#when I’m financially stable and have my ducks in a row it’s over for you ladies I am HOT | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

swimyghost · 4 years ago

Text

Camellias and Carrots

Hey y’all. I’m finally writing something for my OCs. I just wanna say that @wickedhellagoodtime‘s OC is briefly mentioned but otherwise I hope you enjoy!

--------

"Uh, Hanamori-san, she's back again."

Tsubaki let out a groan. She set the bag of soil she was carrying on the wooden counter next to the cash register. Tsubaki could hear the front door shake as someone continuously banged on it.

"Just let her in, Ichiro," she sighed, wiping her hands on her apron. "She'll bust down the door if we don't hurry."

The young black-haired man gulped and nodded. He passed the rows of flowers on shelves stood guard with their backs turned away from the walls. Side-stepping the island table containing the array of multi-color bouquets, Ichiro nervously adjusted his glasses then opened the door. The door wasn't even fully opened when the figure shoved themselves into the store. Tsubaki crossed her arms. She eyed the rude intruder up and down.

"You know, you're making yourself rather suspicious in that outfit, bunny."

The person growled and ripped off her broad-rimmed hat. Instantly two fluffy white rabbit ears perked up once their cover was gone. The person, a woman wearing a rather large white coat with a fluffy white collar and cuffs, pointed an accusatory finger at the Tsubaki. "I've told you repeatedly to not call me bunny, Dropout!"

Tsubaki rolled her eyes. "Fine. Just lose the coat. You look like you just murdered a bunch of polar bears for it."

The woman growled and her ears swiveled towards Ichiro. He was trying to inch his way towards the backroom when the woman grapped his shirt collar. Ichiro let out a yelp as the woman whipped him around to face her.

"Listen, kid, take my coat and hat and put them somewhere in the back then stay there. Your boss and I need to chat."

"Yes, Usagiyama-san!" Ichiro replied, immediately taking the clothing items and rushing to the back.

Now that Tsubaki could fully see the person, the identity of the individual was confirmed. The Pro-Hero Rumi Usagiyama, Hero Name Miruko, returned to her flower shop to bother her once more.

Miruko stretched her arms over her head, grunting at the action. Tsubaki, against better judgment, gave her another once over. Miruko's skin was smooth and marked with dozens of tiny and large scars alike. Her body was definitely built for her Quirk, with her muscular thighs and her lean calves certainly reminded Tsubaki of the rabbits she saw at the park. But that didn't mean her upper body was neglected. Tsubaki observed her rock-solid core as the Hero shifted to stretching her triceps. Speaking of triceps, both them and her biceps were bludging with the clear power that was under her deep brown skin. Tsubaki then moved to her chest which had a crescent moon symbol plastered right on it.

The store owner turned her head in shame. This woman harasses me constantly and yet I have the gull to objectify her. I'm disgusting!

"Hey, who's that kid?"

Tsubaki returned to the present and noticed that Miruko was staring at the entrance to the backroom. Tsubaki sighed. "I tell you his name every time you come here, it's Ichiro Niwakojo."

"Riiiiight, and, uh, what's his Quirk?"

Tsubaki didn't reply right away. She decided that if Miruko wasn't going to leave any time soon, she was going to continue working. She was grateful that her toolbox was still on the floor near the half-circle counter that was still holding the bag of soil from earlier. Making a mental note to take care of that later, Tsubaki made her way to the front of the store, knowing some petunias needed to be pruned for a client. Miruko stayed where she was but both her eyes and ears were still pointed at the pink petal-haired storeowner.

"It's called Plant Growth. Basically, he can grow plants slightly faster if he knows the biological makeup of said plant." Tsubaki cut back some dead leaves off one of the petunias. She took great care in not damaging the stem or the healthy leaves.

"A lot different than your Quirk. A lot weaker." Miruko sneered.

Tsubaki knew what the Pro-Hero was playing at. She didn't take the bait, instead choosing to move to a different flower. "Yes, but he's great with all the flowers and his bouquet-craft almost rivals my own. I know he wants to be a horticulturist but if he ever changed career paths I wouldn't be upset."

Miruko's ear twitched but she didn't say anything. Tsubaki finished her pruning and set her tools back into her box. She was lucky to have some fresh soil and transport bags underneath her counter and began to dig up the flowers. Miruko watched with intensity as Tsubaki poured fresh soil into a cloth bag with the flowers gently placed inside. As the florist began to finish up her task, the Pro-Hero spoke up once more.

"You're hardworking."

Tsubaki raised an eyebrow. "Thank you?"

Miruko frowned. "Why do you say it like that?"

"Because this is the first time you've complimented me," Tsubaki explained.

"No, it hasn't." Miruko denied, her ears folding back against her head.

"Yes, it has."

"Whatever!" Miruko's hand flew up in annoyance before slamming down onto the counter. Tsubaki heard a crack. "You're paying for that," She murmured.

"You're clearly know how to work with all this plant stuff, you're hardworking and never stop working even when I show up-"

"Because I have a business to run."

"-you show great talent with your Quirk."

"Now I know you're pulling at straws! I haven't used my Quirk a single time you've been here."

"Really?" Miruko smirked and pointed at the bag still tightly grasped in Tsubaki's hand. "Last time I was here those flowers were nothing but seeds."

Tsubaki looked away. "So?"

"I was here only two days ago."

Tsubaki growled and tossed the bag onto the counter. "So what, I use my Quirk to help my business? What else am I to do with my Quirk?"

"Become a Hero! Stop playing with your little flowers and actually do something!" Miruko leaned over the counter. Tsubaki could feel her hot breath on her face. "You could be saving lives but instead you choose to hide away because you got scared."

Tsubaki bared her teeth. "How dare you! I lost everything in that battle and, instead of wallowing in despair, I made a name for myself. I built myself a life where I can find peace within myself and I don't have to wake up every day worried if those I love are dead or not."

"You wake up every day for what? Something that someone else will buy and probably not take care of? Something that will end up dying in less than a few weeks? Maybe a few months at the most?"

"At least I enjoy what I do and don't have to parade around pretending my life is so cool and that there are no downsides to it."

"Oh please, you're a fool to think I don't know I could die." Miruko grinned. "That's just apart of the thrill."

"Apart of the- Oh Lord, you've lost your mind." Tsubaki leaned against the hall. She buried her head in her hands. The conversation always went like this when she was faced with Miruko.

"Besides," Miruko continued. "I can just have days off when I feel like it."

"So can I. You're not special." Tsubaki countered.

"I thought you had to work every day just to keep yourself afloat," Miruko said.

"That is a fantasy you crafted yourself. I'm financially stable. But I do close the shop if I'm feeling sick or if I have to go out shopping. Sometimes I close early when it's a holiday." Tsubaki explained.

Miruko scoffed. "You need to go shopping? Why can't you just grow it, Dropout?"

"You can't grow meat on trees, bunny." Tsubaki snapped.

That shout Miruko up because her ears shoot up at the statement. Tsubaki thought the Hero was going to say something snarky but the opposite happened. Miruko's face contorted into confusion and bewilderment. Her body sort of fell forward against the counter as if she couldn't properly stand. Tsubaki wondered if the rabbit Quirked hero was having a heart attack or something. Instead, the store owner was stunned by Miruko's next sentence.

"You eat meat?"

It was Tsubaki's turn to be confused. She stumbled with her words before she finally shot out, "Yes? Why wouldn't I?"

Miruko blushed and awkwardly looked at the floor. "Well, it's just... You know!" She gestured up and down at Tsubaki.

Tsubaki blinked a few times before it hit her. "Are you... Stereotyping me?"

"No! I just... Are you like a venus flytrap?"

"No, I'm not like a venus flytrap!" Tsubaki shouted, gripping the siding of her head as if a headache was beginning to form. "I'm a human being!"

"But wouldn't you be a vegetarian because you're, like, a plant?" Miruko asked, her voice rising several octaves higher.

"If I were a plant, why would I eat my own kind?" Tsubaki replied with irritation seeping into her tone.

