“Missing Dad” (short story - Starlight + Shadow)
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“Missing Dad” (short story - Starlight + Shadow)
ok so like i had this idea for a while n it took me MONTHS to finish bc i was nvr content w/ my writing n whatnot yadda yadda yadda anyway,, this is basically a what if thing about the triads shooting trevor in ludendorff n michael realizing how dumb he is
(my apologies that it’s so fuckin looooooong but I didn’t wanna leave it on a short note that felt incomplete. hope y’all like it !!!!! sorry for any grammatical errors or if the formatting’s funky)
//
Why didn’t he realize it sooner? Was he stupid? No, no. He was just blind. Blind for the past 10 years. Who knows. Maybe even longer than that. Fucking Michael. It always came back to that venomous shithead, constantly ruining everything for him. Did he just... forget? Was he so focused on that bloodsucker when he was “dying” in front of him he completely forgot Brad got shot first? That Brad died first? He didn’t even really think about him when shit went down. Or care much about Brad in general for that matter. The guy was a dick who just worked with other dicks back in the day, eventually joining their motley crew. A fading memory more than anything. His primary focus had always been Michael, who he thought was his right hand man. Trevor always knew that there was something different about him. As frustrating as Michael could be, it still didn’t change how he felt deep down. Michael wasn’t like the others. Or at least, that’s what he had thought. The night he found out that Michael’s lie ran deeper than he led on was one he wouldn’t forget.
He arrived at Michael’s house in a short amount of time. Hopping up the steps he made his presence known, standing in the entrance of the living room. He plopped down next to Michael, who scooted away from him slightly, still not ready for close contact from Trevor.
“Family ain’t back yet, huh?”
“Nope.”
“She’s a Goddamn fool, man.”
Trevor was never one to hide his jealousy towards Amanda. The two had been going at it for years, and it was always regarding Michael. Catty behavior between two people who had complicated relationships with the man, in their own unique ways. Amanda was scared of Trevor, but was never afraid of talking shit to his face. It was never any serious threats whenever they shot petty quips at one another anyway. She knew Trevor would never kill or harm her, all thanks to Michael, who spoke up again.
“Despite all the chaos of these last few weeks, I think I finally figured it out… I know, it sounds ridiculous-“
To Trevor, the thought wasn’t ridiculous. He knew Michael would never change. He would always be a killer, a man of action through and through. He was wasting away on a couch, rewatching classic Vinewood every night. To him, it only seemed right for Michael to keep taking scores.
“You’re back man!” He proclaimed, emphasizing his next line, “We are back!”
With excitement in his eyes, Trevor went on to boast about the little clique they had formed, and how they only needed to bust Brad out to fully reunite. Michael looked solemn, shaking his head slightly.
“That’s not it. I got money, it just makes you miserable-“ Now it was his turn to have excitement shine in his eyes.
“I wanna make movies.”
“Great. That’s great… and uh, so where exactly does this leave me in the second act of your life?”
He felt his stomach sink somewhat, regretting having asked that question. Michael would always tiptoe around it, avoiding the inevitable. But he couldn’t run from the past anymore. It would always catch up to him.
“This is not a game to me! Alright? This is a fuckin’ way of life.”
“I got a fuckin’ family!”
“Yeah, well, I got nothin’! No one gives a fuck about me!”
There was a pause. A hesitation. Amber eyes looked sorrowfully yet savagely into pale blue ones.
“I do.”
Something in Trevor snapped hearing those words. He couldn’t stand the audacity of Michael saying that to him. Because to him, Michael didn’t seem to give a fuck about what happened to Trevor. No matter how many times he lamented to him about everything he went through.
“Oh… Fuck you.”
Trevor rose from his seat, beginning to pace around the room, stabbing a finger in Michael’s direction. He did nothing but stare between his feet, not bothering to look up at Trevor.
“I saw your grave. I mourned you. And then it turns out that everything I fucking thought about you was wrong. Everything! You’re not dead, and you’re not a man.”
Michael shot up from his seat, cool demeanor abandoned in a fit of anger.
“Well, what the fuck are you?”
“I’m your fucking nightmare!”
“Yeah, enough with your Goddamn threats!”
