Crazy For You, Oh Boy
Summary: Nightowl dotes on you when you come to visit.
[Established Relationship] [Long-Distance Relationship] [Domestic Fluff] [Reunions] [Pet Names] [Kissing] [Cuddling & Snuggling] [Literal Sleeping Together] [Sexual Innuendos] [Househusband Energy] [No use of y/n] [Fem Reader]
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Notes:
This is super rambly and drawn out but it's just loads of Nightowl fluff. Would appreciate feedback as I'd like to keep writing lil fics for my favorite Blooming Panic boy, carpal tunnel allowing.
Also, obligatory character playlist plug because I love it. Title comes from a lyric from a song on there :)
Reposted from AO3
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You impatiently stared out of the window as the car turned into the parking lot of an apartment complex. As it comes to a halt, you could not have gotten out of it sooner. Grabbing your backpack, you thanked the driver before closing the door. You went around to the back, opened the trunk, and hauled out a duffel bag. As overworked as you were, your wallet be damned if you paid for a checked bag, not that you really needed it anyway. Slamming the trunk closed, the car drove off. With your backpack on and the world's heaviest duffel bag slung over your shoulder, you practically ran towards the entrance of the building.
Once inside, you rocked your feet back and forth as you waited for the elevator to come to the ground floor. While your destination was only one floor away, your cargo would kill you before making it up half a flight of stairs, not to mention how much a long, cramped flight takes out of you. After an agonizing wait, the elevator arrived with a ding. You hopped in and repeatedly pressed the door close button, knowing full well that doing so would not speed up the process at all. Pent-up excitement was being taken out on your phone via death grip as the elevator went up. Another ding allowed your phone to live another day. With an exit now available, your speed walking to your destination rivaled that of senior citizens at the mall at 7 in the morning. Halting yourself in front of the door, you knocked.
“Hold on!” Nightowl shouted from the other side. Some faint chaos bleed through the door for a moment before the door swung open. You immediately flung yourself onto the person in front of you, enveloping him in a bear hug forceful enough to push him back a step or two. “Woah, hey there, cutie. I missed you so much,” he laughed, reciprocating the hug with the same amount of love.
“Fuck, I’ve missed you more, sweetheart,” you spoke into his neck. The two of you stayed in the hug a moment longer before moving slightly apart, still enough to hold each other. Nightowl leaned down for a kiss, that you happily gave. Though short, both of you had been dying for it.
“Glad you’re back home, things just feel so off when you’re not here.”
“I know, just a few more months, and we never have to do this again,” you smiled at him, lifting yourself slightly for another kiss. When you broke apart, a playful pout was on his face.
“Why can't you just stay here now,” he whined, tightening his grip on your waist slightly. Even after finishing his graduate program, he still acted like a little kid at times. You loved his playful demeanor, though.
“Because my sadist job is trying to kill me before I can leave,” you responded, starting to sway the two of you. “At least the new one will be much better.”
“Mmh, can’t wait till then. But, in the meantime, I will be a chivalrous gentleman and take your bags so that you can take a nice, long shower. I’ll order some food after, and we can have a quiet night in.”
“Ah, you’re truly wonderful, darling.”
“Only the best for you, cutie,” he said, giving you a peck on the lips.
Letting go of each other, you immediately dropped your bags onto the floor and handed Nightowl your phone. While you kicked off your shoes, Nightowl took your bags back to the bedroom. You quickly made your way back to the bathroom. With as often as you visited, it was easier to get a second shower brush and share toiletries than lug your own back and forth. Given that Nightowl wasn’t the 20-in-1 type of guy, you didn’t have to worry about your hair being dry and skin breaking out.
As you took your long-deserved shower, Nightowl put himself to work unpacking your things. Putting your clothes in his closet, your phone and laptop on his desk and charging them, accessories on his own stands, and whatever else you had brought in their rightful places. While the majority of the time he wouldn’t do these things for himself, for you, he spends a full day getting his place clean up for your arrival. Not to say that he was a slob, but the life of an architect could be very demanding. He sometimes joked with himself that if his carrier fell through he would be the perfect househusband for you.
Eventually, your shower ended and you went across the hall in your towel to get changed. Walking into the bedroom, you’re greeted with Nightowl laying on the bed, scrolling through the several options on DoorDash. He looked up at you and grinned. “You’re looking good, cutie. I unpacked everything for you while you were in there.”
“Absolutely wonderful you are,” you hummed, making your way over to the closet to pick out something to throw on for the night.
“For you, anything,” He stared at you, nothing but adoration filling his eyes as you grabbed your clothes. “Want me to close my eyes?”
“If you don’t mind,” you responded. Although you have seen each other in every state of undress imaginable, he still felt the importance of privacy whenever wanted. You appreciated his care, especially given your history of mediocre relationships with people who couldn’t bother with those sorts of things. When he closed his eyes, you quickly got yourself dressed in a random t-shirt of indeterminate ownership and the sluttiest pair of plaid pajama pants you could find. “You’re good now,” you spoke, starting to dry your hair off with the towel you wore into the room. At your command, Nightowl opened his eyes to look at you once more.
“I think I like this combo better than the towel.”
“I tried with the pants.”
“And you succeeded,” he chuckled. “So, did you think over what you want for dinner?”
“Hmm,” you began as you continued to dry your hair, “You craving anything?”
Nightowl shook his head, “Not really, I’m good with whatever.”
“Then can we get something from that one Chinese place over by that one bookstore?” you asked cheerfully.
“Sure thing, cutie. The usual?”
“Yes, please. Thank you, love!”
Nightowl went back to his phone to place your order while you went back to the bathroom to hang your towel. When you returned, he set his phone down and patted the spot next to him. You lay down next to him, moving closer to lay your head on his chest.
Nightowl wrapped an arm around your waist. “How was your flight?" he asked.
"About as good as it can get with two babies on board."
"Aw man, sorry you got stuck with that.”
"At least your neighbors don't have kids."
"I don't think I could have made it through grad school if they did. I hope the shower relaxed you some though," he said, starting to rub your stomach with his thumb slightly.
"Not as much as lying here with you right now," you smiled at him.
“Pretty girl on my chest and she’s this sweet? I won at life being able to have you all to myself.” Your face went pink at his words. Although he said things like that all the time, it never failed to make you feel like a dumb teenager when he did. The best you could do was let out a small whine in response. “Aww, and you’re all flustered by that? You’re killing me here, cutie.”
“Oh, shush, it’s just 'cause I haven’t seen you in months.”
“Sure, if you say so,” he hummed.
The two of you continued to talk about random topics as you waited for your dinner. Due to the wonders of technology and neither of you possessing the ability to be okay with not calling every day, there wasn’t anything exactly big to catch up on. A little while longer went by until Nightowl got a notification that the driver was at the building. The two of you got up, he to acquire the food, and you to grab drinks and pick out the entertainment you would be promptly ignoring. After a decent look in the fridge, you grabbed two beverages of choice and plopped yourself onto the couch.
You waited a moment longer before Nightowl came back with the food. He brought the bag to the couch and rummaged through it to hand you your food along with a pair of chopsticks graciously provided by the restaurant. You, starving, started eating before he even got around to opening his food.
“God, I’ve missed this so much,” you started between chews, “Seriously, this place has the best Chinese food I’ve ever had.”
“And here I was thinking you meant eating takeout with me,” he joked.
“I suppose I missed that too, but I don’t know, this lo mein is pretty fucking good,” you shot back. With his free hand, Nightowl placed a hand on his chest and leaned back, closing his eyes.
“Oh, I can’t believe she loves egg noodles more than me!” he remarked. You giggled a bit in response.
“Fine, perhaps I love the current activity more than egg noodles.”
“Just the activity?”
“You’re not gonna make me say this, are you?”
“How else would I know if you don’t say it out loud, to my face?” The little antic of his was one reminiscent of one faithful night in the call channel of the Bloomic server. Over time, you learned that he loved to pull this type of line either to get you flustered over little things or annoy the shit out of you.
“Fine, I definitely absolutely, love you, Nightowl, more than egg noodles or eating egg noodles in your presence,” you playfully groaned out.
“You hear that? She loves me more than egg noodles!” he shouted. You smiled at his response. Though a cute moment, it was quickly ended by a banging from the wall in front of you.
“Shut the fuck up in there!” A neighbor shouted through the wall. The two of you stared at each other in surprise before Nightowl yelled a quick apology back.
“That’s the second neighbor you’ve pissed off by boasting about my love for you,” you said after a moment.
“I would happily piss off several more if it means I can brag about you,” he said, going back to finish his food, “Granted, as long as it doesn’t get me evicted.”
You chuckled. “Good call.”
As time went on, you continued mindless banter accompanying the completion of your meals. Even once finished, the two of you sat together and talked for what seemed like forever. You even managed to squeeze out some information, albeit, fairly vague, about the dates he had planned for the two of you during your stay. At some point, all the travel and excitement of the day had gotten the better of you. While you did try to hide it, a yawn gave your state of energy away to Nightowl.
“I saw that, cutie. A queen needs her beauty sleep.”
“Says you.”
“I’ll have you know that I still get my full 8 hours every night,” he asserted.
You chuckled, which turned into another yawn. “Maybe so, but you still live life in another time zone.”
“When you’re here, it gets a bit more normal.”
“Really?” you thought for a moment, “Huh, I guess it does. Wonder why?”
“Maybe it’s cause I worry about your well-being in terms of sleep so much that it rubs off on me,” he pondered.
“If taking care of me gets you to take care of yourself, then I'm all for it,” you smiled at the sweetness of it all.
Nightowl got up and started collecting the empty containers, “You go on to bed, I’ll meet you there in a minute.”
“You sure?”
“Mhm, you come first, cutie.”
You got up from the couch, “Absolutely the best to me.”
You cupped his face, giving him a peck on the cheek before making your way to bed. Little did you know, but that small act of affection melted Nightowl’s heart. Blushed, he took a moment from cleaning up to compose himself. He didn’t exactly know why he reacted with the fuzzy, teenager-in-love feeling, but he welcomed it nonetheless. He picked up the pace to join you just slightly sooner.
While he was finishing up, you had practically thrown yourself into bed, the exhaustion finally hitting you. You got yourself comfortable and passed the time looking around the room, studying what’s changed since you last visited. Though a tad boring, you didn’t exactly possess the brain power to check your phone and retain anything.
Eventually, a blonde figure caught the corner of your eye. You turned to face your beloved Nightowl as he entered the room, shutting the door behind him. He turned off a small desk lamp, allowing the fairy lights over his bed to illuminate the room. You sleepily pat the spot next to you, which he happily filled, snuggling as close to you as he could. The sparking of the lights above the two of you reflected in his brown eyes. Even in your extremely groggy state, you couldn’t help but smile at the sight of your boyfriend.
“You ready to sleep?” he mumbled, seeming to try to hide a yawn of his own.
“Yeah,” your eyes were already fluttering closed. Nightowl brought an arm around you and planted a kiss on the top of your head. “Maybe tomorrow you can be the activity I love.”
“I will most definitely make sure that becomes true,” he smiled, “Goodnight, cutie.”
“Goodnight, sweetheart.”
The warm lights illuminated the two of you drifting off to sleep together for the first time in months. All became still in that apartment, and for a night, all was right in the world.
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What are your ideas on Amphibia’s idea of self-love and how it’s tackled?
I’m afraid I don’t have very in-depth thoughts (or more precisely I hadn’t thought about this idea until asked*). But from my few days brewing on it my answer is: I think it’s idea of self-love is something I would have been grateful for when I was Anne’s age and I think it’s tackled pretty well.
As an addendum, I felt only Anne really had an arc defined by discovering self-love. To me, Marcy’s arc was about coming to term with facing unpleasant things, and Sasha’s was recognizing how she wanted to be a better person/grow. I also don’t see any of the Plantars needing to learn self-love. Sprig might come closest but to me, his arc is more about finding a friend, someone who will actually like him/spend time with him, and it’s less him learning to love himself but finding the friend who will love the himself he already is pretty open about expressing/seems to like.
As to what I mean in more specifics (because of course), I’m having a hard time arranging it my head coherently. But essentially: I felt Anne’s arc to self-love was handled very gradually.
She’s starts out (Best Fronds) as very concerned with what her friends will think if she isn’t agreeable to what they say; she has to be likable, she has to be what others want her to be. But then she meets Sprig (and family) and live in Wartwood, where she has to make decisions on her own/withiut her usual friends. Wartwood is disturbed & distrustful but she earns their trust & respect (Toad Tax). Then later there’s Wally’s bit of “you can be whoever you want to be here” advice and her becoming less worried about whether she’s the “town weirdo” (Wally and Anne). Then there’s the whole Reunion bit with Sprig defending her and saying she’s a good person & brave & not going to be pushed around; she’s someone—as she has presented herself in Wartwood—of value and love (at least in the eyes of this pink frog boy. See this is why I get so emotional about these two?)
I’d say there’s less direct instances in S2a (at least nothing immediately jumps to mind), but by the time she’s there she has had some growth. I think this is most evident in her relationship with Marcy. By the end of her stay in Newtopia, she’s opened up to Sprig (and vice versus) (Hopping Mall). She’s learning to express how she feels and be okay with that. So by the time the show gets to Bessie and Microangelo (I love that ep), she’s happy with herself. (Oh, Tritonio helped, less in his ultimate goal reveal but in instilling in Anne an actually desire to work at something and see herself as worthy as be capable of working at something. Oh, and Stumpy’s statement that her parents would proud of what she did feels like it boosted some kind of ‘You’re ideas may be over the top but they come from a good place.”)
Like omg! To 13 yr old me those kinds subtle and but very clear & audial expressions of my value and worth would have been amazing. Maybe it’s okay to just be the weirdo you are. Maybe others *will* like you. Maybe someone will be your friend even if you share your weird and sentimental feelings. Aaaah! (Heck, I’m in my 30s and I’d still love this).
