themurphyzone - Tumblr blog

themurphyzone · 15 days

Text

Pinky Unleashed Ch 18

Sorry for the long wait between chapters. I had writer's block.

Ch 18: Overtaken

Ao3 Link

Pinky didn’t remember having his photo taken by anyone other than Chip. And while he understood that Chip’s photo had been an accident, he still didn’t want to see himself through the lens of a camera.

Before the world broke, Pinky loved posing for pictures. Applying makeup, choosing his clothes, allowing Brain to guide him through a pose that would best fit whatever they needed for world domination…it had always been a fun activity.

Yet now, that enjoyment turned to fear. He couldn’t recognize himself anymore.

The color of his fur was all wrong, bristling out at unnatural angles. The outline of his body blended with the dark surroundings, making it impossible to tell where one ended and the other began.

And his eyes were a hollow, blank white.

No pupils. No color. No life or personality or soul within them.

That’s not me! Pinky wanted to scream, but the words refused to come.

The men’s smiles lacked warmth and joy. Their cruel, predatory gazes bore through Pinky, sizing him up like he was nothing more than a giant sack of money. An uncomfortable feeling traveled through him.

He didn’t like how they looked at him. He felt…icky. Disgusting. Wrong.

But the shocked, fearful expressions on Brain and Chip’s faces hurt him worse than these men ever could.

They’ve seen what I can do. They know it’s only a matter of time before I…

He clamped down on that horrible thought, his clawed hands shaking. These men…he didn’t understand how they recognized him, or why the birds’ beaks and feet were tied up, or why the scent of fear hung so heavily in the air.

From the birds, from Chip, from Brain…every worry, every drop of sadness they had clung to Pinky, clogging his nostrils and weighing upon his chest. Crushing him, screaming at him, begging him to take action.

That fear and sorrow he suddenly felt in the forest caused him to run away despite Brain’s constant warnings. Something within him needed to know whose emotions he was sensing, and why they were so overwhelming and strong.

An entire flock of colorful parakeets laid helplessly at the bottom of the cage, their fear of never being able to fly freely among the trees and sky pouring off them in powerful waves. Their beaks and feet were bound, their wings taped to their bodies. They couldn’t move, fly, or call for help.

All hope had drained from their eyes.

Pinky didn’t know who these men were, how they had a photo of him, or what they were planning to do with the parakeets, but he knew they were dangerous.

And they were going to hurt Brain and Chip if given the chance.

Pinky’s head pounded, an unexpected anger boiling within him. It erupted in his stomach, a hot flash of anger that rushed into his limbs, his heart, and his head.

He doubled over, his breathing ragged, crimson seeping into his vision once again. The rainforest…his friends…the helpless, caged birds…everything was drenched in blood, swallowed by the rising fury coursing through his body.

I’m sorry…I heard you crying for help, but I…I can’t-

These birds…he’d heard them calling out for help, pleading and slowly losing hope with every passing second, and he wished he could be the help they desperately needed.

But he couldn’t.

The darkness closed in, and he was only going to destroy everyone he wanted to save.

Pain exploded through his shoulder, a warm and sticky liquid drenching his fur. He howled, the heavy blood scent invading his nostrils and penetrating his mind, choking him with its aroma.

A clamp gripped his other shoulder, restraining him, clawing out his fur and digging deeper into his flesh.

He hated how it tried to cage him, control him, hurt him. The hatred burned through his body, filling his head and coating his clawtips.

There was a frightened voice within him, screaming that this all felt wrong. So very wrong.

But he ignored the warnings, the weakening pleas, the cries that wouldn’t protect anyone he cared about.

Taking action was the only way out! Why couldn’t that stupid mouse understand anything?

The man swung his knife, the sharp blade bloodstained in the moonlight. But Pinky caught the man’s wrist before the blade slashed his muzzle, digging his claws into the man’s bare skin. His claws pierced flesh, the salty scent of blood filling the air.

But the man stubbornly clung to his weapon, teeth clenched as he struggled in Pinky’s tight hold. The man growled, a low, primal sound, that made Pinky’s fur rise along his spine. He didn’t yield as easily as Pinky wanted.

He’s too strong! We need to get everyone out of here! the mouse’s voice whimpered.

NO! I CAN BEAT HIM! THAT’S THE ONLY WAY TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE STAYS SAFE!

The mouse curled into a ball, cowering away in the corner of his mind. With every shake of his body, it was clear he disagreed, but he was too frightened to voice it any further.

Why couldn’t he understand? This man was a threat. If he wasn’t dealt with now, he’d just come after them over and over with his knives and nets and weapons until they were all captured or killed.

And how were they supposed to save the world if they were trapped and separated forever?

The man glanced at his bleeding wrist, completely unfazed, a low, cruel chuckle escaping him.

“That’s all the fight you have, beast?” he said, disappointment coloring his tone. “Our client promised you’d be a dangerous creature. A shame. I was hoping to test my skills. Catch a rare prize instead of the usual brood.”

Pain exploded in Pinky’s stomach, all air driven from his body. His chest hurt when he tried to take a breath, his vision blurred as cold steel knocked him to the ground, digging into his side when he tried to stand up.

“Get up!” the man barked, shoving Pinky’s head onto the ground. Pinky coughed, growling helplessly as the taste of dirt and grass filled his mouth. He thrashed and howled, but his attacker had planted himself firmly behind Pinky, one large hand releasing Pinky’s head briefly before shoving him down once again. “I said, get up! Or are you just happy to waste my damn time? Why can’t you show us what you’re really capable of?”

“Bruce-” somebody said in warning.

“Shut up, Pete! Grab the ropes already!”

Pinky turned toward the sound of a door slamming open, but his head was forced down, and he was forced to look straight ahead.

Right at a wide-eyed Chip and Brain, who was absolutely stiff with fear. They blended in with the shadows of the tall shrubs along the side of the road.

The poachers hadn’t noticed them yet. They only cared about capturing Pinky for the enormous sack of money awaiting them.

And Pinky wanted it to remain that way.

He didn’t want them to set their sights on Chip, whose unusual appearance might lead to a target on his back. Chip needed to stay free so he could open the Gaia Temples for Brain. And he was only beginning to experience everything the world had to offer. The poachers would take it all away from him.

And Brain…there was so much fear shrouding him. Though he tried not to feel it, tried to focus on saving the world, Pinky knew these poachers were the type of human that scared Brain the most.

The ones with no regard for an animal’s life or the planet on which they lived.

“Keep it still,” Pete grunted. A boot prodded his side, spikes stabbing at Pinky’s hip. He whined, but that only earned him a sharp blow around his sensitive ear. “Ya sure we’ll get the promised amount? Varmin’s skinnier than a twig around the waist.”

Bruce scoffed, jerking Pinky’s head upward.

“Far as I’m concerned, he can pay upfront or at gunpoint. Don’t care either way. Now hurry up before it bites my hand off!”

Rough fingers held his jaws shut, a coarse, scratchy rope wrapping around his muzzle. He tried to move his head to dislodge it, but the poachers only cursed in his face and yanked on the rope, tightening it until he could barely breathe.

He didn’t want to bite their fingers off, nor did he want to taste their blood on his tongue.

But their fingers were too close to his fangs, confident and secure now that he couldn’t open his mouth anymore.

Unable to speak or move, all Pinky could do was silently beg them to go away before he lost control again. That mean, angry poacher with the knife had tried to goad him into showing off his real strength, but he had no idea what he was asking for.

Had no idea of all the destruction that would cause. That he’d lose Brain and Chip’s trust and friendship forever if he wasn’t careful.

Then the rope slackened, and the poacher who’d tied the rope around his muzzle suddenly leapt back with a screech.