Trevor did nothing but scoff at him, backing away like he was about to leave the room. Instead, some kind of alarm went off in his head, urging him to stay and ask the question he pushed far into the back of his mind. The inevitable was happening, and he couldn’t ignore the need to ask anymore. If Michael himself stood before him alive as ever, then who the fuck was in Michael Townley’s grave? Then suddenly, and ultimately, it clicked for him. Fucking Brad.
“You treacherous piece of shit! You’re fuckin’ dead! You’re fucking dead!”
As it clicked for Trevor, it clicked for Michael.
“Oh, fuck! Trevor! Hey, T!”
He peeled out of the driveway in Michael’s car. God, it smelled just like that fucking prick. It made him want to cry.
“Fuck!” He screamed out to no one in particular.
He slammed on the gas and wiped away any forming tears. His phone began to ring and he saw an all too familiar photo appear. Michael. What the fuck could he possibly say or want right now?
“Fuck you.” He spat out.
“Hey, come on. Where you going?”
“You know where I’m going, fuck you!”
The fucking nerve of him to ask that. What was wrong with him? The rest of the conversation wasn’t any better. It sounded like some stupid break up between two teens, as if Michael had cheated on him with some hooker instead of lying about the past decade or so.
“Trevor, come on!”
“Fuck you Michael! Soon enough, I will.”
He was on his way to the air field, and dialed up Ron as soon as he could. He needed to get out of here before Michael could stop him.
“Trevor? It’s great to uh..”
“Is there a plane I can use? Get me across country?”
“Sure! Sure. We got one fueled up for a trip south of the border.”
“I’m taking it.”
“Is everything okay, man?”
“Everything is not okay. Nothing has ever been okay but I’m going up there to see it for myself. I’m going to see an old friend alright? If you’re where I think you are buddy...”
Trevor gripped the steering wheel harder until his knuckles turned white. Tears stung his eyes, but he couldn’t bring himself to let it out.
“I don’t know why I didn’t see it. I guess.. I guess I didn’t want to. Fuck!”
He clutched his phone tightly as he spoke, cracking the already shattered screen more. His voice was faltering, and it became harder to speak clearly.
“Maybe I knew all along. I’m gonna find out for sure and I’m gonna... do something about it! God there was always something wrong with that job, what went down after I guess I-“
The tears made their way down his face. His voice trembled and threatened to crack.
“I guess I wanted to believe- Fucking.. Fucking flea circus!”
He couldn’t hold it in any longer. Too many things began to resurface. Seeing red, he just cried out to Ron, still on the phone patiently listening to him rant.
“Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!”
“I’m sorry Trevor...”
He slammed on the gas as he approached the airfield. Running over to the plane, he hopped in and began his journey to Ludendorff. As he left, storm clouds poured in and darkened the sky. A thick rain accompanied by the thunder and lighting combo shook the small plane he was in. He braced himself for the rest of the trip there and kept going.
Ludendorff was just like he remembered. Cold, empty, and super fucking depressing. Why was the midwest like this all the time? Sure, living it up in Sandy Shores wasn’t the most ideal but for fucks sake, at least it was warm. He pulled up to the cemetery shortly after landing, and hurried off to find that God forsaken grave. After glancing at each passing gravestone, there it was. The late great Michael Townley’s place of burial.
“Who you got in here..?”
He scoffed, knowing his answer.
“As if I need to ask...”
It took forever to reach the coffin. The wood was brittle, which meant it would be easy enough to pry open and see who was actually in Michael’s place. He had been so caught up in his digging he didn’t notice a set of steps coming at him.
“You’re wasting your time.”
Trevor was wasting his time? No, he was making perfectly good use of it. Michael was wasting his if anything. Flying all the way out here for what? No, don’t say it... Was it finally gonna happen? Was Michael waiting for the opportunity to finally take a pop at him and leave his carcass for good? To toss him right into the grave with Brad? He didn’t want to believe so but hey, it’s Michael. Who knows what he’ll do. He couldn’t bear to listen to another word that came out of his mouth, and knew he needed to get the jump on him.
“You reptilian motherfucker!”
How did it end up here? Why was he pointing a gun at Michael? What the fuck was he doing? He didn’t want to kill him. He never did, even if he had a million justifiable reasons to.
“I didn’t want it to have to come to this.”
There it was again. The fucking lying. That same exact fucking lying that got them here to begin with.
“Yes you did! You just don’t have the fucking balls to do it! But I do!”