In that sense, to me, Anne’s self-love grew very much from the space where others (frogs) allowed her to be who she was and as she grew more expressive, she became more sure of herself and the more sure she became the more self-love was genuine. Anyway, I think it’s beautiful.
*this ask reminded me that I’ve been wanting to rewatch Amphibia; I have been reminded that I usually dig my teeth into fandom media when it’s complete, One Piece being the nearest thing to an exception and even then (1) it’s a lot easier to analyze Ace than other characters and (2) I usually narrowly focus or broadly react
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Get ready for me mumbling random plot-ish stuff for no reason. Most of it doesn't make sense.
Okay, so.
Imagine in a version where Billy still moved to Hawkins, everything happened generally, but in the fight Steve somehow won. Or, at the very least, there was no plate involved, Max still horse'd her brother and nearly castrated him.
Except turns out cocking a man full of very much and likely not medically measured Anti-Spy MindFlayer sedatives does things to a man, and it generally just messes a man UP. Man just straight up has mental hallucinations in his Conk Out Time Out.
Regardless, he somehow escapes the Byers home, and just.... straight up disappears? Just went into the woods and nobody has ANY idea where he went. So, essentially, good as dead. The Mayfield-Hargrove house becomes quite tense, Neil still keeping a front but still visibly wired that even Max can notice and tiptoes around before he explodes.
Then Season 3 happens, Neil gets dragged into the Steelworks, possessed, and then later stabbed by the monster. Granted, unlike Billy there's no reasonable way he would protect El in the same manner.
Yeah, sure he doesn't hit Max, but if running under the logic that Billy's been keeping him off of targeting her, then he could have at any point. Especially since here the Flayer is controlling him and Neil might not have any positive protective instincts instilled in him that would give him a reason to fight back.
Well, turns out Billy isn't dead, and turns out he followed everyone to the mall somehow. Or, he's been there this entire time eating hotdogs on a stick while the entire plot went down. I don't know, this isn't fleshed out that deeply, Billy's just there, and he's watching this go down.
And, oh joy, turns out he gets his One Positive Memory kickstart a season earlier. You know, the part where he gets hallucinations. And, apparently, has just been.... Wandering around Hawkins and nobody noticed???? Billy, general heartthrob, has just been around, and somehow his existence was never mentioned to Neil, small town that it is. Turns out Billy can straight up turn off his presence if he really tried, hide in plain sight. Max's warning to stay away from her friends was a promise he adhered to the max. (Hah, get it?)
And, well, said protective instinct told him to barehand beat this massive black mess of melted humans Mind Flayer back, and somehow.... does???
(Mostly because in another room Joyce shuts the gate and severs the connection just a little faster)
And, like. Max is obviously stunned, because here is her step-brother, very much alive and very much injured from wrestling a massive creature that clearly is not meant for this world. Yay, sibling reunion. Neil dies at their feet, and Billy actually feels a little sad at that (He gets no apology, Neil straight up died the moment the Mind Flayer did and Billy was a little preoccupied with Max) but there wasn't much he could do about that.
Well, Billy was still VERY adamant on trying to keep away from Max and her friends as promised, but now that... He's been informally inducted into the Upside Down's general tomfoolery, Max convinces him to stay, especially since obviously they're down a family member.
That was apparently enough for him, and they return home together. Since Billy was work age and had apparently been through a self-reflection redemption arc on his own time, he hopped into helping in the finances of the family, even if they had to downgrade due to Billy having to get through high school again (Being effectively missing for months on end kind of does that to you seriously was this man living in the woods??) and therefore only having a half-time job which meant not as much money that could reasonably split a house on payment.
Something like that.
His promise to stay out of Max's way still remains strong, but his protective instincts thanks to knowing what is possibly out there (Gee thanks funky human flesh Flayer) keeps him in her radar. And, by proxy, all of Max's friends.
So, uh. Essentially Billy becomes like.... a very, very persistent stalker/bodyguard. Somehow, his new constant presence soon becomes the same feeling as if he was always there, like how people don't register their own noses anymore. His uncanny ability to blend into plain sight doesn't help either. Max's best explanation is living with Neil SUCKS BALLS. Will agrees.
That doesn't mean they completely forget he's there though. Sometimes, when bullies come around, the kids can sort of sense him, and know that ultimately they're safe because no kid is able to beat Billy Hargrove in intimidation checks.
So, cut to after they defeat Vecna. Except, well, they actually defeat him and there are less consequences to the town. The earthquake still happens, but less so, Max still gets mildly crinkled like a tissue but has a much better chance in healing, and Eddie doesn't die because Steve is a stubborn bitch and refuses to give up on him. Still very much chomped to hell and back though, and it's generally a long process to get him healed.
Yay medicine.
Turns out Billy followed them in. Nobody in the group is sure how, or when he showed up because clearly he was not there for ANY of the team meetings, but Billy just.... wandered in with them. Does he know what's going on? No, not at all. But he does know how to fight and cause a scene, and that's enough for them.
By the end, everyone's finally getting their rest, and Billy is allowed to slowly get better and have a life(Even if he is very much willingly not participating in anything the others are getting themselves into he's happy as is)
(Although Joyce does drag his ass into Family Dinners there's really no escaping Mama Joyce honey.)
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Amphibia The Hardest Thing Details!
I cried like 3 times this episode and a mess emotionally rn, this one of the greatest cartoon finals I've ever watch. It is such a bittersweet ending and knowing that there won't be another episode is...really hard. I really love this show and all the details and themes put in to it. Here's to one of the greatest cartoon of all time!
Core being the embodiment of not wanting to change, fearing of being irrelevant (idk y but its kinda similar to ss1 hop pop)
Toadie in the crowd is in his old uniform (animation error i guess)
When the camera is turning we can see the amphibian(s) that took care of their respective girls in background (plantars for anne, grime for sasha, olivia yunan and andrias for marcy)
Sasha's design is similar to her beta designs
Anne's boots and crown have leafs theme over it
During the Calamity fight scene, No Big Deal leitmotif is played throughout the fight
The power they use reflect who they are: Anne summoning tennis racket, ball, cats and having leaves aura when summoning stuff....Sasha summoning pom-pom and wings (like her sword) and moving like cheerleader.....Marcy summoning the DND dice, the background being the pin that she gave to andrias and the fluffy character from her fav game, and the explosion being in shape of weapons from her fav movie
Also Anne's cats missile thingy is similar to Andrias' lizard lazer thingy from the last episode
Andrias saying "Something I should've done a long time ago, standing up to you!" parallel Anne during reunion
Plantars, wartwoodians, wally's dad, the small frogs, olms, apothagary, percy and braddock, beatrix, trintorio, newtopian townies, EVERYONE IS HERE!
"you're my everything, you've change my life" "and you've change mine" ;-;
god damn sprig's crying destroyed me
After gaining all stones power, Anne's body start to crack
When Sprig said "Cmon, you'll be ok" he was smiling and coping, hoping everything will be ok
This look exactly like the painting in Anne's room
There's tennis racket, plantars sign, tennis ball as small will mill, the thai-looking post box, small farm, and anne's glowing sowrd
Picture of Plantars, her parents, domino, and her friends, the pen and cane (from Cane Crazy), sprig's figurines, the plushie (from the domino effect) and figurine (from froggy little christmas) that sprig made, the tea pot (from hopping mall), glowing stars from her room, donut pillow (from beginning of the end), the lamp having butterfly theme, her curtain having the flame pattern (similar to her ss3a outfit), and the wallpaper being leaf pattern
Anne seems to born in 2007
When Anne chat with the Guardian, music box's theme is played
"I have my whole life ahead of me to make bad choice and learn good lesson from them," kinda summarize ss1
DOMINO IS THE ALPHA AND OMEGA (mentioned adventure in catsitting)
Anne gonna lived up to 91 years old lol
Frobo learning not to tackle hug ppl this time, also Anne's theme played
The girls receive the crown with the same color as their gem
When Marcy receive her crown, Marcy's theme played
YUNANLIVIA CANON
Andrias is surprise that Marcy somewhat still care for him
When Sasha start crying after receiving the crown, Sasha's theme played
Sasha still cares about Percy and Braddock
During the scene where Anne said goodbye to Plantars, Anne's theme played
HOP POP CALLING ANNE HIS GRANDDAUGHTER
"Family always finds each other" (from The Day at Aquarium)
"Spranne against the world" is the final message between Anne and Sprig
I will not emotionally recover from this
Andrias having Barrel's warhammer, Leif's pin, Marcy's pin, and leaves in his beard(similar to anne)
Triple B can be seen helping Andrias regrow plants
The dude that was kidnap by dragonfly in the first ep is still up there lmao, also that scene playout similar to first ep: camera panning down on Stumpy's and Wally leaving
Stumpy's now serve Thai Tea Pancakes with maggots
Bog & the boys now have job as moving junk & service with Jacinda (kinda make sense since, u know they move stuff out of wartwood back in ss1)
Polly have a wrench in her pocket
Chuck now have a Tulip Emporium
Jeremy is now with the other mushroom (in a pot)
GRIME BEARD
BESSIE AND JOE HAD KIDS
HOP POP KEPT HIS AVOCADOS
Hop Pop and Sylvia hanging out~
Bunch of callbacks/reference: moss man, Amphibia theme song lyrics, domino 1 & 2, calamity anne form, cursed Anne, roadtrip arc map, anne's leaf, tomato monster, grub hog, Thai Go, and the runes that we never even figure out what the letter "v" and "z" is
The hidden continent Ivy mentioned later seems to be on west of mainland
Ivy still abushing Sprig...and got the red seashell to match sprig's blue moon shell~
When Ivy talked about hidden continent, Anne's theme played
Anne Boonchuy's statue sign also said: "We miss you, girl!"
Marcy having Sakura(naruto) and Bakugo(my hero academia) keychain
Sasha having the 2 swords symbol on her jacket, the 2 swords keychain, bi heart sticker, and her guitar sticker
Marcy is a web comic artist!?
Sasha is a kid therapist!?
Anne having leaf pattern scrunchie
Anne's theme playing in her monologue
each species exhibit reflect Amphibia: frog's modeled after Plantar's house, toad's after Toad tower, newt's after newtopia, and olms after Proteus
End credit stuff:
The end credit cycle from Marcy's theme to Sasha's then to Anne's
Anne's tennis racket, Sasha's pink sword, and Marcy's crossbow was placed where they left Amphibia
Toad tower never seems to be rebuild....plus there's plants growing on it now
จบบริบูรณ์....which means "The End"
Also notice how Anne's is in middle of the picture now
Annnnd that's the end of the show! This show is surely smth special! Can't believe we spent 4 years with this show and seeing it from beginning to end is just...quiet bittersweet. Seeing how everything came together and make this master piece is just, WOW. I really hope we can see these characters and this world some day again in the future, but for now it's time for a rest.
On other notes, thank you for reading the Amphibia Details posts throughout the show lifespan, I really do enjoy looking for details in each episode and cherish everything the crew gave us. So, once again, thank you, and I hope we see each other again in some random post in the future.
...
Also I've been crying for around 6 hours straight my eyes feel so dry AHHHHHHHH-
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Amphibia Love Day 8 - Moment that made you emotional:
Okay I have two:
Number 1:
This scene broke me. Anne acts like me and my friends and we are in our twenties. I KEEP FORGETTING SHE'S 13. She loves her mom and it's natural she misses her but still it caught me off-guard and made me cry a little bit inside
Number 2:
SOMEBODY TO LEAAAAN ON~ Yeah. Lean on me scene is my favorite in the whole show and this shot... might be my favorite in the whole western animation. The moment when Sasha realises that if she won't let go of Anne's hand all of them will fall and die. She does it, with the knowledge that she'll die. DID I MENTION THAT THEY ARE FUCKING 13 YEARS OLD?????
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So... “After the Rain” might have suffered a little from overhype.
I won’t lie. I myself felt a little underwhelmed by the end of the episode.
BUT!
As the day has moved on I’ve come to realize this episode is sure to turn into one of those that gets better every time you go back to it.
It might not have had the same impact or intensity of “Reunion”, “Hopping Mall” or “A Day at the Aquarium”, but it has it’s completely own brand of impact and power.
If the revelation of how Hop Pop hid the Calamity Box had come during season 1, or even before, or during the travel to Newtopia I believe Anne would have lashed out, screamed, cried, etc.
But it happening after everything and her reaction, shows how she has grown as a person. Of course that doesn’t mean that reaction wasn’t powerful in it’s own subtle way.
She may not be openly crying, but after everything: all the fights, all the adventures, all the growth, all the lessons.
The only person who, if reluctantly, opened his house to her, who accepted her, who considered her family lied to her.
Take a good look at her face.
Listen to her words, look at her body language.
The events with Sasha at Toad Tower were her breaking point, but this... this is her just drained.
I can say, out of personal experience, that Anne at this point simply could not keep going, could not look at Hop Pop, everything was just too much.
Even after the Calamity Box was recovered she was ready to leave the Plantars for this. It’s only Hop Pop’s explanation for his action that convinces her and, if we’re honest, there might still be some friction in the future. *coughhearttemplecough*
Anyway, another source of frustration might be the fact that we don’t really have an explanation for how Hop Pop knows of the Calamity Box outside of just reading it in his book.
But I believe this is a case of the fandom “missing the forest for the trees”, so to speak.
I know we want answers but, at least to me, deepening the mystery is as important.
Getting answers to question we haven’t ask can lead to more confusion after all.
An important fact is that Hop Pop admits the book has been in the Plantar family for as long as he can remember.
I feel the fandom is so focused on the Calamity Box and the Prophecy, that no one has bothered with the mystery of the Plantar Family.
Remember that not even Hop Pop knew of the secret rooms in the Plantar house, that there were members of the family that were scientist and warriors.
And I myself could have sworn I’ve seen the Royal symbol (you know that frog foot shaped thing) in the Plantar house at some point.
There is something bigger going on here.
