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sir-subpar · 2 months ago

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Reimagined Banban x Reader.

"Welcome to the Kindom"

Part Two.

It's back! Below the cut!

The towering gates before you opened, and you followed the Sheriff inside.

You were taken aback by how different everything felt here.

Giant, glowing (probably artificial) blue mushrooms, smaller, but very real farms for food, stone and brick walls.

Crystals embedded in the walls and ceiling around you gave the entire area beautiful blues and purples, adding to the elegant lighting.

There appeared to be multiple stands with faded signs, they reminded you of small stores or shopkeepers from your child's favorite RPGs. However, it was clear these had been long abandoned, cleared out entirely.

There were multiple gated areas, through which you could not see, but you would investigate that later.

Despite the strange beauty of this area, you couldn't help but feel saddened by how.. abandoned it all seemed. Lonely.

The sheriff led you up a decently long staircase, up to another large pair of elegant wooden doors that donned a golden trim.

They creaked open.

The two of you entered.

And before you stood, one of the more ridiculous things you had seen here, a giant purple kangaroo. Watering plants in a garden.

While her size could be intimidating, the fact that she was purple made her less so.

You didn't fail to notice her missing arm, and judging by the bandages, that was a recent injury.

Before you could properly take in your surroundings, the sheriff's large hand forcibly pushed your head down, forcing you into a bowing position. Which also caused you to drop Little Beak,

You were getting really sick of him touching the back of your head..

"Quit gawking and show some respect." He bitterly growled into your ear.

Through a glare of your own, you saw he, too, was bowing.

The kangaroo's large, tired eyes gazed down at you.

"Ah, Sheriff, I see you have returned, and with the one you mentioned to me before."

She slowly walked closer, taking a seat upon the large throne in the center of the room.

The sheriff released his tight grip on your skull, and stood straight to address the queen.

Despite everything, you couldn't lie, this throneroom was rather elegant.

Stained glass windows, gardens of roses, and purple wisteria flowers hanging from the ceiling. For a place that saw no real sunlight, it was impressive they were able to keep these plants alive and well.

"And… How would you write the success of that interrogation?"

The sheriff shot you a glare from the corner of his eye, then.

"Not good, they've got an attitude and made our chat a lot harder."

You glared at him more intently, but this time stayed quiet.

Two against one weren't odds you liked.

Especially when one of the two was the size of a house…

"I see…" she noted, taking a pause to think. "And, did they tell you why they are here?"

A pause hung over you.

The Queen sighed.

"Did you ask them?"

"I… no," he admitted, deflating a bit. "No I did not."

"Oh, Sheriff.." The Queen's voice sighed, dissatisfaction clear in her tone. Her ears drooped a little, before she addressed you.

She looked you up and down. As she did, her disappointment melted away, her features shifting to an expression of sympathy.

"Oh, I think I know. One worried parent can spot another one."

You couldn't help but perk up at her.

"I must apologize on my behalf, as well as the sheriff's. We've all been a little on edge lately, I'm sure you understand."

"I figured." You finally spoke.

Toadster growled at you again, "Watch it.." He whispered.

The Queen cleared her throat, recentering your attention.

"Allow me to introduce us. I am Queen Bouncelia," she gestured to herself before elegantly pointing towards the sheriff, "This, is Sheriff Toadster."

"I again must apologize for the rough reception. The coming hours will be rough for us all, but this is not your fight, parent."

"My child is in danger." You stood defiantly.

You weren't going to leave without finding them. You were certain of that.

"It IS my fight now."

The Queen took a second to respond, but recomposed herself just the same.

"I see. I cannot deny you the right to your child. The lengths of what you have gone to even get this far… is admirable. However, I wish to at least give you the means to leave. It does not feel right to keep you imprisoned here."

She turned to face the Sheriff. "Sheriff, how is the elevator doing?"

This time, he sighed. Pinching his brow, he explained that it was broken, and required multiple parts to fix it.

You internally groaned in frustration. Great, yet another thing going wrong. Couldn't this place at least have some stairs between floors?

Of course, more crap that needs to be fixed.

The Queen decided that the best course of action would be for you and the sheriff to search for parts together.

At this rate, you were pretty sure you preferred to be alone. You'd rather get help from Opila, at this rate.

The sheriff was no more pleased than you were, sputtering about how he needed to stay to protect the queen.

Her response was "And you will, once the elevator is functioning again." She sternly snipped.

"Now! Off you go. Elevators don't fix themselves, sadly, and time is of the essence." She gently pushed you two out of the room with a 'shoo'.

The doors closed behind you and the sheriff. And a tense pause lingered over you both.

The sheriff gazed at you with an unreadable expression, then he (fake) coughed into his hand to break the silence.

"Well, ah, you heard the lady! Let's get a move on."

He lead the way, barely remembering to make sure you were following him.

His shaky attempt at sounding authoritative nearly made you crack a smile at his expense. Still, you followed him.

And with that, your quest began.

…

The sheriff lead you to a train station. A mini train, like those at amusement parks or zoos. It only had three cars.

It was, much like everything in this place, a bit run down. But it did appear to be at least somewhat maintained.

Most of the damage appeared to be cosmetic, like the paint being chipped and scratched.

But, overall, it was fine, if a bit weathered.

The sheriff entered the first car to drive, you entered the car behind him.

You settled into the torn cushions of the seat, allowing Little Beak to sit in your lap.

The journey to your destination was a long one. And awkward.

You really wished Banban was here, he would've broken the tension, or at least been more friendly company.

The train chugged along, you could feel every bump and rattle, which was already making your tailbone ache.

'Just add that to the list of pains,' you thought.

