#'singing and living have the same meaning'

[the-colourful-witch]

Times are a-changing...

Hello everyone,

I hope you're all doing well and that April has been good to you :) Today, I have some important updates.

First, let's talk about the elephant in the room. JKR and her bigotry. To be completely honest, I was unaware of how far her hatred towards the Trans (and in extension the LGBTQ+) community goes. I knew enough not to support her financially, but the extent of her evil was, until recently, something vague in the distance. By now, we're all aware of how much of her fortune she has been donating to this so-called feminist organisation 'For Women Schotland', and how they have succeeded in legally redefining the term woman to be the sex you've been assigned at birth. Meaning; if you have a vagina, you're a woman. What a load of shit.

Technically, transgender people are still protected by the discrimination laws in the UK. Still, now they can be denied access to certain 'women-only' places, like changing rooms, public toilets, domestic violence shelters, hospital wards and more. If that's what a government calls protection, then they need a good, firm shaking. How can you be so ignorant to believe that you're capable of keeping people safe if you're turning them into people who don't fit in, who are other? The consequences are enormous. I'm very scared for everyone affected by this new ruling. This is one more step towards our descent into far-right, fascist politics, and it is wrong...

There has been a lot of talk in the fandom community about what it means to still be in the Harry Potter fandom, whether that means you support J.K. Rowling or not, if you can still call yourself an ally, etc. It is... very difficult to make up my mind about the issue. I don't agree that not being able to let go of Harry Potter is immature or weak. There are things in life we can love, and that doesn't mean we're bad for enjoying them. It sparks the age-old debate of art v/s artist... something that has been on my mind for a long time now, especially because of JKR. I believe we can do both. We can hate the artist and still enjoy what they've created. However, we do not get to stick our fingers in our ears and sing lalala. We have to look the problems in the eye and speak up. It's good to feel uncomfortable. It is good to be torn and to feel guilty. It means you're human. It means you have a conscience. If the goals of this fandom is to take this made-up world and make it our own, more inclusive, more tolerant world, then we should do it with conviction. Wasn't that the point all along? Isn't that what fandom is? Filling in the gaps, changing the story for better or worse, but making it ours.

We live in a world that gets scarier by the day. Our phones try to numb us, and our leaders install fear in our hearts and make us feel inferior. But this is not true. We have more power than we are made to think. There will always be strength in community and in beliefs. I believe art has the power to change minds and thus the world. So, our art will be our weapon in the war against bigotry. Empathy is our biggest strength.

I want to use my art to make people happy, and yes, Harry Potter is a part of that, but it won't be forever. For me, Harry Potter has always been a story to fall back on when I needed a pick-me-up, and these past two years, I have been sharing that with you. It warms my heart whenever someone tells me my art makes them feel like a kid again, and that makes me feel truly privileged. It is important to me that everyone feels like they have a place in this little world, in this community. In our little space, you'll always be safe, you'll be accepted. Be yourself, I wouldn't want it any other way.

We get to spin the story to fit our modern beliefs, and to make sure everyone feels included and safe in this online space. I understand why people are stepping away from contributing to this fandom. I seriously considered the same thing, and I don't blame anyone for doing it. At first, I thought there were two options: step away or keep going. I've chosen to create a third option: Keep going, but doing it my way.

I have always been able to put my joy and passion into my art. It's imperfect, and I'm still learning every day, but it's mine. I hope, if you want, you can find a little joy in it as well. It would be my honour <3 There are a few things that are going to change:

My social media channels will still be called The Colourful Witch, but they will feature a wider range of art. This will include traditional, personal art, fan art from other stories, paintings, clay work, collage, etc. I won't limit myself to just the Wizarding World anymore; I want to share more of my own artistry here. Only my Tumblr will remain a WW blog, because I feel like this space suits that really well. It's a fandom platform, more than any other platform :) The core of my work has always been playfulness and exploration of different topics and styles. I still want to keep doing that, because I feel I've grown a lot while posting my character art online, and I'm amazed by the support and enthusiasm I've found here. Thank you for that, you're truly the best! <3

The Owl Post Club will be shut down. There is definitely a possibility of continuing the club in the future, but I can't promise that right now. I'm afraid I simply can't financially support the club, and thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who has been a part of it. You're the best, most supportive people I have had the pleasure of sending mail to! If there are any postcards you'd still like to collect or get an extra copy of, you can find them in my shop. Or shoot me a message and I can help you with any questions or requests :)

I will be spending less time on social media, to focus on my art practice and health. I've gotten a little too addicted to scrolling, so it will be good for me to take a step back. Expect fewer updates for the foreseeable future.

If you've made it this far, hi! I hope we can all keep creating art and find a little bit of sunshine in the shadow of a big and scary world.

Sincerely, Fleur (a.k.a. The Colourful Witch)

[hmhas-00]

Ch. 39

Hit Me Hard & Soft

A/N- Sorry I didn’t post Tuesday, guys! I��ve been struggling but I finally got some more in the drafts for y’all! 🤍 I hope you enjoy!

Billie’s POV

The shower ran and sweet melodies snuck in from under the bathroom door as Remy washed off for the night.

As she serenaded the next door guests, I talked Finneas’ ear off on the phone.

I told him all about today and the bee sting from earlier. Especially about the bee sting. I told him about the moment right before the sting. How Remy’s demeanor changed when I asked her what her next move was.

“Maybe she doesn’t want it to end, just as much as you do. Maybe she doesn’t want a next move. Maybe she’s trying really hard to live in the moment. Which is something you should try, actually.”

“Maybe. Or maybe she doesn’t want me to know she’s leaving soon.” I swallow hard, the thought of her leaving me making the hairs on my skin stand up.

“Woah. Why would—“

I interrupt, “Maybe she already has a job, and she starts in a couple weeks. Maybe she doesn’t want to ruin right now.”