But Trevor was also a hypocrite. He didn’t have it in him to ever go through with killing Michael. No matter what the son of a bitch did to him, he meant too much to Trevor for him to ever consider killing the man himself. He didn’t want to think about being the cause of him dying for good.
“I’ve got more to lose than you!”
“Never a truer word has been spoken, brother.”
He said that with as much malice as he could muster. Michael was the farthest fucking thing from being a brother. This was a man he had loved. Hell, still loved, despite it feeling more and more like a stranger before him with each encounter they had.
“Now.. pull the fucking trigger.”
The air was too still. It was choking him, making him feel frozen. Sure, weather played a part in the feeling but this... was different. His blood felt like ice. He couldn’t do it.
“You ain’t got the guts.”
Neither of them could do it. Even if he fired he knew he’d miss. Michael had the upper hand here.
“Take the fucking shot!”
Wait. Was Michael... crying? No. No way the great Michael fucking Townley was actually crying over this. That motherfucker. He’s such a fucking fraud. A coward. Always running. Running from Trevor, his past, his problems, his family and his fucking emotions.
His train of thought had been interrupted when he heard snow faintly crunching not too far from them.
“What was that?-“
A noise shot through the tense air that surrounded them. Woosh. Fuck. No. It couldn’t be- Ow. No. No fucking way. He looked down in awe and there it was, a distinct bullet hole, pierced through his torso. It nearly missed his heart, but was most certainly in a spot to do enough damage to him. He looked back up at Michael, mouth slightly agape leaking with the blood that began to pool in his mouth. Peaking behind him, he saw two figures lingering far behind. The fucking Triads. Of course, how could he forget? It’s not everyday you slam the head of a Chinese mobster’s son into a post. Fucking shit. If only he hadn’t messed with Tao…
He was fucked, and he didn’t know what to do. All he knew was that he felt himself wanting to collapse on the ground. Michael looked at him in pure disbelief, eyes wide enough to pop from his head. Normally Trevor would giggle at the sight, but any noise from him would be a gurgle of blood in place of it.
“…Trevor?”
That was enough to knock him to the ground.
“Mr. Phillips! Mr. Cheng wants a word with you!”
Michael whipped his head back, and began dragging the two of them to cover. Was that supposed to be a fucking warning shot?? The one who shot Trevor spoke in Chinese to the other gunman, then spoke in English to the duo.
“Phillips! You and your boyfriend cannot hide from us!”
Michael grabbed his gun and started firing back, clipping the two in the front instantly.
“Trevor… what the fuck did you get into?! What are they on about? I… I’m not…”
Trevor couldn’t speak. He could only murmur at the man beside him.
“Trevor, seriously, you better answer me because I’m pretty fucking lost here-“
He angrily turned his head back to find Trevor on the verge of slipping out of consciousness, his face dropping at what was before him.
“Ah, Trevor! Shit!”
Before Michael could help him out, a van burst through the gate to the left, and more yelling ensued.
“Get out the van! Go find them!”
Michael panicked, pushing his gun into Trevor’s limp hands so he could grab the dead Triad henchman’s sturdier gun. He fired and clipped a few more men, trying his best to keep an eye on Trevor. His breathing was shallow, and he attempted to prop himself up so he could fire at them too.
“Trevor, what the fuck is going on? Who are these guys?”
“It’s the fucking,” He winced, pushing himself onto his knees so he could grab the side of the grave they hid behind. He spit out some blood that leaked from his mouth, staining the snow beneath them.
“The God damn Chinese, sugar tits.”
“Why are they-“
“Ask questions later, I’m fucking bleeding out here.”
Trevor forced himself to fully stand, his legs wobbling slightly. He fired a few more rounds, face contorted in pain. Another bullet flew by him, grazing his side.
“Fuck! Ow!” He growled.
“T, what in the hell are you doing?! Get down!”
“Fuck off you fucking leech! I can-“ He spit out more blood.
“I can handle this myself!”
He groaned, keeping his aim as still as he possibly could, which wasn’t very still at all. Stubborn as ever, Trevor went in guns blazing. He used not only the gun Michael had forced into his hands, but also the one he had brought with him. Several more shots fired at him until he felt a hand yank him back to the ground. He fell with a slight thump, and pain jolted through him again.
