

[rimarkka]

'Father' Donald

Sometimes the triplets accidentally address Donald as "Dad". This happens unconsciously, they even do not always notice it.

Donald really tried to be clear on this point and taught them to call him "Uncle Donald". As much as he loves boys and considers them his own, he also respects his sister. But the kids are just kids. Yeah.

When Della witnessed the accident, she definitely called Donald a traitor.

"I’ve only been gone 10 years, and you think you can steal my kids?!"

It’s funny, until we think about how all of them might feel. Especially Della. Damn, she’s really not a bad mother because she knows she screwed up. But she’d be hurt.

"They don’t say «mom» as easily and well" (grumbling)

"You just need more time. I’ve been with boys for over 10 years. You gave me a good head start"

"Pfft"

And the icing on the cake is that Louie would avoid addressing his mother as a «mother» in every possible way, using this word in extreme cases. And he also calls Donald «Dad» more often than his brothers.

My treasure my soft sweet little pie 🤲🤲 

U know, Louie is a very sensitive child with this worn image "family is only needed to take a coin from each I am an evil triple haha". He’s not used to it, he wants so badly to hide in his hoodie from all this chaotic change.

"You just need time, Dumbella"

[godfrey-the-chaos-duck]

Well, @violetganache42 has honoured me with the task of doing the Duckblr Movie Night (gay night) Highlights Post this week! Never done it before so I may fuck this up severely.

Main awesome things

The ROASTS. They were utterly magnificent. We did NOT HOLD BACK (especially when it came to Pete, who can just go and yeet himself to the sun)

Parallels being drawn from The Impossible Summit Of Mount Neverrest and The Last Crash Of The Sunchaser

All of us saluting GAY NIGHT 🫡🏳️‍🌈

BUNNY ROCK!

Scrooge still hasn't learned that putting kids in danger is a Bad Thing

"Nobody cons my family but me!" ~ Louie Duck

SLEDDING

Donald getting his ass kicked at hockey

Lots and LOTS of DuckTales reference jokes in the chat and honestly I loved every one of them

Me getting to tell people that Duckworth is an actual real life surname people have

Discussing Scranta and its many many merits

Again, HATING ON THAT BASTARD PETE

Goofy and Max being both sweet and very sad

"DON'T TRADE THE HARMONICA MICKEY WTF"

And of course Jamie's art of everyone's favourite sharpie

Anyone else has anything they wanna add PLEASE DO

This was so fun, I can't wait for next week!

[cottagedreamy]

I am bored, so let me make a list about my favorite random things about Quack Pack (or small things that i notice and i found interesting that i remember at the moment):

The triplets see Donald not only as an uncle, but as a full literal father for them. This is explicit in the 3rd episode, where they go to a medieval kingdom and in their analogy, if Donald (their uncle) is a king, that would make them princes! But well, you know that the lineage of the royal crown is passed from father to son, so as much as we know as viewers that Donald is a father figure to them, it's great to see this being reinforced by the triplets theirselves :) Another occasion, is that they don't seem bothered when Donald introduces himself for the others as their father (made very clear in episode 31)

Huey has PTSD and Black Cat phobia (and cat allergy as well)

The boys took a lot more habits from Daisy than from Donald, like the facial expressions, the skincare routine and filing the nails (those last two is shown by Huey), and this proves that Daisy is very present in their lives :)

As mentioned by Daisy, they can't have a normal travel without someone ending on the jail

Louie is coded neurodivergent!

I really like how Dewey's Middle Kid Syndrome is written in QP. Yeah, i know it's something showed in all the duckverse versions of Dewey, but i love how QP introduces this. Dewey loves his brothers, but sometimes he feels suffocated and his own space is being invaded, but his brothers don't do that on purpose and he knows it, so while he fights the urge to open up to them (something he can't do well), he also doesn't want to make them upset. He thought that his desire to want his own space is to want to be alone, but then he realizes that he doesn't like being alone, but that he just need a moment alone sometimes. And so, Dewey's lack of communication about this issue ends up making his brothers mistake that he's stressed, and they try to cheer him up and show support (in a hyperprotective way) that ends up leaving him more suffocated. And then when Dewey finally speaks out and walks away, it makes Huey and Louie realize that they never had a personal space, because their personality during their childhood was based on the fact that they were triplets, that they complemented each other, that they had to share things, and that meant they didn't have their own personal space. Huey and Louie get into an argument about each other's bad attitudes that might have upset Dewey, but then they realize that some of the other's habits actually really bother each other. I love how they end up resolving this issue, and how their relationship improves from there on through the episodes.

Dewey has sweet tooth!

Many QP episodes makes a lot of references to others disney tv shows and rock music hits in 90's (Dewey, Louie and Huey are into rock!)

Louie is an environmental activist and opposes trafficking and wild animals

Louie is a multi-instrumentalist! He is shown to know how to play drums, harmonica and violin.

Dewey has a strong artistic connection. He writes texts, poems and paintings!