At the same time, a bright light flooded Pinky’s vision. He recoiled as his surroundings became one giant blur, the poacher’s heavy weight vanishing from his back.

Though he couldn’t see clearly, he quickly slipped out of the poacher’s reach and clawed at the rope around his muzzle. It was tight and uncomfortable, so unlike the softness of Brain’s hand whenever he grabbed his face.

But his fingers were too thick, too clumsy. He couldn’t find the knot, and the rope was too coarse to be easily cut through. He tried to dig deeper, only to yelp when his claws ripped out small patches of fur underneath.

Total chaos surrounded him.

The poachers screamed with fury, spewing profanity while they trampled grass and kicked up dust. Several captured birds had broken free of their restraints and clawed at the bars of the cage with their talons, frantically beating their wings and begging for release.

Green light flashed in random patterns, disorienting the poachers. To Pinky’s horror, Chip flitted around their heads, sticking his tongue out as he goaded the poachers into trying to grab him.

“You can’t catch me! Whoops, better luck next time!” he taunted, shaking his puffy tail when a hand tried to snatch him out of the air and missed.

The light illuminated Brain, who clung to the country-accented poacher’s nose with a determined expression. Fingers pinched his zigzagged tail and squeezed his small body, but Brain was putting up a fight despite his size. He refused to let go of the poacher’s nose, sinking his fingers into wrinkled flesh and biting down as hard as a mouse could manage. He hardly made a sound, his grunts lost among the birds’ squawks, Chip’s taunting, and the poachers’ shouting.

Hide before they do something awful to you!

Why weren’t they hiding? Pinky never asked them to jump into danger for him. He didn’t want them to get involved in his battles. He had no desire to see them captured, hurt, or worse.

He could handle it. He could protect them.

Even if I’m not doing a very good job of keeping you safe….

Brain screamed, the poacher finally yanking him off his face. Crushed between cruel human fingers, Brain let out a helpless squeak as he was unceremoniously hurled onto the ground.

His fingers twitched, but he could barely move.

Pinky tried to call out to him, yet his voice was muffled by the rope. An uncomfortable, heavy weight pushed against his throat like it was being crushed by a whale, preventing him from making a sound.

“Brain!” Chip cried out. He swooped down, hands outstretched to pick up Brain and guide him to safety. But in his haste to grab Brain, he didn’t see the other poacher’s fist.

The blow collided with the side of his head. Chip plummeted to the ground, a small dust cloud stirring from the force of his painful landing. His tiny wings fluttered uselessly in the long shadow of his attacker.

The light from his orb flickered, dimmed, and disappeared completely, leaving only the smashed headlights from the broken truck as the only break from complete darkness. But unlike Chip’s bright, comforting light, these were narrow, thin, and unfriendly.

Chip’s eyes were wide and stricken with panic, and he curled into a frightened, burgundy ball, trying to make himself look as small as possible.

Brain rushed to Chip’s side, frantically slapping his face with quick, repeated strokes to get his attention. When that didn’t work, Brain desperately tapped the orb on Chip’s necklace, as if that would get the built-in flashlight to work again.

The poachers loomed over them, wicked smirks on their faces, hands clenched into fists, heavy boots raised….

….and they screamed when their truck sailed just inches above their heads, crashing into a tree on the other side of the road.

He smelled the sweat coating their palms and necks, fear scent bursting through every pore. He saw the whites of their eyes, their pupils shrunken to tiny pinpoints. The hair on the back of their necks stood on end, their feet rooted to the ground.

Snarling, he tossed a jagged metal bar aside.

With shaking hands, the men raised their pistols. Loud gunshots rang through the night, and screams filled the once-quiet jungle.

Their aim was sloppy. They were too unnerved, their hands shaking so much that they couldn’t hit the target.

These men…how dare they try to take everyone away from him. Everyone he cared about, everyone he tried to protect…they were all relying on him.

He couldn’t let them down.

He stalked towards the poachers, his hands clamping around their pistols. They cursed and shouted and pummeled his wrists in their attempts to escape, but it was completely useless.

He crushed the pistols until they were nothing but dented pieces of metal. The bitter scent of gunpowder filled the air.

The poachers stumbled back, their useless pistols falling to the ground.

Without their weapons, they were nothing. They were weak. Cowardly. Powerless.

The taller of the two men bellowed with fury, his free hand clenched into a fist. Pain exploded in Pinky’s jaw, and the man let out a triumphant cry when he and his partner dropped to the ground.

Until Pinky locked eyes with the man, a furious howl escaping from his throat.

Go away! Leave us alone!

Something snapped in Pinky’s hand, his claws piercing through flesh and fabric.

The poacher screamed, a visceral cry that silenced the birds, the insects, and the wind. He dropped to his knees, clutching his shoulder with a grimace on his face.

His partner cursed and drew a hidden knife from his belt, its serrated edge stained blood-red. But Pinky swatted the knife out of his hands, raking his claws across the poacher’s chest. His clawtips carved out fabric and left several bleeding scratches behind.

He screamed, tripping over his fellow poacher as he clutched his bleeding chest, his breathing ragged.

I said go away! Leave us alone!

The ropes cut into Pinky’s muzzle, but the burning sensation was nothing compared to the torment these birds had gone through. Nor was it stronger than Brain or Chip’s pain.

His shadow engulfed the injured men. What little color remained on their faces drained completely.

Pinky lifted his head and howled to the moon, a long, haunting call that echoed into the still night.

His paws itched for action, a terrifying voice inside his mind screaming for vengeance.

This is our chance! Quit stalling and attack already!

It wanted blood. It craved violence. It hungered for fear and anger and all sorts of icky emotions that made Pinky sick to his stomach.

I…I can’t! Quit making me do all these horrible things! Why won’t you leave me alone?

He staggered away from the poachers, tearing clumps of thick fur from his scalp.

His memory was completely blank, and that was the most terrifying part of all.

The poachers’ truck was mangled beyond repair, crushed against the thick trunk of an enormous tree. It was nothing more than a giant hunk of scrap metal. One headlight flickered weakly, a thin trail of smoke rising from the crumpled hood. The driver’s door hung loosely from its hinge, and a back tire had come off completely. It laid by the tree roots, deflated and useless.

And the captured birds were scattered on the ground, unable to fly away even though they were freed from their dented cage. They let out muffled, frightened chirps, legs feebly kicking the air.

They must’ve been on the back of the truck when he…

I didn’t do this…please tell me I didn’t do this!

Horrified, his gaze fell upon Brain. His best and smartest friend in the world always had the answers.

Yet here he was, tiny and fragile, surrounded by enormous, terrifying monsters many times his size. The light surrounding his frame was dim and sickly. Even the weakest breeze could extinguish it and topple Brain over.

Brain’s rose-pink eyes were misty and unfocused, boring through Pinky like he wasn’t even sure of his existence. Pinky held his gaze, silently pleading for an answer. He needed to know, even if it was a truth he didn’t want to hear.

Not even a squeak came out of him.

He turned away.

A quiet yes wouldn’t hurt as much. Neither would he mind if Brain called him a monster again, like he did in Rome when he didn’t recognize him.

Please look at me. Please say something. Anything….

Brain rested his large forehead against his knees, which were drawn up to his chest. His eyes were hidden from the world. Though Chip hesitantly reached for his shoulder, unsure how to help, Brain slapped his hand away.

Chip winced, his rabbit-like ears drooping helplessly as he shook the sting off.

Pinky stepped back. There was no point in trying to approach Brain now. Not when he screwed up so badly that he wouldn’t speak to him.

He wished Brain would just scold him for being reckless.

But there was only stony silence, and Pinky couldn’t break through.