You pet Little Beak's feathery head, giving yourself some level of distraction.

Finally, the train screeched to break, and you arrived.

Setting Little Beak on your shoulder, you climbed out of the train car, and awaited the sheriff doing the same.

Your new location was another train station, a small waiting area. Which… actually made some sense.

That was rare, these days.

Once again the room was painted with that atrocious orange. But this time, it was paired with various directional arrows on the ceiling and floor, colored with green and purple.

The sheriff sauntered past you, and you followed him to the next room. The arrows all pointed toward one of three doorways.

"One of the parts we need should be in the Administration room just ahead, but it looks like the door is locked."

You sighed.

"Let me guess, we need a keycard?"

"Mhm." He hummed, seemingly just as annoyed as you.

You didn't wait to be asked before you started searching around the small waiting area. The sheriff did the same, looking between seat cushions and the like, you however, decided to try one of the other doors.

The left doorway wouldn't open. Disappointing.

However, the right doors did. Little Beak hopped off your shoulder and skittered towards the sheriff, pecking at his boots. You chuckled before continuing on your way.

Just as you took a few steps forward, the doors shut and locked behind you.

Leaving you in pitch black darkness.

"Huh? What's happening?"

The sheriff queried, "Hold on partner! I'll fing a way to get you out of there, just stay where you are!"

His voice and his footsteps dissipated. And you rubbed your temples in frustration.

But, you weren't alone for long, as one light clicked on.

Turns out you weren't in a room, you were in a corridor, and at the end of said corridor, under the dim light, was… a purple snake puppet?

"Hello! I'm a hungry snake, do you have any food?"

You stood there blankly. Once again, this felt off. Although so did everything else in this place so that's nothing new. Moreover, this is the first time somebody's actually asked you for food, rather than attacking you for it.

Puppeteer or not, you couldn't really think of a reason to not feed it. It seems to be the only strategy that worked for you when it came to any other threat.

"I have a few things, hold on."

As you approached the "snake" it retracted into the darkness with a giggle, and a large figure began advancing towards you.

Out of instinct you ran, forgetting about the door being locked until you reached it.

Just as you spun around to look at your incoming attacker, you were forcibly yanked back.

You realized it was the sheriff, not only had he managed to get the door open, but now he stood between you and the giggling stranger.

You saw the sheriff throw something, and a pained yell from the previously giggling voice.

The footsteps faded away, into the darkness.

"You alright?" The sheriff asked. You nodded.

"That was the Jester, Bittergiggle. Little while ago he went rogue. Can't trust him anymore."

You raised a brow at that.

"How did he go Rogue?"

The sheriff explained while he scanned a keycard on the door. Guess he found it.

"He's been trying to make the queen laugh, we can't let that happen. If she laughs, the naughty ones will escape."

You stared at him. Bewildered. How is he able to say something like that, with a straight face?

You, on the other hand, could not keep a straight face. You snickered at it. Much to his annoyance.

"..What?" He asked, arms crossed.

"You seriously can't expect me to hear something like that, and not find it ridiculous."

"I'm being serious." He huffed.

"No way!"

"It's the truth! They'll kill us if they escape."

You took a breath to recompose yourself.

"You're telling me, that a green and purple jester can't make a giant purple kangaroo Queen laugh, otherwise we all die because of 'the naughty ones'?"

You added, with air quotes.

Toadster dragged his hand down his face in frustration, and let out another aggravated huff.

"Look partner, I get that might be hard to believe on a surface level, but look at where you are! Is that any crazier than anything you've seen so far?"

Your laughs subsided. He had a point.

"See? Think of it that way, doesn't sound so crazy, right?"

He took a tentative step forward,

"Anyway, enough chit chat. Let's move."

...

After tediously gathering a few of the required parts, you returned so the sheriff could make some progress on repairing it, and so you could speak to the queen.

You weren't sure why she had requested your presence, but it gave you a break, so you would take it.

You again entered through the elegant doors to the throne room. You actually found yourself grateful, even if just a bit, that you were able to enjoy the space without the sheriff pounding your head.

You noticed that this room had crystals embedded in the walls as well. Except these had more of a golden glow, giving the room a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

The soft yellow lighting bathed the Queen's purple fur elegantly.

She looked down at you warmly, like one would at an old friend.

"Welcome back, I hope your journey was worth it and the elevator a bit more usable."

"Meh, the Sheriff's working on it, still needs more parts."

You shrugged.

"But progress is progress."

"I see…" she replied, "well, I did find something that may be of use to you. It is on that table to your left. I know it might not be much but try to think of it as a.. symbol of trust."

You approached said table, finding your gift.

"A crowbar?" You questioned, holding the sleek, cool metal in your hands. It was in pretty good condition, and was weirdly decorative. Still it was Hefty of course, and at its core it was still a crowbar. Although it had been somewhat Bedazzled with engraved patterns, and once again, The Color Purple.

Was that everybody's favorite color here or something?

You twirled in your hands, with this, you wouldn't have to hunt for key cards all over the place anymore!

"I… wow, thank you!"

"You are welcome. And I am now proud to pronounce you a new citizen of the Kingdom! Bringing our population up to 5."

She celebrated, with a gentle smile.

Wait… did she say 5? Weren't there only four of you? Her, the sheriff, Little Beak, and you. Unless the fifth person was the jester?

"Five?" You asked.

Her ears perked up.

"Oh! Yes, that's right. I apologize I forgot to tell you." She began, smiling sheepishly.

"While you were away a friend of yours arrived, he was in terrible shape so I sent him to the Infirmary. Although he did ask for you. Perhaps before you leave for another part, you should visit him?"

