User blog:Izunna Nwogbo/My OC: Latke

"Hi, I'm Latke. Welcome to Gravity Falls. If the name of this town alone was enough to hook you in, you're either a tourist or got lost and ended up here."

- Latke Leroy "Latke" Ripley is a young teenage boy born and raised in Gravity Falls, Oregon. He lives with his parents who promote their popular breakfast cereal Sugarfrosted UFOats™.



History

Early Life
Latke earned his nickname due to an incident that took place during his school’s potluck in the fifth grade. It involved potato pancakes and the aftermath resulted in the intervention of the entire fire department. The details of the matter are his darkest secret and he doesn't like to talk about it. Shortly after this experience, Latke found himself being bullied relentlessly by his peers and treated as if he were a "jinx" that brought misfortune everywhere he trod. Though he has acquired a dislike for potato pancakes since that day, Latke seems to prefer his nickname to his real name as he continues to wear it proudly.

Growing up in Gravity Falls
Latke gave his parents the idea of putting prizes at the bottom of their cereal boxes so they put him in charge of that job. Latke used this opportunity as an excuse to go searching for strange and wondrous curios in the forest. Latke even came up with the slogan - "A meteorite in every bite". Adventures  On the first day of summer break Latke trekked to the Mystery Shack in order to get some answers out of it's manager, Mr. Mystery. Being one of the few residents in town that knew of Stan's con-artist exploits at the time, Latke thought it best to investigate. Fearing that he might get busted, Stan tried to deny all of Latke's suspicions but soon made a deal with the boy to work at the shack and make sure nothing funny went on for himself. Latke met a girl named Maddie who had just moved into Gravity Falls and been recently hired like he was. After enjoying each other's company, the two became good friends. Latke spent the first couple of days palling around with his good friend Luna. She introduced him to her fellow werewolf friends, who didn't take too kindly to her hanging out with a mere mortal. Meanwhile, Maddie made acquaintance with a teenage cop named Finn.

After a week, business at the Shack was beginning to boom. The fruitful summer sales proved to be quite taxing for Maddie and Latke, so Stan had a heart and decided to throw a big party. Doing so was bound to bring in more customers and his employees could finally get some relaxation, even if it was just for one night. Volunteering as DJ, Latke was enthralled when all his friends showed up.

Personality and traits
From an early age, Latke had an unbridled sense of curiosity and adventure - plus a knack for mischief. He disliked all things routine and actively sought to do something different each day. Latke has a reputation for being spunky, selfless, and kind. He always puts his own needs aside to help others in any he way he can, even when it is severely inconvenient for him. Latke has a heart of gold and nerves of steel; he is genuine when dealing with people and tries to keep a cool head in the face of danger. He is not without a smart mouth.

Latke is a person who places a great deal of importance on camaraderie, and trusts others openly unless they give him reason not to. It is often pointed out that Latke is "inquisitive", as he tends to ask a lot of questions - even silly ones. He exhibits a considerable level of quick-witted tactical genius, being able to formulate effective solutions during sticky situations in record time. He also pays a lot of attention to clues, and isn't adverse to using mental methods like reverse-psychology and playing dumb to get the answers and outcomes he wants.

Physical appearance
Latke is said to be a spitting image of how his father looked as a boy, minus the hair color (his father's hair was red, though it darkened during his adult years).

Latke has shaggy jet-black hair and hazel eyes. His complexion is light with an earthy brown glow and he has a freckled nose. He often sports a beige sweater with a red collar and cuffs, a pair of cerulean trousers, rainbow suspenders, and black shoes. Latke is of average height for his age with a svelte, fit build. He will often wear various good luck charms such as a horseshoe necklace and a lucky rabbit's foot chain.

When on investigations, Latke sometimes wears a brown unfastened overcoat. Powers and abilities "Unremarkable? No, that fella is an insult to the word."

- Marisol "Muffy" Cortez


 * Resourcefulness: "Imaginative" is an adjective that does not do Latke justice. He is always liable to think outside of the box, sometimes to the point where his innovations even become unpredictable to himself. Latke can whip up strategies at a breakneck pace and is highly perceptive.