Dewey is also the "teatral kid"

Dewey is shown to be interested in physics, aliens and halloween.

Apparently, one of Dewey's hobbies is building and inventing things! This is shown in some episodes.

Although the triplets don't work directly for Kent Powers, they often help Daisy and Donald with work, like doing the recordings and giving them script ideas (and it's funny, because Kent himself forgets about it and thinks they are his employees)

This is shown MANY times during the show. The triplets have their own code language. They use a specific word to represent an idea that must be executed like "haircut", "special treatment" (and others that i can't remember right now)

Huey is the only one of the triplets who knows how to drive (implying they are around 16 years old)

Huey have trouble at sleeping, and have a tendency to have nightmares

If you watched Quack Pack, you may have noticed that Louie started to guard his thoughts more after being constantly scolded by Huey, and became more audacious and rebellious episodes later

Louie has trouble understanding sarcasm and identifying danger. It's also notable that he doesn't understand some common social situations.

Huey is quite superstitious, especially because he defends the idea that nothing happens by chance and that everything has a purpose, and that the universe always seems to conspire in his favor

Dewey's full name in Quack Pack is Deuteronomy

As much as Huey, Dewey and Louie are the triplets nicknames, they nickname their own nicknames LOL some exemples are Hueson, Dewman/Dewis and Lou-Lou

In Episode 11, Dewey admits he likes the idea of ​​being a woman.

I think it's cute that despite Huey's gruff personality, he is constantly worried about the well-being of his family, like disapproving of the amount of candy Dewey eats and worring if he doesn't feeling well, or when Louie gets into trouble (Huey always gets desperate because he knows Louie's tendency to be in danger) and when Donald ends up being the victim of scams (which makes him furious with whoever is messing with his uncle)

As stated by Louie, Huey has a "trying to take over the world mood"

I love Daisy's dynamic with the triplets. She is always encouraging them, protecting them, worrying and listening to them. This makes her a true mother figure for them, and I am happy to see that they reciprocate that affection and respect for her.

Louie and Dewey communicate by looking constantly

Huey is extremely sarcastic

Dewey is into photography!

[zagreuses-toast]

My Angua Playlist! I Didn't like Angua much at first but she won me over, and now she's enough my fave to have earned a playlist. my beautiful girl with a disorder, theres so much complex stuff going on with her relationship to herself, her family, carrot, the watch. i love revolving it all in my head. Theres some intentional overlap with Vimes's . Explanations under the read more as usual

Angua is a cynical pessimist, she's so sure she's going to be abandoned, that she'll slip back into her old bad ways, that she'll be attacked for what she is and have to run again. she always has one foot out of the door:

Fast Car by Tracy Chapman

Haunted House by Sir Babygirl (this one especially nails the "everything is doomed i just dont want it to hurt too much" vibes of early Angua)

In the Blood from Hades

Nothing Good from Centaurworld

Lets Get This Over With by TMBG

Evelyn by Kim Tillman

Run Boy Run by Woodkid

Too Much Time by John Vanderslice

the Angua and Carrot vibes. sweet in many ways but they also have a doomed romance (as in, doomed to be in a romance) thing going on thats bonkers and very fun to rotate in my mind, especially when its in tension with angua's instincts to run:

Little Talks by Of Monsters and Men

Between My Teeth by Orla Garland

Stray Italian Greyhound by Vienna Tang

I Scare Myself by Thomas Dolby

The Bright Side by TMBG

Absentee by Jack Campbell

I like You for Psychological Reasons by TMBG (genuinely thee carrot/angua theme song in my mind)

The Dog Days Are Over by Florence + The Machine (yes this is dog themed no it doesnt go in the dog themes section, the horses are carrot and finding a home in the watch)

Tounges and Teeth by The Crane Wives

Landslide by Fleetwood Mac

Sight of the Sun by .fun ("I used to run at first sight of the sun but now I lay here waiting for you to wake up")

King and Lionheart by of Monsters and Men

Despite being a pessimist, despite having been a killer, despite her family wanting her to go back to being that, and strangers still seeing her as a monster, shes better. she's trying:

Get Better by Frank Turner

Getting There by Mustard Service

Its My Way by Buffy Sainte Marie (gritting my teeth on this one, buffy was recently exposed as a horrific liar and a fraud who faked being native, but also unfortunatley this song still fits angua very well and i still like it)

Changes by David bowie

Arsonist's Lullaby by Hozier

I'm Me by Vanessa from Phineas and Ferb (LISTEN, HEAR ME OUT, it's a little silly but so is angua sometimes)

This Year by The Mountain Goats

sorry for stereotyping you Angua but here's the werewolf/dog/monster songs, :

Maneater by Hall & Oates

Control by Halsey

Senses Working Overtime by XTC

Hey Bulldog by The Beatles

Werewolves of London by Warren Zevon

Freakshow by The Gothic Archies (specifically vibes with her being undead, and all the stuff people think about that in universe)

Turn The Lights Off by Tally Hall

I wanna Be Your Dog by AJJ

misc:

Music With Rocks In by Louie Zong

Synopsis for the Latecomers by TMBG (city watch vibes, i always imagined she's the next commander rather than carrot)

[immoralimmortals]

A Song With Ten Names

Chapter 14: Community Gardens

Chapter 1 ☆ Next chapter

Summary of chapter: Roses are notorious for being difficult to care for when newly planted, needing nearly immaculate attention. One wrong move and it's all over. Takara's thorns are untrimmed, and gardeners' hands may be left bleeding. Will more wary fingers make for better blossoms, or will it simply quicken her (or their) demise?