Her eyes suddenly saddened, even if just a bit, "He seemed awfully worried, I'd even say frantic."

Your breath hitched.

Could it be?

You nodded, "I will. Thank you."

She waved goodbye as you left. Across the Courtyard and Farms, you noticed one of the gates that had been previously blocked, was now open.

And above that open gate, was a sign that read 'Infirmary'.

You entered, finding yourself in a Long, hospital-like corridor. It was such a stark contrast to the fantasy Style area you were just in. It replaced all the brick and crystals with sterile, white walls.

Lining the walls of the corridor were windows and doors. It seemed so metallic, so bleak. Which made sense for most hospitals, but was still jarring to say the least.

You entered the brightly lit corridor, each one of your footsteps echoing off the walls as you moved. You checked in every window you passed by. First left, empty, first right window, also empty.

You continued this pattern as you passed each room.

Empty, empty, empty…

Just as you were getting accustomed to empty rooms, you looked through another left window, and saw a familiar red figure sitting on a hospital bed. His back towards the window.

"Banban!" You called, immediately rushing to his door and throwing it open in a hurry. Normally you would wait a moment before doing such things but you are too excited. This whole time you weren't sure if he was all right, it was relieving to see him here.

He startled at the sound of your voice. His head practically snapped in your direction, and his eyes inspected you up and down. Or rather one of them did, one was still swollen shut thanks to his (worse) black eye.

You stood at a distance from him, and a pause hung over the both of you. You weren't sure what to say. A part of you was relieved to see him, but simultaneously, you couldn't forget what happened before.

Banban looked down in shame.

Even so, he decided to break the silence.

"I dragged myself here, when Bouncelia mentioned a human had just been here, I knew it had to be you."

He turned to look at you again. His eye glistened. Was he… tearing up?

"I… uhm.. Look, what happened before, I… I'm really sorry. I-I couldn't help it.. I really never wanted to hurt you, I just- lost control."

Just as he looked as though he was about to break, he stopped.

He closed his eyes and took a breath, holding his closed fist in front of his mouth.

He exhaled.

"I want to make it up to you. Bouncelia updated me about the elevator. I want to help with that. I just need a minute."

“You really should rest, Banban-”

“Please.”

He quietly begged.

You mulled it over. What were your options?

Well, aside from Banban's incident, he had proved to be rather helpful. Even during times where you were apart, he was only able to guide you with the intercom, he had done his best.

The Sheriff on the other hand, you were hesitant to trust. Maybe it had to do with his attitude.

… Or maybe it had to do with the fact he knocked you out upon first meeting you.

Nonetheless, you'd at least feel better with Banban around.

You let out a puff of air.

“Okay. You can help. But only on two conditions.”

He perked up at that, but said nothing, awaiting your terms.

“Number one, you are going to at least TRY to take it easy. I've seen you thrown around enough times to the point I'm surprised you're alive.”

He sheepishly scratched the back of his head at that.

You were right and you both knew it.

“And number two..” You began, holding two fingers up for emphasis. “You tell me what happened back there.”

“I suppose I owe you that much, at least…” Banban relented.

You pulled up a chair, though not the most comfortable, it would do.

Sitting in front of him, you gestured for him to continue, doing your best to remain patient.

He barely maintained eye contact with you as he spoke.

“I… Have these instincts… I am… more or less carnivorous.”

He looked at you briefly, glancing at your bandaged hand in shame.

“I am drawn to the scent of blood or meat.”

He closed his eyes with a soft sigh.

“Before, it wasn't an issue, but as we were left here, and supplies ran lower, things got… desperate. I tried my best to maintain things. To give others hope for our future.”

“I hate seeing my friends suffering. It hurts to see them starving. I wanted to make them as happy as I could. I still do..”

“And I… I have been told I have a habit of… neglecting my own health.”

He picked at a loose seam of his jacket.

Your brows raised in alarm.

“You're starving..?”

As if answering on his behalf, his stomach growled. He hurriedly pressed a hand on his midsection, trying in vain to quiet the anguished organ.

“Oh, Banban…” you murmured.

You reached your hands out, cupping his cheeks carefully. How could someone abandon someone so kind?

“Look, I think the kingdom has managed to grow food. I know you said you're carnivorous, but surely it's better than nothing. Why don't we get you fed, and then work on the elevator?”

“I- don't want to waste your time. Haven't I delayed you more than enough?” He stammered, you deadpanned back at him.

“Banban. You more or less just confessed that you're so hungry you almost ate me. I think getting food in your belly is a good use of our time right now.”

As if in agreement, his stomach growled again. Much to his embarrassment.

You gave him a look, a silent “I told you so,” he had no excuse ready. With that, the two of you head to the garden, after stocking up on supplies, filling your bag, and BanBan ate a few vegetables and said he was ready to help.

While you were dubious, he kept insisting he was fine. Too tired to argue anymore, you decided to head out.

Though you weren't thrilled about it, you approached the sheriff. He seemingly just finished installing the first part, as he stood tall and dusted himself off.

“Alright, we've made some progress, but we should get moving before-” the sheriff halted as he stared at BanBan.

“Principal BanBan… or, is it just ‘Banban’ now?”

Banban's unswollen eye widened, and he shifted uncomfortably. “A-ah, hello sheriff. It is… good to see you again.”

“Formal as always, hm?” He hummed.

You watched as Banban shifted uncomfortably under the sheriff's scrutinizing stare. Clinging to whatever remained of his shaken smile.

“It's… good to see you, sheriff.”

“You just said that.”

“Ah.. Right.”

The thickness of the atmosphere felt heavy. Hanging above you all, feeling almost precarious.