"I don't know, I just thought-"

"If you're a rabbit, why don't you eat carrots all the time and say 'what's up, doc?'". Tsubaki interrupted, putting on a bad impression while she was at it.

Miruko's blush deepened as she shoved a finger in the plant Quirk user's face. "I'm not Bugs fucking Bunny, first of all! And second of all, I do enjoy carro-"

A low yet loud growled rumbled through the store. Tsubaki instantly whipped her head around, trying to locate the source of the noise. She learned from both living in the big city and Hero Training that villains could be around every corner. She did a once-over of the shelves, making sure no one had snuck in while the two were arguing. When no one could be seen she yelled for Ichiro. She asked if he had heard anything, still making sure the front of the store was safe.

"No, ma'am. Is something wrong?" Ichiro replied, still hiding in the backroom afraid to face Miruko if she saw him disobeying his orders.

"Miruko did you-"

The Pro-Hero was clutching her waist and visibly shaking. Her ears were lying lifeless against her head. Tsubaki ducked slightly and noticed her eyes were watering. It took her a few moments, her Tsubaki's own eyes widened with surprise.

"Are you... Hungry?"

"Shut up!"

Tsubaki winced as Miruko slammed her forehead into her's. The rabbit woman's red eyes were like two fiery suns as she spoke.

"I wasn't able to eat breakfast today before some villains decided to stir up some trouble. They were super close so I couldn't just do nothing! Then I had to on a search and rescue mission after a bunch of hikers got in a landslide and then-"

"Alright, I get it," Tsubaki pushed the hero off her and rubbed her aching forehead with the back of her hand. "But... It's nearly two-thirty, why didn't you just stop and get lunch?"

Miruko growled but turned her gaze away from Tsubaki. "I had to see you first, of course."

Tsubaki dramatically placed two hands on her chest and cooed. "Oh, darling~, you shouldn't have!"

Miruko's temper flared up. "I'll make you eat those words, Dropo-!"

The small silver and green-screen communicator on the Pro's wrist lit up and began to beat. Miruko snarled and ripped it off her wrist before holding it up to her ear.

"What?!" She barked.

Tsubaki couldn't hear the conversation, but she could tell Miruko was getting more and more annoyed by her slouched body posture. Her right foot was tapping away like crazy as the conversation continued.

"What do you mean I-!" Miruko shouted after Tsubaki was sure her foot broke through the floor. "I already said no! ...What do you mean I have to!? Do they know who I fucking am!? No, don't 'Usagiyama-san' me, I- Don't hang up you cock-sucking-!"

Miruko whipped around with both shock and fury plastered all over her face. "They hung up on me!"

"Who is they?" Tsubaki asked.

"The Hero Public Safety Commission," Miruko explained, solving her communicator back into its silver band-like holster. "They believe it'd be better for me to be seen with a sidekick so the public doesn't worry about me dying or whatever. Says it's to 'calm their nerves'".

Tsubaki couldn't help but snort at Miruko's mocking tone. She watched as the Hero make her way to the front door before cursing.

"Shit, my disguise! Whatever, I'll have to pick it up later. The Commission will have my head if I don't show up soon."

"I thought you said you were free to do Hero Work whenever you felt like it. That you could choose your free days." Tsubaki smirked.

"Shut up, Dropout!" Miruko yelled back.

Tsubaki chuckled. She was about to turn to go back to her work when she realized something.

"You said you liked carrots, right?"

Miruko didn't even look at her, just swirled her ears towards her to let Tsubaki know she was listening. "Yeah? What about it?"

"Just curious." Tsubaki waved it off.

Miruko just grunted and exited the store, giving the building some time to breathe.

---

Rumi hated taking the back ways when going places but she didn't want that dropout's store flooded with paparazzi when she just wanted to receive her clothes. The last wave was already hard to shake off, if they saw her going into some random flower shop owned by one of UA's biggest scandals, both her and Tsubaki would be swarmed by the press for weeks to come.

Crouching next to a dumpster, Rumi shivered as she was forced to place her feet in some nasty brownish puddle. Rumi grided her teeth together then faced the way leading onto the street.

I swear, if someone with a camera comes up to me I'll break it over their heads!

She did a mental countdown in her head before using all her speed to dash out of the alley and onto the sidewalk. She had to use all her leg muscles to skid to a stop or else be run over by a car then raced down the street. To everyone else, she was just a white blur. Someone would probably call the cops or try to get some Heroes involved if she continued to run past civilians.

Let 'em! She thought to herself, grinning one of her famous smiles I'll be out faster then before those stupid police can even think of coming over here!

Luckily, Tsubaki’s store was at the end of the line of buildings so Rumi just ran inside and slammed the door behind her. It was a miracle the glass door didn't shatter as the entire building shook due to the force.

"Dropout! Guess what! I got a sidekick and he might actually be kickass! His name is Oniyama, like my name, he wears a rabbit- Hey! Where are you?"

Ichiro, standing behind the cash register, waved at the Pro. "Hello, Usagiyama-san!" Although he sounded friendly, he was slowly inching away from Rumi so he wouldn't be in her line of fury.

Rumi placed her hands on her hips. "Hey, kid, where's Dropout?"

Ichiro fidgeted with a nearby rag. "Hanamori-san? She went out to make a delivery ten minutes ago. She won't be here for another hour."

Miruko frowned and opened her mouth to speak, but Ichiro beat her to it. "Oh, I already have your coat and hat here, ma'am. But Hanamori-san told me to tell you that she has something for you upstairs." He pointed to the wooden stairs behind the counter.

"You mean... She left something for me in her apartment?" Rumi scoffed. "Yeah, right, I'm not stupid. That has trap written all over it."

Ichiro tried to speak, but it was Rumi's turn to cut him off. "But I'll see what that Dropout has in store for me."

She walked past the rows of flowers and went behind to counter to the stares. Ichiro's gaze followed her until she turned to look at him. Her mouth grew into a wide smile.

"Move even a hair and I'll break your legs and send you to the police myself."

Ichiro whimpered but nodded profusely. Rumi felt a little bad for scaring the young man but still made her way up the creaky staircase. The dark oak door was heavily stylized with detailed depictions of flowers and vines, something Rumo would've been more interested in had she not been in a hurry. She opened the door and was surprised to see how... Cozy Tsubaki's apartment was.

A coat rack stood tall in front of her with several different coats of different materials and lengths. Her walls were a honey brown color with pictures lining the walls. Rumi could see that many of them were Tsubaki with what she assumed was her family. Like the downstairs, plants were either hanging from the ceiling, in pots of various sizes, or wrapped around objects like vases and table lamps. To her left, was the kitchen with cabinets and a circular white table with chairs placed on the center edge.

Rumi walked in and saw that there were two doors next to the kitchen which she assumed she wasn't allowed in. She passed the corner of the apartment there held the couch and the flatscreen TV raised above the fireplace as she used her ears to listen for any noises. She went completely sit to make sure she could properly hear everything. Rumi could hear the panicked breathing and thudding heartbeat of Ichiro downstairs but otherwise nothing. The apartment was completely empty.

"If no one is here, why-"

That's when she noticed it. Carefully wrapped in saran wrap and on a white plate laid a small cake. It had a layer of white frosting spread across the top with little frosting carrots accompanying it. On top of a metal fork and knife, which had another plate under it, laid a folded piece of paper. Rumi lifted it up, unfolded it, then read it.

Knowing you, you probably didn't go and get something to eat after your meeting with the Commission, so I made you a little something. Hope you like it :) -Hanamori

Rumi tossed the note aside and ripped open the saran wrap. She plunged the knife into the cake and cut herself a slice. She plopped it onto the second plate and took a bite. She froze after her second chew.

It was a fucking carrot cake. A good one at that. Rumi almost melted at how moist it was. It had the perfect layering of frosting and cake with pecans baked into the middle. Rumi could also taste the mouth-watering pinch of vanilla extract added to the cake.