Chip’s eyes flicked between them, his mouth opening and closing several times when he thought of something to say and thought better of it.

“Um…I’m gonna see if these birds are alright,” he said quietly, his hand braced around against his necklace. “I think I can help.”

With one last worried glance at Brain, Chip flew over to a green parakeet who feebly inched across the clearing on its belly. Its wings and beak were still bound, though the tape wrapped around its legs had loosened enough to allow for limited movement.

The parakeet chirped in alarm as Chip landed in front of it, and all its brethren who could answer back added their voices to the frantic call.

“Hey, it’s okay! It’s okay!” Chip frantically assured the parakeet. He held out his hands in a placating gesture and dropped to his knees. His light fell upon the parakeet, who shrank away with a pained chirp. “My name is Chip. I’m a…well, I don’t really know what I am, actually. I just wanna help you, I promise.”

Whether it was Chip’s light, his tone of voice, or just a supportive presence at all, the parakeet’s panicked alarm quieted to a pitiful squeak.

Chip inhaled deeply and clasped his hands to his necklace like he was saying a prayer. A gentle, calming light coated his hands.

The parakeet buried her head under a stiff wing as Chip gently pressed his glowing hands on her back.

A rippling green wave flowed through the parakeet’s body from beak to tail, the tape unraveling and falling to the soil.

The parakeet blinked in surprise as she slowly spread her wings, then flew off so fast that she scattered several tailfeathers behind her. Chip stared at the fallen feathers, shocked that she disappeared among the other captured birds so quickly.

He turned, ready to tend to a small songbird when the healed parakeet returned with a small chick whose feathers had barely grown in. The chick warbled feebly, a long scratch on its tiny wing. He huddled against his mother in fear, who chirped in reassurance and gently nudged the chick.

Chip smiled and touched the chick’s wing. “Hey, little guy,” Chip murmured, the green light from his hand dispersing through the chick’s body. “You’ll be okay.”

The chick closed his eyes and shivered as Chip’s free hand carefully removed the tape around his beak, the scratch on his wing fading away until only healthy pink skin was left. His chirps became louder and bolder, and he sat up straighter with every flap of his wings.

The mother parakeet cooed, giving Chip a grateful nip to the finger before ushering her chick to safety in the underbrush.

Emboldened by the parakeet’s actions, the other tied-up birds began to drag themselves over to Chip.

“Okay, don’t worry!” Chip said frantically. He seemed overwhelmed by the sheer amount of birds that decided to place their trust in him. “I’ll get to all of you! I’ll…I’ll try! I promise!”

His voice hitched as he made his vow, realizing the sheer amount of birds that had been hurt by the poachers.

You’re doing your best, Chip, Pinky wanted to tell him. His throat ached. There was so much he wanted to say, so much assurance he wanted to give, but his body wasn’t built for anything except destruction.

Some of the birds were strong enough to aid the weaker ones towards Chip, who was doing his best to make sure each one received his healing powers. Pinky’s hands itched to help, but he reminded himself that he’d carelessly inflicted injuries on these birds too when he’d thrown the truck.

It was better for everyone if he kept his distance.

He found comfort in watching the healed birds take to the skies where they belonged, free from their confinement at last.

Then his ear flicked, and he heard a harsh whisper carried along the wind. His senses screamed danger, his tail lashing in agitation.

His fur bristled instinctively, his gaze snapping to Brain.

Who was out in the open, silent, unaware, and unprotected.

And the poachers were watching him with interest, a plan forming in their beady, cruel eyes.

Pinky rushed towards Brain, who was too far away for comfort. Brain had no chance against these men, and Pinky had stupidly left him defenseless!

Stupid, stupid, stupid! Pinky screamed. A shrill, alarmed howl tore out of his throat, and the birds around Chip took to the sky in a flurry of feathers.

Brain’s head shot up in alarm, ready to bolt at Pinky’s warning. But he couldn’t push himself into a standing position in time.

“NOW, PETE!” the man with the broken arm roared.

Pete sprang to his feet and darted away from his partner. With a growl, Pinky followed his movement, only for him to stop a short distance away. Confused, Pinky came to a halt, tail lashing in confusion.

Pete’s cold eyes stared him down, and Pinky tried to meet his challenge, though he couldn’t stop his claws from scraping the dirt.

Why was he just standing there? Why couldn’t they leave his friends alone already? They’d done enough damage, and Pinky was exhausted.

“Don’t forget, monster,” Pete spat, gesturing to his slashed shirt that hung off his lanky frame. “You did this to me.”

Trickles of blood ran down from the bright red clawmarks on his chest.

Pinky’s ears folded back, guilt clawing at his heart. He looked down at his claws, stained red from the poachers’ blood. His stomach churned at the sickeningly sweet, heavy scent, and he tried not to throw up.

“Don’t listen to him, Pinky! It’s a tra-gah!”

Pinky whirled around, startled by Brain’s warning cut short by the sound of choking.

He only caught a glimpse of Brain struggling to breathe within the other poacher’s good hand before pain exploded in his shoulder.

Now he understood. Pete was just distracting him. Getting him away from Brain so he’d be easier to snatch.

He’d fallen for it. And Brain would be paying the price.

I can’t…I won’t let you take him…

Pinky lost his balance, yet he pushed forward anyway. His vision was blurry, though he tried to keep Brain within sight. He felt warm blood trickle down his shoulder, a sharp, throbbing sensation stabbing him with every step.

A frightened voice screamed his name.

His world was nothing but a swirl of confusing colors and sounds, and the last splash of ivory fur within his sight disappeared into the shadows.

He heard a pair of cruel voices on the night breeze, too far away for him to follow. Grass and dirt surrounded him, his claws twitching uselessly among the blades and clumps. A tiny pair of hands pressed against his injured shoulder, a frantic voice asking why the wound wasn’t healing quickly.

Brain…I’m sorry…

There was a gasp from Chip, his weight shifting on Pinky’s back.

“W-we’ll be out of your way soon,” Chip stammered. “My friend’s not a threat, honest!”

He wasn’t addressing Pinky. There was someone else here.

Powerful vibrations shook the ground, the smell of moss and fresh leaves drawing closer. There was a heavy, ancient presence from the newcomer, and Pinky curled in on himself, remembering Teros’ fury during their fierce battle in the Earth Temple.

A voice rumbled through the air, powerful yet soothing.

“You’ve done enough. Rest and save your strength.”

A large, rough palm cupped Pinky’s jaw, tinged with a sweet, floral scent.

And Pinky’s world went dark, his worries slipping away.

#patb fanfiction #pinky and the brain #pinky unleashed

10 notes · View notes

themurphyzone · 18 days

Text

I saw a joke post somewhere in which Jim Starling was Drake Mallard's father. And then the plot bunny started unraveling to reveal how much of an angst gold mine this is.

#Darkwing duck #ducktales 2017 #jim starling #negaduck #drake mallard

11 notes · View notes

themurphyzone · 22 days

Text

Oh my god XD

This is the real reason 2D Doof wanted to dump him in lava.

CSG uploaded the animatics for the second dimension movie.

Are you telling me Doofenshmirtz was wearing the Perry boxers the entire movie?? 👀

(No wonder 2D Doofenshmirtz stopped trusting in him)

#phineas and ferb #heinz doofenshmirtz

116 notes · View notes

themurphyzone · 22 days

Text

Hey guys. Just wanted to say that I'm still working on Pinky Unleashed! I try to work on it when I can but work has left me drained and exhausted, plus this chapter is kinda hard for me to write cause Pinky's emotional state in this fic is...not great at the moment and it's pretty heartbreaking to write him this way.