“Okay, Remy isn’t known to hide things from you. That sounds more like someone else I know!” His voice is sarcastic in nature, making my eyes roll into my skull.

“You see my point though, right?” I sigh.

“I see that you’re really anxious about it…”

“Yeah.” I purse my lips, licking them from the inside.

“Okay, let’s say she does go home next week. What do you think is going to happen? What are you worried about?” His voice is calm and introspective, soothing my goosebumps.

“That maybe she’ll work for someone just like her last boss. That she’ll lose sight of what’s important again and never make time for herself.”

“That she won’t make time for herself, or for you?”

“Both, I guess?” I shift in the bed, throwing one leg over the covers, keeping the other underneath.

“Okay. That’s fair.” He clears his throat, “Have you guys talked about that?”

“Sort of. Right after we made up. She said it would never be like that again. I don’t know if I believe that, Finneas.”

“Do you trust her?”

“With my life.” I say, naively. I know I trust her, but last time I said that, she proved me wrong.

“Then you have to give her a chance to show you it’ll be different this time.” He says, all knowing and proud of it.

“Or, you could just let me, like, sit here and complain.” I let out a soft laugh, knowing he’s smiling because he knows he’s right.

“That too.” He laughs, but then for a second there is a pause for silence. I wait for him to break it.

“Billie, you’re right for being worried. It already happened once. But if you wanna stay in it, you have to move on. It feels like you don’t want to move on.”

“I want to… Be in a different reality than this one.”

“I like this reality.” He says. “In another reality maybe we aren’t the same people.”

“That’s the point.” I say.

“Maybe we don’t have the same people around us either.”

I stay quiet. I realize the shower hasn’t been running for a while now, and her singing has stopped. I made a mental note to keep my voice down and change the subject when I need to.

“That’s true.” I sigh. “I just mean, I wish we wanted the same things, that’s all.”

“Do you even know that she doesn’t?”

“Not even a chance that she does, dude.” I roll my eyes.

“I guess we’ll never know, Billiard.” He says, softly laughing into the phone. I know he thinks everything would be so much better if I confessed, but to be honest, if she told me to my face she didn’t feel the same, I don’t think I’d be brave enough to face her again.

She’s so kind and so sweet that she’d feel bad, and try to convince me nothing has to change. She’d act like it never happened. But, in the back of my mind, I’d always know that deep down she feels awkward. Gross even. Romanticized and objectified, being looked at with lustful eyes. I’d kill anyone looking at her with the same eyes.

As if on purpose, the bathroom door opens, and in walks Remy. She comes out wrapped in a towel, wet, wavy hair bouncing, and no socks, just her white painted toenails.

“I guess so.” I shift in bed, clearing my throat, and changing the subject. “I miss you, Fin.”

“I miss you too, I miss touring with you guys.”

“Well, I’ll catch you another time. Thanks for talking to me.”

“Anytime brother!” Finneas says, goodbyes and all. I leave my phone on the nightstand, plugging it in for the night.

“Was that Finneas?” She looks through her luggage for fresh pajamas, which usually consisted of a thin tank top and a pair of soffe shorts.

“Yeah, he says hi.” I grab the remote and turn the tv on, flipping through channels.

She sheds the towel off, putting underwear on first, then taking her time to spread lotion all over her body. I want to divert my eyes, but I can’t help but notice her healing, red, sunburnt back, or the way her tattoos glisten in shea butter.

I tried to focus on finding something to watch, but nothing seems more interesting than what’s right in front of me.

“Can you get my back again with this stuff?” She asks, walking over to me with the bottle of aloe, not bothering to cover up.

“Sure.” I sit up, taking my rings off so I don’t scratch her. I grab the bottle from her and squirt a generous amount on my hand. She sits on the edge of the bed next to me and I begin to spread it all over her shoulders.

“Is it peeling yet?” She asks, sitting patiently as I cover her back in the cooling gel.

“Nope. I think it’ll turn into a nice tan in a few days.” I say as I work my way down her spine. I work my way around as gentle as I can, so I don’t inflame her burns.

She grabs the room service menu off my nightstand and reads through it. “I need a snack.”

“What are you feeling?” I put another dollop of aloe on my hands and make sure to get her sides. She shivers and bumps form on her skin, as she gives into the icy sensation.

“Hmm… Perhaps some fries with a side of salad?”

She lifts both arms slightly, like a winged angel, while I briefly coat the sides of her breasts with gel. I try not to think about the fact that I’m tracing her figure with my hands, the way my eyes liked to do. I quickly move on to her lower back, noticing the dimples peeking out from her underwear.

“That sounds good. Maybe some of those veggie spring rolls? They were pretty good.” I suggest, dissimulating my lack of interest in food at the moment. How could I think about eating anything else?

“Ooh! Yes.” She picks up the phone, untangling the cord as she pulled it to her cheek, dialing the room service number. She orders as I struggle to finish the task at hand.

Suddenly, I notice a dainty bird on the right side of her lower back, partly hidden by the fabric of her underwear. This was a new one. I’d never seen this tattoo. Without thought, I pull the fabric down a bit, seeing it was not one, but two birds, flying towards each other. I don’t know how I missed it. I’ve always been so observant when it comes to her, but she has so many tattoos that I guess I overlooked it.

She hangs up the phone after completing her order and looks over her shoulder. “You like it? It’s us.” She says, casually.

We’ve had matching tattoos for a while already. It shouldn’t be shocking. I think what shocked me the most is that she got a tattoo for me, without me knowing. All on her own, she permanently inked her body with a symbol of me.

“It’s so pretty!” I struggle to keep the drool in my mouth, as I gush over the sentiment.

