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popculturebuffet · 3 years

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Amphibia Reviews: The First Temple or Bessie and Joe: The New OTP

Hello all you happy people! Amphibia season 2 moves right a long and it’s time for some video game shenanigans as we enter The First Temple! Family drama, snail on bird action, and outhouses await you under the cut with a recap/review with full spoilers.

So we open with the Plantars having chocopillbug pancakes. Ironically my mom offered me chocolate chip pancakes after this and thank god for that. This is a rare treat to the point Anne didn’t even know they had choclate, and is suprisingly not strangling Hop Pop over this. Unsuprisingly he broke out the good stuff to try and make up for hiding the box and things are still VERY awkward between the two, with Hop Pop walking on Egghshells around Anne and Anne doing the same when he brings it up with both desperatley trying to avoid the subject and Sprig not helping by bringing it up a bunch.

I like this a lot and didn’t really think about the series continuting any tension over his decision.. but should have. Partly because this is a modern animated show and most of this wonderful new wave of shows have a LOT of emotional nuance. ANd partly because this show dosen’t forget things even most nuanced shows forget: the fact the characters cause chaos and learn life lesons is outright RECOGNZIED by the show as a pattern and brought up quite often, as are the patterns that lead to it, like mostly being sprig and anne, anne’s impulsivness that sort of thing. It’s the kind of thing you just gloss over in most shows but this one lampshades to hell and back for funsies so when something THIS important happens, you’d better belivie it’s not just going to disappear.

The tensions thankfully broken by a new arrival, as a massive sparrow shows up in the yard. “It’s a giant bird with.. books on it’s back.. what. “ Great delivery from bill there. Naturally it’s Marcy!

I missed this little goober. Such a joy to be around, and she of course marvels over the Plantar’s house before getting back on track: She’s found the first temple.. even though she sent a letter saying that and it’s not commented on that she did. It set off the whole previous episode Marcy... you okay Mar-Mar?

That aside though it’s time for the first temple and Marcy asks for the Box, with Sprig trying to make a joke about how good thing she didn’t ask for it a week ago.

Polly rightly punches him in the ribs... do frogs have ribs? Hold on.. okay here we go

Huh.. so they do not You learn something new every day. Well lack of ribs or no our heroes are ready.. while Marcy’s sparrow Joe is also ready TO GET IT ON. Yes really, he does a mating dance for Bessie, complete with an intersumental version of “Sylvia” from last season. God damn that bird’s got game. The only time i’ve seen more game is THIS.

Marcy tells him to knock it off. Look marcy your a pet owner now and as a pet owner, it’s your responsiblity.. to let your giant bird do horrifying things with a slightly smaller but still giant snail. it’s what nature intended. Nature was doing a lot of cocaine that day but we still honor her wishes.

But anyways Marcy’s figure out something intresting about the box.. by winding it just right the gems pop out, which allows her to take one, we later find out it’s the green one, to use in the temple. So off we go with Marcy and the rest of the kids up top and Hop Pop.. screaming in Joe Sparrows claws. He’s fine.

So while they get ready, Anne worries about the amount of puzzles and hazzards Marcy’s hyping for this but Marcy shurgs it off and gives her own big boast about how may RTS she’s beaten.. suspciously like Yuaan as one post on here pointed out. Not a huge suprise though, to Marcy she’d just be the grand hero out of one of her rpg’s and not think of how many people she probably killed or who she’s working for.. though you’d THNK given all the RPG’s both tapetop and on her switch she’s played, that Marcy would see that “the benevolent king turns out to be the big bad” trope coming.

But Anne’s worry is not on the big bad of the show but on Marcy who has a tendency to get so in the zone she ignores the world around her, which goes from focusing on her game while helping anne get softserve leading to a mess, not letting Anne down in a play and.. Anne catching Marcy on tv as all the snakes escape from the zoo.

Regardless our heroes arrive and while the awkwardness between anne and hop pop continues, they find a majestic temple.. and what appears to be an outhouse. Hey we all gotta poop sometimes, even people making a majestic temple. If you don’t it comes out like this.

So they head in and we get our first puzzle, a mysterious cube that lifts you into the air and allows you to tilt the thing around.

Those of you wondering why I have such a strong reaction have ever never played breath of the wild or played it with a pro controller, i.e. NOT having to tilt the very thing your screen is on because Nintendo has failed to grasp that MAYBE people don’t like that, that it takes you out of the experince and that it’s really hard to focus on your screen while having to move the fucking system about. And the plantar’s getting horribly jostled around as she moves it is EXACTLY how it feels to play a puzzle requring that shit.

Next is a color based tile dungeon leftover from Link’s Awakening DX. As marcy figures out the reds do fire and the blues do crushing... but she reads the language (And as she put earlier “Guess who learned an entire dead language?” God she’s precious. ) and finds a green with envy pun (Which Hop Pop takes offense to.. several of his friends are green.). Which is curious as given several citzens of amphibia are green.. why would they make a green pun? So she gets on one tile and Hop Pop plans to take the risk of getting on the other green tile, but Anne does it instead.. and things get heated between the two as Anne reveals she no longe feels like family since he did what he did for polly and sprig and hop pop takes offense as she IS. Even if he screwed up with her. But Anne’s near death experince activates the tile.

The final challnge switches us from Zelda.. to Harry Freaking Potter.

Now I used to love Harry Potter, with all of my heart. Then JK Rowling turned out to be a transphobic piece of shit who thinks she’s an ally, but is really a bigot who wants to “accept” trans people without giving them any rights. So yeah while I still love the starkid musicals, ore more accuratley the music from them, and own a copy of lego harry potter I got as a gift recently as both parties had no idea she was a monster when this stuff was made. Still a sore subject though, but if I didn’t bring up the similiarties I wouldn’t be doing my job as a critic and this was likely thought up long before JK outed herself as well...

No no the great mighty poo respects all peoples.. and wants to take their heads and ram it up his butt. He’s an equal opportunity butt rammer.

Anyways this is the frog equivlent of chess flipfrog, and just like with Wizard chess, our heroes end up as the pieces minus marcy.. and in a nice twist on that scene, Anne ends up on the other side. Marcy is a grandmaster at it though so after an hour or so of play she almost wins.. only for the king equilvent to refuse to be taken and the automatic board she’s up against to send Anne against hop pop, and with our heroes magically restrained and given stone weapons, this can’t end well. Eventually though Anne’s forced to hit HOp Pop multiple times and while he says “well isn’t this what you wanted”, she says no.. she didn’t want to phsyically hurt him it’s just complicated. So we get one heck of an emotioinal scene as Hop Pop just wants to help and wants this to stop and dosen’t knoow how to fix this which as someone who desperatlyt ries to fix most emotional situations right away this hit very hard.. and her response of needing time hit harder. The two while not reconciled, ar ecloser to it and Marcy realizes what she’s done getting so obessed with winning and forfits for thier benifit. Our heroes leave, seemingly having lost.. only to find glowing arrows to the crap hole, which turns out to be the pedistal. The temple wasn’t just an intellegence test but empathy.. and the temples are clearly built to specifically test each of the chosen three, our heroines, specifically. Marcy’s tested her intellegence.. but also her willingness to let go of cold clyincal thought to do the right thing. That earns her her gem recharged and a flash in her eyes and her gem starts pointing to the next. She needs time to triangulate and hop pop and anne are back on workable footing... though our heroes offer to take a break instead of going to the next temple.

Back in Newtopia, Yuaan reports on the toads gathering.. but dosen’t get to mentioning sasha before Marcy’s letter interrupts and Andridas oddly and aburbly dimisses her.. and goes to talk to a watcher with a thousand eyes, his “master” who has plans to undo the prophcey and get their revenge.

Final Thoughts: This was a damn fine episode that gave Marcy some much needed character development, and gave the reveals of last episode some more emotiional fallout. It also had some really great jokes as always. Top notch stuf.

Next Time: Marcy tries to win everyone over through science and we FINALLY get an episode with the Frog Robot apparently. Horay

Next on this Blog: We go into final space yo! It’s unexpected births, ho yay, and horrifying zombie gary’s galore!

Until then if you liked this review, follow me for more, join my patreon, comission a review if you please and i’ll see you at the next rainbow. Play us out jeff... and I haven’t done THAT bit in a while but eh. This song was too perfect.