Also, am I the only one who finds it weird that something as dangerous as herons attacked Wartwood of all places?
From what I remember from “Prison Break” you can escape the herons notice by not attracting their attention.
I don’t know, maybe its just me but I find it weird that what’s probably the most dangerous predator in Amphibia would attack such a small community like Wartwood.
Well I don’t have anything more to say except:
The Thai girl knows the Thai martial art and I love it!
Its great that they show more of Anne’s heritage, especially with how culturally important Muay Thai is.
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True Colors: An Emotionally Fantastic Serious Game Changer.
If we’re to look back at Reunion as Season 1′s dramatic pay off for Amphibia’s message of toxic friendships, as Anne & Sasha’s conflicting dynamic showed us, then True Colors is a colossal expansive note on this big theme of the series. True Colors makes Season 1′s finale look like a walk in the park for what angst goes down between our three main heroins in Season 2′s climatic resolution. Everything that can go wrong does go oh so painfully wrong for these three kids. Anne, to no one’s surprise, gets double crossed by Sasha leaving things between them a Hell of a lot more bitter than they were previously, as if that couldn’t already be topped when Sasha tried to kill the Plantars before. Anne has had enough of her lies and manipulation not being afraid to tell Sasha straight up how awful of a friend she’s been in general, even hitting her where it hurts most of all saying, “No, I’m done listening to you! I’m done trusting you! You’re a horrible person and I am done being FRIENDS with you!”, going so far as to get a shaken reaction out of Sasha dropping her brave face act, making this girl try to wipe away the frog family.
Right off the bat, True Colors makes it highly evident this isn’t just another story of stopping a bigger threat, but one hitting much closer to home, overall. Yes, King Andrias is certainly a dangerous villain, who makes his presence and intimidating nature known to the others by True Color’s final act, which despite this Amphibia isn’t entirely putting him at the forefront, rather focusing on a more intimate study of Anne, Sasha, and Marcy’s big emotional conflict. This finale knows exactly where to put its focus of importance on, so I love that instead of it being action packed we’re getting the spotlight shined on just how screwed up these three of a friendship have, in spite of Marcy claiming in The Dinner episode, “We’re supposed to be friends for life. We don’t split up!’ . Very ironic stuff right there, indeed.
True Colors’ most powerful strength it adds to Amphibia’s ongoing profound story about healthy friendships is the thorough deconstruction of these girls defined “ideal relationship” as people. Before Anne came to the world of Amphibia this kid was afraid to stand up for what she believed in, even knowing especially well that stealing the calamity box was morally questionable, but did it anyway. Sasha was super manipulative, abusive, and used her power to control people, like she did a lot of toward Anne in their lives. Marcy, while very smart, wasn’t the most competent physically, who soon grew into being more independent without needing to rely on Anne always having to be there for her. These three were changed immensely by the events of being thrust into this world of sentient amphibian creatures. Anne benefited morally most out out of all three in taking up the mantle of responsibility and ironing out her own issues. She’s become a much stronger person all around.
This episode asks us an important question though in nutshell with, “Have Sasha & Marcy truly changed for the better?”, since Anne has reached a point in her arc feeling genuinely content with who she’s become and the bonds that have been made with the Plantar family shown most notably with Sprig Plantar. Hence the whole purpose behind the song, It’s No Big Deal, with Anne feeling proud for who she is, yet not noticing a bigger issue right underneath her nose. That previous episode was meant to bring Anne’s happiness up only to bring it all crashing down in a devastating display of new revelations in True Colors. Every dramatic emotional beat isn’t just earned. Each significant moment is completely knocked out of the park by terrific voice acting, beautiful animation, and music composition that gave me serious emotional goosebumps. True Colors did exactly as Not What He Seems accomplished for Gravity Falls in shaking up its own respective dramatic stakes just when you thought it couldn’t get any higher for these protagonists. Shit seriously hits the fan here.
Did it ever occur to you, Anne? Sasha? That one of you knew more, than she was letting on? That ONE of you might’ve gotten you stranded in Amphibia on purpose...?
The big bombshell twist of Marcy playing a part too in getting them into this whole debacle completely flips everything upside down. Sasha pushed Anne into taking the Calamity Box, yes, but if Marcy never sent that photo because of her desire to stay with them together forever, then they wouldn’t have been stranded in basically a world full of dangerous creatures and who knows what else. Easily my favorite part of the episode, considering it adds more nuance to a situation that defined Amphibia’s story. It wasn’t just one person’s fault at the end of the day. Sasha bullied Anne into taking the box, Anne didn’t put her foot down to make a stand for something morally questionable, and Marcy took advantage of them both to benefit her own selfish desires for supposedly a “happy ending” not involving them staying apart, due to her parents moving away for a new job. All three girls played an important part on why they got landed into Amphiba. It’s why Anne’s statement to King Andrias, “The three of us may have made some mistake, but you...You’re evil and I’m gonna stop you!”, holds such a real weight to it, as this story continues to solidify how genuinely fleshed out their dynamic is.
Marcy’s super desperate plea to be understood by Anne & Sasha when Andrias revealed her getting them thrown into Amphibia purposefully was hard to watch. On one hand, I felt for Marcy because she didn’t want real life circumstances to tear apart that close connection she had to Sasha & Anne. Sure, she could’ve just kept in touch with them over the phone or chatting online, too. However, Marcy had known them since very early childhood. When you’ve been so attached to someone it can be a devastating thing, depending on just how vulnerable you are emotionally, to start drifting apart. Marcy represents that embodiment of toxic need for togetherness and couldn’t bear to let a possibility, like moving away, throw a wrench into her happiness and friendship, as well.
Never mind Marcy wanting to stay permanently in a different reality, rather than face her’s, but it made this person feel like something more. It gave her a chance to feel truly special in being able to live out a fantasy dream of having such power and freedom that a kid, like herself, couldn’t have had. The freedom to know she is plenty capable of making it out there on her own without Anne having to watch this kid like a hawk. So, to have someone, or something, try taking it away from her terrified Marcy of facing a terrible truth. That she isn’t strong enough after all to live a life without Anne & Sasha by her side completely, where Marcy will never feel truly worthy enough to blossom into her own person. It’s why that line, “I just...didn’t want to be alone...”, carries such a deep pain to it all. Marcy just crumbles into pieces accepting her greatest weakness. As much as Marcy fumbled the ball big time, it’s so easy to empathize with her on the idea of feeling competent enough. Marcy never meant to hurt Anne or Sasha, but the sad crushing punchline is she very much did.
Speaking of which, Anne had every right to be upset and mad, obviously. Anne has been missing so many things from her life before everything went off the wall. Hopping Mall especially highlighted Anne’s emotional desire to give anything just to hear her mother’s singing again. This teenager has been really dealing with a lot of grief in general quite honestly. Anne got into a high stakes battle against Sasha to save new friends, who’d practically became like an adopted family, which left the poor girl traumatized and heartbroken over the end result. She thought finding Marcy would help compensate for it and eventually be able to mend those complications with Sasha to boot. It’s simply painful to see it all blow up in Anne’s face to know not only Sasha betrayed her trust yet again, but realizing Marcy also played a part of responsibility in getting them thrown here. Matt Braly really just decided to slap future trust issues onto Anne finding out Hop Pop, Sasha, and Marcy were all super dishonest in their intentions at one point or another. Damn, I feel so bad for her.
It makes their embracing hug back in Marcy At The Gates so much harder to watch. Anne was super glad to see her again. Anne had wondered what became of Marcy or even possibly started to think she could even be alive at all. Then come to find out later on Marcy having intentionally ripped her away from a normal life must’ve felt worse then what happened with Sasha. Anne, already done with all of Sasha’s bullshit, thought she could at least expect better from Marcy not letting her down, but that too wasn’t the case. Marcy is very much as flawed as Sasha in what she has done. To think, Anne wanted so badly to get back home, yet she’s staring the very person dead in the eye, who ripped her away from it to begin with. Marcy knew Sasha would talk Anne into taking the box from that thrift shop, even if she wasn’t completely certain it would successfully teleport them away. Regardless of whatever good intentions someone can have in why they did what they did, it still doesn’t absolve them of said mistake. Fact of the matter is, Marcy tragically made her own bed, by choosing to mess with forces she couldn’t begin to comprehend and now has to face consequences, in spite of her not deserving them.
What really got to me was when Marcy tried to spin around Anne’s personal growth and close friendship with the Plantars as all entirely thanks to her. When she said, “I gave you this! I gave you everything!”, I was like, “Nope, that couldn’t be any further from the truth.”, seeing everything that has culminated in Anne’s journey of bettering herself. Marcy didn’t give Anne anything, but a one way ticket to cutting the kid off from her family, presuming she’d be fine with this idea. It’s all kinds of messed up, however what it boils down to is Marcy undermining Anne’s independence and agency. Anne’s moral judgement in decision making was what allowed her to create this new life she made for herself in Amphibia. Anne’s honesty as a whole led her down a path of togetherness, while Marcy’s lying landed her in a result of not wanting to be alone, costing her so much.
“I don’t believe this. We were so focused on each other we couldn’t see what was right in front of us!”
True Colors excels at earning each of its emotional beats because they line up with character motivations down to the last letter. Anne doesn’t want to trust Sasha anymore because of their already rocky past, which leads to her helping King Andrias regain control of his kingdom. Sasha not keeping a lid on her temper, wanting to rule over Amphibia, and trying to reinforce that power dynamic with Anne & Marcy only made things worse for her image of a changed good friend. There wasn’t a chance in Hell Anne would hear Sasha’s reasoning after she flat out tried to take away her frog family, by attempting to use the Calamity Box a bit ago in the episode. Marcy wanted to believe there was a happily ever after in seeing this world traveling idea as their only chance for salvation as friends for life, but it turned out to be something much more sinister, when learning of Andrias’ backstory and his true scumbag nature. All three of their motivations come clashing together, blinding them from a much bigger danger. Something that effectively puts everyone at stake.
Amphibia’s Season 2 finale works so excellently, given it covers important dramatic elements it’s been stirring around since Season 1′s early rumblings. Amphibia is a story centered around people’s need for emotional connections. True Colors builds miraculously off what Reunion already did quite well in showing friendships can become rough and they are never easy to deal with. When you have to make a stand it can be a tough pill to swallow on the reality check of maybe this “good friend” of your’s isn’t as nice as you previously thought them to be. Anne having been hurt one too many times now by her former friend sends that message close to home, so much so even Sasha begins to question her morality as a human being. It poignantly encapsulates how this trio’s complex friendship is a serious growing issue needing to be reexamined, overall.
What if Anne’s right..? What if I am a horrible person...?
Something I absolutely love to pieces about True Colors, also a testament to Season 2′s darn good writing, is how much introspective we get from each character on what they’re feeling. We’ve seen plenty of Sasha’s vulnerability before in other episodes centered on her issues, but now we’re getting to the root of it. Sasha is really taking everything more to heart, little by little. Sasha’s understanding what kind of an effect she has on people, seeing the damage it has caused made evident by Percy and Braddock in Barrel’s Warhammer. Grime once told her, “Some dreams have a price and not everyone is willing to pay it.”, where she’s questioning that idealism every passing minute the invasion plan proceeds further into reaching success. Sasha isn’t sure what to do with herself anymore feeling aimless. Those previous episodes had a real impact on her priorities more than she cared to let on with Sasha’s typical tough girl act. This kid has let her guard down more, which scares and confuses Sasha. She’s always used to playing the role of protector it contradicts everything Sasha stands for when the roles are totally reversed because now Anne has made her feel the tremendous change in their growth as individuals.
Sasha’s lifestyle has been all about control that after somewhat learning to be more considerate to Anne & Marcy’s feelings she feels beyond conflicted about what truly matters to her. The most screwed up part of it all is Sasha didn’t want to fight anymore, taking up a pacifist approach after seeing what King Andrias had been hiding from everyone. It’s a fitting punishment for Sasha to try bringing Anne over to work together once more, but getting her pleas for companionship outright ignored. Anne was correct that Sasha had wasted all the chances to be reasonable. Boonchuy tried to hear out Sasha before at The Third Temple. One wanted to start things over again to iron out their serious issues, but the other was driven by bitterness, while only remorseful to a degree at best, of seeing their once weak friend become so independent, mature, and stronger that it drove her up wall. Sasha wanted to take away that “problem” being the Plantars, since in her eyes they’re the source of Anne’s strength, driving a wedge further between the two girls in their heated Reunion 2.0 battle.
True Colors demonstrates the horrific price of no trust, communication, nor teamwork from the three main girls that Andrias smoothly took advantage of, as if they were fiddles.
“That’s the thing about friends isn’t it? The more you love them, the more it hurts when they go.”
King Andrias is quite literally what I wanted Lunaris to be, where DuckTales’ Season 2 finale didn’t impress me on doing. He’s a serious big baddie to the main cast, who follows through on his threats of violence to demonstrate his wide array of arsenal and power. Andrias doesn’t just emotionally manipulate characters, like poor Marcy, but utterly crush them without an ounce of remorse for his actions. When he dropped Sprig out that window after Anne willingly let him have the Calamity Box back I thought they were legit gonna kill this boy off. The way Anne’s flashback montage of her good times with Sprig were eerily shot really didn’t help either on that note. Anne’s Calamity power finally activating is easily up there among stuff, like Dewey risking his life for Della’s disappearance in Last Crash, where the cinematography is shot and animated brilliantly. You feel Anne’s blind raging sadness in every hit she landed on those robots and Andrias. If anyone didn’t believe Sprig was like a little brother to Anne, then I dunno how anyone couldn’t view their bond anymore as such after this hugely defining scene. Anne went bloodthirsty when she believed Sprig to be dead further evidenced when she hugged him in relief afterwards exclaiming, “Sprig!? You’re alive!? Oh, thank goodness...”, which cuts deep so damn much.