The carrot cake was gone and only a minute. Rumi wiped away the bits of crumbs and frosting with the back of her arm. Once again, she looked at the note. Tsubaki's added smile made her chest bubble with rage. She crumpled the note in her hand and raised her head towards the heavens.

"FUCK YOU, HANAMORI!"

#oc x canon #my hero academia #boku no hero academia #rumi usagiyama #rumi usagiyama x oc #tsubaki hanamori #mha oc #bnha oc #ficlet #fanfic #fanfiction

6 notes · View notes

kaijuguy19 · 6 years ago

Text

The Final Episode of Georgie Bears Fables.

If you were to ask me what my favorite show was in my childhood, my answer would always be the Georgie Bear Fables show. At least it was for the longest time but I'm getting ahead of myself. You see the show is a stop motion cartoon show that ran in the late 60's to early 70's that deals with a bear cub named Georgie who always goes to the park's ranger named Ranger Watchman who gives out wise fables about life lessons and how to be a better person with the occasional cartoon humor thrown in. It holds a special place in my hearts because of how it got me and my family through tough times with financial struggles and people putting us down any chance they get. We were able get VHS tapes when he had the means to do so to help take our minds off of them until we eventually found a way to have our lives stable. We enjoyed the different fun stories that Ranger Watchmen told such as how Dudley Duck found out the hard way of not letting fear cloud out better judgement and how the clumsy antics of Leo and Crocky taught us to be mindful of our actions unintentional as some of them are. As I grew older I was able to find more info about the behind the scenes making of the show online. Apparently there was a planned finale of the series but the series creator died all of the sudden. What made it mysterious was that he seemed to be strangled yet no traces of a struggle or hand marks were present on his throat. Some theorized he killed himself but he showed no depression from the interviews and documentaries I've seen of him since he always came across as being quite happy. Regardless the finale was never made and the series just ended right there and then. I didn't think much of it at the time since some series ended without any real ending happening.....That is until about a month ago. I work as a security guard in my town's local museum, and while it's not the most ideal job I'd admit, it does help pay the bills especially if you're a 27 year old guy like me trying to keep afloat. The Museum last month was hosting to my wonderful surprise an exhibit of The Georgie Bear Fables show dealing with the wonderful history of the series along with never before seen in public props and models. In my time as security guard there, it gave me delight to be able to see the actual models and props from my favorite series be put on display and I was looking forward to cherish the moment of seeing up close before it eventually closes. It was the night before the grand opening of the exhibit and I was lucky to be the one keeping guard on it. I spent my time looking at the monitors at the exhibit while of course keeping an out on the other exhibits. It was only a few minutes when I saw something move quickly on the monitor that was focused on one of the glass frames at the Georgie Bear exhibit. Getting my attention I played back the video slowly to see what was running but oddly enough I still wasn't able to tell what it was. Arming myself with my gun and baton stick, I went outside my office and right to the exhibit that was located at my right. The bright yellow banner that reads "Georgie Bear's Fables Exhibit where the timeless lessons are shown right in front of your eyes!" hung over my head at the enterance as I walked inside it. I looked around me to see all of the props and models I've remembered since childhood. The green hills and cabin house that Ranger Watchman resided in are given a special display which made me smile. I looked inside the glass cabnets as I see the many characters I remembered seeing on the show. There was Ms, Warthog with her bonnet and sash, Bonkers the Bear with his trench coat and glasses, and the fox triplets with their slingshots in hand. That being said I noticed that there some characters that were missing. Two of which are the mains stars of the series which surprised me since the whole exhibit was mostly about them. I then figured that it was likely because they didn't get to everyone yet and they needed to do some last minute setting up before the opening. As I looked at some of the concept art of the characters I heard the scuffling again behind me and I tried to catch it but again no luck. Sighing in frustration I walked around more of the room, trying to find clues to see who the hell was making that running around. I prayed that it was only a rat and if worse case secnerio a kid with an annoying way to get a laugh. I turned left after hearing the running yet again and walked over to the corner only to find a room up ahead that says "Georgie's Picture show room!" I went inside it to find myself in a mini theater with a projection on the back of the room,and rows of seats lined up in front of the projection screen. Placed next to the projection was film reels of the many cartoon episodes of the series. I guessed that it was to both entertain the kids and relieve nostalgia for the parents. As I was about to leave I've noticed that something wasn't right with one of the wall tiles. It seemed a bit crooked like someone was rushing to get it finished before work. "Talk about sloppy." I muttered as I went over to see if I could adjust it a bit before people come in but when I tried to, it fell on the floor flat cracking in two. I looked inside the hole where the tile was placed in and noticed a film reel canister with chains all around it. That in itself was bizarre but what it more bizarre was what the title was. Georgie Bear's Final Fable. I quickly grabbed a hold of it and stared at the reel canister carefully to see if I wasn't seeing things or not. Yes it did indeed say that. Plenty of questions rushed through my mind such as "Was this really the series finale?" "Why didn't they air this?" and "Why the hell did they try to hide it like this?" as I looked at it. Perhaps it was my eagerness or wanting to know why they kept it hidden but either way I wanted to see it and understand why it was kept hidden. Noticing a weak link in the chain, I was able to crack it apart and carefully pry the canister open. Upon doing so dust came out of it, making me cough. I looked at the age old reel, feeling excitement and curiosity flowing over me as I cleaned it up a bit. I placed the reel inside the projection and turned it on. The familiar title and theme song came on as I saw the smiling faces of both Georgie Bear and Ranger Watchman as they greeted the viewer which in this case was me. I took a seat to see it play on. The episode opens with a middle aged Ranger dressed in his trademarked green uniform tending a garden filled with flowers and crops of fruits and vegetables alike. His face was sweaty yet his expression was content as he ran his hand through his thick orange hair as he took a drink of lemonade to refresh himself. This was of course Ranger Watchman looking friendly and wise as one can imagine. Just then a bear cub who's reddish brown fur gleamed in the sunlight as he ran to the ranger's house making sure that his raccoon skin hat doesn't fly off his head. "Ah Georgie!" the ranger said with a smile. "Little late today aren't we?" "Yeah sorry about that Ranger Watchman!" Georgie said as he plopped himself on his stump seat. "I was having a little bump in the road as I was visiting you!" "I see. Care to tell me about it?" Ranger Watchman asked as he handed Georgie a cup of lemonade. "Sure thing and thanks for the lemonade!" Georgie replied as he sipped. "There was this darn boulder blocking my way and I tried to find ways to get around it such as prying up over with a branch, pushing it, and even lifting it up!" "Lifting it up?" Ranger Watchman asked with an amused look. "Quite a feat for a growing cub like yourself son." "Yeah. I guess I now know I won't be the next Hercules." Georgie sighed. "I finally just found a way to walk around it but it gave me a thought to sir." "What would that be?" The ranger inquired. "It's that I'm not sure if I'm gonna learn everything when I grow up even with your help Ranger Watchman! I mean I tried to use everything such as being patient ,controlling your temper and all of that!" Georgie said with a frustrated tone in his voice. Seeing that part made feel sympathy for Georgie since I can very well understand what it was like to be in that position. "Well you did use your smarts Georgie." the Ranger said with an understanding look. "What mattered in the end was that you stopped and figured out a solution that helped you out in the end." "That's true." Georgie said "Still It'd help a lot if I actually learned about everything out there." "Is that so?" the ranger said with an odd expression in his face. "Well son a lot of us think that but truth be told trying to learn everything ain't exactly going to do you much good actually." I stared at the ranger when he said that. Granted he did his fair share of odd remarks but this was strange even by his standards. "What do you mean?" Georgie asked in confusion. "Why not just sit back and relax Georgie." Ranger Watchman said, sipping more of his lemonade. "It's time I tell you a fable concerning trying to learn everything." The screen went black as the classic happy music kicked in to reveal the title of the episode called "Mr Mammon's Magic Folly" It then opened to reveal a fancy rich person's house with plenty of statues and trees surrounding it. Ranger Watchman's voice came over it as he narrates the story. "There was once a rich bear named Barnabas Mammon. Being rich he could afford plenty of things other folk can't. Servants, statues, fields, and of course more houses. Yes Sir he was one of the richest ones out there but he sadly wasn't the richest when it comes to being decent." As the Ranger said this a grown grey bear is shown wearing a fancy tuxedo, top hat and a cane. His face has a smug and condescending expression on it that his mustache bearly covered up. He went around giving his staff a hard time and flaunting his riches much to people's annoyance. "He does resemble a bit like the show's creator" I thought looking at his face. "Wonder if this was meant to be a funny reference or something else?" I kept watching the screen as I thought that. "But not even the rich can escape hardships from time to time. Mr Mammon lost a bet with a fellow nobleman who took half of his fortunes and he fell into hard times, laying off his staff one by one until he was the only one left in the mansion. He had to resort selling most of his possessions much to his dismay." The montage showed him losing the bet to the nobleman who's a greyhound laughing at his face then seeing both his staff and possessions fly by him. He sat miserably in his chair at a loss at what to do. "Mr Mammon didn't know how to get out of this. He knew that if he didn't find a way to get back his old status soon he'll end up among the beggers. But then he got an idea. He heard of an old witch that resided in the far left of the town that had answers that he needed. So disguising himself to hide from public