#kevin levin fans are disgusting

[gritsandbrits]

The OFFICIAL Jora Holiday Bio 🍄🌟

While far from complete here's an bio for my OC! Visual ref coming soon!!!

Full Name: Jora Ladybird Holiday

Age: 9; 15 in Omniverse

Species: Human

Hometown: Anneville, S.C.

Current Residence: Bellwood

Eye Color: Deep brown/blackish

Hair Color: Black

Skin Color: Very deep brown

Appearance: Jora is tall for her age, chubby and often wears her hair loose in a parted styled held together with bobby pins. She has a wide and round face, nose, and short uet very thick eyebrows. She wears very little makeup, and always seen wearing lacy pink gloves.

Attire: Varies by seasons and series but she typically wears vibrant or pastel hues with floral and animal motifs, cutesy designs, or polka dots. I'll make an outfit ref soon!

Personality: Jora is described as a super sweet if timid and shy young woman with a deep respect for life. However she bottles up a lot of her negative emotions which sometimes makes her a doormat or she ends up being really icy. She learns to beyter express her negativity, though she does retain emotional sensitivity time to time.

In the OS Jo had to overcome one of her biggest flaws, Bystander Syndrome, in order to protect herself and her friend. Throughout thr series she becomes more assertive, though she dislikes sounding too mean.

While she adheres to the theme of second chances, she has little tolerance for faking and betrayals and wants people to actively work on making amends or changing their ways. She knows that some people can't change, so instead of active revenge she would rather let the person's actions catch up to them, or hold them accountable. She despises assumptions that she's evil just because of her powers. She admits to harboring some resentment, but over time she learned to accept her condition and adapt to it rather creatively.

Likes & Hobbies: Designing her own costumes, watching trashy TV programs, reading, mycology, nature walks, flower pressing, DIY projects, casual/virtual pet gaming, fashion design, Green Cleaning, apple pie, chocolate and strawberry milkshakes, tea with sugar and cream, travel, meditation, quiet time

Dislikes: False accusations and slander, being picked on, people touching her hair without her permission, senseless destruction of nature, animal abuse, forcing someone to tell the truth if they're not comfortable, being pitied for her condition, spicy food, arguing and being made fun of for girly traits

Powers and Abilities

- Rot Inducement

- Fungi Manipulation

- Poison & Toxin Immunity

- Self Regeneration

- Minor Chronokinesis/Acceleration

- Athleticism

- Empathy

- Self Defense/dagger fighting style

Items: Amanita Staff & Pixie Daggers; handmade costumes

Strengths: Can regenerate limbs, slow the rate of decay, empowered by Phoenix Element, controls intensity of powers, incredibly strong against plant/nature elements, tenacity

Weaknesses: Powers are incredibly weak on glass, metals, rocks and minerals, and generally any type of syntheric or inorganic material. She also cannot complete shut this power off

Relationships

Family: Jeremy (father), Mavis (mother) Latasha (sister) Pattibelle (cousin) Ginger (family friend); Kendrix & Kenny and Belle (future kids), extended family

Friends: Team 10, Cooper, Substitute Plumbers (future), Zak, Wadi, Rex

OC Friends: Myra Hopewell, Azura, Kelly Arbol, Richard Mortis, Temika, Mama Gia, Shadé

Enemies: Pretty much the canon villains XD

OC Enemies: Kudzu, Mara Winters/Ice Queen, Cinnabar Rojo, Forever Princess, Mycopath/Cora Holiday, Guardians of Light, Supernatural/elemental threats

Love Interests: Ben Tennyson

Ship Name: Cosmic Toadstool or BenJo

Ben Tennyson is her major love interest, starting from a brief tense rivalry from their first meeting. Over time they began to see they had common ground and developed more friendly relations by the end. The Ben 10000 episode is particularly amusing in that BOTH of them were quite disgusting at the implication that their older selves dated each other. Ironically it was their older selves watching their example that lowkey led to them getting back together.