Anne was ready to fight every one of Andrias’ troops in that castle to the death, if need be. Before Sprig came back from falling, thanks to Marcy’s quick acting, to comfort Anne, her only goal was to slaughter every opponent in that throne room, along with making Andrias pay dearly for even daring to lay a single finger on anyone of the Plantars. I’m not gonna lie, this pivotal power up reminded me so much Gohan turning Super Saiyan 2 after Cell curb stomped Android 16 into pieces with a smirk on his face. Anne Boonchuy’s maddening outburst is a classic testament to the idea of, “Piss off the nicest person and they’ll make it their mission to instill the biggest kind of fear/terror into you.”. showing this kid at her most vulnerable mental state, yet. Sprig & Anne’s cathartic embrace really messed me up in reinforcing just how these two respect, love, and would go above any of their limitations to help the other out. Sprig’s “death” scene was a masterful bait by the writers into making us think someone was gonna die and it was gonna be a poor kid, no less.
However, it was actually all just a bait and switch for the real, “Oh, shit. They really just did that”, moment with Marcy unexpectedly getting run through with Andrias’ gigantic sword. In a last ditch effort, Marcy wanted to atone for what she had a hand in getting them all into. Marcy was ironclad determined in making her own stand for what was right trying to save the people she endangered. Akin to what Sasha did in Reunion for saving Anne’s life, Marcy does the exact same here. Although, unfortunately this time, no one is here to protect Marcy from escaping death, like Grime catching Sasha from plummeting at Toad Tower. Marcy couldn’t react in time because she was so focused on helping her dear friends out. She wanted to prove to herself at least one time, “I’ve screwed up so much stuff with my friends. Maybe, just maybe. If I get my friends back home, it’ll prove I’m not an entirely crappy person for setting these events into motion.”. Marcy’s own deep seeded remorse is what saved Anne & the Plantars, while being the cause of her own untimely demise at Andrias’ hands.
This scene is what no doubt encouraged the warning sign for younger viewers Disney decided to make for them. It’s impressive how far Matt and his crew are willing to go for intense dramatic content. Andrias trying to crush Polly with his fist after destroying Frobo with casual ease, dropping Sprig out of the window from up sky high, and stabbing Marcy with his powerful sword displays his cold blooded brutality. Doesn’t matter who you are. If you get in the way of Andrias’ plans for multiverse domination, then he’ll throw anyone into their own grave, be it man, woman, or child. That’s the mark of a truly terrifying antagonist.
Andrias didn’t care who had to be hurt or manipulated to get back the box, so he could invade other worlds with Earth being his next prime target for invasion. Marcy’s fate is a horrifyingly poetic statement, since Sasha stated to Anne in a flashback from Marcy At The Gates, “One of these days, she’s gonna get herself killed.”, with True Colors tying back to this line in a disturbing manner. Something that sends chills down my spine is we get to see the full extent of how far Andrias shoved the sword through her body. We don’t just see the entry point of where it hit her, but it even zooms out to show the whole thing. Real talk, I got serious Avatar The Last Airbender vibes from this scene. Reminded me so much of Aang getting suddenly zapped with lightning by Azula when he tried to enter the Avatar state. Marcy didn’t want to be alone so badly she ended up inevitably dying alone trying to send Anne back home to their reality. One Hell of a way to close off Marcy’s last moments in Season 2, until her inevitable resurrection happens in Season 3 now that King Andrias has her in a tube tank that looks tied to his master.
True Colors ends on a deeply bittersweet cliffhanger leaving the fates of Sasha & Grime totally unknown if they’ll get away by the skin of their teeth, or get captured by Andrias’ soldiers and robots. Anne finally returned home with the Plantars, but at a deadly cost of leaving her other close friends behind in Amphibia. After all the isolation, heartbreak, and endurance she went through with her frog family Anne finds herself at a total loss for words. Once again, Anne is in a state of solitude of not knowing if her friends are really okay or not, mirroring the start of Season 1 when she landed into Amphibia’s world. It’s safe to say to say that, “Finally me and it’s no big deal.”, lyrics have aged terribly for Anne’s realization of finding her own identity came at the expense of getting separated from friends she’s known since kindergarten. Definitely see Anne becoming a lot more protective of the Plantars now more than ever after watching Marcy drop to the ground from being stabbed in front of her eyes.
Amphibia’s Season 2 finale is exactly how you capitalize on a winning story telling formula of dramatic writing, lovable characters with layered depth, and increasing the stakes of your story in an organic manner. True Colors is a finale that should be talked about for a long time to come, as it not only showed how worth the wait it was, but reinforces why Amphibia is a truly great series. It’s unafraid to take its characters to dark places in a way that feels totally earned.
Amphibia Season 2 is everything a sequel to a first film should be.
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Anne’s Grief
tImerry christmas and happy frogidays! I was going to disappear for the rest of winter break but then I realized that I have NOTHING to do other than work, so I figured I’d do something that I enjoy at least.
disclaimer, 1. I’m going to be talking about death and covid-19 in this, but not in depth (this isnt a vent, I’m just mentioning these things to support my point here) 2. amphibia’s helped me out a lot, so I AM going to be biased here. might as well just say it. 3. don’t expect me to add anything new to this conversation, this is just my perspective on things.
I don’t see the argument that anne’s grief should be betrayed better a lot, but I have seen it. based on my own experiences, anne’s reaction to all the stuff that went down in true colors is pretty realistic and isn’t out of character for her at all. after reunion, we just saw a little about how anne wasn’t taking the events of toad tower well at all, but she clearly wasn’t going to talk about it. at the end of hopping mall anne let her guard down (about missing her mom, not about reunion) but didn’t even let herself cry for long. she’s been hiding her feelings for the whole show! it makes perfect sense to me that she’d continue to do so in season 3. the more canon-supported reason is that anne already feels like she’s a burden on the plantars during the road trip and her time in newtopia, so she wouldn’t want to bother her with her own feelings. it’s probably also just that those feelings are a lot to deal with, I mean your best friend betraying you and falling to her possible death after a tense swordfight is a lot for a kid to process, and so is being stuck in a whole nother DIMENSION from your family. jeez.
so yeah. anne compartmentalizing is already canon and confirmed by an interview from matt as well. so her doing that with marcy isn’t that much of a stretch at all. everyone grieves differently! when I lost my grandfather, i didn’t see it for myself, but when I got the news I started laughing and asked my mom if she was joking. I didn’t cry until about a month later, and it wasn’t sobs, just tears. it was during quarantine so I wasn’t with my support system like anne was, but I think the connection is still there for me. sometime death/traumatic events don’t really settle in until some time’s passed. despite what people think of SU future, it’s still a good example in my opinion. it’s been a while since I’ve watched it, but I think at least 3 years passed since the events of change your mind? anyway, steven’s trauma didn’t kick in right after everything had happened, it took him some time to realize that what happened to him wasn’t okay. I just think it’s the same with anne.
and yknow maybe anne won’t even get to go through the whole usual stages cause MARCY ISN’T EVEN DEAD. you could think of the whole marcy tank thing as marcy dying and being revived because of what andrias said about conquering death in yunan and olivia, or you could just go with marcy being on the brink of death and then getting healed (I’m going with the first one) either way marcy’s alive because of supernatural causes and anne should have no reason other than amphibia being a whole other dimension to think marcy’s just cool and alive. but I guess you could also think of it as anne just being connected with marcy (and sasha) cause of the gems, but I don’t know about that one because marcy and sasha don’t have their gem powers anymore. it’d be pretty funny if anne accepted marcy as dead and then BOOM she’s back actually and possessed by an ancient amphibian hivemind!
point is, anne’s reaction (or lack of one) to marcy’s death isn’t very out of place. her avoiding all mention of her until recently might be intentional, but who knows.
this ended up longer than I wanted to be but it was fun writing this, also I might post again before new years but if I dont, happy 2022! the passage of time is imminent
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about recent amphibia episodes not being fillers: while that's true, they also need to start showing more intense episodes because i'm scared they will focus too much on the plantars exploring earth that there will be little time to explore sasha's redemption, whatever the fuck is happening to marcy, all of the stuff that is seen in the intro, coming back to amphibia, the rebellion, fighting andrias, saving marcy, a final boss, understanding the powers, etc and since the season is apparently just 20 episodes long (i might be wrong tho) then i just don't know if there's enough time to tackle everything unless they make less ""filler"" episodes (i put it in quotation marks bc as you said it's not exactly filler)
Congratulations, Anon! I think you’re the first ever person to send me an ask!
I totally get what you’re saying, though, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t have similar concerns about the direction of the season. However, I think Braly and the crew know what they’re doing, and know damn well how much they have to cover this season.
They’re likely taking a similar approach to what they did in season 2, with a few fun, light-hearted episodes starting off and building up in intensity after Marcy at the Gates. Based off the episode list, the same thing seems to be happening here, but will probably build in intensity after either this week or next week’s episodes.
The episode list so far does indicate that there will be some episodic stories that focus on Earthly adventures in between the clearly story-heavy episodes (very similar to what they did in newtopia and in between the temple episodes). They seem to be “pulling a Steven Universe” (forgive me I can’t think of another term for it) by balancing out the heavy episodes with lighter ones, which is why there are several easy-going episodes after Reunion and now True Colors. My guess is that they’ll start incorporating story or deeper themes into the “filler episodes” more consistently (think Hopping Mall).
I’m betting that the second half of the season will be focused more intensely on what is happening in Newtopia. The Christmas episode seems like more than just a marketing tool for D*sney, but could potentially alter the course of the season. If I were to have major game-changing story beats, I would put them in an episode that is almost guaranteed to have a higher viewer count, like a Christmas episode. (Please don’t hold me to that, I don’t want to get anyone’s hopes up).
I am glad that they will continue with the fun, character based episodes for at least the first part of the season. Those types of episodes are one of my favorite things about the show and I believe losing those episodes would be losing one of the things that make the show so special to begin with (something I’ll cover in my planned video essay *hint* *hint*).
I think you’re totally valid in your concerns, since so many shows like this seem to lose it at the very end. It is very possible that Amphibia will end up as Gravity Falls and Steven Universe did, with the last few episodes feeling like a wild sprint to the finish. However, Braly said he had a 3 season plan, and while things may have happened along the way that may have changed its course , I’m willing to bet he’s going to do his best to stick to his original plan - executive meddling be damned.
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AMPHIBIA: SEASON 2B SPECULATION
So! Since ‘tis the season to be jolly, we have new confirmation from the creator of Amphibia himself, Matt Braly!!! He’s given out the Episode titles for all of Season 2B as a Christmas gift, and has confirmed that the episodes aren’t done enough for a trailer. You can find the video link here.
Now I’m giving you a warning! These will contain spoilers and discussion for Season 2B. If you are trying to avoid spoilers, I suggest leaving now! If you’re cool with spoilers and speculation, stay for the ride!
SPOILERS AHEAD FOR AMPHIBIA: SEASON 2A!!!
END OF SEASON 2A - WHERE ARE WE IN THE SHOW?!
Currently, the last episode of Season 2 we’ve had was “A Day at the Aquarium,” with Anne and the Planters are heading to Wartwood for the Harvest and to collect the Calamity Box to take to the Temples. Marcy has a sketchy deal with King Andrias offered, and Sasha and Grimes haven’t been checked up on since “Toadcatcher” where they said they’re going to storm Newtopia.
We have new information on the Calamity Box with the three temples, and even more information on the colours representing the three girls. The Robot following Anne and the Planters to Newtopia (revealed as “Frobo” by Disney Amphibia promotional game) is still stuck at the edge of Newtopian Land, not entering the water as seen in the first minute of “Lost in Newtopia”. It’s still unknown what the glowing coloured eyes represent, since we’ve only seen them twice: Anne’s eyes with “Handy Anne,” and Marcy’s with “Marcy at the Gates” when she saved Sprig.
The Season 2 opening with the new animated sequence of the Sasha vs. Anne sword fight seems to take place in the location of one of the temples. In the end credits, the temple in the leftmost corner with the fallen pillars seem to be where Sasha and Anne are fighting as the sequence zooms out to Marcy holding the Music Box.
This means that Sasha and Anne are going to have a altercation at one of the temples, seemingly at the Third temple, since that location is the closest one to the Volcano temple. It could even be during the return to Newtopia, and Sasha and Grimes try to seize Newtopia like the Fire Nation did with Omashu. And we know the order of the temples from King Andrias’ book from “A Day at the Aquarium.”
It’s unclear which temple represents what jewel, but from the image above seems to infer that it goes in the order of green, blue, and finally pink. Meaning Marcy, Anne and Sasha. From a visual perspective with shape language, that correlation of people with the temples would make sense! Since the first temple seems more like a pyramid which usually has booby traps and requires wit (Marcy) to solve it. The Second Temple is represented by an arch, giving a sense of safety and welcoming. (Heart)
The Volcano...? Definitely Sasha.
No more information on Sprig’s mom or the things in the Castle’s basement (the Jelly Ghosts, the Chained Moss Men, or even the torn painting of young Andrias’ with the Toad and Frog).
That’s where we are in the hiatus. So now let’s dive into the episode titles.
SPOILERS AHEAD FOR AMPHIBIA: SEASON 2B!!!
EPISODE TITLE SPECULATION
These are all my ideas and speculation based off of the episode titles. These are not confirmed summaries, loglines or events of the episodes.
S02E11 - Night Drivers/Return to Wartwood
211A - Night Drivers: This episode seems to mainly be a returning travel episode. I don’t know what we’re getting here, maybe a nightmare creature? Or perhaps an actual nightmare? My guess is something with Anne and Hop Pop since they’re the only "Riders” who know how to drive Bessie. I do expect some talk or at least mention of Frobo since it’s outside the Newtopian area.
211B - Return to Wartwood: It’s here! The return to Wartwood! I don’t think Hop Pop will immediately unearth the Music Box and show it to the kids to give an exposition dump. I think this will talk more about people catching up with the Planters and asking how is Newtopia. Some shenanigans happen, maybe a monster, but I see this being kinda lowkey too. Perhaps the Calamity Box plot at the end as a short stinger, but nothing more really.