“You crazy bastard! We’re getting the fuck out of here, but that can’t exactly be accomplished if you’re dead!”
“Oh please! You already want me dead you fat fucking snake!” He wheezed out.
“Jesus Christ- Trevor. I already told you-“
“Shit, Mikey-”
Before either one could do anything about it, a Triad that had snuck up on them pistol whipped Michael in the back of the head. Trevor scrambled backwards and attempted to get on his feet, but to no avail. In a last minute effort, he lifted Michael’s gun and fired. For someone who was labeled a lousy shot by his partner, he felt that Michael would’ve been proud of his aim at that moment in time. A clean shot, right between the fucker’s eyes. He grinned slightly, adrenaline still coursing through him. He barked out a laugh, forgetting how much of a chore it was to allow any noise to escape him. It caused him to break into a coughing fit, spitting up more blood onto the snow. He looked from the small circle of blood that formed in front of him, back to Michael’s limp body. He shoved him slightly, trying to nudge him back into consciousness.
“Mikey. Michael. Get up. We gotta go like you said-“
He heard another van pull up. Then another. Fuck.
“You gotta be shitting me..”
Trevor, disregarding his wounds weakening him to the point his vision grew spotty, swapped his handgun for the gun Michael grabbed. He tried his best to prop the other man up against a grave, well out of the Triad’s line of sight. He pushed through any pain he felt, still riding his adrenaline high, wiping the rest of them out one by one. He rushed back over to Michael, who was stirring awake.
“Michael, for fucks sake get up already! Jesus I’m still fucking bleeding and I have to save your ass right now? Come on!”
He was finally able to stand, and Trevor slung Michael’s arm around his shoulder, helping him regain his balance. They helped one another walk through the mess of snow, blood, and bodies to get to the rental car, which surprisingly was still in alright shape. Across the train tracks, one more van started to pull up, right before the nightly train passed through town.
“Haha! Thank you train for being useful this time!”
He forgot how much it hurt to laugh, clutching his side and muttering curses under his breath as the two raced over to the car. Michael hopped in the driver’s seat after placing Trevor in the passenger’s side. Trevor’s adrenaline rush began to die down along with the rest of him. Michael raced out of the cemetery, narrowly escaping the left over henchmen. Glancing over at Trevor, he realized how shit of a shape he was in. Despite not living in North Yankton in close to 10 years, he still remembered where all the nearby hospitals were. It wasn’t ideal, considering what they were doing up there and who they were and what not, but it was better than having Trevor die on the spot.
“Hey, don’t you fucking die on me right now buddy. There’s no way you ain’t surviving the shit show we just went through, which only happened thanks to you.”
Trevor asked himself why Michael was still giving him snide remarks about his unruliness. He figured now wasn’t the time to really argue, but still tried nonetheless.
“You… fuckin’ snake.. you think you’re so..”
“I’m so what Trevor? No you know what- Don’t speak right now, but try to stay awake, please?”
“Mmph..”
The ride out of Ludendorff was quiet. The radio was off, and neither one chose to speak. Michael of course was driven mad by the silence.
“…Look. Trevor I- I fucked up. There’s nothing I can do now to fix it, no matter how many times I apologize. But you do- You do know that I cared about you then, and I care about you now…”
Trevor did nothing but grunt in response, eyelids heavy. Michael sighed.
“We’re almost to a hospital. They’ll fix you up good, and- and you’re gonna be fine. You ain’t dying on me yet. I mean- you’ve survived worse? You.. I…”
He huffed out a breath, gripping the steering wheel tight. The rest of the ride was silent, save for Michael making sure Trevor was still alive and conscious. They made it to the hospital, with Michael carrying him fireman style, seeing as Trevor was very lanky compared to him. He called out for someone to help, using his gift of lying to say that Trevor was just shot by a random mugger, so the report back wouldn’t seem too suspicious. He patiently waited for word back from a doctor, eventually seeing someone come to him with a clip board.
“Are you… Franklin?”
Michael had been smart enough to give them both fake names, but he just blurted out the first two names that came to mind. Right now, he went by Franklin, and for all they knew Trevor was Lamar.
“Yes, that’s me.”
“Your friend is in critical condition, but you got him here just in time. Any later and he wouldn’t have made it.”
The last sentence caused Michael’s ears to ring.
