The Gallery of Stormy Adler

No Concessions

[Iwerks University baseball field, late afternoon, before a game. As the Junior Shamrocks talk with one another, the coach taps their bat against the fence]
[Junior Shamrocks coach]: “Attention, attention. I have an announcement to make.” [the Junior Shamrocks fall silent] “There have been several complaints lately from spectators and even the Iwerks chancellor, about the games taking too long. And I and the other coaches know the reason for these complaints; they’re the times you go to the concession stands every time you make it to home base.”
[the Junior Shamrocks are nervous, they know what’s about to happen]
Nicole: [laughs nervously] “What? No it isn’t, there’s gotta be another reason.”
[Junior Shamrocks coach]: “No, there isn’t. Us coaches have every time last season as proof, when it took us upwards of five whole minutes to choose replacements for everyone in line for snacks or drinks, whenever it was time to play offense. Which is why, starting this season, I and the other coaches are implementing a new rule. The concession stands are now off-limits to players on game time. No exceptions.”
[the Junior Shamrocks groan and boo, some even curse out and throw pebbles at the coach]
Murphy: “You can’t do this! I need my between-innings soda!”
[Junior Shamrocks coach]: “If you must drink or eat on game time, you can order from the vending machines over by the bathroom, or get a free water from our water girl Suzie.”
Suzie: [holds up water bottle] “I’ve got water!”
Kate: “Oh please, like that’s a replacement for soda.”
Charlotte: “There’s nuthin’ in them machines but stale granola bars and barely-flavored water!”
[Junior Shamrocks coach]: “Yes, but they are healthier. And will waste less time than getting a hot dog and soda. You’re better off this way.” [the Junior Shamrocks continue to complain] “This is the way things are now. If you have a problem with it, you can be a spectator.” [The coach turns away, and the Junior Shamrocks fall silent. The players exchange looks with each other]
Charlotte: “Keine Sorge, Damen. Wir kommen dieses Verbot auf jeden Fall herum, so oder so.” _{^{Don’t worry, ladies. We are definitely going to get around this ban, one way or another.}}
Murphy: “Äh, Charlotte? Bist du sicher, dass Trainer weiß nicht, was du sagst? Du weißt, wir leben in eine Deuletsche Stadt.” _{^{Uh, Charlotte? Are you sure coach doesn’t know what you’re saying? You know we live in a Gerbilman town.}}
Charlotte: “Oh, bitte. Wenn sie es wüsste, sie wäre meine Idee abschalten.” _{^{Oh, please. If they knew, they’d be shutting my idea down.}}

[Later, during the game. It’s the first inning of the Junior Shamrocks vs. the Junior Vermilions, the latter of which includes Charlotte’s sister, Brooklynn, who is up to bat with two strikes against her, and two outs against her team. Charlotte, in her usual first basesow position, feels her stomach growl. She looks up at the concession stands]
Charlotte: “Come on, Brooklynn, fumble ’nuff to end this half of the inning.”
[Murphy throws the ball, and Brooklynn manages to hit it… right in Charlotte’s direction. It bounces through the grass once, before landing in Charlotte’s mitt. Charlotte smirks before stepping onto first base, with Brooklynn just a step away. A buzzer sounds from the scoreboard]
Brooklyn: “Wh –“
Charlotte: “Ye’re out, sis.” [blows raspberry]
[the Junior Shamrocks head to the benches as the Junior Vermilions take their place on the field]
[announcer]: “And sibling rivalry makes the field, as Charlotte Roth gets her own sister Brooklynn out! And with three outs for the Junior Vermilions, it’s now the bottom of the first, as the Junior Shamrocks go up to bat.”
[at the benches, Charlotte gets a water from Suzie and chugs it down]
[Junior Shamrocks coach]: “Roth! You’re up to bat first.”
Charlotte: [smashes water bottle against her head and throws it in the recycling bin] “Alrighty then.” [picks up bat and goes to the right-handed batting side of the plate]
[announcer]: “And the first Junior Shamrock to bat this evening is Charlotte Roth! Let’s see if she can show her sister how it’s done.”
[Brooklynn, playing third basesow position, rolls her eyes. Charlotte sticks her tongue out at her before getting into position to bat. The announcer continues to give commentary on what’s happening]
[announcer]: “Let’s see… Goetzbock is preparing her move. Anyone following Albaneigh county youth baseball would know how she favors fastballs.”
Charlotte: “Ye’re right, I do know.” [smirks, steps foward about an inch] “Silly Sawyer.”
[announcer]: “Aaaaand…” [Sawyer throws the baseball] “Goetzbock throws a slider…” [Charlotte grins, knowing she made the right move, and manages to hit the sweet spot. The ball goes flying in the air as Charlotte starts running the bases] “…and despite the disadvantage, Roth manages to send it flying! And it’s going, and it’s going…” [the ball disappears behind the trees as the crowd and the Junior Shamrocks cheer, and Charlotte runs the rest of the bases] “…and it’s gone! It’s a home run!”
Charlotte: “Latkes and grits, can’t believe I pulled dat off!”
[Charlotte steps on home base before running back to the benches. The Junior Shamrocks and the coach greet her with high-fives]
[Junior Shamrocks coach]: “Great opener there, Roth.”
Charlotte: “Heheh, yeah, I know. Hey, coach, ya mind if I use the Johann? I’ve drank like three bottles o’ water since the game started.”
[Junior Shamrocks coach]: “Sure, go ahead. But be back before the second inning starts.”
Charlotte: [tips hat forward and winks] “Surely!”
[Charlotte walks off in the direction of the bathrooms. She looks back and waits until she knows the coach isn’t looking, before swinging the door open and running off before it closes]

[In the concession stand area…]
Charlotte: “Haha, chump.” [beat] “Now where was it ‘gin?” [looks around for a few seconds, until she locks her eyes on the specific stand she’s after] “Aha! There it is. Who’s On Wurst?”
[Charlotte walks over to the Who’s On Wurst? stand. It is being ran by Shaun Ketcham, who is wiping the table as she comes]
Charlotte: “Howdy, Mr. Ketcham!”
Shaun: “Hello, Roth. Nice play down there. I take it you want your usual?”
Charlotte: [slaps four Washingtons onto the table] “Ya know I do. One grilled cheese hot dog, please! With mayonnaise!”
[Shaun takes the money as the scorecard buzzer sounds. Charlotte looks back at the board and sees that an out has been scored]
[announcer]: “And that’s the first out of the evening for the Junior Shamrocks!”
Charlotte: “Crap!“
Shaun: “Oh, look at that, your team scored an out.” [sets hot dog on the table] “Anyways, here’s your hot dog. Diabetes on a bun.”
Charlotte: “Thank ya kindly, sir.” [takes the hot dog] “Wish I could stay and talk, but ya know, I got eight more innin’s to get through. Maybe I’ll score ‘nother home run, though, ya never know. Byeeeee!” [runs off eating her hot dog] “Mmmph! Never fails.”

[about a minute and a half later, Charlotte is back in the hallway toward the benches. The buzzer sounds again as she eats the last bite]
Charlotte: “Perfect timin’.” [kicks bathroom door and takes a step toward it, before making her way toward the benches again]
[batter]: “I was like a step away.”
Charlotte: “Yeah, it’s always that first base that’s the hardest.” [sits down next to Murphy]
Murphy: “Du gibst nie Niederlage zu, machst du?” _{^{You never concede defeat, do you?}}
Charlotte: [gasps] “Wie wusstest du?!” _{^{How did you know?!}}
Murphy: “Na ja, du riechst nach Cheddar-Käse und Fett. Ich kenne diesen Geruch ziemlich gut; es ist der gegrillter Käse Hotdog von Wer ist auf Wurst?.” _{^{Well, you smell like cheddar cheese and grease. I know that smell quite well; it’s the grilled cheese hot dog from Who’s On Wurst?.}}
Charlotte: [sighs] “Na gut, du hast mich. Kannst du mir jedoch verdenken? Trainer ist auf einem Machttrip!” _{^{Okay, you got me. Can you blame me, though? Coach is on a power trip!}}
Murphy: “Ich stimme. Also was macht es schon, wenn wir wollen ein Hotdog oder eine Soda während das Spiel? Wir sind hungrig, und ein Lauf um das Feld verdient ein Trip nach die Konzessionsstände! Ich weiß, ich würde mir zu etwas gönnen, wäre ich schnell genug. Vielleicht ein Käseburger. Zweifach — nein. Dreifachdecker!” _{^{I agree. So what does it matter if we want a hot dog or a soda during the game? We’re hungry, and a run around the field earns a trip to the concession stands! I know I would treat myself to something, if I were fast enough. Maybe a cheeseburger. Double — no. Triple-decker!}}
Nicole: “What are you guys talking about?”
Murphy: [beat] “Nothing!”
Charlotte: “Uh, I’ll tell ya later, Nicky. If coach decides to put you battin’ after me in one of the innin’s.”

[later, during the bottom of the third inning]
[announcer]: “Goetzbock is planning her move against Roth. She’s winding up and…” [Sawyer throws the ball] “Looks like a forkball!” [Charlotte manages a hit] “And it’s a hit! Roth runs to first base as Farley tries to catch the ball… and it bounces. But she catches it on that bounce in time to throw it to Cooper… oh! But Roth steps on the plate just in time!”
[Cooper catches the ball]
Charlotte: “Face it, Cooper, we Junior Shamrocks are the better team.” [looks back at home base to see Nicole is up to bat] “Especially with Ms. 400 here.”
[announcer]: “And up next to bat is the star player of Junior Shamrocks, Ms. 400 herself, Nicooooole Wylerrrrr! [the crowd cheers]
Cooper: “Why does she always wear headphones during the game?”
Charlotte: “Nun o’ yer business, that’s why.” [to herself] “Come on, Nicole. Make this one of the best of yer 40%.”
[Sawyer throws a splitter, which Nicole hits on the sweet spot. The ball is lobbed into the air as the crowd cheers, and Nicole and Charlotte start running]
Charlotte: “Boo-yah! Ms. 400, that’s her!”
[announcer]: “And she hits it into the sky! And it’s going… and it’s going, and it’s gone! Two points for the Junior Shamrocks!”
[the crowd continues cheering as Charlotte and Nicole run the bases. As they run, Charlotte notices that Brooklynn isn’t playing third. Charlotte and Nicole touch home base before running back to the benches, where the Junior Shamrocks high-five them]
[Junior Shamrocks coach]: “Nice play, Wyler. What’d we do without our Ms. 400?”
Nicole: [blushes, laughs] “You’d be losing, that’s what you’d be doing. Now, I’d love to stay and celebrate yet another successful hit, but I need to use the bathroom. I’ve been drinking a lot of water.”
Charlotte: “Uh, yeah, so do I. I’ve also been drinkin’ buckets.”
[Junior Shamrocks coach]: “Very well then. Be back before the start of the fourth.”
[Charlotte and Nicole walk off into the hallway. They pass the bathroom door]
Charlotte: “Nicky, why didn’t ya punch the door open?”
Nicole: “What, am I supposed to?”
Charlotte: “Ya gotta make it sound convincin’ to coach we’re in the bathroom, Nicky, come on.”
Nicole: [rolls eyes] “Alright.” [punches door before running off with Charlotte]

[In the concession stand area again]
Nicole: “Wait, we’re at the concession stands? But coach said we couldn’t!”
Charlotte: “You care what coach thinks? I’m tellin’ you, ya ain’t hurtin’ anybody treatin’ yerself. Now go an’ treat yerself.”
[Nicole looks around, until she sees a Sbarro stand. She smirks]

[a few minutes later. Charlotte is having another grilled cheese hot dog, while Nicole is eating an acorn pizza]
Nicole: “A lovely acorn pizza, just for me. Tastes real good, Roth, you oughta try it.”
Charlotte: “I’m sure it does taste good to a rodent like yerself, Nicole, but ya know I prefer bugs on my pizza. Bein’ an insectivore and — “
[As they step down the stairs, Nicole and Charlotte are surprised by the sight of Brooklynn leaning against the wall, arms crossed and glaring at them. The two Junior Shamrocks hide their food]
Brooklynn: “So! You’ve been sneaking to the concession stands!”
Charlotte: “No!”
Nicole: “Yes!” [eats the rest of her pizza, minus the crust, which she stares at for a moment] “This looks like a granola bar, doesn’t it?” [beat] “It does.” [runs off]
Charlotte: “I was just… uh… goin’ wit’ ‘er. She was hungry for pizza.”
Brooklynn: “And you were hungry for that grilled cheese hot dog from Who’s On Wurst?, that tastes like acid and ash.”
Charlotte: [beat] “No.”
Brooklynn: [steps forward and grabs Charlotte by the shoulder, then points at said hot dog] “Then what’s that, hmm?”
Charlotte: “I’m hungry, okay? And it don’t taste like acid and ash to me!” [beat] “Wait a minute, what’re you doing back ‘ere? You been goin’ to the concession stands yerself?”
Brooklynn: “No. Because I want to follow the rules.” [kicks an empty bag of potato chips aside]
Charlotte: “What is that?”
Brooklynn: “Some bag, who cares. What, you worried about plastic? This isn’t the sixties, you know those things are made out of leaves. And not toxic chemicals.”
[Charlotte picks up the bag and stretches it out]
Charlotte: “Sour cream an’ onion tater chips.” [takes a close look at Brooklynn’s face] “Is that where the green and yeller specks ’round yer mouth come from?” [picks up her right hand and examines it] “And on yer hand?”
Brooklynn: [beat] “Well, you’re breaking the rules too, you’re not in any position to judge me.”
Charlotte: [beat] “You ain’t in any position to judge me either! In fact, ye’re worse fer actin’ high ‘n’ mighty ’bout it!”
[the buzzer sounds]
Brooklynn: “Better eat that hot dog if you don’t want to get kicked off the team.”
Charlotte: “You better wash the oil off yer hands, if ya don’t want them to be slippery on the bat.”
[Brooklynn walks off. Charlotte’s eyes dart around to make sure nobody is coming, before scarfing down the hot dog]
Charlotte: “Mmm. Always delish.”