They restarted their friendship in Omniverse albeit clumsily as both hadn't seen nor heard from each other in several years. Not to mention new problems: Jora hadn't quite got over her shyness and was socially awkward, and Ben swore off romance after too many failed relationships ego and wanting to focus on his hero career. Layer seasons would see the two began to grow a romantic attraction to each other, with them getting together post series. I kinda didn't want them together right at the end of s8 to drive home the point of them navigating a romance and not just "fighting fate" or what not. So they'll get together on THEIR own terms.

Backstory: Jora appears in the original show as a recurring character and ally to the Tennysons. The joke is that her family, who were also on a cross-country road trip, would often show up at the exact same city or town the Tennysons would be in.

Original Series: Unlike Ben and Gwen, the timid Jo was born with her powers but was afraid of them as she could barely keep it in check. She also didn't start out friendly with the two having been put off by their constant quarreling. It wasn't until an encounter with Kevin Levin (hint: KIDNAP) where she tried using her powers to defend herself and Four Arms for the first time. It didn't exactly work out leaving her ashamed for being a bystander, and decided to remedy this by practicing her powers for better use. This leads up to the Camp Fear event where she played a huge part in containing and eventually purifying the corrupted Mycellium (and yes corrupted; there's something bigger going on).

There were a couple of more adventures: goinf to Chicago to meet up with her cousins Patti and Ginger for a music fesitval; time travel shenanigans, fighting Rojo and her niece Cinnabar, & battling the the Negative 10. Her relationship with Ben and Gwen also greatly improved to the point where they became genuine friends near the end of the show.

UAF: After the road trip ended, she parted ways with the Tennysons and headed back to her hometown of Anneville,S.C. While not fully copinf with her powers she had a rejuvenated sense of self confidence and decided to find more uses for her powers. This included clearing away invasive plant species around town, going into homes and clearing away toxic molds, and dabbling into the scientific side of her powers. She maintained contact with the Tennysons until a few years when life started to get too busy for any of them to remain in contact.

It was also at this point Jora would learn about the scorn "dark" elementals would face, as well as a conflict between dark elementals just wanting to live their lives in peace and a group called the Temple of Light. The Temple's goal was to rid the world of all evil but took rather underhanded methods to do it. Jo would also briefly battle a faction of Forever Knights led by her contemporary Forever Princess, and villainous entrepreneur Kudzu.

Omniverse: Six years passed and Jora got a request from Max Tennyson to join a new "initiative." She turned it down, feeling that she wasn't suited for actual superheroics and wanting to focus on her studies. She was also afraid of seeing her old friends; a small part of her wondered if they'd still recognize her after so many years.

A few weeks later Patti planned on moving to Bellwood for her new job. Jora came with her to help her move in, & it was that trip where she and Ben reunited, and met his new partner Rook Blonko. Ben mentioned about his grandfather picking out new teammates to protect Bellwood. Jora admitted that max sent her a letter but she turned him down for personal reasons. Feeling rather disappointed Ben states that there's always an open spot for her.

During her stay Jora and Rook were taken around town to get familiar with each other and the sites. Rook was curious about her relationship with Ben which she replies that they go way back but hadn't really talked to each other in years. Much of season one and two is spent with her and Ben awkwardly reconnecting. Eventually she becomes a bit of a consultant for the Plumbers and a major member of Team 10, further developing her friendship with Rook, and something much deeper with Ben.

Post Series: Jora's experiences leads her to try to form a villain rehab group, succeeding by forming the Substitute Plumbers. She also begins to use her status and fame to raise awareness on multiple issues from gentrification to widespread Plumber corruption. After a brief breakup and working solo, She and Ben 10000 reconciled and within a year of two married and had three kids over the span of ten more years. Jora became a consultant specializing in Earth customs.

Trivia

- Voice Claim is Kimberly Brooks

- Her theme is nature to contrast with Ben's aliens and Gwen's magic

- Also a bit ironic: she's a good character who protects and values life yet has a power linked to death/dying.