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#amphibia #anne boonchuy #marcy wu #the first temple #hopidah plantar #sprig plantar #polly planntar #king andrias #the watcher with a thousand eyes

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kandadiff · 3 years

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Runnin' with the Devil 1

You watched your husband from your place on the couch and pulled your legs into your body in an attempt to warm them, your mind wandering to just a year ago. Where you were in the warm arms of Jay Park, spoiled with champagne and as much sweet things as you could fill yourself with. But now . 'Nothing like how it used to be,' You thought. You missed Jay, he made you laugh, not that you did much of that these days. How could you? When you were in the same house with your biggest enemy?

Your eyes wandered over to the massive ring that stood out on your finger, making your hand look even smaller then it already was. The huge diamond complimented by the other diamonds that rounded the rock, gold encasing their holding and a small red dragon engraved within the main diamond. It was no mistake what this ring truly symbolized. You belonged to him now, The Red Dragons and the Kwon Family.

Your mind floated to when the Red Dragon rescued you from the Brotherhood. You were with Jay on his arm at one of his lavish parties that he threw every year to keep the peace between the families that ran the state. Except instead of the night being filled with the sound of laughter from to much drinks and music from the DJ, it was swollen with blood and gun shots. At first it was Jay that grabbed you when he heard the first gun shot ring out into the air made by some hired man. He pushed you to his second in command, Jackson, and you were with Jackson for a long time until a bullet went through his chest and your face became streaked red. Another Brotherhood member, Chan Bang, grabbed you and seemed to bring you toward the masked intruders who in shock all you could do was watch as they shot down people like it was a sport. Most of them laughing as they did so. You fought against Chan, but maybe it was the excessive alcohol your drank that made you unable to get out of his iron grip or the fear of being next. One of Chan's close friends, Hyungjin brought Min and Suzy, a short bubbly girl and a baby faced angel of a girl who were dating another brotherhood member, and you watched as the masked man shoot both of them point blank as they begged for there life before he pointed the gun at you.

yA pop rang out in the air and instead of you going into the pile of bodies with Min and Suzy, it was the masked man. POP! Another one shot down Chan, you came loose from his grip as he fell into the piles. However before you could run the shooter grabbed you. "Let's go!" his voice was rough but his touch was gentle yet urgent. He led you through the ballroom avoiding the gunshots with skill, as though he was trained for this his entire life. You knew who he was, everyone did. Jiyong Kwon, son of YoungHwan Kwon leader of the Red Dragon's and next to take over. Once you were outside he rushed you into a car and drove as fast as he can while cops sped past him heading to the bloody scene which would later be called THE BALLROOM MASSACRE.

He brought you back to his lavish penthouse and brought a doctor (thats how you reconnected with me) to check on you and him. Physically, you were unhurt minus a few scratches but mentally- you were not. He suggested you stay with him for a few days until everything cooled down. And during that time, the news of the event, soiled your mind more and more everyday as more and more bodies were counted as dead. People you knew, people who you laughed with, cried with, loved. Gone. No news of what happened to Jay - you presumed he was dead. Only seeing Jackson on the TV, beat up and on crutches. Through all that Jiyong was there for you, one drunken night bringing you close, spilling secrets to each other with the only witness the fire that burned in the fireplace as you drank. Those few days turned into months and soon you found yourself in love with the man especially when he drafted another peace treaty with the other mafia families and excited those who killed at the Ballroom Massacre.

Which is how you ended up with two children babbling upstairs. You aren't sure how you became pregnant - not at first at least. You were careful or at least you thought you were. You used condoms, even had an IUD. But one day you were feeling nauseous and bloated and tender and he suggested going to the doctor. He made me come to the house and take blood, a few minutes later you found you were pregnant. And though Jiyong tried to hide it, we argued or were cold with each other every time we saw each other. 7 months later you gave birth to Anastasia Min-Lee Kwon and Apollo Taehyun Kwon and you were married at a huge ceremony in the city that was more protected then the royal family. But like all good things, that too must come to an end and thats when your life, which seemed to be going to well fell apart in your hands.

"About" stomach turned as you thought about that day only a week and a half ago. You sat in my house, a smaller less extravagant house then yours however the garden that surrounded it was a perfect place to sit. A gazebo gifted to us by Jiyong after I helped you after the massacre, is where we sat. Eating at the small table watching while, Marceline and Salem played with the babies, your nannies enjoying that they are getting a quick break in this picturesque area.

You smiled hearing the sound of your babies laughing, happy to hear it without your father in law interrupting the noise, you were about to comment on it when I interrupted your thoughts. "I wish I could have protected them better." Your eyebrow raised at the serious of my tone but before you could ask I spoke again "with Marcie mostly," I clarified "Salem - he doesn't know all that Marceline knows." I hadn't really gotten into what happened in the past before I showed up back in this town. But I left with a man named Negan and came back with a little girl and a friendship with Mr. YoungHwan Kwon and a body guard only known to you as Suga.

You weren't sure what to say so you said "We do all we can, you know. You're a good mother." You looked at me concerned seeing something clearly on my mind. "Whats wrong?"

"I'm sorry, adi." Confused you just looked at me waiting for me to explain. "I wished I could have protected you too."

Your mind flicked to the bloody mess of that night and you shook your head, in an attempt to stop thinking about it. "You couldn't have known, you weren't even there."

"I wished that I could have protected you from Jiyong," I said and your mind swirled in even more confusion. "I should have warned you when he took you from Jay. But I didn't want to believe he would do that- I was so stupid. Yoongi told me but I didn't believe him. Then when you got pregnant- Yoongi and me were trying to have Sunday. He was so happy when he first held him, I don't think ive ever seen him happier. The smile didn't leave his face for weeks and even now every time he speaks about the kids his face still lights up the same way it did all those years ago. He even tattooed there names on his chest, that was the first thing he did out of the hospital. I saw the same thing in Taeyang when he had his son, and in Bom and her husband; just pure unfiltered joy." You raised an eyebrow about to ask what that had to do with anything when I looked at you. "When I Jiyong told me you were pregnant, that look - wasn't there. It was something else; something darker, like he had just accomplished his master plan. Then I remembered you told me you had an IUD and you wore condoms. So after I took your blood, I went into your bedroom and searched until I found the condoms and went to the sink. I filled all of them with water and each one had holes in it. I told Yoongi about it and he questioned the other doctor on Jiyong's payroll - after about an hour with Yoongi he admitted to drugging your wine and taking it out."

Your heart sunk, no, your husband wouldn't do that to you. I was mistaken - it had to be some kind of joke. You shook your head but I nodded.

"Its true." I said "and he found out I knew, thats when you caught us arguing. He knew after getting you knocked up, you'd marry him. He pretended he was the perfect husband so why wouldn't you?" You looked down at your ring instantly feeling nauseous.

"Why didn't you say something?!" you shouted bitterly catching the attention of the nannies. I waved at them to continue and told you to stay quiet. "Why should I?!"

"Because he's listening." I said motioning to the ladies. One of them carried a small device pinned to her chest, it was supposed to be just a pin but I knew what they were. A little transmitter like Negan used to use.

You're heart beat fast in your chest and you forced yourself to be quieter. "why didn't you tell me?" I motioned once again to the kids. "Oh please, Jiyong wouldn't kill kids." I sighed and unfolded a small series of pictures. There you saw pictures - candid shots of mine and Yoongi's small family, shopping, eating, taking them to school along with a phone number written in Jiyong's district handwriting along with the words 'Keep my secret and ill keep yours'. "What does this mean? who's phone number is this?"

"Negan's." I said simply and before you can ask why can't he know I stopped you. "I didn't just leave Negan. I escaped from him, he wouldn't let me leave and he killed everyone who tried to help me or talk to me. His entire fucking compound is decorated with the body parts of people I used to be friends with. He wanted me to rely on him and only him. He wouldn't even let me out with Marcie without him. When I left he told me he'd kill Marceline in front of me if I didn't come back to him. For the next week he killed a woman every single day, just cause they sort of looked like me. The day I got out of that town he killed a woman and her son because he thought it was me and Marcie in disguise, the little boy was only 4 years old and he shot him in front of his mother and strung her up on a tree in the park. Imagine what he would do to them" I looked at the laughing children, "or Yoongi, I know if I ever see Negan again I'm dead but I'm not going to let him find out about anyone else."

For a while you were silent, sitting in the news that shattered your view of your once perfect family. "Why now?" You asked after a while.

"We're leaving - it's the only safe option and I want you to come with us. Take your children and come with us. You aren't safe there." I said and you let out a shaky sigh "Yoongi is the best at disappearing; we'll be untraceable." You heard the nannies in the distance telling the kids its time to go inside and I stood up. You eyes wandered to the children running towards you while the nannies, wheeled the baby carriages over towards us.