[Later, during the bottom of the sixth inning]
[Junior Shamrocks coach]: “Alright, I need to go to the bathroom.” [looks out to the field; Charlotte is on third and Nicole is on first] “Well, it’s not quite a grand slam, but I’m feeling lucky. Grubenstein! You go up.” [walks off]
Murphy: “Really? Me with the point-two-oh… okay.” [picks up bat and walks to the right-handed batting side of the plate]
[announcer]: “Up next to bat, surprisingly, is Murphy Grubenstein! A pitcher at bat? Coach must be feeling lucky, because nothing short of a home run is gonna get her anywhere! Can she show that a being a slug can be a good thing, or will she taste the salt?” [Murphy rolls her eyes and grimaces. Sawyer throws a forkball, which Murphy hits on the sweet spot, launching the ball into the air. She, Charlotte, and Nicole start running] “And this slug is about to go on the moooooooooove! And that ball is going, and it’s going… [the ball disappears behind the trees as the crowd cheers, and the Shamrock Triad runs the rest of the bases] “And it! Is! Gone! My goodness, Grubenstein has hit a home run! It was a gamble, and the Junior Shamrocks has won themselves, three points!”
[Charlotte and Nicole touch home base within ten seconds of each other, and return to the benches to the applause of the rest of the Junior Shamrocks]
Charlotte: “Hold on, hold on. Let’s wait fer Murphy.”
[The Junior Shamrocks fall silent. After about thirty seconds of waiting, Murphy touches home and returns to the bleachers, resuming the cheering, and bringing on the high-fives. The Triad take off their hats as they bow]
Nicole: “Alright, now, let’s go to the co… aaaaan. The can. The bathroom.”
Murphy, Charlotte: “Right!”
[The Triad walk down the hallway to the concession stands. Charlotte, Nicole, and Murphy, in that order, push the door open as they walk past it]

[In the concession stand area, once again]
Murphy: “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m feeling like a hot dog from Who’s On Wurst?”
Nicole: “So am I!”
Charlotte: “Me too! Let’s go…” [locks eyes on Who’s On Wurst; her face changes to a suspicious glare when she sees two familiar-looking ines] “There.”
Nicole: [beat] “Charlotte?”
Charlotte: “Hold up a minute.”
[Charlotte walks over to Who’s On Wurst?, with Nicole and Murphy following close behind. As they get in line, Charlotte’s suspicions are confirmed, angering her. Nicole and Murphy are also angry when they see who the two ines are]
Triad: “Coach?!”
[Junior Shamrocks coach]: [turns back to see the Triad] “What are you girls doing here? I made it very clear you are not to go to the concession stands during the game!”
Shaun: “Uh… what’s going on here?”
Murphy: “But it’s okay for you to?!”
Nicole: “Yeah, you’re a hypocrite!”
Murphy: “What kinda example do ya think ye’re setting?”
[Junior Shamrocks coach]: “I — Uh.”
[Junior Vermilions coach]: “You know, they have a point.”
[Junior Shamrocks coach]: [beat] “They’re still violating the rules!”
[Junior Vermilions coach]: “But what does that say about us, if we can’t honor them ourselves?” [beat] “As leaders and role models, we have more of a responsibility to follow the rules, not less or even the same. More.“
Charlotte: “Yeah, and ya know, I’ve actually been to the concession stand this evenin’, two times before this.”
Nicole: “And I’ve been here once.”
Charlotte: “So don’t even give us that ‘the games take too long’ excuse. I’ve had time to come here, eat a grilled cheese hot dog, and be back in time fer the next half-innin’. Both times. An’ I can guarantee ya I’ll be back in time fer innin’ seven after this third ‘un!”
Nicole: “And my hot dog too!”
Murphy: “And mine!”
Charlotte: “As a matter o’ fact, if ya ask me, coach, ya owe us an apology fer implimentin’ this ban. Seein’ as ya couldn’t even follow it yerself. And so do you, my sister’s coach!”
[Junior Shamrocks coach], [Junior Vermilions coach]: [beat] “Sorry.”
Murphy: “No, no, no. That’s not enough. Show it.”
Shaun: [beat. Shaun goes bug-eyed with a goofy smile fitting of a mental patient] “REEEEETAAAAAIL!”

[later, after the game]
[announcer]: “And that’s the game, folks! The Junior Shamrocks are the winners with 25 points, and 16 for the Junior Vermilions!”
[the Junior Shamrocks and Junior Vermilions leave the baseball field together, all eating their own grilled cheese hot dog. Charlotte and Brooklynn walk together]
Charlotte: “O’course the real winner tonight, is morality.” [takes a bite of her hot dog and burps. She and Brooklynn laugh]

Entry number seven in the National [thing] Day series! This month, I’m celebrating the day of one of my favorite foods… that I eat the vegetarian version of. National Hot Dog Day, with an artwork and ficlet themed around… well, hot dogs. But also a place associated with hot dogs, the baseball field. I’ve always known that the Shamrock Triad/Baseball Pentad, of course being baseball players, should have as their favorite foods, the kind of stuff that’s commonly found at baseball fields. Like pretzels, popcorn, and of course, hot dogs. And this was the first time I’ve gotten to explore that idea.

The grilled cheese hot dog with mayonnaise that Charlotte orders throughout the ficlet, and is depicted in the artwork above, is actually based on… my own recent eating habits. I’ve had vegan cheese slices at my place lately, and I’ve been using them on my vegan hot dogs, tearing them up so they can be spread throughout the buns. The cheese of course melts in the microwave as the hot dogs themselves cook, and then once they’re out, I put mayonnaise on them. Mayonnaise on a hot dog actually tastes quite good, y’all should try it. I dare say I like mayonnaise on a hot dog as much as I like the standard mustard.

Not gonna lie, I love how the background on this thing turned out. The colors actually came out looking quite distorted at first; I actually had to invert them so that they’d look more natural. Imagine that; the asset you’re looking at is actually inverted from what I saw when I was making this. And then I put my signature fresh pasta effect over it. Again, I’m not opposed to making fresh pasta out of my own assets.

As for the ficlet, this marks my first time writing dialogue in the language I’ve been studying since January of this year, German. I feel confident enough now in my fluency in the language, at least with writing, that I can come up with dialogue for my German/Gerbilman-descended characters to say. And in this case, it’s Charlotte and Murphy who get scenes of them speaking German/Gerbilman. I’ll also say right now to not expect scenes of Nicole speaking German/Gerbilman; as I’ve said before, the Wylers are French, not German. So it’d be French that she knows. I’m more open to Wendy speaking German/Gerbilman, though. She’s more open to learning new languages than Nicole is, particularly languages that aren’t part of her background.

And that’s all for this artwork and ficlet. But not all I have to say, as once again, I’d like to plug this advertisement for a GoFundMe, to a project I’m personally involved in. It’s another graphic novel about being an autistic person, and it’s called Adele: Preteen Music Wiz.

Preteen Music Wiz comes to us from my Australian friend Sam Bateman (@NNewt84 on Twitter), a cool guy who you should go drop a follow if you’ve got an account there. I’ve read the script Sam has written for the graphic novel, and I’ve inked and colored a few pages for him. And what he has laid out, I believe has real potential to become a classic in the neurodivergent community. But he needs financial help making this comic become a reality; his goal is $5000 AUD, which is just under $3400 in American dollars. Donations to his campaign of any amount would be much appreciated. But if you don’t have the money to donate, then the least you could do, is share his campaign with as many people as you can.

You won’t just be helping him or me by donating to and sharing this campaign, you’d be helping the autistic community as a whole, tell the stories we want to tell.

And that’ll be all this time. If you liked this artwork and the ficlet, then drop me a follow on this blog, and on my socials, linked below. Also remember to share and donate to the GoFundMe for Sam’s graphic novel. And until next time, take care, stay safe, support an Asimovian amendment for AI, and have a good rest of your National Hot Dog Day.

Twitter (Main): https://twitter.com/StormyAdlerPoG
Twitter (Art): https://twitter.com/TheOfficialOTOG
Instagram: www.instagram.com/phoenix_of_g…
Newgrounds: https://phoenixofgrunvale.newgrounds.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXj2NzDa8kzZ5mcliw4vT_w
Discord: Contact me by my tag (phoenixofgrunvale) to add me as a friend.

Grunvale/OTOG is owned by me. You’re free to draw fanart or write fanfics of it, as long as you credit me as the creator of the series.
This artwork was made at a resolution of 5076×2160 (aspect ratio 2.35:1).

Green and Purple are Complementary Colors

[late August of 2016 on the strict timeline of ZP-51498. Gilda, gussied up in semi-formal attire, is on her way to meet the Wyler family at their home in Grunvale. She stops in front of a parked car to look at herself in the mirror]
Gilda: “I’m a bit crooked.” [adjusts hair ribbon] “And my cheeks could be a little rosier.” [pinches cheeks, making them more red] “There we go.”
[Gilda whistles a bit of the keyboard intro to ‘Soul Kitchen’ by the Doors as she walks, reading the numbers of the houses and mailboxes she sees]
Gilda: “Twenty-six, eighty-three… eighty-five… eighty-four.” [puts hands on her hips as she looks across the street, at house 2684] “Mailboxes should be in the lawns of the houses they go to, not across the street.” [looks to her left] “Eighty-seven, the Wylers’ place!”
[Gilda runs up to house 2687 and admires its facade]
Gilda: “Well, this is a nice looking place.” [sees Wendy walk out to greet her] “Wendy!”
Wendy: “Hey, Gilda!”
[Gilda and Wendy run up to greet each other, only to slow to a halt]
Gilda, Wendy: “Wait a minute!”
[Gilda and Wendy slowly look each other over, and see how similarly they’re dressed, down to the point that they’re both wearing pearls, mary janes, and hair ribbons the same color as their dresses. They put their hands out to get a look at each other’s gloves; both are wearing a white, wrist-length pair, decorated with a ribbon the color of their dress]
Gilda: “You’re dressed like me.”
Wendy: “You’re dressed like me.”
[pause as they stare at each other, blankly. After a while, they both smile and laugh]
Gilda, Wendy: “Twins!” [hug each other]
Wendy: “You look very cute, by the way.”
Gilda: “So do you! I didn’t really take you as a wearer of gloves. Or ribbons for that matter.”
Wendy: “Yeah, well, I was feeling cute this evening.” [pokes Gilda’s cheek] “Squish!”
Gilda: [pokes Wendy’s nose] “Boop!”
[Gilda and Wendy laugh as they head into the house]

In case you hadn’t figured it out from the details given, this ficlet, and the artwork it goes to, is set early in Gilda’s friendship with the Tetrad. I actually drew this as concept art, and the ficlet as a draft of a portion for the graphic novel. As anyone who follows my work closely would know, Gilda and Wendy are besties, having the closest friendship in the Tetrad. While Wendy has known Margo and April for five years longer, she is often put off by the former’s reckless nature and the latter’s hot-headedness, and also the fact that the two often fight. Gilda, on the other hand, she shares many interests with, and her background having two autistic sisters helps her understand Gilda better than… well, anyone outside the Commune. Gilda having a bubbly personality also helps.

I actually drew this artwork around the same time I drew and wrote Tyrannia Hawk. I recently thought up a method of drawing tree canopies, that doubles as a way of hiding the lack of detail that goes into them. Of course, only useful when it’s not the focus of a shot. It’s more obvious there, and it’s better hidden here; essentially, it’s just a gaussian-blurred band of green, with cyan dots for the sky appearing as bokeh. And black and dark brown lines representing the trees. Again, it’s only useful when a canopy isn’t the focus of a shot. But when it’s there and not the focus, it’s an effective trick.

And… this is where I’d usually end the description, since I don’t have anything more to say about the artwork here. But before I close out, I’d like to give a little advertisement for a GoFundMe, to a project I’m personally involved in. It’s another graphic novel about being an autistic person, and it’s called Adele: Preteen Music Wiz.

You won’t just be helping him or me by donating to and sharing this campaign, you’d be helping the autistic community as a whole, tell the stories we want to tell.

Twitter (Main): https://twitter.com/StormyAdlerPoG
Twitter (Art): https://twitter.com/TheOfficialOTOG
Instagram: www.instagram.com/phoenix_of_g…
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@phoenix_of_grunvale
Newgrounds: https://phoenixofgrunvale.newgrounds.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXj2NzDa8kzZ5mcliw4vT_w
Discord: Contact me by my tag (phoenixofgrunvale) to add me as a friend.

Grunvale/OTOG is owned by me. You’re free to draw fanart or write fanfics of it, as long as you credit me as the creator of the series.
This artwork was made at a resolution of 3996×2160 (aspect ratio 1.85:1).

Pride Comes Naturally

[April Lowry and Jazz Daniels are hiking after a storm. Jazz sees a rainbow]
Jazz: “Hey April. Look at this.” [April turns back and sees the rainbow] “It isn’t even faint.”
April: “‘ey, at’s bonneh. Let’s take a selfeh!”
[April pulls out her phone. She and Jazz smoosh their cheeks together with the rainbow in the background, before taking the photo. The light catches Jazz off-guard]
Jazz: “Ow! I hate camera lights.”
April: “Sorreh, Jazz! Ya… ya want meh to take it ahgin, withoot the flawsh?”
Jazz: “No, no, it’s fine. True artists suffer for their art, after all.” [looks at the photo] “It came out good.” [kisses April on the cheek. April smiles]

It may only be ‘Pride Month’ in June, but the LGBTQIA community deserves to be prideful of their identity all year round. And have the support of allies such as myself all year round.

Anyways, this is the artwork I made to celebrate Pride Month for this year. The most prominently LGBTQIA couple in OTOG, the lesbian couple April Lowry and Jazz Daniels. Fun fact for those not keeping up, all of the Tetrad are actually LGBTQIA. Not only is April a lesbian, but Gilda is aromantic, being turned off by the very idea of romance, Wendy is bi with a crush on Gilda, and Margo is pan, with an enbyfriend, April’s sibling Auggie. And Flannery has a crush on Wendy, as I’ve written before. However, I don’t know yet whether to write her as bi or lesbian. I do know she’s LGBTQIA, though.

This artwork came out well. I always go for a Bob Ross approach when I draw scenery like this; start with the far background, and then work my way up to the details in the foreground, using simple but effective techniques to get the textures I’m aiming for. Of course, I’m not as talented at the process as Ross, but it’s always nice to try to apply his mentality to my artwork.

I listened to Gordon Lightfoot’s album East of Midnight while making this artwork; I found that the song “Anything for Love” fits it pretty well. The song plays in my mind any time I look back at this artwork, and I’m gonna try to find a moment during the OTOG series to play it during a Japril moment.

Anyways, that’s it for this artwork. Hope you all had a good Pride Month, and you in the LGBTQIA community remain prideful year-round. If you liked this artwork and the ficlet, then drop me a follow on this blog, and on my socials, linked below. Until next time, take care, stay safe, support an Asimovian amendment for AI, and have a good one.