She stands up, showcasing it properly, looking over her shoulder at my reaction. “It’s for Birds of a Feather. When I hear the song it makes me think of you. Of us.” She smiles.

My heart grows three sizes when those words come out of her mouth. I don’t think she understands what that means to me. I don’t think she understands what it does to me.

“When did you get that?” I gaze intently, grazing my finger over it.

“Right around Christmas.” She says, her voice trailing off. “I wasn’t sure I’d ever get to show you… So I guess my mind just kinda forgot.”

“That’s so sweet, Rem. It’s so cool.” I failed to say the words I actually wanted to say.

She walks over to grab her shirt, pulling it over her head, standing at the foot of the bed.

“I was kinda nervous you’d think it’s dumb. At that time I just missed you. I thought about you every day…”

My eyes began to water as I sat at the edge of the bed, my palms still coated in aloe vera. I know her words will sit with me, on a never ending spin cycle in my head. Although, I know she’ll never feel the way I’m taking it.

“I just wanted my person back. And, every time I heard Birds of a Feather on the radio, wherever I went, it felt like you were still there talking to me, you know? Like, you didn’t hate me.”

I shake my head, crawling on the bed towards her. “I never hated you. Okay? I’ve never in my life hated you, Rem. I could never.” My tone serious, my hands emphasizing my words as they spill.

She nods, keeping silent.

I sit at the edge, pulling her into my arms. I hold her tight, knowing I wrote that song specifically for her, knowing she has no idea, knowing it’s about us.

All of the pain and agony that comes with loving someone. The push and pull, the suffering that it is to love, to adore, to long for. The suffering that is wanting her so badly, and not being able to have her. I’d spent so many summers yearning for her, obsessing and torturing myself over her, being tossed around at times, and never stopped wanting more.

“I wish I never tore us apart.” She says.

“I tore us apart, Remy, not you.”

My face is buried in her stomach, and her body stands still between my legs. Her arms wrapped around my neck so softly, I can barely feel them. All I feel is her finger twirling my hair around it.

I open my mouth to confess. To tell her everything in heart and let her into my soul. For once, my lips don’t feel like stopping me, and my brain doesn’t scare me enough to change my mind.

“Remy, I love you.” I say, wholeheartedly, meaning it in every sense of the word.

She said she thought about me every day. She called me her person…

“I love you too, Billie.” She says, matter-of-factly, perhaps not understanding what I mean.

I lift up my head to look up at her, “Like, I—“

Remy jumps a bit at the sudden sound of knocking on our door. She quickly turns to the vanity, grabbing her shorts and pulling them on.

“Room service!” A man announces from outside our room.

She laughs, grabbing her hair brush and running it through her loose, damp, waves.

I stand up and open the door, taking the service cart from him with our food under covered plates. I thank the hotel worker, giving him some cash as tip, then shutting the door.

“Our food is here.” I say, realizing what I almost did.

I almost ruined everything. Our friendship, our dynamic, our time together, everything.

I have her in my life now. I rather keep her, the amount of her that I have, than risk losing her all together. It’s not worth it. How could I be so stupid? My mind starts spiraling and I feel myself beginning to stonewall.

“What were you saying?” She walks over and lifts the covers off our plates, grabbing a french fry and taking a bite.

I somehow manage not to stutter, immediately making an excuse, “That I’m really glad we’re friends again. I’m glad we’re here together.” I smile, grabbing a spring roll.

She pauses for a few seconds, but then grabs one too and holds it up to mine. “Cheers to that.”

I’m in the clear. For now.

[tragicbeauty1991]

So with the new Snow White film coming out now (which I haven’t seen yet, though I have listened to the soundtrack and like a lot of the new music), I decided to go back and rewatch the original since I haven’t seen it in ages. I wanted to see what I picked up on as an adult now that I might have missed or just not really appreciated as a kid. A few observations…

- The animation is just so incredible when you consider how much effort went into it. Can you imagine being in the audience when this first came out? Just… seeing the vibrant colors, the moving water and clouds and bubbles looking so lifelike? You can see in a few shots how they used multiple layers of images. Just…so much work and love went into this.

- The first character we ever see in a Disney film is the villain and she knows how to make an entrance!

- The detail on things like the queen’s throne, the carvings on the dwarves’ shelves and stairs, etc…they’re just so beautiful and could easily have been simplified.

- The Prince seems to be immediately in love with Snow White, it’s true, but what strikes me is that (1) It’s possible he’s noticed her before. We don’t know. He may have fallen in love with her for the kindness he’s seen her display to others. (2) The girl is dressed in rags like a servant. Sure, she lives in the castle but for all he knows, she’s just a maid. And it doesn’t matter to him. He just sees this beautiful, sweet girl and said, “Yep, I think I’m in love with her and want to marry her, regardless of her social status.”

- The men in this film as a whole are just…so much softer and gentler than in so many modern films. Like, it’s not that they’re not manly men…but they’re also not afraid to show emotion. The Prince isn’t afraid of singing a love song to the girl he thinks is attractive. The huntsman weeps and begs for forgiveness because he can’t bear the thought of hurting Snow and then tells her to run, risking his own safety and possibly the safety of his family if he has one. (He’s gotta know if the queen figures out she was lied to, it’ll be his heart cut out and put into a box.) Maybe she reminds him of his own daughter… The dwarves are exceptionally kind and welcoming to her. Grumpy is really the only one who even makes a show at pretending not to like her and being “manly” but when it comes down to it, he ends up being the one leading the charge to save her and one of the first to break down crying when they don’t get there in time and they have to lay her to rest.

- Speaking of which…I love Grumpy. He’s quite possibly my favorite character in the film because he’s so complex comparatively speaking. Everyone else is exactly what their name says they are. Grumpy…he’s really not as Grumpy as he pretends to be sometimes. He’s a lovable, good-hearted guy who just doesn’t want to be perceived as weak.