"Mommy!" Marceline shouted holding up a handful of flowers "Look!" The nannies approached at a quick speed, to quick for your liking; if you were going to meet me, how were your going to know where?

"Look like its time to go Mrs. Kwon" one of them said to you "Mr. Kwon is calling."

"Good;" I smiled acting as though I didn't drop that bomb on you. "Have a good trip home," I lifted your twins out of there carriage and kissed each on the cheek. "say goodbye to your aunt." My children wrapped there small arms around your legs shoving flowers into your hands and pockets, causing you to laugh and hug each of them. I hugged you tight and picked up a flower that fell from your pocket and put it in your hand where you felt the soft piece of paper wrapped smoothly around the stem. "I hope to see you soon."

Now a week and a half later you still had the piece of paper buried in the small flap under the felt of your jewelry box watching as Jiyong laughed with TOP at a show they were both watching wondering how your life got so fucked up.

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42wallaby-way-sydney · 7 years

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Tiny Hero au

the au where the Defenders are in high school and suffering:

- Danny is a freshman. Matt is a sophomore. Jessica is a junior. Luke is a senior.

Colleen and Maya are also freshmen. Elektra, Foggy, Karen, Marci are all sophomores as well. Jeri, Trish, Misty, Claire are all juniors. Cottonmouth and Vladimir are seniors.

- They are all such a mess.

- Instead of an alcohol problem Jessica has a problem with juice. She has so much Capri Sun with her always. There are at least six different brands of juice in her bag at all times.

She is willing to fight someone period but more so if they insult her damn juice. Her favorite is Sunny D

- Danny and Luke become the best of friends and everyone thinks they’re secretly dating and using Misty and Jessica as cover ups.

They aren’t. But sometimes even Misty and Jess think they are. Matt sings ‘All by myself’ many times when they’re all hanging out.

- Danny is adopted by his godparents, a Chinese couple who were very close friends with his father, at the age of four.

When he’s ten his parents have a little girl much to their surprise. Her name is Wendy and she loves and looks up to Danny so much. For the longest time Danny didn’t know he was adopted, he just thought he was albino with a weird condition.

- Danny and Luke bond over but also clash over music tastes. They argue over who are the best artist. Luke likes more modern hip hop while Danny is strictly a classics fan. Poor bastard is stuck in the 90′s.

Matt at least once, “Okay but it’s all garbage.” Jessica hates that she agrees with him while Danny and Luke yell, “You shut your whore mouth, Murdock!” Matt prefers white noise; rain forest, wind chimes, etc. Elektra and Colleen agree with his tastes but sometimes Colleen plays hip hop music much to the joy of Danny. Other times she plays trash pop. Jessica plays rock music typically but occasionally country.

- Matt and Elektra spar to Bring Me To Life.

- Anatoly still runs the mafia and is 11 years older than Vladimir.

- Colleen and Elektra have sparred to Lady Gaga being blared and Claire recorded it. She posts the video to her blog. “A samurai and a ninja release their inner white girls.”

- Luke’s mom is the literal best. She is constantly baking things for Luke and his “precious, sweet friends. Luke, your friends are too thin. Have them over for dinner this weekend.”

Many a time she has sent Luke to school with homemade muffins for Danny, Matt, and Jessica. When Misty, Claire, Colleen, and Elektra join their ‘hero club’ she sends muffins for them as well.

- alright but this ‘hero club’, these nerds actually have a ‘club house’. It’s in the Rand building and is a gym. Matt wants a boxing ring and or punching bag (he gets both because why not). Luke and Danny put up so many posters. Jessica just wants a mini fridge for her juices. Colleen, and later with Elektra’s help, make their own section like a dojo. Eventually Claire begins making first aid kits so she can heal this morons when they do something particularly dangerous.

- Claire is also a junior and is in Allied Health.

- Claire, Misty, and Jessica are all in the same grade and Luke nearly has a heart attack the first time he sees all three of them together. (that moment when all your exes and current girlfriend are becoming besties)

- When Danny has to babysit Wendy and she gets annoyed with all of the ‘big kids’ fighting over the music choice she plays Disney music. Many a time this has caused for everyone to pause mid yelling and slowly nod. “Alright. I can dig this...”

- As a child Danny began doing martial arts until he was mastering several. He mastered karate and asked his mom if he could do another type. She placed him in tai chi. He mastered it. Asked for another class. She finds him a judo class. .... then taekwando... then kendo... a muay Thai class... He is a martial arts master by age 15 and she is just tired.

The way he gets the power of the Iron Fist is his family goes to a carnival (run by the Circus of Crime). Little five year old Wendy runs off and Danny chases after her. He finds her at a game, crying, because the dragon scared. So Danny punches the dragon, Shou Lao, and suddenly he has a glowing fist. (L O O K THIS IS A FLUFFY/VERY MILD ANGST AU! OKAY?! ENJOY THE CRACK!)

- Everyone wants to fight Kilgrave for what he did to Jessica.

- Trish takes no shit from anyone.

- Jeri, Marci, Matt, and Foggy are all on the school’s debate team and have been found several times debating with each other for hours. Literal hours. Jessica once threw a text book at them and yelled, “Bitches, school is over! I’m hungry! Let’s go!”

- Jessica is allergic to blueberries.

- Luke and Jessica and Danny and Misty are RELATIONSHIP G O A L S (powerjewl and ironknight ftw byyyye)

- Matt is the biggest thot in the school and has literally zero shame about it.

- Jessica is an orphan who was taken in by Dorothy Walker as a young child. She and Trish become best friends and have thought about poisoning Dorothy more times than they can count.

- Trish struggles with addiction and Jessica will fight anyone for her.

- Matt is in the foster care system and sent from one family, back to the orphanage, to another family and so on until finally his sophomore year he lives with Sister Maggie.

Matt and Daisy Johnson were foster siblings on and off again for several years.

- Elektra and Claire begin dating much to the amusement of literally everyone. “That was unexpected?”

They start dating after they’re paired together for the baby assignment.

- For junior/senior prom, Jessica asks Matt to be her platonic date while Luke asks Danny to be his. The four of them get group pictures together and are total goobs about it.

Vladimir asks Matt to be his date and is bummed when Matt says he was already asked by Jessica but he understands and instead takes Foggy. “Misty.” “For God’s sake you asshole! It’s Foggy!”

- Matt and Foggy don’t have a huge blow up because Matt actually talks to Foggy about things. ... after some time. He’s still a stubborn lil shit. That won’t ever change.

- Colleen, Elektra, and Matt all go to cage fights before the tiny hero club is a thing. Colleen drags Danny a few times.

and wow okay that all got long so Imma have to do another post just for the ‘bad guys’ in this au later on

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danithebookaholic-blog · 5 years

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REVIEWS! - TEEN ROMANCE

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Valentine’s Day was last month and I made sure to partake in all the romance reeds that I could get my hands on! If love is still in the air for you, then here are a few of the Teen Romances I read last month.

Just a heads-up: you’ll need a box of tissues, your gay best friend, your big-girl (or big-boy) pants ready to speak-up, and your iTunes subscription handy for this list of must reads!

📚Cheyanne Young’s The Last Wish of Sasha Cade (2018 YA Romance) 📚Erin Hahn’s You’d Be Mine (2019 YA Contemporary Romance) 📚Marci Lyn Curtis’ The Leading Edge of Now (2018 YA Romance & Realistic Fiction on Abuse) 📚Olivia Hinebaugh’s The Birds, the Bees, and You and Me (2019 YA LGBT Romance)

From one bookaholic to another, I hope I’ve helped you find your next fix. —Dani

The Last Wish of Sasha Cade

By Cheyanne Young

Publication Date: October 2, 2018 Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Realistic Fiction

Synopsis:

The day Raquel has been dreading for months has finally arrived. Sasha, her best friend in the whole world -- the best friend in the whole world -- has died of cancer. Raquel can’t imagine life without her. She’s overwhelmed and brokenhearted.

And then a letter from Sasha arrives. Has she somehow found a way to communicate from the afterlife?

In fact, Sasha has planned an elaborate scavenger hunt for Raquel, and when she follows the instructions to return to Sasha’s grave, a mysterious stranger with striking eyes is waiting for her. There’s a secret attached to this boy that only Sasha—and now Raquel—knows.

This boy, Elijah, might be just what Raquel needs to move on from her terrible loss. But can Raquel remain true to herself while also honoring her friend’s final wish?

