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Stacy in Bloom | 7: Cherry Bomb
Title: Stacy in Bloom
Fandom: Kids Incorporated
Universe: Canon (Season 5 – 1988)
Genre: Friendship/Romance
Rating: T
Summary: With her sister and best friend halfway across the world, who else is there for Stacy to turn to…but Ryan? When the consequences of their actions become clear, the two must decide if pursuing each other is worth breaking up the band.
Mega-meta resource thread: http://luxken27.livejournal.com/137711.html
Link: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5873801/7/
Behold, my lame sense of humor...at least you can tell how seriously I'm taking myself when I write this? I mean, how many people do you know who willingly poke a little fun at their favorite character
Let's jump right into the references...as they probably explain themselves rather well, LOL.
[+] First of all, there is the title song of the chapter:
When I originally composed this chapter, it actually contained this scene...and two others o.O but it became so unwieldy that I decided to split it in two. I was just happy to find lyrics that made sense with this chapter from among the songs the Kids performed in this season (motif #5234 that I'm attempting to carry on here). They could just as easily apply to future chapters, though:
Well I lived on the outskirts of town
In an eight room farmhouse, baby
When my brothers and friends were around
There was always somethin' doin'
Had me a couple of real nice girlfriends
Stopped by to see me every once in a while
When I think back about those days
All I can do is sit and smile
That's when a sport was a sport
And groovin' was groovin'
And dancin' meant everything
We were young and we were improvin'
Laughin', laughin' with our friends
Holdin' hands meant somethin', baby
Outside the club, 'Cherry Bomb'
Our hearts were really thumpin'
Say, "Yeah yeah yeah"
Say, "Yeah yeah yeah"
The winter days, they last forever
But the weekends went by so quick
Went ridin' around this little country town
We were goin' nuts, girl, out in the sticks
One night, me with my big mouth
A couple guys had to put me in my place
When I see those guys these days
We just laugh and say, "Do you remember when
Seventeen has turned thirty-five
I'm surprised that we're still livin'
If we've done any wrong
I hope that we're forgiven
Got a few kids of my own
And some days I still don't know what to do
I hope that they're not laughing too loud
When they hear me talkin' like this to you
That's when a sport was a sport
And groovin' was groovin'
And dancin' meant everything?"
We were young and we were improvin'
[+] The other performance described in the text. If you watch closely, you'll pick up on Ryan's wandering gaze...
See?? My fangirl conspiracy/squee is based in reality!
[+] Ryan is tragically uncoordinated = As much as I love Ryan (and, let me tell you, it is a lot), the one piece of cognitive dissonance I cannot abide is his singular inability to do anything requiring coordination. This is especially on display in his first season, when he's running around and being dorky, even during the staged numbers. In the later seasons, even in the big group fantasy sequences, he is more often than not standing to one side while the dancers (and other singers) do their thing. There's a very good reason for that. Poor Duck Feet is just tragic when he tries to get his groove on :P
[+] The line Connie gave him a disbelieving stare. “You really can’t see anything from behind your drums, can you?” is a reference to the first scene from episode 5x01, "The Pick Ups," from this exchange:
RYAN: That concert sure felt different, didn't it?
RICHIE: Yeah! Why was that?
CONNIE: Didn't you notice, there were only four of us up there?
RICHIE *shrug*: I don't notice anything. I can't see over my drums.
[+] Another performance reference, which will probably show up again in the narrative before its all said and done...
[+] And finally...did you find yourself in this story? I name-checked a few readers here, just for kicks, as a way to say "thanks!" for following me out on this limb into this obscure fandom :P I used to do this when I was writing cracky self-insert tennis musicals, and folks got a kick out of it, so I decided to bring it back - and hopefully make a couple friends smile =)
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Haha, thanks for that! It honestly didn't even register with me until I read this note, because: me = Aamalie, obviously, but me = Emily did not compute. But now that it does compute, I think I love this chapter even more than before.
But... no shout out to Molly? How could you forget her~?! ;__;no subject
I could've sworn you once told me you picked your username because you liked the name "Emily" but wanted to always be at the top of alphabetical lists. Maybe I dreamed it...? LOL.
I think I love this chapter even more than before.
Hooray! :D I've yet to check my reviews over there, but this makes me happy, all on its own :D
But... no shout out to Molly? How could you forget her~?! ;__;She has mysteriously disappeared from my review board, through no fault/will of my own...and I'm not sure I want to put out the clarion call for her return :P
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No, you didn't dream it. That was, indeed, the logic of my 13-year-old brain at work. What I meant was that when I saw "Emily," it didn't register as "hey, that might be me!" because that's not a name I go by. After reading the note, though, it did register and I squeed a little. ^_^
and I'm not sure I want to put out the clarion call for her return :P
I can feel the love and adoration for her, spewing forth from the deep recesses your heart...
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LOL :P Well I know that neither of you go by your 'real name' online, and I thought 'Aamalie' was too unique and would make it obvious what I was doing, so I had to compromise. Glad you got a kick out of it, though :D
I can feel the love and adoration for her, spewing forth from the deep recesses your heart...
Feel it, baby. Feel it real good.
She has been MIA for the last couple of weeks and its thrown me for a loop. Truly, this would be the first time the crazy actually heeded my unspoken wish, if she continues to stay away!