“He’s going to be out of surgery soon, the bullet wound was pretty deep.” The doctor narrowed their eyes slightly, getting ready to write the report down.
“You said that he was mugged?”
“Yeah. The guy fired at him and ran off. Didn’t get a good look at his face.”
“Hmm… well alright. I’ll let you know when your friend is ready for visitors.”
The rest of the night was painfully slow. By the time Trevor was out of surgery, he was still hopped up on morphine, allowing him to rest properly for the first time in forever. Michael sheepishly walked in, careful not to be too loud. He made his way over to Trevor’s side, sitting in the seat next to his bed. He hadn’t seen Trevor look so content like that in so long. Not since... those days. He spoke to himself, seeing as Trevor was fast asleep.
“You worry me so much you dumbfuck… why do you pull the shit you pull? I mean.. shit. I… I love you, man. I do. But what if you died without ever hearing that from me again? Is that the reason why you get like this? Shit. Right. I’m such a fucking idiot.”
Besides everything about Ludendorff, it angered Trevor to his core that Michael could never admit he loved Trevor unless he was drunk or alone. In this instance, he technically was. Trevor was peacefully dreaming, while Michael felt restless. He proceeded to fumble around for his cellphone to reach out to Franklin, who had been wondering what happened to them. He knew Franklin would probably be up anyway.
Yo Mike, where u at? Trevor too, Lamar n I gotta do one last job wit him.
F
Currently in North Yankton kid. Trev found out about Brad. Some Chinese gangsters rolled on us, T got shot. Be home soon hopefully.
M
Oh shit. Stay safe out there homie. See u soon ig.
F
Michael let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, looking back up at Trevor. He tried to think about what he would do next. Knowing that visiting hours were limited, he felt a twinge of guilt knowing he’d have to leave Trevor alone for a night after what happened. But it was late, and he couldn’t stay there overnight. He figured he’d have to bunk in some cheap motel for the time being. Just until Trevor and him were ready to leave North Yankton. He spoke to the doctor from before to let them know he would come back the next morning. When he arrived at the nearest shit motel, he still couldn’t find it in him to sleep. He was tired, sure, but his mind wouldn’t allow him to drift off. Even if he did, he would find himself jolting awake, the scene of Trevor getting shot playing over and over in his head. He’d almost been responsible for Trevor’s death once, he couldn’t let it happen for real. What would he do anyway if he did die? He quickly brushed the thought off, not wanting to consider the possibilities.
He returned to the hospital the next morning, half awake from the lack of sleep. Visiting hours were early, and he wanted to get them both out of here as fast as he could. Walking to Trevor’s room, he saw the man sitting upright looking out the window. North Yankton may have been cold as a bitch, but from time to time it had real pretty sunrises. He knocked lightly on the door, and Trevor turned to face him.
“Hey, T…”
He couldn’t read the expression on his face.
“I thought you left.”
“Visiting hours are limited, T. You should know that by now.”
He didn’t say anything in response, facing back towards the window instead. Michael sat down in one of the chairs across from him.
“You.. you worried me. I thought-“
“You thought what, cupcake? That I’d just die on the spot, and you could just leave my dead body there-“
“Trevor! For the last time that wasn’t my fucking plan!”
Their voices steadily increased above the normal level it should’ve been for a hospital setting.
“Then why did you have a fucking gun, huh Mikey?”
“I could ask the same for you!”
“Oh of course, turn the situation onto me again-“
“You brought a gun for what, Trevor?!”
“That’s not the issue at hand here!”
“Yes it is!”
A voice chimed into their argument.
“Excuse me. You,” A nurse who walked in pointed at Trevor.
“You need to rest. And sir, I’m not sure who you are, but if you want to stay as a visitor I suggest you lower your voice and behave.”
The two men looked at each other angrily before sitting back down. The nurse exited, most likely wanting to return later so Michael could discuss discharging him. Silence filled the room briefly.
“T… I meant what I said.” His voice had dropped to a whisper.
Trevor didn’t look him in the eye. His arms were crossed, and he just looked out the window.
“I could’ve lost you.”
The other man still said nothing.
“I could’ve lost you and you would’ve died not knowing I..” He trailed off.
Trevor turned back to look at Michael while speaking.
“Knowing what? You hiding something else from me, porkchop?”
“I…”
“Spit it the fuck out Mikey or I swear to God-“
“I love you.”