- We see Snow praying. That never happens in modern films. And it’s just so sweet that her first thought is to ask for God to bless the dwarves rather than to even ask for anything for herself when she is literally on the run for her life.

- Snow as a whole is just so selfless and gentle and compassionate. We never see her curse the queen or wish evil on her. When she comes to the dwarves’ cottage and initially thinks it’s a bunch of kids living there, her first thought is that if they’re orphans, she’ll take care of them herself…despite not being much more than a kid herself.

- The queen is legit a psychopath. Maybe even arguably a serial killer. Like…there are multiple skeletons in the dungeon still in the same position they were in when they died, like the one reaching for the water bucket. That means when they died she didn’t even bother to remove the bodies. She just left them there to rot. And considering her lair is down there, it’s not like she wouldn’t have passed by their decomposing bodies. Just…YIKES. Do not mess with this woman. (On the other hand, why not just chain Snow up down there and let her die? I mean, obviously we’re all glad that didn’t happen but that would have solved her problem…)

- We see seasons pass after Snow dies and is laid to rest in the glass coffin. That means the dwarves were out there keeping the flowers fresh and things looking nice every day for months. Also, the prince has been searching for her this whole time. He didn’t just give up when he didn’t see her at the castle anymore. He went out looking for her and then when he hears she’s dead, he still goes to pay his respects to her. Dude’s got it bad. That’s not just a crush. That’s some serious devotion right there. He had no way of knowing she’d come back to life when he kissed her. He just wanted to see her one last time and say goodbye.

- Also, I’m just gonna say that if her body was incorrupt for that long, and Christianity seems to exist in this universe (given that she was praying earlier in the film) it wouldn’t be unreasonable for the dwarves and the prince to think she was a literal saint…which, considering her kindness, isn’t totally out there.

- I love that even when she unexpectedly wakes up, the Prince recognizes how much she means to the dwarves and holds each of them up for her to kiss goodbye.

- Okay, this one is silly and overthinking things, I know, but what happened to the realm after the queen died and Snow was also presumed dead?? Like, who is ruling the kingdom? And then she goes off with the prince to HIS castle… I’m a little concerned for her kingdom. 😂 I guess once she marries the prince, the realms would be joined and they’d rule both kingdoms but man, for those few months with no one on the throne, it must have been absolute chaos.

- Overall, Snow White still holds up well today. Better than many of the classics, honestly. I hope the new remake does it justice.

[thistaleisabloodyone]

This is the first page of Riku365! The literal first page. This is where we're starting?

EDIT: It got better on page 2, but shit! We started off fun.

[slightlytoastedbagel]

when you think about it Vivid Bad Squad was the first time any of them truly had people outside of family and not just classmates or family acquaintances. it's no wonder they got so ride or die for each other despite the rocky start they understand each other in ways no one else has before

[lock-my-feelings-in-a-jar]

[keeps-ache]

now annoying my brother by making up tunes and making him think they're real songs lmfshvjhs

[assumedcryptid]

fellow babymetal fans pls help does momoko sing?? or like. i guess i mean has she been singing audibly??? bc i know back before she was the offical new member moa was covering the 'scream' in 'scream and dance' (iirc back during the avengers days, the avengers didnt have mics)

but now tht shes officially momometal, i havent really been able to tell if im hearing her or if moas still covering the 'scream' parts :V

i want to be clear though i dont mean this in a rude way or anything im genuinely just curious!!!

[ikigaisvt]

rewatched in the soop 2 and now i have the its song stuck in my head... also restarting in the soop 1 :D life is fun fun fun

[callixton]

i am aware that this is a human thing that many people do but seeing raúl stim is something so pleasing to me

[confuzing]

Bingge kidnaps SQQ and takes him back to original PIDW dimension and is like, "I'm sure you're pissed but I can Stockholm syndrome you into loving me." And SQQ goes, "Bet you dumb mfer, Stockholm syndrome isn't real and I may not be able to bring myself to be mean to you but I'm not going to be nice to you either." Bingge is just like, "lol what could you even do?"

Cut to two weeks later (Bingmei has to reforge Xin Mo he's going to be a minute):

-Wives 236, 139, and 15 are missing, apparently SQQ had a talk with them about how they only see Bingge like once every 3 months anyway so they might as well start back up those hobbies they had before meeting him right? Absence makes the heart grow fonder and all. Several other wives are talking about taking trips soon.

-The children are singing something called "the song that never ends." It, as advertised, does not end.

-SQQ is actively flirting with MBJ every time he sees him, apparently just to freak the ice demon out. (SQQ thinks he's just ignoring Bingge in favor of MBJ but he's definitely accidentally wife beaming the poor guy)

-Bingge keeps finding 'Kick Me' signs on his back. He has no idea how SQQ is putting them there since the man refuses to be in the same room as him if at all possible. Also nearly all his left shoes are missing?

-Sha Hualing straight up asks for a divorce. Says she'll be a faithful vassal and is still down for sex but that she feels like marriage is keeping her from 'living her best life'. Yeah she talked to SQQ yesterday what of it?

-SQQ is practicing inedia, but when Bingge tracks him down to ask him what he said to Sha Hualing he's having lunch with Liu Mingyan???

Bingge: ...You aren't eating.

SQQ: I'm not eating anything YOU cook.

Bingge: She hates you though, what if she poisons you?

SQQ: Guess I'll die. Also she's not an idiot she hated the other SQQ not me. As she should, fuck that guy. *turns back to Mingyan* Anyway have you ever considered taking up creative writing?