Author's Note: The song for this chapter is Community Gardens by the scary jokes and Louie Zong. A short and sweet chapter to lead into more ideas I have for the zombie combo and the elemental pair (Itachi and Kisame, fire and water).

Do you remember that line in the Mitski song Nobody that's like…Venus, the planet of love, was destroyed by global warming because its people wanted too much? I think about that a lot. The otherwise abrupt tonal shift in the song lyrics I chose is how I interpret that bit.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Full disclosure, I am a monster

A creature of despair, not that that should be a cause for concern

If there's one thing I've learned in all my years here

It's that despair is less abundant in those who understand

How to plant their hearts in community gardens

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

It's a wonderful summer day. The sky is blue behind the backdrop of tall, tall trees. A bird the same color sits upon a block of wood hung up by rope, unable to make the swing work as intended with its small weight but still enjoying it all the same. The roses of the haunted mansion's garden are in full bloom; no attempt has been made yet to trim down their thorns. A shimmer of green passes between two sets of eyes, a dragonfly unable to make either Akatsuki flinch from their staring contest.

“Itachi,” Hidan coos, drawing out the last syllable like casting fishing wire with bait. Such tone is only on his tongue when he is trying to get something he wants, and the man he speaks to has that clocked. “Is it really that important? Can’t I just go in?”

The raven shakes his head, despite how helpfully Hidan gestures in a shoving motion, demonstrating the direction in which he should move his ass. She’s in a sensitive state, surely, to have not run out to greet them as she attempted before. Takara is to arrive on her own volition, he decided on the spot, rather than the zombies go in for a game of hide and seek. But he had already explained this to Hidan.

At the front door.

And then he tried to get in through the back.

There is no point in repeating himself.

The shirtless man makes a sound halfway between a hum and a growl. The scent of these damn flowers outside is starting to get unbearable, giving him a headache. “What’s the big deal? What, are ya hiding her?”

No budge. This is getting a bit fucking silly. Hidan swallows. Why is he nervous when his lord has done as promised, prevented her death until his reurn? It’s that much like the traveler, he’s had the problem of being excited first and having possibilities of the bad hit later. Such a self-confident man has no use for second guesses, though, and so he is simply left antsy and frustrated with these worthless feelings. One silver brow raises. Whats more, what the hell does the Uchiha think he’s doing?! Blood so easily boiled begins to simmer, and Hidan makes an accusation:

“Is she even here?!”

Itachi’s black eyes shift ever so slightly. “She is.”

“Eh? What are ya loo—” The reaper’s chin goes over his shoulder to follow the Uchiha's gaze only to choke on his own words. She is one of the only people that can make him speechless. However, his first comment is about who is escorting her down the aisle, since he’s what's unexpected:

“Tobi, you little—" he stammers in annoyance, "What the fuck are you doing here?!”

Unlike himself, the swirled man does not answer, and though the reaper groans, it also gives Hidan’s brain time to refocus. His eyes trail from a gloved hand to an ungloved one, trailing up the arm, to the dress strap on her shoulder, to her face. Ah, yes. There she is, frail and eyes red. Radiant, holy, much like when she was ready for his blades. Like a bride is presented to the groom, has been bestowed before him, emerging the veil of leaves in her pure white gown, long-wild roses framing her entrance. Doesn't matter that her hair has been caught and pulled in disaray by brambles, that scuffs of dirt powder her knees. All the same, all the same, Hidan recognizes her. The lamb's bottom lip quivers.

She’s crazy for wanting to see him again, right? All of a sudden the stranger remembers their introduction more sharply: the death, the yelling, the proselytizing to get her to murder in cold blood. Is this a mistake? It's too late to back out now.

She stares at him.

...

...

He stares at her. Why is she looking at him like that? His brow furrows while her expression remains fixed, unblinking eyes still stinging.

...

...

The girl that was named Takara is a fool, cursed with the wisdom of his care behind doors of a blood-drenched temple. He never hurt her, not once, not ever, and he never made her kill again, no matter how much he wanted her to. A beast he may be of many sins, but harming her is not one of them. Taking care of her when she had no one else has staked his claim as war-torn guardian angel. She mutters his name to remember the taste, just in case, to be sure if it remains sweet or bitter on the back of her tongue, and she feels with his two syllables butterflies in her chest. They flutter out her mouth and straight into his heart. Her voice is even prettier than he remembered.