Purchase:

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / Google Play / IndieBound

Review:

Young Sasha Cade is dying and has one last wish: For her best-friend, Raquel, to keep Elijah a secret and for them to complete the scavenger hunt, that Sasha devised, together.

If you are looking for a tear jerker, then look no further! The Last Wish of Sasha Cade is the teenage version of the movie P.S. I Love You, where friendship and love will survive the biggest hardships, even death.

The Last Wish of Sasha Cade is real as it gets, and shows that the grown-up world isn’t all rainbows and unicorns. Life comes with heartbreak and tragedy, but have no fear, life also comes with love and fortune. You just have to open your heart to both.

Get the box of tissues ready, because The Last Wish of Sasha Cade will have you reaching for them out of heartache and pure joy! I highly recommend to teens and adults alike.

Dani's Score out of 5: 📚📚📚📚📚

You’d Be Mine

By Erin Hahn

Publication Date: April 2, 2019 Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

Annie Mathers is America’s sweetheart and heir to a country music legacy full of all the things her Gran warned her about. Superstar Clay Coolidge is most definitely going to end up one of those things. But unfortunately for Clay, if he can’t convince Annie to join his summer tour, his music label is going to drop him. That’s what happens when your bad boy image turns into bad boy reality. Annie has been avoiding the spotlight after her parents’ tragic death, except on her skyrocketing YouTube channel. Clay’s label wants to land Annie, and Clay has to make it happen. Swayed by Clay’s undeniable charm and good looks, Annie and her band agree to join the tour. From the start fans want them to be more than just tour mates, and Annie and Clay can’t help but wonder if the fans are right. But if there’s one part of fame Annie wants nothing to do with, it’s a high-profile relationship. She had a front row seat to her parents’ volatile marriage and isn’t interested in repeating history. If only she could convince her heart that Clay, with his painful past and head over heels inducing tenor, isn’t worth the risk.

Purchase:

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / Google Play / IndieBound

Review:

Young love is always great, add some Johnny and June Cash, a spunky girl and a jilted boy to the mix and you have a great romance! For anyone who reads You’d Be Mine, I highly recommend - especially if you don’t know and Johnny & June Cash songs - to keep your phone near by so you can play the many songs mentioned while reading this book. It will not only help you to understand the story on a deeper level, but it will also set the mood, and make you a Johnny & June fan! (I also recommend listening to Heidi Newfield’s song Johnny and June for any song downtime while reading. It, too, will set the mood! 😉)

But You’d Be Mine isn’t just a country music teen romance, it also deals with loss, death, and destruction, drug addiction, alcoholism, and (somewhat surprising) God. It teaches you to work hard, fight for what you believe in, and reminds you just how important family and belief is, all while making your heart ache for Clay and Annie.

Looking for a swoony read? Then You’d Be Mind is totally the book for you this week! I 100% fell in love with Clay and Annie, their music and their story, and I think you will, too!

Dani's Score out of 5: 📚📚📚📚📚

The Leading Edge of Now

By Marci Lyn Curtis

Publication Date: September 4, 2018 Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Mystery, Abuse

Synopsis:

Just when Grace is beginning to get used to being an orphan, her estranged uncle suddenly comes forward to claim her. That might have been okay if he'd spoken to her even once since her father died. Or if moving in with Uncle Rusty didn't mean returning to New Harbor.

Grace once spent the best summers of her life in New Harbor. Now the place just reminds her of all she's lost: her best friend, her boyfriend and any memory of the night that changed her forever.

People say the truth will set you free, but Grace isn't sure about that. Once she starts looking for it, the truth about that night is hard to find --- and what happens when her healing hurts the people she cares about the most?

Purchase:

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / IndieBound

Review:

The Leading Edge of Now is not your typical romance, so if you’re looking for a swoon worthy read, this is not it, however, that doesn’t mean you should not read it, just be expecting a story that goes a bit deeper than the typical teen romance.

Grace’s story is one that unfortunately needs to be told. A story of a girl who is orphaned and who later comes out about the sexual abuse she endured and has lived with quietly for years. Sadly, too many girls so through this and are too scared to speak up about it. In Marci Lyn Curtis’ The Leading Edge of Now, you go through the struggle and mental wear-down that Grace goes through everyday of holding this secret in, and the relief she finally feels when she speaks up. It’s a powerful story with some very powerful messages that girls and boys alike should read and learn.

I don’t know if my review words can do this book justice, and so, instead, I’ll leave it with a couple of my favorite quotes - and lessons - from The Leading Edge of Now:

Because life is hard and it’s messy, but it deserves to be lived. And if you’re always turning away from it, you aren’t really living it. Living, really living, is standing on the very tip of the moment - right on the leading edge of now - no matter how heartbreaking or beautiful or terrible it might be.

I’m crying again, everything inside me ripping open and spilling out, the humiliation I’ve clutched so tightly the past couple of years, the anger I’ve stuffed into my rib cage, the fear that’s cleaved to my cells. God - fear of everything. Of living and dying, of loving and desertion, of friendship and loneliness. The stupid truth of it all is that day after day I’ve been trying to protect myself from things that have been out of my control. I’ve been worrying about getting hurt or getting sick or getting abandoned. But the fact is, people like me get raped every day. People like Dad die every day. People like Owen are involved in accidents that are out of their control every single day.

The world, with all its beauty and wonder and love, is a frightening place.

Dani's Score out of 5: 📚📚📚📚📚

The Birds, the Bees, and You and Me

By Olivia Hinebaugh

Publication Date: January 22, 2019 Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, LGBT+, Sex Education

Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Lacey Burke is the last person on the planet who should be doling out sex advice. For starters, she’s never even kissed anyone, and she hates breaking the rules. Up until now, she's been a straight-A music geek that no one even notices. All she cares about is jamming out with her best friends, Theo and Evita. But then everything changes. When Lacey sees first-hand how much damage the abstinence-only sex-ed curriculum of her school can do, she decides to take a stand and starts doling out wisdom and contraception to anyone who seeks her out in the girls' restroom. But things with Theo become complicated quickly, and Lacey is soon not just keeping everyone else’s secrets, but hers as well.

Purchase:

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / Google Play / IndieBound

Review:

The Birds, the Bees, and You and Me is a very informative book without seeming educational. If you have a tween/teen (or are one) looking for answers about sex, then this is a great book to pick up to be informed, but not to an embarrassing degree. The Birds, the Bees… actually acknowledges the fact that most tweens/teen (and even some adults) are embarrassed about sex, and brings about the fact that it shouldn’t be embarrassing. Everyone should be comfortable with asking questions, finding out the correct answers to those questions, and having an education that supports all sexual lifestyles.

But The Birds, the Bees… isn’t just about sex. It’s about a group of wonderfully talented high school music students that are not only finding their way in the sexual world (identifying if they are heterosexual or a part of the LGBT+ community, and how to properly protect themselves), but also musically - Lacey, Evita, Theo and Alice form a band; where they want to go to college and want to do for a living. They grow apart and together as friends, band mates and partners. And they learn to stand-up for themselves and the education in which they are receiving.

The Birds, the Bees, and You and Me is a very powerful book, teaching those who read it how to make judgement calls when it comes to their life. While those around you may not agree with your beliefs, you have to stand up for your rights, beliefs and health and do what is right for you. A great non-traditional romance read that everyone should read!

Dani's Score out of 5: 📚📚📚📚📚

Sorry, no wine pairing for these teen reads.

Have a book you’d like to suggest or one you’d like me to review? Please feel free to leave your comments down below.

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bodizwonder · 7 years

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Meredith Salenger Opens Up Exclusively About Her Engagement To Patton Oswalt, How They Fell In Love & Her Relationship With His 8-Year-Old Daughter

When Meredith and I first jumped on the cellphone, I used to be struck by her heat and familiarity. She was straightforward to speak to, open about her life and genuinely pleasant—giving off a snug vibe seldom skilled exterior of shut family and friends. Meredith graciously welcomed me into her world over the course of our intimate dialog.

And if there’s 1 factor that is straightforward to remove from even a small period of time along with her, it is that there isn’t any denying the truth that Meredith Salenger may be very a lot a lady in love.

Her summer season engagement to Patton Oswalt got here as a shock to many, though to not these within the couple’s interior circle.

In truth, those that know the couple properly imagine Meredith and Patton are *actually* a match made in heaven.

Salenger first stole our hearts on the massive display when she appeared as one of many singing and dancing orphans in 1982’s Annie.

Just a number of years later, she hit the massive time on the tender age of 15 because the lead within the traditional Disney movie The Journey of Natty Gann with John Cusack and Ray Wise.