#pinky and the brain #pinky unleashed

8 notes · View notes

themurphyzone · 27 days

Text

HC that whenever Brain can't find a tool or paper he needs, he tends to say to Pinky 'don't move my stuff without permission!' and Pinky's like 'I didn't move your stuff!' and they just go back and forth like 'yes you did/no I didn't'!'

#pinky and the brain #Source: my dad always complaining he can't find stuff and accuses my mom of moving it #this time it was about a flashlight #it was under the covers the entire time dammit

11 notes · View notes

themurphyzone · 1 month

Text

HC that ACME lab employees have to stick Brain in a mouse sized come of shame just to stop him from biting them when they're trying to run tests. He hates them.

And then they stuck Pinky in one too, just cause he was excited since it was a bold fashion statement and really wanted to match with Brain.

#pinky and the brain

30 notes · View notes

themurphyzone · 1 month

Text

I can suspend my disbelief over mermaids and singing sea creatures, but what I find unrealistic about Little Mermaid 3 is that Ariel and all her sisters share a single room and somehow the royal palace and all of Atlantica haven't been destroyed.

#the little mermaid #ariel the little mermaid #disney

19 notes · View notes

themurphyzone · 1 month

Text

Random Beauty and the Beast Post Curse Headcanons I Have that I Really Need to Put Out There

Adam still retains some beastly traits from his cursed days. He isn't a morning person at all and functions best in the evening and nighttime. He tends to sleep in positions that accommodated his horns and tail before, but can look rather odd for a human to be in.

With Belle and Adam spending nearly every moment together after the curse breaks, the three main servants, while happy for them, reacted in different ways. Cogsworth gives long-winded lectures about proper etiquette and decorum around the opposite sex, while Lumiere is a little too enthusiastic and gives mortifying advice on deepening their romance for each other. Mrs. Potts is the most levelheaded out of the trio and just distracts Cogsworth and Lumiere with a few words so Belle and Adam can escape.

Adam is really fond of songbirds and learned to replicate their calls. In turn, the songbirds sing back and recognize Adam as a safe person to be around. At first, he only imitated them when he thought nobody was watching and became really good at it. Then one day, Belle went outside to look for him and discovered him chirping to a young fledgling in his hands. Adam was embarrassed to be caught, but Belle finds it all rather endearing, even more so once Adam asks her to join him in encouraging the scared fledgling to fly.

Belle once had a nightmare about the Beast dying and being ripped away from his body by Gaston and the villagers without getting the chance to mourn him. She tried to cope by going to the castle library in the middle of the night and reading by firelight but she found that she couldn't focus on the book at all. Adam, who'd sensed something was amiss and come to check on her, sat with her that night and comforted her.

#beauty and the beast #beauty and the beast 1991

37 notes · View notes

themurphyzone · 3 months

Text

BatB AU: Ch 28: Under the Apple Tree

AN: It's been a super long time since I updated this story. But now I think it's time to get the ball rolling on the next story arc!

Ch 28: Under the Apple Tree

AO3 Link

“Over here, Brain!” Pinky shouted from atop the small hill. He swung the picnic basket in a wide arc, one hand on his floppy sunhat. The mint green ribbon tied around the brim swayed gently in the fresh spring breeze, matching perfectly with the cute bow around his waist. Marita had embroidered his sundress with beautiful white daisies and yellow daffodils, and he loved how the fair weather was just perfect for springtime fashion. “Come on! I’ve seen snails move faster than you!”

Brain promptly dropped the red, apple-decorated blanket in his hands, his cheeks turning as pink as his eyes when he stared up at Pinky. Stunned, he hastily scooped up the blanket and hurried to the hilltop.

“And how would you know that, Pinky?” Brain asked, breathless from his climb. “You can’t sit still long enough to watch a snail move that far.”

He spread the blanket on the grass, right underneath the blossoming apple tree. This spot had just the perfect mixture of sunlight and shade. The blooming flowers were beautiful shades of pink and white, gently fluttering in the breeze.

Pinky reached up, catching a falling blossom in the palm of his hand. He inhaled slowly, taking in its sweet aroma.

“You should smell this, Brain!” Pinky exclaimed, tail wagging in excitement. “It’s like a little whiff of heaven!”

Brain hesitated for a moment at the flower in Pinky’s hands, but after an encouraging nod, he leaned over and scented the flower for himself.

“The scent is…familiar,” Brain admitted, placing a hand to his chin in thought. He seemed rather puzzled by it. “I know I’ve smelled it in the castle before, but I can’t pinpoint the source.”

“Maybe the maids were using it? I’ve been meaning to ask what they’re using to get those really stubborn stains out,” Pinky suggested.

But Brain shook his head. “No, no, it wasn’t coming from them or their cleaning tools. I’m fairly certain it was in the library.”

Pinky tucked the blossom behind Brain’s ear, giving his outfit an extra springtime touch. Brain tended to favor muted colors in his casual outfits, and he’d chosen a simple yet elegant white, short-sleeved shirt with black pants for this outing.

Pinky smiled at his handiwork while Brain reached up and touched the flower, confusion all over his face before securing the flower and giving a small, hesitant smile of his own.

“Really? I always thought the library had that dusty old book smell,” Pinky admitted.

With all the time he’d spent in the library, it had become a comforting scent to him.

“It’s not from the books either. In fact, I smelled it more when…we’re in close proximity to each other.” Brain’s eyes widened in realization. “Wait! Now I’m sure of it! You’re somehow the source of that scent, Pinky!”

“Am I?” Pinky said, lifting his arm and smelling his fur. A pleasant, floral scent filled his nostrils. “Well I’ve been using this really nice apple blossom bubble bath lately…”

Then a playful, mischievous idea came to mind, and he coiled his tail around Brain’s waist, pulling him close. Brain tensed up, his fur turning a bright shade of crimson.

“Are you trying to tell me I smell nice, Brain?” Pinky crooned through half-lidded eyes, his voice low and teasing.

“N-no! I mean, yes!” Brain stammered, unable to answer Pinky’s question. “Maybe? Y-you don’t smell like a skunk!”

Giggling, Pinky took pity on Brain and released him. Brain’s face was still bright red as he hurried over to the picnic basket and began unpacking items at lightning speed.

Pinky’s stomach rumbled from hunger as the scent of freshly made cheese intertwined with the apple blossoms, and he couldn’t resist breaking off a piece of a large wheel that Brain had set aside.

He popped it into his mouth, a sweet, nutty flavor exploding across his tongue. It was absolutely divine, and Pinky couldn’t resist taking a second helping. But before he could break off another piece, Brain reached behind him and moved the plate out of reach.

“Don’t be greedy, Pinky,” Brain scolded, though his tone was light and lacked any real bite to it. “I’m not finished yet. You need to wait.”

Pinky pouted. Withholding cheese just wasn’t fair!

“But I’m hungry, Brain! Narf!” he protested, placing his elbows on the closed lid of the picnic basket and resting his head in his hands. “I haven’t eaten in forever!”

Brain rolled his eyes. “You inhaled an entire stack of ten pancakes with cream, chocolate, berries, butter, sugar, and syrup this morning.”

“Yeah, but that was then! This is now!” Pinky insisted. “Pleeeeaaaaaase?”

He clasped his hands together, his tail hopefully wagging.

Brain’s stern demeanor melted into uncertainty. “Pinky, don’t you give me that look now…” he stammered, crossing his arms in an attempt to remain in control. “You know I can’t re-I mean, of course I’m completely immune to your simple charms, and I will not surrender the cheese under any circumstances.”

Pinky’s ears drooped against his neck.

And with a sigh of resignation, Brain finally broke off a piece of cheese and threw it into Pinky’s open mouth. The cheese melted in Pinky’s mouth, and he licked his lips with a contented narf.