 * Total recall: Latke has a photographic memory which gives him accurate recollection in every detail.


 * Knot-tying: As a former member of the Flying Pig scouts, Latke is highly adept at tying and untying a series of complex knots. Eventually, he went on to invent an indomitable knot of his own.


 * Quick draw: Latke is armed with razor-sharp reflexes, and can ready himself with anything he needs to use as a weapon, or anything he happens to be carrying.


 * Determination: Whenever Latke sets his heart on something, he will get behind it and give it his 110%. His optimistic nature, resilience, and iron will especially come in handy when faced with rigourous conditions and setbacks.


 * Puzzle-solving: Seeing the links when they aren't all too visible is a personal specialty of Latke's. He can quickly connect the dots where hazy riddles and formulas are concerned.


 * Intangibility/Phasing: Through focus of mind, Latke can pass through solid objects and matter, and let physical things pass through him.


 * Detective skills: Latke is a practised and eager investigator. He knows the basics like the back of his hand and finds himself constantly broadening his repertoire as his cases shift from and in-between the supernatural and mundane.


 * Marksmanship: Latke has perfect hand-eye coordination and has shown proficiency with slingshots, throwing darts, and other projectiles.


 * Flexibility: Latke is double-jointed and very flexible in general. He enjoys weirding people out as a "human pretzel". He even earned the title "King of Limbo" during the seventh grade.


 * Dealing: Having much experience coping with conmen, Latke did take the time to brush up on a few street smarts.

Weapons

 * Slingshot: Latke sometimes carries around a wooden Y-shaped catapult that fits comfortably in his pocket. He uses it to fire stones and other projectiles. He has also used it to send objects to other people who are far away.

Items

 * Smoke bombs: To effectively disappear and reappear, Latke makes use of capsule-like devices that give off dense clouds of chemical smoke. They also prove useful for distracting people.
 * Olympic gold medal: The Announselor gave Latke one of his three medals for showing ingenuity in a game of capture-the-flag. It has a green lace and it's design consists of two crossed flags.

Peanuckle Peanuckle is the small manufacturing business run by Latke's parents. Their most successful line is their cereal division, Sugarfrosted UFOats. Though they do make other produce, such as peanut butter and corn dogs.

Water tower Investigations
The Gravity Falls water tower is really Latke's centre of operations. Though the tower looks normal on the outside, there is a hidden door that leads to the inside which looks like a big futuristic rec room/observatory. There, Latke works as a private investigator for hire who tackles paranormal and otherwordly cases.

The entire roof of the water tower is able to open up like a hatch, in response to Latke's ejecting-chair function. A section of the roof can slide open in order for Latke to observe space with a 200-inch telescope, or simply stargaze without it. In the center of the tower is a big cherry blossom tree with a carved-in ladder that Latke grew himself. It provides reach to the three different levels of the interior.

Luna Ellos-Lupin
"Luna doesn't only wolf up when there's a full moon. Other things can trigger the transformation. Annoying things. How do I know? Because I'm usually the one who does it."

- Latke describing his relationship with Luna

Luna and Latke have been through a lot together. Latke thinks her werewolf/witch background is 'neat', a unique genus he refers to as a "werewitch" and "care were". He is secretly jealous that she can grow more body hair than he can.

Maddie Jameson
"Big mouth for such a small brain."

- Maddie teasing Latke

The yin to his yang, Maddie is the 16-year-old friend and co-worker of Latke who brings new meaning to the term "women's intuition". They work together in the Mystery Shack as Miss and Master Mystery. The two like to trade banter and make gibes at each other's expense, but their undeniable bond runs deep. Latke cares for Maddie as if she were the big sister he never had, and the rest of Latke's family admires her.

Willow Cooper
"I'm Willow. Like the tree."

- Willow first meeting Latke

Willow is the youngest cop in Gravity Falls and a close friend of Latke's. She is bold, fiercly loyal, and hard to be restrained. Along with their friends, Latke and Willow have a reputation for pursuing high-flying, death-defying escapades in their not-so seemingly sleepy town.

Finn Rooney
"Finn once handcuffed me to a flagpole and forgot I was there. He made up for it the next day by buying me all the peanut-butter and jellyfish sandwiches I could eat. Which wasn't a whole lot...but Abe liked them."

