you think you're all that!

@dr-drckken

but you're not!

1,867 posts

Work From Home || Isaakken

Drakken was correct about that; Isaac had discovered part of his job was an ongoing need to be aware of everything. Complaints, possible issues, and making sure all the paperwork was in order. And even then he missed things from time to time, he was only human; so he'd had to learn to just accept the other side was being informed, often, if he overlooked a detail.

The Squire wouldn't appreciate not being looped in but that was easy enough, and not much of a sell to get them to pick up a community story that would drive kids to them, in turn their parents as well.

That wasn't his department to deal with, but those details to be worked out.

"Money is a harder one because funding has to come from somewhere, and you know how tight the budget is. And kids like having something to show off, so do parents." Isaac reasoned; parents loved having an award to point to when talking about their kids. More ideal would be both, but the latter was the easier to accomplish.

"I think it's open enough to end up with some interesting answers, maybe a few that might help me out," Isaac laughed softly, "you might have to add some guidelines, although personally I like the idea of encouraging creativity. And you'll need to figure out judges; I'm sure we could get a few volunteers from the Board for that."

He chuckled with a shake of his head at the question, it was an unusual one. But that was why Drakken was so good on that Board, wasn't it? The man had a talent for finding a new way to look at most situations.

"I'm afraid not," he replied, "though I guess we could do something like that symbolically of course. That brings up the basic funding again though, which is something that'll need to be discussed with the Board if it's being run by Town Hall."

@dr-drama-free

@isaac-morey

Yes, of course Drakken knew how tight the budget was. It's why he always voted the way he did to rig it in his favor! Everyone was always trying to play the equal distribution game, meanwhile he had figured out how to ensure that there was more money being funded toward other things– like his proposals and projects! Such as, getting children who wrote an essay a bit of prize money.

"Yeahyeahyeah, everyone's always precious about every cent. Even if it is for a good cause," he said with a roll of his eyes. As if they didn't have a freaking CEO and litterer sitting at the table with them– that guy could probably pay for the prize money and get all the kids new bikes! With helmets and everything! But Drakken wasn't about to go ask that guy for any help.

"Okay, what about if we ask around the local business? See if anyone would be willing to donate gift cards or prizes of some sort?" he asked, brain already trying to fix the problems that were being brought forward. Drakken wouldn't admit it, since he thought all his plans and inventions were flawless (until they weren't), but he appreciated having the back and forth. Usually it was just him, talking to himself in his lab about what he was working on.

Or with his dog, but Puddles never did answer him coherently.

"Tell them it's for kids, and it'll give them good PR, right? Community togetherness and all that hullabaloo. And, since it's kids, someone's gotta take them to spend the gift card, so they'll probably spend money there anyway."

#title: (work from home)#ch: (isaac morey)#(isaakken)

Summer's Cool || Drabela

@rowsandrows-of-roses

Aaahh, summer break. One of the best times of the year, since Drakken could spend it away from the Secondary and not have to think about the punk teenagers for a few weeks. Where he could put more time into his plans and schemes and general personal projects!

...except he was also helping with this summer program for children. Ugh.

It was fine! It was another project for his record on the Board, it was helping kids, and it had helped him gain Isabela back as a friend. He would consider it a success– even if it didn't pan out by the end of its run.

But it was only half way through! Which meant that it was time to check in, see if any changes needed to be made for the latter half of the summer or whatever notes needed to be taken down. He was seated in the Board room, having been there already for his designated time in office that week, with Isabela for the meeting. It was a bit warm in the office today, but having already lived through a summer in this office, Drakken had his own standing fan set up for the place. (Though it had taken him three summers in Swynlake to have finally worked the design out.) It blew cool air and was relatively silent, no blades to clip and the engine remained a quiet bzzzz.

"So!" he clapped, after having rearranged the thing to point at the table instead of his desk. Drakken was still a little unsure as to how to conduct himself around her, but also didn't know how else to conduct himself other than...as himself. (Unless he was playing a part for an evil scheme.) "How is everything? I haven't heard about any emergency calls needing to made– must be going good?"

#title: (summer's cool)#ch: (isabela madrigal)#(drabela)#say the title five times fast and get what im putting down...

Long Overdue || Drabela

rowsandrows-of-roses

Isabela just raised an eyebrow, watching Benjamin squirm.

She supposed she could give him some grace. It was an uncomfortable subject. If someone had asked her what had happened with Ken, or Clayton, she would probably squirm in the same way. So, she didn't take it for any sort of posturing or deflecting. And she waited patiently for his story.