S02E12 - The Shut-In!: Halloween Special
212 - The Shut-In!: This episode is already out. It doesn’t fit in continuity-wise and could be placed anywhere in the season. There’s not really much to speculate upon, especially within the season. The only real speculation I see is that Hop Pop probably hasn’t told the kids yet, because I don’t think they would be as calm as they were in this episode if Hop Pop explained.
S02E13 - Ivy on the Run/After the Rain
213A - Ivy on the Run: We haven’t seen Ivy this season. The only episodes the audience is reminded of her are “Hopping Mall,” where Sprig bought that ninja pole for her that broke; and, the Halloween special. I think this episode is a follow up episode to Sprig and Ivy’s relationship, perhaps she feels as though Sprig is leaving her again for the Temples arc and is upset by that. Or some shenanigans with her mom and a new suitor for her, since that’s what originally happened for Sprivy in her Intro episodes. I see the resolution being about long distance relationships and how it can be difficult, but they trust each other and they’ll work through it.
213B - After the Rain: This. This seems like the perfect episode for Hop Pop to talk about the music box. Stormy nights are perfect impeticis for reveals and exposition dumps. I see this as an episode where Hop Pop is trying to say his “sources” can’t seem to get the box back because of the rain, or something. Anne freaks out and is constantly bothering Hop Pop. She pushes him to a point where he cracks, and explains everything about the Music Box. Or he just tells them because he thinks that if they know what they’re doing, they should know.
Or a third idea is that it is more like “The Storm” from Avatar: The Last Airbender where Hop Pop explains the horrors of the Music Box to the kids, while King Andrias’ explains to Marcy how he utilised the Music Box and how he’s lied about his age and he’s actually centuries of centuries older than he says. Then King Andrias’ reveals his deal for Marcy, which I believe is stealing the music box from Anne, so he can rescue the people trapped within the portrait from the other worlds. She may not actually steal the Music Box until the Third Temple, where all the gemstones have been recharged. How does Marcy benefit from this? I have no clue. But he’s telling Marcy this because he has to stay to help Newtopia, or because he wants an ally in a time of need.
And Anne ends up saying, “We have to tell Marcy, and warn her!.” But Hop Pop says that they can’t since she may follow the King. A new reversal of Anne having to choose to use her head instead of her heart, which we see her struggle with in “A Day at the Aquarium.” This perhaps starts an arc where she’s acting similarly to Sasha in terms of peer pressure tactics and gaslighting to avoid Marcy learning the truth.
S02E14 - The First Temple
214 - The First Temple: This episode is a freaking two-parter! An introduction to the mythology of the Temples. Discussing the location, Act One is travelling there. Marcy talks to Anne about Wartwood, and maybe a bit more into her own family life. I see Sasha, I think we’ll get hints of Marcy’s conflict from her deal with the King, their only way home. But at the same time, Anne is having her conflict about telling Marcy the Frog side of the Music Box, after learning the secrets Hop Pop reveals.
Act Two is arriving at the Temple, and entering the Temple using Marcy’s big brain skills. Act Three is recharging the Green Gemstone and learning the location of the Second Temple. Something I do find interesting about this is the glowing eyes subplot adjacent to the Music Box. Will it somehow affect Marcy? Will she lose her “Wit”? Or does this unlock a new power within her or something? We’ll see!
S02E15 - New Wartwood/Friend or Frobo?
215A - New Wartwood: I do think this has been a while coming. Wartwood has had issues with accepting change and differences. Like in “Toad Tax,” where Hop Pop makes an off-hand joke that the town’s Motto is “Slow to accept, and even slower to respect.” Even though that is not okay, there have been plants for a change to Wartwood. Redoing and improving on themselves. Or it could just be a plot where the Mayor has to redo everything in Wartwood and making it fancy hotel, and the Plantars have to stop him. Then creates a moral of change is within, not outside.
215B - Friend or Frobo?: Okay, a Frobo episode! We haven’t talked about Frobo, and don’t even know its name from the show itself. This is probably a big mythology reveal. In case anyone doesn’t know, this robot is seemingly inspired by the one from Hayao Miyazaki’s “Laputa: Castle in the Sky.” There are a lot of theories, but I think Marcy’s curiosity would want them to follow Frobo, but her head will say something against that. Anne’s “Heart” will tell her to follow the Frog Robot and lead them to a new area of knowledge unknown previous.
S02E16 - Toad to Redemption/Maddie and Marcy
216A - Toad to Redemption: A possible Sasha episode???? Whomst? Whenst?? Since Season 1, I basically expect minimal Sasha episodes. Sasha and Grimes having two episodes in one season?? What?!
But “Toad to Redemption” is an interesting title. Perhaps Grimes or one of his remaining soldiers of Wanda and Percy change their minds? Or perhaps Anne and Marcy encounter one of the Toads that split up with Grimes post-Reunion. And they’re trying to learn to combat their racist beliefs of Frogs being less than Toads. A bit more of a Hop Pop episode since it deals with moving on from traditions that hinder you, but also realising the things that are necessary. I think the latter is more likely, but a Sasha and Grimes episode would work really well, especially this deep into the season.
If this is a Sasha and Grimes episode, I do believe that Yunnan will come back and try to get payback for them defeating her. And getting Grimes would be her “Toad to Redemption.”
216B - Maddie and Marcy: Yas! Creepy goth-like girl with a sunshine klutz. I think this is going to be a more fun episode after the heavy stuff in the previous segment.
S02E17 - The Second Temple/Barrel’s Warhammer
217A - The Second Temple: Temple Number Two!! The one for Heart. I think this one deals more with the idea of “Pure Hearted”. Therefore, I think that Anne is holding in the secrets of the Music Box, not making her “Pure of Heart” and therefore will have to tell Marcy. She reveals the information here, and Marcy tells her she can trust her, but she doesn’t reveal her deal with the King.
217B - Barrel’s Warhammer: Who is “Barrel”??? Seems like a new side gag character like The Curator or The Theatre Troupe. I have no idea what Warhammer means, either a literal Hammer for War, or it’s the game with the miniature objects.
S02E18 - Bessie and MicroAngelo/The Third Temple
218A - Bessie and MicroAngelo: I haven’t even watched the episode or seen the descriptor, but I know that this is going to be the cutest episode to ever exist on television and I absolutely am here for it. Perhaps on their way to the Third Temple, MicroAngelo is feeling down on his accomplishments as a snail, and sees Bessie as a mentor. I think the episode last season “Children of the Spore” will come back, since the mushroom still lives on that bug. So Bessie and MicroAngelo will save the day!
218B - The Third Temple: I am absolutely terrified for this episode. Much like with Infinity Train: Book 1 with two very specific episodes, and just as a general rule of writing, when you begin with a segment that is happier, it highlights and accents the horror and angst. Especially because this seems to be an episode where Sasha is necessary since she’s the last colour/gemstone.
S02E19 - The Dinner/Battle of the Bands
219A - The Dinner: This episode would make sense. Immediately upon seeing the title I thought of an Adventure Time episode, S10E05 - Seventeen, where a group of characters thought to be gone return at a party. Upon further development, I believe this would be a banquet to celebrate the recharging of the Music Box and returning Anne and Marcy home. Unsure about where Sasha is at this point, but she exists and they’ll most likely find her to get her home as well.
219B - Battle of the Bands: Now this is absolutely bonkers level of random. The penultimate episode of Season 2 is a Battle of the Bands???? The only person that can play an instrument is Sprig, and the only one that has really been seen dancing is Anne.
The only real idea I have for this is that it does what “Anne of the Year” did last season, where it wrapped up the character arc, and the plot surrounding that, but the actual plot is what will get touched upon in the finale. “Anne of the Year” resolved the plot of Anne being a stranger to Wartwood, which was the whole season’s conflict. While the finale, “Reunion” dealt with Sasha and the Toads. So I think “Battle of the Bands” will resolve Anne’s arc of being the Heart, and the finale will deal with the plot.
S02E20 - True Colors: 24-Minute Finale
220 - True Colors: This is a very interesting title. Since we know that the three girls represent three colours, that probably would mean a clash of them. This is probably where the full culmination of all the plot threads come into play. (The Music Box, King Andrias, the stuff in the basement, Sasha and Grimes, Sprig’s Mom, Marcy, and even Frobo) The title could also refer to a truth being revealed, with someone speaking their true colours.
I have no thoughts on the season finale so far, but I do hope this will be as satisfying as “Reunion” or more so. My expectations are super high! I’ll probably update more on my thoughts either when the trailer releases for 2B or the week of the finale airing.
END OF SPOILERS AND SPECULATION!!
That ends the speculation for 211 to 220 of Amphibia! Who knows when the episodes are releasing! (Matt says around February or March 2021! Which is a couple of months away!!!)
Let me know what you think and if you have any thoughts, ideas, responses to the speculation! I’m more than happy to hear you out!
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Safer (Lumax)(Mileven)
"Lucas! We've gotta go!"
Max was in the tiny 'livingroom', holding her three year old daughters hand.
"Hold on! Just give me a second!"
The redhead sighed, putting her purse on her shoulder. She put a hand on her baby bump, rubbing it softly. Lucas was in the bathroom, getting his one year old son ready. A shiny ring sat on Max's ring finger. They had gotten married two years ago, after Max had given birth to a beautiful baby girl.
Monday, they had gotten a call from Dustin, the only one they're still in contact with, saying that they're having a reunion for everyone that had dealt with '85. Max would not stop talking about it, too excited to see her best friend more than anyone. They lived in California, but had driven the night before so they would be there on time.
They got into the car and started to drive to 'starcourt mall', no one had rebuilt it. They had taken all the rubble and put a bench for all the lives lost. It was pretty stupid, but the gang always went. They never sat on the bench tho.
The two finally arrived and saw that the whole gang was there. Mike and El had three children, Steve adopted a boy, and Dustin and Suzie didn't have any yet. Max got out of the car, getting her son out his seat. Lucas got out as well, picking his daughter up. The four walked over to their friends, hugging and kissing everyone they hadn't seen in years. They let the kids.
"Max! You're pregnant!" Nancy said smiling. Lucas smiled holding onto Max's hand tightly. The redhead chuckled, putting a hand on her bump. "Yeah he's a kicker." Lucas shook his head, "we haven't found out the gender yet. She's just so sure it's a boy."
El smiled, putting a hand on Max's belly. "When I was pregnant with Lisa I knew she was a girl, Mike told me I should probably go see but I wanted to wait."
"El do your kids have-"
The brunette cut Dustin off, "no."
A tiny brunette came running to El. "Mommy!" El smiled at her daughter and picked her up, "Hi baby." Mike smiled at his two girls. "Can I have a sleep over?" She asked playing with the hem of her skirt. "Well of course! With who sweetheart?" Lisa pointed the the small redhead playing in the mud. Lucas sighed while Max chuckled. "Shes just like her mama."
"Only if it's okay with her parents baby."
"Can she? Can she, can she pleaseeee." Lisa made puppy dog eyes at Max. "Of course sweetheart." Lucas said, smiling at the five year old. The small girl squealed, running back to Claire. Joyce was holding Billy, Max's son.
"Wait so who else moved out of Hawkins?" Nancy asked looking around. Her and Jonathan had moved to New York. Joyce, Will, Hop, El, and Mike still live here. Robin and Steve moved to Illinois. Dustin went to live with Suzie in Utah. "We did," Dustin said, grabbing a pudding cup. "Illinois," Robin said.
"We were thinking of moving back here, I mean we haven't seen any activity in years." Lucas said looking at Will. He nodded, "it's done."
"Yeah there's a little school, I work there. It's nice, better." Mike said watching the kids.
"Safer."
They all smiled and nodded in response.
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A Cry for Help
Summary: A hero finds a little girl crying and helps find her parents.
Author’s Note: I was hoping to post these drabbles on Father’s Day, but the idea slipped in my mind around 5pm and well...yeah. Guess I’m early for next year? (hahaha, but no seriously, maybe I am).
Following heroes are Shouta (Eraserhead), Toshinori (All Might), and Taishiro (Fatgum) because they are just such wholesome dads.
Please enjoy!
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Shouta Aizawa/Eraserhead
The bubblegum music plays on an endless loop in the children’s clothing store. All the songs from the playlist mesh together as one. Not even the singers’ voices are distinct thanks to the heavy use of autotune; it drowns out the entire shop. Fortunately, Shouta has years of experience dealing with this kind of nuisance—he thanks Present Mic for that.
Shouta ignores the constant, not-so-subtle, stares from the other customers. Even some employees glance at him, their perky smiles fumbling when Shouta catches their eye. The hero knows he sticks out like a sore thumb; he dressed all drab and dreary like the weather outside.
Yet, Shouta does not care if they gawk, just as long as they don’t interfere in his personal space.
One hand glides the pastel-colored blouses along the rail. Shouta is shopping for new clothes for Eri, much to Present Mic's displeasure; he finds Shouta's fashion sense questionable ever since the cat sweater fiasco.
'A little overdramatic, much?' Shouta scoffs as he inspects a purple shirt with massive ruffles running along the sleeves. An adorable image of a kitten graces the front side and he adds the shirt in his basket.
The clothes rack on his right starts whimpering. Shouta raises an eyebrow and slides the sweaters away to see a little girl hiding inside; she seems to be around Eri’s age based on her small frame. Shouta frowns as he hears her cries.
“Hey,” the girl jumps at the gentle voice. An unfamiliar face hovers above her with a concerned expression. He kneels, but keeps a respectable distance, “It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you. Why are you crying, little one?”
“I-I…don't…my…mommy,” she wails as fresh tears rush down her puffy cheeks, “I-I want-t mommy-y.”