- Doesn't really have a signature color though she does wear a lot of white accents as white symbolizes death in some cultures

- She was made 1) because I'm salty B10 didn't have a named black girl character & 2) to give Ben a compelling/fleshed out love interest

- Jora has a Reboot counterpart! Largely the same except now she's a main fixture right from rhe beginning and has a slightly different power set

- She's not present in every single episode of the original; those times she'd be off with her family doing their own thing

- Her verse is called the Joraverse since it's a complete rewrite of the OS and OV as a whole (not strictly related to her btw but I'm also salty at more than a fee b10 things)

- Her alternate counterparts has different elements, personalities and even designs!

- If she existed her theme song would be the Japanese cover of Say So by Rainych

- Much of Jo's character is based on Card Captor Sakura since I've always been a fan of that show

- Just like how Ben has different aliens Jora has different costumes with different themes.

- In OV her costumes signify each color of the rainbow and has a pun of some sort. She even earns special items with different properties (elemental spells, alien tech, token of peace).

- While Jora appreciates all of Ben's forms she has a certain fondness for Four Arms and Grey Matter (he rescued her as Four Arms and she finds Grey Matter adorable)

[beangods]

top 5 books u read last year!

Top 5 Books of 2019, rated by Me based on whether or not i remember reading them last year specifically, in no particular order:

-The Secrets of Droon by Tony Abbott, all twenty-something titles i managed to read in 2019 of the thirty-something-book series intended for new readers that has illustrations in every chapter and a large, legible font. it was my shit ages 6-9, but i never finished it, so that's what i'm doing now as an adult. might fuck around and make fan art at some point bc i think the (inconsistent) design(s) for young sparr all kinda suck and that keeah should look less human since. it's never directly stated that she is. iirc. anyway.

-The Discworld series, all thirty-something titles, which i think i did finish in early 2019. im just a sucker for wizard fiction and terry prachett.

-everything by Bruce Coville. yes, i read too much bruce coville to remember any one specific title (just kidding. The Skull of Truth.) but he's legit one of the most underrated authors, PERIOD, even though, again, he mostly writes books for children. (for this list i'm only counting books i read for pleasure, and for whatever reason college makes me want to own my disgust for YA literary conventions and crawl back into the wonderful realm of children's fantasy)

-So You Want To Be a Wizard, by Diane Duane. yes, i am on a wizard kick specifically. yes, this book fucks. i read the first five books in the series in early 2020, but i think the first one genuinely has the most heart, and later books endorse the idea of a single "ultimate Power" instead of the many Powers working as equals, so. points off to the later books for cringe quasi-monotheism, but it's still such a fun mix of science and magic (high sci-fi?) that i consider the first three books as definitely worth the read.

-Ella Enchanted, by Gail Carson Levine, because fuck you, Ella Enchanted is the only fucking book that matters. yes, i DID read ella enchanted in 2019 because i saw it in a used book store and was surprised that i didn't already have it. actually, all of the aforementioned books were purchased at a used bookstore, because those are the best places to find semi-obscure children's fantasy that you read for the first time when you were maybe nine. which is where my current taste in literature lies.

im sorry to disappoint if you were honestly expecting me to read something for pleasure that required any amount of brain work in the latter half of 2019, but honestly, i deserve it. treat yourself to something way below your reading level; it's quite refreshing.

oh, honorable mentions: Kill the Farm Boy and No Country for Old Gnomes, by Delilah S. Dawson and Kevin Hearne. very fractured-fairy-tale-esque, irreverent high fantasy that shows quite a bit of promise. i look forward to seeing more titles from that pair. actually looking it up just now i see that there is a THIRD title in the Tales of Pell series SO. guess i know what i'm gonna look for next at my local library.

[petrosapian]

Dialing It Up To 11: A Homoerotic Murder Story

stolen title from tumblr user @kariachi

Michael Morningstar/Kevin Levin/Gwen Tennyson murder drama set to the music of the Hit Album by the Killers Hot Fuss ft where the white boys dance and where is she

its corny! its bad! im tired! but im done and that is a win in my book! i may edit if the mood strikes me.

to any killers fans who stumble into this: im sorry. any ben 10 fans: enjoy it or fuck u. all songs belong to the killers, yes we know this disclaimer blah. graciously put under a read more.