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Oswalt is a slapstick comedian, actor, voice actor and author who’s finest identified for his work on the sitcom The King of Queens, because the voice of Remy the rat within the movie Ratatouille, and for taking part in a number of equivalent brothers, often known as Koenigs, on Marvel’s TV sequence Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Patton tragically misplaced his spouse, author Michelle McNamara, in April of 2016, when she handed away in her sleep unexpectedly.

It was later found that she suffered from an undiagnosed coronary heart situation, which was unknowingly aggravated by treatment she had been prescribed.

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During Michelle’s 46 years, she beloved enjoying matchmaker and acquired credit score for bringing a number of pleased marriages to fruition.

So naturally, lots of her buddies recommend that she herself could also be orchestrating issues behind the scenes for her widower and their 8-year-old daughter, Alice.

One of these orchestrations got here into play within the type of Michelle, Patton, and Meredith’s mutual good friend, actress Martha Plimpton.

According to Salenger, Plimpton despatched out a Facebook invite for a cocktail party that included each herself and Oswalt on the visitor checklist. He did not present up, however someway the 2 began speaking with one another by the invite itself, and shortly they had been each eagerly trying ahead to nightly chats through Facebook Messenger.

Phone calls had been off the desk since cute little Alice spent most of these evenings curled up subsequent to Patton, in search of his consolation after the lack of her mother.

It wasn’t till 3 months later that Meredith and Patton determined to satisfy in individual. Within that point, Meredith had already fallen in love along with her future husband’s thoughts, however she was nervous about whether or not or not they might have any chemistry.

Her nerves had been instantly put to relaxation the second Patton stated “Hello” and she or he was lastly in a position to breathe a sigh of aid—she knew at that second that she had met her individual.

For the primary time in her life, she’d discovered a person she might envision sharing endlessly with.

Ironically, it seems that Patton’s late spouse and his new love had a number of good buddies in widespread and even attended a number of the identical occasions (although Salenger admits that she does not bear in mind the 2 of them ever assembly).

“When I found out we had friends in common, I began asking them about Michelle. I was told that she was loving and smart and brilliant and creative and funny and all of these great things. It made me think so much more highly of Patton. Knowing that he likes smart, good girls was so sexy.”

Meredith was dropped at tears as we talked about Michelle’s stunning household and the way they’ve embraced her with open arms.

She defined how they selflessly targeted on Patton’s happiness, figuring out that if he had been to remain immersed in grief, it will solely hurt his daughter.

“I went out to Chicago for a week to spend time with them. I told Michelle’s sisters and her brother how sorry I was that they lost her. It was heartbreakingly sad. She was the baby of the family. It is hard to talk about. They are all so lovely and they are so lovely to me. Patton has a very small family but Michelle’s family is huge and they are just the most loving group of people.”

The household was particularly pleased for Alice, who now has one other unimaginable lady in her life.

After the lack of her mom, Salenger shared that Alice appeared to bounce again with the awe-inspiring power that may solely belong to a baby—however Patton didn’t.

It appeared he had resigned himself to the prospect of a joyless existence endured just for his daughter.

“That’s a very scary feeling for a little girl,” Meredith defined. “If your parent is not okay, do you suddenly have to be the one to take care of them? To lose a parent would be such a horrible thing but then to also see the living parent not okay… They are the ones who are supposed to guide you in the world. If you are seeing your father sad, you must wonder how you are going to get through it. So, to see him happy again makes her immensely happy.”

Though Meredith has by no means been married and has no youngsters of her personal, her love of youngsters radiates from her voice when she speaks of them.

However, “Auntie Mer Extraordinaire”—as her nieces affectionately confer with her—didn’t want marriage or organic youngsters to satisfy her.

“I have my own career and so many great, supportive friends. I have incredible nieces and I love my friends’ children. I was really fulfilled with the relationships in my life. I knew it would take a lot for me to want to marry someone. I was very happy with being the auntie in everyone else’s family. Then, Patton and Alice came along and I just fell in love.”

It is simple to know how Meredith’s profession saved her fulfilled till that point.

When she grew to become established as a working actress through Natty Gann, the movie not solely launched her success, it additionally served as a platform for her first kiss with none apart from her co-star John Cusack.

“I actually vomited that morning because I was so nervous.”

That would solely be the start of her onscreen kisses, after all, as she went on to star in movies with a number of the greatest teen heartthrobs of the 80s and 90s, together with River Phoenix, Corey Haim, and Charlie Sheen.

But Meredith was far too pushed and clever to settle there.

When she left Hollywood in her rear-view mirror, she set sail for Harvard University and graduated cum laude with a level in psychology earlier than later receiving certifications from the internationally famend Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University School of Law and subsequently being engaged as a household regulation mediator on the esteemed panel of neutrals on the Agency for Dispute Resolution in Beverly Hills.

Most not too long ago, Salenger has been busy voicing a number of characters on the animated sequence Star Wars: The Clone Wars on Cartoon Network. She performs the components of Jedi Padawan Barriss Offee, Ione Marcy, Che Amanwe Papanoida, and Pluma Sodi together with numerous different live-action and voice-over roles.

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Whether serving to to heal households personally and professionally or championing causes like A is For, “a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing women’s reproductive rights and ending the stigma against abortion care”, 1 factor is for positive: Meredith Salenger is a lady who has created her personal path paved with ardour, kindness, and an interior power that gravitates towards the larger good.

Seven Secrets with Meredith Salenger

1. What was your first live performance? “Elton John when I was a little girl. I remember smelling pot and thinking the smell of it was so horrible.”

2. What is a trigger you care deeply about and why? “Art of Elysium, which brings art to children in hospitals. Also, A is For, which basically supports a woman’s right to make decisions about her own body. It’s a great organization that my friend Martha Plimpton started.”

3. What is a query ladies ought to be requested on the crimson carpet, as an alternative of “Who are you wearing?” “First of all, I fucking hate the question ‘Who are you wearing?’ I HATE that question. It should be ‘Who designed your dress?’ Not, ‘Who are you wearing?’ You are not ‘wearing’ anybody. It would be nice if there was a question that could draw attention to a cause the person cares about. To use that platform in a positive way.”

4. If you would be a fly on the wall at any second in historical past, what second would you select and why? “The night of Barack Obama’s first inauguration. Just to see him with Michelle and the girls, radiating joy and accomplishment. What a wonderful feeling that would have been. It was such a beautiful night.”

5. If you had been the President of the United States of America, what’s the very first thing you’ll do on day 1? “There are so many to do. It would be overwhelming. Equal pay comes to mind. Get rid of private prisons. Fix our infrastructure. Most importantly, fix our education system. Every child receives equal education, regardless of income or status. This includes after-school programs to keep them healthy and safe. Once a child is empowered and educated, the rest will fall into place.”

6. See your self as a 5-year-old. What is the very first thing you’ll need to say to her? “Eat healthy and exercise.” (Laughs)

7. Which music do you are feeling could possibly be the soundtrack of your life? “Right now I am in the midst of being madly in love so all I am listening to is Jerry Rafferty’s ‘Right Down the Line.’ It means so much to me.”

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That stated, she additionally gave nods to Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer” and The Muppets’ “Moving Right Along.”

In truth, simply this previous weekend Meredith and Patton introduced their very own little Muppet, Alice, alongside to listen to Electric Mayhem play on the Hollywood Bowl.

Not solely is that an cute outing in and of itself, however might or not it’s that there’s now a Muppet-themed wedding ceremony within the works?

Both Salenger and Oswalt shortly took to Twitter in a valiant crew effort to make that occur!

Let’s all be part of forces and assist them make it occur! I don’t know how, however we will do it!

And come on, how might anybody not love this lady (and her household)?

The article “Meredith Salenger Opens Up Exclusively About Her Engagement To Patton Oswalt, How They Fell In Love & Her Relationship With His 8-Year-Old Daughter” initially appeared on YourTango.com.