All of her is.

Tobi lets her go so the prophet and disciple may run to each other at once. Despite it being mutual, the cool and savage Hidan must feign surprise as she dares to hug first. Her face goes right in his bare chest; it feels like it always belonged there. The woman admits something unbelievable:

“I missed you.”

She did, huh? No, of course she did. He was her first: her first Akatsuki savior, her first real friend. Hidan has a long several days to think over how to skirt a thin line; he must seem like it doesn’t affect him so much, and yet not be too uninterested. He is not a pathetic man, not one that should buckle down just because he’s getting emotional, but now that the reunion is really happening, it’s so easy to be dragged down to her level. His anchor, she is, pulling him further and further into the depths of humanity. Oh Jashin, why did you task him with such a fragile little thing? You know that’s not what he’s good at! He “tsk”s in her ear, putting one hand on her back.

“Fuckin’ sentimental,” he murmurs, so grateful to have what he curses out loud. His eyes raise, meeting black ones in the corner. “What’re you staring at?” he challenges levelly. Itachi does not answer. Hidan swears in the back of his mouth.

Then he feels a pressure upon his back and sides.

“Tobi, get the fuck off of me RIGHT NOW, you little shit! Can’t you see we’re having a moment, here?!” The actor couldn’t help himself, going in to make it a group hug and diffuse a wee bit of anything too good. The orange mask whines like the baby he is, something about how he missed the priest too, doesn’t that matter?!

Goddammit.

This is going to be a long...however the hell long this is to be together, in this place. Tobi’s just the pissy bonus on a shit cake. Kisame being a self-righteous fuck who thinks he knows better...Itachi being a bossy prick...and even fucking Kakuzu…

He still hasn’t said a word since the meeting to Kakuzu. It may just stay that way.

But...but… His skin dries her tears. The symbol he prays to is now pressed between them, unifying them. She hasn’t let go. Part of him is assuaged that she really did have enough sense to want him back, after all.

It’s not like he doesn’t deserve her want or anything, though, he convinces himself.

Despite his own aching soul, what he will admit to, she will be worth the trouble. Whether it’s just them in the room or everyone alive in the fuckin’ place, it does not matter. She is here. She is here with him. He presses her into him just a bit tighter, tilting his chin down to nest in her hair. It’s still too damn soft.

“...Missed you too,” he mumbles, just for her dumb sake, just glad his prayers to Jashin for her safety were heard.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

You'll be fine, you honeycomb

Who could ever hurt you? Who could be so cold?

You'll be fine, oh, honey pie

Who could ever hurt you? Who could be so unkind?

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

“Didn’t this place use to be...shittier?”

“Mm?” she turns around with the next step, the arch of the kitchen entrance by her side as they enter what used to simply be an abandoned hideout for the Akatsuki. He almost looks uncomfortable, the way Hidan’s eyes slide over the seamless ceiling, the dripless sink. The host has to mentally walk herself back to the times of prayer and nighttime gigs. “Oh. Yeah, it was. Kisame and Itachi have been helping me fix it up, since we gotta live here.”

“...Were we not livin’ here before?”

Oh. The juggling act begins so soon. The performer glances to the other that took her home, to whom she confessed her troubles to. “Uhh…” Tobi just shrugs. It’s with his whole body, shoulders and arms and hands included, but it’s still just a fucking shrug. No advice he can give for this one.

This is awkward. Shit.

In the woman’s silence, Hidan’s gaze goes over to the one man she named that’s present here. To her, Itachi is as chill as can be. To Hidan…to Hidan...—

She’s not sure, and she doesn’t want an opportunity to learn what negative trait Hidan could have assigned to his neutral expression. An explanation interrupts: “For longer term, I mean.”

...

The shirtless man now shrugs, too.

“Didn’t really need it, but if you want all the bells and whistles and frills, who am I to stop ya?” His shoulders lower, his lips pursing boredly. “Seems like ya to do that. Frilly shit.” But abruptly his eyes light up— and not necessarily in a good way. “Wait, you didn’t touch my room, did you?!”

As soon as she can answer, uh, no, at least she hasn’t, but maybe Kisame— Hidan is off, hopping over the stair rail to go upstairs as quickly and directly as possible. The traveler takes half a step to join him, hand to her chest, but then stops and sighs. There’s another to attend to, that she shouldn’t leave waiting any longer. Silently, her eyes meet black ones. Itachi nods, and it is understood. While one Uchiha will ensure Hidan won’t destroy any remodeling, it’s up to another to escort her to the final man.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The culmination of man's mistakes came the day

The sun ran so hot, it turned the desert to glass

If there's something to be learned from all these losers

It's that the price that you pay

For arrogance and a false sense of immunity

Is to face the wrath of a dying star

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Almost like it’s a gut instinct, the traveler wanders to the front door. The entrance is open, but the two tallest guys she’s met are at the threshold, barring entry and exit alike. Kakuzu is arguing- as reasonably as he can— with Kisame.