Benjamin was a lot of things, but he certainly wasn't a liar. That was, more or less, his greatest fault. Perhaps his greatest strength too, though the truth was a complicated thing to Isabela.

His explanation was not flattering, which lent itself to the truth, though it was sparse on details. She supposed she shouldn't blame him for that. It had been a long time ago. Maybe he had simply moved past it. She wondered about the scar he mentioned, but she knew a thing or two about scars too.

"Alright," Isabela said softly, reaching out to touch his arm, giving his bicep a squeeze. "I'm sorry that happened and I'm sorry it was so ugly." Vixey certainly hadn't let it go, calling him clinically insane. Which, in Isabela's estimation, was rather rude. Especially considering he seemed perfectly sane to her and by now, she'd known him for several years.

Isabela was not trusting as a person. Even though she wanted to trust Benjamin, she thought it might be a while before she fully did again. Her trust was hard won and easy to break.

"I'm glad you apologized, I missed you."

@dr-drckken

@rowsandrows-of-roses

Drakken waited to hear her verdict. It had him more on edge than his arraignment had, considering he didn't actually know what the outcome of this would be.

His eyes tracked her hand as it came forward to make contact and then followed the line of her arm back up to meet her gaze as she apologized. For something that had nothing to do with her. For something that didn't even matter anymore. It made his brows furrow with confusion, left to wonder what she could possibly be sorry for–

And then she told him something even more unbelievable. I missed you.

No one had ever said that to him before, save for his mother. But that was mother. She had an obligation, as he was her only child. (And maybe Commodore Puddles couldn't speak the words, but his over eager greetings and whining when Drakken returned home seemed to convey the same message.)

It was different coming from someone like Isabela. There was no reason for her to say it, other than that she meant it. That she...liked his company, enough to forgive him such a grievance.

He turned his head abruptly, having to tear his eyes away from her visage as he tried to take a deep breath to ward off the humiliating amount of emotion that managed to knock loose within him. Drakken made a noise to clear his throat. He nodded once, a jerk of his chin downward, and looked down at her hand again to pat it a few times with his own.

"I didn't know it was possible to miss someone when they were in the same room, but I missed you, too," he admitted. Finally, he looked up again. "Thank you for being you, Isabela."

#title: (long overdue)#ch: (isabela madrigal)#(drabela)

Spot Of Bother || Cruel Scientist

ice-in-her-stare

What a horrid horrid man.

Truly Cruella had known it the first time she had met him, but it only solidified deeper the more that she had to suffer him talking. And sure, she had chosen to approach him, but she had somehow expected him to show more reason.

Outrageous expectation to set on a man, clearly. But sometimes even Cruella had a brief moment of optimism. How remarkable. And then he dared to insult her like this. "Entitled? Brat?" Cruella repeated in disbelief. "This is how you decide to speak to a citizen?" He was lucky she didn't have a recording device that she could start ruining him with this.

She would still work hard to ruin him in the upcoming election then. "Well I'll be sure not to waste it again or have you have to have a position here to feel that that's a possibility," Cruella said with a cold smile. "Elections are coming up again. Oh I wonder how that will end for you. Not well, I'd say."

@dr-drckken

@ice-in-her-stare

He opened his hands, shoulders rising, in the Was I not clear? gesture. Obviously he had been, since she had repeated his words back to him.

Would the Town Hall's HR department come for him when they heard about this? Undoubtedly. Did he care? No, not at all. Plus, he could always say he didn't technically call her any of those things. He was just describing who he had in mind when he drafted that petition, and if she interpreted that as herself then how was it his fault she thought her foot fit into that shoe?

"Is that a threat?" he smiled back. His wasn't chilly like hers, as he was absolutely delighted to hear her try to intimidate him, but it was sharp. "That would have had a bit more sting to it if I were actually up for re-election this year, but a good thought."

He stood up from his chair now, still smiling, his hands clasped behind his back. His stance was planted, heavy, a clear statement as to his place within that shared office for the time being.

"So, I guess that means I'll be looking forward to getting to vote on any petitions you have in mind for the near future! That was what you were concerned about, wasn't it? Opening a physical business here in town?" he asked. Then, emulating her cadence, "I wonder how that will end for you."

#title: (a spot of bother)#ch: (cruella de vil)#(cruel scientist)

Work From Home || Isaakken

Isaac had come to dread the sight of a binder.