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sunshinelulusplatoon · 7 years

Text

To Let The Past Go Chapter 5

(Woot, another chapter. Warning though, bit cussing at the end. Enjoy)

Chapter 1:http://sunshinelulusplatoon.tumblr.com/post/154343280234/alright-finally-ive-got-this-started-for-those

Chapter 2:http://sunshinelulusplatoon.tumblr.com/post/155644766709/to-let-the-past-go-chapter-2)

Chapter 3: http://sunshinelulusplatoon.tumblr.com/post/155825340079/to-let-the-past-go-chapter-3

Chapter 4: http://sunshinelulusplatoon.tumblr.com/post/156037776559/to-let-the-past-go-chapter-4

Chapter 5: Change and Decisions

As January flew by, many changes were occurring around Lulu. News of a new area for the Turf Wars hub had been flying around along with news of new weapons and new gear. Even the new presence of a small kitten hanging around Judd had spread like wildfire around the Inklings, Inktolings, Octarains, and other species living in the area. Concern on older players and adults, many started research on the new mammal to try and figure out where it had come from. Even concerning the octarian king, Octavio wasn’t too keen on Lulu being around the small mammal till word of its intentions and behaviors were finalized. Annoyed but obedient, Lulu followed her grandpa’s orders to stay away from it though collecting sea snails became a bit of a hassle for her; having to ask cuttlefish to get them for her from Judd. Other news of Callie and Marie’s music contract ending in summer had been floating around but no proper word had been said. Even the girls couldn’t confirm or deny it as Lulu visited them for a small lunch break.

Other news had also been flying around but only in the Valley. Residence were happily spreading the news that by early spring Octo Valley would be fully repaired and open back up to tourist and new residence. Come fall, schools would open back up to let students of old and new in for proper education again. Even colleges were taking applications for fall semester as students everywhere inside the valley were signing up. Hearing the news, Lulu informed Marcy who came down to apply and sign up for her classes. As promised by Octavio for providing the turbine designs that returned power to the valley, Marcy was given full ride to the biggest engineering university in the valley as well as proper boarding, transportation passes, and was even planned to internship with the electrical engineers working and maintain power in the valley come her second year.

As the last days of January came, things started to slow down and fall back into normal pace as Lulu, Marwick, and Marcy were waiting for Joey at Cuttlefish’s manhole to get some lunch and play turf wars for the rest of the afternoon. “Eh, I still can’t believe it’s really happening!” Marcy comment, nerves and joy in her voice. “Real proud of babe! You’re following your dreams. And all that studying paid off for yah. You passed those entrance exams like it was nothing!” Marwick commented before giving Marcy a kiss on the forehead. Softly giggling, Marcy replied, “I know. I just can’t wait. But I won’t forget you guys! I’ll definitely make time to play and practice turf wars so we can work to make the championship again!” “Hey, no rush! We got plenty of time to take another trophy home. Your studies come first,” Lulu replied, patting Marcy’s back. “I know. But I don’t want you thinking I’ve abandoned the team,” Mary whispered. “Nah, Marcy Bean, you know I would never think that. We have been through thick and thin too much for me to ever think like that,” Lulu chuckled.

With giggles and chuckled from all three of them, the three didn’t pay attention to the rushing inktoling coming towards them until he slammed into the bars in front of them and flip onto his backside. “AHHH! JOEY!” The three shouted, rushing to get him back up and make sure he was okay. Joey just laughed it all off. “Woops! My bad!” Joey coughed, rubbing his stomach from where he smacked into the bars. “Joey what the hell?” Lulu questioned, worried for her friend. “Sorry guys for being late but man do I got great news,” Joey replied, getting up and bouncing in excitement as if following of from the bars didn’t happen. “Bro, what’s up? You drinking too much coffee again for you to be bouncing like that?” Marwick joked. Joey just brushed it off. “Nah, I’m serious! Check it out!” Joey replied before pulling a paper out and handing it to Lulu. “Lulu read it out loud!” Joey exclaimed, bouncy even more now. “Okay, okay!” Lulu replied, looking at Joey and wondering what he was so excited about before reading the paper.

“To Mr. Joey Oego, We are happy to inform you that your application to Astacus Police Academy in Jellyfish Cove of the Northern Province in Japan has been accepted for out 6 year training terms. You have also been given full ride to the academy including boarding, books, and equipment needed. You will be expected to move in by the 23rd of May for orientation and boot camp come summer and will start fall semester in August. We look forward to hearing from you on whether or not you accept into going to this fine establishment. Please reply before the 31th of January with your answer and let your higher working authorities know. Till meeting at orientation, With great respect, Dean of Astacus Police Academy, Ruko Belio.”

Hearing the words, everybody went silent before Lulu looked up at Joey. “Are…Are you serious? Is this really serious???” Lulu exclaimed about to lose it. Joey just nodded his head, excitement all his face before shouting, “I’M GOING TO THE ACADEMY!!!!” Tackling him, Lulu was spun around by Joey before the pair broke into dance moves, excited by this news. “Man you did it! You’re really going! Moving up in the force once you are done man!” Marwick gleamed. “I KNOW BRO!!! I CAN’T BELIEVE IT! I GOT ACCEPTED!!!! I’M ACTUALLY GOING!!!” Joey shouted, picking Marcy up and swing her around before hugging onto her and Lulu both. Over hearing the excited conversation, Cuttlefish popped up from the manhole and chuckled, “Congrats boy! You finally made it! Now you work hard!” Smiling and trying to hold tears back, Joey nodded.

Grabbing their stuff and heading to find food, the four were in great spirits. “Marcy going to college, Joey going away to the academy for 6 years, things sure are changing around here,” Marwick stated. “It’s for the good though. Don’t you also have a new job you are starting in a few weeks at the noodle shop in the valley?” Lulu asked. “Yep! The boss was hiring and I wanted something to do while Marcy was going to college. Also helps us make some extra cash for leisure while living in the new flat,” Marwick replied. “How is it by the way?” Joey asked. “It’s pretty big with a decent kitchen, decent bath, and decent sized bedroom. Plan to move in it sometime this summer once we get proper furniture to put in it,” Marcy replied. “Sounds great. Couldn’t be more happy for you,” Lulu stated. “How about you Lulu? Heard Pops is about to put you into more royal duties from now on.” Joey questioned. “Yeah, it’s true. He’s given me more leisure in making decision with him and plans to put me in more situations where I need to critically think for my people. It’s not going to be easy but I’m not backing down!” Lulu replied eager and giving a fist pump. “Spoken like a true princess!” Joey laughed.

Arriving at one of their favorite dinners, the four walked in and settled in. Ordering lunch, the group chatted away as they waited for their food. Goals, life, things that have happen, news of the new turf wars gear and new places, the group gave their opinions and thoughts as the food arrived hot and ready for them. “You know once I leave you will have to find a new recruit,” Joey spoke to Lulu. “I know but I doubt it will be that hard to find someone. Plenty of newbies joining each day that can be easily trained to what we need. Shoot, some we even know we can recruit. Just how well they will listen is the thing. But I doubt I’ll have trouble finding someone while you are gone,” Lulu replies, taking a bite out of her French fries. “I just can’t believe you will be gone for 6 years,” Marcy spoke up, “It will be a big adjustment since none of us have been apart since like forever.” “I know Marcy Bean but we can’t stay in one moment of our lives together. Life brings us many things that we can either go with or push away. I’ve wanted this for a long time and I got my chance and I plan to take it,” Joey replied patting Marcy’s back. “I know Joey. I wouldn’t want you to turn it down either. It’s all just a big change,” Marcy replied sheepishly, giving a soft smile. “I know Marcy Bean but sometimes change is a good thing for the better. A lot has happen to us over the past three to four years and more is definitely on the way. So let’s not let it get us down. Let’s embrace it!” Lulu encouraged. “I’ll toast to that!” Marwich spoke, holding his cup up. Following notion, the other 3 held their cups up as Joey stated, “To change!” with the other three replying, “To change” before clanging their cups together and taking sips out of their drinks.

Finishing up and packing up as Joey went to pay, Marwick noticed the TV. “Hey, stage change!” Marwick commented, loud enough for Joey to hear as the group looked towards the TV in the back. As Callie and Marie came on TV, Callie announced the regular battle stages. First showing Moray Towers, Callie led off with, "Rollers are super effective here!" with Marie replying, "Chargers are the very best, like no gun ever was!" Next was Walleye Warehouse with Callie going, "Remember working here part-time back in the day?" and Marie going, "Yeah, and how often you broke the assembly line..." Last part getting a laugh out of Lulu and Joey, the group watched as the girls finished up meeting at the dinner exist and heading out. “Moray and the Warehouse. This should be interesting,” Joey commented, twirling his Splattershot Jr. in his hand. “Charger central. Definitely relying on you Marcy,” Lulu stated, giving a wink to Marcy. “Won’t let you down boss,” Marcy joked. “What I like to hear! Marwick, watch our back for us!” Lulu chuckled. “Will do!” Marwick replied nodding.