shame he went to the witch's house." The bear had an light bulb on top as he had the idea as he then grabbed a cape and hood as he rushed out of the house and into the far left of the woods where the witch's house resided "The old bear came to the witch begging her if she had anything to get him out of his financial problems. The witch who looked at him in indifference and annoyance gave him a scroll and told him that this will give him the spell to make some of the trees all around him to be his new servants for life. While the rich bear normally would scoff at this, he was desperate enough to try it and that he's heard great things about her." "If only we have people like her around today." I muttered. The scenes turns to an old bluish skinned creepy woman wearing a shawl and peasant clothing who looks at Mr Mammon with annoyance who begged and pleaded for an answer. She gives him an old scroll as she explains it to him. He looks happy then he was about to leave but she grabbed his arm as she gave him a warning glance. "But before he can leave, she gave him one warning. She told him to not abuse the power he'll learn, otherwise he'll meet quite a sorry end." She then let go and he left with a nervous expression on his face. Next scene later we see him go up to a bunch of tress as he opens the scroll. "Mr Mammon went up to the nearest trees next to his mansion as he opened the scroll and read the incantations." He starts then to speak in an odd almost supernatural sounding voice in gibberish then the trees start to move slowly but surely. The threes lifted themselves up from the roots as the roots transform into legs. The brances then became arms with hands that have tips sharp as claws. Finally their faces started to form in the front of the trees that looked creepy by children standards. Soon a dozen of living trees surrounded him, leaving him speechless. "Soon he was surrounded by his formerly stilled trees ready to serve his every whim. Wanting to make sure it worked, Mr Mammon had two of them fetch his chair and footstool from the garage. They obeyed him and sure enough they brought him exactly what he wanted with no missteps." The montage showed the two living trees going into the garage and bringing him the stool and chair which Mr Mammon gladly sat in. He looked exceptionally pleased. "Happy with the success the spell brought him, Mr Mammon wasted no time getting his tree servants to do work around the mansion and his fields while he plotted how to gain the lost fortune and possessions back. Eventually he came up with a wicked plan. With the magic he had what's to stop him from using it to make yourself above the law?" The scene goes to Mr Mammon sitting in his chair with the trees working all around him hen getting a wicked grin as he came up with a horrible idea. "One night he went up to the trees and commanded all of them to march into town quietly and to steal the lost fortune he lost in the bet long ago from the crooked nobleman. He also told them that should the nobleman spot them, they need to make him suffer greatly" The scene goes to Mr Mammon doing a speech with commanding gestures to the trees while making quite a scary expression on his face with the trees looking equally creepy as they listen. At that point the way the scene played out in such an unsettling manner caught me off guard. Granted the show had its spooky moments but this felt more in line of a horror movie rather then a children's show. However I tried brushing it off, saying to myself that it's probably just them trying to make it comically evil when in the end it wouldn't be. "The trees marched and marched right to the mansion making great care not to wake the townsfolk who were sleeping. They reached the old mansion at last creeping in through the windows. They then searched the whole mansion for the gold with one finally discovering it under the sofa. But as it tried to get it out, the noise alerted the noblemen who rushed down to see who it was. The next scene goes into the woods where the trees walk and climb over rocks looking exceptionally menacing and terrifying as they walk past the town and into the noblemen's mansion. They climb over the gateway and started to climb the walls with their claws gripping into the stone walls. They then open the windows as they climb inside the mansion looking for the vault where the gold is kept. Again the trees look unsettling at every angle the camera aims at them. Finally one of them discovered a chest of gold under the sofa and tore the planks apart to get it. The noise resulted in the noblemen to wake up and rush down to see what was going on. He gasped in horror as he sees the trees who stare back at him with cold, and black eyes. At that point I was expecting this scene to have the noblemen being chased around the house comically by the trees resulting in him hiding under his bed or sofa with the trees going back with the gold. I was quickly proven dead wrong. Before the nobleman can respond,one of the trees slashed him across the face leaving red claw marks. Another tree grabbed his throat and slammed him against the wall. The other trees swarm around him,each giving him more bruises and scratches,making the nobleman scream and cried in pain and terror until their leader who looked the scariest of them all finally using it's claws to stab the noblemen right through the heart. The nobleman gasped then died right on the spot. The trees then off camera got to work tearing the body limb from limb with the limbs flying through the camera. This caught me off guard so much that I nearly fell backwards. What the hell was this?! Is this meant to be some type of fucking joke?! Reluctant as I felt I couldn't help but to keep watching it to see what'll happen next. "The trees came back to Mr Mammon who was very pleased indeed with the spoils they brought back consisting of the lost gold and.....Other items." The scene then goes to Mr Mammon hugging the chest of gold he missed so much laughing like a lunatic then he looks at the head of the nobleman on a silver platter carried by one of the trees as he laughed evilly. I almost vomited upon seeing the severed head of the nobleman. My mind was trying to process what was even happening. How and why was this even made? What was the point this damn episode was trying to make?! I really wanted to stop playing it but something in me that I still can't figure out what wanted me to watch it to the end. Horrific as this is becoming I had to know what was the actual fucking lesson here. "Now pretty soon Mr Mammon's luck was starting to go into his head and making him go mad and mad with power. He shouldn't just stop at getting his fortune back since with his own personal army in tow he can make more fortune and so much more. One day he went up to the mayor of the town with his army of trees behind him, demanding that he'd be the new ruler of this town. Intimidated as he was,the mayor bravely refused to give in,ordering his men to fire at will at the trees." Mr Mammon plotted in his chair with quite a demented and insane look upon him as he looked at the town with the same expression on his face. The scene then cuts to him marching into town with his tree army making the townsfolk scared and shocked. The mayor pig despite looking scared held his up to give orders for the guards to fire. "But of course the trees made short work of them." The trees go and slash the guards across the throat before they can fire with their long arms, then they stab the mayor through the head. The people screamed as Mr Mammon presented himself proudly. It was by then the most horrible last few scenes of the episode played and Dear God I still wish to this day that I could've just stopped the damn projection right there and then. "Mr Mammon shortly gain control of the whole town along with it's folk, and started to make it into his own image that showed who he really was from the inside." The scene was red and black as the town now looked like something out of a dystopian steampunk nightmare. Trees were walking back and forth to keep guard over the town prisoners who looked miserable and sad with their rags which were formerly clothes. "Mr Mammon had the trees still work for him still in his own property but now he had the trees command the townsfolk to build more factories and gold for himself and fancy items such as watches to sell to other rich folk. Should the townsfolk rebel or try to flee well...Let's just say an unpleasant fate awaited them." The scene then goes to Mr Mammon looking regal as a king flaunting his riches and laughing as he sees a tree cruelly torture a young man who was sobbing for mercy with spiked whips. the next scene goes to a picket fence with heads of adult townsfolk with expressions as horrible to look at. Their children sobbed in sadness as they can't stand to see the fate of their parents like this. I forgot about the disturbing images for a bit upon seeing the children in that scene. It was one thing seeing that horrible bastard make tree monsters that kill people but to go as far as to make children orphans made me want to strangle him. "But as much as how the trees gave him much power though, Mr Mammon wasn't exactly more generous to them as the townsfolk. If anything he was more cruel to them because to him,even seeing a tree one little mistake was unacceptable, and he wasted no time giving out punishments to trees that failed their respective tasks." The next scene had one tree accidentally dropping an expensive vase, making Mr Mammon insanely furious as he grabbed an axe and started to chop up the tree to bits with the tree moaning in pain. The other trees looked horrified at this murder as Mr Mammon gave them a warning glance. Another scene showed a tree who tripped and broke a statue, resulting in Mr Mammon dropping a match stick and setting the tree on fire,making the poor tree scream as it broke into ashes. I couldn't help but felt sorry for the trees here,Terrifying as they are. After all they were just following orders and that damn bastard wasn't giving them even a sliver of mercy. "The tree king time and time again saw many of his kin be murdered by the very master he gave them life. He began to resent more of his master which eventually lead into hatred. He felt the time had come to get revenge on the monster who tormented them and sacrifice him to the gods." The tree king who had a beard sees many of his folk get slaughtered by Mr Mammon by fire and axes with the remaining body parts of the murdered trees lay around his feet. His face looked at first sad but it then grew into anger and fury. "The tree king rallied what was left of his people and told them that they will make their tormanter suffer for what he has done to them. The trees cheered as they marched right into Mr Mammon's mansion." The Tree king stands in front of many tree monsters as they cheer and raise their claws up in the sky as they started to walk towards the mansion breaking the gates and statues along the way out of spite. They look extremely monsterous here as if they weren't already horrifying. "Mr Mammon was sleeping during this time but he came out of dreamland once the trees came into his room and dragged him outside." Mr Mammon like the narration said was sleeping soundly but the trees ripped the door off and swarm inside the bedroom. Mr Mammon woke up quickly as he look shocked and mad but his expression grew to horror as the trees grabbed his arms