You could see Banban's fidgeting hands, and his stiffly swaying tail.

At this point, you were no stranger to feeling awkward around the sheriff, but it was clear to you that this kind of tension was different.

It was heavy, laced with a familiarity you could only imagine.

Banban seemed to gather whatever sliver of confidence he still possessed. His back straightened, easily adding a few inches to his height. His tail slowly whipped and swayed in a slither.

“I'm.. Here to help.”

The sheriff narrowed his eyes, standing tall, and approaching Banban. Though Banban was quite a bit taller than you, the sheriff easily stood taller than he did.

He stood uncomfortably close to Banban, arms crossed with authority.

“And just how, do you intend to do that?”

Banban was the face of this place once, you remembered. Though his weight on things was relatively light, he still used to claim a time of status of respect that seemed long gone now.

Still, he barely faltered under the sheriff's scrutiny. He squared his shoulders, and held both his hands in fists. His eyes, er, eye, intensifying slightly as well.

Though less intimidating, it still exudes his stance.

“However I see fit, sheriff.”

Banban's voice came out more deliberate than his usual semi-formal stammering.

They stood still as stones for a breath, and the sheriff eased, his face softened, taking on a slight level of fondness.

“It's good to see you as well, Banban.”

#banban #garten of banban #reimagined #reimagined banban #sheriff toadster #queen bouncelia #bittergiggle #banban x reader #look #it is back #at last #more to come in the future #I know this one has less actuon in it #there will be more in the next one

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pefkaes · 2 months ago

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"A politics of repair is a healing politics. This healing politics doesn’t seek to overthrow, reform, or return to the old; nor does it still believe in a miraculous leap into the radically untethered new. It reassembles, reinvents, and remakes. It re-pairs. Healing politics discloses the path for expressive politics to stage its escape from the actual into the virtual, from what the world is into what it can become."

— Wang, F., & Chen, C. (2024). The Unauthorized Repair of the World. e-flux, #146.

#quotes #technology #politics of healing #capitalism #reimagining futures

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weirdowithaquill · 7 months ago

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We Need to Talk About Rebecca...

And we will, once I have finished editing my *seven-page thesis* on what went wrong with her in BWBA, what should have been done and how to rewrite this engine to give her a shot at actually being a main character in Thomas.

I will overanalyse you, Rebecca.

Because this engine had potential, and Mattel squandered it. It's time to put on my Rev. W. Awdry hat and do some character-building.

#weirdowithaquill #thomas the tank engine #beware; there will be a very very long post at some point in the near future #I really am not kidding about this thing already being 7 pages #character reimagination #fixing Mattel's mistakes #ttte rebecca

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batsplat · 1 month ago

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#casey's starter. if anyone cares

I care! Thoughts on pokemon for the other aliens?

okay. um. the slight problem I have is that... the amount of thought I've put into ~pokemon for aliens~ as a concept ranges from 'fully thought out pokemon teams (multiple)' for casey and valentino and 'precisely zero' for all the other aliens. it's basically a thought experiment I've only run for that one specific rivalry where you get into like... match-ups between the different teams... and then there's the matter of how you philosophically approach pokemon au's - whether you go 'imagine if people irl had pokemon' or whether you fully invest in the setting - which also has implications for pokemon choice. I like thinking through both regionally agnostic pokemon teams where you basically have a free pick, or ones where you try to think what makes sense in a specific story progression similar to what you'd get in a pokemon game. BUT let's put all that aside and just... pick one starter pokemon for each of the aliens. their first lil guy

casey - eevee

the pick that prompted this ask. counting eevee as a starter is kinda marginal, apparently it was one in... pokemon xd: gale of darkness...? which I have obviously never played. but my first pokemon game was mystery dungeon (blue rescue team) and it's one of the 'starters' in that. and,, look, I want eevee to fulfil the starter plot function for casey by being the first pokemon casey befriends, so. we are counting eevee

as any fan of the franchise knows, eevee is a pretty unique pokemon. it has like... an 'unstable/irregular genetic structure' that means that is influenced by its environment in how it evolves. it is the pokemon with all the potential... it could be anything. it can evolve into one of eight different eeveelutions, all with different types

some of its pokedex entries:

the quintessential mutant pokemon! a bit weird and special! can adapt to pretty much every environment it ends up living in. it's very casey idk,, adaptation is his trademark trait. his ability to respond to any possible challenge, to compensate for any problems - the natural talent that provides him with such flexibility in his skillset as a rider. like eevee, he's all about potential!! I also like how eevee starts as a normal-type pokemon that basically just looks like an ordinary animal at first glance. a cute woodland creature, a cross between a fox and a rabbit. you wouldn't see it and immediately think it can help you unlock some of life's greatest mysteries. but it can!! casey believes in it from the start and gets very prickly if anyone else underestimates his pokemon. plus, starters are obviously generally quite cuddly and kid-friendly, but eevee in particular does just properly look like a pet you might feasibly have. I am pro casey having a creature that can sit in his lap and provide emotional support