His felt his stomach twist uncomfortably, and his hands became clammy. He finally forced the words out, sober.
“I love you.” He repeated, shutting his eyes so he wouldn’t have to look at Trevor while saying it. He chose to look at his feet instead.
“I’m sorry I didn’t say it sooner. And I just.. kept thinking that you could’ve died not hearing that from me ever again.”
He didn’t notice it at first, but tears brimmed his eyes. Trevor’s scowl fell and his face softened.
“What?” Was all he could choke out.
“Don’t.. don’t make me say it again.” He said, face flushing red.
“You..” Trevor didn’t finish his sentence. He shuddered in his seat, ready to cry himself. He buried his face in his hands, muffling something incoherent.
“What?”
He lifted his head up, tears streaking his cheeks.
“I’m so sorry, Michael.”
“Sorry for what?”
“For.. being like this.”
Trevor was a lot of things. You couldn’t just describe him in only one word. Michael tried sifting through the options of what he meant.
“I pushed you so hard back then I.. I thought I was losing you. I didn’t want to. All it did was make you want to leave even more.” Trevor kept sniffling.
“Trev…”
“Why Michael? Why do you do this to me?”
He wanted to ask him “Do what?”, but they both knew the answer. Michael never let his feelings be more than surface level. He was repressed and Trevor hated it. Trevor continued to cry, and the tears that Michael held in spilled.
“Hey.. don’t… don’t apologize, T. Please.”
“I..” He hiccuped.
“I’ve loved you for so long. Why couldn’t you have done the same?”
Michael kept his head down. He didn’t want to see the heartbroken expression on Trevor’s face. It only made him feel worse.
“You left me.”
“I didn’t want to.”
“But you still did. Telling me that doesn’t change anything. You became another person in my life that I loved and then you left. Same as always for me.”
Everything Trevor loved was always out of his reach. Flying, his mother, Michael, Patricia… He could go on. Nothing was ever gonna be permanent for him.
“But I’m here for you now, T. I’m not going anywhere.”
He finally looked up to see Trevor’s sad eyes burning a hole right through him. His silence told him it’d be a long while before he could believe his words.
“Now.. uh. Let’s get the fuck outta this place.”
It didn’t take long for Trevor to be discharged. The doctors had told him he should stay for another day or so, but only got an irritated response from Trevor. Figuring the duo wouldn’t budge on wanting to leave, he was signed off for clearance. They eventually found the plane Trevor flew in on, and made their way out of the state. Neither one knew if this would change anything between them, but Trevor felt more at ease around him. It would still take time and effort for any left over wounds to heal, but for right now, Trevor was content.
AURA!!!!!!!!!
HAPPY BDAY BESTIE
Sending u all the love I have stored in the lockdown because you fucking deserve it all adhkdasdfhjk
OMG U REMEMBERED
I LOVE U BESTIE
And a million thanks the love is much appreciated ❤ ❤ ❤
Anonymous said:
I've been a bit nostalgic recently and I was watching the SD from the 2014 Olympics and looking at their protocols and do you know if they ever said where they went wrong with the first pattern? Because they lost a level from not hitting the last keypoint and I'm no technical expert but I watched most of the SD and I didn't see where they went wrong.
Okay, here we go, LOL. I remember at the time trying to figure out "what went wrong" but I had a lot of issues with it at the time, which I won't get into. But, I'll try to keep to the subject instead of my emotional reaction to it, LOL.
So my first step was to refresh myself on what the key points were and which key point cost them the level. So, a quick refresher:
At the time, there was no partial step sequence. Teams were required to do one full pattern of the Finnstep, which took a full circuit of the rink. The pattern was then broken into two separately marked sections, with each section containing three key points. So, when you look at the protocols for VM, they had 1FS3+kpYYN and 2FS4+kpYYY.
http://www.isuresults.com/results/owg2014/owg14_IceDance_SD_Scores.pdf
That means that in the first section of the Finnstep, they did the first two key points correctly, and the third was done incorrectly, and in the second section of the Finnstep, they did all three key points correctly.
To make things more complicated, as per usual, each key point is not a single feature. That is, usually you must do several steps, each on a correct edge, or a correct turn, to actually earn the key point, and to miss any of those edges or turns means losing a level.