“...you have got to stop doing that,” Brain groaned, running his hands down his face in frustration.

Pinky just smiled, because amidst the spread of sourdough bread, cheese, berries, butter, and drinks, there were two very special items left in the basket that Brain hadn’t brought out yet. Brain had entrusted the food preparations to Pinky, while he focused on scouting the perfect spot for their picnic. Brain hadn’t seen all the contents of the basket yet.

“Brain, allow me to present the creme de la creme of this basket! It’s a super special recipe passed down through the family for generations, and I can’t wait to share it with you!” Pinky opened the other half of the basket to reveal two slices of strawberry cheesecake. “It’s made with crushed crumbs, cream cheese, the first harvest of the ripest and reddest strawberries of the season, and love!”

“Should we really be eating the dessert course first?” Brain asked, though he swiped a finger through his cheesecake and carefully gave it a test lick. His entire body perked up, a happy gleam in his rose-pink eyes.

Pinky shrugged. “Who’s gonna stop us? We can eat cake first if we want!”

“Dr. Scratchinsniff would have something to say if he knew,” Brain said, though he’d eaten half of his cake already, flecks of cream cheese dotting his muzzle.

“Troz! Well, ‘ol Scratchy’s not here now, is he?” Pinky smirked as he shoveled the cheesecake down his throat. “And it’s not like he can stop us if he wanted to.”

Brain shrugged. “I suppose not.”

He finished his cheesecake and grabbed a slice of bread. But before he could bite into it, he suddenly let out a loud burp and quickly covered his mouth, cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

Pinky gasped, clutching his chest like somebody had just stepped on a puppy. “Now, Brain! Zu should not burp like ze chimney!” he exclaimed in his best imitation of Scratchinsniff. “Eet iz not very prince-y of zu, ja?”

He punctuated his outrage with an exaggerated, nagging wave of his finger.

“Your imitation is truly impeccable,” Brain said, a short laugh escaping him. “Down to the accent and enunciation.”

Fur bristling, Pinky quickly leapt behind Brain, glancing up at the apple tree and ready to duck for cover in case there were any birds perching on the branches.

“I’m peckable?” he yelped, clutching Brain tightly. “Are there any crows up there?”

Brain sighed, loosening Pinky’s arms so he could slip out. “No, Pinky. Only two songbirds, and they haven’t noticed us.”

“Oh. Well, that’s a relief,” Pinky said, instantly relaxing.

One songbird had bright yellow feathers splashed across its chest, while the other was a plain brown. The yellow-feathered bird sang a beautiful melody to its counterpart, fluttering along the flowers and budding leaves to entice her with his song.

But the female only pecked at the branch, not seeming particularly interested.

“Narrrf, I think he’s trying to woo her, Brain!” Pinky whispered in excitement. “He’s singing such an adorable song for her! That’s so romantic!”

What sort of romantic imagery went with birdsong? Maybe a blue sky, or soaring somewhere exciting, or building a nest together?

“She doesn’t appear to share your opinion, Pinky,” Brain said, crossing his arms with a frown.

The female bird wasn’t outright rejecting her suitor, but she was flicking her tailfeathers at him, like he needed to work harder to win her over.

And the male was trying awfully hard, but his song faltered, every beat of his wings becoming more unsure. If he didn’t find his groove, he was gonna lose her for sure!

“He needs a wingman,” Pinky declared, his mind made up. He hurried over to the shadow of the apple tree’s largest branch, whistling along to the male’s birdsong. He filled in the spaces of the faltering melody with his own, but kept his voice lower so he didn’t completely overtake the song.

The female stopped pecking at the branch, cocking her head as he listened more intently to the song. Bolstered by her rising interest, the male dared to hop closer to her, puffing out his yellow feathers to make himself appear more attractive.

That’s it! You’re doing great!

The male was just inches away from her, stretching out his wing as if inviting her for a flight.

Suddenly, the female broke away and fluttered down to the roots of the apple tree. She regarded Pinky with interest.

Pinky rubbed the back of his neck, feeling rather awkward now.

“Oh…um, hi,” Pinky said, trying to be friendly without being too friendly. “I think he likes you?”

He pointed up at the male bird, who’d stopped singing, his beak open from shock.

But the female ignored Pinky’s hand, warbling at him with keen interest.

“Don’t get me wrong! I’m flattered, truly!” Pinky waved his hands frantically and backed away. “But I don’t think I could eat worms straight out of the ground!”

Yet the female hopped even closer, her beak pressing against Pinky’s nose.

Then Pinky felt a hand clamp down on his wrist, yanking him backwards.

“Stay behind me, Pinky,” Brain ordered with a warning glare directed at the female bird.

His short white fur bristled, and Pinky giggled quietly to himself. Brain looked like an adorably spiky cloud with his fur puffed out like that.

The female bird threw her wings open, feet scraping at the ground with indignation.

“He’s. Not. Interested,” Brain growled, his voice low and dangerous. A deceptively quiet rumble came from his throat, and Pinky realized that Brain truly was growling the way he used to do under the curse.

Pinky rubbed Brain’s spiky fur between his fingers, admiring how soft it still felt. Brain’s growling faltered, then quickly picked back up, like he’d briefly forgotten and remembered why he was growling in the first place.

Brain kept Pinky behind him while he stared down the female bird.

Finally, the female bird chirped and lifted her tailfeathers haughtily, flying away until she’d disappeared over the treeline. The male warbled frantically and hurried after her, leaving several feathers behind him.

Brain continued to glare at the horizon, as if silently daring them to come back. His fur still wouldn’t lie flat, so Pinky gently smoothed it down for him with soothing, broad strokes.

The tension in Brain’s shoulders slowly disappeared, his growls becoming softer and quieter. He leaned back into Pinky, letting him support his weight as he returned the affection with a brief nuzzle of his own.

“No more interfering in the love lives of avians, Pinky,” Brain sternly told him, though his exasperated scolding was punctuated with a kiss to Pinky’s nose.

“Okey-dokey, Brain,” Pinky giggled, returning the nose kiss with one of his own.

Brain’s face immediately turned as red as the picnic blanket lying on the ground.

“G-good…” he stammered, quickly rushing back to the picnic blanket and burying his face in the fabric.

Brain always seemed like he wanted to sink into the nearest fabric whenever Pinky kissed him on the nose.

Before Pinky could surprise him with another kiss, several loud squawks came from somewhere in the sky.

“QUICK! I NEED ANOTHER SHINY THING! WE GOTTA FIND ANOTHER SHINY THING SO EBONY WON’T GO OFF WITH THAT STINKIN’ CORBIN!”

“Pesto, just calm down-”

“CALM DOWN? ARE YOU SAYIN’ I’M NOT THE VERY PICTURE OF SERENITY AND PEACE?”

“N-no, I’m just saying-”

“THAT’S IT! GET OVER HERE SO I CAN PLUCK YOU LIKE A TURKEY ON THANKSGIVING!”

Two avian bodies plummeted to the ground, tangled in a feathery gray ball. Pesto was completely incoherent now, while Squit ineffectually tried to push him off. But there wasn’t much force in Squit’s kicks.

Pesto’s shrieks quickly turned into gasps and sobs, his entire body shaking as he collapsed on top of Squit.

“Cheer up, Pesto. There’s plenty of other birds in the sky,” Squit said, patting Pesto’s back awkwardly.

“N-not like Ebony! We could’ve made a beautiful nest together!” Pesto wailed.

Pinky and Brain awkwardly glanced at their romantic picnic setup.

Bobbi, who’d always been the calmest out of the Goodfeathers, ducked his head in apology. There was a brown satchel on his back, a piece of parchment sticking out from the flap.