in general, obviously no pokemon species needs One Single Characterisation... for all of these, you do want a bit of individual personality for the pokemon that reflects how it bonds to its specific trainer. though you do usually get a bit of guidance for common personality features, certain associations and key traits. I don't feel like there's anything particularly established with eevee, so we can just play it by ear for this one. I think casey's eevee should be a little proud, very stubborn, not always the friendliest to strangers but extremely outwardly affectionate with casey. maybe a bit hot-and-cold, somewhat unstable in its temperament in line with its whole schtick as a genetically unstable pokemon. (my preferred annoying valentino character trait in pokemon!verse is that he is very good at getting other people's pokemon to adore him. draw whatever conclusions you wish to about what implications that might have for this particular dynamic.) I wouldn't... prescribe casey one set eeveelution... like it kinda depends on team composition, right, the whole point is that it can fulfil lots of different functions. my preferred options tend to be glaceon, as a sort of reserved, hardy (albeit pig-headed) companion that learns to balance out casey's hothead tendencies - or jolteon, which goes in the complete opposite direction and is extremely sensitive and moody and a bit difficult to deal with. but, again. the whole point is allowing for flexibility here. this pokemon can adapt to all sorts of harsh environments... all about capturing casey's raw potential, while also providing him with a friendly and affectionate companion who can ground him. one day, when casey has retired from the battle trainer profession as a renowned champion, he ends up on a farm surrounded by like a dozen baby eevee - who will eventually evolve into every type of pokemon imaginable. for now, they're too busy jumping all over him

valentino - chimchar

obviously a single pokemon doesn't have to be representative of the entire team unless you're like,, a gym trainer... and in this case specifically valentino's starter doesn't represent the pokemon types that you'd typically feature in valentino's team as a whole. in terms of basic dualism, for the casey/valentino rivalry it's ofc very much a casey fire vs valentino water situation. as their canonical colour coding helpfully reflects. BUT idk,, I feel like it takes the fun out of it to be super stringent with elemental types for starter pokemon. you want balance in your pokemon teams anyway, the water/psychic/ghost types can come later. and in terms of Vibes, I think valentino should have a little fire chimpanzee

look at it. this is a great pokemon for young valentino specifically... cheeky little rascal. it's got a fire tail that can't be extinguished even when it rains. young valentino canonically a wimp about rain, to the extent that he didn't want to leave the trailer to actually ride in races (aka his job) and had to be cajoled into doing so. (an attribute he never quite lost if you look at how he acted in some parc fermé situations over the years.) having a permanent source of heat follow him around he can cosy up to (at an angle that doesn't set his clothes on fire) can only be a good thing. the only time chimchar extinguishes its fire is when it sleeps, though the flame also grows fainter when it is sickly. and unquenchable flame is very valentino. ALSO chimchar is known for its ability to climb mountains - and I just like the idea of valentino getting a heart attack when his cute companion is halfway up an extremely steep rock face. valentino bonded 4 lyfe with a creature that puts the fear of god in him once a week. bonus points if chimchar is extremely restless and very nearly too energetic even for valentino, so valentino's trying to sleep off another late night only to wake up at eleven am and realise with horror that chimchar's trying to catch clouds again

the typical characterisation of chimchar leans into curiosity and mischief... it wants to know things, always sticking its nose in places it doesn't belong. AND it's playful, cheeky. a perfect partner in crime. a pesky little clown. this surprising clever annoying chimpanzee who can alternate between bounding around, bothering everyone in range, and clinging onto valentino as he roams the land on his adventures... the constant companion to ensure that valentino is never too lonely. trusty, unflinchingly loyal, extremely ride-or-die if not always the most obedient - it has an independence to it that garners valentino's respect, however irritating he might find it in the moment. a constant source of entertainment. prone to sitting on valentino's shoulder, and also to setting his clothes on fire

its evolutions suit valentino too:

the post-chimchar evolutions add fighting type - always up for a scrap, always up for challenging themselves with a new dangerous opponent, increasingly adept at handling themselves in combat. perceptive. resilient. fierce. let us consult bulbapedia:

'all of its limbs' 'comparable to dancing' 'flame never goes out' it all works what can I say. also! infernape isn't the tallest final evolution anyway and valentino would have like... a good sixty cm on it... but you'll also note that it has really terrible posture. like I said. valentino's perfect partner

dani - treecko

with this pick, I didn't start with treecko itself - rather, I thought about how treecko's evolutions suited dani and worked back from there. sceptile (the final evolution) to me is such a classic cool pokemon, like you just know that guy means business. sleek powerhouse. it is also a lot taller than dani and I just like the idea of this looming grass monster standing behind dani. but my real affection lies with grovyle (the second evolution), who was a major character in one of the pokemon mystery dungeon games - a time traveller attempting to save the world from an apocalyptic future where time had stopped working and was scapegoated as the culprit while working to defeat the REAL villain. long story short, grovyle was very brave and very committed but was also just like?? completely put through the wringer, like this guy simply cannot catch a break. tragic arc!! kid me was extremely invested

anyway, this is treecko

even when treecko is still small and cute, it's just a cool little fellow. the typical characterisations centre on how calm and collected treecko is... a reserved type, not prone to panic or indeed expressing any strong emotions. doesn't get intimidated or scared when facing bigger pokemon. fun giving dani a starter that exaggerates the more prickly aspects of his personality - make his treecko standoffish, verging on rude. very dismissive of those it doesn't see worthy of its attention. it comes across as too composed for this to read as shyness, though there is a little bit of that too... maybe not the best socialised pokemon. comes off as harsher as it means to, sometimes. and this is the story of how jorge lorenzo came to feel he had been mortally offended by a half metre tall creature

not quite as outwardly affectionate as some of the pairings on this list, dani and treecko have a lot of implicit trust and loyalty going for them. they very much come as A Unit - so early days when dani is still a bit more closed off to the outside world, treecko very much mirrors this. dani really only needs one confidante, everyone else is unnecessary. often a nuisance. I've already brought up the evolutions, but as a quick refresher:

cool leaf guys. towering over dani. yes. there's a real confidence and class to this pokemon post-treecko, a certain protectiveness of its trainer... proud and single-minded. perhaps even a little more assertive than dani and more willing to stand up on his behalf than he is on his own. even when they get kicked a lot by life, even when they struggle, they learn how to work through that and take pride in their successes as they come. a pairing that draws strength from the other, one that learns how to provide each other steady support and companionship. and if dani's REALLY in danger, sceptile can always pick him up and just get the fuck out of there. they'll always look out for each other

jorge - torchic

get jorge a torchic right now. right now. as stated at the top of this post, I didn't have any ideas prepared for three of the aliens, and admittedly my thought process with this one was picking dani's treecko first and then thinking about the other starter pokemon you get in the same game. which is how I got to torchic. but idc, never mind all that, I now feel very strongly about this pick

torchic is... this little warm ball... it's kinda awkward, toddling after its trainer, a bit unsteady and off-balance. not necessarily the coolest one at first glance... hey, maybe jorge wanted a treecko but dani got first pick. but once jorge commits, he really commits - and torchic are generally seen as extremely loyal to their trainers. dependent to the max. some more key details: they have a flame literally burning inside of them that makes them warm to hug. they're afraid of the dark and will cry if you leave them alone at night. they're basically very cute very cuddly wimps. jorge is initially sceptical... but once torchic worms its way into his heart, it sure does stay there. give jorge a little unconditionally loyal creature that he has to take care of and protect... let jorge do the full one eighty from being kinda unconvinced by this pokemon to being EXTREMELY defensive at anyone suggesting that there's anything wrong with being terrified of dark places. nobody else gets it... jorge knows his torchic is just misunderstood

more of a side note but. I like that I've given both yamaha teammates fire types who can keep them warm. a bit of a ~fight fire with fire~ approach to intra-garage relations. bright flames, drama, show. evENTUALLY they figure out they have a fair bit in common and don't have to try and kill each other every other week but... it takes time. there's also a bit of a superficial resemblance between both of their starters' final evolution, in colour scheme if nothing else

jorge's torchic only evolves once he's completely accepted it like it is, uncool overly affectionate wimp and all. at which point it does increasingly become the ~badass~ companion jorge had been looking for, though it never loses those early traits entirely. I also like this description of combusken's battle, like yeah sure let it be annoying and screechy:

jorge obviously canonically quite smooth and sleek on track - but again, it's fun to have a little bit of contrast too, where his starter pokemon is LOUD and DISTRACTING. he will LOSE IT if anyone calls his precious pokemon shrill and grating... people just don't get how smart it's being... (they get it, they just find it annoying anyway.) and this whole 'fire inside' thing just suits jorge... he's big on how his pokemon's fiery heart matches his own or whatever. even the torchic had PASSION. it's a proper partnership built on a mutual willingness to challenge absolutely anyone as they grow stronger and wiser together... they make for quite the pair. jorge's pokemon might never be the biggest fan of the dark, but it sure ends up being very brave about it

marc - totodile

as someone who regularly makes reference to marc's serial killer grin, it feels only right for me to assign marc a starter pokemon that can wrench open its jaw like a crocodile

totodile bites. a lot. it's not even malicious - it's playful and likes to roughhouse with everything in its vicinity. but the problem is that it has extremely powerful jaws that can chew through a LOT of things... so it might playfully bite you in a way that leaves you requiring stitches. and it also does this to its trainer! when marc is young, he's constantly getting the brunt of it, leaving him covered in bruises and worryingly gaping wounds as a result of his pokemon's affection. he never holds it against totodile, for all that a lot of those marks won't ever quite fade - he knows it doesn't mean badly. it's not generally a good idea to have your back turned to totodile and marc has to be careful to take his totodile around other people... now there you can get some nasty incidents that get marc into a lot of trouble. marc has a tendency to be quite bullish about these attacks and will always defend his pokemon, but eventually he learns to take more responsibility and totodile learns to be more careful. mainly because it doesn't like seeing marc in constant pain approaching agony

beyond these... uh, teething difficulties, totodile is fun to be around - cheerful, bright, and a steadfast companion to marc who always wants to play and have fun with him. it never quite loses these character traits in its evolutions --

-- though it does grow somewhat warier, a little more determined to protect marc from any potential attack. this evolutionary line sleeps with one eye open at all times, only ever resting half of its brain as a way of always staying on guard. croconaw have barbed fish hook teeth you can't get out once they are attached - so when it properly bites down onto something, it won't let go until it's lost its teeth. which fortunately (?) grow back fast. there is a certain reckless disregard for its own wellbeing with which marc's pokemon defends marc that does unsettle him, and he tries to dissuade his starter from regularly losing all its teeth on marc's behalf. character arc where they both have to learn to take a bit better care of themselves - for each other's sake, if nothing else. by the time marc's starter becomes a feraligatr, luckily it generally only has to open its massive jaw to intimidate foes. and when it DOES bite down on an enemy, it shakes its head around to like... idk man, just make life even worse for them? tear them asunder? not a pokemon to be messed with for sure. another one with a somewhat comical height disparity to its trainer, so marc can just show up and have an extremely scary massive crocodile as backup to glare at foes. but away from battle, it's still the playful affectionate creature it once was. just a touch more terrifying

#when i was a kid i often named my pokemon after whatever i was into at the time OR my own original characters reimagined in pokemon form #so there's probably a timeline where i have like.... a shinx called casey. or maybe i'd save that name up for when u get the riolu egg #//#brr brr #batsplat responds #//at #//st #don't want to brag but these are all banger picks. i think i really nailed this one #i feel like pokemon fusions should be more of a thing in fandom in general #down with hogwarts au's. the future lies with pokemon #i know the trainers are canonically. like. ten. but they don't HAVE to be. liberate yourself and age them up to something more sensible

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wtficedance · 1 year ago

Text

Ice Dance Reimagined

With the upcoming ISU Congress in Summer of 2024 and ice dance seemingly in an unending beta of rule changes, I figured I would float a few thoughts on the many changes that have been made over the past few years.

