User blog:Izunna Nwogbo/My OC: Latke

"My favorite thing about my job is that I get to see all my friends, new and old. And when it's quitting time, the job doesn't end because work becomes play."

- Latke "Latke" Katsopolis is an employee at the Mystery Shack 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 back in grade school. It involved potato pancakes. The details of the matter are his darkest secret and he doesn't like to talk about it. 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
Latke is kind, optimistic, and often adventure-seeking. An ambitious individual, he likes to pursue his interests and dreams, and help others do the same. Latke holds his friends and family close to his heart, and would literally do anything for them. Self-employed, Latke grew up working for his parents' business and eventually the Mystery Shack. Balancing two jobs gave him a diligence that surfaces in unyielding determination when met with strenuous tasks or situations. Though when he isn't working, Latke will make full use of his free time by hanging out with friends and going on bold undertakings. He is a bit of an old soul; he enjoys reading newspapers, uses a manual coffee grinder, and often watches classic black and white movies. However, being an amateur film buff and tinker, he isn't adverse to cutting edge methods and loves to try new things. Latke cares a lot about others, and often puts their needs and feelings above his own, even at a personal cost.

He firmly holds onto the belief that "titles don't mean anything" and that's it's the person underneath that truly matters. While he is sweet-tempered and generous, he won't hesitate to speak up if he thinks something is unjust or unfair. Latke is a very curious person by nature and can rattle off a myriad of questions in under a minute - sometimes to the irritation of others. He can also be reckless and accident-prone, and at times isn't as focused as he should be. In spite of these things, Latke is clever, and usually demonstrates quick-wit and resourcefulness when it really counts.

Physical appearance
Latke has messy light chestnut hair and hazel eyes. His complexion is light and he has small freckles on his nose and cheeks. He wears a grey sweater with rainbow stripes and a pair of cerulean trousers. Finally, he sports mismatched black sneakers - the right having reddish-pink lace and the left having light blue.

PeanCo PeanCo is a small mom-and-pop 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
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.

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 are close friends who have been through a lot together. Latke thinks her werewolf/witch background is 'neat', a unique genus he affectionately 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 friend and co-worker of Latke who brings new meaning to the term "women's intuition". Latke and Maddie work together in the Mystery Shack as Master and Miss Mystery respectively.

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.

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 Finn 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 don't interact extremely often, but they are friends and seem to have mutual respect for each other.

Azrael Bones
"Yeah, that last one had me in stitches!"

- Latke approving Azrael's joke

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 ("Pam" to her friends), care very deeply for their children. Back in high school, the two 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, high-spirited, and clever. She was a bit of a teenybopper during her younger years; even going as far to own a portable cassette tape player for music and a pager to talk to her friends. Pam is a loyal person and 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 about 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 fraternal twin siblings who attend elementary school in the 4th grade. While occasional disputes arise, Latke truly does love his brother and sister and is quite protective of them.

Aberdeen Angus "Abe" Katsopolis: Is the older twin (by 12 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. Abe has dark hair and his eyes are bluish green. Abe is rather non-confrontational. He is fond of clovers and fortune cookies, and has a green security blanket.

Waverly Katsopolis: Is the younger twin (by 12  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 blonde hair in pigtails and hazel eyes. She can mimic people's voices with startling accuracy.

Others
Huckleberry "Huck" Sampson: An independent youth (17 years old) with a slight bad boy rep. He has telekinesis and the ability to hypnotize others, and typically uses a lasso as a weapon. His favorite hobbies are poetry and horseback riding. Huck owns a pet albino ferret named Winter. He has icy blue eyes and neat 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 fears his powers, which he never learned how to properly control due to a lifetime of repressing them. Thus, they can have volatile results when used. He has a sister named Dee who also knows about his powers. Huck wears a grey beanie with black skulls, a black scarf, a teal sweater, red pants, and black cowboy boots.

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, whom he often looks out for. Xeer has curly brown hair, olive skin, and brown eyes.

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

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.

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 Theatre. 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)
 * 121. "Enjoy Your Stay"

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

"I'm allergic to bees! And unlike them, you're not gonna enjoy the stuff that comes out of my  hives."

- Latke

"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.
 * 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 ambidextrous, meaning he can use each hand with equal skill.
 * His favorite food are toaster pastries.
 * 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.