“Sorry to crash your little date,” he said diplomatically, ignoring Squit’s clumsy attempts to comfort Pesto, who was sobbing into his shoulder. “Pesto acts like this every spring. Always wantin’ to chase every pretty tailfeather that flits his way.”

“Oh no, it’s fine. Don’t worry about it,” Pinky replied. Brain’s eyes were trained carefully on the picnic basket, and he fidgeted awkwardly next to Pinky. “So this Ebony…um, it didn’t work out, huh?”

Bobbi nodded. “I told him not to chase that crow. Those birds like to be courted with shiny gifts, but they’ll steal ‘em and leave you heartbroken in the end.”

Pinky gasped, hands flying to his mouth. “Poor Pesto! That’s just horrible!”

He felt a little better when Brain’s hand started patting him on the back.

“A most unfortunate outcome,” Brain added, turning his gaze back onto the picnic blanket with all their food lying haphazardly under the tree.

Bobbi shrugged. “Eh, he’ll get over it. He’s probably just overwhelmed. Been a long time since any of us have really stretched our wings. The carrier pigeon gig’s doing wonders for us.”

Ever since the curse had been lifted, the Goodfeathers had been flying in and out of the castle to celebrate their freedom and report on anything interesting that occurred from the surrounding land. Though Bobbi and Squit were willing to carry messages from the castle occupants to the outside world, only Pinky, his father, and Wakko really took them up on their offer, and the only recipients of their letters were Slappy and Skippy Squirrel.

The entire castle was made up of a hodgepodge of misfits and outcasts with nowhere else to go and nobody to write to, and there was no need to send letters when the person you wanted to talk to the most was living in the same castle anyway.

“Must be nice to have wings,” Pinky mused. The world must look really nice from a bird’s eye view. “Can you really see everything way up in the wild blue yonder?”

“Yeah, you can!” Squit exclaimed, hopping over and dragging a despondent Pesto behind him. “Flying is the greatest thing in the world since bread crumbs! Oh, and that old squirrel lady responded to your letter. Here you go!”

He lifted the parchment out of Bobbi’s backpack and gave it to Pinky, an unwavering grin on his beak.

“Egad, I’ve been waiting for this all day!” Pinky exclaimed, quickly ripping the seal and letting the parchment unfurl.

“To the Godpigeon, you and your dodo-minded flock have slighted me for the last time. Make good on our deal or else-”

Before Pinky could read any further, Bobbi quickly ripped the letter out of his hands and forcefully stuffed it into Squit’s beak to hide the contents.

Squit choked on the parchment for a few seconds before finally swallowing it whole, a visible bulge sliding down his throat all the way to his stomach.

“You. Saw. Nothing,” Bobbi grounded out, and Pinky hugged Brain to his chest nervously.

Bobbi’s eyes were blown open in warning, a confusing sight for Pinky since he’d never seen Bobbi act like this before. His feathers puffed out so that he appeared even bigger as he loomed over them.

“Of course we haven’t seen anything! Ow, Pinky, not so tight!” Brain exclaimed to placate Bobbi, with a sharp gasp. Pinky loosened his grip so Brain could breathe a little better. “You accidentally gave us another job advertisement for a shepherd boy! There seems to be a high demand in the nearby villages! Haha!”

Brain’s elbow jabbed Pinky.

Recognizing his cue, Pinky laughed alongside Brain. “Oh yes, somebody’s gotta watch those poor sheep! And I definitely did not accidentally read a vaguely terrifying letter from an unknown sender that wasn’t meant for my innocent eyes! Zort!”

Bobbi’s eyes narrowed, a move that made Squit dive for cover under Pesto’s wing. Pesto, who finally snapped out of his heartbroken stupor, watched anxiously and didn’t try to shove Squit away for once.

Suddenly, Bobbi shook Pinky and Brain’s hands with his wings, his feathers lying smooth like he hadn’t been enraged just seconds ago. His eyes were closed once again.

“Well, it’s a pleasure being on the same page with you fine gentlemice,” Bobbi said affably, his tone calm like he was only talking about the sunny weather. “Here’s your letter, Pinky. The correct one this time.”

He gave Squit a pointed look. Clearly, they’d be discussing the consequences of revealing such a dangerous message once they were alone.

Squit only let out a nervous laugh.

“Thanks…” Pinky said, taking the letter from Bobbi’s outstretched wing, which smelled of oak leaves and acorns. He was still unnerved by Bobbi’s threat.

“No prob,” Bobbi said. “Squit. Pesto. We gotta report to the Godpigeon immediately. Let’s leave these lovebirds to their picnic.”

Pesto’s eyes lit up as soon as Bobbi said ‘picnic’. “Wait…that’s it! I’ll land a girl with a picnic! Well, maybe if I could find a really pretty birdfeeder with a flower pattern-”

He continued to ramble about all the ways he could impress larks, nightingales, and doves all the way into the sky. Within minutes, the Goodfeathers’ silhouettes disappeared over the horizon.

Now that they were alone, Pinky and Brain returned to the blanket under the blossoming apple tree.

“Brain?” Pinky said as they settled near the trunk together. “Where would you go if you could fly like the Goodfeathers?”

Brain lifted his head towards the sky, silent as he pondered Pinky’s question. His pink eyes glittered with curiosity, but it didn’t last long before they turned downwards. He heaved a sigh, like flying was completely out of the question for him.

“Don’t know,” Brain admitted. “What would your answer be?”

That was an easy choice for Pinky.

“I think I’d fly to Warnerstock,” Pinky declared.

“You don’t know anything about Warnerstock, Pinky,” Brain said.

“Neither do you,” Pinky pointed out. “Or the Warner siblings, or anyone else! I’ll explore the country myself and tell everyone what I saw! That way, it’s not so unknown anymore and the Warners won’t feel disconnected to their homeland!”

Yakko was the only one who had any solid memories of Warnerstock. Wakko’s were fuzzy at best, and Dot was an infant when they fled. Her brothers and their life in France were all she remembered.

There was a gleam of admiration in Brain’s pink eyes. “That’s…a surprisingly noble reason, Pinky. And I can’t argue against the pursuit of knowledge either.”

Pinky nudged Brain. “Okay, now it’s your turn. Where would you go if you could fly?”

He wasn’t going to accept an ‘I don’t know’ for an answer. There were lots of places in the world one could visit if they could fly! Brain had to have one, or two, or even eighty-four places he wanted to travel to at some point in his life!

When was the last time he even got out of the castle anyway?

“I…well, perhaps my answer might be…somewhat childish,” Brain murmured, cheeks flushing with embarrassment. He rubbed the back of his neck and looked away. Pinky didn’t see what the big deal was. “I’d like to visit Sherwood Forest, the home of Robin Hood and his Merry Men. It’s always described with such vibrancy and life. Seeing the real forest where his legend began would be amazing.”

His hands were clasped to his chest with wonder, though he quickly caught himself and lowered them again.

Pinky nuzzled Brain’s ear. “Then I’ll take you there myself, Brain. You can ride on my back while I’m flying!”

Brain stared at Pinky in surprise, though he shook his head with a brief chuckle and returned Pinky’s smile.

“I’ll look forward to it then,” he said.

Pinky tilted Brain’s head and captured his lips in a kiss. He tasted like strawberries and cheesecake, and Pinky hummed in delight when Brain pressed back too. The letter fluttered in Pinky’s hand, nearly forgotten until Brain pulled back, his chest heaving for breath.

Pinky could’ve kept going with the kiss forever, and all the way to eternity, but he didn’t mind reading Slappy’s letter while he waited for Brain to catch his breath.

Gonna keep this letter brief, Pinky. Can’t give away too much in case someone swipes it before this reaches you.