As I mentioned in my RD Rules post, the ISU has essentially made moves to return to the original dance (making the change from short -> rhythm dance even more pointless in the first place) choosing to dictate broader themes.

To me, what makes ice dance so unique amongst all the disciplines is the variety of elements and styles that each team is expected to have in their repertoire and the fact that even in a given SD/OD/RD theme, people have to go out of their way to have a unique take. The rules which have lowered difficulty--in the name of giving skaters more room to be creative--have in fact resulted in the opposite. More teams are doing the same difficult features, same footwork, same lifts, same transitions than ever before. Both drawing on old choreography and leading to homogeneity across the discipline.

I propose a scheme which is a compromise of the two conflicting motions in ice dance right now: 1) the “no pattern ever” give everyone freedom vibes and 2) the people who believe the pattern is king. Alternate having a patterned and original short dance, giving the discipline an opportunity to develop new patterns (the original intention of the pattern dance type step sequence) while also ensuring that teams are continuing to emphasize solid ice dance foundations like skating in hold.

Original Short Dance Layout

1PSt

2Pst

Non-touch midline step sequence (style A)

Twizzles

Lift

Patterned Short Dance Layout

Pattern 1

Pattern 2

Non-touch midline step sequence (style A)

Twizzles

Lift

What the ISU (and choreographers/coaches) have fundamentally misunderstood about the appeal of patterns is that EVERY step is intentional and meant to elicit a specific effect and contribute to an overall impression. There's a reason that even though the Yankee Polka and Finnstep and Tango Romantica all include a LFI Closed S-Step, they have completely different timing and contribute to very different impressions. And it is because the general footwork in the pattern, in addition to just the difficult steps and turns, is geared towards reflecting the unique character of that pattern. I cannot count the number of pattern step sequences since 2017 that have effectively been copy pasted across blues, Latin, foxtrot/quickstep, blues x2, and Latin x2 once again programs with only minor changes to mini-lifts. They lack intention, they are the slowest section of the program for a good 90% of RDs because every team--no matter the style--is attempting to make their turns as drawn out as possible to get credit.

I propose that in original dance years there are 2 PSt segments, each with 3 KPs with the former 4th KP serving as a choreographic benchmark. This would allow for direct comparison of teams doing the same steps (and not allow teams to do the exact same difficult turns 5 years in a row) while simultaneously incentivizing creativity.

For example, under “Jig” below there are the following guidelines:

Jig is characterized by (1) high tempo, (2) rapid toe and heel steps, (3) jumps, kicks, hops and other accents including slides and shuffles, (4) tight and rigid torso, emphasis on leg movements over arm movements, (5) music in 12/8, 6/8, 9/8, 2/4. Teams are expected to pick music and a type of jig dance which fits these characteristics. 1PSt must start at center ice, 2PSt must end at center ice.

An example of key points:

1KP1: A) LFI Counter, LBI Bracket B) LBI Counter, LFI Bracket in any variant of closed hold except basic hand-in-hand

1KP2: both skip, LBO C-Step, RFI Swing S-step. in killian or foxtrot variant.

1KP3: A) RBO 1.5Tw, any kicking/tucking motion, RFI Bracket, RBO Bracket. B) LFO 1.5Tw, any kicking/tucking motion matching/mirroring/corresponding to partner A, LBI Bracket, LFO Bracket. Partners must be touching once exited from twizzles.

1PSt being completely prescriptive in KPs and 2PSt being slightly more flexible:

2KP1: both beginning any bracket, immediate counter, 1-5 intermediate steps where at least one partner must hit at least one difficult skating position* for at least a 1/2 beat, skid exit.

2KP2: both beginning swing FO C-Step, 3-8 intermediate steps/turns with partners MIRRORING each other, ending BO Counter. Partners must be touching entire time

2KP3: both beginning double S-step, 1-4 intermediate steps, ending with one partner on a BO edge and picking into the ice and the other partner doing at least one revolution around. PSt, officially concluded when the stationary partner resumes motion. Partners much be touching at two points until the first revolution around in 2KP3 is concluded.

Skaters would receive credit for the KPs accomplished in both and would receive a fourth Y/N based on whether they met choreographic requirements outlined in italics above.

*difficult skating position: any position where the skating leg is bent at least 90 degrees (shoot the duck, hydroblade, any lunge, any crouch), besti squat, spread eagle, ina bauer, spiral, layback, etc.

Now for some theme ideas:

2024-2025 - Patterned Short Dance - Grand Ballroom with a pattern of Golden Waltz

Teams must skate a program which reflects the character of the waltz particularly with regards to (1) lilting knee action, (2) closed position in hold, (3) repeated rotation as a unit when progressing across the ice, (4) movements should appear long, extended, and with sweeping open posture, (5) tone and musical themes may vary as long as a waltz character is maintained.

2025-2026 - Original Short Dance - Jig

Jig originated in Ireland and Scotland, gradually progressing throughout the British Isles and mainland Europe and then throughout the world including in the Metis people of Canada and Louisiana. Straight and sand jigs were developed in the US by African Americans in the 19th century which eventually influence the creation of jazz and tap. Jig is characterized by (1) high tempo, (2) rapid toe and heel steps, (3) jumps, kicks, hops and other accents including slides and shuffles, (4) tight and rigid torso, emphasis on leg movements over arm movements, (5) music in 12/8, 6/8, 9/8, 2/4. Teams are expected to pick music and a type of jig dance which fits these characteristics.