“I can...understand your hesitation,” he draws out, deep and careful as such a precarious bargain requires. “But it’s been long enough to wait for her. She’s not coming down.”

Cloakless, muscled arms are folded and their shoulders tense. The shark is trying just as hard to meet in the middle, but an attachment both hold— ironically what this is about— is causing an uncrossible barrier. The treaty is wavering, and it hardly even started. It’s a difficult balance that both Akatsuki have artificial sympathy for another, for her sake, as Kisame needs to temper down after Takara’s explanation, and Kakuzu now has to reprove he is safe enough for her to be around.

Just for her sake, they’re trying. God they’re trying. But it still isn’t good.

“We’ll hang out here, then.” Yeah, Itachi’s idea for her to come at her own pace is mostly because of that other one, but...the one that bruised her may initiate alarm as well, even if she so earnestly pushed it aside. He second guesses himself again, as he did with her upon his bed. Him? Kakuzu really cared about someone? Anyone?!

Sizzling annoyance and anger is under Kakuzu’s skin and stewing in the back of his throat, and the fact it is still there instead of expressed outward in his fists is proof. Yes, he does care. So he must have patience. Patience.

And finally, patience is rewarded.

Kakuzu freezes as soon as he sees her, tilting her head to appear from behind Kisame’s large, protective figure. She smiles. So softly, she smiles. The bounty hunter must keep his gaze unmoved, lest he emote in such a way it could alarm the delicate creature. To Kisame he succeeds, but her this is the kindest he’s ever looked back, and so he fails the task utterly.

And what does he feel, those eyes widening? Is he afraid, she wonders? Afraid again like as he clenched her shoulder?

And of her to him...does she hate him? Is that pain on her face, he asks? She looks like she’s been crying. Is that why she hesitated to come down? For a calculated man, his thoughts rush so much faster than hers. Are those tears for him? Does she fear him after what he did? He wouldn’t blame her. Not at all.

Kisame and Tobi wait, one with worry staring down to where she hides behind his arm, and the other with distant interest like that of a scientist. What will they do?

But she does not fear him. Not even after how it was supposed to end, in tragedy. Kakuzu gave her a name, and though she does not know its meaning, it is still a treasure grander than any wealth that glitters like gold. His hopes for her from their beginning shine through. She will succeed, always succeed and never be without, not again in the state she was found. But he never wished for her success to be wrapping him around her finger, for her to never be without the steel hunter’s best intentions...yet here they are.

"Hi," she says.

God damn you, girl, for falling into his lap not once but twice to look up at him with those starry eyes.

Kakuzu dares not move even as she does, as the queen steps around her blue shield and approaches. Her regality astounds him, something he never noticed until it was gone. The smoothness of every motion, from the way she hoods her eyes to the way her chin keeps so level even as she walks; it is all so precise, so accidentally commanding with how simultaneously demure and unconfident it seems. It impresses him. Perhaps, unconsciously after all those nights of observing her talents, it always has.

The guard, in turn, watches with caution as his ward raises her arms around the dragon that once captured her like she was a hoard of riches, holds him with all she has in her poor forgiving soul with a love better reserved for saints than sinners as he.

Just as Hidan did a month ago, Kakuzu’s hand raises, bends fingers that don’t know what to do. She trusts him. Why does she trust him?

Palm goes flat.

It lands on top of her head as lightly as humanly possible, perhaps even lighter.

The fool has forgiven him, the treasurer must accept. How terrible. How terrible for them both. It’s a shame Kakuzu has nothing to pray to, as that would mean he could be absolved of his harm. But at least she has been kept alive. At least, at least. No matter how conflicted he is— why should he care? He meant to leave her be in the end, after all-— Kakuzu still has a gratitude in how blind fate ended up in her favor.

“I’m glad you’re okay.” Words he should be saying come instead from her. Kakuzu can’t even grunt to that, voice trapped behind his mask.

Kisame quietly marvels at this confirmation— yes, even the coldest five hearts can reserve some form of affection— though he also makes a disturbing note. Two violent, ruthless people have crawled to her for comfort, like wild animals finding the warmth of shelter. But she is only so big, the depths of kindness must only go so deep. It is only so long until sharp claws try to dig deeper, try to make more space where the is none to give. Two criminals who only know how to hurt other people. Two murderers with nothing but pride left to lose.

...Hidan not even included in that count.

She plants her care in each of their gardens, the orange spiral notes, and they have returned the favor, no matter how hesitantly. It may not be long before the hearts they plant in her own patch of earth that is her soul begin to crowd, tangle and choke till fertile soil crumbles to dust.

“...You too,” the stitched man finally answers. Her cheek rests deeper into his sunset cloak, and while he does not pull her in, neither does he deny this affection.