Reaching Inkopolis Tower and getting gear ready, Team Golden Sun headed into the tower and as the sun set later that afternoon, the team had plenty of wins under their belt for the day. Splitting the money up evenly between them, the group gave their goodbyes for the day as Lulu headed down Cuttlefish’s manhole towards the valley. Once in her own dome, Lulu was walking towards the house when she spotted her grandpa sweeping the porch though his expression on his face gave Lulu worry. Walking up, she could see something troubled him as his lips had a bit of a downward curl and his eyes seemed tired. “Grandpa?” Lulu spoke up. Snapping him out of thought, Octavio looked at her and smiled. “Welcome home Sunshine. Had fun today?” Octavio asked, perking his mood up trying to hide the concern and hint of worry that was on his face before but his voice seemed tired and out of breath. Lulu just looked more concern now. “Grandpa, what’s wrong?” Lulu questioned, giving a bit of a pout. “Nothing Sunshine…..Nothing you need to worry about,” Octavio replied, trying to brush the topic way. Still looking concerned, Lulu sighed before going into the house. Something was up but Lulu figured not to pressure it anymore with him. She knew he was acting himself when she left so something between that time period and now must of happen to drop his mood. Walking into the kitchen to grab a drink and see what her grandpa was cooking for dinner, she noticed an envelope on the table addressed to him. There was no returned address but it seemed to have been shipped by priority mail. Grabbing it and flipping it over, it seemed her grandpa had already opened it and whatever contents were in it were gone. “Is this what has him down?” Lulu thought before placing the envelope back down and grabbing bottle water out of the fridge and checking the pot on the stove to see beef stew with tentacles floating in it.

As night feel and the domes went dark, Lulu and Octavio were sitting at the smaller table in the kitchen eating dinner when Lulu spoke up. “Joey got accepted into the academy today,” Lulu stated. Octavio nodded not even looking at Lulu before replying, “That’s good! Congrats to him. He’s fulfilling his dreams.” Lulu looked annoyed. “He’s going to be gone 6 years so I’m gonna have to find someone new for our team,” Lulu stated. “That’s fine. Just be careful who you recruit,” Octavio replied, still acting if he’s fully not listening. Lulu was even more annoyed now. “And I’m 3 months pregnant with Marwick’s child,” Lulu stated, voice dry and annoyed. “That’s fin….WAIT!!! WHAT????” Octavio staggered, looking at Lulu completely confused and shock. Lulu chuckled. “Now I have your attention! What’s wrong with you? You’re not acting like yourself!” Lulu pouted. Giving a sigh in relief and annoyance as he leaned back in his chair, Octavio responded, “Lulu, please don’t do that again. I just have a lot on my mind at the moment is all. I promise I’m not ignoring baby girl.” “Does it have to do with that envelope that was on the table earlier? I saw it when I walked in when I came home to get a drink,” Lulu questioned, looking at her grandpa with a look of concern. Octavio went quite, looking at Lulu before sighing and taking a bite out of the beef in the stew. “It’s nothing you need to worry about baby girl,” Octavio replied, not looking at Lulu. Sighing and letting a raspberry off, Lulu returned to eating as the rest of dinner was silent.

Early to bed and early to rise, Lulu was out the door and headed off to different universes to visit some friends. Catching up with some old faces through turf wars and meeting some new, Lulu was gone most of the morning. She didn’t return home till after twelve carrying her charger as she came through the familiar kettle entrance of her dome. Walking up the hill, Lulu started to hear sounds and as she got closer she recognized it as arguing. “What in the world?” Lulu thought as she rushed down the hill towards the house. Upon hitting the bottom, the arguing was louder and coming from inside the house. But what caught Lulu’s surprise even more was the person standing on the porch, leaning on one of the rails, and looking down at the blooming roses. “….Kane??” Lulu called out, questioning what she was seeing as she walked up to the porch. Looking up, the forest green inktoling gave a weak smile. “..Hi Lulu,” Kane spoke, “Wasn’t exactly expecting to see you. Then again, wasn’t expecting to be here at all till Mom book the tickets and we left yesterday afternoon.” Lulu was speechless. Her mom was here too? Why? Was it because of Grandpa? What reason would they have to be here? The arguing inside seem to have gotten louder as Lulu walked up the sets and stood next to Kane. “…Kane…I…,” Lulu began hesitantly before Kane interrupted her. “…So you are my older half sister?” Kane spoke, looking back down at the rose, face lost of all expression. Lulu looked sadden before looking out yonder, leaning on the rail now herself. “I take even now, she didn’t tell you?” Lulu asked. “…No but I figured it out after them arguing for the first 10 minutes…” Kane replied. Taking a heavy sigh, Lulu looked at Kane. “I’m sorry. I didn’t even know…till I saw her at the airport,” Lulu sighed about to say something else when Kane spoke up. “She said something to you. That’s why you were upset when I had arrived. They argued about that. They argued about other things too…Lulu, what he said, what…our grandfather said, is it true? That she left you in an orphanage when you were just a hatchling?” Kane questioned looking up at Lulu with sadden eyes. Looking away, Lulu couldn’t bear to answer, knowing Kane’s opinions of his mother were usually bright and warm. “So it’s true…isn’t it,” Kane sighed, eyes showing heartbreak and sadness as he looked at Lulu; Lulu looking at him now and slowly nodding. Kane went silent from there as Lulu returned looking back towards yonder. She knew a lot must have been running through his head at the moment. But Kane finally broke the silence again. “I always suspected she was hiding something…she would never talk about her past or family on her side. She always told me it wasn’t important or just people I didn’t need to know. I just don’t get it though. You were just a hatchling. Hardly able to do anything to upset her so much like she is but she really hates you for some reason. Doesn’t make any sense for a parent to hate their child so much when they have done nothing wrong,” Kane questioned, words dry. “I guess just existing is enough for her to not want me….,” Lulu softly spoke. “….Do you know your dad?” Kane asked but Lulu shook her head. “Only she knows who he is,” Lulu replied.

The two sat there is silence for a while as the adults inside continued to argue. From the other end of the porch, the sliding door slide to Lulu’s bedroom slide open as a familiar zapfish fumble in flight out of the room. Spotting Lulu, he clumsily flew over to her; grabbing on to one of her tentacles. Natural instinct kicking in as her tentacle wrapped around him, Lulu pulled him up to let him rest on her shoulder as the zapfish nuzzled against her face. Kane chuckled a little. “Heh, a zapfish. Little guy looks like he took a beating. He yours?” Kane asked. “Yeah, I fished him up. He’s always been like this so I didn’t have the heart to throw him back when I caught him. He’s a good little guy, aren’t you Zappy,” Lulu cooed, getting a happy little cry out of the zapfish. Chuckling some more, Kane held out a hand to pet the zapfish as Zappy realized the notion and leaned into the touch. “Hehe, you like being petted, huh Zappy,” Kane joked, petting the zapfish as it gave happy chirps.

“Hey Kane?” Lulu asked as Zappy settled back onto her shoulder. “Yeah?” Kane replied. “Why are you guys here anyway?” Lulu questioned. “Some letter came in for mom and she wrote it back I suppose but then another came in with some documents and she went crazy from. Bought the tickets and here we are now. I really don’t know what’s going on or what the letters said but those to have been going out it now for almost two hours,” Kane replied concerned. Listening in, the argument seemed heated as both parties were speaking in octarian. “They were speaking inkling at first but now I don’t understand a word they are saying,” Kane commented. “It’s Octarian Kane. I can speak it and understand it. Right now…they are…strangely arguing about…me,” Lulu replied confused.