2026-2027 - Pattern Short Dance - Percussive Dances with a pattern of Paso Doble

(1) Stomping, toe picking, clapping, other percussive elements involving hitting the legs or torso, (2) dance is primarily danced to the RHYTHM and TEMPO not the melody, if there is a section without audible rhythm the team should create that beat using percussive elements (3) music must include a beat throughout, a melody is not necessary, (4) a theme should remain consistent throughout, if movements are drawn from a traditional dance they should reflect the character of the music chosen and the pattern should be interpreted appropriately.

2027-2028 - Original Short Dance - Music and Rhythms of the 1970s

The 1970s were one of the most influential eras of music, giving birth to entire new genres and styles and furthering the popularity of funk, soul, R&B, jazz, glam rock, folk rock, pop, disco, reggae, electronic music, and the birth of hip hop, it was defined by experimental sounds due to new music equipment.

(1) Music choices and rhythms should be COHERENT and related, the two music choices should be related thematically, structurally, or stylistically beyond more than just being from the 1970s, (2) one piece of music should be high tempo (>120bpm) and one piece should be low tempo (<100bpm), a third piece can be skated to any tempo, (3) the holds, movements, and steps in the PSt should reflect the style of music and dance chosen

2028-2029 - Pattern Short Dance - Jazz and Tap with a pattern of Quickstep

Jazz dance is a particularly broad genre that includes original social dances like the Charleston developed in parallel to the birth of jazz in Harlem, as well as more modernized styling.

Skaters should take inspiration from dancers like Bill Robinson, Jack Cole, Fred Astaire, Gus Giordano, nd Bob Fosse, as well as Broadway stage choreography and tap dance.

(1) Music choices and rhythms should be COHERENT and related, the two music choices should be related thematically, structurally, or stylistically, (2) one piece of music should be high tempo (>120bpm) and one piece should be low tempo (<100bpm), a third piece can be skated to any tempo, (3) the Quickstep timing can be adjusted to fit the tempo of the music chosen and to reflect the character of the chosen choreography.

See: https://gotta-dance.com/brief-history-of-jazz-dance/

2029-2030 - Original Short Dance - Nuevo Latin

The ISU has done a whole lot of cha cha, rhumba, and samba, but those are FAR from the only Latin rhythms. Dancers will be challenged to develop a new pattern that isn’t already an ISU pattern (and one that hasn’t been done a million times).

Examples of other rhythms: bachata, cumbia, danzon, salsa, mambo, merengue, bomba, lena, perreo, etc.

(1) The entirety of the PSt should be done in the same style and tempo but can differ from the the rest of the program. (2) Dancers are only required to pick one rhythm style but 2-3 are permitted. (3) skaters must have two points of contact with each other the entirety of the PSt, (4) at least 6 changes of hold must take place during the PSt, this can be from the same to same hold as long as a step or turn takes place during the change, (5) 1PSt must begin at the end of the long axis, 2PSt must end at the same end.

Choreo deductions: obvious use of cha cha, rhumba, or samba music/choreo. Tango, paso doble, and flamenco also excluded.

2030-2031 - Pattern Short Dance - Folk Dances with a pattern of Polka

Folk and country dance is characterized by it's informal and reflection of the general populace intended for widespread social dance. As opposed to court and ballroom dances, it should not be characterized as refined, ritual, or for stage performance. Skaters are encouraged to choose a folk dance related to their background. (1) Polka is skated to a bpm of 120bpm +/-4 and can be skated to and interpreted in any kind of musical style, (2) the same folk dance theme should remain constant throughout the dance or if two dances are chosen they should be closely related (i.e. the non-touch midline step sequence done in the line dancing style and the polka in the square dance style) (3) skaters may have a non-touch portion of their 2PSt provided they remain within one arm-length of each other.

Examples of folk dances include: maypole, hora, tarantella, polka, square dance, clogging, Dutch crossing, oberek, mazurka, Morris , polska, ballu tundu, bhangra, circassian, dabke, garba, khigga, romvong, peacock dance, nongak, yangge, chacarera, zamba, malambo, marinera, akayida, kizomba, agbadza, baile folklorico, shota, rugovo, cumbia, landler, schuhplatter, sardana, dragon dance, lion dance, mapale, danza de la tijeras, jenkka etc.

2031-2032 - Original Short Dance - Swing and Social Dances

Despite the many years of jive, charleston, and jitterbug original dances, there is no swing (or related dance) pattern. Dancers are to pick a swing-adjacent dance style and create a pattern. Examples: charleston, lindy hop, jive, jitterbug, shag, boogie woogie.

(1) Dance style should generally be from the 1920s-1950s era, (2) skaters should include intricate changes of positions for each partner reflecting the highly athletic nature of swing dancing, (3) 1PSt should begin in front of the judges with a 1-2 second mini-lift and end in the same location, 1PSt and 2PSt should consist of similar patterns across the ice and each take one lap, (4) skaters should utilize hops, skips, assisted jumps, and up to 3 mini-lifts per PSt to reflect the character of their chosen dance.

Swing does NOT necessarily need to be up tempo if choosing a style such as West Coast Swing which is danced with a distinct lack of bounce.

And then with time in "pattern" years, new patterns will arise and be eligible for interpretation. Would love to hear people’s thoughts :)

#wtficedance #ice dance #figure skating #rhythm dance #future of fs #ice dance reimagined #kaitlyn weaver can you hear me #pattern dance #original dance #ice dance rules #opinion #rule changes #isu rule changes

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