[usuallydyinginside]

"No One Mourns the Wicked" is about Glinda, not Elphaba

Okay, but hear me out. Wicked songs are so good at saying one thing and meaning something entirely different once you have more context. For instance, "I'm Not That Girl" is Elphaba singing about Glinda initially, then in Act 2 flips to Glinda singing about Elphaba. Because it turns out, Elphaba IS that girl and Glinda is not. When we meet the Wizard, he sings about how he always wanted to be a father. When you get to Act 2, you get the sad little reprise in the background music as he realizes that WHOOPS, he was one and he destroyed his only kid. "Defying Gravity" starts with "I hope you're happy" in the sarcastic sense and ends with them both using the same phrase to genuinely wish one another well.

"Thank Goodness" is set up as a cheerful engagement song where Glinda genuinely means "thank goodness for how great my life is" and ends in a place where she's insisting that she IS happy even as she realizes her engagement is a sham, her best friend is gone, and she's left with the Wizard and Madame M, who she doesn't even like.

You get the picture.

Basically, the whole musical is about subverting what you expect, starting with the base premise of "what if the Wicked Witch was the hero of the story" and digging in from there.

Honestly, I'd never paid much attention to the first song. It's a good opener, sets things up well, but it has some big competition with later songs. However, in the movie the staging and camera choices made me really notice it for the first time. Because you know what? Someone DID pay attention to that song, and you can really really tell.

For those who need a refresher, the lyrics to the chorus Glinda sings are: And Goodness knows The Wicked's lives are lonely Goodness knows The Wicked die alone It just shows when you're Wicked You're left only On your own I was always so busy noticing Glinda's grief over thinking Elphaba was genuinely dead that I failed to notice Glinda's grief over her OWN fate. The movie did such a good job with this because every time we get to the pink lines about being alone, Glinda IS alone. She is standing apart from the crowd who adores her. Standing above them. Standing at the center of a bunch of people yet still, isolated.

Because in the end, we know that Elphaba DIDN'T die alone. We know she wasn't on her own. We know her life WASN'T lonely ultimately. She had her flying monkey and animal friends. She had Fiyero.

And who does Glinda have?

Everyone, but realistically, no one. She is an ideal, not a person to most of Oz, just as much as Elphaba has become the token scapegoat. Where Elphaba is the "Wicked Witch," Glinda is "Glinda the Good Witch" - she is literally supposed to be the embodiment of goodness.

And what does Glinda have at the end of this whole thing (as of this song at least)? A disastrous end to her engagement, the death of her best friend, a sorceress who has hated her, demeaned her, and dismissed her from the start, and a con man who is also just a symbol more than a person.

I think it really hit me when Glinda throws the fire on the giant effigy of Elphaba. Ariana's acting was SO good there, because I'd expected us to see that private moment of horror or regret. What I didn't expect was the sort of determined and almost angry glare at the effigy.

But it makes sense. At this point, Glinda has realized that she lost everything and everyone she actually cared about.

As she so aptly puts it in "Thank Goodness"...

Though it is, I admit The tiniest bit Unlike I anticipated. But I couldn't be happier, Simply couldn't be happier, Well, not "simply" 'Cause getting your dreams It's strange, but it seems A little, well, complicated.

There's a kind of a sort of cost. There's a couple of things get lost. There are bridges you cross You didn't know you crossed Until you've crossed!

And if that joy, that thrill Doesn't thrill like you think it will Still-- With this perfect finale, The cheers and the ballyhoo! Who wouldn't be happier? So I couldn't be happier, Because happy is what happens When all your dreams come true.

Well, isn't it?

Happy is what happens when you're dreams come true.

It's not Elphaba's fault that Glinda has ended up this way. Glinda chose it every step of the way. Yet, if Glinda had never met Elphaba, (if she'd never known her, you could say), she might have stayed shallow and vain. She might never have been challenged to look deeper and realize how empty it all felt.

So as Glinda sings "No One Mourns the Wicked," she realizes that even if the Munchkins are singing about the "Wicked Witch," she's not.

She's singing about herself.

The one who traded her morals, friendship, and love for a taste of the admiration and power over those who don't really know her. The one who was so worried about being likable that she herself doesn't like who she's become.

Even after she makes things better for Oz and herself by sending the wizard away and getting rid of Madame M, it just leaves Glinda by herself as the leader and source of goodness in Oz. It leaves her on a pedestal she can never step off of.

It leaves her lonely.

Entirely alone.

[prickly-paprikash]

Kendrick doesn't just hate Drake as a person. He hates the very idea of Drake.

Hip-Hop is rooted in revolution. In defiance. These are the songs of an oppressed group of people, and decades upon decades people have hated it. Accused of being meaningless and invalid. Media outlets took steps to belittle hip-hop and make sure it isn't recognized as an art form and as a means to fight back.

2Pac spoke of wealth disparity and inequality. Tupac was literally a member of a communist organization when he was younger and never stopped speaking against capitalism.

Lauryn Hill spoke of the struggles a woman faces. Not just women, but black women. Salt-N-Peppa. Queen Latifah. MISSY FUCKING ELLIOT.

N.W.A made sure people knew about police brutality and violence against the Black community.

And now, in this day and age, we're also experiencing an explosion of Queer Hip-Hop. Lil Nas X is at the forefront of this. Lil Uzi Vert came out as non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, even when they knew that a lot of their fans would never use it or even respect them for it. Auntie Diaries, a song about a young man who grew up in a transphobic environment and bought into those beliefs, but could never fully do it because his Uncle loved him so much and taught him a lot of life lessons, and that wisdom translated to him accepting his cousin as a woman as well.

Drake is none of that.

He's the perfect representation of what people think hip-hop is. Flexing. Posturing. Objectifying women. A fucker so insecure he bought 2Pac's ring just to feel like he's part of the black community. Rejected by Rihanna publicly. Tried to groom Millie Bobby Brown. Kissed and inappropriately touched an underage girl during his concert. His songs have inspired so many young boys to treat girls like shit. His belief that the amount of rings and chains and cars he has is the true meaning of success.