and legs as they dragged him out of the bed room and eventually out of the house. "The trees dragged Mr Mammon into his back yard where the tree king was awaiting him standing behind a stone alter. They place him on top of the alter and awaited the ritual to begin." The scene goes to the backyard colored red as the tree king looks pleased as he stands behind a stone alter as the other trees stripped the horrified bear from his nightgown and placed him on top of the alter bounded by ropes. "The Tree king got out a jagged knife as he chanted a prayer up to the heavens to accept the sacrifice of the evil bear who gave them suffering so that they can be blessed to be immortal forever. Mr Mammon by that time was now regretting what he has done since taking the scroll from the witch as his last moments played out...Then stopped." The Tree King with the jagged knife in his claws chanted in a demonic tone as the other trees chanted with him. The scene then goes to Mr Mammon's horrified face as he sees the knife raised up. The knife then flies down and off camera cutting back to Mr Mammon's face the sound of flesh being pierced and the sound of the stomach being ripped apart. Mr Mammon's face becomes horrified then stilled with eyes closed. The final shot consists of the black silhouette of the trees against the red background as they lift up the limbs and insides of Mr Mammon and cheered in demented glee. The episode then cuts back to Ranger Watchman who's expression remained friendly and calm but Georgie on the other hand looked horrified and disturbed. "Oh Ranger Watchman that was horrible!" The young cub cried out. "All of those deaths and suffering! How could you tell such a story?!" "It's horrible yes." Ranger Watchman replied with an understanding tone. "But it's also an important lesson to learn." "But why??!" Georgie replied still upset. "Why tell such a story?!" "You see Georgie the reason why it's important that some folk even adults I'm afraid to say still can't understand that we're not meant to learn everything because it can not only affect us badly but others around us. So the lesson here is that it's not about learning not to be greedy though that's just as important but that there are some things that we're better off not knowing." The Ranger then got up. "Well son it's time for me to get ready for the anniversary of the Liberation. You better get home yourself. "But-But." Georgie stammered,still wanting to get answers. "Tut tut Georgie." The ranger chuckled. "You know how important the Liberation day is for us all. You'll understand when you're older." The ranger walked off to his house, Leaving Georgie looking at him still sitting on the stump then turning to face the camera still looking quite disturbed and confused. It suddenly cuts into a shot of the tree monsters walking out of the woods moaning and roaring as the music becomes scarier to listen to. The shot fades into black with the roars and moans still occurring. I sat very still as the reel stopped entirely, trying to comprehend the fucking ordeal. On one hand I was now beginning to understand better why they never aired but on the other I was struggling with the question about why they even did the damn episode in the first place if they were never going to show on air to begin with? But what got to me more was that how Georgie himself was just as disturbed about the story as I was and I don't blame him for it. I mean what WAS the point? I came out of the viewing room to get away from the projection but then I heard more scurrying around. My heart stopped at the nose because I was really not in the mood for this now. I stomped over to where the nose was at which was the merchandise section but nothing. I was about to go back to the office where I heard a small voice. "You shouldn't have seen that mister." Instantly recognizing the voice as Georgie's, I turned around to see where it was coming from In the middle of the props table I saw an age old model of Georgie Bear standing in the middle of it but my question upon seeing it was not that how it got there. It was how it looked like it looked like it went to hell itself Walking carefully towards it I began to see closer the horrible details on the model. Georgie's head had on the left of it,a melted spot where the eye should've been with the mouth's skin being ripped off exposing a metal jaw. The right side wasn't any more pleasant to look it, with the eye losing much of the pupil details resulting in an almost blank look. the right cheek looked to be covered in blisters and sores. He had a sad expression on his face His body had an exposed metal ribcage with his right arm having an exposed metal arm with his left missing entirely. Patches of fur were lost out of him and I saw how his legs looked like it was shaven completely. I then dreaded the idea that there was someone else in the room right now and this was part of some sick prank. Suddenly the mouth of the puppet moved, making me almost scream. "They didn't want anyone to see that reel sir. They wanted to keep that secret a secret. You better run now mister. They're coming for you. He kept looking at me with a sorrowful and compassionate look as he told me this. As I was about to ask him who was coming after me,he suddenly vanished. Backing away and holding my head in my hands I was thinking that I was starting to lose it completely. That was when I heard the scratching noises. I turned my head around to see where were the noises coming from which was the hallway leading into the storage room. Hoping that it was just a bunch of stray cats, I had my gun and stick in ready in case if it was indeed an intruder. I opened the door to the storage room and walked towards the middle of the room where the noises were getting louder and louder . Taking a deep breath I had my back on a shelf as I leaped out into the middle of the room shouting "FREEZE!" I still remember the scream I made upon seeing the sight that'll haunt my nightmares forever. The 4 Trees from the episode I watched went from the 12 inches they were in the show to about 4 feet tall and it was due to the many props,wood, stones and other items they could throw on themselves to grow larger. Their legs now resemble that of a T-Rex, their arms now looking to almost identical to that of an eagles, and their faces now resembling that of a human skulls. they fact that their teeth seemed to be actual human teeth didn't help. And I wish to God what I've described of them so far was the very worst of it but it wasn't. Hanging from their arms, tree hair and faces are skeleton parts along with the limbs and heads of the many character models from both the episode I've watched and even ones I remembered in my childhood. The faces looked horrible and looked to be the midst of great suffering. In the middle of the trees was in face the Tree king but his beard now being almost gone,and his face resembling more of a demon if not the devil himself. What made it worse was that he had the faces of both Barnabas Mammon and Ranger Watchman merged into his own head, making him have three faces. they roared in fury as they ran towards me in a stop motion like speed but obviously demonic looking. Snapping myself out of the fear I was experiencing, I was about to fire a round but a long tree arm came out behind me and grabbed it from my hand. I turned to see another tree monster holding the gun in my hand and snapping it in two. I tried to run but the same tree tackled me to the ground, leaving the other trees to swarm around me and grab my limbs as I tried to escape. The Tree king walked to me with the same jagged knife he used on Mr Mammon as he began to chant again. Frantically I looked around for a means to escape and I spotted my stick that was lying 3 feet in front of me. I guessed that it fell out of my pocket upon being tackled. I turned back to see the Tree King ready to stab my heart. Thinking quickly I spat the tree on my left's face, making it let my my arm long enough to punch the one on the right in the fact to free my other arm. As the Tree King was about to stab me I grabbed his arm and I headbutted him. This was enough time for me to shake off the Trees grabbing my legs as I rushed over to get my stick and start beating the nearest one on the head, making the limbs and bits from it fall off. I then ran from the storage room,locking the door to make sure they won't follow. I rushed from that point all the way to my office as I slammed and locked the door behind me as I slumped in the corner sobbing out of relief and fear. Afterwards I got back up and had my camera turnd to the storage room where I saw the trees trying to break the door down but given that it's made out of metal it wasn't easy. This made me feel a little at ease but then the Tree king looked at the camera as if to say " We know you're watching us." Turning my gaze from it, I then saw in the camera located at the Georgie Bear exhibit was the Georgie model from earlier as he had the same sad expression on his face. Feeling tired and Fell sleep on my chair due to the exhausting events I went through. It was 8:30 AM when I woke up,about 20 minutes from the Grand Opening. I heard knocking my door and as I opened it to see the museum curator who was about to tell my my shift's been over for 2 hours now but noticed my face which looked like it been through hell. "Sir are you all right?" She asked me with concern. "Did you hurt yourself by accident?" "Well....." I started,trying to explain what had happened but then I figured it'd make me look crazy and I couldn't afford being fired because of ramblings. "I guess I had an intense dream..I'm ok really." To be honest I was actually sure that it was just an intense dream after all since as I asked the people who owned the props and merchandise of Georgie Bear if they had items like tree men and a damaged Georgie Bear model. "Why no." they replied in confusion. The Georgie bear model we have is in perfect condition. And we don't recall any tree men being made either." While they did give me some relief I wanted to make sure that what I went through wasn't a sign of me losing it. I checked in the storage room, looking for any sign of the trees such as the missing limbs and bits from the one I beat over the head with. As I was about to leave I spotted something gleaming under one of the shelves. I carefully crawled down and grabbed it from under. It was one half of the snapped gun that one of the tree men snapped in two much to my dismay. I head straight home,no longer wanting to be reminded of what I supposedly went through at the exhibit. I later called the curator to ask her if I can have some time off. She had no problems with it,seeing as my condition seemed to have worried her. I was able to take two weeks off from work before I was ready mentally and physically ready to work. However even then I didn't want to work at the night shift anymore at least until the Georgie exhibit was finished. To this day I still had questions if what I've been through had more to it then I found out. Such as if the creator of the series had something to do with it, or this was done by someone else in the series crew that had a....Disturbing background. But maybe not having answers was perhaps for me for the best. After all it's like Ranger Watchman said. "There are some things we're better off not knowing.".....And I should remember this finale lesson from Georgie Bear for my own safety..........