The gardener performs her duty diligently, Obito thinks, with sweet hums and dirtied bare hands that unknot the roots of all evils.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The years have been hard on this lonely heart

If you wanna know the truth

There's no more community gardens

So I guess I'll have to settle for you

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

[lurlur]

Rating the NHL mascots - Part 2

Part 1 is here

Minnesota Wild

Nordy

What are you, Nordy? Officially, Nordy is a "wild animal" which is just SUPER helpful, Minnesota. Thanks. He's got a sweet face, though. I like the extra colouring that keeps him from being boring. I feel like he'd benefit from some sharp teeth though. Give the boy some ferocity. Assuming he's the kind of wild animal that can be ferocious? WHO FUCKIN' KNOWS???

Vibes: 7/10

Aesthetics: 9/10

Horror: 2/10

Fuckability: 6/10

Overall, 6/10. Could be better, but the inability to commit hurts Nordy's potential.

Buffalo Sabres

Sabretooth

I may not have much in this world, but one of the things that I do have is a degree in palaeontology. This goofy looking motherfucker is not an accurate sabretooth cat and I have decided to take that personally. This is a cartoon tiger with dental issues. This is Tony the Tiger's inbred cousin. He's not OK. At least he looks relatively kind, if a little concerned.

Vibes: 5/10

Aesthetics: 1/10

Horror: 1/10

Fuckability: 1/10

Overall, 2/10. Is it too much to ask for to have palaeontologically accurate mascots in 2023?

Nashville Predators

Gnash

Is this a joke? Am I a joke to you? ANOTHER sabre tooth cat? Jesus fucking christ. OK, this one isn't AS bad. It's not good, but it's not as bad as the last entry. Actual sabre teeth, a sculpted cat head, team colours can be forgiven for mascot purposes. The lower jaw is all wrong and the stripes are conjecture at best, but the overall effect doesn't fill me with the same blind rage as Buffalo's cat. Gnash is getting by on a loaded comparison. His name is pretty cool though.

Vibes: 6/10

Aesthetics: 4/10

Horror: 5/10

Fuckability: 3/10

Overall, 4.5/10. Literally skating through because Sabretooth is SO bad and SO fresh in my memory. Take the wins where you can, Gnash.

Florida Panthers

Stanley C. Panther

Florida somehow has two mascots? I'm going with Stanley, but please do be aware of, I assume, Matthew Tkachuk's best friend: Victor E. Rat.

Stanley, here, is a panther. Of course. And he's fine. Just fine. Another big cat, underwhelming design, pretty minimal costuming. He's got a reasonably characterful face. I feel like a good performer could make him work, but in still images he's lacklustre. Sorry, Stanley.

Vibes: 6/10

Aesthetics: 3/10

Horror: 3/10

Fuckability: 6/10

Overall, 4.5/10. Middling score for a middling mascot. Maybe I should have gone with Victor...

New York Islanders

Sparky the Dragon

Got myself tied in knots about this one because the Isles have made some attempts to move on from Sparky, it seems. There's an absolutely horrifying fisherman named Nyisles that I won't ever unsee. The NHL website says Sparky, though, so Sparky it is! He's a dragon! Look at his lil wings! Good teeth, bright colours, horns for holding. What's not to love? Literally nothing. Except the fact that he's mascot for the Isles... but that's not what we're doing here.

Vibes: 10/10

Aesthetics: 10/10

Horror: 4/10

Fuckability: 8/10

Overall, 8/10. He's a dragon! I love me a dragon! I don't care!

St Louis Blues

Louie

Louie, OK. Blue, OK. Wipe clean mouth? OK, I guess. Why a bear, though? And why such a pale blue? This thing must be a nightmare to keep clean. Good ear shape, kind face, not quite hitting the bear perfection that is Carlton but a decent effort. The muzzle really is throwing me as a weird design choice. Like, OK, it does make the face more visually interesting but it also just looks like Louie has a skin problem. Does he have mange? We simply don't know.

Vibes: 7/10

Aesthetics: 7/10

Horror: 3/10

Fuckability: 5/10

Overall, 5.5/10. Mostly because I'm concerned about his health. I don't want to catch mange.

Detroit Red Wings

Al the Octopus

Oh yeah, now we're talking. I actively hate this for a million reasons but it's so fucking insane that I also kind of love it! I do wish that Detroit fans would stop throwing octopuses onto the ice because that is no fate for a poor cephalopod. But look! It's a giant tentale monster! He looks MEAN! That's not just a guy in a bad fur suit! it's interesting and that's worth big points. I fully believe that Al would beat the shit out of me for no reason.

Vibes: 10/10

Aesthetics: 9/10

Horror: 9/10

Fuckability: 10/10

Overall, 9.5/10. Horrible, never stop.

Philidelphia Flyers

Gritty

Now, this is podracing! Gritty is how you do weird, undefined monster mascots properly. Gritty emerged following construction work at the Philidephia arena and is best described as a force for chaos. The eyes are wild, the energy is all over the place, the flow is spectacular, and the best part of Gritty's launch was the speed with which Philidelphia went from rejecting their new freak to declaring Gritty the new godking. Oh, you think Gritty is an ugly monster? Fuck you, we love them. Gritty is also undeniably a queer ally/icon/community leader? Hard to say exactly, but it's there. Immaculate vibes. Shame we can't say the same about everyone on the team...