It was like Jun Moon had trained some sort of pavlovian response in him from the times he showed up at Town Hall, binder tucked under his arm and determination on his face. Those were very long afternoons. Ones Isaac approached with patience but he couldn't help the tiny little urge to flee every time he saw a stack of rustling papers like that.

For a second he almost zoned out, but then Drakken was speaking again.

Essay contests? Not where he expected the conversation to go but he was inwardly grateful a complaint wasn't thrown at him.

"That's something we'd have to arrange with The Squire," because nothing was cut and dry and there were always a million hoops to jump through for anything, "but I like the idea."

He wasn't just saying that for the sake of being positive, one of the strangest things about Dr. Drakken was, in spite of the man's sometimes loud approach, that he was insightful. And he actually worked towards the goals he had in mind; a trait that was practically invaluable.

The fact that he shared an interest in education with Isaac also didn't hurt his favorable opinion of the man who he'd spent his early years in the Town Board trying to figure out how to befriend. Ultimately that seemed to only be accomplished when he'd stop trying and Drakken came around to the idea of it himself.

He certainly didn't miss the days Drakken had shown up at his desk demanding the town pay for things they realistically couldn't. The man was much better to have as an ally than an antagonist.

"I think it's an excellent idea, actually; by the time kids get in uni they're either so done with paying attention to any of the politics around town or they're frustrated by it. Maybe you're right, maybe having a better grasp of why things work the way they do early on would help."

Now that was an optimistic viewpoint, Isaac had only been teaching at the university for less than a year and he had already realized that most uni students were far more interested in other distractions, and he didn't blame them for that because he had been the same way at that age.

But it couldn't hurt to try.

@dr-drckken

@isaac-morey

Drakken made a face, his hand giving a little dismissive wave at the less than needed concern about needing the local newspaper's approval for the idea. Psshh, as if they would deny using up the space for something like this! It would probably do them some good, too, publishing something that wasn't just a bunch of random swill or that made people turn the page half way through. And there were how many people on the staff? It wasn't like they were going to have to convince a whole office to give up the page space– probably just whoever was in charge to make it happen. Easy, it was a complete non-issue.

Did Drakken think the work of a mushy-brained child that had no real idea of what being Mayor would be any better than a (presumably) trained professional? No, of course he didn't. But he figured the equally mushy-brained civilians of this town certainly would. At the very least, they would find it to be some semblance of cute or endearing.

Morey was the Mayor now, though, so Drakken didn't blame him for the comment. The poor guy was probably looking at every corner of the town as a safety hazard and law suit! Every glass was no doubt half empty. Or completely empty, for that matter.

Drakken had known that this was a good idea, it was his after all, but it never did hurt his massive yet very fragile ego to be praised. It made him smile, one of the more rare versions that was mostly warmth rather than conniving.

"Exactly," he said, even though he hadn't really heard what Morey had said past I think it's an excellent idea. "What do you think of the prompt? Or the idea of a prize? I'm assuming it's a no go just to give them some money for their troubles? Even though we all know that's all anyone really wants these days." He paused, looking down, finger tapping ideally against the counter. "We don't hand out keys to the town, do we?"

#title: (work from home)#ch: (isaac morey)#(isaakken)

Long Overdue || Drabela

rowsandrows-of-roses

Isabela was impressed.

As she stood back, she cocked her hip, arms crossing over her chest. There was a part of her that was enjoying this. Maybe she shouldn't, but she knew the kind of man that Benjamin was. (At least, she thought that she did.) Which meant she knew just how painful this apology was. And how much he must actually mean it.

And Isabela was a smug sort of person who loved to win arguments.

"True," Isabela said when Benjamin finished. Then, she sighed and let her smugness go. Her shoulders dropped.

She wondered how real a victory this was? Did Benjamin mean it? She had been lied to by plenty of men in her life. You would think that she would be an expert at picking out their lies from their sincerity. But, all it did was make her question everything they said.

"I have some--questions. I want you to be in my life, but there are things I need to know the answers to. Things that I let myself ignore but cannot anymore. Mainly: what happened between you and Vixey."

@dr-drckken

@rowsandrows-of-roses

Drakken nodded, initially feeling like he was more than ready to answer any and all of her questions. He had been sincere, wanting to do better as a friend with the knowledge that the very people he had once called friends were the ones he had felt the most betrayed by in all his life– and he did not want Isabela to view him as he viewed them.

But then she asked about Chakraborty and it surprised him, his brows lifting a little before they fell and furrowed together.