#horror story #creepypasta #scary tale #georgie bears fables #georgie bear #ranger watchman #barnabas mammon #tree monsters #tree king #kaijuguy19

1 note · View note

talkstarwars · 7 years ago

Text

What's Going On at Lucasfilm Ltd?

Since Disney acquired Lucasfilm Ltd in 2012, we have had two fantastic new Star Wars movies, a new TV series, a Disney theme park dedicated to the franchise and a whole bunch of drama as the writers and directors seem to be playing musical chairs. What has caused this turmoil and is it at an end? Get my take on it below...

In my opinion, and this is simply my opinion, Lucasfilm Ltd came out the gate with Kathleen Kennedy at the helm, eager to inspire confidence. Confidence from Star Wars fans. Confidence from the parent company and confidence from the shareholders. These are things Lucasfilm Ltd never had to worry about before. In fact, the company was born of a spirit that was so fundamentally opposed to these elements of Hollywood, that this new version of Lucasfilm Ltd is almost unrecognisable.

When Lucasfilm Ltd was born, George Lucas had already been part of a movement north, away from Hollywood, both geographically and creatively. American Zoetrope was established to give filmmakers power over their creations. This is where Star Wars was born, in the shadow of THX-1138 and American Graffiti. Two independent films from an auteur filmmaker keen to establish himself far away from corporations like Disney. It worked too, with George self-financing most of these movies and answering to nobody but his creative muse. But it wasn't easy.

It should come as no surprise that Lucasfilm Ltd today is a very different company that has no choice but to approach the production of these films in a different manner. Kathleen Kennedy has to consider Disney and it's share holders when making these films. Or at least she did before any of them hit theatres.

I suspect there was a decision made very early on to load a schedule with films. An ambitious schedule at that; one movie per year, with saga movies every other year and the new Star Wars Story (then Anthology) films filling in the gaps. A schedule in Hollywood terms is more than a white board with release dates written on it. This means having people in place, producers, writers and directors. This was never a concern that bothered OG Lucasfilm. George set his own schedule, took more time over his movies. Wrote them himself (for the most part), produced and directed himself (for the most part). I can imagine Kathleen Kennedy being asked to get these ducks in a row for Disney because it makes for a great reveal at a shareholder meeting and in a press release. Keep that Disney stock up before people have a chance worry about the lack of George or the lack of any real results.

It would be three years before the world (and Disney execs and shareholders) would see a frame of The Force Awakens. Another 12 months before people knew if the Star Wars Story gamble was going to pay off. In that time we had lost at least one writer and one director and added a second director to a project that required huge revisions before release.

Is this what happens when you try to plan too far out to inspire confidence in your overlords?

Phil Lord and Chris Miller were in place before Rogue One: A Star Wars Story hits theatres, Colin Trevorrow was in place before The Force Awakens hit the big screen. Was that really required for these projects? Maybe, based on the schedule, but I suspect these were all "locks" because it helped calm the nerves of the company who just dropped over $4b on the franchise. I think they wanted a tangible timeline with talent booked and Kathleen Kennedy did the best she could, but who could tell that far out what would really be required for such an accelerated schedule.

Colin Trevorrow is the latest casualty of this new Lucasfilm, which I am choosing to recognise as a shift for the company and its projects. Colin's departure is probably a good thing for both parties, and good for Star Wars because now we can get someone to come in with a fresh perspective and tackle the challenge of making a Star Wars movie without Carrie Fisher.

All of this is speculation of course, but I'm seeing a Lucasfilm and a Kathleen Kennedy who is willing to take the actions required to secure the best result for their movie. Whats more with two huge successes, both critical and financially I'm beginning to see a Lucasfilm who can say, "just give us the room we need to make the film we want to make and trust us."

We can, if we choose to do so, see the hirings and firings at Lucasfilm as poor management or bad decision making or just poor luck. But to my mind, it is the result of attempting to placate the parent company and lock down the creative process years in advance. What will come next, I'm sure is a Lucasfilm that enjoys more freedom from Disney when it comes to planning the next series of films. And a Lucasfilm that better understands how to produce these films in such quick succession, whilst choosing from a stable of directors who understand how the company works.

If you want to know who will helm future Star Wars projects, I'd suggest looking to the past. J.J. Abrams, Rian Johnson, Gareth Edwards and Ron Howard all seem to be capable and willing to produce movies in the Star Wars galaxy. That's a huge pool of talent to draw upon whilst you add new filmmakers like Patti Jenkins (my pick for future films) who can come on early and spend years developing a project from script to screen, just like George used to do.

That's the Lucasfilm I see establishing itself now.

That's why I'm not rattled by the Colin Trevorrow news this morning.