“You lost your mom. I see why that makes you sad,” Shouta digs out a handkerchief and hands it over to the trembling girl. She grabs it and Shouta nods, “First, take some deep breaths…that’s it, good job. Now, my name is Shouta. What is your name?”
She wipes away her tears, “Asumi.”
“Well then, Asumi, I will help find your mother, okay?”
“Really?” A sense of hope shines through her eyes.
“I promise,” Shouta shifts his balance and extends a hand toward Asumi. Not a second later, she takes it and crawls out the dark clothes rack. Her legs wobble, and she asks if Shouta could carry her; he doesn’t hesitate and scoops Asumi in his arms, disregarding the shopping bag filled with clothes; he’ll come back for it later.
Shouta informs an employee about the situation and asks for directions to the mall security office. The entire walk is quiet with an occasional sniffle here and there. Asumi’s fingers toy with his signature wrap scarf to help ease her sad thoughts. However, one slips through and she whimpers, “Will my mommy find me?”
“I’ll make sure she will.”
They arrive at the office in ten minutes. Shouta speaks with an officer and offers to remain with Asumi until they locate her mother. An idea runs through his head once the hero spots a colorful bulletin with other children's drawings. Asumi observes the artwork and slowly opens up as she points out what she likes about them; Shouta adds his thoughts, but keeps his focus on Asumi’s answers—it works.
Shouta turns around when a frantic voice booms from the entrance. The little girl’s face lights up like a Christmas tree. He quickly puts her down, not doubting that the woman standing in front was her mother. Asumi screams, “Mommy!”
“Asumi, sweetheart!” She kneels and embraces the little girl with a bone-crushing hug. Mother and daughter reunite at last, much to Shouta’s relief. Once the mother stops attacking Asumi’s face with her kiss, she stares at the quiet hero and smiles, “Thank you for finding and keeping her safe, sir! Thank you, thank you!”
“You’re welcome,” Shouta shoves his hands in his pockets and crouches to meet Asumi’s eye level, patting her head, “You’re a brave girl, Asumi. It was nice meeting you.”
Asumi rushes to give Shouta a bear hug, catching the hero off-guard for a second. He returns the gesture, a faint grin creeping above his scarf. Asumi grabs her mother’s hand again and happily skips away, but not before chirping, “Bye, Mr. Shouta!”
Those three words keep his heart warm for the entire day.
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Toshinori Yagi/All Might
Toshinori overlooks the quiet sea at Takoba Municipal Beach Park. He enjoys coming here on his days off to get lost in his thoughts. The retired hero once again admires Midoriya’s remarkable efforts to clean the area—he’s come so far.
The waves barely touch the grainy sand, and a seagull soars above in search of food. Other people from around the neighborhood stroll through the beach as well. Even so, the locals do not pester him, and Toshinori is grateful for this, inhaling the natural scent only Mother Earth could produce.
A little cry catches his attention. Toshinori whips around to see a little girl wandering down the beach and rubbing her eyes. He may not be All Might, but the heart of a hero still burns inside him. Toshinori cautiously approaches the girl and calls out, “What’s wrong, young one?”
She stops in her tracks and peeks at the tall man. Toshinori finally gets a good look at the child and notices how red her face is. The girl’s body shakes like a volcano as she bawls, “I-I can’t find my daddy-y!”
“Oh dear,” Toshinori frowns and crouches to the child’s eye level. He gives a comforting squeeze on her shoulder, which somewhat stops the crying. Her head bobbles as she breathes rapidly and snot oozes down her nostril. Toshinori fishes for some tissues in his pocket, “Here, my child. You must feel very scared, but everything is all right, because I am here.”
“C-can you help find my d d-daddy?”
“Of course,” Toshinori nods and asks, “What’s your name, little one?”
“Asumi.”
“And how old are you, Asumi?”
“Five,” she sniffs while showing Toshinori five fingers, “But I’m turning six soon.”
“You are? That sounds exciting!”
Asumi cocks her head once her sadness subsides, “What’s your name?”
“My name is Toshinori, but you can call me Toshi,” he answers, and Asumi relaxes at the sound of his gentle voice. As the former Symbol of Peace stands up, he extends his hand to Asumi, who instantly grabs it. Toshinori feels how dainty and fragile her hand is. His, on the other hand, is rough. Sometimes he forgets it's like that after years fighting off villains, including All For One. Asumi’s innocent eyes gaze up, and he smiles, “Let’s go find your father.”
Toshinori walks in the direction she came from; hopes to find her father if he retraces her steps. The blonde man makes small talk to keep Asumi occupied. Her mouth is like a running waterfall as she shares everything she likes to do: playing on the swings, making songs on her toy instruments, baking cookies at home—It’s a wide range. Toshinori listens to every word, including the time she found a worm and named it Wormy; Asumi wrinkles her nose, “Worms are so squishy.”
“Yes, they are,” he chuckles before feeling a slight tug, “What’s the matter?”
“I see my daddy!” Asumi hops like a bunny and points to a frantic man wearing a red scarf. Toshinori suggests to get closer since he wants to make sure this person is her father. Asumi nods, and the two head forward. Once a few feet away, Asumi squeals, “Daddy!”
“Pumpkin!” He collapses on the sandy beach and nearly stumbles backward when Asumi crashes into his chest. Toshinori feels his heart stir at the beautiful reunion. The father finally glances over Asumi’s shoulder and gasps, “All Might! It’s an honor to meet you, sir!”
“He helped me find you, daddy!” Asumi bounces on her tippy-toes.
Toshinori coughs into his fist, “I found her crying nearby and realized she was lost. There was no way I could leave such a poor girl all alone.”
Asumi’s father scoops the child in his arms and gives a slight bow, “Thank you, All Might, for bringing her back. She’s very adventurous and tends to wander away a lot.”
“Daddy, his name is Toshi!”
“All Might is my other name, young one.”
“I like Toshi more,” she says with no room for arguing. Her word is final.
The retired hero grins, “I like it, too.”
“Yay! Okay!” Asumi claps and waves, “Bye, Toshi!”
“Goodbye, Asumi!” Toshinori watches as the father and daughter pair walk away, the little girl rambling everything that happened to her. Once they disappear from his view, Toshinori realizes how quiet the beach is. Surprisingly, he misses his conversation with Asumi—they are wild and full of imagination.
He hopes they’ll cross paths once again.
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Taishiro Toyomitsu/Fatgum
If there is one thing Fatgum loves the most, it’s doing hero patrol during a food festival. His nose catches a whiff of yakitori grilled over a charcoal fire. Each skewer is seasoned to perfection and soaked with a healthy amount of tare sauce. Fatgum buys five sticks, but regrets not grabbing more after he inhales all of them in one go.
Luckily a fresh batch of takoyaki calls his name. He arrives at the booth and chitchats with two older men who cook up a storm. Each crispy ball flips faster than Fatgum could blink—a technique that never fails to impress him. The hero bids farewell once he receives his order, promising to visit again before the festival is over.
As Fatgum swims through the crowd with his delicious street snack, he overhears a faint cry on his left. The hero hastily swallows his takoyaki and steps toward the wooden boxes. Peering over, Fatgum raises his eyebrows when he spots a little girl cowering behind them. She notices a large shadow looming over and snaps her head up.
Fatgum pouts at the sight of her tears, “Whoa there, what’s a lil gal like you hidin’ out here all alone? Ya’ hurt, buttercup?”
“I…lost…my…mommy-y…and dad-dy,” she hiccups in between each word, her loud sobs piercing Fatgum’s weak heart. A determined look briefly crosses his face before he hurries past the boxes to be near her. Out of nowhere, the girl feels a gentle pat on her head. She pulls away from her damp knees.
“It’s okay, buttercup,” Fatgum soothes the broken child, “I’m a hero, and I’ll help ya’ find your parents. Does that sound good to ya?”
She meekly nods.
“Okay then,” he hums with a soft smile, “My name is Fatgum. What’s your name?”
“Asumi…”
“What a precious name!” Fatgum beckons for Asumi to come forward. She wipes the tears away on her forearm before crawling over and holds his warm hand. Stepping away from her hiding place, Asumi shrinks behind his leg when she realizes how crowded the street is. Fatgum glances down and asks, “Do ya’ want me to carry ya,’ buttercup? I promise to ya’ safe, ‘k?”
She nods before being scooped up in Fatgum’s arm. Asumi is like a frightened kitten who clings to the jolly hero for dear life. He doesn’t mind and gives her a comforting squeeze. An idea soon pops into his head as he shows Asumi the last takoyaki, “I want ya’ to have it. Food always makes me feel better when I’m sad.”
Asumi takes a tiny bite and beams—it’s delicious. As time passes by, she slowly comes out of her shell, which makes Fatgum happy; he keeps her entertained with fun games like “I Spy” all while trying to locate an officer. Asumi eagerly points to a food stall selling taiyaki, and Fatgum wastes no time buying her the sweet treat.
After the quick pitstop, they continue their leisurely stroll through the festival until a guard post emerges from the tumultuous sea. Fatgum notices a police officer jotting down notes from a man consoling his wife. Maybe they’re Asumi’s parents, he thinks and is proven correct when Asumi yells, “Mommy! Daddy!”
“Asumi!” Both adults rush toward Fatgum, cutting their conversation short with the police officer. They weep tears of joy when their daughter squeals in her mother’s arms. Asumi’s father enthusiastically shakes the hero’s hand, “Oh, thank you, Fatgum! My wife and I will forever be grateful that you brought our little Asumi back, safe and sound.”
“Oh, no need to thank me! A hero has to keep everybody safe and happy,” Fatgum flashes a smile that is as bright as the sun, “Even the little ones!”
Both parents thank Fatgum once more before they take their leave. Asumi squirms in her mom’s grasp to stare over the woman’s shoulder. The little girl waves her half-eaten taiyaki in the air and shouts, “Bye, Mr. Fatgum!”
“Bye, Asumi!”
Such a precious cinnamon roll.
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Thanks for reading!
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Tree trouble
Part of the “The kids are back” series. Set before “Reunions”
Anne totally meant to get in this situation. Yep. Totally.
Otherwise known as Anne’s tree story.
To Anne’s credit, she wasn’t completely responsible for her current predicament. Probably only forty? Fifty percent? Whatever. Point is, she wasn’t the one responsible for her situation for once.
She hadn’t even meant to cause chaos. She’d simply wanted to give her girlfriend a nice present. Though, perhaps explaining what was going on would be a good idea.
It had all started when she’d gone shopping with Cathy. They’d been looking for a present for Anna’s birthday. Anne had gone up ahead to look at a sparkly green pair of heelies when she’d noticed the absence of a certain blue queen. Turning back, she’d found Cathy examining an orange woolen hat.
“You think Anna’d like it?”
Cathy shook her head. “No, I was just thinking. I’m gonna need a new hat since Kitty’s been stealing mine,”
“You like this one?” Anne asked, feeling the hat in her hands.
“I mean, I guess? Just not a huge fan of the colour,”
Anne nodded in understanding. “Not blue enough, huh?”
Cathy swatted her arm.
“Just because I’m ‘The blue queen’ doesn’t mean that everything I own has to be blue!”
Anne snorted.
“So what colour were you gonna get?”
“... blue,”
Anne grinned , wrapping her arms around her girlfriend.
“That’s what I though,”
Cathy rolled her eyes, grabbing Anne’s hand and leading her away from the store. “Whatever. It’s too expensive anyways, we should probably just go finish getting the present,”
Anne nodded reluctantly, sparing one last glance at the hat before following Cathy towards the video game isle.
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“You want to learn to knit?”
Jane eyed Anne dubiously.
“Yeah, and?” Anne shuffled her feet self consciously. “What’s it to you?”
Jane expression shifted as she smiled at Anne gently, setting her book down on the kitchen counter. “Nothing, just surprised,” Seeing Anne’s expression, she elaborated,
“Not in a bad way! Just a bit unexpected. Are you free tomorrow after lunch? I’ll need today to get the materials,”
“Yeah,” Anne nodded. “And by the way, could the wool be blue?”
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“Hey Kitty, lemme borrow that hat for a sec,”
Kat snatched the hat away from her, planting it firmly on her head once more.
“No! I need to keep my head warm!”
“It’s not even yours! It’s Cathy’s!”
“Then go ask her!”
Kat’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Unless... you don’t want Cathy to know you’re taking her hat!”
Anne snatched the hat off of Kat’s head, stuffing it in her hoodie pocket before retreating to the entrance of her room. “What? No! Psssshhhh, why’d you think that?”
Kat scoffed, throwing a sparkly pillow at Anne.
“Yeah, whatever. If you wanted to go cause trouble you could’ve just asked,”
Anne sighed in relief. She hadn’t been found out yet.
“Yeah, yeah. Just don’t tell anyone, k?”
“Like you even have to ask!”
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Finally, it was done.
After several painstakingly long knitting classes with Jane and a close call where Catalina almost discovered her, she’d done it.
She’d made a hat.
Not just any hat mind you, she’d created a replica of the hat she’d seen with Cathy. It was blue of course, what kind of girlfriend would she be if it were any other colour? Now all that was left was to add some personal touches. Namely, a light blue and green pompom she’d spotted at an art shop near Catalina’s favorite café.
Currently, she was making her way to the store. With the other queens out of the house, there was no one to be suspicious of her absence or question where she’d gone. With Anna and Kat were going out on a date to celebrate Anna’s birthday and Catalina, Jane and Cathy going to watch a movie at the ladies’ house, Anne was free to finish the hat. Turning the hat over in her hands, she smiled. Cathy was gonna be so damn impressed.
Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew past her. Stumbling, Anne threw her hands forwards to steady herself. The hat, now free from her hands, blew away into the wind. Yelping, she ran forwards to try and catch it, only to let out a short scream as she tripped on a crack in the sidewalk. Picking herself up, she looked around for the hat. Finally she spotted it.
On the top of a tree.
....Fuck
Groaning, Anne walked to the bottom of the tree to try and figure out how to climb it.
Because what else was she supposed to do?
Ask for help?