Additional Edit: This is my fault. If this post gains more views, then it would be remiss of me not to add to this. It was my fault to begin with, not stating this beforehand because while I did know, I got lost in celebrating Hip-Hop in a place that doesn't usually do so, and rightfully so.

2Pac did fight for wealth equality and better social living for the black community. He also has a long, long history of battery, domestic abuse, and sexual harassment against women. Specifically against women of color. He made a song to celebrate his own mother, but outright refused to give the same show of respect to other women in his life. His hypocritical nature was brushed off in later decades, just the way I did now.

N.W.A is the same. Sexual assault charges, violence—they spoke of Police reform, but refuses to give the same treatment back towards the women in their lives.

50 cent refuses to backtrack on any of his misogynistic lyrics.

Modern rappers of today, such as the dead XXXtentacion. 6ix9ine. Kodak Black.

I do love Hip-Hop. I love rap. And the music itself has always been anti-authoritarian at its core, because those are its roots. And I was happy that circles that did not normally know of it or enjoy it were getting into it, even for one thing like this rap feud.

Lil Nas X, Little Simz, Childish Gambino, Missy Elliot, Queen Latifah, Lauryn Hill—rappers who have at the very least consistently tried to put their money where their mouth is. Who have tried to act in accordance to what they rap and write and sing for.

@shehungthemoon @ohsugarsims finnthehumanmp3 were the ones who rightfully clarified in the comments. I know an apology won't correct my hypocrisy or my stupidity. I should have added all of this before making this post, but I wanted so badly to celebrate a genre of music but failed to do my due diligence in showing a better, holistic view of it. If anyone felt triggered, offended, troubled, frustrated or any other intense negative emotions surrounding this, please do block me. I'm sorry.

[salemlunaa]

ೄྀsome of you STILL don’t understandೄྀ

you must get comfortable in your god state to really succeed

ೄྀPART I | STOP NEGOTIATING WITH THE 3D

To get comfortable in your god state you need to understand that it is you ALONE that manifests. Stop consuming and spreading misinformation, you don’t have to “meet in the middle”with the 3D for your manifestations.

“If you want your dream bod to be manifested you have to stand firm AND workout”

“If you want to manifest clear skin, it’s good to visualise but you should also be focusing on skincare”

“If you want to manifest good grades you can affirm but you actually have to study”

“You can’t expect to manifest when you aren’t bothering to do anything in the 3D”

bullshit. absolute bullshit

although it’s important to still take care of your necessities, there’s no such thing as meeting halfway for your desires. If you think that you don’t understand what manifestation is. And with the assumption that it is, means that you don’t understand your full potential. As soon as you think of a desire it’s yours, no negotiating needs to be done with the 3D. All you have to do is stand firm.

Why are you making deals with the 3D?, “okay, okay if i workout in the 3d and manifest my dream body in my 4d it will come” that just isn’t needed

“okay but it does help things move faster” “it does help things become a little easier” nope, still wrong!

you don’t have to lift a finger for something that’s already yours. never. same goes for inducing pure consciousness, you don’t have to spend hours saturating your conscious mind in order to shift. You can have the worst day and still induce pure consciousness because that’s all it is: a state of consciousness.

ೄྀPART II | EVERYTHING YOU DO IS PERFECT

To get comfortable in your god state you must also understand that you’re doing it all right. Stop asking dumb questions, you’re doing everything correct. The fact that you rely on bloggers to tell you if you should do this or that as if they’re your god shows that you don’t truly understand (and it’s getting really frustrating).

“will i still be able to induce pure consciousness if I lay on my side rather than in a starfish position?”

“do i have to affirm?”

“what if i don’t do this one blogger’s method to the minute details, does this mean i won’t shift?”

asking stupid questions like these confirms that you still don’t understand the extent of your power, you still don’t understand who you are.

And if you don’t understand, you will never progress, treating this like a chore that you have to perfect is where you go wrong. As a god, everything you do is correct, you could even induce pure consciousness by standing straight up and singing heavy metal at the top of your lungs, because what ever you say goes.

Stop sitting back up after minute 5 of it “not working” to check if you’re doing that method correctly. Why does you living your dream life depend on other people’s rules, are they the gods of your reality or is it you?

And you do know this still counts as you putting the void state on a pedestal? There are people who find out about pure consciousness and induce it that same day. Get your head in the game.

1: You don’t have to lift a finger for your dream life

2: You’re doing everything correct, you are “I AM” trust that and you’ll induce in no time

Both of these things, negotiating with the 3D and asking if your doing it right in YOUR OWN reality are signs that you don’t trust yourself enough. Learn to actually trust yourself and accept your fate as a god and you’ll have everything you dream of

NOW GO GO GO, GO GET YOUR DREAM LIFE

🍵🪷To understand and succeed you must trust yourself

[amfstargirl]

Yandere batfam x neglected reader

So, pack up your car, put a hand in your heart, sing what ever you feel, be wherever you are

We ain't angry at you love. ⋆·˚ ༘ *

The pain of the neglected soul. Under the heavy mood lingering in the manor. An architectural design that screams wealth but is never wealthy with love and laughter. well, at least not to the second youngest child of Bruce Wayne, the billionaire playboy, the most powerful man in Gotham City.