Tyrannia Hawk

[Ketcham household. A larine deliveryavian carries a parcel to the front door and rings the bell. After a few seconds of waiting, Ellen opens the door]
[larine deliveryavian]: “Delivery for Ellen Ketcham.”
Ellen: “That’d be me.” [takes the parcel] “Thank you, sir.”
[larine deliveryavian]: “Thank you for choosing CDS, the Ciconiiform Delivery Service.”
Ellen: [beat] “…you’re a larine. And I know because you look like an ine version of my cousin’s pet seagull.”
[larine deliveryavian]: “I’ll let you in on something, kid.” [the deliveryavian continues as Ellen notices toothpick-wide holes at the top of the box] “The ciconiiform thing is just because the company was founded by ciconiiformes. Avians of all kinds deliver for CDS. If they only hired ciconiiformes… well, there wouldn’t be a CDS.”
Ellen: [nods] “Makes sense.”
[larine deliveryavian]: “Yep. Have a nice day.”
[The deliveryavian flies off as Ellen goes back inside. Upon closing the door, she whistles. One short one, beat. Short, long, short, short, beat. Short, long, short, short, beat. Short, beat. Long, short, beat. The footsteps of the other quints can be heard from further in the house]
Zack: “Ellen is calling a meeting!”
[a few seconds later, the other quints have arrived, and are standing at attention and in a straight line, birth order from left to right, in front of Ellen. Ellen chuckles]
Ellen: “Come on, I’m not a drill instructor.” [the other quints are still standing at attention. Ellen rolls her eyes] “Okay, fine, at ease.” [the quints relax their poses]
Zack: “I see your parcel has arrived.”
Drake: “Oh, that’s right. You ordered a parcel. What was it again?”
Ellen: “Begonia seeds! Bred from the yellowest in Nippon.” [points out the flowers growing around, including in the nearby living room] “We don’t have enough yellow around here. We’ve got red, pink, white, even orange. And yet hardly any yellow. This house could use more yellow.”
Vicky: “We’ve got lots of yellow outside.”
[Ellen looks out to the front lawn. There’s lots of yellow, alright. Yellow as in dandelions]
Ellen: “Oh, please, like those weeds actually count.”
Vicky: “They’re flowers, aren’t they?”
Filmore: “Mm-hmm.”
Ellen: “Dandelions are flowers in the same way honeydew is canteloupe. As in, it’s the cheap knockoff that shouldn’t be seen with the real thing.” [begins to open parcel] “And now, we open-a, da box-a.”
Zack: “My gourd, Ellen, you do a worse Istallion accent than Margo.”
Ellen: [goes cross-eyed] “Pasta pizza pasta pizza!” [laughs] “Alright, now let’s see these beauties! Well, the seeds that will one day sprout beauties.”
[the quints gather around as Ellen opens the parcel, watching with interest as she pushes back the flaps. Their smiles turn to confused expressions as they see a vespine sleeping in the box]
Ketcham quints: “Huh?”
[the vespine awakens]
[vespine]: “THIEEEEEF!” [darts up and stings Ellen on the cheek]
Ellen: “AAUGH!” [hands parcel to Filmore and grips her cheek in pain] “My goodness, does that sting!” [to Filmore] “Filmore, put that parcel somewhere it won’t get knocked over. AUGH!”
Filmore: “Mm-hmm.” [runs off. The vespine flies after him]
[vespine]: “Get back here with my precious babies, leporine! Guards!”
Drake: “Guards?”
[Filmore slips and is thrown to the floor, the seeds spilling from the parcel. Zack, Drake, and Vicky are confused, not seeing anything that could have caused him to trip like this. Vicky puts her head to the floor and sees…]
Vicky: “Myrmicines?” [the myrmicines see her and begin walking up to her] “Oh, come on. You guys are like, one-twelfth my size. What do you think you’re gonna…” [the myrmicines yank her by the braids and swing and bash her around like a ragdoll. Vicky lays silently in shock, before speaking again] “Eh, nothing I can’t take down.”
Ellen: “Vicky, do you hear yourself? They tossed you around like you were noth — AGGGH!”
Drake: “I’ll handle this!” [storms up, only to get thrown into the wall]
[vespine]: [lands on Drake’s head] “Give it up, leporines! You are no match for the incomparable queen Tyrannia Hawk, multiverse’s most beautiful, and her millions-strong myrmicine army!”
Zack: “Tyrannia Hawk? I’m… I’m guessing you’re Tyrannia Hawk?”
Tyrannia: “Indeed! And as the multiverse’s most beautiful…”
Vicky: [getting up] “By your own metric that nobody cares to understand.”
Tyrannia: “I have a right to all the most dazzling beauty in the nature of any land I conquer, from the most precious of gemstones to the most colorful of flowers!”
[Tyrannia claps; arachnine servants bring a throne to sit on. The throne bears a design fitting for a royal; gold with maroon cushions, and decorated with a single pearl at the end of each of the armrests. Ellen recognizes these pearls immediately]
Ellen: “Are those — OUUUCH! Are those my earrings?!”
Tyrannia: “No, they are my armrest decorations. Now make not one step closer, lest you wish to be stung once more!”
Vicky: “You’re not getting away with this!”
[Zack, Drake, Vicky, and Filmore charge toward Tyrannia, only to be thrown to the floors and walls by the army again]
Tyrannia: [laughs] “I already have.” [the servants carry her away on her throne as the army, some carrying the spilled seeds on their back, make off with the parcel] “Forward march!”
[Shaun and Roxanne come into the room, seeing Ellen wincing from the pain of the sting, and the rest of the quints on the floor and in the walls, impact craters surrounding them. They are dumbfounded and silent as they observe the damage]
Ellen: “Agh, I need an ice pack.”
Roxanne: “What happened here?!”
Zack: [points] “She did.”
[Shaun and Roxanne look to Tyrannia’s marching army]
Ellen: “She stung me and stole my earrings. And…” [hisses] “… my begonia seeds.”
Roxanne: “And you’re just letting her?”
Drake: “She’s got an army with her, mom. Myrmicines.” [gets up] “Don’t you think we would’ve tried to stop her?”
Roxanne: “I’ll handle this.” [marches over to Tyrannia and her army] “You! Vespine thief! Give my daughter back her –” [the army marching behind the throne throws her down the hall] “Fifty times their weight, right.”
[Roxanne lands at the front of the formation. She manages to grab the parcel… only for the army to move her like a crowd surfer into Tyrannia’s stinger, which gets into her nose]
Roxanne: “GAH!” [the army tosses her to the side] “Oof! Auuugh…”
Shaun: “Ooh, that’s gotta hurt.”
Roxanne: “Yeah, no shit.” [hands the parcel to Ellen and grips her nose. She speaks pained and nasally] “Well, I hope you think of a way to stop her, kids, because if I can’t, your father sure as hell can’t.”
Shaun: “Yep.” [beat] “Heyyyyy…”
Drake: “They’re going after the other flowers!”
[sure enough, more, previously-unseen myrmicines are picking up the pots on the windowsill, desks, and the floor of the foyer, as well as those in the living room. Vicky feels something tug on her left wrist. She sees that it’s the myrmicines removing her watch]
Vicky: “Not my watch!”
[the myrmicines unfasten the watch, re-fasten it away from Vicky, and throw it onto the throne, now in the living room, like a horseshoe to the pole]
Tyrannia: “Yes, the watch! You think I don’t know silver when I see it?” [claps] “Faster! Left-right-left-right-left-right-left-right!”
[myrmicine army]: “Hut hut hut hut hut hut hut hut!”
[soldiers at front]: 🎵 There she was, just a-walkin’ down the street / Singin’ 🎵
[myrmicine army]: 🎵 Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do! 🎵
[soldiers at front]: 🎵 Snappin’ her fingers and shufflin’ her feet / Singin’ 🎵
[myrmicine army]: 🎵 Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do! 🎵
[the army continues to sing as Shaun goes off]
Shaun: “It’s one thing to steal from my family, it’s another level of evil to do so ripping off a scene from a classic movie!”
Tyrannia: “I don’t know what you’re talking about, leporine father. I tell my army to sing this all the time. It’s my idea.”
Shaun: “No it’s not, you watched Stripes!”
Tyrannia: “I’ve never heard of that.”
Shaun: “Stop lying! You watched Stripes, and you’re passing marching to that song off as your idea!”
[the quints chase after the army as they open the door to the outside. Roxanne doesn’t look too fond of what Shaun has said]
Roxanne: “You have a strange sense of priorities.”

[outside, in the backyard. The army is still singing]
Tyrannia: [claps] “Wide formation!”
[the formation moves in a more horizontal orientation. The quints watch]
Vicky: [reaches under hat for slingshot] “I’ll take her out with my slingshot. Filmore, you got pebbles?”
Filmore: “Mm-hmm.” [takes a few out of his jacket pockets and throws them to Vicky]
Vicky: “Thanks.” [sets a pebble up and aims it]
Zack: “Remember, Vicky, not where she is, where she’s going to –“
Vicky: “Yes, Zack, I know, I’m not a dumbass.”
[Vicky aims the pebble to slightly in front of the throne, and fires it… only for it to be knocked out of the air by the kick of a vulpine tod landing to the ground. Another vulpine, a vixen, throws arachnid-shaped robots on the pots, throne, and parcel, causing them to levitate in the air. The myrmicines carrying the loot are caught off guard as they get lifted up. As for the throne, the arachnine servants hold on for a few seconds before falling, and a startled Tyrannia flies off]
Ketcham quints: “Huh?”
[The tod dashes to the side and punches the ground, creating a shockwave that destroys the still-grounded army and the servants, some getting killed instantly, some getting crushed by the clumps of dirt. One servant tries to get up, only to have his arms torn off by fragments of Filmore’s pebble, followed by a larger chunk crashing into his head as the coup-de-grâce. Filmore smiles]
[vixen]: [wielding a laser-gun] “Hands off the loot!”
[the myrmicines jump off the loot and run off in fear]
Tyrannia: “Zatch and Tracy?!”
Drake: “Zatch? What kind of a name is that?”
Zack: “I think she means ‘Zach’. With an ‘H’ instead of a ‘K’, and she’s pronouncing it in a pretentious way.”
Filmore: “Mm-hmm.”
Zach: “It’s Zach! And give it up, Tyrannia! You’re not running away this time!”
Tyrannia: “You’re right, I’m flying away!”
[Tyrannia flies off, attempting to hide near a stone-and-mortar wall. She attempts to hide in the grass, only for Zach to grab her by the stinger. Tracy walks up, pointing her laser gun at Tyrannia as she struggles in Zach’s grip. The quints go over to the wall to eavesdrop; Ellen and Vicky stop to retrieve their accessories off the still-floating throne]
Tyrannia: “Unhand me, insolent scoundrels! This is not how a queen is to be treated!”
Tracy: “Yeah, well, stealing from and stinging civilians aren’t how they’re to be treated, either. You’re coming with us!” [takes out portal gun and fires it at the wall]
Zack: “Wait, they’re leaving?” [to Zach and Tracy] “Wait, before you leave, can you set our things back down?”
Tracy: “Whoop! Right. Almost forgot.” [pushes button on the remote; the loot slowly lands back on the ground, and the arachnid-shaped bots return to her] “Sorry Tyrannia here had to cause you trouble. Maybe next time, we can have a crossover under more… light-hearted conditions.” [beat] “Sayonara.”
[Zach and Tracy walk through the portal, Tyrannia still being held by her stinger]
Tyrannia: “You’ve not dealt with the last of me! I shall return, and more powerful than before!”
Zach: “More powerful at being obnoxious?”
Tyrannia: “NYAAAAAH!”
[the portal closes. The quints look back at the pots and parcel]
Zack: “Alright, time to… get all this back inside.”
Filmore: “Mm-hmm.”
[Margo walks in, noticing the mess that has occurred, both from the attemped robbery and Zach’s collateral damage]
Margo: “What happened here?”

Well, now A-Ram has an idea of how I’d write a Zach and Tracy story, if he ever wishes to hire me for such a thing.

Anyways, here’s the second part of a belated birthday present for my social media friend of seven years, LoudToon99. He’s been with me since the days that social media’s cartoon community mostly hung out around MrEnter’s now-defunct DeviantArt account, and has stuck with me through the community’s migration to Twitter, and my decision to focus on my own intellectual property The Oddball Tetrad of Grunvale, New Pork. So for everything he’s done for me, I think it’s time I return the favor, with this artwork and ficlet featuring his own characters, Zach Ares and Tracy Morine. In a Grunvalified form, to thank him for his support of Grunvale when… not many others will give it.

Zach and Tracy here are both vulpines, the former a Fennec fox and the latter a Tibetan sand fox. And added to their rogues gallery is a character I’ve created for A-Ram to use himself, a vespine named Tyrannia Hawk, who is obsessed with beauty and seeks to own all of the most precious flowers and gemstones she comes across. And, as the name suggests, she’s a tarantula hawk wasp. I’ve wanted to create a tarantula hawk character for a while, as I think they’re some of the coolest-looking creatures in existence, and I know how painful their stings are.

…no, not from experience. But from Coyote Peterson’s probably-YouTube-content-violating encounter with one, that included letting it sting him. And I’m letting A-Ram have her! Zach and Tracy are in need of some cool villains to fight, so I thought Tyrannia would be a good start. If… if he wants to use her for his stories.

Anyways, happy… belated birthday, A-Ram. Even though this artwork came out the day after it and I wished you then. Sorry I’ve taken so long to post this, is what I’m trying to say. And as for the rest of you, if you liked this artwork and the ficlet, then drop me a follow on this blog, and on my socials, linked below. Until next time, take care, stay safe, support an Asimovian amendment for AI, and have a good one.

Grunvale/OTOG is owned by me. You’re free to draw fanart or write fanfics of it, as long as you credit me as the creator of the series.
Zach and Tracy are owned by LoudToon99. As is Tyrannia Hawk should he decide he likes this character enough to have her as part of his series.
“Do Wah Diddy Diddy” was written by Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich; the ficlet was written with the Manfred Mann version in mind, recorded for The Mannfred Mann Album. I don’t know who owns the album today; all I know is that it was distributed by Ascot Records, at the time a subsidiary of United Artists.
This artwork was made at a resolution of 5076×2160 (aspect ratio 2.35:1).

The Peak of Non-Comformity

Original Twitter Upload Date: June 23, 2022. The script below was originally posted to DA on the same day, and has been revised minimally from the original version.