Vibes: 10/10

Aesthetics: 10/10

Horror: 10/10

Fuckability: 10/10

Overall, 10/10. Gritty, hit me up. I have a short list of Flyers I need you to eat. Thanks, babe.

Ottawa Senators

Spartacat

Someone please get this lion a good haircare routine? Dear god, Spartacat. You leave the house looking like this? There's something almost endearing about how wet and pathetic this lion looks. He's just giving nothing. I want to nominate him for Queer Eye.

Vibes: 6/10

Aesthetics: 4/10

Horror: 2/10

Fuckability: 4/10

Overall, 4/10. Honestly, it's a pity fuck as well. Someone please help this lion.

Montreal Canadiens

Youppi!

What IS it? A man? Why is it so hairy? It might be a giant (lol) but that doesn't explain much at all. I HATE this. I think that's a fully body beard. You could shave that and maybe find just a normal man underneath. It's SO orange which just looks jarring with the Montreal colours. Bad. I would turn around and walk the other direction if I saw this on the street.

Vibes: 2/10

Aesthetic: 1/10

Horror: 8/10

Fuckability: 0/10

Overall, a generous 3/10. Please never make me look at Youppi! again.

Vancouver Canucks

Fin the Whale

They anthropomorphised a whale. That feels like it should be a crime. Certainly the way they've gone about it is. Fin loses points for having his dorsal fin on the back of his head and not, y'know, his actual back. He also appears to have no tail which is a real shame. Tails are a great design choice in almost every situation. I do like the sharp teeth and red tongue, though. Very suggestive. This feels like a missed opportunity. Fin could have been a lot better but they took the easy path instead of the interesting one. Boo you, Canucks design team.

Vibes: 7/10

Aesthetics: 4/10

Horror: 5/10

Fuckability: 6/10

Overall, 5.5/10. I really wanted to like this more. I'm going to think about Ethan Bear for a minute to cheer myself up.

San Jose Skarks

S J Sharkie

No points for originality on the name, but for literally everything I just said about Fin? Sharkie gets it right. His dorsal fin is in the right place, he has shark elements beyond his head with those little elbow fins. Clear evidence that it's possible to make a weird sea creature/man hybrid without being boring AF. The head is a weird shape, but I'm feeling too much goodwill towards Sharkie right now to really mind. Nice teeth, too. I would have loved to have seen rows of teeth, maybe with some missing for a real hockey feel.

Vibes: 8/10

Aesthetics: 8/10

Horror: 6/10

Fuckability: 8/10

Overall, 7.5/10. A good score for a very smooth boy. Smooth in every direction.

Arizona Coyotes

Howler the Coyote

Hims feets too big for hims gotdamn shoes! I haven't ever actually seen a coyote before, so I had to go looking for a comparison. Conclusion? Why is his face so wide? I do like the very pointy nose, though. We've seen too many soft faced predators, this boy has a SNOUT. Got some lil teefies too, I like that. And a tail. I keep coming back to the feet busting out of the shoes though, like some teen wolf knock off. I kinda love it.

Vibes: 9/10

Aesthetics: 8/10

Horror: 4/10

Fuckability: 8/10

Overall, 7/10. Very good showing for a pointy faced doggo who needs new shoes.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Stinger

Help. Serously, please help me. Look at this thing. It's a bug, meant to be a play on blue jackets/yellow jackets. But I don't know what a yellow jacket is so any cleverness is kind of lost on me. This is HORRIBLE. They really went all in on making this unpleasant and I can applaud that, even as I hate it viscerally. And I do. The eyes, the butt, the rictus grin, the colour... It is offensive to mine eyeballs. I love it. One note, they should have given it another set of limbs.

Vibes: 1/10

Aesthetics: 10/10

Horror: 8/10

Fuckability: 0/10

Overall, 5/10. Awful. I can't look away.

Honourable mention to Boomer, the other Blue Jackets mascot who is just an anthropomorphic cannon. Great moustache. I wonder if Johnny Gaudreau is afraid of it.

Anaheim Ducks

Wild Wing

I do not believe that Wild Wing's designer had ever seen a duck. I'm not sure that the person who described duck to the designer or Wild Wing had ever seen a duck either. I think the description of a duck may have passed through as many as 15 people who had never seen a duck before reaching Wild Wing's designer. Oh Holly, you're so harsh. It's a duck in a hockey mask. OK, so they hadn't seen a modern hockey mask either. I like the mean expression, somehow through a mask, the Donald Duck-esque nudity, and the feet design. Almost a horse-sized duck.

Vibes: 7/10

Aesthetics: 6/10

Horror: 5/10

Fuckability: 4/10

Overall, 5.5/10. You're no good, duck. You'll never be shit. You're just like your father.

Chicago Bad Team

Tommy Hawk

That's a turkey.