Thank you for reading, Marc

#Star Wars #Episode IX #Colin Trevorrow #Kathleen Kennedy #Lucasfilm Ltd #Disney

2 notes · View notes

mikemortgage · 6 years ago

Text

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: Thoughts from a gamer who doesn’t quite get it

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is going to be a monumental release for Nintendo.

Based on the performance of previous games in the series, we can assume that the majority of folks who already own a Nintendo Switch are going to buy a copy. And many of the friends they invite over to play who don’t yet have Nintendo’s popular hybrid console are going to have so much fun that they’ll rush out and drop hundreds on both the hardware and software so they can own it, too. It’s almost going to be like a console launch triggered within a software launch. Just in time for the holidays. It’s the sort of sales event that comes around only once or twice in a hardware generation — if you’re lucky.

Fallout 76 review: Buggier than a wet Saskatchewan summer

He said, she said: Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu!

Nintendo president Reggie Fils-Aimé on Labo's educational potential

But why are the Smash Bros. games such a big deal? Probably because they’re like a Hollywood celebrity party for video game characters. Nearly every notable hero and villain in Nintendo’s vast stable appears somewhere in this edition. And partner studios have provided dozens more. And all of these characters from disparate universes interact with each other within an enormous collection of arenas based on beloved virtual worlds, with familiar theme songs and sound effects providing the soundtrack. It’s a video game rush — a celebration of the culture — that nothing else can match.

As someone who’s been playing games for more than 30 years, I understand the excitement. I get twitterpated seeing promotional art showing Zelda, Solid Snake, Mario, Pac-Man, Peach, and rows of other characters from both my childhood and adulthood grouped together.

But the game itself? Not really for me. Fighting games simply aren’t my cup of tea — though, it’s worth adding, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has come closer to hooking me than any of its predecessors.

The amount of content on offer is unprecedented. There’s a bounty of ways in which to play, from local multiplayer matches with fully customizable rules to a surprisingly dark story mode that begins with all of the heroes save one — the little pink puffball Kirby — essentially dying and forced to exist as spirit puppets. You can engage in mob battles where you take on a procession of 100 enemies; try themed ladder challenges in which most of the characters, environments, and music hail from a specific game; train with your favourite fighters to master all their moves; or hop online to test your mettle against players around the world. And through it all you’ll find yourself earning various in-game currencies, unlocking more characters and spirits, and satisfying milestone challenges that come with their own rewards.

The whole experience has been brilliantly designed to prompt little bursts of satisfaction every few minutes. It’s like being hooked up to a dopamine drip.

The key to really enjoying it all, however, is an appreciation of both social gaming and fighting mechanics. The pleasure of nostalgia and recognition only goes so far. You also need to relish the combat and competition.

My daughter fits this bill perfectly. As the offspring of someone who plays games for a living, she recognizes and adores just about all of the characters in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. What’s more, like most kids her age, she loves playing games with friends. She’d much rather play in a group than alone. And her competitive spirit is innate — inherited, I think, from her mother, who, when once asked whether she would rather never play a game again or be able to play games but be cursed never to win, answered without hesitation that she would prefer never to play if she couldn’t win.

Needless to say, my daughter adores Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. She’s been my playing companion this past week, and there’s rarely been a spare moment that she hasn’t had our Switch in hand, working to unlock more characters and rewards. We’re about equally matched when we go up against each other, but only because I’ve focused on mastering Link (in all his many forms) whereas she’s been experimenting with all sorts of characters, from various Pokemon to Samus to Lucina. Once she chooses some favourites and gets to know them a little better I’ll be no match for her.

But while her enthusiasm knows no bounds, mine typically begins to wane just a few fights into each play session, after the novelty of watching Final Fantasy VII‘s Cloud Strife face off against the dog from Duck Hunt in a Bayonetta-themed world wears off.

For whatever reason, I’m not particularly competitive when it comes to games. I don’t feel a burning need to best my playing companions, which eliminates much of the motivation to play a game in which your primary objective is simply to beat other players.

But a bigger factor, I think, is that I’m just not into fighting games. I don’t like memorizing button combinations and mastering split-second timing. And I always find the controls a bit stiff, with characters that get locked into a series of actions or stuck facing the wrong direction while executing them. Add in the unique chaos of the Smash Bros. games — there are times when I completely lose track of my character amid all of the dashing and explosions, only to realize I accidentally ran him off a platform edge — and it’s just not a game that keeps me coming back.

Or, at least it wouldn’t if it weren’t for my daughter.

Watching the look of glee on her face while playing is sometimes all the reward I need to stick around for a few more bouts. And, as our house’s resident games expert, it’s also kind of nice to be able to regale her with stories about her favourite characters’ earliest adventures. I might not be able to teach her how to repair a car or build a birdhouse, but at least I can tell her about the time an underdog named Little Mac took on fighters twice his size to become the champion of an ancient NES game called Punch-Out!!!.

And I suspect Nintendo knows that’s all the prompting a few other gamer moms and dads out there will need to bring Super Smash Bros. Ultimate into their house this holiday and roll this game’s ginormous sales snowball just a little bigger.

from Financial Post https://ift.tt/2PrSn30 via IFTTT Blogger Mortgage Tumblr Mortgage Evernote Mortgage Wordpress Mortgage href="https://www.diigo.com/user/gelsi11">Diigo Mortgage

#IFTTT #Financial Post

0 notes

rebeccahpedersen · 8 years ago

Text

Define “Rental Discrimination” In Today’s Toronto Market

TorontoRealtyBlog

How about a topic like this one to start off the morning, eh?

While I’m opening myself up to criticism here, I think this is a topic that needs exploring.

Landlords want to be able to “pick” their tenants, and tenants want “fair” access to housing.

Somewhere in between there must be a happy medium, no?

I’m pretty sure I’ve written a blog like this before.

Let me search my archives…

Ah, right – “Define Discrimination,” a blog from July of 2013.

The comments are always interesting, because I believe it’s very difficult to provide an opinion that’s not somehow based on an individual’s own situation.

I don’t see a real estate investor who owns seven condos coming to the defence of tenants everywhere, and rallying against discrimination of every type.

And I also don’t see low-income earners who happen to wish rents were lower, arguing that capitalism and the free market should reign supreme.

Back in January, the CBC wrote a story called, “Couple In Early 20’s Denied Toronto Condo Rental Due To Their Age”

The problem I have with this article, is that the headline (and most of the content of the article) is misleading.

It surmises that the only reason, or at the very least – the main reason, why the landlord didn’t want to rent to these tenants, aged 22 and 23, was because of their age.

But later on in the story, we learn that it was going to be occupied by two more people.

A total of four people would be renting the condo.

Isn’t the landlord within his or her right to believe, in his opinion, that four people renting a 2-bedroom condo is not as ideal as two people renting a 2-bedroom condo?

A contrarian might argue, “Four people, with four incomes, should make the landlord feel safer, since there are more people to pay the rent.”

Right, that could be true. Or, the landlord could choose to rent to two people who have a higher income than all four, and/or who don’t “need” to share accommodations.

See what I did there – that last part? I judged.

I made an assumption, and I judged.

I surmised that two couples – four people, who want to rent a 2-bedroom condo, somehow “need” to do so, likely because of their financial situation.

I could be right. In fact, I probably am. It’s a high-percentage play here, and I don’t see any viable alternate explanations, other than, perhaps, they’re swingers.

But I don’t know I’m right – that’s my point.

I’m guessing, assuming, and as a result, judging.

And the point of today’s blog, as I become completely open and honest here, is that there’s a fine line between judgment, and discrimination.

Let me draw up a hypothetical situation for you, based on experiences with both my owner-landlords, and my tenant-clients.

There’s a condo for lease for $1,600 per month in CityPlace. It’s a 1-bed, 1-bath, 540 square feet, with a locker, and no parking space. It has a small balcony that faces west with a clear view.

It goes up for lease, and within 36 hours, there are four offers to lease the property.

How do you, the landlord, decide who to rent to?

It’s a trap.

Because it’s not possible to decide, without judging.

And judging, is extremely close, to discriminating.