[June 23, 2018 on the strict timeline of ZP-51498. The Hynde triplets are celebrating their birthday at the manor; they’re helping themselves to the refreshments, Paddy and Molly to barbecue chips and deviled eggs, Margo to a glass of Shirley Temple. The latter is dressed in her 1960s-style girl group outfit]
Paddy: “I thought you said before that you hate wearing dresses.”
Margo: [takes a sip from her glass] “I do. But I’ve learned to tolerate them. Besides, it’s blue. Blue is the color of boldness and power. Both traits you both know I have.”
Paddy, Molly: “Ah!”
Molly: “Can’t argue with that.”
Paddy: “The dress does look cute on you, if you don’t mind me saying.” [Margo blushes] “And so does the…” [pats Margo’s updo] “…beehive.”
Margo: “Okay, okay, that’s enough.” [brushes Molly’s hands away] “For the record, if these dresses were all the same color, I’d never agree to wearing one. But mine’s blue, so I get to show the audience I’m a brawny gal, without telling them I’m a brawny gal.” [strikes a pose in which she shows of her arm muscles] “Boo-yah!”
Molly: [chuckles] “You have very little muscle tone.”
Margo: “I have more than April does. She’s only ten pounds more than me with a foot more of the height. I can beat her in a fight easily. Square cube law in action, baby!”
Paddy: “Square cube law? What do you know about the square cube law?”
Margo: “That an object double the size of an otherwise identical object, has four times the surface area, and eight times the volume. And because of the discrepancy between the scaling of the surface area and volume, said larger object has only half the relative strength of its smaller counterpart. That’s why an elephant can only carry about a quarter of its weight, but ants can carry dozens of times their weight. And why bigger things, need to be made from stronger materials.”
[Paddy and Molly are silent, amazed by Margo’s description of this scientific observation]
Paddy: “Wow. That’s… actually amazing.”
Molly: “When did you learn about that? Let alone how to explain it so well?”
Margo: “Robotics class.”
Paddy: “Oh!”
Molly: “So you did learn something useful in that class.”
Margo: “It was the first thing we were taught.”
Paddy: “I bet it was because they didn’t want you trying to build any full-size Gundams or Jaegers.”
Margo: “Yeah, they actually said that was why. I’m still gonna try to when I get good at it, though.”
Molly: “What?! T, Mom put you in that class because it’s the one subject you do well in! Other than gym! She wants you to use your skills to build something good for the world, not do the kind of stuff those weird twin sisters of Wendy’s do!”
Margo: “Okay, first of all, Mols, you know I hate being reminded of my first name. Second, it’s actually quite easy to build a mecha. Everyone just does it wrong. You gotta make its legs really heavy and strong, and the torso up light by comparison. And have the torso and legs connected to a gyroscope to make it move easier.”
Paddy: “Huh, that… would actually work. You’re smarter than I though you were. In that subject, at least.”
Margo: “Thank you, Paddy. Third, I wouldn’t build mechas to cause destruction, I’d build them to dance and project holograms when I perform. And maybe for flying in. I’m not completely mental, I wouldn’t just unleash a giant… anything on a city, and expect it not to cause damage. I know how to be responsible with that kind of stuff.”
Molly: [sarcastically] “Do you now?”
Margo: “And fourth… I already have built something good for the world.”
[Margo gestures to her uncle Shaun and aunt Roxanne, who are near the windows, decorated with purple forget-me-nots growing from pots on the windowsills, though one bears blue and purple. Roxanne is talking with her brother Richard Sumner, while Shaun is leaning near the blue-and-purple-decorated window, sipping Shirley Temple]
Shaun: “Oof. This is too sweet. It tastes like straight flavor enhancer.” [the blue flowers start spinning, startling Shaun] “Huh?”
[the blue flowers fly into Shaun’s free hand, where they assemble into a bouquet and subsequently stop spinning. A microphone pops out of the biggest one, and starts playing “Should Have Been Loved” by the Proclaimers. Roxanne’s ears perk up, and she looks back at Shaun]
Roxanne: “Shaun?”
Shaun: [blushes and laughs weakly] “I didn’t –“
Roxanne: [jumps into Shaun and hugs him] “Our wedding song! You romantic, you!” [kisses Shaun on the cheek]
Shaun: [beat] “Ah, what the hell.” [throws bouquet-bot aside; he and Roxanne start dancing together]
Richard S.: “My sis ended up with the right buck.” [sips from his glass, a Dr. Pepper]
[back to the triplets; Paddy and Molly are amazed]
Molly: “Wow. That… that actually is good. Well, for uncle Shaun and aunt Roxanne, at least.”
Paddy: “I can’t believe Mom’s related to him, given how chill he is. Let alone his twin.” [sees someone coming] “Speaking of twins, here’s August.”
[Margo turns to see that August is indeed coming. The boar is dressed a bit more femininely than Margo’s used to seeing, with a feminine-looking bow tie, bell-bottoms, and heeled leather shoes]
Margo: “Oh! Hi, Augsie! I was wondering where you were.”
August: “Nice to see you, Mar. Happy teenhood! And… you too, Molly and Paddy.”
Molly, Paddy: “Thanks, August.”
Margo: “You, uh…” [looks at August’s outfit] “You look different, if you don’t mind me saying. Whatever that style is, it looks nice on you.”
August: “Yeah, it’s just a… just a look I wanted to try out in public for my first time. I feel it really reflects me.”
Margo: “Reflects you? What do you mean, reflects you?”
August: “Well, um… I don’t really…” [beat] “…I don’t really believe gender describes me. I… I don’t believe in gender, not that it’s binary, anyway. So I wanted to wear something that reflects my, uh… non-belief. In gender.”
Margo: [perks up; she realizes what her boy — um, enbyfriend, is trying to tell her. Paddy and Molly also perk up] “Augsie, are — are you coming out to us?”
August: [long pause, as he — no, they, think of what to say next. After letting out a sigh, the words come out] “Yeah. I guess I am.”
[pause between them, as the triplets take in the news]
Paddy: “Huh.”
Molly: “Wow.”
Paddy: “Well then.”
Margo: “So, uh… what do you think does describe you? I mean, what does describe you?”
August: “I’m what’s called genderfluid. A gender that fluctuates a lot. Meaning sometimes I feel male, and other times female. And other times something in between. Like today. I fall under the non-binary umbrella.”
Margo: “Wait, the agar. The one with the yellow and purple at your and April’s birthday, the one I saw on Facebook. Was that a non-binary flag?”
August: [sighs] “Yes, it was.”
Margo: “So that’s why you didn’t invite us.”
Paddy: [scowling] “And also why you told us that was an ally flag.”
Molly: [angrily] “Why did you lie to us?!”
August: “Because I was worried one of you would out me to your folks if you found out there. I know how conservative some of them like your mother are, and I didn’t want her separating Margo and me if she or someone else in your extended family wasn’t tolerant of me. I wanted to be the one to tell her and see what she thought, before I came out to you. I’m sorry I lied to you.” [to Margo] “And especially to you. You do understand, though, right?”
Margo: “It’s fine, Augsie. Come to think of it, I should’ve known anyway, you were gender-flowing.”
August: “Genderfluid.”
Margo: “Genderfluid. It was kind of obvious, given how comfortable you are with cross-dressing. My mom would’ve found out eventually anyway, whether it was you or me who told her.”
August: “So you’re not angry I lied?”
Margo: “No, I understand why you did. And you are valid no matter what anyone tells you.” [August smiles] “What did Mom think, anyway? Was she okay with it?”
[Sally has overheard from over a hundred feet away; she runs over to Margo]
Sally: “I’ll tell ya what I wasn’t okay with! The assumption that just ’cause I’m old-fashioned makes me a bigot! The fact that the three of ya were kept away from celebratin’ yoah friends’ buthday ’cause of me, really huht my feelings!”
Margo: “To be fair, most of your feelings are anger and disappointment.”
Sally: “And as foah yoah friend bein’ gendahfluid? I may not undahstand completely what gendahfluidity is, but I will gladly respect any identity that doesn’t hahm anyone othah than ovahsensitve bigots and theuh feelins!”
Molly: “So you’re okay with his sister being a lesbian, too?”
Sally: “Uh, yeah! I’ve known foah yeauhs April was datin’ the Daniels guhl! I’m not stupid!”
Molly: “Oh.”
Margo: “Wait a minute. Augsie, if you’re genderfluid, does that mean you still go by ‘August’? And what do we call you? Like, do we still call you ‘he’? Or are you a ‘she’ now?”
~~August~~ Auggie: “To be honest, sometimes I prefer ‘Augustine’. But sometimes I prefer ‘August’. But the name I respond best to every time, is ‘Auggie’. I don’t mind being called ‘August’ or ‘Augustine’, but ‘Auggie’ is the name I’m most comfortable with. As for the question about ‘he’ and ‘him’ or ‘she’ and ‘her’? I don’t mind either gender of pronouns. But I respond best every time to ‘they’ and ‘them’.”
Margo: “They and them? Isn’t that for groups of ines?”
Sally: “No, Mahgo. It’s also foah singulah nonbinary ines. Which are called ‘enbies’, by the way. And also foah those you don’t know the gendah of. Trust me, Mahgo, it’s gramatically correct. And ya already know how to use it as a singulah. Yoah brain will adjust.”
Margo: “So I already know how to sing –“
Sally: “Yes, yes ya do.”
[Margo smiles, and runs up to Gilda, Wendy, and April, who are dressed similarly to her, in outfits of their respective signature colors]
Margo: “Girls! Girls!” [the rest of the Tetrad turns to her] “Change of plans.”
Gilda: “Yes? We’re listening.” [winks; Wendy and April also wink]
Margo: “I’d like to modify our song a little. In honor of my enbyfriend.” [winks]

To wrap up the 13th birthday series, here’s the piece of Margo’s (and Paddy’s and Molly’s) 13th birthday party! Which also marks the first time I’ve drawn Auggie and Margo together since deciding to write the former to be genderfluid, and retconning the latter to be a glasses-wearer. To be honest, my decision to make this an Auggo (that’s the new official name of the ship, although ‘Margust’ is still an acceptable alternative name, as is ‘Margustine’)¹ artwork was mainly to finally unite the retconned Margo with the enby Auggie. Auggo was never abandoned, I just couldn’t think of a good idea for artwork to draw them together in. Until now, with the Tetrad performing a modified version of “The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s In His Kiss)” by Betty Everett. You’re probably more familiar with it being performed by Cher. It depends on whether you know the song from Mermaids, or from Tiny Toon Adventures. Personally, I knew it as a Cher song first, but have listened to the Betty Everett version more. As for my opinion on which is better, I don’t have a preference for either version. I can go between the two pretty easily.

¹‘Auggo’? I came up with that? Oh well. Better than ‘Mollie’. Even though TGAMM season 2 has been quite good.

As for this artwork in particular, it was indeed inspired by Tiny Toon Adventures. Where it was sung (well, lipsynced) by another leporine, Babs Bunny. Who, funnily enough, I’ve drawn Margo dressed as before. Production-wise, all of the assets were created by me, though I did trace over a stock image to draw the door, and I used the fresh pasta filter on the floor and wall, to give it a flatter, more cartoony look. Yes, I fresh pasta’d my own assets². I’ll still use the fresh pasta effect on stock images when I feel appropriate, but at least I know now that it also works well with the assets I create myself.

² Fresh pasta of my own assets. Es ist immer moralisch richtig.

I think my favorite detail of this artwork is the reflections in the floor. I feel it really gives depth to the artwork, a sense of realism and dimension. And I’ll remember to include it whenever I feel it’d be realistic for a floor surface, or indeed any surface other than a mirror, to be showing a reflection³.

³ Now how do I adapt that to the black-and-white comics? Will dithering work?

Overall, I like how this artwork turned out. It’s one of my better takes on scenery, and the effects I applied, I feel sell the realism aspect well. As for the script above, I hope I did a good job capturing coming out. If anyone has any suggestions on how to improve it, please send them my way. That’ll be all for this artwork. Until next time, take care, stay safe, get vaccinated, reject crypto, keep the GOP out of politics, and have a good one.

If you liked this artwork and the ficlet, then follow this blog for updates, and drop me a follow on my socials linked below.

Grunvale/OTOG is owned by me. You’re free to draw fanart or write fanfics of it, as long as you credit me as the creator of the series.
“The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s In His Kiss)” was written by Rudy Clark and performed by Betty Everett for the album You’re No Good, owned by… (looks at Wikipedia) …I’m gonna guess Universal Music Group.
This artwork was made at a resolution of 5076×2160 (aspect ratio 2.35:1).

Libby y las Tortugas

The ficlet below is an extended version of the one that went with “Wendy Wyler – Revamped Notesheet”, originally posted to DA on October 24, 2022.

[a Spring Cosmoses location on the borderlands of cartoon universes, 2022 in the sliding timeline. Wendy Wyler is having her fuchsia streak painted indigo by Stella Svampsson]
Stella: “So why are you doing this again?”
Wendy: “I found out I look like somebody named Juniper Lee. I don’t want Cartoon Network to sue me before Zaslav kills them off.”
Stella: “Ah, Zaslav. That guy is bad news. Did you know he’s the reason the Hub, of course now Discovery Family, went from being Saturday morning cartoons the channel, to the blandest white-bread shit on cable?”
Wendy: “He is?”
Stella: “Probably, I don’t know, I just think he is. It sounds like something he’d do. He was the CEO of Discovery at the time, after all.” [paints over the last of the fuchsia, before handing a mirror to Wendy] “Alright, tell me what you think.”
Wendy: “Hey, it looks cool! Now there’s no way I’ll be called a sciurine Juniper Lee! Not with this longer hair and indigo streak!”
Stella: “Out of curiosity, Wendy, what made you want to grow your hair out? Aside from not wanting to look like Juniper Lee?”
Wendy: “I went to Molly McGee’s dimensions once. She has a friend named Libby Stein-Torres who was having her bat mitzvah. Uh… it was one of those non-canon dimensions. Apparently the version of Libby whose story is told to the realm of the hue-mans, the Phoenix’s dimension, is a real introvert that likes and compares herself to turtles, and doesn’t like having a lot of guests. Anyways, she had a cool hairstyle and I wanted to try my own version of it out for myself.”
Stella: “Libby Stein-Torres? Hey, funny you should say that. A chelonian version of her is a client of mine.”
[said chelonian Libby walks in, with hair overgrown more than her usual]
Libby: “Hi, Stella. Um… I’m doing a musical number about anxiety for some of the anthropomorphic animal universes. Can you give me the usual?” [sees Wendy] “Oh, hi, Wendy. I see you’re going for a less Juniper Lee look.”
Wendy: “Yeah. Trying to avoid being accused of copying her look.” [pause] “Hey, I just realized, you kind of sound like her.”
Libby: “I do?” [chuckles] “Well, to be fair, there’s only so many ways a voice can sound. Some are bound to sound similar.”
Wendy: “Hey, wait a minute, isn’t there a segment of your show that’s all about how you’re a terrible singer and Molly tries to keep you from singing?”
Libby: [beat] “Can I let you in on something, Wendy?”
Wendy: “Sure.”
Libby: “Now, don’t go saying this to anyone. And you don’t say anything either, Stella, okay?”
Stella: “Your secret’s safe with me.”
Libby: [breathes deeply] “It’s different Libbys from me that are on the show, Libbys that are more shy about their singing. The Libbys that aren’t as shy about it, like me, we’re the ones that end up on Broken Karaoke and Theme Song Takeover and the other interstitials. That involve music.”
Stella: “Inter… stitial? What’s an interstitial?”
[Dr. Ticktock of ‘Ticktock Minutes’ is revealed to have been sitting nearby, he spins his chair around to reveal himself to the others. The clock noise sounds as he spins]
Dr. Ticktock: “Hello, Dr. Ticktock here. You ever notice those little programs that air during commercial breaks on TV, like School House Rock, and my own show, Ticktock Minutes? Well, those are called ‘interstitials’.”
[Wendy, Stella, and Libby stare silently at Dr. Ticktock, dumbfounded by his sudden appearance]
Wendy: “Who the hell are you, some knockoff Muppet?”
Dr. Ticktock: [chuckles] “I get that a lot. Truth of the matter is, most of my work is lost. So I mostly lay low and act as that thing only the Phoenix remembered, until he got a few of his friends to help find some of my lost episodes. I’m also a singer, you know.”
Stella: “Do you have a song about interstitials?”
Dr. Ticktock: “Sadly, no. And even if I did, I have more fun being an elusive figure, trolling the multiverse with my existence. This has been Dr. Ticktock, bye-bye for now.”
[the clock noise sounds again as he gets up and leaves the salon. He drops his pocket watch as he steps out; he quickly grabs it before leaving for good. The clock noise goes silent as soon as the door closes]
Wendy: “That was weird. But, I hope the rest of his show gets found.” [to Libby] “So, uh… are there hue-man Libbys that aren’t shy about singing?”
Libby: “Why, yes, Wendy. I just saw one of them on the way in. And I know another one who’s booked a performance in her own universe. For a different talent show that’s not part of the segment you alluded to earlier.”
Wendy: “Oh, really? What’s she singing?”
Libby: “‘Terrapin Station’. It’s a Grateful Dead song.”
Wendy: “Huh. Well, I wish her slash you good luck. Sounds right up her slash your alley.”

Entry number six in the National [thing] Day series! For June, we have World Sea Turtle Day. And I decided to do something a little different this time around; instead of setting it in the Grunvaliverse, I decided to make it be fanart of The Ghost and Molly McGee, starring the show’s breakout character Libby Stein-Torres. This is based on the climatic scene from her Theme Song Takeover, where she sings in the outfit depicted in the artwork above as a chorus line of turtles, her favorite animal, dances behind her.

I knew I wanted to have Libby singing a song relating to turtles, but… well, you know me. It’s not like me, or my characters for that matter, to just take the easy way out. In this case, having her sing “Happy Together” by the Turtles. I decided, instead, to have her sing another turtle-related classic rock song, “Terrapin Station”, the 16-minute suite by the Grateful Dead. Which marks the second time I’ve drawn a DTVA character singing a double-digit-minute prog song. Do not say that 🦭ing Doofenschmirtz quote, it’s an obnoxious meme that needs to die.

Oh, and I had Dr. Ticktock of Ticktock Minutes make a cameo in this extended version of a nearly year-old ficlet. Partially to advertise a lost media search that I’ve been on since December. For those that aren’t aware, Ticktock Minutes is an interstitial series that aired on PBS way back when, and was produced from 1994 to 2001. Dr. Ticktock himself was voiced by the late Michael Earl, who also has a connection to one of the most sought-after pieces of lost media, the original 1997 test footage for Shrek, in which he served as the mocap actor for the titular ogre. In fact, this connection part of why I think this search is so important, the search for Ticktock Minutes could potentially lead to the Shrek test footage being completely found, if we can get ahold of the right people.