Being a product of a mistake between an infamous prostitute and a well-known, almost "celebrity"-like man was not really an ideal life. Being shunned away by the woman who you call Mom, who's supposed to whisper sweet words to you and rock your fragile body back and forth to ease you of whatever you feel bad about, instead shoves you into the arms of an unknown man who's your supposed father. Yeah, that sucks.You've always adored your mom. Despite the horrible words she casually whispers to you - "you ruined me, kid"—you turn a blind eye to her actions and act deaf to her cruel words and instead pretend that she's the mom who loves you and adores you just as much as you do for her. Because it was better. It just was. Your brain can't really process the fact that your abusive mother can be abusive. No, not when she was the one who carried you for 273 days, birthed you, and gave you your name. A 5-year-old's brain can't possibly carry the thought of having that same woman hate you. So even when it was your birthday, you waited for her all day to come home and give you kisses and maybe a birthday cupcake or present. just for once, she comes home drunk, messy, and dizzy with a man on her arms while laughing feverishly. It crazy to think that was the most happiest you've seen her; she was always scowling when she was with you. Strange. Even so you greet her with a hug. "Momma, I've been waiting for you all day—" she cuts you off and tells you to get away from her and calls you this strange name "annoying" huh. Wonder what that means. And for the next hours you spend your birthday alone, in your bedroom. Awake and hungry. But it doesn't matter at least mom came home! Sometimes she doesn't even come home for a few days, but she came home today! That means she must love you. Only for a few days she stays at home with the strange man she brought home on the day of your birthday. It doesn't bother you, it was normal after all. She always do this and then after a few days the man's gone. Yeah, this is just temporary. You say as you clean the house full of dirty clothes and empty alcohol bottles. And then one night the strange man is yelling at your mom; screams filled the tiny apartment with smashing sounds of bottles echoing around the room. You're furious, and you want to defend the woman who you oh so lovingly call "mother" You push the man away, and it angers him. With his bloodshot eyes, he grabbed the bottle and smashed it at the side of your tiny head. You soon wake up in a large room with bright lights and thick white walls. Soon you find out that you're in a hospital; its so cool, it's the size of your living room! Maybe even bigger… Moments later you found out that your mother gave you up to some unknown man who is to be called your "father.". You thrash and scream against the nurse's hold and scream for your mommy, yet she never came.A strange man came and introduced himself. He said he was "Alfred" and said from now on he will take care of you. That's silly because no one in your entire life has had someone take care of you. Soon he drives you to a gloomy big house with lots of statues as Alfred proceeds to tell you that this will be your new home now. Different portraits adorn the walls, and shiny pottery and impressive works of art fill the house. Alfred soon introduced you to your father, Bruce Wayne. Now this is where it all starts. With your new home, hope sparked through your heart, and you believed that somehow, someway, maybe you'll be able to get the love that you have always longed for, yearned for, waited for.

Wrong.

Bruce Wayne, billionaire playboy, the most powerful man of Gotham, the heartthrob, the Batman, but never the father of y/n l/n. He doesn't even know you. Doesn't even try to acknowledge you and your hard work, desperate to try anything to make him pay attention to you. To give you the attention you crave and yearn for ever since you arrived at the comfort of his home. You weren't stupid. You knew who he was and his nightly activities. You understood. But what hurts was that despite this, he managed to give every. Single. One. Of his children, attention except you. Was it because you weren't like them? Was it because you didn't fight bad guys for a hobby? Or was it because he never deemed you worthy of his time? Why? Were all the things the kids and big adults whispered behind your back true? That you were a child of a whore and you were bound to become one too over a matter of time? Was it true you'll never compare to your siblings? Being compared to your siblings, who had so much talent and had their own special abilities that yours can't compare to, was draining—and partially true. Your little ballet classes can never impress bruce over his other children's combat skills, multilingual abilities, and genius calculations. And you learned to accept that over the years as you grew up.

Richard grayson, dick, the loving big brother, the family guy. Maybe he was a good guy. After all, he managed to acknowledge you for about 6 seconds one time! He even asked you about your ballet classes! Though that was only to distract his self before Damian came. Always the big brother and Lil brother duo! .. Despite being busy with being a full-time cop and a vigilante, he still makes time for family, the ones he considers as family. Not you, never you. Who were you kidding? Dick is the star of the show, and you're just another side character in his main character life! Just a plain, old, boring bystander. That's all you will ever be to little Richard Grayson's glam life story.

Jason todd was different. He was known as someone who was brutal and full of anger. So it was no problem for him to shove you and tell you off. He had no conscience in telling you to go away, and you liked that. You like the fact that at least he had the decency to not give you false hope. Jason todd hates you, and you know it. Jason todd is jealous of your normalcy and how oblivious you are to the danger of the world. In his eyes, you were his replacement; looking at you makes the green monster of envy crawl out of him and take his anger out on you. The way you are so vulnerable stirs something up inside of him, and he realizes that your eyes look just like his when he was full of wonder and innocence. It made him restless and irritated. It reminded him of his mistakes, foolishness, and those memories he buried deep inside his mind to save him from countless nightmares he desperately ran away from.

Timothy Drake, the genius Robin, the hero by choice, the prodigy son. You would be lying if you said that you weren't jealous of Tim at all. I mean, look at him! He's a genius, a hero, a heartthrob, and a role model to several youths of Gotham. He was exactly like Bruce, and I mean exactly like Bruce. His life revolved around solving crimes, fighting bad guys, acing all of his tests, and coffee. Anything was more important other than you. Sure! He has time to cuddle with his family for movie night (without you, of course) but never has the time to play video games with you. Everything seemed to send thrills to his veins and spark an interest in him except your very existence. If you were just a mere bystander in Dick's story, you weren't even in Tim's!

Cassandra. The girl of the family. You have always envied her. Not only was she the only girl of the family and doted on by every single one of your brothers, but you and she also shared the same interest. What's even more infuriating was that she didn't even have to try. She didn't have to beg countless times to have anyone attend her performances because they were all there. Even Jason, who hid in the shadows. They were all there to support her and show her the love you have always asked for, begged for. She swooned all of them with her dancing, and you can't help that maybe her hands are more gentle, maybe her feet are more pointed, maybe her posture is more straight than yours, maybe she's prettier than you, maybe she's more worth than you.