We have four offers from the following:

Candidate #1: Name: Alexander Walker Age: 31 Nationality: Australian, on a work permit Occupation: Freelance tattoo artist (9 years, since he lived back home in Sydney) Salary: Makes upwards of $150/hour (2016 T1 General showed $71,520) Credit: No credit score available Last place of residence: Apartment in Parkdale, 2-bed, 1-bath, paying half of $2,000/month Reason for relocation: “Need my own place” Notes: Has been working and living in Canada for 3 years

Candidate #2: Name: Jennifer Kim & Michael Kane Age: 23 and 24 Nationality: Canadian (Both from Ottawa, new to Toronto) Occupation: She’s doing her MBA at U of T, he’s working for General Mills (4 months in, past probationary period) Salary: she makes $0, he makes $51,000 Credit score: 708 and 825 Last place of residence: Their parents’ houses in Ottawa Reason for relocation: “Moving to Toronto for school/work” Notes: They have a small dog named “Toto,” and they are offering $1,650/month for the condo as they really want it

Candidate #3: Name: Tanya Ross Age: 26 Nationality: Canadian Occupation: Buyer for Aldo Shoes (4 years) Salary: $52,000 Credit score: 755 Last place of residence: 208 Queen’s Quay (1-bed, 1-bath, $1,550/month) Reason for relocation: “Landlord selling the condo, need to vacate” Notes: Parents are co-signing, providing 3 month’s rent up front.

Candidate #4: Name: Anya Popov Age: 32 Nationality: Canadian Occupation: TD Canada Trust (eight years) Salary: $58,500 Credit score: 688 Last place of residence: Family home in Richmond Hill Reason for relocation: “Moving downtown” Notes: Providing 4 month’s rent up front, and needs to rent a parking space in the building for her 2016 Mercedes C300

–

So those are our four candidates, folks.

Who do you rent to?

How can you possibly decide without judging these people?

So let’s look at each of these candidates, perhaps as the landlords would, and with the help of Google and other social platforms, which just about every landlord, and listing agent, would do.

–

Candidate #1 is a 31-year-old Aussie, who does not have a full-time job, and no guarantee of income.

He’s a freelancer, and makes an excellent living. In fact, he makes the most money out of any of the four candidates, by a longshot.

His passport photo shows he has a massive skull tattoo on the front of his neck and throat.

He’s currently renting in Parkdale with a roommate, paying $1,000/month.

He has no credit score on file with Equifax, as he has only lived in Canada for three years.

We were not given a copy of his Canadian work permit by his agent.

He is one of those rare birds that does not have a Facebook account.

He is on LinkedIn, and has detailed every job he’s ever had since he was 14-years-old when he worked at a skateboard shop.

His GDS ratio is 26.8%.

–

Candidate(s) #2 are a young couple, just starting out.

She’s going to school, he has hist first adult-job, paying $51,000 per year.

They previously lived with their parents, and this is the first time they’ll be living together full-time.

They have a dog, and the building is very pet-friendly.

His credit is fantastic – 825 is one of the best scores you’ll see in a given year.

Both of their Facebook profiles are public. She has an inordinate amount of duck-lipped selfie’s as her feature photos, and he has hundreds of photos dating all the way back to high school – every event from St. Paddy’s Day, to Frosh Week at Carleton, to a folder of photos just called “SIZZURP” which contains many photos of young-20’s debauchery.

They are both on LinkedIn, with several hundred connections each, and he has five really impressive reviews from co-workers at Kellog’s, where he interned before 4th year university.

They really want the condo, and are offering $1,650/month, instead of the $1,600/month list price.

Their GDS ratio is 38.8%

–

Candidate #3 is a young woman who is moving out of a condominium located a stone’s throw away, because her landlord is selling the condo.

She’s four years into an entry-level job, making $52,000 per year, but her parents are co-signing the lease.

Her credit score is a reasonable 755.

Her Facebook profile is allowing us to see four profile photos – one of she and her grandfather, one of she and her dog, one of her dog wearing a silly hat, and one of the book “The Sun Also Rises,” by Ernest Hemingway.

Her LinkedIn profile has a dozen reviews from colleagues at Aldo, as well as from several summer jobs as a lifeguard at a pool and a waitress at a golf course.

She is providing 3 months’ rent up front.

Her GDS ratio is 36.9%.

–

Candidate #4 is a 32-year-old woman who has never lived on her own.

She currently resides with her parents.

She has worked a very stable job for eight years – the longest full-time employment of all the candidates.

Her credit score is not good – 688 is low, and results from her frequent credit card usage.

Her Instagram profile is littered with photos of her holding designer handbags, posing in front of Ferrari’s, and attending pool parties in South Beach.

She has a car, and this unit for lease does not come with parking, but she’s found a space for lease in the building for $175/month.

She also really wants the condo, and is offering $1,650/month in rent, plus four months’ rent up front.

Her GDS ratio is 37.4%.

–

Okay folks, I ask again: who do you rent to?

Two of the four candidates are offering ABOVE the list price.

If you’re looking for yield, you’ve found it!

But what else do you take into consideration? Their incomes, credit scores, and occupations? How does anybody in 2017 not delve further into their personal lives.

The first candidate has a skull tattoo on his neck. Does that bother you?

The second candidates seem like they love to party. Does that bother you? Are they “immature” or are they exactly where most 22-year-olds are?

The third candidate seems like the sweetest girl in the world – she reads Hemingway, and has no ducked-lip selfie’s on her Facebook profile – just a shot of her and Grand-dad! Awww!

The fourth candidate clearly has a wealthy family, and is putting a ton of money up front!

How in the world are we NOT judging these people?

It’s impossible to do.

You have four candidates, and with that comes employment letters, rental applications and personal details, and your nimble-fingers – which can check out Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and perform a Google search for both news and images.

Do we even know what “discrimination” is anymore?

Is it discrimination to not want to rent to a foreign citizen on a work permit, with no full-time job, who shares a 2-bedroom apartment in Parkdale, and has no credit score?

Or is that okay, but, it’s discrimination to not want to rent to him because of his neck tattoo?

What is discrimination?

The bottom line, folks, is that just about everything can be claimed as discrimination in today’s society.

It comes down to who wants to fight it, for how long, and why.

Even when it comes to something as basic as income, the Ontario Human Rights Commission has published content suggesting that “minimum incomes” or percentages should not apply.

Have a look at this: OHRC: Minimum Income Criteria

Not renting to two young 20-somethings because you looked them up on Facebook and determined that they party a lot is discrimination, no doubt about it. It’s age discrimination, which is one of the criteria laid out in the Human Rights Code.

Take a look:

People cannot be refused an apartment, bothered by a landlord or other tenants, or otherwise treated unfairly because of their:

race, colour or ethnic background

religious beliefs or practices

ancestry, including people of Aboriginal descent

place of origin

citizenship, including refugee status

sex (including pregnancy and gender identity)

family status

marital status, including people with a same-sex partner

disability

sexual orientation

age, including people who are 16 or 17 years old and no longer living with their parents

receipt of public assistance.

People are also protected if they face discrimination because of being a friend or relative of someone identified above.

–

If you’re a tenant, then be aware of your rights, but be realistic in this market, or you’ll be habitually disappointed.

If you’re a landlord, be very careful of how you proceed, because the example I gave you above is very common, and it’s nearly impossible to “pick” a candidate without demonstrating some form of discrimination, under the Human Rights Code, and according to literature and opinions on the OHRC website.

And don’t shoot the messenger either.

Because if you don’t think that a landlord in Toronto today, especially after the Liberal government implemented the Ontario Fair Housing Plan, isn’t going to be more vigilant and diligent than ever before, then dare I say, you’re being naive.

If you’ve had problems finding rental housing, I encourage you to share your stories below.

The post Define “Rental Discrimination” In Today’s Toronto Market appeared first on Toronto Real Estate Property Sales & Investments | Toronto Realty Blog by David Fleming.

Originated from http://ift.tt/2uhMprc