The search has thankfully turned up results; I managed to find three of the episodes on Michael Earl’s old YouTube, and the efforts of @WesleyHunt2 and @jemibuni have uncovered twelve others on further corners of the internet, including the “Compass Rose” episode whose memory of mine started the search. And it turns out all 40 of the songs made for the show have been found. This leaves 25 of the specific episodes they belong to still missing. If anyone remembers Ticktock Minutes, or has connections to Earl or someone who knew him, please contact me, Wesley, or Jenna on Twitter, and tell us what you know.

And that’ll be all for now. If you liked this artwork and the ficlet, then follow this blog for updates, and drop me a follow on my socials linked below. Until next time, take care, stay safe, support an Asimovian amendment for AI, and have a good one.

Grunvale/OTOG is owned by me. You’re free to draw fanart or write fanfics of it, as long as you credit me as the creator of the series.
The Ghost and Molly McGee is owned by Disney through Disney Television Animation.
Ticktock Minutes is owned by… uh… I assume the Mississippi Authority for Educational Television, because that’s who’s credited in the episodes.
“Terrapin Station” was written by Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter for the Grateful Dead’s album of the same name, owned by Sony Music Entertainment through Arista Records.
This artwork was made at a resolution of 3996×2160 (aspect ratio 1.85:1).

Elafiphobia

[Spring of 2012 on the strict timeline of ZP-51498. The eight-year-old Shamrock Triad are on the swings at Yonderpine Park. Nicole is having difficulty maintaining the swinging momentum compared to Murphy and Charlotte]
Nicole: “Ugggggh! You guys make it look so easy!”
Charlotte: “Ya gotta swing yer legs, Wyler!” [with the movement of the swing] “Forwaaaaard, baaaaack! Forwaaaaard, back!”
Nicole: [kicks the air fast] “Forward, back, forward, back!”
Charlotte: [plants feet on the ground to stop the swinging, then starts mocking Nicole’s kicking] “Forward, back, forward, back!” [beat; gets up off the swing] “No, no, no, ya silly li’l thing, ya know that ain’t right. I mean like how ‘n’ when the swing moves.” [points to Murphy] “See how Grubie’s doing it?” [Nicole watches Murphy’s legs as she swings]
Nicole: [along with Murphy’s swinging] “Forwaaaaard, baaaaack. forwaaaaard, baaaaack.” [beat] “Ah, I get it now! Charlotte, can you boost me so I can start again?”
Charlotte: [smiles] “Sure.”
[Nicole grips the arms of the swings hard as Charlotte gives her a few pushes. Nicole kicks her legs with the movement of the swing]
Nicole: “Forwaaard, baaack. Forwaaard, back. Forwaaard, back.” [continues as Charlotte steps back] “Forwaaard, back. Forwaaard, back.”
Charlotte: “Now ya’ve got it. Keep goin’ there, Wyler!”
[Charlotte takes her seat back on the swing and starts herself back up. Nicole, maintaining her momentum, feels proud of herself]
Nicole: “Wheeeee! Haha! Now I’m having fun!” [pause. Nicole looks out with determination as she continues swinging] “Forwaaard, baaack! Forwaaard, baaack! Forwa –” [sees Charlotte and Murphy fall off the swings, launched as if pushed off]
Murphy: “Oof!”
Charlotte: “Ow!”
Nicole: “Huh?” [lands into someone’s fist, and falls off the swing herself] “AGH!” [looks behind her, and sees three cervine teenagers behind her and her friends] “Hey! No fair!”
Murphy: “Yeah, we were using these!”
Charlotte: “You can’t do that!”
[cervine teenager #1]: “Yeah, well, we just did, you little brats.”
[cervine teenager #2]: “Yeah, it’s our turn now. Now back off unless you wanna be in a world of hurt.”
Charlotte: “‘scuse me, but who do y’all think ya are?!”
[cervine teenager #3]: “Older than you, and therefore better than you. Oh wait a minute, I don’t think that. I know that! Now back off!”
Nicole: [stands up] “You know, you’re a bunch of meanies! Give us the swings back!”
[cervine teenager #3]: “What’d you say, rodent? You want your swing back?”
Nicole: “Yeah! Now give it!”
[the cervines all look at each other, with devious smiles on their faces. They nod, before facing Nicole again]
[cervine teenager #2]: [feigning sincerity as they step back and grabs the seat] “Okay, sure, little girl. You’re right. We’re sorry. That wasn’t fair of us. You can have it back.”
Nicole: [beaming] “Really?”
[cervine teenager #2]: “Yeah! Here!” [launches the seat into Nicole’s face, sending her falling to the ground]
Nicole: “OW! OWWWWW!”
[Nicole starts sobbing. She tries to get up, only for cervine #1 to punch her in the back of the head, and they and cervine #3 to stomp on her as she screams. Murphy runs to hide in the playground and Charlotte runs uphill as the stomping occurs. Cervine #2 steps up]
[cervine teenager #2]: “Guys, guys, back off the girl.” [pause. Nicole whimpers as she looks up at the trio] “You know we have antlers now.” [takes out a rag and sharpens their points with it. Nicole tries to scream, only for cervine #1 to cover her mouth] “You! Stand her up. I want to see her fall. And then try to get up. It’s gonna be fun.” [to cervine #3, still sharpening their points] “You recording?”
[cervine teenager #3]: “Am now.”
[Cervine #3 opens the camera app on their phone, and cervine #1 stands Nicole up. Cervine #2 finishes sharpening their points, and puts the rag away. Nicole whimpers again]
[cervine teenager #2]: “RAAAAAAAAAAH!”
[cervine #2 charges toward Nicole, who runs from them. Just as they are about to strike her, Charlotte comes rolling down the hill, and crashes into the cervine, sending them to the ground. She pins them to the ground with her knee on their stomach, and strangles her]
Charlotte: “You and yer goons leave my friend alone right now!”
[cervine teenager #2]: [gasping for air] “Or what? What… are you gonna… do about it? Tell my… parents?”
Charlotte: “No.” [looks off] “Tell her sister.”
[cervine teenager #2]: [coughs, attempting to laugh] “Her sister?”
Charlotte: “Yeah! And I don’t mean a first time, either.”
[cervine teenager #2]: “What? But this is just the…” [Wendy appears in her sight, her hand slathered in honey] “Huh? This is… her sister? This… five-year-old?”
Wendy: “I’m seven. And you’ve hit the unluckiest jackpot ever.” [holds out her honey-covered hand as Charlotte removes her hand from the cervine’s neck]
[cervine teenager #2]: “What? What, is… is that honey?” [Wendy starts wiping the honey on their face] “Why are you wiping honey on me, weirdo?!”
Wendy: “Oh, you’ll find out. In about ten, nine, eight…” [finishes wiping the honey, then looks off to the distance] “Seven, six…” [to Charlotte and Nicole as she points to the playground] “Run! Over there! Now!”
[Charlotte and Nicole run to the playground just as commanded. Wendy dashes over to slap the other two cervines in the face with her honey-covered hand, before running off herself. As the Wyler sisters and Charlotte retreat into the shadow of the playground, the cervines hear faint buzzing. The buzzing sounds exponentially louder as a dark cloud of swarming bees grow closer and closer to them]
[cervine teenager #3]: “Uh oh.”
[the cervines run away, screaming as the bees chase after and sting them. Wendy, Charlotte and Murphy laugh as they watch the cervines run]
Murphy: “And stay out!”
[Wendy looks back at Nicole, who is bloodied, bruised and crying from the attack, as she sits on the ground. Wendy’s smile fades as she goes over to hug her big sister. Nicole returns the hug and sobs, as Charlotte and Murphy also go over to hug her]

[Five years later, which would be present day, or spring of 2017 on the strict timeline. It’s passing time at Milt Kahl Junior High, and the Shamrock Triad]
Murphy: “So, uh, you guys met the new girl yet?”
Nicole: “New girl?”
Charlotte: “Oh yeah, Ruby! Ruby… last-name-with-lotsa-vowels. Heheh. Haven’t had class with ‘er yet, what’s she like?”
Murphy: “Well, I can tell she really — her last name’s Eliopoulos, by the way. She really likes books. And writes in her notebook as she reads. She calls what she writes… I think she called them ‘annotations’?”
Charlotte: “Oh, annotated books! Interestin’! I’ve got an annotated copy o’ Red Badge of Courage back home, I wonder if she’d be interested in it.”
Murphy: “And she likes junk food like me, so… I can tell she’s gonna be fun.”
Nicole: “Wait, hold on, there’s a new girl? Since when?”
[beat]
Murphy: “Uh, since today, Nicole. Don’t you remember?”
Nicole: “You knew there was gonna be a new kid?”
Murphy: “Well, yeah, everybody did. We got the announcement like two weeks ago.”
Charlotte: “Ya musta tuned out when the teachers were talkin’. Ya’ve gotta work on yer listenin’, Nicky.”
Nicole: “Well, whoever this Ruby Elephant Paris is, I hope she’s as cool as you’re making her out to be, Murphy.”
Murphy: “Eliopoulos.”
Nicole: “Right. That.”

[the Triad make it to their Eaglish classroom; Holt and Murray are already there, sitting in the row second from front. Holt is in the left of Nicole’s view and Murray in the right, with a single desk separating the two]
Nicole: “Hello, Klugie! Hello, Rosie! Lovely day we’re having, is it not?”
Holt: “Uh…” [looks outside] “It’s sunny, you know I like it cloudy, but yeah, sure. Lovely enough.”
Murray: “I like it sunny. But to each their own.”
Nicole: “Have either of you met that Ruby girl yet?”
[Holt and Murray look at each other]
Holt: “Uh, we’ve… we haven’t like, met her, met her, but she’s in our math class.”
Murray: “She’s quiet, from what little I’ve been around her. Seems nice, though.”
Nicole: “Huh. Well, if what Murphy tells me about her is true, about her writing about the books she reads, she’d do well in an Eaglish class such as this one.” [beat, as she watches Murphy and Charlotte take their seats] “Anyways, time to just, take my seat between the two of you.” [winks as she ruffles Murray’s and Holt’s hair] “Best seat in the class!” [pulls the chair of the desk out, only to be stopped by the ursine teacher of the class, Mr. Griff]
Mr. Griff: “Wait, wait, wait, hold on, Nicole!”
Nicole: [startled] “Whoa! Um… hello, Mr. Griff. What’s this about?”
Mr. Griff: “Well, Nicole, as you may have heard, we have a new student in our class today, her name is Ruby, uh…” [reads paper] “El-ee-ah-poh-lus. Eliopoulos.”
Nicole: “Yeah, I know. What about her?”
Mr. Griff: “I had to do some re-arranging of the seats to make way for her, and, well, I’ve decided, starting today, she’s gonna be sitting at this seat from now on.”
Nicole: [pause, scowls] “What?! Why my seat?! Find somebody else!”
Mr. Griff: “Your friends sitting next to you is too much of a risk for distraction.” [points off to the back row] “I’ve cleared out the back seat next to the window for you to sit. You’ll see soon that this is best for you.”
[Nicole rolls her eyes and walks over to her new seat. As she takes her seat, Ruby arrives at the room. She’s an obese cervine doe, with thick glasses, waist-length hair, and buckteeth, and is carrying a few notebooks and a copy of Sense and Sensibility as she walks in. Nicole moves backward in her seat, visibly afraid]
Murphy: “Hi, Ruby!”
Ruby: [notices Murphy] “Hello, Murphy! Long time no shee!” [notices Mr. Griff] “And I’m guesshing you’re Mishter Griff?”
Mr. Griff: “That I am. Nice to meet you, Ruby.”
Ruby: “Nishe to meet you, too! Where would you like me to sh… take my sheat?”
[Nicole glares as Mr. Griff leads Ruby to the sciurine’s former seat. As Ruby takes the seat, Nicole remembers the playground attack from five years before, and cowers, placing her head on her desk with her arms pressed on top. After a few seconds, her eyes move toward the window. She sees the top of an egg sac peeking out from the bottom of the view. Nicole waits to make sure no one is looking, and then opens the window a crack as she smiles deviously]

[A few minutes later, everyone has arrived, and Mr. Griff begins class]
Mr. Griff: “Afternoon, class. Before we begin, I’m sure you’ve noticed, we have a new student joining us today. Ruby, would you like to introduce yourself to the class?”
Ruby: “Sure!”
[Ruby gets up in the front of the class. While the rest of the class seems legitimately interested, Nicole just glares and sticks her tongue out at her]
Ruby: “Sho, um, hello. My name ish Ruby Eliopoulosh, yesh, that ish a Greek name. That should tell you all where I’m from. Acshually, no, jusht my ansheshtors. I’m from Deer Isle, Maine. It’sh a town in Hancock county, about forty-five minutesh from Elkshworth and’sh got a great view of the Atlantic Ocean.”
Nicole: “You were asked introduce yourself, kid. Not give a lesson on geography. Now introduce yourself.”
Ruby: [pause as she scowls] “Anywaysh, my parentsh are both writersh, my mom’sh a columnisht and my dad’sh a novelisht. And that’sh of courshe influenshed my upbringing.” [beat] “I love reading.”
Nicole: [mocking Ruby’s lisp] “And yet you don’t know how to shhhhhay the wordshhhhh you read properly.” [beat] “Shhhhh.”
Ruby: [another, longer pause. She doesn’t scowl so much as look uncomfortable] “I love reading. I read almosht anything, newer or classhic, but I find the classhicsh more fun to read and reshearch. You shee, I like to make my own annotationsh, or notesh for thoshe that aren’t familiar with that word.”
Nicole: “I don’t know what ‘noteshhhhh‘ or a ‘annotationshhhhh‘ are.”
Ruby: [annoyed and uncomfortable] “Ugggh.” [continues] “Annotationsh are bashically thingsh that deshcribe a book in detail, whether for hishtorical contecsht, geographical contechst, to define a word that’sh either changed itsh meaning or ishn’t ushed anymore, or whatever. I like to do that with the booksh I read. Currently, I’m doing that with thish book.” [holds up copy of Sense and Sensibility] “Shenshe and Shenshibility by Jane Aushten.”
Nicole: “Shhhhhenshhhhhe and Shhhhhenshhhhhibility by Jane Aushhhhhten!”
Ruby: “Alright, never mind!” [puts book back on desk, irritated] “Lemme jusht talk about shome other thingsh I like.” [pauses and grips forehead, before speaking again] “Anywaysh, the inesh of Maine like anything that involvesh shkating. Figure shkating, hockey, there wash a roller rink in Shtoatington I liked to go to, and a pond in the woodsh near my home.”
Nicole: “Have you ever fallen into the pond while skating? ’cause I wanna know what’s the best way to preserve venison!”
[Ruby is now the color she’s named after in the face with rage. She shakes as she makes a fist with both hands, before relaxing and hanging her head. The rest of the class glares at Nicole, mostly looking angry, but Murphy, Charlotte, Holt, and Murray look shocked]
Ruby: “I’m shorry, Mr. Griff, but I don’t feel comfortable with thish. You jusht… jusht begin classh now.”
[Ruby sadly walks back to her seat and sighs, as Nicole waits for her to turn her back toward her as she sits down. Once she does, she opens the window, grabs the egg sac off the wall, and throws it as a fastball at the back of the cervine’s head. It tears open, and dozens of baby spiders crawl out, walking on Ruby, her seat, and her desk. The class gasps as they watch the scene unfold]
Ruby: [shakes as her mouth hangs open, before letting out a shrill scream] “AAAAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!” [to Nicole] “I HATE YOUUUUU!”
[Ruby runs out of the classroom wailing. The class glares at Nicole once again. Once again, most of the classmates are visibly angry at her, while her friends are more shocked]
Holt: “Why would you do that?”
[Nicole tries to think of a response, before slouching sadly in her chair]