At first, he had no idea what on earth she was referring to. What happened between them? ...uhh....well, to be honest, he didn't even really know what to call it. He hardly thought about it anymore, after the wedding Chakraborty had stopped between McWiggin and that other woman, completely at peace with what had happened. Save for–

Ah.

"You're referring to the termination of our relationship?" he guessed. His demeanor shifted, though the air of confusion still shifted around him, though it was more to do with his own lack of memory on the whole thing (it had been several years since it happened, and since he no longer cared about it, he no longer held it in his mind as thoroughly as he once did). "It ended poorly. I...well she asked me to be frank with her about certain things. Personal things. I was. I told her my plans for a scientific study and inventions I've been working on my whole life, and she– didn't like it. Thought it was unethical, that it was too ambitious and that I should be content with what I had."

His eyes narrowed as he tried to remember the conversation. "I...I wasn't kind about it. I know that. I was hurt and angry and I had only just shown her my scar from my lab accident–" Drakken absently rubbed a hand at his chest, where said scars sat below the layers of clothing he had on. "–and I believed her when she said she cared about me. But she lied, to herself and to me, and I didn't take it well. I don't...remember what I said specifically, but I'm sure it was meant to hurt. I told her to get out. She did. And that was that."

#title: (long overdue)#ch: (isabela madrigal)#(drabela)

jump for the trees || Open

For a moment, Star was only focused on how things were happening. The unspoken systems beneath the surface of… the vet’s! It blinked at the question but quickly spurred into action.

“Oh, we found them at the park—in one of the nests of the trees! Don’t know what happened to cause the injury but we got them down by using a ladder!”

Quick and simple! The best way to make sure everyone knew what happened. Still, the fallen star glanced over at their doctor (not animal doctor)/partner in crime. Just in case there was more to add. Xer gaze returned to the receptionist after a few too many seconds.

“Will they be okay?”

⋆˚✰ @dr-drckken ⭑.ᐟ

@starfellwisher

The receptionist nodded along to what was being said, her hand moving as she took notes. The pen against paper the only sound coming from her side of the desk until she had finished, looking up to meet their eye.

At the question she softened a little, eyes glancing toward the bundle, and said, "We're going to do everything we can to see that they are. Thank you for bringing them in."

A second later a man, tall and a little lanky, came out from one of the doors on either side of the desk. He had round spectacles on the end of his nose and had on dark blue scrubs with white sneakers on his feet. He was putting gloves onto his hands. "Hello! What do we have here?"

"Dr. Carroll," the receptionist said. He stepped beside her, his taller frame allowing him to bend farther over the desk to look at the bird in their arms. "We don't know what happened or the cause. They were found like this."

"Okay. Let's get them to the back and get a better look. May I?" the vet asked, holding out his large hands in order to take the bird.

#title: (jump for the trees)#ch: (star lumas)#(blue supergiant)

Spot Of Bother || Cruel Scientist

ice-in-her-stare

"What I hear is a lack of willingness for free business and enterprise. And yes, actually, cutting off options." She would certainly be staunchly against this petition eternally. "It's possible that I might. A fashion empire requires a good number of things to succeed." If she could have a warehouse in town and a few storefronts and all that would be far better than circumstances were now.

Cruella didn't particularly care if this made her look like a capitalist. She was one and she took advantage of what was available to her. "Darling it takes time and money. I'm sure you realize that. I have the money, but I need time to develop the business the way I would like."

Granted, a good reason she also hadn't developed on main street was also taxes. And not wanting to pay them. But he didn't need to know that. He was annoying enough already. "But I need to fight for that power to develop my company as I'd like in this town."

@dr-drckken

@ice-in-her-stare

Drakken had stopped listening after a while, brain focused on one word. He had been starting at her through squinted eyes, face screwed up in utter confusion. After the sound of her grating voice had come to an end he waited a beat and then repeated, "Empire?"

Another moment of silence followed. He sighed, reaching up to scrub at his chin with frustration.

He had been having a good run at keeping his temper in check these days. (Meaning, within the past few weeks and not in the public eye.) Being a teacher had taught him a lot on how to talk to even the most stubborn of people– teenagers. And even worse, said teenager's parents.

But this woman, in particular, was pushing all the right buttons. Leading Drakken, who had been told to care so much about how he talked to the public in order to save the Board's reputation, over to the edge.

He found, he did not care. If she wanted to come here to fight, very well. He wasn't going to be the bigger man today.

"Quite frankly, you're the kind of person I had in mind when I drafted this petition. What this town does not need is entitled, rich, selfish brats coming in and ruining the economic landscape for their own gain," he told her, tone dark but heated. "Thank you for proving me right. Maybe if you spent half as much time on your empire instead of wasting both of our times, you'd actually have a shoppe front open."