And finally. Damian al Ghul Wayne. The youngest son, the baby brother, the scarred child loved by his family. When Damian came into the manor, you were thrilled. You thought that maybe you and he could bond over the same trauma. Maybe finally someone can understand you.You thought wrong again. Damian thought you were weak and a disgrace to the bloodline of the Wayne family clan. He called you thousands of cruel names and insulted you whenever he had the chance to. He always belittled you and showed you no mercy, going as far as to drag the blade of his sword across your neck, drawing blood, just for him to cruelly laugh in your face and tell you that you are being dramatic. You forgave him. You were a good kid. Right? So why is it that a kid who made thousands of innocent lives bleed through his sword is sitting with his father—your father—on the couch, sleeping soundly on his chest? It's not fair.

They were never fair.

As Dick was checking the CCTV footage of the manor out of boredom, he managed to catch a glimpse of footage—about 2 weeks ago—of a person packing their bags and putting things from the manor into a box and leaving. It must be a thief! But that's impossible. The manor has many securities that even a skilled assassin could not pass through the gates; it's impossible. Unless…Dick took another glance at the footage and zoomed in on the screen and squinted his eyes. And for a second, his breath hitched and his heart pumped fast, his hand trembled, and his eyes dilated.

It can't be.

[dcxdpdabbles]

DCxDP fic Idea: A little bit of Home

One day, out of the blue, J'onn J'onzz asks if he could celebrate a Martian holiday. He hadn't before, seeing as the pain of losing his people and his home was too fresh, but he missed the holidays of Mars. He felt that if he didn't try to bring back some of his celebrations, then they, too, would be lost to death.

His teammates were happy to celebrate with him; they were touched by his sharing this part of his culture. J'onn explained that all they had to do was bring a childhood food item to feast on. He explains that on Mars, recipes were passed down for generations, and having the ancestral food of friends and family was the second most crucial part of his holiday.

They are then left stunned when he admits that the feast is traditionally held that same night, but he had been too nervous to mention it beforehand. He allows them to change their minds, but no one dares to.

Heroes pour out of the Watch Tower, racing home to begin cooking, and the Martian is told that as soon as they have something, they will return in time for the meal.

No one mentions the tears gathering on the smiling Martian's face. Nor do they say that his humanoid form falls away to his proper form, a rare occasion to witness.

J'onn then starts decorating the Watch Tower as the Justice League members work on what they will each bring.

He places a lot of shimmering rocks in patterns on the ground. They weave and curl through the hallways as members are careful with no stepping on them. He then has Batman help him find different minerals that change the color of sand used in gorgeous art portraits of each member. (The man was more than capable of sending him information while helping Alfred bake cookies)

It took a bit of flying around the world, but he was able to return to the tower a few hours later with all-natural colored sand. (Thank goodness for the teleportation technology Bruce installed)

By then, a few heroes had returned, each carrying a food or drink container.

Those he forms in the cafeteria where the feast will be held. A crowd of heroes stands around, oohing and ahhing, as J'onn uses his telekinesis to move the sands and create all of them simultaneously, putting on a show.

He is singing hauntingly beautiful songs while hanging colorful drapes around the walls in the last few hours leading up to the feast. No one could understand the words, but everyone agreed that J'onn had an incredible voice.

Clark, arriving with three Kent apple pies, smiles. "He sang that at my house on Christmas Day."

J'onn informed everyone that the event would be formal wear- and everyone showed up dressed to the nines. Heroes who still hid their secret identity- like Batman- had arrived in their costumes, but they had added bowties or some other little accessories to make it formal.

Seeing Nightwing fix the tophat on Batman's head while Red Hood was dressed in a lovely suit, forgoing his usual helmet for a red half mask, was..... enlightening.

A few drinks were served while people walked around admiring the sand painting that J'onn had made. He depicted not only the heroes but also multiple parts of the world, then a section of their best missions, and finally, paintings of good memories they had all shared.

It was like a walkable photoalbum.

Spirits were high as members enjoyed themselves, smiling at the memories and chatting with friends in the few peaceful times of their crazy lives. No one could hold in the gasp when J'onn finished getting ready and arrived at the party. He had painted himself in different shades of blue, beaming in pride at the praise for his cultural markings.

He asked everyone to sit, standing to pray in his native tongue. A few heroes bowed their heads, and others merely sat comfortably, waiting for the Martian to finish.

He picked up his cup, raising it high in the air with his hand

"Friends," J'onn started, voicing, choked up with emotion. "I thank you all for joining me today. It means the world to me that you come here to celebrate the King's Feast. May Phantom watch over you all and freeze all your enemies!"

His cup floats out of his hand, turning to the side so the water can fall out and take the shape of a strange D. J'onn bowes his head, crossing his arms and muttering more prayers.

John Constantine, who had been attempting to sneak bites from the steak and kidney he brought, drops his fork. He stares in absolute shock at the flouting water symbol above the martian before Zatanna slaps him on the shoulder. "Don't be rude!"

He points one shaking finger at the Martian, turning to her with a pale face. "The Martians worship King Phantom!?"

She blinks. "Who's that?"

John moves his jaw, but no words leave his mouth as J'onn finishes his last prayer. He then holds up a plate proudly, explaining what it is and why he chose it to share. He encourages every hero to do the same, so voices fill the air one by one as they present their offering and the memory attached to it.

No one pays much mind to the blond British man desperately drawing wards on the ground using his green-colored chalk. When asked what her husband was doing, Zatanna shrugs helplessly.

Likewise, no one notices some of the plates mysteriously lose some of their contents. The food appears on Earth in the room of a very excited Halfa, who feeds on the foods and the emotions weaved into the meals.

J'onn later claims that this Great One Day felt like King Phantom was slightly closer than usual.