Anne would get beheaded again before that happened.
Glaring at the tree once more, she got to work.
-----------------------------------------
Pausing on a sturdy branch, Anne took a second to catch her breath. Rubbing her sore wrists, she risked a glance back towards the ground.
Huh.
She was a lot higher than she thought.
Oh well.
Sighing, Anne looked back up towards the hat. Just a bit more, then she’d be able to go finish the hat and pretend this whole ordeal never happened.
Left hand, right hand. Left foot, right foot. Left hand, right ha-
The branch snapped.
Oh shit.
Anne tumbled towards the ground with a scream. Her arms flew up to her cover her head as she raced towards the ground with a scream. Bracing for impact, she closed her eyes.
Anne hit the ground with a sickening snap.
Immediately, she was consumed by a blinding pain in her leg. Groaning, she tried to turn over, only to hiss in pain as a jolt of pain shot through her ribs. Laying back on her side, she slowly exhaled and waited for the pain to ease.
And waited.
And waited.
After realizing nothing was gonna happen, she resigned herself to her fate. Inhaling deeply, she slowly sat up, hissing as pain shot through her ribs. Standing up, she balanced herself on her leg, gripping the tree for support. Exhaling shakily, she pulled her phone out to call a taxi.
-----------------------------------------
Anne looked through her phone, bored. She tried tapping her foot to emphasize how bored she was, only to remember it was in a cast. After getting checked out, she’d found out her leg was broken, along with two of her ribs. Sighing, she put her phone down and stared at the ceiling. She’d hopped that perhaps the hat had fallen when she had, but no, it was still stuck on the tree. That goddamned tree.
Hearing her text tone go off, she picked her phone up.
Janey: Where are you?
Janey: Why aren’t you home?
Oh. Had the queens gotten home already? Fuck, this wasn’t gonna be fun to explain.
Anne: get on the gc. get the othr queens there too
Janey: ???
Anne: just do it
Queens:
Lina: what is it anne?
Kitty-Kat: where u @
Bo: Queens, i have gathered you all today to make an announcement
GamerGirl: ??
Bo: i am
Cathy P: yes?
Bo: ✨in the hospital ✨
Several people are typing...
Anne placed her phone down as it blew up with texts, grinning at the chaos that was inevitably taking place in the queen household.
Bo: its the hospital near the mall
Bo: btw im not dying
Bo: but also hurry up and get here im bored
Smiling, Anne laid back down on the bed. This should be entertaining.
-----------------------------------------
“Anne!”
“Annie!”
“What on earth did you do?!”
“Bo!”
“Anne Boleyn!”
Anne grinned sheepishly at the queens standing in the doorway.
“Hi”
The queens all situated themselves near Anne. Jane and Anna both pulled a chair up, Catalina sat at the foot of her bed, Cathy sat next to Anne, and Kat situated herself in Anna’s lap.
“Are you ok!?”
“What happened?”
“Did you do something dumb like fight a raccoon?”
“Anna!”
Anna shrunk down in her seat at the seething glare Cathy and Catalina sent her. Kat snickered quietly as Jane facepalmed at her shenanigans. Anne rolled her eyes. “Yeah totally. A raccoon broke two of my ribs, broke my leg, and cracked two more of my ribs,”
A stunned silence followed her retort. Looking up, she grimaced at the horrified looks on the queens faces.
“Fell out of a tree,”
“......”
“Anne, I mean this in the nicest possible way, but what the fuck,”
Anne flipped Anna off, earning her a fake gasp from the latter. Kat however, didn’t seem keen on dropping the topic.
“Why were you in a tree anyways?”
Anne weighed her options carefully. If she told the truth, the surprise would be ruined for Cathy and Kat and Anna would call her a simp for the rest of their reincarnated lives. Jane and Lina might not overly react, but it wasn’t a risk she was willing to take.
Steeling her mind, Anne made her answer.
“Felt like climbing a tree,”
As the room devolved into chaos, Anne knew one thing: she’d get that hat back or die trying. And knowing Anne, it would probably be the latter.
Oh well.
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Will we ever be more than friends? Part 3
A/N this is crazy! Here is part 3 that many were asking for! This is a continuation of one the first pieces I wrote on here. Tysm for the support xxx
It’s been four years since Y/N broke her friendship off with Harry. How is she going to react after seeing him at their high school reunion and finding out he’s still in love with her?
Word count 2135
Part 1, Part 2
4 years later...
“Y/N, you made it!” Sarah hugs me as she greets me at the front door. It’s been 4 years since I’ve seen her and truthfully, I wouldn't be here tonight if it wasn’t our little mini high school reunion. I never knew this party was happening well, not until Kacey, my only friend I still talk to from high school reached out and convinced me.
“Your apartment looks lovely!” I smile as she lets me in. I take my jacket off and rest it on one of her hooks as I step further inside.
“Thank you!” Sarah’s eyes light up with excitement as she takes my hand.“ I didn’t invite everyone from our year.,just to let you know! I only invited our friend group.” she rambles while she drags me where most of the people are.
Sarah. I liked her in high school. We had a couple classes together and we did hang out at the mall a couple times but things got awkward when she started dating Harry. After they broke up, she never reached out to me again and that's when I realized she was just using me.
People say high school is the most memorable time of their life but for me, I was traded the wrong deck of cards.
“Y/N!” Kacey stands up from the couch to hug me. I almost fell over from the amount of force she had. “I knew you would come!”
“Well, you did present a good case.” I smirk as Tyler opens a can of smirnoff ice and passes it to me. “Thanks, Ty! You look good.” I pull away from Kacey and hug him. Alice, and Joseph were there too as they greeted me with a hello and sat back down on the couch.
“Okay, we’re missing one more person from our lil friend group.” Sarah pouts and texts someone on her phone. I knew she was talking about Harry but for some reason, I was hoping it was someone else.
“H. Man! Where is that guy?” Joseph takes a handful of chips from the bowl presented in front of us.
“Wait, didn’t you and Harry date?” Alice calls me out as I take a sip from my drink. I just shake my head and lean on Kacey beside me. She knew what happened between us that night but no one else heard a thing.
But it’s simple really, if I were to tell them the story. Harry and I were best friends. I was in love with him and he knew. He continued to string me along for years and that’s when I decided we should stop being friends. I’m not gonna lie though, it was pretty rough to see him during graduation and not even get a picture with him.
“That’s crazy! Everyone at least had a date with him.” Alice laughs as Joseph puts his arm around her.
“Well, what’s also crazy is that you’re dating me.” Alice kisses him on the cheek. I never expected them to get together. Alice hated him since he was such a class clown. It’s nice to see him more mature and finally dating her though.
“Ah he’s here! I heard he got more cuter!” Sarah puts on a playful face as she hops off the couch to open her door. The rest of our friends cheered for Harry’s entrance while I stayed quiet just looking at Kacey. My heart was beating way too fast and my fingers were gripping my drink a little bit too hard. But as much as I tried to ignore my anxiety, Sarah appeared right in front of us.“Ladies and gentlemen let me announce the heartthrob of our year... Harry Styles!” Alice and Kacey cheer excitedly as the boys playfully cat whistle. Sarah moves aside, and that’s when my eyes catch his figure.. there he is. He’s finally here.
He’s wearing a simple white button up and black jeans. As he looks up, he has a little smirk on his face as he bows his head to everyone as a playful gesture of appreciation. “Heard everyone’s been looking for me.” He glances at me and looks away. He doesn’t even seem affected that I’m here! He goes around kissing the girls on the cheeks and giving some hugs to the guys. I knew he was purposely ignoring me, since he wanted to greet me last.
“Hey.” He murmurs against my cheek as he leans down to kiss me.
“Hey. Long time no see.” I lean over to give him a hug.
“Are you two seriously going to act like that?” Tyler teases us. “You guys were best friends for 10 years!” Sarah laughs at Tyler’s joke as she comes with pizza in her arms.
“Kace, can you clear the table?” She asks politely as she puts the pizza down. “Wow, I haven’t seen you guys in 4 years. Time passes by so quickly.”
“I know right!” Alice cheers excitedly. “Now, we’re all about to graduate university!”
~
The night went by in a breeze. After dinner, we played some board games and caught up with each other. Now it was only Harry and I left to share what we’ve been up to.
“I’ve been good. I don’t think there’s anything new with me.” Harry casually laughs as he sits across from me beside Tyler.
“Come on man! Look at what you’re wearing! You’re a new guy!” Tyler elbows him which makes Harry look up at me. Fuck, he just caught me staring.
“I’ve been working at my dad’s company that’s all. Trust me nothing new!”
“No new girlfriend?” Sarah teases him. He just shakes his head and takes a sip from his bottle of beer. “What? No, come on you aren’t fooling anyone here!” Sarah tries to pull the truth out of him. It seemed to me she was a little bit too interested in what he had to say which made me just roll my eyes.
“I dated a few girls but no nothing serious.” Tyler cheers him on as he puts his arm around him and smiles.
“See! Too young to settle down!” Kacey just laughs while Joseph shakes his head.
“Tyler, you just haven’t been in love yet!” He tries to reason. “Harry, you probably haven’t been in love too huh?”
“Oh, no I have been.”
“What!” Tyler chokes as Joseph louds out loud. Alice and Sarah are shocked while Kacey and I just smile at their reaction and quietly listen.
“Who was it?” Tyler questions. “Some girl from your uni?”
“No, she went to high school with us.” Harry avoids my eye contact and laughs at Tyler’s curiosity.
“That better not be me, Styles.” Sarah takes another slice of our leftover pizza. Kacey looks at me while I just look down. Why does everything have to be so weird?
“I bet it’s Y/N. Remember how they would cuddle all the time!” Alice speaks out as if she just solved the puzzle. Which she did. Everyone looks at me which makes my little invisible bubble pop.
“No, it’s not me.” I shake my head. I don’t wanna think of it. I don’t want to think of this.
For the rest of the night, the guys try to make Harry tell the truth but he keeps his mouth shut. I tried to have fun despite all the attention on him but, now that our hangout is over, it’s time to go home.
“I’ll see you guys four years from now!” I joke as I put on my jacket.
“Y/N seriously, keep in touch. We miss you.” Alice hugs me.
“I miss you guys too. It’s nice catching up with you guys.” I genuinely reply back. Although I stopped talking to everyone here, I do miss them. It's nostalgic.
“How are you getting home?” Joseph asks me as he puts on his jacket too.
“Just taking an uber, my car’s in the shop.”
“I can ask Josh to drop you off?” Kacey suggests but I rather be on my own than let her fiancé go out of his way for me.
“I can drive you home.” Harry opens the front door.
“No, guys it’s okay.” I try to brush them off but Harry softly grabs my hand as he bids everyone goodbye.
“Okay, Y/N and I are going to go, goodnight guys!” He waves at our friends as he pulls me to his car. I give everyone a confused look and let Harry pull me away.
“Harry, you don’t have to drop me off.” I try to convince him but he doesn’t let my hand go until he opens my door and helps me into his car. I finally give up and put my seatbelt on as he gets into his seat too.
“Where do you live?” He asks as he zooms out of Sarah’s driveway.
“In Richmond.”
“Can you put the address on my GPS?” He turns it on and points it at me. It was weird between us. There’s this big elephant between us but we’re acting like we’re over it. I just nod my head and do it.
As we drive to my place, I just watch the street lights pass by and listen to his music. Harry seemed like something was bothering him since he kept his jaw clenched. “You okay?” I try to ask him.
“Fine. What about you?”
“I’m okay.”
“Look Y/N...I’ve just been thinking and I’m wondering when we get to your place... could we maybe I don’t know...talk?”
“About us?” There was no point of acting oblivious to this. What happened between us years ago still plays in my mind.
“Yeah.” He stutters as he looks at me.
~
“Lovely townhouse you got here.” He walks in with me as I open my door.
“Thanks, I got a few roommates but they’re probably in bed. Um, You can sit in the living room.” I gesture him to the room as I take my jacket off. “Would you like some tea?”
“No, thanks.” He sits down while I sit next to him.
“Okay, let’s talk. What’s up?”
“How have you been?”
“Good, what about you?”
“Thanks. I’ve been doing well too. Are you um...seeing anyone?” He asks out of the blue. “It’s just everyone spoke up about their love lives and you didn’t really say anything.” I awkwardly laugh at his question. I mean I’m not surprised he asked out of the blue. We used to be so close.
“No, I broke up with my boyfriend a couple months ago.”
“Long term?”
“Yeah, we dated for 2 years.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear about that.” He just shakes his head while I laugh at his awkwardness.
“Harry, it’s fine. It’s nice to see you through and catch up.”
“Y/N I have- I have to tell you something.”
“Okay.” I try to brace myself. I may have known him for years but I have no idea what he’s going to say.
“I miss you.”
“Harry.”
“Please, Y/N. Just give me another chance.” He turns towards me. “I’ve been trying to talk to you after our fight but you just completely cut me off.”
“You used me!” I exclaim.
“You don’t understand. I didn’t want to lose you!” He rubs his face in stress. “And I did. I did lose you!”
“Why do you even still want me? It’s been four years Harry maybe, it’s better if we just let the past go.” I stand up and try to walk away but Harry grabs my hands and keeps me in between his legs.
“You don’t mean that, Y/N.” his sad eyes look at me. “I miss you. Didn’t you miss me too?” he whispers as he tries to shake my hands. He was desperate for me to say the words he missed coming from my mouth.
“Of course I did!”
“I don’t care if you don’t love me anymore or if you don’t want to be best friends. I just need you in my life again.”
“I’m scared to be you again.”
“I love you.” He leans down and rests his head on my stomach as he tries to pull me in closer. My hands fall into his hair and play with the curly strands just like I used to high school. “I was stupid and immature in high school but I’m ready to be the man you deserve. I just want you with me again.”
“I love you Harry.” I pull his face up and lean down to kiss him. His hands urgently grasps my face as he helps me straddle him on the couch.