BTW, read your review (and replied) - I needed the smile, so thanks! :D It made my day <3
no subject
It's a good compromise. :) The one or two other times before I've been called out in fanfic, it's been with my actual nickname, and that was weird to come across unexpectedly. Funny, though, how my "character" is always a fangirl insert... What exactly does that say about me?
BTW, read your review (and replied) - I needed the smile, so thanks! :D It made my day <3
Aww, glad to have brightened your day! I haven't got much to say in response, only that: all of the music? Always reminds me of this chic flick from a few years back, Music and Lyrics. I've been listening to this silly music video since last night, and it's all your fault.
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There's no shame in being a fangirl! :P Or being able to poke fun at yourself. (Well, I can only speak for this instance - I hope the other call outs weren't mean in any way!)
Aww, glad to have brightened your day!
Seriously - that first sentence made me LOL for real :) Hmm, maybe its better that I'm not aware of all the meta I'm stirring up?
all of the music? Always reminds me of this chic flick from a few years back, Music and Lyrics. I've been listening to this silly music video since last night, and it's all your fault.
*resists temptation whilst at work*
I always thought I hated 80s music, until I went back and listened to the covers from this show. Half the time, I like the covers better than the originals! :P But all the same, they cover some really good stuff (Belinda Carlisle, anyone?) along with the more hokey selections. The fact that they mixed in some classic songs helps - kinda the strong supporting the weak (or novel, as the case may be).
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Nope! They were by friends. And it goes without saying that my fictional persona would also be all for Miroku and Sango getting together, so no complaints there. (I ♥ AUs.)
*resists temptation whilst at work*
LOL, good for you. I'm supposed to be fund raising today, and am thus technically excused from work, so... I'm multitasking without restraint. \o/
I grew up listening to the best of the 70s/80s/90s stations, so I've enjoyed them for a long time. Living with some crazy girls last year who loved the 80s and were prone to spur-of-the-moment dance parties? Solidified that love. (And made for some great homemade videos.)
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And I see his eyes wandering. ;) You gotta live for moments like that when the show won't give you the confirmation you want so badly, lol.
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LOL :D You're welcome! I'd hoped you two would get a kick out of it =) And, its only fitting that I made you friends of Devyn, who is the shameless channel for all of my pent-up fangirl squee :P
And I see his eyes wandering. ;)
SEE? I CAN HAS EVIDENCE.
You gotta live for moments like that when the show won't give you the confirmation you want so badly, lol.
Weeeeeellllll...it probably flew over my head the first time around, because as much as I loved the show I wasn't exactly great on picking up subtext. I think, coming back to it after 20 years, and hearing that it happened IRL? Has seriously clouded my judgment :D But, there's something to be said for watching these clips over and over and over again - eventually you pick up on even the tiniest things, which your muse than then totally mutilate for use to its own advantage :P
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It did? Interesting! I can see why that would totally give your fangirl heart little squees, lol. Man, now I kinda wish that'd happen to one of my little fangirl pairings. *is ignoring the fact that most of them are married to other people* :P
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I think its obvious, if you watch the progression of the show through the seasons (or, if you look at behind-the-scenes pictures, like the one I made this icon from) that something was going on, however much or little it was acknowledged at the time.
Of course, these days Stacy has transformed into Fergie and is married to someone else (and I have no idea about Ryan), but back then? According to the internet, he was pretty much her first boyfriend.
What's more amazing to me, among the remnants of fandom, is how much support this particular ship got. There is a huge swath of us who were first and foremost Ryan fangirls, and I find it terribly amusing how many of us wanted (and want!) him to be with Stacy, above any other character on the show. (Considering my experience with my other favorite fandom character, Sesshoumaru, this is surprisingly refreshing.) Even people who weren't/aren't aware of or don't care about the real life stuff shipped these two.
So, yeah. My little fangirl heart melts into puddles on a regular basis with these two <3
no subject
Josh Duhamel (who is *gorgeous*). But gosh, I keep forgetting that's her! Although you can totally see it, lol. (Oh interwebz, thank you for all the gossip and trivia. *hugs* What would I do without you?)
Even people who weren't/aren't aware of or don't care about the real life stuff shipped these two.
Maybe it's a subconscious thing - recognizing the littlest signs that we don't actively pick up on? Even so, that is kind of cool that it seems to be the natural trend. :D
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Forgetting its her is not a bad thing, considering...well, she really has nothing to do with the story :P To me, its obvious she's had some sort of plastic surgery on her face, which is sad, because she was such a pretty kid.
Maybe it's a subconscious thing - recognizing the littlest signs that we don't actively pick up on?
Chemistry doesn't lie! And these two had it in spades, whether or not they ever actually acted on it...
Even so, that is kind of cool that it seems to be the natural trend. :D
Let me tell you, internets, how nice it is to be able to sail my ship without also having to simultaneously rage against the machine!
no subject
It is too bad. Although the meth addiction probably didn't help things. O.o
Let me tell you, internets, how nice it is to be able to sail my ship without also having to simultaneously rage against the machine!
Hehe. I'm happy for you and your mainstream ship! :D It seems like my primary ships are *never* the popular ones (or, at the most, are the ones that inspire the most hatred from the rest of the fandom, lol).