[later, in the office of the castoridine assistant principal. Nicole is being reprimanded for her behavior as she hangs her head and cries]
[castoridine assistant principal]: “I was told by your Eaglish teacher Mr. Griff and your classmate Ruby Eliopoulos, of your behavior in the former’s class toward the latter. To say I am disgusted would be quite an understatement. There your new classmate was, after a difficult point in her life, trying to be friendly towards you and your peers. And your response is to attack her, both verbally and physically, including a particularly egregious threat, to…” [pause] “…eat her.”
Nicole: “I was, uh… I was trying to assert myself in a funny way.”
[castoridine assistant principal]: “Oh, that’s your idea of funny, is it? Well, your idea of funny, had her hiding in the bathroom for the rest of the period, and into passing period. She had to be coaxed out, because you made her that afraid to return to class. And I can assure you it is not funny to anyone else. It is rotten behavior, which I would expect from a criminal.”
Nicole: “I’m sorry.”
[castoridine assistant principal]: “You will be in detention until five o’clock tonight, and for the rest of the week as well. And if I hear of a single other instance regarding you bullying Ruby or any other student, or you treat your punishment as a joke, you will be answering to Principal Snow.”
Nicole: “Yes, sir.”
[castoridine assistant principal]: “Good. Now leave my office. And don’t make things worse for yourself.”
[Nicole does as told]

[later that evening, after Nicole gets out of detention. Dolly and Greg’s car is already up at the sidewalk to pick Nicole up. Nicole gets in to take her seat next to Wendy. Everyone is angry about what they heard she’s done. Nicole doesn’t even look at anyone’s faces; she can just tell from the atmosphere]
Nicole: “Hi, guys.”
Gregory: “Don’t ‘hi guys’ us, you’re in a lot of trouble.”
[Nicole hangs her head in shame, as she anticipates the words from her sisters]
Wendy: “Nicole, I understand that the playground incident was traumatizing for you, but that’s no excuse for what you did to that girl Ruby!”
Nicole: “Yes, Wend — no, Wendy. I know it isn’t. I just got angry and scared and –” [wipes away tears] “…lashed out.” [beat] “I’m gonna get punished for this, aren’t I? More than I’ve already been at school.”
[Greg starts driving as Dolly speaks sternly to Nicole]
Dolly: “No, Nicole. Not this time. Given this is your first, and better-be-only time you’ve bullied someone, we’ve decided to let you off without any consequences at home.” [Nicole is not comforted; she knows this is coming with a condition] “If, and only if, you give Ruby an apology for how you treated her. And you will be giving your apology face-to-face, you will give it to her in front of her parents, and you will be sincere about it. That means not just saying ‘sorry’ and being done with it, or trying to pin any kind of blame on her. We’re driving over to her place right now so you can give your apology. I suggest you use this car time to think of what to say to her.”
Nicole: “Yes, Dolly.”

[at the Eliopoulos household. The Wylers plus Greg exit the car, as the Eliopouloses come out of their house. Wendy grips Nicole’s tail as they walk together, making sure she won’t try to run off]
Mr. Eliopoulos: “Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Wyler.”
Gregory: “Voronov. We’re the Voronovs, the older sister and brother-in-law of the girl who attacked your daughter.”
Dolly: “I’m Mrs. Wyler-Voronov, but yes, what he said. Voronovs.”
Mrs. Eliopoulos: “Which one is Nicole, the black-haired one or the blonde one?”
Wendy: “The blonde one.” [lets go of Nicole’s tail and pushes her forward] “She has something she’d like to say.”
[Nicole slowly walks forward, her head hung in shame. She pauses for a moment, before finally speaking. She looks them in the eyes]
Nicole: “I’m sorry I hurt your daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Eliopoulos. I have no good reason for having acted the way that I did towards her.”
Mr. Eliopoulos: “Why did you think it was okay to behave that way towards poor Ruby?”
Nicole: [pause, gulps] “I’ve been afraid of deer and cervines as… as long as I can remember. I honestly thought Ruby was out to attack me.”
Mrs. Eliopoulos: “When you hadn’t even gotten to know her yet?”
Ruby: “You thought I wash going to attack you?!”
Nicole: “I thought that’s just what deer do. Block off roads, cause damage to cars. Cut and impale others with their antlers, shed their antlers so others can trip and cut themselves on them. Attack… elementary-school-aged kids to the point where they’re bloodied and bruised.” [beat] “But I guess you guys don’t do those things.”
Mrs. Eliopoulos: “No. We don’t, Nicole. And it’s disgusting you had that idea.”
Mr. Eliopoulos: “You oughta be ashamed. Especially to think that Ruby could be capable of bullying.”
Nicole: “But surely other ines were scared of her back where you came from, or at least intimidated?”
Ruby: “No, Nicole.” [Nicole looks at her] “Jusht the opposhite, acshually. I wash bullied by jusht about everybody. I mean, you really think shomeone with glasshesh and a lishp and’sh alwaysh reading booksh, wash the popular kid? Let alone shomebody other kidsh were afraid of?”
Nicole: “Yeah, that does sound wrong now that you say that. I mean, all that looks nerdy about me is my braces and I have bullies. For a different reason, but I still have them.”
Ruby: “Have you ever been bullied sho bad that you got afraid to go to shcool, and ended up with loushy report cardsh that made you look lessh shmart than you were?”
Nicole: [pause] “No, but I’ve been bullied so bad that I thought cervines were all a bunch of aggressive bullies. Which… now after being around you and… actually taking the time to talk to you, I can see that I was wrong.” [beat. She starts crying] “You… you seem like a really nice girl, Ruby. I’m so sorry. I really am sorry about the way I treated you. And that I… perceived you as some kind of bully just because of what…” [sniffs] “…what you are. You seem like someone I’d like to have as a friend, but… but if I hurt you too much, then I understand if you never want to talk to me again.” [falls to the ground, face buried in her hands as she sobs] “I’m sorry.”
[The Eliopouloses watch Nicole sob as Wendy and Dolly walk up]
Dolly: “She’s learned her lesson, Mr. and Mrs. Eliopoulos. Trust me.”
Mr. Eliopoulos: “Are you sure? You know how kids like to lie.”
Wendy: “We’re very sure. When she breaks down like this, you can be certain it’s gotten through to her.” [leads Nicole away] “Have a good night. Sorry your family had to put up with this.”
Gregory: “They didn’t. But it won’t be happening again.”
[The Wylers plus Greg go back in the car. Once the Wylers are all in, the Eliopouloses walk away]

[the next day, in the cafeteria of MKJH. Nicole takes her seat next to Holt and Murray, with Charlotte and Murphy sitting across from them. The latter two look stern, while the former two look uneasy]
Nicole: “Um… afternoon.”
Charlotte: “That was a horrific thing ya did yesterday, Nicole. I thought a bullyin’ victim such as yerself wouldn’t stoop so low, but I guess I was wrong.”
Nicole: “You and Grubie were attacked by the same cervines I was!”
Murphy: “Yeah, but we didn’t go and bully our cervine classmate, now, did we?”
Charlotte: “Ya may have yer sisters’ fergiveness and the Eliopoulos’ fergiveness, but I ain’t gonna fall fer any hearsay. I wanna see fer myself, ya treatin’ Ruby with respect. Which is why she’s sitting with us today. Don’t let me down.”
Nicole: [beat] “Okay.”
[at the next table over, Murray’s sister Kate notices the Baseball Pentad, and grins deviously before confronting Nicole]
Kate: “Well, well! If it isn’t the tricycle!” [slaps the back of Murray’s and Holt’s heads] “With the two stumpy wheels…” [punches Nicole’s head down] “…and the big ugly one, that’s useless without the other two!”
[Kate laughs as the Pentad scowl]
Murray: “Knock it off, Kate.”
Kate: “You’re the one dating Squirrel Woods, squirt.”
Holt: “Nicole’s relationships with us are something she made us aware of beforehand and that we’re okay with. Our V-shaped polycule is not even remotely the same thing as Tiger Woods’ sun-shaped infidelity.”
Nicole: “Yeah, what he said! And besides, you know what they say! Flatlines mean death, mountains mean life!”
Kate: “One, nobody says that. And B…”
Charlotte: [mouthing the words] <One and B?>
Kate: “…your… whatever the thing you’ve got with my brother and fatty here…” [Holt holds his belly in embarrassment. Murphy also holds hers, looking sad] “…is more like a pothole. An ugly, bumpy thing in the road that ruins everyone’s day. Be like everyone else, and choose one or the other, so you can be a flat road, that doesn’t need any maintenance.”
[Nicole slowly stands up to face Kate, making a fist with both hands. Her friends are worried about what she’s about to do]
Charlotte: “Fer gourdsake, Nicky! Don’t do it!”
Murphy: “You’re gonna get in even more trouble!”
Nicole: “Ugly bumpy thing that ruins your day?” [raises fist and growls] “I’ll show you an ugly bumpy thing, that’s gonna ruin your day!“
[a book is thrown from behind Nicole, which hits Kate in the head, knocking her out cold. The Pentad are all surprised, but relieved]
Holt: “Good riddance.”
[Nicole kicks Kate aside and picks up the book. She looks at the cover; it’s Sense and Sensibility. Nicole recognizes this exact copy immediately. She looks back, and sees Ruby, waving to her and smiling. Nicole smiles back, and goes up to Ruby to hand the book back to her]
Nicole: “Thanks, Ruby.” [ruffles Ruby’s head] “Hey, I’m sure you know Charlotte wants you to sit with us. Do… do you want to sit next to me?”
[looks to Murray and gestures to him to move over a seat. Ruby speaks as he does so]
Ruby: “You… you’re letting me take my sheat next to you? Um… well, thanksh, Nicole, I’d be glad to.”
Nicole: “And show us all those things you write, too. Notaries or whatev — I forgot what you call them.”
Ruby: “Annotationsh. Notariesh are inesh who witnessh the shiningsh of legal documentsh.”
Nicole: “Oh. Well then. You can show us your… annotations. After you’re done eating lunch.”
Ruby: “No need, I’m good. I ate four bagsh of sour cream and onion potato chipsh earlier.”
[Nicole and Ruby take their seat at the table with the rest of the Pentad. Ruby takes the seat that Murray had been sitting in]
Charlotte: “Huh.”
Nicole: “So, Ruby, how would you like to share with everyone your annotations? On Sense and Sensibility, or something else if you’re sensitive about showing unfinished work?”
Ruby: “Acshually, shinshe it’sh what I have in my backpack, I’ll show you what I’ve got on Senshe chapter one, volume one. And there’sh your firsht bit of trivia about thish book right there, it wash, on itsh original releashe in nineteen-ele — whoop! Eighteen! 1811, itsh releashe in 1811, released in three volumesh, the first volume twenty-two chaptersh, and the second and third fourteen chaptersh.”
Murray: “Volumes? Like a graphic novel or a manga?”
Ruby: “Yesh, perameline I… shtill don’t know the name of. Ecshactly like that.”
Murray: “Murray. My name’s Murray. Murray Rose.” [looks over at Kate, who is still knocked out on the floor] “And the girl you knocked out is my bitch of a sister Kate.”
[the rest of the Pentad, plus Ruby, also looks at Kate. She lets out a barely audible groan]
Holt: “Think we should check on her?”
Kate: [groaning, once again, barely audibly. The Pentad and Ruby can see her mouth saying…] “I hate you, Wyler.”
Pentad, Ruby: [beat] “Nah.”

On my way home from work on April 21, 2023, I got into another car accident. This time, from hitting a deer. I wasn’t physically injured this time, nor was the car totaled. But the car’s front bumper was damaged, and I was quite a bit shaken mentally. I had no time to react to the deer; they leapt out of the darkness when the car I was driving was only like twenty feet away. As soon as I saw the deer, I knew I was going to hit them.

I didn’t see the deer after I hit them, however, I did hear, from the woods, what sounded like footsteps. Whether it was the deer limping, or twitching while dying, I don’t know. My folks decided to say that the deer survived, but I think that they died shortly after. Poor deer. They don’t have the capacity to understand how dangerous the road is. Or that their presence on the road is a hazard to drivers. They probably just think it’s some mysterious stretch of rocks in the woods where the trees part.

My run-in with that deer inspired the artwork you see above, and the ficlet that goes with it. I don’t think I had any cervine characters before this; there was the one time I drew AgentC-24‘s Candy as a cervine back in 2018, and Bob from Sunset Riders is depicted as a cervine in the graphic novel. But Ruby Eliopoulos is my first cervine character that comes to mind, that is actually my character. I think the ficlet is all the introduction you need. Is the Baseball Pentad now a hexad? No, Ruby doesn’t play baseball. But I think it is a good idea to give Nicole a new… friend, outside the Pentad. Much like April has Jazz, and Wendy has Randi, Margo has Auggie, and Gilda has… nobody, the Tetrad’s all she has. If anything, Ruby’d be the cheerleader, helping rally support for the Junior Shamrocks and Junior Canaries. And Shamrocks and Canaries once the Pentad get to high school.

Production note, I did update Nicole’s hair color during the writing of this ficlet. I had been using the color that appears as Θ113-3 on the mammoth color palette collection, from this point on, I’ll be using Λ62-3. It’s a more natural-looking color for blonde hair; that slight shift towards red goes a long way. It’s not present in this artwork, but it is on the artwork that I uploaded to Twitter at the same time this ficlet and artwork is being posted here.

And that’ll be all for this time. I know the ficlet’s longer than usual, but I wanted to write something that has a proper beginning, middle, and end this time, instead of just being a vignette. I hope it pays off with my readers. And if it does well… don’t know what ‘well’ is though given not many people come to this blog, I’ll write more proper story-style ficlets. Whatever ‘well’ looks like for this blog, though, I hope it reaches it. And until next time, take care, stay safe, support an Asimovian amendment for AI, support all the animated films you can that come out next month, and have a good one.

If you would like to commission an artwork, consult the StormArts Commissions Ad for pricing and how to contact me. I accept payment through PayPal. Also don’t forget to follow me at any of the below platforms:

Grunvale/OTOG is owned by me. You’re free to draw fanart of it, as long as you credit me as the creator of the series.
This artwork was made at a resolution of 5076×2160 (aspect ratio 2.35:1).

The Tetrad in Silver

Margo: “Gilda, I appreciate that I now have 80s garb like you, you know I do. But I really must ask, what is it with you and black-and-white lately?”
Gilda: “It looks cool and puts the focus more on light and details. Also, these portraits aren’t black-and-white. There’s an offset of ten units on both ends of the lightness value. Questo è argento!”
Margo: “Quest of our whaaaaa?”
Wendy: “‘This is silver’.”
Margo: [beat] “And I assume you know this because you take online classes taught by a green strigine?”
Gilda: “No, she knows it from being around me. I’m surprised you haven’t picked up any Istallion yourself by now.”
Margo: [feeling embarrassed] “Mamma mia.”

This isn’t anything big, just an artwork I made for myself to celebrate my 25th, or as I’ve been referring to it on my socials, my silver jubilee birthday. The Oddball Tetrad, with Margo, Wendy, and April now finally given official 1980s-style outfits in their own styles like Gilda has had in her style since the beginning, and all four drawn in a… different black-and-white palette, that emphasizes the ‘silver’ in ‘silver jubilee’. I plan to get this printed on glossy paper, which will help further sell the silver appearance of this panorama.

Nothing much more to add for this one. However, I do have more to add, since it is my birthday… thanks to everyone online who wished me a happy birthday today! And special thanks to the Twitter users @KamenRiderLoud, @LoudToon99, @worldofjake2012, and @Joey_HJ_CMGS for even going out of their way to draw fanart for me! And also anyone else who may art for me that didn’t get it out in time for me to thank them here. I will thank y’all on Twitter, though, and post your artworks below like the rest of those who showed their gifts to me!