“I always knew we were going to be more than friends, baby.” He whispers to me as he pulls away and smiles at me.
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Amphibia Love day 4
Today's prompt - Favorite episode
And Frog help me because there are so many of them. So I'll just do generic countdown
10. Anne Theft Auto
That was the first episode I loved. It's only episode 9 and I already have episode I love. This is a good sign. It had well written comedy and introduced Bessie to us. What a good episode.
9. Toad Tax
This is the episode when Wartwood finally accepts Anne. I had chills when whole town stood up for her.
8. Wally and Anne
This whole episode feels like Ghibli movie. It has unique armosphere, different pace than other episodes and it looks magical
7. Maddie and Marcy
Just two weirdos vibing together. What a mood.
6. Sleepover to end all sleepovers
JUST FOUR WEIRDOS VIBING TOGETHER BUT IT'S ALSO A SLEEPOVER. This episode was an amazing reminder of weird sleepovers I had with my friends back in middle school. We would mix random things together and drink it, if one of us fell asleep we would draw at her face moustache and stuff like that. Also it had shadowfishes and this weird portrait of young Andrias which was really interesting.
5. Hopping Mall
THE SCENE WITH SPRIG AND ANNE TALKING ABOUT THEIR MOMS STILL KILLS ME ;A;
4. Battle of the Bands
IT WAS JUST FUN. Also it pushed Sasha towards her character development. I still catch myself humming No big deal from time to time. I was a little sad that it wasn't Welcome to Amphibia but after listening to it for hours I absolutely love it.
3. Marcy at the Gates
The episode that finally gave us Marcy. And I'll never stop being grateful about that.
2. Whole Temple Arc
Is is cheap to put here three episodes? Yes but it's my list so I'll do it anyway. I love Sasha's slight regret at the end of third temple, first temple is just amazing, reminds me of classic Zelda dungeons, I also love the fact that the conflict between Anne and Hop-Pop and wasn't just resolved. That's how it works. And second temple felt like Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky reference with huge phillar with glowing patterns. It was amazing.
1. Reunion
I'm still not over this episode. The moment when Sprig encourages Anne to confront Sasha, their fight, and the whole Lean on me scene. This song still gives me chills. How even after their fight Anne jumps to save Sasha and how Plantars jump to save them. And Sasha knows that if she won't let go of Anne's hand all of them will die. So she makes a decision and it results in my favorite shot of the whole show. It's still wallpaper on my laptop after all this time. It's amazing and I love it.
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I just found this one-shot I wrote based on ‘betty’ that has been sitting in my notes since September. I thought I’d share, if anyone is interested in that. The characters belong to Taylor and her co-writers, of course. I just borrowed them for this fic.
‘Please, come over’
Jamie Mann stares at the text for far too long, watching those three little dots appear and, then, disappear once again. Betty hates sending more than one text in a row. Even more than that, she can't stand it when a message goes unanswered.
Still, Jamie can't quite think of what to say. Her mind flashes back to prom two weeks earlier and the boy who swayed Betty around the dance floor while she laughed at his stupid jokes. Betty told her that she isn't interested in boys, but damnit if she isn't very good at hiding that fact.
Jamie throws her phone down next to her on the bed and pulls the hood of her sweatshirt over her head. She fiddles with the strings of the sweatshirt until she hears the ding of a new message.
'I'm in front of your house. Get your ass out here and hop in.'
Jamie fights the smile on her face, but she can't help feeling a little less hurt in the moment. August was the kind of friend who could convince you to do things you would never even think to do. Like the time they hopped the fence at school on a Friday night to smoke in the softball dugout. Or the time August managed to sneak them into some gay club in the city. Or the time they almost ditched the cop trying to pull her over for running a red light. Okay, so maybe they weren't actually going to try to escape and maybe August's uncle happened to be the cop in question. But still...
Jamie grabs her backpack and puts it on as she heads down stairs.
"Where do you think you're going, young lady?"
"Mom, I literally just graduated high school last night and I turn 18 next month. I'm basically an adult."
Her mom pulls her into a hug. Jamie lets it happen for a few seconds before escaping her grasp. Mrs. Mann runs her fingers through her daughter's hair trying to fix it best she can.
"Hmm... that will have to do. Now, truthfully, where are you going? Yeah, yeah, I know you're all grown up now, but that doesn't mean I'm going to stop worrying about you."
Jamie rolls her eyes, but smiles nonetheless. "I'm staying over at August's. She's outside waiting for me, so can I go now?"
"Of course, dear. Have fun."
"Sure thing. Night, mom."
Jamie heads out the door and jogs to the midnight blue '67 Mustang idling in front of the driveway. She throws her backpack in the backseat before taking her spot in the passenger seat.
"So, what's the plan?"
"I was thinking we could go to that party Betty Davis is throwing."
A lump forms in Jamie's throat as she tries to come up with some excuse as to why they shouldn't go. August knows that Jamie is a lesbian, but she doesn't know anything about Betty. It was not something Betty wanted anyone to know about.
As far as anyone at school knew, Betty and Jamie were acquaintances at best. Betty was head cheerleader and Jamie was basically a skater burnout. Betty was class president and Jamie wasn't even on most of her teacher's radars. Betty was going to Yale next year. Jamie was going to a state school. Betty came from money. Jamie's mom worked two jobs to send her to private school. They weren’t exactly the likeliest of friends and no one would ever guess they were more than that.
"Come on, please? Don't you want to know what the popular kids get up to on the weekends?"
"Nah, it sounds pretty lame. I'd rather hang out just the two of us before you take your little road trip around the county, which I still can't believe your parents agreed to."
"You should come with me."
"What?"
"We would have so much fun. Besides I'm a little scared about driving around by myself."
Jamie scoffs, "You? Why, August Adams you are the bravest person I have ever known. What could possibly scare you?"
"I don't know... a car accident, rapists, serial killers, muggers, creatures..."
"Okay, I get it. I just mean... you've been planning this trip for two years. Wasn't it supposed to be some great big adventure of self-discovery?"
August shrugs. "I already know who I am. I'm a bisexual goddess, who is going to be the CEO of a major corporation someday, and no one can stop me. But also I'm just a girl sitting in front a girl, asking her to join me on the trip of a lifetime."
Jamie's heart skips a beat. She loves Betty so deeply, but being with her was torture. It would have been four more years of hiding. 'Just until we graduate college,’ Betty's words echo in her head. Four years is a long time and Jamie is sick of hiding. August came out Sophomore year and didn't care about what anyone thought of her.
"You know what, that sounds amazing."
August squeals and leans across the center console to wrap her arms around Jamie. "We're going to have so much fun, James!"
They never went to Betty’s party. Instead they drove to 7-Eleven, bought snacks and slurpees, and spent the rest of the night at the one skate park in town.
It took a bit of convincing before her mom felt comfortable letting her go on the five week trip. The fact that August had family sprinkled along their route, with whom they would be staying most of the time, helped to reassure her. August created an itinerary for Jamie's mom, so she would have an idea of where they would be and with whom.
A week into the trip, Jamie gets an unexpected text.
'I heard you left town with August Adams. Thanks for the heads up. Hope you have fun.'
The three dots show up and disappear, then reappear once again.
And finally, after almost a minute, 'I hear she's a great lay.'
Jamie doesn't even reply. Her blood boils just a bit. They'd never officially broken things off, but seeing Betty kiss that boy on the dance floor was the last straw. Jamie didn't want to hide anymore. She wanted a girlfriend who's hand she could hold while walking down the street.
So, she got one. Sort of. The text kind of sent her into overdrive and she may have decided to see if all the rumors about August were true. They were. She definitely knew what she was doing and it was nice, but it wasn't the same as it had been with Betty. It was lust. There was no romance in it. At least not on Jamie's part.
Unfortunately, she had no idea the other girl had wanted this since they were Freshmen. It killed Jamie to tell her the truth. August was beautiful and fun and clever, but Jamie's heart belonged to someone else. She confessed everything about her relationship with Betty and how she wished she had gone to that party the night after graduation.
August won't tell anyone. She might be hurt, but she wasn't heartless. She'd never out someone nor would she ever try to get back at Jamie. They did decide to give each other some space. In fact, they only met up once more that summer. It was the day before August was set to leave for school. They hugged awkwardly and promised to keep in touch and to hang out over Thanksgiving break. They didn't keep those promises.
Betty doesn't message her again. Jamie rides past the girl's house on her skateboard almost every day for a month before she finally gets the nerve to text her.
'Hey, I'm near your house. Can we talk?'
She sits on the curb across the street from Betty's house for an embarrassingly long amount of time before she finally gives up. She stops riding by her house.
It's not until her mom drags her to the mall insisting she needs a new wardrobe for college that she finally sees Betty again. She catches sights of the girl from the store across the way and she tells her mom she'll be right back. She's about to step into the store, but someone grabs her by the wrist and drags her towards an empty service hallway. Jamie's heart stutters until she realizes who exactly has a hold on her.
"What the hell, Inez?"
Inez roughly releases her grasps once they are out of the earshot of passersby.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"Me?! What do you think you're doing."
Inez rolls her eyes. "Stay away from her, you freak!"
"What gives you the right to tell me what to do?"
"I don't know. Maybe the fact that Betty told me all about how you're desperately in love with her and tried to put the moves on her and that's why she had to switch homerooms. Which I said was weird because as far as I knew you were off playing Thelma and Louise with August Adams. So just, like, leave her alone. She's not... like you."
Jamie bites her tongue. There is so much she wants to say, but it would only make things worse. "Whatever. Maybe you should tell your friend not to flatter herself."
Occasionally, over the next few years, Jamie checks Betty's social media accounts, looking for any hint that one of the girls in her pictures were more than just a friend. Jamie thinks about the night after high school graduation often. She fantasizes about what would have happened if she had gone to Betty's party. Would the girl have finally kissed her in front of their classmates? Was she already drunk when she sent that message? Had she finally been ready to say 'fuck it all' and let everyone know she wasn't who they thought she was?
Jamie will probably never know. But she spends her college years chasing the feeling she had when she was with Betty. There were a couple of women who she thought she had been in love with. Maybe she had been, but there was always this one piece of her heart that hung on to past love.
She dates quite a bit the first couple of years after college, until she eventually gets into a committed relationship. It's great for a while. It lasts four and a half years. She's devastated when it ends. But also, a part of her is relieved. It doesn't really make sense until that next Thanksgiving weekend when her high school class is having its ten year reunion.
She contemplates not going, but she's already R.S.V.P.'d and she's already going to be in town to celebrate Thanksgiving with her family. So, she musters up the courage to go.
The first person she recognizes is August Adams. The other woman greets her with a tight hug.
"James! How are you? God, it's been too long."
"It has."
It really has. Jamie missed her friend. She screwed it all up so much back when they were kids. But the woman still had this brightness that radiated from her and Jamie let herself bask in it.
"Oh, you have to meet my wife," August wraps her arm around the waist of a gorgeous brunette, "This is Autumn. I know, I know. Don't even start."
Jamie chuckles, but keeps quiet. After catching up and seeing way too many pictures of August's kid (she was a proud mom and it was kind of cute, to be honest), Jamie was left alone when the other woman found another old friend to talk to. She didn't mind. It gave her a chance to finally get to the bar and get a drink.
Jamie orders a whiskey on the rocks.
"I'll take one of those too, please," a voice speaks from beside her.
Jamie turns her head and takes in the sight before her. Betty hasn't changed much. If anything, she's even more attractive than she was all those years ago.
"Hi."
"Uhh..." Jamie clears her throat, "Hey."
Betty bites her lower lip, a smirk forming on her face anyway. "You look..." Her eyes scan Jamie's body and Jamie shifts a bit under her gaze, "good."
"That's all." Jamie elbows her playfully. The bartender sets their drinks in front of them. Jamie lifts the glass to her mouth.
"Let me try that again. You look incredible in that suit, but all I can think about is what you'd look like out of it."
Jamie chokes on her drink, pounding her chest with her fist as she coughs. Betty quirks her eyebrows and smirks smugly, while Jamie tries to gain some sense of control over her own body again.
"Umm... wow, that... I wouldn't mind..."
"Are you here with anyone?"
"No. I'm actually single at the moment. You?"
Betty doesn't even bother to answer. Instead she kisses Jamie. It takes a moment for Jamie to register what is happening, but eventually she gets a hold of herself and reciprocates the kiss, matching the passion of the woman in front of her.
There are a couple of 'whoops' from former classmates and a 'Get it, Davis' before Betty pulls away.
"Do you want to get out of here?"
How could Jamie say no to that? After that kiss? After ten years of dreaming about this moment? She couldn't.
"Definitely."
'Out of here' isn't very far. It's actually a room at the hotel where the reunion was being hosted, but really it was better than Jamie could have ever dreamed.
As they lay together in the afterglow, Betty runs her fingers through Jamie's curly, golden locks. Jamie rests her head on Betty's chest, her fingers tracing random patterns across Betty's toned abs.
"You're still as fit as you were back then."
Betty buries her face in Jamie's hair. Jamie feels the laughter rumble through the other woman's chest at the comment. "Really? Those are your first words after everything?"
"I can't help it, when you look like this."
"You're not so bad yourself."
Jamie looks up at Betty incredulously, "I'm sexy as hell."
"Hmm... I mean, you're attractive, sure. 'Sexy as hell', may be a touch too far."
"Oh, yeah?" Jamie smiles up at her as she moves her hand down Betty's abdomen. "Let me show you a touch too far."
Being with Betty makes Jamie feel like she's 17 again. All the years away from the girl did nothing to quell her desire to be as close to her as humanly possible. Somehow it was like a part of Jamie's heart had finally found its place again. It was a part that she thought had long been lost and she had resigned herself to the fact that the puzzle would sit there in her chest missing that one piece forever.
Maybe she didn't know much back when they were kids, but she knew one thing that would always ring true: Betty Davis is, has always been, and will always be her person.
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