Vibes: 0/10

Aesthetics: 0/10

Horror: 0/10

Fuckability: 0/10

0/10. Boo.

[iminaworldofpureimagination]

I watched seven seasons of vampire diaries well half of season 7 .. close enough.

. Caroline /Katherine Pierce were my fav girls. . caroline had a major glow up/ plus her hating DAMON is valid and its so shitty she had to apolgize for tlaking shit about him in s4 cause elena was sirebonded and it made her upset.. s1 elena would never..

Katherine was just fun.. and intriquing your left wondering does she care about anyoen but herself? i think she did like stefan.. and him giving her a happy dying dream was very sweet no wonder she want stefan.. He's a nice guy at his core.

Stefan/Tyler were my fav boys. I really liked Stefan when he embraced vampirism too he was fun.. and from what i saw of paul thats actually closer to pauls snarky personality ..

Stefan/elena now him stalking her creepy as shit.. butohwell

i think they were actually close to Girl can fix boy but done better than delena for the 3 seasons.. i think elena brought out the best in stefan while damon brought out the worse in elena.. plus what the heck was the sire bond about? thats not epic love that just weird. .

delena maybe could work if he hadn't kill her brother.. but .. sometimes.. i got sib vibes from them. whenhe wasn't beeing creepy anyway.. but he also never really respected her choices or her boundaries .

i felt the writers kept him grom growing too..

as much as i detested damon he got so many good JOKES.. I met a squirel he asked me my name today i told him it was joe that lie will haunt me forever. ..

adored him with Bonnie Ian/Kat chemistry was amazing its acutally interesting knowing he dated nina they broke up and boy did it show in the show cause the chemistry died down after that break up ..

least fav was ENZO im glad STEFAN killed him but im annoyed he was dating Bonnie cause when did he even talk to bonnie? plus he was just so annoying with how he kept trying to ruin stefans life ..

bonnie had the best chemistry with damon and the Heretics i was rather bummed they killed off the lesbian herietics. .. julie/caroline plec suck so those ships could never happened.. cause bonnie/one of the lesbian girls i forget her name but i rem thinking i dig this chemistry with them..

julie/caroline these two women were def living through delena the way they treated it as epic l explains why it was so bad

.. what interview with vampire got right was how to write toxic romantic relationships vd got it so wrong. it also helps louie was 33 a full ass adult man so its not creepy vamps flirting with teenagers.. i learned the guy playing matt was shitty to kat so thats a bummer cause i did enjoy matt/caroline for what it was.. and the alaric guy i heard him talk in intervies and he gives me the creeps.. but how he mentions the idea of dating bonnie.. i wonder if he pitched alaric dating caroline. either way whoever came up with that ship is a FREAK.. cause.. That's HER TEACHER/ Elenas sorta Father figure 40 year old 17 year old .. no thank you.

Stefan/caroline could have possibly worked but it felt like stelena 2.0 .. i did vibe with their joker/harley no humanity plot for a bit.. i

shipped matt/caroline/caroline tyler/ now klaus .. he like killstyler/ nearly killed caroline/ drowned tylers mom i dont think it was ic for her to have anything more than maybe Pity for the lonely hybrid.. and i dont mind them as friendish.. but man how tyler/caroline end is bogus and ooc ...

..id say after ep 3 of s4 elena is also ooc because of that damn sire bond..

the show is best ended at s4 ep 1 but i was a glutton for punishment i went on till s7..

[shit-talk-turner]

Can someone fluent translate Louie’s dedication? googles translation is so bad I only read the first line and it made me cry. Truly having a sister is one of the greatest things that can happen in life. ❤️ //

Here you go:

"Having a sister is the most beautiful thing that has ever happened to me. Only sisters (blood or chosen) will understand. We don't choose it, life chooses for us and mine has fallen magnificently. On me, right away. In my heart. For this life and the one after. You're my soul, a part of me. We breathe in unison with your heart, soul-to-soul, my sister. I remember the highs and lows. Screams and tears. Laughter and dances. Songs. Secrets. Words guessed without being spoken. Late-night calls, kicks of fate. I'm here to take care of you." That's who you are. The one who comes to protect me and cover me with tenderness. No matter what happens. No matter what happens. Eternal forgiveness. Eternal warmth. You don't know how much I love you. In your eyes, I see everything. I have loved you all my life. I loved you when you had your best friends I enjoyed when you had your first date I love you when you fall in love I loved you when you left home for the first time Adventure. I loved you when you changed, grew, blossomed. I loved you when you became a mother. I loved you, admired you, envied you, monopolized you, understood you, defended you, recognized you. I desired you. I don't know your heart. My sweetness. All those things we don't say, that we keep for ourselves. For a better moment.I tell you, I wish you. I send you so much love and sunshineYou're my ultimate muse. Happy Birthday @Mademoiselle Voyage On your 40th birthday. I love you here and beyond. To you for all the lives to come"

goddamn that's so sweet