Oh, yeah, I’ll… I’ll be showcasing the gifted artworks below. Because I appreciate y’all that much. Stay tuned after that for a bonus ficlet I wrote back in 2022! And as for the rest of you, take care, stay safe, push for an Asimovian amendment for AI, support the striking writers of the WGA, go watch Guardians 3 because it’s awesome, and have a good one.

Special Thanks

**Joey_HJ_CMGS** **(happy birthday to you, too, Nicanoodle2002!)**

And now, to close out, the bonus ficlet I promised y’all.

Golf Positivity

Original DA Upload Date: May 14, 2022

[May 14, 2018 on the strict timeline of ZP-51498. The Tetrad are on a minigolf course; they walk up to a hole with a creepy-looking statue of a castoridine’s head]
Margo: “Ooh. Creepy-looking castoridine. It looks like a Terra Formars roach.”
April: “‘s got a pretty gingin’-lookin’ tongue.” [runs up to take a closer look at the tongue. When she puts her hand to it, she realizes that it’s moist] “Eww, ‘s e’en wet! Whassis e’en made oot of?!”
[Gilda goes up to the statue and runs the palm of her hand down the tongue]
Gilda: “It’s rubber. From melted-down tires.” [runs the back of her hand down the tongue] “The rain from yesterday must not’ve evaporated off of it yet.” [beat] “Oh well. It’ll make a fun challenge, the ball getting all slippery and everything. So, uh, which hole is this?”
Wendy: “Hole ten. We’re halfway done.”
Gilda: “Wow, already? Feels like less.”
April: “Well, ‘at’s hoo ye knoo ye’re ‘avin’ fun!” [beat] “Sae, eh, who’s oan fahst?”
Margo: “Who.”
April: “The one o’ us playin’ fahst.”
Margo: “Who.”
April: “The sow who’s fahst tae play t’is ‘oole.”
Margo: “Who.”
Wendy: “Knock that off!” [pulls Margo’s hoodie strings, leaving Margo’s face completely obscured by the hood] “Gilda’s playing first. She’s the birthday girl, and the only one of us with a negative score. She’s got the best idea of how this course works, so let’s watch her and follow her example.”
[Margo runs around blinded for a while before falling over. While still lying on the ground, she pulls her hood back open]
Margo: “You’re using the one who has a negative score as an example of how to play? That’s just stupid! Use me! You said I have the highest score.”
[Wendy and April facepalm; Gilda rolls her eyes]
Gilda: “Margo, how many times do we need to explain how golf scores work? Negative points are what you’re aiming for.”
[beat]
Margo: “That’s stupid.”
April: “Well, let’s put it t’is weh. Goolf’s aboot who kin git th’ boll intae th’ ‘oole in th’ least strokes.”
Margo: “Oh, well that makes sense.”
Wendy: “Now do you get it?”
Margo: “Yeah.”
Wendy: “Okay. Now let’s go sit at that table over there and watch how Gil does it.” [she, Margo, and April walk over to the table] “Take it, golf queen.”
Gilda: [smiles, then places her ball on the tee] “Here we go.” [stands up and prepares to hit the ball] “Remember, if I win, and I will, you’re buying me an Arnold Palmer. A whole gallon!”
Wendy: “Don’t worry, we didn’t forget.”
[Gilda looks down at her ball and prepares to make her stroke. Silently, she makes a practice stroke, and then…]
Gilda: “My pink ball go down da hooooole!”
[…makes the stroke for real. The ball goes flying into the castoridine’s mouth, seemingly scoring Gilda a hole-in-one. The Tetrad watch silently as they wait to see if the ball made it through. A pre-recorded burp sound plays from the statue]
Margo: “Better from the attic than the basement, am I right?”
[the statue spits the ball out]
Gilda: “Well, it sure is in this case!” [laughs. Margo looks surprised at how accurate her quip turned out]

Twitter (Main): https://twitter.com/StormyAdlerPoG
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Grunvale/OTOG is owned by me. You’re free to draw fanart of it, as long as you credit me as the creator of the series.
The four main artworks were made at a resolution of 1890×2160 (aspect ratio 1:1.14), and combined are at a resolution of 7560×2160 (aspect ratio 3.50:1). The additional artwork was made at a resolution of 5076×2160 (aspect ratio 2.35:1).

Sock Jock

[The warren floors of Hynde Manor. Margo is building a harbor portion of her train set in one of the basements. She installs a projector below the water portion of the set, represented by a panel of distorted glass, which have white-painted edges to resemble sea foam]
Margo: “Presenting for the first time in the New Eagland town of… New Lapinville.” [sets switch on her phone to ‘on’] “Water.” [watches the train set in motion, particularly for the water. The projection impresses her] “Hey, Buffett, look at this.”
Buffett: “Raaaa-AAAAAH-awk!” [flies over, and perches himself on Margo’s head]
Margo: “Look, Buffett. It looks like where you came from. Minus the fact this is supposed to look like New Eagland and… you’re from Firginia. Anyways, it’s the sea! With genuine fabricated water! It doesn’t have any boats on it yet, but once I build them, and laser-etch the holes to put them in, it’ll be perfect.”
Buffett: “Yaaaaah-awk!”
[Margo and Buffett watch as the trains move through the set]
Margo: “I haven’t really shown you my trains a lot, have I, Buffy?” [Buffett stares at her] “Well, let me give you a rundown. They’re gauge 1, same as they used on that old show Thomas and Friends. And as you can see, the livery on the engines tends to be a medium blue, with accents of two other colors to differentiate them.” [points out the three specific trains on the dock set] “The one with green and orange and the ‘6233’ on the side, is Marlie. She’s really fiery and easy to anger. The one with crimson and orange and the ‘6232’, is Patrick. He’s really chill. And the one with dark blue and orange and the ‘6231’, is Margaret. The most famous engine in New Eagland and the one everyone loves.” [winks] “You might know some ines in real life like these engines.”
Buffett: “Rah-haha!”
Margo: “Now on the shed set, I have –” [hears Harry shouting in disbelief from the main manor above]
Harry: “No no no no NOOOOO!”
Margo: “Uh oh, Dad doesn’t sound happy.” [turns off train set] “Sorry, Buffy, I’ll show you the rest another time.” [shoos Buffett off her head and crawls uptunnel. Buffett follows her up]

[In the main manor, Margo and Buffett find Harry, distressed as he holds a single blue sock]
Margo: “What’s going on, Dad? Why are… why are you carrying that sock around?”
Harry: “I can’t find the other one, Mar! I felt like wearing the solid blues like old times, but apparently at some point I lost lefty!”
Margo: “Oh, that’s right. You like collecting socks. Some fathers like collecting ties, you like collecting socks.”
Harry: [beat] “What father has ever liked collecting ties?”
Sally: [from another room] “My fathah likes collectin’ ties!”
Harry: [beat, as he scowls toward the kitchen] “What father that counts likes collecting ties?”
Margo: “You know, come to think of it, the idea of fathers liking ties does sound like something a marketing company made up to commercialize Father’s Day.”
Harry: “I know the solid blues aren’t the most colorful socks I’ve got, but they’re the one of the pairs I’ve got the deepest connection to. They remind me of how blue the sea is in Mallorca.”
Margo: “Mah… yohr… cuh?”
Harry: “It’s an island in Horspaña. Your mother and I went there for our honeymoon.”
Margo: “You know, you could always mix and match the socks. Just wear the blue one and wear something else as the left one.”
Harry: “Even if I wanted to do that, and I don’t, I’m not about to have separated another pair. Especially when this one’s twin’s already missing.” [looks at the sock] “But I guess if I can’t find the twin, which it looks at this point like I’m not gonna, I’ll have to cut this thing up and… oh, I don’t know. Make it a washcloth or something.” [Margo stares at the sock] “Or maybe your sister can make this into something fashionable.”
Margo: “Or I could take it off your hands.”
Harry: “And what use would you have for it?”
Margo: “I don’t know, something cool. Or at least more use than you’re willing to give it.”
[beat. Harry looks at the sock again, before handing it off to Margo]
Harry: “Alright then. Put it to good use. Whatever that’d be.”
[Margo walks off. She puts the sock on her right arm and starts flapping her hand inside it, while doing a Boarston-accented voice that exaggerates Margo’s raspiness]
???: “‘ey, thanks foah savin’ me from a ragged fate theuh.”
Margo: “Sure.”
???: “What could I evah do to repay yah?”
Margo: “Well, I do run a railway. The New Eagland Railway. It’s only a gauge 1 railway, but it spans sets representing as far south as Connewticut, and as far north as New Boarunswick. And a position just opened up for a conductor.”
???: “What ah the pahks?”
Margo: “Well, there’s flexible hours, getting to hang around in the world of the ines, and as a sign-on bonus, you’d get an actual face and arms.”
???: “A face?! I’ve always wanted a face! Can I have one like yoahs?”
Margo: “Yeah, well, that was the idea! And I can get my sister to make you a uniform. Welcome aboard, ma’am.” [rubs top of the sock’s ‘head’]
???: “I’d be gettin’ hayuh too, right?”
Margo: “Orange yarn hair.”
???: “Sounds good to me!”

[a few days later, at the Grunvale Public Library. Gilda is reading Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, Wendy is reading Wonder Boys by Michael Chabon, and April is reading The Giver by Lois Lowry; the latter has her phone set on the table, displaying a meme of Buster and Babs Bunny saying ‘No Relation’]
April: “My, t’is book’s a pure wehd ‘un. Ah kin seh why ‘s sae con’ervehsal.”
Wendy: “Yeah, well, it’s the controversial ones you want to read. Literature is one of the few mediums of art not regulated by our government, and it’s the ones that take advantage of that, which society needs to push. No matter what religious watchdog groups say.” [Charlotte Roth walks up, pushing a cart of books to put on the shelves] “Oh, hey, Charlotte. I didn’t know you work here.”
Charlotte: “Ya didn’t?” [beat] “Well, I don’t. I’m a volunteer. I’ll be danged, though, if I see ‘nother historical institution be brought down by the digital age.” [picks up book and sees silverfish crawling on it] “Silverfish?! No ya don’t! AGALAGALAGALAGALAG!” [quickly picks up the silverfish with her tongue, chews them up, and swallows them as she puts the book on the shelf] “Free meal.” [Gilda, Wendy, and April all stare at her] “Don’t worry, I’ll save any others I find fer you gals.”
Gilda: “That’s okay, Charlotte, we don’t eat bugs.”
April: “I wouldnae mind eatin’ anythin’ ye find –“
Gilda: [slaps her hand over April’s mouth] “We don’t eat bugs!”
Charlotte: [points off] “‘ey, ain’t that yer leporine friend o’er there?”
[Gilda, Wendy, and April look to where Charlotte is pointing. It’s Margo, sure enough, wearing a light blue suit, and the blue sock on her arm, now a proper hand-rod sock puppet given an appearance modeled after hers, and dressed in train conductor attire. Charlotte gets to putting the books on the shelves as Gilda, Wendy, and April watch Margo walk up]
Wendy: “Oh boy, it’s Margo’s flavor-of-the-week goofiness.”
Gilda: “Let’s… just… see where she goes with this.”
[Margo uses the puppet to greet her friends]
Conductor Hynden: “Heeeee-llo everybody, Conductah Hynden of the New Eagland Railway! Ms. Mahgo heuh told me ’bout all o’yuhs, and I thought ya’ll sounded cool.”
April: “An’ I t’ink ye soond realleh ‘noyin’.”
Gilda: “Give her a chance, April.” [to Conductor Hynden] “Hello, conductor Hynden, I’m Gilda Grime.”
Conductor Hynden: “You’ah Gilda, huh? Cool. I heauh you’ah a fahmgahl, tell me about that.”
Gilda: “Well, I… I live in a commune. The Redfeather commune. We practice a form of agriculture called ‘permaculture’, it’s farming in a way that preserves and even creates habitat for wildlife.”
Conductor Hynden: “And what kinda crops ya grow?”
Gilda: “Well, the commune is many ines. We all play a different role. But my family specifically, grows the strawberries and grapes and lemons.”
Conductor Hynden: “Strawberries, now why do they call ’em strawberries if you can’t use ’em to drink?”
Gilda: [laughs] “Well, if you put their juice in lemonade, it makes it taste really sweet. I’m a sow who prefers my lemonade sour, but it can taste awesome sweet too.”
Conductor Hynden: “Lemonade. Now, if lemon juice is called ‘lemonade’, and lime juice is called ‘limeade’, why don’t they call orange juice ‘orangeade’? Or grapefruit juice ‘grapefruitade’?
Gilda: “You know, Conductor Hynden, I don’t know. Maybe they don’t want people thinking Bob Geldof or Neil Young is holding a benefit concert for citrus fruit. Citrus Aid!”
Margo: [nervously] <A Live Aid joke? I wasn’t expecting that.>
Conductor Hynden: “Right.”
Gilda: “So, uh, what kind of journeys do you like to make the most?”
Conductor Hynden: “Ya know, funny ya say that. Mahgaret and I love makin’ the trips to the fahms in New Boarunswick.” [Gilda and Wendy look confused. April rolls her eyes] “I like goin’ through the forests and grasslands, and so does Mahgaret. But she also likes the fahms. Particularly the chickens and how they like to walk onto the tracks. She thinks chickens are funny creatchahs.”
Wendy: “Margaret? Who’s Margaret?”
Conductor Hynden: “The engine I drive, numbah 6231. She’s a real spunky one, I tell ya.”
Gilda: “Wait, so the engines talk? Like in Thomas?”
Margo: [sighs deeply] “I’ll take that question. Yes, my engines talk. I don’t know how they do, they… just… do.” [smiles nervously]
April: “‘keh, we all agree t’at this new t’ing o’Mahgo’s is jus’ stupid, right?”
Wendy: “Well, let’s… let’s not say that, April. She’s onto something here, it’s just… really clunky how she’s doing it. Particularly with the lore.”
Margo: “Clunky?” [takes Conductor Hynden off her arm and rolls down jacket sleeve] “Clunky like how?”
Gilda: “Well, Margo. You… shouldn’t have to stop the story to explain the lore of the world you’re trying to build here. You need a better way of establishing it. Show don’t tell and all that.”
Margo: “Yeah, you’re right, Gilda. But how do I do that? Other than taking model trains and sets I want to use with me.”
Gilda: “Well, why not do that?”
Wendy: “And when you decide not to focus so much on trains and engines and such, just have some backdrop behind you to set the scene, like a farm or… the office of the railway head character you’ve obviously cast yourself as.” [chuckles]
Gilda: “I love the kind of humor you want to go for, though. I’m a sucker for puns. Please find a place to work in the ‘Citrus Aid’ joke we came up with in your thing.”
Margo: [perks up] “Puns, huh?” [puts Conductor Hynden back on her arm] “Well, I’ve got — Conductor Hynden’s got one. Another. Would you like to share it, ma’am?”
Conductor Hynden: “Shuah, Ms. Margo!” [to Gilda, Wendy, and April] “So, uh, why do they call the things on the fronta engines ‘cowcatchahs’? I mean, I thought I was just transpoahtin’ the beef, not huntin’ it!”
[Gilda and Wendy nod. A small child who had been watching Margo laughs. Margo smiles when she sees she’s onto something]
April: “Ye’re onleh appealin’ tae a real niche audience, Mahgo.”
[Margo glances at April]
Margo: “Don’t listen to the mephitine here, junior. She’s just ignorant of how important railroad transport is to the economy.”
Conductor Hynden: “Yeah, and she’s stinky too! And I know stink, I’ve had eggs go rotten on my train!”
[Gilda, Wendy, and the child laugh]
April: “I meh stink, Mahgo, but I’m nae the one who poos Cocoa Puffs!”
Margo: [rolls her eyes] “She’s cuckoo.”
April: “Hmph! Silly rabbit!”