Skippy and I are packing everything so we can get out of this backwater village. They’ve treated us like dirt and I’ve only put up with it for this long so Skippy could grow up in a stable environment. He’s been maturing a lot though, so it’s finally time to say see ya suckers to those jerkwads. They haven’t learned squat ever since we beat the everloving crap out of them at the castle.

You weren’t a half-bad neighbor (seriously, why couldn’t you have lived next to me instead of that prissy, pearl-clutching Candi Chipmunk?), and the kid’s gonna miss you too.

We’ll be leaving in three days. If you wanna come see us, that’s your window.

-Slappy.

P.S.. Hi, this is Skippy! Come visit us soon!

P.P.S. Little scamp added this postscript while I was making dinner. Got some friends housesitting for you since your door isn’t fixed yet. Your rich new boyfriend can pay for any damages that happen when you let Daffy Duck crash at your place, can’t he?

P.P.P.S. Be careful when you head into town. Trouble’s brewing.

Pinky reread the letter multiple times, the reality of Slappy and Skippy’s situation sinking in with every passing minute. He couldn’t stop the worried thoughts whirling through his mind.

Were the villagers giving them trouble after their defeat at the castle? They’d followed Snowball’s cruel orders in separating them on that horrible night. Were they still trying to accomplish that? Trying to take revenge for siding against them in the battle?

He understood why Slappy wanted to move away from the village, away from all their judgment and stares and whispers. Neither he nor Papa missed the villagers all that much after they’d permanently moved into the castle.

But Slappy and Skippy were the only ones who’d been nice to him for years. He’d never expected them to move away so quickly.

While he didn’t expect everything in his life to stay the same, the change was still so unexpected that he didn’t know what to do.

Brain carefully pried the letter out of Pinky’s hand. He read through it quickly, his fingers intertwining with Pinky’s for support.

Pinky took a deep breath, taking comfort in Brain’s presence. He wasn’t alone, he wasn’t lost and wandering without a destination in sight.

“...I want to check on them, Brain,” Pinky said quietly. “And not just through the mirror.”

Maybe he could’ve used the mirror, but it wasn’t the same. He couldn’t talk to the Squirrels or wish them a safe journey through it.

But at the same time, he couldn’t just leave Brain behind in the castle either, even if it was only temporary. The first and only night Pinky had spent away from him after an entire winter together had been the loneliest one in Pinky’s life.

“Will you come with me?”

Brain was silent, his eyes staring off into the horizon. His fingers twitched in uncertainty, his ears falling against his back.

He wasn’t going to say no to Pinky visiting his old friends. No, his reaction was something else entirely. While Pinky wasn’t sure why Brain was reacting this way, he was sure Brain would tell him eventually.

Finally, Brain’s pink eyes met Pinky’s. He swept his arm out to the picnic spread.

“Let’s pack all of this away, Pinky. We’ll begin preparations immediately.”

And Pinky planted a grateful kiss on Brain’s forehead.

End AN: A nice, fluffy chapter so the mice can chill by themselves for a while. They deserve a break.

Brain being unable to say no to Pinky and being grumpy about it and protective Brain are my favorite things. I will never get tired of those.

Decided to let the Goodfeathers have a chance to shine in this chapter, just cause it's fun to let minor background characters have a little spotlight.

Next chapter, Brain's venturing out of the castle for the first time and we're gonna see how that affects him.

#pinky and the brain #patb fanfiction #beauty and the beast au

8 notes · View notes

themurphyzone · 3 months

Text

What if there was a Road to El Dorado/Pinky and The Brain AU?

I'm only familiar with the basic premise of the movie, but yes, the mice trying to find the lost city of gold would definitely make for a fun world domination plan.

#submission #pinky and the brain

5 notes · View notes

themurphyzone · 3 months

Text

Plot bunny I would love to write someday if I ever get around to it:

A fic based off the episode Operation Sea Lion, specifically Brain's thoughts on Pinky's attraction around Winnie and mentally preparing himself for Pinky's inevitable heartbreak. Then it continues past the ending of the episode where the mice hang around the beachfront for a while, and Brain is purposely delaying going back to the lab since Pinky is still too upset for the trip.

In a humorous bit, Brain tries to take Pinky to a seafood restaurant. Unfortunately, the restaurant has a blackboard menu of their specials which also consists of a drawing of a fish, which prompts Pinky to wail 'WINNIE ALWAYS LOVED FISH!' And a very embarrassed Brain is dragging a sobbing Pinky out of there while everyone's staring awkwardly.

They go to the ice cream parlor instead since ice cream is the go-to heartbreak food.

At the end of the fic, Brain worries that his attempts to cheer Pinky up have failed, but Pinky tells him that he may not have realized it at the beach, but spending all that time with Brain has indeed cheered him up. Fic ends with a hug.

#pinky and the brain #patb headcanons

17 notes · View notes

themurphyzone · 3 months

Text

BatB AU Sneak Peak

Gonna work on my BatB AU Til the Last Petal Falls for now! There's an arc I'm really, really excited to do and I haven't updated this story in forever! Plus it gives me a chance to do soft mice fluff!

The next arc will explore the mice trying to establish a place in the world and exploring locations beyond Brain's castle. Brain still doesn't know if he wants to take up his old dream about being reclaiming his royal title, and Pinky is a commoner who's just climbed up the ladder and will have to face the social consequences of that. And of course, the Warners' homeland has been taken over by King Salazar, who must be defeated before they can regain their thrones.

Excerpt under the cut!

“And how would you know that, Pinky?” Brain asked, breathless from his climb. “You can’t sit still long enough to watch a snail move that far.”

Pinky reached up, catching a falling blossom in the palm of his hand. He inhaled slowly, taking in its sweet aroma.

#pinky and the brain #patb fanfiction #beauty and the beast au

7 notes · View notes

themurphyzone · 4 months

Text

Rant below.

In the OG series, there was an episode where Pinky pulled out all the stops for Brain's birthday, and very nearly got him the world simply by asking the world leaders nicely to let Brain have their countries.

And then...this is what the reboot writers come up with. I honestly can't stomach the reboot anymore because the writers are hellbent on turning Brain into an irredeemable asshole who always does the worst possible things in every situation.

I think it would be more in-character if Brain designed a birthday themed take over the world plan that allowed Pinky to celebrate his bday with cake and presents and balloons and stuff. The normal bday setup. Pinky enjoys himself, and Brain is fully aware that this whole thing is so ridiculous in setup that it's never gonna work, but there's some kinda fulfillment in seeing Pinky so happy. And throughout the episode he'd be like 'this is a completely normal plan' and tries to act casual. But he's really nervous because he's having second thoughts about his present, because after Christmas and his own birthday where Pinky had given him really thoughtful gifts, Brain feels the pressure to return it with a nice gift of his own.

Except that he couldn't really think of anything to give Pinky, so he wound up copying Pinky by gifting him a keychain of the sun. Brain worries that Pinky will notice his lack of originality, but once Pinky opens it up, he instantly loves it.

And Brain explains his rationale behind the gift. That there's a very scientific, logical, and rational explanation behind it.

And that's because the world would be a barren wasteland without the sun.

And it ends with them eating cake together.

PatB Review- Happy Narfday

**Before we get into it, I want to apologize for how long this has taken me to get out. I've been juggling a few different projects around and this always got pushed to the back burner.**

Oh dear, you guys want me to start off angry, don't ya?

Okay okay, I said I'd praise every episode at least a little, so I'll start off positive:

The first few minutes were actually pretty decent

Loved the song in this segment, I laugh every time Pinky starts singing

Any episode that gives more insight as to how Pinky thinks has some serious potential, and this one did NOT disappoint in that regard

It really had the potential to have a seriously sweet ending, or at least an interesting ending

Unfortunately...