The Ballad of Michael Valentine

And I said hold tight Can't you see it's hurting me But I've got the buzz Like Marlon Brando Michael Valentine, can't we unite?

An introduction of sorts. As Michael takes the stage with legendary charm and determined to win at this game.

Somebody Told Me

Breaking my back just to know your name Seventeen tracks and I've had it with this game I'm breaking my back just to know your name But heaven ain't close in a place like this

Never thought I’d let a rumour ruin my moonlight

Michael sees Kevin for the first time at a local club. He recognize him as someone his old highschool girlfriend seems to hang out a lot back then and even now. Michael is interested.

Andy You’re A Star

On the field I remember you were incredible Hey shut up, hey shut up, yeah On the field I remember you were incredible Hey shut up, hey shut up, yeah On the match with the boys, you think you're alone With the pain that you drain from love In a car with a girl, promise me she's not your world Cause Andy, you're a star

While Gwen dates both Kevin and Michael they start to see each other as the pass by. Weird feelings ensue but the nature of them is yet to be determined. Disgust. Disdain. Desire. 

Mr. Brightside 

It was only a kiss, it was only a kiss Now I'm falling asleep and she's calling a cab While he's having a smoke and she's taking a drag Now they're going to bed and my stomach is sick And it's all in my head but she's touching his chest Now, he takes off her dress Now, let me go

Michael’s jealousy gets out of control as he suspects more and more about what goes on behind closed doors between Kevin and Gwen. He starts planning his next steps to ensure he isn’t the one left alone.

Change Your Mind

Help me through the hopeless haze But my oh my Tragic eyes I can't even recognize myself behind So if the answer is no Can I change your mind

Kevin and Gwen argue over the role Michael plays in both of their lives. Kevin fears that Michael’s possessive nature may get the best of him and may be a danger, especially to Gwen as Michael goads Kevin to take a more domineering approach towards Gwen, saying she should be more possession than partner. Gwen trusts Michael.

Everything Will Be Alright

I believe in you and me I'm coming to find you If it takes me all night Wrong until you make it right And I won't forget you At least I'll try And run, and run tonight Everything will be alright

Gwen comforts Kevin, as he rests his head her lap as she strokes his hair.

Midnight Show

I got a blanket in the back seat on my mind And a little place that sits beneath the sky She turned her face to speak But no-one heard her cry Drive faster, boy Drive faster, boy

Oh crashing tide can't hide a guilty girl

With jealous hearts that start with gloss and curls

I took my baby's breath beneath the chandelier

Of stars in atmosphere

And watch her disappear

Into the midnight show...

After Kevin and Gwen’s talk, Michael insists that they take a drive, the three of them. Michael sits in the back with Gwen while Kevin drives. By the end of the night Gwen was gone.

Jenny was a Friend of Mine

We took a walk that night, but it wasn't the same We had a fight on the promenade out in the rain She said she loved me, but she had somewhere to go She couldn't scream while I held her close I swore I'd never let her go

There ain’t no motive for this crime ‘cause Gwennie was a friend of mine

Kevin is questioned by the police. This is it. He was the last one seen with Gwen and her mother has told the cops all they need to know about how their relationship seemed. Eye and ear witnesses say him grip her to tightly as she yelled at him and the evidence is too damning. 

Kevin’s call down at the station is Michael. He doesn’t answer.

Believe Me Natalie

You left the station now to the floor With speculation, what was it for? In that old hallway Mom says why don't you stay You've been away for a long time

Kevin tries to explain to Gwen’s mother but in desperation shifts some of the blame of Gwen’s fate on to Natalie. 

All These Things I’ve Done

Another head aches Another heart breaks I'm so much older Than I can take

Both men reflect on their actions.