Well, since I realized that this blog isn’t as popular as I thought it was among my social media base, I’ve decided that I’m gonna be promoting my blog more aggressively on my socials. Especially considering I want to make a career out of my art, and I’m already paying $48 a year to maintain the blog’s domain name. Best I prove to the world that it’s a domain worth keeping.

Starting with this piece, my fifth in my series to fulfill my National (thing) Day resolution. For January, we had National Spaghetti Day. For February, National Ferris Wheel Day. For March, a twofer of World Piano Day and National Lemon Chiffon Cake Day. For April, National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day. And for this, my birthmonth of May, we have a particularly silly one. National Lost Sock Memorial Day! And for it, I came up with the artwork above, and the ficlet that goes with it.

I spent about five and a half hours on this one, and decided to bring back my attempt to make my assets look traditionally-drawn. The character assets by noising and denoising them to look like cels, and the scenery by bringing back the fresh pasta effect, which I’m still not against using as long as I’m the one creating the asset being filtered.

Hope you all enjoyed what I have this time around. And if you do, please share it. Artists and writers such as myself have a notoriously difficult time finding work, and every little piece of free publicity I get has the potential to go a long way. And until next time, probably my silver jubilee birthday, take care, stay safe, support an Asimovian amendment for AI, support the striking writers of the WGA, don’t hate-watch the Little Mermaid remake, and have a good one.

Twitter (Main): https://twitter.com/StormyAdlerPoG
Twitter (Art): https://twitter.com/TheOfficialOTOG
Instagram: www.instagram.com/phoenix_of_g…
Newgrounds: https://phoenixofgrunvale.newgrounds.com/
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCXj2N…
Discord: Contact me by my tag (Stormy Adler, P.o.G.#1752) for an invite to my server.

Grunvale/OTOG is owned by me. You’re free to draw fanart of it, as long as you credit me as the creator of the series.
This artwork was made at a resolution of 5076×2160 (aspect ratio 2.35:1).

The Church Bell Chimes for a Thirtieth Time

[June of 1973 on the strict timeline of ZP-51498. The graduation ceremony for the Seallivan High School class of 1973 is taking place on and around the football field/track of the school, with the students and faculty on the field and the audience on the bleachers. The male students are in blue and sitting on the left from stage view, and the female students in red and on the right, as the principal gives a speech]
[Seallivan principal]: “And now, to close out the ceremony, our SUNP-bound valedictorian of the class of 1973, Garry Grayson Griswold.”
[Garry picks up a guitar he brought with him to the ceremony, and takes the stage to the applause of his peers and the spectators. Sharon is curious]
Sharon: “A guitar? This should be interesting.”
[Garry shakes the principal’s hand before taking the podium. The applause dies down for him to give his speech]
Garry: “Thank you, principal. Thank you, faculty, and thank you most of all to the student body. Today is an important day in our lives, a day of transition. We bear witness to transitions of all kinds in our lives. Some on a small scale experienced by the individual, like the caterpillar emerging from their chrysalis as a butterfly, or the flower opening their petals for their first view of the sun. And some transitions happen on a large scale experienced by society, like the transition from horse-drawn carriages to automobiles fifty years ago, and from radio to television twenty years ago. Today, we are experiencing another transition, that from childhood from adulthood. Where does that place? Hard to say. We’re all experiencing this transition individually, but society as a whole is bearing witness to it. Today, our parents and our teachers, and tomorrow, our future employers and lessors. We often have to leave things behind in these transitions, I myself, as many of you know, lost my big brother Phillip two years ago, to a stray bullet in the jungles of ‘Nam. And I had to transition to life without his guidance and his wisdom. But of all the transitions in our lives, one thing remains as constant as the rising and setting of the sun each day. And that’s the knowledge we gained along the way. As well as all the other things in our life, that were always meant to be there, either for just one part of it, or the whole thing. I myself have something in my life, that’s been there the whole way through. Well, not something, so much as someone. A procyonine like myself, my biggest inspiration, who’s shown me more kindness and love, than I’ve ever felt like I’ve deserved. She’s the sow in the red, sitting in the fifth row from the front, eleventh from the right where I stand.” [adjusts his guitar as he and the other graduates look at Sharon; her eyes are watering and she smiles as she looks up at Garry] “This next part of my speech is for her. And I’ll be delivering it through song. A song from one of the greatest musicians of our time, Gordon Lightfoot. Sharon Blanche Lavigne, please stand up.”
[Sharon stands up bashfully as the audience and graduates applaud. When the applause dies down, Garry begins playing “Beautiful”]
Garry: 🎵 At times, I just don’t know / How you could be anything but beautiful / I think that I, was made for you / And you were made for me 🎵 [takes a breath as he continues playing] 🎵 And I know that I won’t ever change / We’ve been friends / Through rain or shine / For such a long, long time 🎵
[Sharon’s peers move their feet close to themselves, so she can more easily make her way to the stage. Sharon sidesteps, keeping her eyes on Garry as he continues his performance]
Garry: 🎵 Laughing eyes and smiling face / It seems so lucky just to have the right / Of telling you, with all might / You’re beautiful tonight 🎵 [Sharon makes her way out as tears stream down her face. Garry smiles as tears also stream down his face, and he gestures with his head for Sharon to join him on stage] 🎵 And I know that you will never stray / ’cause you’ve been that way / From day to day / For such a long, long time 🎵
[Sharon gets up on stage, stopping a few feet away from Garry. The procyonines continue to look at each other with red, wet eyes]
Garry:🎵 And when you hold me tight / How could life be anything but beautiful? / I think that I, was made for you / And you were made for me / And I know that I won’t ever change / We’ve been friends / Through rain or shine / For such a long, long time 🎵 [turns his whole body toward Sharon] 🎵 And I must say / It means so much to me / To be the one / Who’s telling you / I am telling you / That you’re beautiful 🎵
[Garry plays the last of the guitar bit to close out the song, before falling to one knee to the applause and cheering of the audience. The cheering gets more excited, as he pulls a gold ring out of his pocket]
Garry: “Sharon, how would you like to be my wife?”
Sharon: “I would love to, Garry, you crazy wonderful bastard!”
[Sharon takes the ring and puts it on her finger. She then picks Garry up, spins him around, and kisses him, to thunderous cheering]
Garry: “Class of seventy-🦭ing-three!”
[Garry and Sharon toss their caps into the air, and the rest of the student body does the same]

Gordon Lightfoot is a musician I’ve grown to enjoy more as I’ve gotten older. I initially liked him for the folk-rock music he made in the mid-to-late-1970s, and his dip into more synthesizer-heavy adult contemporary in the 1980s. But recently, I’ve also found myself listening to and enjoying his more pure-folk music of the early 1970s, like “If You Could Read My Mind”, “Don Quixote”, and the song in the ficlet above and which I discovered in the wake of his recent passing, “Beautiful”. I’m also aware, and have been since my teenage years, that he is one of the most acclaimed songwriters of the 20th century, and one of Canada’s best-known (and first) popular musicians. I’ve even made this point known in a 1960s-set ficlet I wrote last year (and is provided in the stinger).

I enjoy his adult contemporary stuff the most (big surprise, I know), but I do love his folk- and folk-rock stuff as well, including “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”, which the artwork above is a reference to. In particular, the lyric ‘the church bell chimed ’til it rang twenty-nine times / For each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald’. The text being in gold may be interpreted as the setting sun, but I actually have another reason for choosing that color; it’s a reference to his 1975 greatest hits album, Gord’s Gold.

Not much else to say here, other than this was a pretty easy one to draw. Partially because I had this idea in my head as a tribute, for quite a long time before Lightfoot’s death. And also, of course, goes without saying, that Lightfoot will be missed. Rest easy, Gord. You left your mark on Canadian (and American, and popular music) history for the better. And as for the rest of you, enjoy the additional ficlet and artwork. I’m gonna be closing my DA account for good… probably next month. And getting the ficlet and artwork (well, the one getting preserved, at least) preserved, is another step to closing it without worrying about anything important getting lost. And also, of course, take care, stay safe, support an Asimovian amendment for AI, support the striking writers of the WGA, and have a good one.

In Memory of Gordon Lightfoot
(1938-2023)

The Gnawers and the Debut Album

Original DA Upload Dates:
1965-set portion – September 2, 2022
1966-set portion – September 5, 2022

[Loondon, Eagland, late 1965 on the strict timeline of ZP-51498. A trio of rodents, hydrochoerine/capybara Kathy Kane, murine/rat Winonna Wise, and hystricine/porcupine Monica Moll, are dressed in purple and pink outfits, for a photoshoot by a young artist who we’ll call ‘Mr. Thorgerson’. The rodents, collectively known as ‘The Gnawers’, stand against a white backdrop as Mr. Thorgerson cleans off his camera]
Mr. Thorgerson: “Where’d you ladies say you were from again?”
Kathy: “You know, it’s funny, we’re actually from another city called Loondon.”
Mr. Thorgerson: “Another city called Loondon?”
Monica: “Yeah, but it’s in Ontario.”
Mr. Thorgerson: “Oh, you’re Canadian! I never thought of that place as a pop music scene.”
Winonna: “Yeah, we’re one of the few. ’bout the only other big moysic star from Canada’s some doyky folk musician. What’s his name again? Goydon?”
Kathy: “Lightfoot.”
Winnona: “Yeah, Goydon Loyghtfoyt. Maybe he’ll be big one day. Trust me when I say, Mr. Thoygerson. You got lucky gettin’ us for a photo shoot. We’re gonna be on Ed Sullivan next month, and it’s only up from there. We’re ’bout to be as big for Canada as the Beatles are for you.”
Mr. Thorgerson: [laughs] “Big thing to say! But it is good to dream.” [puts camera on stand] “Alright. Now, if you’d like, I do have some music you can listen to, to get you in the mood.”
Winnona: “Moysic, what kind of moysic?”
Mr. Thorgerson: “Well, there is this other band that’s been getting big lately.” [goes over to shelf] “Are you familar with ‘The Rolling Stones’?”
Kathy: “The Stones!”
Monica: “Yeah, we’ve heard of them.”
Winnona: “You’re speakin’ my langoyge now.”
Mr. Thorgerson: “Well, they recently put out a pretty good single.” [pulls out a 7″ of…] “‘I Can’t Get No Satisfaction’. Their best work yet, if you ask me. Mind if I put it on?”
Monica: “Go for it. If you’re saying it’s their best, then it’s gotta bop pretty hard.”
[Kathy and Winonna nod]
Mr. Thorgerson: “Very well.”
[pulls the record out of its sleeve, sets it on the turntable, and starts playing it. The Gnawers are amazed from the moment the opening guitar riff sounds]
Kathy: “Holy moly!”
Winonna: “Woah, this is groovy. I dig it.”
Monica: “I am loving this.”
[the Gnawers start dancing to the song]
Mr. Thorgerson: “I knew you would. Now you keep dancing, I’m sure we’ll get a good shot out of this.”
[Mr. Thorgerson takes some photos for a while as the Gnawers continue to dance to the song.]

[When the song fades out…]
Mr. Thorgerson: “Alright, I think I got what I need. Come back in… three days, I should have these printed by then.”
Kathy: “I know it’s too late to ask, but, you did use color film, right?”
Mr. Thorgerson: “Yes, I did. You’re lucky, too, because this is my first time working with color film.”
Winnona: “Well, hopefully there isn’t too moych color bleedin’. Or better yet any. I don’t want the doyker pink won’t bleedin’ onto my outfit. It’ll look like I got coyght in a pink floyd.”
Mr. Thorgerson: “It won’t, if I –” [pause] “Wait, what did you say?”
Winonna: “Whaddya mean?”
Mr. Thorgerson: “Caught in a pink what?”
Winonna: “A pink floyd. I don’t wanna look like I got coyght in a pink floyd.”
Mr. Thorgerson: “Pink floyd? What an odd thing to say. And an odd way to pronounce ‘flood’.” [pauses to think] “Hm. Y’know, miss, I got some mates with a rock and roll band. I think they’d get a kick out of that name. ‘Pink Floyd’.”

[a few months later; on February 25, 1966, in Bearthel, New Pork. 11-year-old Sharon Lavigne walks with her mother, Beverly, to a record store]
Beverly: “Well, here we are, Sharon. Your first big purchase. Now, are you sure it’s here you want to spend your birthday money?”
Sharon: “I’m positive, mom. I wouldn’t have wanted to come here if I did.”
Beverly: “Well, I hope for your sake they have it. This isn’t the Big Apple, you know, this is the Catskills. It’s not a place where all the new stuff is available to buy right when it comes out.”
Sharon: “Mom, these girls were on Ed Sullivan. Everyone knows who they are by now. Whether they live in the Big Apple or the Capital Region or the Catskills.”
Beverly: “Okay then.” [stops in front of the record store] “I’ll be waiting out here if you need me. Good luck, Shay.”
Sharon: “There will be.”
[Sharon enters the record store, which is run by an arachnid, specifically a harvester]
[record store clerk]: “Vinnie’s Vinyls, spinning its place in the web of the music world.”
Sharon: “Says an arachnid that can’t spin webs.”
[record store clerk]: “Wh… why, you cheeky little — I need a better slogan!”
Sharon: “Do you have The Gnawers on LP?”
[record store clerk]: “Yep, we just got a shipment today, in fact. Both mono and stereo.”
[the clerk points to one of the shelves of the counter; two of the compartments contain copies of the Gnawers’ self-titled album, showing Kathy, Winonna, and Monica on the cover. The compartment on the left contains stereo copies, and the compartment on the right mono]
Sharon: “Yes!”
[record store clerk]: “I assume you’d want it in stereo?”
Sharon: “Do you think I’m a hobo or something? Of course I want it in stereo.”
[record store clerk]: “Well, then you know what to do. Make sure you’re paying attention to which one you’re picking up.”
[Sharon walks over to the counter, and kneels to get a closer look at the copy she has her eyes on]
Sharon: [quietly] “In stereo. Yep, this one.” [picks up the LP and hands a Lincoln note to the clerk] “Okay, here you go.”
[the clerk takes the note, puts it in the cash register, and hands Sharon the change]
[record store clerk]: “Here’s your change. Would you like a receipt?”
Sharon: “Nah, I’m good.”
[record store clerk]: “Have a nice day.”
[Sharon puts away the change and walks toward the door, holding her newly-bought LP in both hands]
Sharon: [quietly] 🎵 Oh, this is gonna be so much fun! Oh, this is gonna be so much fuuuh-uh-un! 🎵 [hugs record lightly]

Twitter (Main): https://twitter.com/StormyAdlerPoG
Twitter (Art): https://twitter.com/TheOfficialOTOG
Instagram: www.instagram.com/phoenix_of_g…
Newgrounds: https://phoenixofgrunvale.newgrounds.com/
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCXj2N…
Discord: Contact me by my tag (Stormy Adler, P.o.G.#1752) for an invite to my server.

Grunvale/OTOG is owned by me. You’re free to draw fanart of it, as long as you credit me as the creator of the series.
“Beautiful” was written by Gordon Lightfoot for his album Don Quixote, owned by Reprise Records.
The main artwork was made at a resolution of 5076×2160 (aspect ratio 2.35:1); the additional artwork was made at a resolution of 2160×2160 (aspect ratio 1:1).