#title: (spot of bother)#ch: (cruella de vil)#(cruel scientist)

Long Overdue || Drabela

rowsandrows-of-roses

Isabela didn't register Benjamin's rigidity until after she'd already thrown her arms around him. Her vision had been blurred by tears that she let silently fall as she squeezed him. And even as she noted the stiffness of his shoulders and the tension in his body, she just hugged him tighter.

Eventually, she felt his hands circle her and squeeze her back, which made her smile from where her chin was still tucked over his shoulder.

The words made her heart smile too. She felt it lift. After all, that was what Isabela strove to be, wasn't it? The best the world had to offer. And even if forgiving Benjamin felt inherently selfish (she missed feeling like there was someone looking out for her), maybe it didn't matter so much.

She fell back on her heels, having gone up on her toes to properly get her arms around him.

"Properly, hm?" she said, avoiding his gaze as she dabbed at her cheeks with her sleeves. She was embarrassed by her show of emotion, but her voice was teasing. "And what does that entail?"

@dr-drckken

@rowsandrows-of-roses

As soon as he felt her retreating he loosened his grip, having not even realized how tight he had been hanging on until his muscles relaxed. Something that happened often with him, so focused on something in his mind that he forgot about what his body was doing until he actively thought about it. The muscles in his arms and back aching when he released the tension from holding one position during an experiment, his hand cramping after he spent however long writing and erasing and rewriting out a formula or drawing a schematic until it made a lick of sense.

Releasing someone from a hug wasn't something he was used to– he had hardly been that close to someone else in...he didn't even know how long. Probably since Isabela herself had last cared to greet him.

"Listening to you, for one," he said, having not caught on that she may have been asking a rhetorical question. Drakken never had been any good at deciphering when someone was being sincere or not. He thought, given the context of this moment, it was safe to assume she was being entirely serious with her inquiry. He wanted to provide an answer. "Being there in your times of need. I know you have a large network with your family and friends and partner, but if you ever think I would be of use to you, I will be there. Or when you don't need me, but want me there, I will be. Checking in to know either of those and because...I enjoy speaking with you. You’ve always had my respect, I want to give you my support."

He gave a brief but sharp breath, his face telegraphing how difficult it was to relay what he was forcing himself to say. "I admit I am not good at it. I've never had the need to be." Drakken picked his shoulders up, squaring them a little more as his tone lightened. "But I do now. So. I'll learn. That, at least, I am good at."

#title: (long overdue)#ch: (isabela madrigal)#(drabela)

Long Overdue || Drabela

rowsandrows-of-roses

Of all the things that she could expect Benjamin to say: it was not that.

And maybe it was just because she'd grown soft. Or because she was in a good place in her life and more forgiving. Or, maybe, even because she still, sort of, saw Benjamin as her big brother from that silly dream so long ago now, which made it easier for her to forgive him like fighting with siblings often was--

But she felt her heart melt.

It was all she had wanted from the start anyway, wasn't it? An apology. Benjamin to recognize that the world didn't always work the way he expected it to. That other people had different ambitions, different perspectives.

Isabela swallowed down a sudden rush of tears. She didn't know why. She just realized she had missed Benjamin. It had been nearly a year since they'd talked, actually talked. Been friends. She took a step towards him and then flung her arms around his neck. Isabela squeezed him once.

"Te disculpo," she told him.

@dr-drckken

@rowsandrows-of-roses

Drakken had also not been expecting Isabela's response.

He stiffened when she got nearer, shoulders lifting slightly and spine straightening as he prepared for some sort of pain to be caused from her proximity. Whether that would come from a physical blow (though he doubted she would do something like that) or from a set of particular words that would grow thorns, unlike the beautiful flowers she often produced. But if that was her response, then so be it.

He had been hurt by others many times before. He would recover from whatever she inflicted in due time.

His eyes squeezed shut (the muscles and tissue of his injured eye ached) as she came forward into his personal space, body going entirely rigid as it prepared for the familiar sensation of pain.

...only there was none to be found. Just warmth and pressure.

Two words.

Emotion consumed him. At first it was the familiar weight of anger. Mostly on her behalf because how dare she forgive him so easily? After what he had done? After he had hurt her, like all those other men in her life, when he had thought he would never do such thing and yet had done it anyway. And to not even have known, because he had been so sure he had been right...which only made him realize he shouldn't be angry. It was her choice to forgive him. He shouldn't tell her how to feel. That's what had started this whole thing in the first place.