That is where this visual was very helpful to me:
http://icedanceanalysts.blogspot.ca/2013/12/the-fun-steps-of-finnstep-identifying.html
Key Point 3 Man Steps 20-21 (XB-LFI, RFO-Sw3/RBI Tw1/RBI) The male partner crosses his left leg behind his right on a forward inside edge and as soon as he gets on this edge he brings the right leg up and crosses in front of his left without touching the right foot down on the ice before moving it back to its regular alignment and setting it down on a forward outside edge. On this same forward outside edge, the male partner completes a swing three turn, exiting this turn on a back inside edge. This edge becomes the entry edge for the single twizzle that follows, and the male partner exits this twizzle on the same right back inside edge.
It discusses the key points of the Finnstep as well as providing gifs to illustrate the movement, and if the post I am writing is of any interest to you, please visit the link to clarify your own understanding of what I am looking at.
So, the key point missed by VM was the third key point of the first section and so, it was Scott's key point. But which part of the key point did he miss? There are a number of edges and turns he completed. So, I went to the video, at about 2:08:
Now, I will pause and say that the technical panel has access to footage that we cannot see. Whether we deserve to see them is a different argument and a long standing one with figure skating fans. But the angles we see of this key point is not very helpful when trying to analyze Scott's edges. Without the benefit of an angle facing the skaters from the front (or back), it is difficult to ascertain if he is on a proper edge or not. The key point was not one of the elements featured in the replays, so there is no alternate angle to review.
For comparison's sake, here are some of the other SD's which were awarded a Yes for the key point being discussed:
at about 2:39
at about 1:26
I am unable to help any of us understand the loss of the point and of the level. I am *not* saying that they deserved the point, or that the other teams I chose to show didn't deserve them. I am saying that without a better angle of the steps being discussed, I am not capable enough of being able to see the error.
***
On another note, I would like to say that in another post from a couple of days ago, I said I thought that I recalled VM getting better GOE on the element where they lost their level, than DW, who did get there level, and that it was, ironically, the only element in the SD that VM out-GOE'd DW. My memory on that aspect was correct.
And on that note, I should probably stop typing before I revisit my 2014 self and start ranting, LOL.
So here is the old fanfic like I said. This is a Momma CQ fanfic i did like almost 2-3 years ago (i wasn't even in tumblr at this time, i think). I just made a few changes with some stuff, also sorry it's kinda of long.
WARNING: Long, occasional curse words(mostly from me), death, this is really old so it’s not the current Momma CQ world. Credits: Momma CQ by @alainaprana Characters by @loverofpiggies & @comyet Inspiration(idea came from): comic with Kid!Geno and Geno by @slylock-syl
And before we begin I wanna give a comment; “I still feel like this was really stupid cause damn so *SPOILER WALL* and if you don’t want to read about any fucked up shit and a little kid dying I advice you not to read this” (also sorry for any mistakes, english is not my first language, and i highly reccomend you check out the comic in the link above) -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I know its inevitable that you're going to respond to this in a defensive way because im pretty sure everyone would. But i just think SOMETIMES the way you answer questions is kind of rude. and i get why because like you get asked the same question over and over again, or like its an "annoying" question. So maybe just dont reply to asks that irritate you... because its not like its a hate ask. They are genuine questions sent in by people who genuinely love you so sometimes that response hurts..
I really do want to know why people think my answers are either rude or arrogant or all the other things I keep being called, because it honestly hurts my feelings getting those words thrown at my face….
The only thing I can thing about is the “I’ve answered this before” but this is simply a point to the fact that people can find more answers like these under my “shawn talk” because if I answer the question too short, I’m getting thrown at my face once again, that I’m arrogant or whatever. Therefore I’m guiding people to know, that if they want a deeper answer than what I’ve given them, it is possible to find more likes these, because I’ve answered things like that as well.
I feel kind of offended getting those words thrown at me(and I get them more than the once I respond too) because how can you judge me from knowing me through a screen? I am literally trying to get through everyone’s questions so no one feels left out or overlooked or anything like that and it doesn’t really matter the hell I do, there’s always something I’m doing wrong……
More then Anything
Here an angst-y one-shot i wrote awhile ago about Plato and Tugger.
One good thing to come out of these script is that I am now eyeing my own screenplay and thinking “Huh okay so not as bad as I expected”