That’s when a loud scream of anger shook the house and heavy footsteps came to the sliding door. Slamming it open, Precious stormed out of the house and as the two watched, Octavio came after shouted, “PRECIOUS! DON’T YOU FUCKING WALK AWAY FROM ME!” Slightly up the hill, Precious turned around and shouted, “NO! I’M FUCKING DONE! I’VE HAD IT WITH YOU AND I’VE HAD IT WITH THIS PLACE! KANE! GET YOUR COD DAMN THINGS! WE ARE LEAVING!!!” Startled, Kane rushed inside to get his things before rushing out and trying to catch up to his mother who had continued to walk up the hill. “PRECIOUS! GET YOUR FUCKING ASS BACK HERE! IF YOU THINK YOU CAN LEAVE YOU ARE SURELY MISTAKEN. YOU EVEN STEP OUT OF THIS VALLEY AND I’LL HAVE YOUR ASS IN COURT!” Octavio shouted, chasing after her. Completely confused, Lulu rushed down the porch steps to catch up with everybody as Zappy hung onto her tentacle. “FOR FUCKING WHAT?” Precious screamed from the top of the hill. “CHILD SUPPORT, CHILD ABDUCTION, ENDANGERING A MINOR, AND A FEW OTHER THINGS I CAN THINK OF. YOU FORGET MY NAME IS ON HER BIRTH CITIFICATE!” Octavio shouted, pointing towards Lulu. From there Precious stopped in her tracks with Kane taking rest at one of the apple trees as Octavio and Lulu caught up. Standing next to Kane, Lulu watched as her grandpa walked towards her mother who was shaking and trying to hold tears back. “Surprised you didn’t add murder to that list,” Precious replied with a huff, wiping away tears that had fallen down her face. “Precious cod damn it that was years ago. You know as well as I do that was an accident. Honey, you need to stop blaming yourself for it,” Octavio replied, huffing and sighing. “Not like you didn’t. You could never look at me the same. You stopped caring about me when Mom died,” Precious hissed. “I NEVER STOPPED CARING ABOUT YOU PRECIOUS BUT YOU CLOSED YOURSELF OFF FROM ME!” Octavio shouted, tentacles twitching in anger, “You would never talk to me about how you felt or what was going on with you. I know your mother’s death hurt you just as much as it hurt me but I never blamed you. All I wanted was you to be alright but you got caught up in the wrong crowd before I could do anything to fix things and the next thing I know you’re gone out of my side. Not a day went by that I didn’t worry about you but I had a kingdom to run that was being overrun by terrorists trying to ruin any relationships we had with the inklings. So many times I kicked myself wondering what I could have done differently but nothing could change the past and even when you came back, you still wouldn’t let me in. All I wanted to do was help you but you kept rejecting me.” “And what about her? You cared about her more than me when I came back,” Precious fired back. “I was the only one taking care of her at the time. You wanted nothing to do with her! Just the idea of her bothered you so much. But that never meant I loved her more than you. Honey, you don’t know how much relief it was to have you home again where I could keep you safe. But you still refused to open up. And I did everything I could but you wanted nothing to do with me. But I wasn’t going to let you hurt her. Not my first grandchild. I was going to do everything in my power to make sure she was safe until whatever it was that was bothering was sorted out so we could work things out. But no, you left again, taking her with you. I may admit, I acted like I stopped caring then, but deep down, I always thought of you, hoping you were safe, hoping Lulu was safe, and hoping for both of you to come home to me!”

Precious stood there quite, tears rolling down her face as Lulu and Kane watched, concern and worry for her on their faces. “Then tell me what you want?” Precious finally spoke, not even looking at her father. “Precious baby, TALK TO ME! Open up and stop running from what bothers you before it eats you alive. Honey, I’m willing to start things over from scratch have but you have got to give me an inch. I can’t read your mind on what has been bothering you all these years and right now is a good time. I know you are on hard times and the last thing I want is you on the streets,” Octavio replied. Looking at him now, Precious asked, “How much do you know?” “I know you had to give up your husband’s company and bankrupt everything. They took the house from you to pay things off and you’re staying with friends since your husband’s parents want nothing to do with you or Kane. You are almost out of money too since you have no work at the moment,” Octavio stated. Hearing this, Lulu looked at Kane with concern. Kane just shoved it off with a, “its fine. Never like my grandparents anyway,” which sadden Lulu. Looking at her father with tears down her face, Precious sat there shaking as Octavio came up to her and wrapped his arms around her. “So what choice do I have now,” Precious spoke, slowly grabbing onto her father’s robes. “Well, you can choose to move back into the house and in time I’ll get rooms made for you and Kane and I can help you finish paying off whatever the collectors need. But only if you want to. The choice is yours,” Octavio replied. “After everything that’s happened, you would let me back in. Why?” Precious asked. “Because you are my baby and always have been. I may not have shown it at times but I still love you and I’ve always have. Just like you, I was in morning but I should never have ignored you like I did. That was my fault and I want to make up for that if you will let me,” Octavio explained softly, hold his crying daughter. Both fell silent then as Kane and Lulu watched, wondering what was going to happen then.

A week later….

“PRECIOUS! UP! BEFORE WE ARE LATE!” Octavio called out, knocking on the guest room door. Deciding to move back into the house, Octavio paid for the tickets for Precious and Kane to go back to the states to get their things before coming back and settling into the house. Like promised, Octavio paid off the collectors of any debit Precious had left from the lawsuits. Once back, Precious moved into the guest room while Kane took residence in Lulu’s room, trying to adjust to a zapfish who wanted to sleep in his tentacles, thinking they were some type of seaweed. “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! DAD! IT’S NOT EVEN 6 IN THE MORNING!!!” Precious screamed from the bedroom. “Now she knows how I feel,” Lulu thought to herself as she brushed her teeth, sharing the sink with Kane who was still half asleep as he brushed his own. Spitting and washing their mouths out, the brother and sister walked into Lulu’s bedroom to grab clothes they needed for the meeting they were going to. Kane grabbing clothes out of his bag as Lulu open the chest in front of her bed, Lulu pulled out the familiar kimono she wore when she went to such political meetings. “Woah sis! You’re wearing that to this meeting?” Kane questioned, surprised by how fancy it was. “Always do. Was grandma’s. So was this,” Lulu replied as she pulled a box out and revealed a shell tiara. “NICE!” Kane exclaimed, giving a thumbs up. Walking into the room as Lulu and Kane undressed and got ready as Lulu was wrapping the kimono around herself, Octavio helped her tie it all together with its obi as Precious finally walked out of the guest room. “Morning Mom!” Kane stated before yawning. “Morning Kane,” Precious groaned, annoyed having to be up this early. “…Morning…,” Lulu stated as Octavio held her chin up to properly place the tiara on her head. “….Morning….Lulu…” Precious replied, some unease in her voice. Looking at her, Precious seemed to give off an annoyed look before looking at her father and stating, “You are seriously putting her in that? Mom was taller than her!” “Relax Precious. It doesn’t drag that much on her. Especially with her Geta on. Kane you are not wearing that t-shirt and shorts to the meeting! Put on one of those dress shirts and slacks I bought you with those new boots,” Octavio replied, satisfied with how the tiara sat on Lulu before looking over Kane dissatisfied, “Now are you going to get dressed or not Precious?” “Yes! Yes!” Precious groaned before walking to the bathroom and shutting the door behind her. As Octavio walked out of the room to start a pot of coffee before leaving, Kane came over to Lulu and looked her over. “You look great sis. And don’t worry about mom. I’m sure she will warm up to you in time,” Kane encouraged. “Yeah..at least she addressed me this time,” Lulu replied sheepishly. Putting their shoes on and walking out of the room after giving Zappy goodbyes, the pair walked into the kitchen to make a cup of coffee as the bathroom door could be heard being open and shut as the guest room door opened and close. “Ugh, she hasn’t changed. Takes forever to dress,” Octavio sighed. Chuckling, Kane and Lulu took sips of their coffee before Kane asked, “So is this going to really be your first time joining Gramps in making political decisions?” “Yep. Before I was in waiting, listening in and learning from Grandpa how things go. I know everybody already knows me but I’m still a bit nervous about what kinds of decisions I’ll be thrown into. Hopefully I don’t make a fool of myself,” Lulu replied concerned. “You will be fine baby girl! Nothing to worry about. Just follow your instincts,” Octavio spoke up. “Yeah, what Gramps said. I’m sure you will do fine,” Kane encouraged. Lulu gave a sheepish smile, but their words to ease some of her worries and Precious finally walked into the kitchen, wearing a business suit. Handing her a cup, Precious thanked her father as she made her coffee. “Are these meetings still the whole morning?” Precious asked. “Yep,” Octavio replied not batting an eye. “Ugh, figures,” Precious groaned as she took a sip of her coffee.

Finishing their coffees up and grabbing up what they need, Octavio locked the sliding screen door when everybody was out of the house. Following behind him, the family left the dome as they took a glider to head towards the palace in the middle of the main city in the major portion of the domes. Landing and making the trip to the palace, the family walked in and around to the back of the meeting room as they waited for all parties to show up. Word from the guards that everybody was here now, Octavio spoke. “Alright, everybody ready?” Octavio asked. “Ready as we will ever be Dad,” Precious replied, already wanting to go home. Shaking his head, Octavio motioned Lulu next to him as the family lined up in order. Hearing the guards called out for attention to their presence, the doors open and the family walked, giving few to higher parties and viewing attendants that the Entra family was finally whole again.

#sunshinelulu

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