That's where the positives end

When I tell you that my heart dropped when I read the episode summary before even seeing the segment, it fucking DROPPED.

If you don't need to read an overly negative rant of your favorite segment, here's your que to dip now, I won't be holding back just because I've had a year or two to simmer down.

You're here for the long haul, eh?

Alrighty then

Let's start with the premise: "Brain is forced to celebrate Pinky's Birthday"

There is no better way to piss me off than to word a summary like that. Brain not wanting to celebrate his own birthday is one thing, but to have him despise the idea of celebrating his ONLY FRIEND'S birthday is something completely different. These are the kinds of plotlines where Brain is at his most insufferable because he has to put himself aside. I was actually really worried that Talladega Mouse would turn out this way, but it thankfully didn't (maybe I'll do a review on that one next if it wins the next poll XD).

Brain being 'forced' to do something means he's just going to complain or lie or be antagonistic for the duration of the segment, and in this one he surprisingly manages to tick all of those.

But enough about the premise; I'm sure y'all are more interested in what I think of the meat of the episode. I will tackle this in 3 sections- The Build-Up, The Moment I "Walked Away", and Why the Apology Sucks- and then I'll wrap everything up with my final thoughts. Let's get into it!

The Build-Up (Everything leading up to the reveal)

I went into this segment knowing that there was a 50% chance I wouldn't like it because I HATE plotlines where Brain treats Pinky like he's a 'chore' to deal with, but I was hoping I could be pleasantly surprised.

And the first few minutes actually aren't that bad. Like I said, I love the song, and Pinky actually almost saying that he doesn't want to take over the world all the time could have led to a very interesting conversation.

However, that all changes when Brain decides to lie about the amulet he finds. And I've gotta stop to rant about his 'idea' because it's fucking stupid. So...his plan was to give it to Pinky as a present, take it while he was sleeping, and then use it for his plan (which we all know he wasn't going to enact that night because he had already been up for a FULL 24 HOURS). How stupid does he think Pinky is? It was kind of implied earlier in the episode that Pinky wasn't even really expecting Brain to get him anything. Did Brain think he could just take Pinky's present, one that he loved to the point that he was going to sleep right next to it, and then have that be the end of it? No shit he's going to notice. It makes more sense to just HIDE it for the rest of the episode and have Pinky realize Brain was planning behind his back.

You'll soon realize that a lot of my issues with episodes like these are linked to how if you think about what Brain is doing for more than 5 seconds, it immediately falls apart (i.e. Brain making B.R.A.I.N unfeeling and dumping his feelings on it, making a pocket dimension where he's married to Julia, throwing Pinky under the bus in court).

Anyway, Pinky finds Brain, gets his 'present' and then says this:

"I don't need anything but your friendship to have the best Narfday ever! And I mean it! Zort!"

It is at this point that I knew I would be cringing anytime Brain lies through his teeth. Like I said before, my feelings do end up making me view this episode in a very weird light. Just, Pinky wanted to spend a day with his best friend and not have to worry about ANYTHING. It was a plus to get a gift because he already loves being with Brain so damn much. At this point in season 2, Brain hasn't realized how much he should value his time with Pinky

The next song segment proceeds and then we get to...

The Moment I "Walked Away"

Pinky's confrontation was one of the hardest scenes for me to get through due to one important factor: second-hand rage. I get angry for Pinky a lot of the time ESPECIALLY in the reboot, and this episode had me reach my peak.

For starters, you get to hear Pinky try to get Brain to relax but Brain's trying to lie to get the amulet, which results in it getting destroyed and Brain blowing up at Pinky. This leads to the big reveal that Pinky's birthday had long since past and that he could never find the right time to bring it up until now.

Brain finally realizes he's been a dick and he apologizes and asks for forgiveness. This is where I get irrationally angry

When I tell you I couldn't sit though the scene, I mean every few seconds, I had to pause the video and pace around my room, mentally walking myself through Brain's behavior because I just couldn't comprehend it. What doesn't help is that the structure of the episode prevents any of what Pinky or Brain do in this moment to hit as hard as it really could have.

At this moment, I'm getting into my personal feelings about how I would have written the episode, because the way it is- it's just infuriating:

For starters, I'd make it a full 22 minutes (or at least somewhere between 11-15) because the episode was too damn short for the story they were trying to tell. If they wanted Brain to actually EARN any sort of forgiveness, you can not have him apologize and then have Pinky immediately forgive him. Pinky has more of an edge than that, he's gotten Brain to properly apologize before; let him run off in a huff, or just have him tell Brain "I need some alone time", or SOMETHING

You gotta move the reveal to earlier so that we can see Pinky take some time before he forgives Brain, or give time so that Brain can actually TRY to make it up to Pinky

Brain's apology consisted of him putting himself down and THEN asking for forgiveness; he says NOTHING that implies he won't do the same thing again if he thinks he can get away with it. The reboot gave us one of the darkest interpretations of this character and they give him such an elementary school apology that I just can't accept it.

The whole "returining to the status quo" thing can happen, but why did it have to zoom in so damn quickly? This show just doesn't like letting anyone sit in their emotions

You know what would have been interesting to see? Brain blows up just as he does in the episode, but Pinky goes to get some space and drops his birthday list. When Brain goes to pick it up, he sees what the last thing on Pinky's birthday list was: "Try to take over the world with Brain". Brain has a moment to himself where it is completely silent and he has to live with his mistake and try to make it better. Brain eventually finds Pinky and then gives a PROPER apology

Speaking of the "apology"...

Why the Apology Sucks

I want you to just THINK about the apology again for a second:

"PerhapsI did end up solving my Absolute Zero theory after all, Pinky. For I'm an Absolute Zero when it comes to being a friend. Can you ever forgive me?"

Brain's never been the best at issuing apologies, but this one got be riled up, so I felt the need to add this section in to analyze exactly what makes this not work.

An Ohio State University study cited 6 elements of an effective apology:

More specifically:

Looking at the 2 key elements, while Brain's apology meets the first requirement, he fails to offer to fix the problem himself. Instead, Pinky is the one to ask to do the last thing on his list and Brain allows it.

What's more is that out of the 6 main elements, Brain really only meets 2 of them through his words: Expression of Regret, and Request for forgiveness (the article even talks about how the request isn't the strongest element)

Like I said earlier, Brain spent a majority of the apology saying how bad he was instead of showcasing that he fully understands why Pinky is upset or how sorry he is or saying how selfish he was or simply offering Pinky another chance to do something for his birthday now that he knows it was several weeks ago.

I know I'm being extra hard on Brain, but if you've heard any of my past rambles, you know it's because of how much I love his character and I was actually rooting for his arc he was going on in the reboot.

Final Thoughts

Happy Narfday was an episode that not only met my expectations, it exceeded them in how I expected Brain to be portrayed in this episode.

Have any of you watched "A Family That Poits Together"? Well the first couple of minutes of that episode is EXACTLY how Brain was written for over half of this episode's runtime. Brain being unreasonably angry and annoyed at Pinky the whole time gets irritating and the ending just sends me over the edge in second-hand rage.

Is this an awful episode? No, not by a long shot by this season's standards. Was it the most disappointing? Actually no, that award goes to a completely different season 2 episode.

What this episode represents in my eyes is an attempt to make Brain be more considerate of Pinky, and by my standards, it failed horribly

And with that, this is where this ramble ends

Thank you for being so patient with me, and I'll see you soon with the next episode poll!

#listen i just think brain giving pinky a sun keychain to match the earth would be so good #pinky and the brain #warner brothers would never hire me #i have had this idea for a while

22 notes · View notes