- Latke describing Finnow Finn is the partner/mentor of Willow. Finn initially antagonized Latke, believing he liked Maddie (his object of affection), but the two eventually became good friends. When trouble is afoot, Finn tends to take charge while Latke takes heart. He likes to be percieved as manly even though he has a soft center, a façade that Latke views with amused bewilderment - but isn't above invoking.

Jade Northwest
"Don't sound so jaded, Jade."

- Latke encouraging Jade to enjoy herself

Jade and Latke are on each other's good sides.

Azrael Bones
Azrael and Latke made easy acquaintance when they first met in Jade's backyard.

Latke's parents
"For me sake."

- A young Pete "Page you guys later."

- A young Pam Latke's parents, Pete and Pamela, care very deeply for their children. Back in high school, they were best friends. Pam was a member of the pep squad and the wrestling team. Pete's biggest dream was to be just like his hero, Long-Limb Louie, a treasure hunter who disappeared but left dozens of clues and treasure maps behind.

Pam is down-to-earth, spirited, and clever. During her younger years, she was very in touch with pop culture; even owning a portable cassette tape player for music and a pager to talk to her friends. Pam always came through for others and was very considerate towards people and their feelings. As a youth, Pete was known for being quick with the tongue. He was snippy, talkative, teasing/joking/jovial, silly, and had an independent and active streak. Though despite it all, Pete possessed a big heart and cared dearly for his friends.

Latke's siblings
"You might actually have a shot with that girl. Don't mess it up."

- Waverly to Latke, in her first appearance "And when you do mess it up, can she be my girlfriend instead?"

- Abe to Latke, in his first appearance

Latke has younger 10-year-old twin siblings. While occasional disputes arise, Latke truly does love his brother and sister and is quite protective of them.

Aberdeen Angus "Abe" Ripley: Is the older twin (by 6 minutes). Abe is the quintessential recipe of "snips, snails, and puppy dog tails". He is good-humored and self-aware. He's also a bit of a smooth talker, but brutally honest, speaking his mind without regard to people's feelings. Abe can take things too literally or just miss the point altogether - often to the annoyance or amusement of others. He never gets tired and always has plenty of energy, but what he does with it is up to him. Similar to Latke, Abe has black hair, but his eyes are bluish green. Abe is rather non-confrontational. His signature weapon is a green round shield/flying disc with a darker green four-leaf clover in the center and a matching darker green ring on the outer edge.

Waverly Ripley: Is the younger twin (by 6 minutes). Waverly is a wheeling-and-dealing type individual coupled with an overactive imagination. She is marked by her enterprising personality and fondness for catty comments. Between her and Abe, Waverly is often the instigator when it comes to zany schemes. Waverly likes to play practical jokes on others that sometimes go too far. She also tells tall tales - specifically the one about her "long lost triplet". She is embarassed by her first name "Delilah", so she goes by her middle name instead. Waverly has brown hair done up in an odango style and brown eyes. She can mimic people's voices with startling accuracy.

Enemies
Huckleberry "Huck" Piper: An independent youth (17 years old) with a slight bad boy rep. He has telekinesis and the ability to hypnotize others, and typically uses chess pieces as weapons. His favorite hobbies are poetry and horseback riding. Huck owns a pet albino ferret named Winter. He has icy blue eyes and neat light brown hair that covers the tips of his ears. He has something of a rivalry with Latke and Finn, though it's more friendly than malicious. Huck has a sister named Amelia who knows about his powers, and how he fears them. He wears a floppy grey beanie with black skulls, a black scarf, a teal sweater, red pants, and black cowboy boots.

Justine Thyme and Nikov Thyme: Time-travelling twin siblings from 207̃012 Russia who wreak havoc on the present day.

Other Allies
Xeer Quinton: Xeer is a young but brilliant CSI, not to mention the newest member of the Gravity Falls Police Department. Despite his friendliness, Xeer can get a little carried away when he's trying to enact justice and lose sight of what's really important. He is good friends with Azrael Bones, who he often looks out for.