Learning. He was still learning, even after all these years. Who would have thought, a genius like him?

In the wake of anger came a flood of relief. A tentative hand came up, fingers brushing the fabric on her back until his arms had slowly wrapped around her, too, returning the embrace. After a moment, when he seemed to realize she wasn't going to disappear and that this was real, his hold tightened, allowing the hug to bloom in full.

"Then you are the best of what this world has to offer," he said. And since it had worked so well before, he tried this new method again. "If you'll let me, I'd like the chance to be your friend. Properly, this time."

#title: (long overdue)#ch: (isabela madrigal)#(drabela)

jump for the trees || Open

Oh, a hike! Star had read about those. They nodded along, though, his eyebrows furrowed with concern. Would it be too long? No, no, it was fine! Just get to the animal doctor and then the bird would be alright. No time for doubts!

“Alright! Lead the way!”

With renewed vigour, the fallen star followed the other to the vet. It stuck by pretty close, occasionally going ahead before slowing down again to let the other lead. The vet, as described by the ‘hike’, seemed far away. Too far, really. Did no one else want to be a vet living closer by?

The reception was strange. It didn’t feel half as nature-like a place for animals should be. Or, xe guessed, xe assumed it’d be. In a bit of a daze looking around, it almost missed the signal (motion?) to step forward. Right! More important things!

“Please help!”

Ae lifted up the bleeding bird for her to see. Just a glance would be enough, right? Unless they were busy… with other injured animals??

⋆˚✰ @dr-drckken ⭑.ᐟ

@starfellwisher

"Oh!" the receptionist said as soon as she saw the bird. She quickly pulled a walkie talkie from the desk, lifting it to her mouth as she continued looking at the bird, "Anyone available for a walk-in?"

After a second of silence a somewhat muffled voice answered back over the little radio, "What've you got?"

"A bird," she replied.

"I'll be out in a jiffy," the voice said.

The receptionist smiled, setting the walkie talkie down and turned around to get a clipboard from a stack of them. Then she got a pen, clicking it, and putting it to the paper. "Can you tell me where you found the bird? And if you saw what happened?"

#title: (jump for the trees)#ch: (star lumas)#(blue supergiant)

'minion' -too closely associated with those yellow things

'goon' -linguistic drift gave her a new meaning. i hope her new life is good for her. i miss her.

'henchman' -too gendered. can be shortened to 'hench' in a pinch, but lacks punch.

'servant' -too domestic to apply to all those who serve evil.

'underling, subordinate' -this one only works if they get off on being beneath you and/or you don't properly pay your workers.

'associate' -this one's good for grizzled mercenaries or lone agents but doesn't work good for broad swathes of an organization.

'slave' -same as underling but more intense. really fun for some of the group. unsavory for others in a way that limits the scope of the thing.

'thrall' -only really applies if you're brainwashing them and that's not something i've learned how to do en masse yet

'flunky, toady, stooge, lackey' -these are just insulting, and that isn't conducive to a healthy work environment. imagine going to work and your job title is 'stooge'.

'acolyte' -works for those that worship you, but again. lacks the scope.

'supporter, follower' -unspecific and vague

'assistant, helper, aide' -not sinister at all. just means you're doing things for me. swagless in this manner. could be good if used to describe someone who's so clearly more that as a way to emphasize their obedience via understatement, but that's only useful for a few members of the organization. and even then, 'associate' works better.

'cohort' -untested in the field. suggests an equal footing in the affair, ideal for post-structuralist evil organizations with a bottom-up power structure that's held in the hands of the evil workers themselves. perhaps we'll explore it together?

may I suggest: 'grunt' – time-tested by crime bosses with a variety of goals and organizational mandates. implies a subservient position with none of the innate baggage of lackey et al.

GRUNT IS PRETTY GOOD

#mister mean #thank you maeve <3 #i too miss goon. was the perfect amount of cartoony

Spot Of Bother || Cruel Scientist

ice-in-her-stare

Bah, equal opportunity was utter hogwash.

The world didn't care about community. The world was run by those who had the good sense to take over where they could. And then they and their wisdom let their wealth trickle down to the others who hadn't had the skills to get on that level. That was simply the correct way.

"As if half of them even have the competence to become business owners," Cruella retorted coolly. "If they had, they would have done it already." She didn't really regard the factor about money and building up enough of it that someone could manage to open a business in the first place. That was hardly her problem. It was theirs for not being resourceful enough.

Cruella shook her head. "It creates more opportunities. Someone with the means creates the business and therefore creates more jobs. I should think you'd like it if there were more jobs available for people in this town, not less." That was simply the sensible thing to do, in her mind. But naturally this man was one of those hippie dippie fools who thought everyone deserved an equal share of the pie.

Revolting.

"Hardly. I simply want to actually supply this town with good business and more jobs. To cut off that option for me is ridiculous."

@dr-drckken

@ice-in-her-stare

Sometimes he could forgot that people like this woman really did exist in the world but they were crawling all over the place. Even in a small town like this. They weren't always sitting up in some fancy mansion on the beach or on a top floor pent house.

Drakken knew that he was evil but he was a supervillain, not a corporate crook. At least he was upfront about it when he did it, not hiding behind some sanctimonious song and dance.

"No one is cutting off the option for you! If this petition were to be picked up and passed, you would still be able to operate businesses all you wanted! You just wouldn't be able to buy more than five pieces of property within the town limits. Are you telling me you need more than five buildings to...?" he trailed off, wracking his brain to see if she had actually said what her business idea was.

Whatever. Didn't matter, it was probably some ridiculous MLM scheme for selling cutlery or faulty pseudo-drug anyway. And who needed buildings for that? Didn't she just have to brainwash and hire people to go door-to-door selling it for her? Or worse, sponsor people online to sell to their audiences?

"I think you've made your own point! If you wanted to create these brilliant businesses and wonderful jobs for our economy, you would have already," Drakken said, then waved a flippant hand toward her. "But have you?"

#title: (spot of bother)#ch: (cruella de vil)#(cruel scientist)

Work From Home || Isaakken

"Biology would be an interesting one for him with the advantage of being able to talk to the wildlife I guess," it seemed like an obvious advantage to him and sometimes he wondered what sort of progress was being held back in the world with some of the prejudice towards Magicks that was still prevalent in so many places in the world. Avery could observe aquatic creatures on a level other people simply couldn't, but would that ever actually be accepted as science?

"He already spends half the summer talking to the locals in the lake, or at the beach when we take trips outside of town." Isaac couldn't say he wasn't looking forward to that just a little bit more that year because it had been a long one. "I'm just dreading the day he asks if one of the sharks he meets can come home with us," he chuckled, but it was always a possibility.

Isaac hoped the world moved in that direction in time and magic and science didn't have such a strong divide, maybe by the time Avery and Penny were old enough to go out into the world themselves.

He'd seen the prejudice firsthand when he'd lost his job teaching in Camden; it was still a wall for some.

"So, what's on you mind?" Isaac voiced, taking a sip of his coffee; if nothing else it was almost a guarantee that any conversation with the other man was going to be an interesting one.

@dr-drckken

@isaac-morey

Drakken nodded enthusiastically. Yes! That would be quite the advantage! So much so that he kid would probably be getting half the stuff on the exams wrong since he would have the right answers versus what the literature and journals said was the right answer– well, actually, in that case the right answer probably wouldn't even be on the tests.

Still, what a nice gift that would be, eh? Just getting to ask a fish a question scientists had been scratching their heads about for decades? Drakken wished he could ask the things he created why they weren't working sometimes but...he would have to program them to do that...which wouldn't help since...they weren't working and wouldn't be able to say...

Anyway!

Yes! He was here for a reason! And that reason was not to discuss the Mayor's child's future! Maybe another time.

"A lot of things," he answered, then opened the binder he had brought with him. The cover flopped over onto the counter. "Today in particular, I have been thinking about the engaging with the youth problem that always seems to be brought up at Town Hall meetings! I know politics, especially at this level, isn't particularly exciting for that demographic. But you know what is? Contests. So, I came up with a proposal for an essay contest for kids to enter. I'm thinking the prompt would be something about what they would do in politics? What would I do if I was Mayor for a week? Gets them engaged and potentially give us some insight into what these kids want from us. And the top three can get published in the local news paper, along with a prize for the top spot."

#title: (work from home)#ch: (isaac morey)#(isaakken)

Long Overdue || Drabela

rowsandrows-of-roses

The first thing that Isabela had noticed was Benjamin's black eye. She shouldn't care. It was none of her business. But, she couldn't help the way her eyes had widened and she'd wanted to ask what had happened. It was only Dr. Garcia's professional and harried air that stopped her.

The teacher clearly wanted to make this meeting short. She had things to do.

It did go quickly as they finalized how the program would run.

Isabela was packing up her iPad, which had her notes on it, ready to just scuttle right out of the meeting.