Announselor: The Announselor is a camp activities director in Gravity Falls. Often tasked with hosting special events, he serves as the announcer and counselor to all who participate. The Announselor has a tendency to be very (or perhaps too) enthusiastic in everything he does, and encourages his campers to be the same way. He is a very skilled camper himself, being a three time capture-the-flag Olympic gold medalist and capable of roasting six marshmallows at once, each caramelized to perfection.

Amelia Piper: The younger sister (16 years old) of Huck Piper. Unlike her brother, she is much more sociable and open with people.

Sweety Sue: Is a popular American superhero that Luna accidentally brought into the material world when she, Latke, Willow and Finn went to The Royal Ragtime Theater. Armed with an enormous double-edged sword and Herculean strength, Sweety's heart beats for justice and goodwill. On the other hand, this heroic nature doesn't extend to wolves - who are the minions of her sworn enemy, The Wolf Master. Her catchphrase is "You'll have to excuse me".

RPs

 * 101. "Neander Falls"
 * 102. "Mystery Kids"
 * 103. "Big Brother Blues"
 * 104. "Alatkezam!"
 * 105. "Killer in Gravity Falls"
 * 106. "GFPD: Stakeout"
 * 107. "GFPD: Breakout"
 * 108. "Piper, No Piping"
 * 109. "Reunions"
 * 110. "Slumber Party Switcheroo"  (non-canon)
 * 111. "Trial and Terror"
 * 112. "Jade vs. Wilderness"
 * 113. "Camp Wherenow?"
 * 114. "Very Sue"
 * 115. "Project Jade"
 * 116. "Bowling"
 * 117. "The Future is in the Past" (coming soon)
 * 118. "Cereal Killers" (coming soon)
 * 119. "Monster Falls" (coming soon)
 * 120. "I Heart Tuesdays"  (mentioned)

Side RPs

 * 002. "Shades of Great"

Not Featured (Parents)

 * 001. "Cotillions"
 * 002. TBA 

Quotes
"If you ever find yourself in Gravity Falls, you've got a futon to crash on."

- Latke vowing open-door hospitality

"Truly being a hero doesn't take a lot of effort, it's about the little things you do. A hero is someone who does not give up, in spite of the walls and obstacles in their way, will not stop running - ever. You recognize that life is not about the big leap, but the first step."

- Latke

<p style="font-size:16.9599990844727px;line-height:23.7439994812012px;">"I'm allergic to bees! And unlike them, you're not gonna enjoy the stuff that comes out of my  hives."

- Latke

<p style="font-size:16.9599990844727px;line-height:23.7439994812012px;">"I'm not sure what I push more. People's buttons, or my own luck."

- Latke acknowledging his quirks

Trivia

 * Stan and other people often get Latke's name wrong; calling him by other dessert variants (e.g. waffle). 
 * Latke is allergic to bees.
 * A staple of the character is Latke's somewhat vague age. Whenever someone asks him how old he is he'll typically respond with "old enough".
 * Latke has training in hand-to-hand combat.
 * When Latke was 8, he had to apply a special lotion all over his body every night for three whole weeks so he would recover from "moonburn".
 * His favorite character from Fight Fighters is Admiral Big-Calves.
 * He is a fan of the Los Angeles Lakers.
 * He is ambidextrous, meaning he can use each hand with equal skill.
 * His favorite food is poutine.
 * Latke owns a black cat named "Schrödinger" and Waverly owns a brown bird named "Jimjam".
 * Latke and Luna once battled an army of "barf fairies" deep in the woods to obtain a werewolf flea collar.
 * He sings in his sleep.
 * Abe and Latke invented a new sport called "Boy Tennis" where they play billiards using croquet mallets along with a Magic 8-Ball.
 * Latke has a flair for giving people nicknames and monikers. He has an assortment of his own, including:
 * Lat.
 * Tiger.
 * King of Limbo.
 * Waffle.
 * Master Mystery.
 * Lactose.
 * Water tower.
 * His favorite color is gold.
 * In the roleplay "Reunions", it is revealed that the Northwests used to sponsor the business of Latke's parents.
 * When he was 11, Latke would wear rainbow-colored suspenders everywhere.