And then, Benjamin started saying something.

On instinct, Isabela looked up at him. Her gaze flicked towards Dr. Garcia's retreating form in the hallway, then back to Benjamin.

"Sure," she said wearily, not sure what Benjamin had to say, but assuming that...whatever it was, it wasn't good.

@dr-drckken

@rowsandrows-of-roses

Drakken had been ready to be rejected, brushed off by an excuse for the need to be elsewhere. It would have allowed him to bristle and allow him to second guess this whole ordeal. If she didn’t want to talk to him, fine! Then he could say he had tried and not have to feel the stupid pit in his stomach every time they crossed paths anymore.

But she didn’t. Instead she agreed.

No more excuses.

“Thank you,” he started, and sat up in his seat, hauling it a little closer to the desk so he could rest his wrists on it. He shuffled some more, biding his time to get his thoughts in order.

He never had been good with words. Though he would never admit this. But if there was one thing about Drakken, it was that when he put his mind to something he always followed through. Even if he failed, even if he didn’t get the results he desired the first time, he would continue to run at the wall until the bitter end. Which meant he was going to do this, and he was going to do it to the best of his abilities.

“I understand that I am probably too late in saying this, but…the point is that you deserve to hear it,” Drakken said. He looked up, meeting her eyes. “I’m sorry for the way I treated you, Isabela. You spoke to someone who you trusted to be your friend and I believe I failed on all accounts by you. I don’t want your forgiveness. I just want you to know I regret not being what you deserved.”

#title: (long overdue)#ch: (isabela madrigal)#(drabela)

Spot Of Bother || Cruel Scientist

ice-in-her-stare

This man was irritating. Cruella remembered that much.

The fact that someone like this had made it onto the board was... concerning to say the least. Dreadful to say the most. This poor town dealing with the insufferable. But fortunately, as long as Cruella said her piece, they hopefully wouldn't make such poor choices as to ruin her own goals.

"There are several reasons why. The first is this... do you hate bringing in wealth to this town? I recognize that it is a small charming little...place," a hell hole to her still really, but she was forced to live in it, so it needed to suit her interests. "But for people like me who really want to invest in town. To support people and their livelihoods here... not being able to do that at my best capacity would be a travesty. For them and for me."

Had she even bothered paying for real estate in town yet so far? No, she was quite content with her business on her own tax-free property. But there could always be occasion for change, and she didn't want to be blocked from that option.

@dr-drckken

@ice-in-her-stare

And here Drakken thought she was actually going to have a good reason. His brows creased upward, expression fully telegraphing how unimpressed he was with that explanation. It sounded exactly like the kind of person he was trying to prevent from moving into this place and buying up every last scrap of property Swynlake had to offer.

"Support people, huh?" he said, pressing his feet against the floor in order to push himself up in his chair. "And you think you need to do that by...what? Taking away opportunities for them to be business owners? Home owners? You want to tell me how that's investing in the town and the people in it rather than yourself?

"Because I want to help the town's economy by ensuring that it remains a place of equal opportunity. Where anyone can come in and build themselves up, without having to answer to some third party landlord who'll charge them out the ears for ridiculous fees. If you want to go back to the feudal system go build a time machine."

#title: (spot of bother)#ch: (cruella de vil)#(cruel scientist)

Long Overdue || Drabela

@rowsandrows-of-roses

The amount of questions he had dodged about the state of his eye at school after returning back to Swynlake were getting to be grating. Everyone was acting as though they had never seen a bruise before! Ridiculous. And, despite his very good excuse of getting elbowed on the plane (as he had cited going to visit Mother back in the states for his trip away) by someone trying to get their bag into the overhead compartment, rumors among the children had already started.

Spring fever had everyone in a mood these days.

It had served as a welcome distraction, though, since the end of the day meant a meeting with Dr. Garcia and Isabela Madrigal for the summer program. The end of the semester was a few mere weeks away now and they were putting the final touches on the project. But it wasn't the meeting itself that he was thinking heavily about and in need of a diversion from.

They met in the Board offices, as always, and it did not take very long. As he had suspected. Dr. Garcia bid them farewell and Drakken, who was usually the first one out the door from these things (he was busy!), lingered. As soon as Isabela looked like she was getting ready to depart he tried to speak, "Uh–"

Now or never. Drakken swallowed thickly.

"Do you have a moment?" he asked.

#title: (long overdue)#ch: (isabela madrigal)#(drabela)

you think you're all that! @dr-drckken - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag