#and just. the implication of your paris

[hermesmoly]

“But why now?—because Menelaus has beaten your handsome Paris, and hateful as I am, he longs to take me home?” Helen of Sparta still knowing her soulmate’s heart after a decade of war everybody

[hyacinthusmemorial]

TW: Mentions of SA

In my works, and other places, people have been asking me my opinion on Achilles attacking Troilus. I would just preface I’m not an expert on the Trojan War. I was sick the week we did the Iliad in high school and they made me perform as Odysseus when we read the Odyssey and i had no clue what was happening, but I am in the process of reading it now.

I think if you are studying these events from the perspective of the god Apollo, then Achilles kind of loses his Brad Pitt appeal that the movie Troy (which I have never seen) gives him. So if Achilles is your guy, stop reading. I’m thought dumping.

There is something wicked and powerful about Achilles k*lling and r*ping Apollo’s own son on his own altar in his own temple. Because that is the implication of the iconography and artwork.

Achilles drags Troilus by his hair to the altar of his father and the story doesn’t say if Achilles r*pes him, but it is implied. For one it talks about Achilles being overcome with lust for Troilus, who is the image of Apollo in human form. A beautiful golden haired, youth.

Not only is Troilus the son of Hecuba, he’s Apollo’s image. Sources say he is the most beautiful of the Trojans and Greeks. But he has been designated a fate where he represents the city of Troy. Hence the name Troilus. If he reaches adulthood, the city survives. If he dies as a youth, the city will fall.

Athena leads Achilles to Troilus to ensure his death and thus Troy’s fall. She does not account for HOW Achilles kills Troilus.

He sees Troilus on his horse, and he is overcome with lust. I think he probably offers Troilus some sort of deal, come sleep with me and I will let you and your sister go, but Troilus refuses and runs away and hides in his father’s temple. He is a little kid running to his father for help. But, Achilles breaks in, finds Troilus, and enraged kills him either on or near the altar of Apollo.

Troilus is the image of Apollo. He is his son. He is a prince of Troy. I think this is a tipping point for everything—the point of no return.

This seals Troy’s fate, but I think the reason for that are because of Troilus’s death. I think before this point there is the possibility there will be peace. I think Big Bro Hector would have sent Helen back, I think peace would have been sued for and Troy would stand. But Fate has to be accomplished. This is the point where Troy no longer gives a damn—their prince has been m*rdered and r*ped on the altar of their chief god. Priam is upset because he loved Troilus as his own son, and he calls Achilles a child-slaughterer after that. Hecuba is besides herself, and Hector wants to kill Achilles. I think this is the point where they decide that, yes, they are going to die fighting this war, but they have a GOOD REASON to. It’s not about Paris and Helen and Aphrodite and a dumb apple. It’s about a boy being murdered.

But Apollo, Apollo is now vengeance. He is acting as an arm of fate. He’s already peeved at Achilles, who had killed another son Tenes. (A different story about Achilles r*ping someone)

I said this to one of my commenters—an altar is a god’s dinner table. Apollo’s hands are tied by something—either Fate or Thetis or his Father, and he cannot stop Achilles who is savagely attacking his own son on his own table. He has to watch, has to sit there and taste his own son’s blood in his mouth, watch him brutally die.

Achilles’s fate is sealed. Apollo is going to kill Achilles. It’s just nine years later.

In the art, Thetis, Athena, Apollo and Hermes are in the background of this event. Athena and Thetis as support of Achilles, but it makes me curious what Hermes is doing there. Is he holding Apollo back? Has Thetis begged Zeus for Achilles life? Athena regretfully watching as she accomplishes her plan only to realize WHY it worked?

I think in this way you can fashion the Trojan War as a direct conflict between Apollo and Achilles. Everything else is going on around it, but at the heart of it, is Apollo and Achilles. Apollo waiting for his father and the fates to give him the go ahead because Achilles will die, and Apollo is going to take away everything from him in the process. Briseis, Patroclus, and then he’s going to take his life.

Achilles is the villain in Apollo’s story. He’s invulnerable, he’s circumventing fate, he r*pes anything under his power, he disrespects the gods. He is a lesson in what men do when no one can stop them, and the most powerful thing is that the Father wins. He finds and kills his son’s murderer even after all the roadblocks in his way.

Troy is a revenge story, and if I ever get to writing it in my series, it’s going to be written like a revenge story.

[mochinek0]

Time to Go

Marinette had known since she was born that she was the only daughter of Bruce Wayne and Talia Al Ghul. She was also Damian's little sister, by three years.

When the strike on Ra's Al Ghul was taken, Talia quickly hid her away. Marinette knew her family's lives were on the line. She knew Damian would be on the front lines and prayed for his safe return. Although she knew she wasn't her grandfather's favorite, she still mourned his death. Damian seemed to take it especially hard.

Talia had told Marinette and Damian that they would be seperated for the time being. She needed Damian to go with his father to continue his training, while she picked up the pieces of the League.

"What about me, Mother?" Mari questioned.

"You will be on a mission, all of your own." Talia explained, "You're mission is to go undercover. You will act as a daughter of other people. This will keep you safe. Not many know of your existence, but I need to make sure all that wish to harm us, are gone."

"I do not approve of this." Damian snarled.

"I understand." Talia whispered, "I have folders for each of you with detailed instructions. Until you are in your new lodgings, you are not to open them."

Marinette nodded sadly and cried herself to sleep in her big brother's arms. She knew it would be a while before she saw him again. Talia gave them their moment. It hurt her dearly to tear her children apart, but Slade had to pay for his crimes. The League had to be rebuilt and become stronger than ever to give them both their inheritance. With Ra's gone, she would train Marinette to become as deadly as her, when she came of age.

Marinette smiled at the envelope in her hand.

'Another letter from mother. I wonder what my orders are this time.'

Marinette,

The time has come for your father to pick you up. He and Damian will pick you up in three days time. Prepare for his arrival.

Marinette smiled, happily. Lila had been a pain in the ass, as of late. Sabine and Tom took everything her so-called friends said at face value. They would laugh at the implications over dinner. Marinette would tell them all of the lies and how brainless the class truly was. They both knew that if Marinette was really bullying Lila, she could have done far worse. Tom and Sabine had disagreed with Adrien's decleration, but told Mairnette to keep the piece while they reached out to Talia. Only her mother's orders were absolute. If her mother said she could kill her, they wouldn't stand in her way.

"Maman. Papa." Marinette called out.

"So, what did the letter say this time?" Sabine asked.

"Father and Brother will be here in three days time to retrieve me." she answered.

"Well, let's start pulling you out of that horrible school and get ou all packed up." Tom laughed, "I'm sure they will be happy to see you."

'Damian, perhaps. Father; I don't know if he even knows of my existence. Surprise, Father.'

Bruce sighed, "What do you mean you have a sister?"

"It's just as I stated." Damian declared, "Mother has insisted it is safe to retrieve her."

"You've been talking to Talia?" Dick questioned.

"No." the young Wayne heir answered, "She gave us both instructions before we left."

Damian held up the letter.

"There are certain dates for me to open these letters." he explained, "Most of them coincide with our birthdays. Today is Marinette's; she turns fifteen."

"So where is she?" Jason asked.

"Paris, France." Damian stated, "She has been under watchful eyes and was assigned to live as a normal child. No assassin work. Grandfather wasn't too happy that he didn't have two grandsons. Mother taught her self-defense, but she helped out around, mostly as a servant. I was to ignore her if I saw her unless we were alone."

Bruce rubbed his head.

"I have already prepared another room, Sir." Alfred smiled.

"Please, don't let there be two of him." Tim pleaded as Bruce stood up and walked out of the cave to pack.

Marinette handed over her ledger of Lila Rossi to Bruce.

"The school needs to choose their staff more carefully." she spoke, "Tom and Sabine have tried stepping in with the Principal, but I bellieve the Board needs to know what is going on under their noses.

Bruce looked at it and quickly read through it.

"I agree." he snarled, "I'll be taking it with me to the board. I need to legally sign you out of that school, anyways."

Marinette turned to her brother and hugged him.

"I missed you." she whispered.

Damian said nothing, but held her close.

Tom and Sabine stood by as they watch the girl they help raise, reunite with her family. Marinette let go and realized they were holding something.

"We have a copy of all of the recipes we've made over the years." Sabine declared, "Both in the bakery and just for the house."

"Family eyes only." Tom smiled.

"Thank you." Marinette replied, taking it and holding it close to her chest.

"I will make sure it is handed over to our grandfather and he will keep it locked up and safe." Damian declared.

Tom and Sabine smiled.

"I need to take my stuff back to the school." Mari spoke up.

"Go." Damian replied, "Father should return soon. I will tell him where you are and we will meet you there. I will put your belongings in the car so we can leave immediately."

Marinette walked into class and handed her class books over to Ms. Bustier.

"Marinette, why-" Caline began to question.

"I resign as class president." Mari announced.

"What?" Caline whispered in shock.

"Marinette?" Adrien called out, "Are you okay?"

"Is this why you haven't been in school?" Alya asked.

Caline laughed awkwardly, "Marinette, I'm sure-"

"I will be leaving this school, as of today." she announced, leaving the class stunned.

"Oh, Marinette!" Lila called out, standing up, "Did I do something? I only wanted to be friends!"

"Yeah!" shouted Kim, "What the hell?"

"I'll be moving in with my birth father and older brother." Marinette stated, "Mother says it is time for me to go with them."

"Sabine kicked you out?" Adrien questioned, confused.

"Sabine and Tom are my guardians, not my parents." Mari declared, "My birth father listened to me. I have always had a keen eye for detail, as many of you know from asking me to design for them."

"Are you till going on about 'Lila stealing from you'?" Alya asked, "We know it was you who stole!"

Lila paled and sat back down in her seat.

'What?'

Marinette looked at Lila and smiled, "Why do you think Ms. Bustier doesn't want me to stop being class president? It's because I make detailed plans for all the school trips, fundraisers, plan the fire drills, and escape routes. I even know where everything in this school is, including the security cameras. I have kept a record of every lie you said sice you got here, where and when. My father turned the evidence over to the Board of Governers."

Lila's jaw dropped.

"If the cameras aren't working, then they'll just go after that gullible man. Pretty sure embezzlement won't keep him in position." Mari shrugged.

"Huh?" asked Nino.

"How many times do you think the mayor pays him to look the other way when Chloe's being a bitch?" Marinette declared.

"Excuse me!" Chloe shouted.

"Maybe Lila can lend you her hearing aids." Marinette retorted.

"This is why you're a bully." Alix glared at her.

Marinette simply smiled.

Bruce and Damian walked in. Chloe smoothed her clothes and fluffed her hair, quickly. She stood up and smiled.

"I'm-" She spoke.

"Your voice is like nails on a chalk board." Damian commanded, "Be silent."

Chloe closed her mouth and sat down in embarassment, leaving everyone speechless.

Marinette giggled, "You always did know how to make an entrance, Big Brother."

Chloe's jaw dropped.

'She's a Wayne!'

Marinette turned and smiled at Chloe, "Goodbye, Daddy's Little Princess." before turning back to her family, "Father, I am ready to return home."

"Very well." Bruce spoke.

All three of them left the class without another word. There was a lot they had to discuss. As far as Bruce knew, Marinette had no idea about him being Batman and Damian being Robin. She had grown up with some semblance of a normal life and he wanted to keep it that way.

The class looked at the door confused.

"Chloe?" whispered Sabrina.

"Shit!" Chloe screamed, slamming her fists onto the desk.

"Chloe, are you okay?" asked Kim.

"No!" she yelled back, "Do I look okay? So you know-You don't know who they are? Of course you Pea Brains, don't! That was Bruce and Damian Wayne. Which makes.....Baker Girl is one of the richest people in the world."

Lila sat in her seat, enraged.

'What?'

"What?" questioned Alya.

"They have more money than mine and Adrikins' family combined." she scoffed, "Her father could buy Daddy's hotel like it was nothing!"

"But-" whispered Mylene.

"Marinette is a Wayne." Chloe stated, "The Waynes own an international business and have their hands in everything. They are old money. Bruce Wayne practically owns a whole city and just doesn't wanna be mayor."

"What about her brother?" asked Alix.

"He's known for being violent and lashing out. He hates the press." she remarked, "One thing about him on social media and he hunts you down and sues you."

"That's illegal." Alya claimed.

"Sorry. Would you prefer to be thrown in jail or settle for a million dollars to delete what you have?" the heiress questioned, "The Wayne family is known for the high IQ and attention to detail, which means....we're all screwed."

The class learned that everything Marinette had said was true. Lila's lies were all exposed. She was expelled and taken to a juvenile detention center, ontop of being sued by various people. Principal Damocles had been fired, as he had zero authority to expell anyone. Their teacher, Caline Bustier, was fired for not doing her job. She never informed the nurse about Lila's illnesses or disabilities, so there was never any confirmation that any of those were true. She also never sent Lila any homework during her 'travels' and so she was far behind the class in her studies.

Chloe believed she was suffering the most. Adrien was no longer in school with her. The people that let her do what she wanted was removed from the school and she was being forced to sell clothes out of her closet because her mother was upset by how much she 'embarassed them' in front of the Waynes.

'Stupid Marinette! This is all her fault! If she had just acted rich, like me, everything would be the same as it always was.'

The class was in disarray. Not only had Ms. Bustier let Lila slide on so many things, she was behind on their lessons as well. They now had mandatory after school tutoring and study sessions. Adrien Agreste had been pulled out of the class due to his high marks. He was also at the level they all should have been at.

"Dude, how did you pass?" Nino asked, "We all listened to Miss Bustier! You're higher than anyone, including Max!"

"Well, I was homeschooled and Natalie was a tough teacher compared to Miss Bustier. Also, I wanted to be at the same grade level as Chloe. I sorta knew mostly everything, already." Adrien admitted, "I actually could have skipped a few grades if I wanted to."

Nino was surprised, "Would you be willing to tutor us?"

"I wish I could but the board made me take a test and Father demanded I answer every question I knew correctly." Adrien sighed, "I'll be going to high school and if I continue the way I am now, I'm set to graduate in two years."

They realized it would never be the same. Everyone else still had four or five years until they graduated. 

Bruce thought that another child would tip the balance of the manor, but he was wrong. It felt like all they had been missing, was her. She adjusted perfectly to the chaos. His sons insisted that Marinette learn self-defense, at the very least. She refused to walk in their footsteps and become Robin or any other sort of vigilante. It hadn't taken long for Marinette to be announced as Bruce Wayne's daughter and Damian's long lost biological sister. Marinette had taken Gotham by storm as Gotham's Angel and was designing under a new alias: Serpentine. She was taking the fashion world by storm.

Everyone loved having Marinette around, but Damian Al-Ghul Wayne knew better. Marinette was as deceiving as their mother. She looked innocent in everything she did, but her mind was a war zone. Their grandfather never appreciated her mind, but he had gotten some of his best stealth mission ideas after talking with her. He could see her slithering into every crack in their new home. She was flexible like Grayson, loved motorcycles like Todd, talked business with Father and Drake. She even won over Alfred, Brown and Cain with her cooking and baking skills.

Damian watched as Marinette smiled at her computer. The look at the screen, the smile; it was his mother's smile. He could see Gabriel stocks were plummeting after their reunion in Paris. Style Queen was barely hovering above water. For Marinette, it was never about becoming Robin. It was about ruling the world and she was going do it through fashion.

Damian would never tell anyone, but he was scared of his little sister and he would take it to his grave. The smile that would lead anyone to death: The Arabian Helen of Troy.

TAG LIST: @animeweebgirl @a-star-with-a-human-name @meme991001 @vixen-uchiha @abrx2002 @alysrose-starchild @fandom-trapped-03 @dood-space @moonlightstar64 @saltymiraculer @marveldcedits20 @09shell-sea09 @icerosecrystal @animegirlweeb @insane-fangirl-of-everything @blueblossombliss @nickristus-dreamer @megawhitleycalderonpaganus @missmadwoman @meira-3919  @princessdaisysolosyourfaves @blep-23 @fangirlingfanatic @darkhinauniverse @ravenr22 @im-a-satanic-ritual @ravennm84  @bianca-hooks123 @a-slytherinish-gryffindor @starling218 @stainedglassm @psychicdelusionwerewolf @mysteriouschar @missmadwoman

[wokeupinmars]

The Pretty Nurse Who Lives Down the Hall

Pairing: Sierra Six / Court Gentry x Reader

Summary: Six spots a familiar face while he and Claire move into their latest apartment.

Warnings: Implications of past sexual relationship?

Word Count: 1.6K

Author’s Note: This is the first part of the Playing House series.

Part Two: “I’ll go wherever you go”

Part Three: The End of Beginning

Please comment and/or reblog if you enjoyed this!!

RG Masterlist

The sound of your laugh traveled down the hall and stopped him in his tracks. 

Six’s eyes darted in the direction. He could make out the back of your head as you waited for the elevator. Was that really you?

It might have been over two years since he had last seen or spoken to you but there was no doubt in his mind that it was you. He could recognize your laugh anywhere. 

He watched from afar as you got onto the elevator. You turned and before the doors closed, he could have sworn you made eye contact. 

Claire’s voice pulled his attention from the closed steel doors, “Why are you just standing there?”

Six’s attention turns back to the young girl in the empty apartment, struggling to push the raggedy old couch from the center of the room to the wall. “Claire please don’t touch that,” he tells her, walking inside and shutting the door. 

“Are we just supposed to leave it in the middle of the apartment?” She asks, putting her hands on her hips. 

“No, but it’s dirty and heavy.” 

“What were you looking at?” She questions. 

“Nothing,” he responds, going through flyers of local restaurants the previous tenant had left behind. 

Claire crosses her arms, “So you weren’t staring at the pretty nurse who lives down the hall?” 

“I haven’t had the chance to do deep dives on our neighbors, if there’s a nurse that lives on this floor then I’m sure I’ll know within the next day or two.” Six didn’t let it show but the possibility of you living down the hall had him on edge. 

You were a highly skilled assassin and took jobs as offered. You didn’t work for anyone, you worked for you. If the price was right and the target wasn’t a child you’d take the money and execute the job at hand. 

Were you here for him? 

You wouldn’t hurt Claire, he was almost certain about that. 

His mind reeled thinking of the possible reasons why you were here. What if you were hired by the CIA to track him down take him out and bring Claire back to them? 

He was quick to rule that idea out, as far as he knew you had never done a job for them before. But that didn’t mean you weren’t working for someone else, a lot of people wanted the gray man dead. And who better to do the job than you?

—

It was late when you got home. Your apartment was pitch black but you could still sense his presence. 

And then you felt it, the muzzle of his gun digging into the small of your back. “You know, most people have the decency to knock."

“What are you doing here?” His voice was gruff. 

“I live here, what are you doing here?” 

He presses the piece deeper into your back, “Not good enough. What are you doing here?” 

“I’m a nurse now. I live here and work in the emergency room at Mercy Hospital,” you answer, “Can I sit down? I’ve been on my feet all day.” 

He pushed you towards your armchair. 

You take a seat and he sits on the coffee table in front of you, his pistol still pointed at you. You slip your shoes off and rub your feet, “Can you put the gun away? We’re all friends here.”

“We’re not friends.”

You sit up straight and cross your legs, “You’re right. We’re not, we crossed that line a long time ago…I think about our weekend in Paris often.” 

The memories of that weekend floods his mind. A majority of that weekend was spent with the two of you holed up in a hotel room with a balcony view of the Eiffel Tower, not that either of you spent any time soaking up the sight. 

He clears his throat, “That was then, this is now.” Despite this rough tone, he does set the gun down. 

“Who’s the girl?” You couldn’t hold your tongue, you wanted to know why he was here just as much as he wanted to know about you. 

Six scoffs, “Like you don’t already know.” 

“I wouldn’t have asked if I did.” It was true, you took pride in being three steps ahead. “Are you here on a job or something? Posing as a single father?”

He leans forward, “It’s a long story.” 

You mimic his movements, “I have time.” 

A moment of silence passes before he moves in a little closer, “My place.” 

You raise your eyebrows, “Wasting no time, huh? I guess some things really do never change,” you knew going to his apartment was about control for him but that didn’t stop you from teasing him.

He glares at you and you grin, “Lighten up Court.”

—

You knew they had just arrived but it became even clearer as you stepped into the apartment and saw the lack of furniture. 

The two of you sat at the kitchen table. He explained the events that transpired over the course of the past few months. 

“That poor kid,” you say with a frown, “How’s she holding up?” 

Six lets out a sigh, “She’s a tough kid, I’m still worried but I think she’s handling it better than most people.” 

You nod, “Strong girl.…and you?” 

He drums his fingers on the table, “I haven’t really thought about my feelings. I’ve just been focused on making sure Claire’s okay and that we’re safe.” 

“And do you feel safe here?” 

He stares at you, his eyes softening when they meet yours, “I think so.”

His words hang in the air before he speaks up again, “So you’re a nurse now?” His eyes scan over your scrubs, “Quite the professional 180, don’t you think?” 

You hum in agreement, “From taking lives to saving them…who would have guessed?” 

The corner of his mouth twitches up into a slight smile, “Why the switch?” 

There’s a brief hesitation before you answer, “Two years ago I turned down a hit…made an enemy out of the guy that tried to hire me and things got ugly for him and his goons when they tried to come after me.”

“Was it another kid?”

You shook your head, “No…he…” you were trying to find the right words, “He made things personal,” you spoke firmly and looked directly at him. 

He knew what you were saying or rather what you weren’t saying. 

He opens his mouth to say something but then he hears the creak of a door followed by the sound of footsteps approaching the kitchen, “Six—oh hi,” she greets once she sees he’s not alone. 

She stands right beside him, it's obvious from her body language that she's wary of your presence. “Why are you bothering our neighbors?” She scolds him before turning to you with an apologetic look on her face, “I’m sorry about him.”

You watch in amusement at the scene unfolding in front of you before taking the opportunity to introduce yourself to her. 

“She’s my friend.” It sounds more like a question than a statement but you nod in agreement. 

“You?” Claire points at him, “You made a friend?” 

“Old friends, actually,” you correct. 

She looks to Six for confirmation, only shifting her gaze back to you after he nods. “How’d you guys meet?” 

“Work,” you both answer. 

“So you also worked for the CIA?” She asks, taking a seat at the table. 

“No.” You were trying to keep your answers as vague as possible. 

“So then you guys met on a mission?” Neither of you had the chance to respond as she continued with her questioning, this one starting with a gasp, “Were you his target?” 

“No,” you both say.

You glance at him before answering, “We did meet on a mission, we had the same target.”

She lets out an “oh” and leans back. 

“We teamed up to take him out,” Six tells her. 

Claire tilts her head in confusion, “I thought you worked alone?” 

“Not always. I’ve been partnered with people, but those were always planned.” 

Her eyes bore into you, “So you were the exception?”

“I guess so,” you tell her.

She looks back at Six, a sly smile on her face,  “Huh, I wonder why?” 

“I wonder,” he mumbles, rolling his eyes at her implications, “You know it’s pretty late, you should be in bed.” 

“It’s only 11:30.” 

“Exactly,” he states, “Go to bed.” 

“Fine,” Claire huffs out and pushes the chair back, the screeching of its legs scraping against the floor pierces the room, “But you could’ve just said you wanted to be alone with your lady friend.” 

You stifle a laugh at her teasing. 

“Don’t encourage her!” He sounded so stern but you can see the hint of a smile on his lips. 

“Goodnight, Sweetheart,” you tell her as she walks out of the kitchen. She calls back a simple “Night.”

—

You and Six sat in silence. 

“It is getting pretty late…I should get going,” you say getting up.

“You know…” he starts, standing up too, “Claire has a heart condition…maybe…maybe you can come around to make sure everything’s okay with her pacemaker.”

It’s a half-truth but you don’t call him on it, “I can do that.” 

His hand rests on the small of your back as he walks you to the door. “It was nice seeing you again,” you tell him. 

“It was,” he affirms.

“Goodnight Court,” you say softly, before turning and walking down the hall. 

You glance back at him once you make it to your door. He was still standing there, only retreating back into his apartment once you unlocked the door to yours.

—

Part Two: “I’ll go wherever you go”

Part Three: The End of Beginning

[jigglypuff1994]

I keep thinking about Bugnoire talking to Nathalie about how the world will be her world as she designed it.

It was so dark, so unlike anything we have seen from her before.

I get that she is fourteen.

I get that she probably hasn't slept in like seven business days or really since she became guardian.

I get that she has a *lot* on her plate.

but like.... girl

You have a choice to tell Adrien, and you chose not to. Because you want to 'protect' him.

Why Mutual Respect is important: 101

First off, you shouldn't decide what a person can and cannot handle. Especially not your significant other.

Mutual respect is a real relationship-driven factor.

Taking away a person's choice is a sign of disrespect.

In early child development, experts stress the importance of choice. Allow them to choose a color, an outfit, a snack, an activity. Things that they can comprehend and easy decision-making tools to make them become more confident in themselves in the future.

Adrien can comprehend what happened to his father. He can understand the implications of his father's actions, and by giving him this choice, he would be able to determine for himself whether or not he could've handled it.

By denying him even the choice of knowing the truth is not protecting him, it's hindering him.

He asked for the truth. He wanted to know the truth.

And the saddest takeaway from this is that Adrien trusted BugNoire. He respects her which is why he believes her, both as Adrien and Chat Noir. He believes fully that she, his best friend and partner, would never deceive him.

Ladybug would never lie to him.

Which begs the question: what's going to happen when he finds out the truth?

Marinette: Gabriel Part Deux

Kagami said it best: Marinette allowed her love for him to blind her.

And you know who else allowed love to blind them? Gabriel.

She may have done it out of love, but it's not love at that point, it's still a form of control.

Subconsciously, she wanted to control the situation by making decisions for him.

Her decision was not to tell Adrien. It's the same as what Gabriel wanted.

What she wanted in her world is the same as what he wanted is his world.

I want that to sink in... She would make the same decision for Adrien as his father.

I know Lila is the villain, but like... Mari, girl, what are you thinking?

Why would you do what the villain wanted? Gabriel is dead. Who cares what he has to say anymore or what he would have wanted?

Adrinette: Turbulent times ahead

I don't want to say it, but I'm going to anyways.

The set up is clear. Many other unhealthy things are going to happen between her and Adrien.

And we were teased her obsessive behavior with the binoculars in the s6 cut.

Yes, Marinette has always been low-key/high-key obsessed with our blonde model boy.

Is it healthy? Eh.

About as healthy as Chadrien's shrine for Ladybug.

Let's be honest, they are both little crazy critters in the love department. Which can be cute when you're that age, but it can also set up for some major toxic behaviors in the future.

But here's the thing...

I think they both have been through some life-changing events.

They are not the same people they were before the finale.

Again, coming back to our girlie Kagami because she's always right. Both her and Adrien have changed.

Change is inevitable. It's impossible to stay stagnant and grow.

In fact, everyone has changed since Gabriel decided to become Paris' terrifying butterfly man.

But I think after this special, Adrinette isn't going to grow together, they're going to grow apart.

And don't get me wrong, I don't want Adrinette to break up.

I don't want them to be sad and lonely and fail in their relationship.

I want them to grow and become their best selves.

I just don't think that they need each other right now.

Codependency is a real thing that isn't healthy.

And if they lean on each other as civilians right now, they're going to become really weirdly attached or become so derailed from reality that they become detached.

Its just... I don't see Adrinette lasting at this very moment.

They have so many things to learn individually.

I don't see how they could do those things together.

And you could argue: But Jigglypuff, isn't the phrase "Stronger together?"

And that's an excellent point, it absolutely is... for LadyNoir. They've had each other's backs since the beginning. They've always depended on one another. Especially through season 5 when HawkMoth held all of the other miraculouses. They believe in the strength of their partnership and the endurance through the hard times. They will persevere.

Adrinette is not the same energy. They don't have that mentality of 'we're in this crazy ride together because we were all each other had'. They're a couple of middle school aged kids who adore each other a lot. They are the couple everyone in school shipped and thought were the cutest. And yes, of course, you want them to be together, but like most middle school relationships, we outgrow them. It's not ride-or-die. (don't @ me. you know it's true.)

They both have secrets to keep from one another.

They're both burdened by the shackles of Gabriel's actions/made-up actions.

They're both on shaky grounds right now.

And yes, Maribug and Chadrien may be the same people, but they don't know that. So, they're going to treat their relationships differently.

As an adult, it's hard to grow with someone.

Imagine being their age and going through what they went through... I couldn't imagine a realistically healthy Adrinette relationship would flourish after that.

Marinette will most likely have a breakdown (again)

Marinette has a tendency to push people away when she is overwhelmed. She doesn't want to burden others with what she sees as her problems and definitely internalizes everything.

I get it, girlie. Me, too.

But like... these aren't your problems. They're Adrien's problems.

She'll never look at Adrien the same way, and that makes me sad. She'll always feel that sense of guilt gnawing away, tearing her apart bit by bit until she can't take it anymore.

And if I can predict what she'll do, she's going to run away from Adrien without an explanation. She's going to hibernate and shield herself from the world. She's going to become obsessive with that melted down statue of Gabriel and stare at it and scream and yell and wonder why he did this to her.

Marinette has been through the ringer.

She hit her breaking point during this special.

I hope she grows and can handle stress better in the future.

*****

I'm so excited for this upcoming season.

The special/interlude between season 5 and 6 sets up so many what if questions going into season six.

As much as I love the Paris special, I feel like the London special was the perfect bridge between this upcoming season and the last. I think I have a partial timey wimey shenanigan tips-the-balance scale.

Also, I don't think I should have to say this, but please be kind in the comments. These are my opinions. They are not factual.

You do not have to agree with me.

[frollosanctuary]

This work is titled "Loose Ends"

Okay, fair warning, this turned down a dark path, with really dark and tragic implications, but not often discussed.

What happened to Quasimodo’s father?

Well, it might not need saying, because the most probable answer is not a happy one. Presumably, he was taken to the Palace of Justice and executed along with the others on that boat some time later.

It just made me wonder, did Frollo have any further contact or interaction with him, however brief during that time? Did he know? Did he dare disclose the fate of his wife and child?

In any-case, likely ordered his execution anyway as quickly as possible. No ties, no witnesses- other than the archdeacon.

And yes, I do personally believe he is Quasi's father (I have heard theories he may not be/ had been adopted etc) but I don't think is the case; there's nothing in the movie to suggest that. Yes, the book and the stage show are another matter and go their own ways. Related, but separate entities,

'"Quasi doesn't look like his parents." That’s most likely related to whatever genes he inherited that caused his disfigurement, inheriting mutated/ latent or recessive genes etc. Genetics are weird, really weird sometimes, over multiple generations, nothing can be ruled out. (Do your punnet squares, people)

The whole Bells of Notre Dame sequence was done in the way it was to simplify and streamline the story from the more convoluted original tale- adding in such a complication seems absurd and unlikely.

He used the words 'shut it up will you' - again, this is not sound evidence suggesting he wasn't. It may have been because of the tense circumstances of their situation at the time.

Finally, (though it may not count as canon, but it is the best to go on), in one of the series of officially licensed Disney story books called 'Quasimodo the Brave, ' it states that he is, and the reason that they journeyed from Orleans to Paris was to get medicine/help for their child. And it goes even darker—afterwards, Frollo, furious of their entry into Paris, even ordered the round-up of the Romani in Orleans, too. Yikes!

Frollo really is a bastard, isn't he?

[elumish]

I said I was done talking about this for the moment, but it turns out I have one more thing to say (I am happy to have more conversations about this, but probably not right now):

Here's what I mean when I talk about harm and about doing what you can to avoid harm in your writing.

I believe (and I think basically everyone believes) that there are some narratives and viewpoints that are harmful. We don't all agree on what those are, but I think virtually everyone has some set of things that they think are harmful viewpoints. These viewpoints and narratives lead to actions. These narratives and viewpoints are supported and reinforced by stories, among many other things.

For a fairly neutral example, there's a narrative that Paris is a romantic city. This is supported/reinforced by books/movies/TV shows/etc. showing Paris as a place to travel to with or find a romantic partner. As such, many people travel to Paris with a spouse to have a romantic getaway.

For a less neutral example, there is a narrative that torture is a successful way to get vital and accurate information from suspects, and that the ends of torture (that vital and accurate information) justify the means. This is supported/reinforced by books/movies/TV shows/etc., which has had real-world impacts. In 2007, Scalia cited 24 in his defense of torture (for example).

Obviously you can debate all day long to what degree impacts are based on viewer/readership, the method of publishing, etc. but the fact of the matter is that fiction does influence how people think about things.

So back to the idea of harm. Harm through writing, to me, is about what narratives or viewpoints your writing is supporting, reinforcing, or perpetuating and how it is doing so.

If you write a gay or trans character who is a pedophile, there's a good chance that your story is going to reinforce the narrative that gay or trans people are pedophiles. Can you write a story involving a gay or trans pedophile that doesn't perpetuate that narrative? Probably! But you have to know what you're writing and what you are or could be implying and then actively work to mitigate that risk.

If you write a story with a police protagonist, there's a good chance that you might reinforce some pro-police narratives, just by virtue of writing them as the protagonist. Can you avoid those narratives? Sure! But again, you have to know what you're saying and then do the work.

There are places that this obviously gets a lot more complicated, and there are places where the medium or genre that you are writing in make a huge difference in how the same thing is framed. For example, framing unethical (e.g., nonconsensual) implementations of BDSM as erotic in a romance novel is, in my opinion, different than it is in a story that is just intended as erotica. They have different genre expectations and norms, and so the implications are different.

And this is all where your own understanding of the narratives and of your own morals and ethics and standards are key. You are the writer! It is ultimately up to you to figure out and decide what you think is harmful and how to address that.

But doing all of that means knowing what you're writing, and it means putting thought into what is harmful.

[red-moon-at-night]

I decided to draw my designs for Helen and Paris :)

There are some notes about the designs under the read more but I think I should stress this one up here: Paris is not short, Helen is just really tall (as in, at least 6'5" and YES you are seeing that number correctly)

Design notes:

"rich-haired helen", "helen of the lovely hair", etc. + the etymology of Helen's name being associated with a proto-Indo-European sun goddess = designing her hair to resemble literal rays of sunlight.

The height difference... listen, I wish I already had other characters drawn so I could put them altogether and you could see the full effect of Helen's height. Alas, you must use your imagination. As for the 'why': well, I have multiple answers for that. The main one being that I enjoy going along with the version of Helen that has Zeus and Nemesis for parents (as seen in cypria fragment 8). It's a fun way to portray some of her divine parentage, by having her be literally larger than life and very very tall. People probably listen better to a very imposing figure. Also, it creates interesting implications for certain events that happen (e.g. the kidnapping, Odysseus and Diomedes taking the Palladium from inside of Troy but not Helen, etc.)

Paris can have both short hair and long hair. The solution: put a phrygian cap on that man and tuck all that hair in it. Boom, problem solved.

Paris is wearing eye makeup because of course he would wear it.

The clothing designs are not set in stone at all and are the most flexible part of this for me. I did my sort-of-research-sort-of-freestyling thing here, mainly because these references were more about the body types/facial features/overall vibe for me. Which I'm happy with! At one point Helen was also wearing a red chlamys like Paris but then I reminded myself himations exist and corrected that lol. Helen can totally wear a cloak if she wants to (and I was half-tempted to leave it like that...)

One day I'll draw Paris in his very patterned elaborate clothing... today is not that day.

[kingkunigami]

Shidou says some pretty nasty shit about you on the pitch, and Kunigami wants to remind him exactly who you belong to.

Warnings: 18+, jealous!Kunigami, cunnilingus, squirting, possession.

Pairing: Kunigami Rensuke x f!reader.

Word Count: 1.1k.

“Rensuke, calm down.” You gasped when your boyfriend shoved you unceremoniously into one of the press rooms inside the stadium. Rough hands clutched your hips as he gave you a possessive kiss that was all tongue and teeth. Lifting you on top of the long table inside the room with ease, “What’s gotten into you?”

You’d known your boyfriend often became pent up after a difficult match and was eager to let off some steam. The locker room showers had proved to be the perfect place for this when he couldn’t make it back to the hotel room or home fast enough. But this? This was something else. Noticing the predatory, carnal look in his eyes as you watched him tug his sweaty shirt up and over his head, not even bothering to remove your shirt before he covered it with his.

You gasped as the damp fabric stuck to your skin, definitely staining the cute shirt you wore beneath and leaving you smelling completely of him. It was a possessive move, and you began to wonder what prompted it as you thought back to the yellow card he’d received during the match for knocking Shidou to the ground.

You were displaced from your thoughts as Kunigami dived between your thighs. His mouth was ravenous as he surged forward, tongue swiping against the lace that hid your cunt from his prying eyes as he sucked the fabric into his eager mouth. Slurping at your essence like a man starved as his nose nudged against your clit. He didn’t even bother wasting time on such frivolous things as taking off your underwear, instead pushing your thighs up towards your chest as your ass moved off the flat of the table.

It was the way that Shidou looked at you across the pitch, like a voracious lion stalking an innocuous gazelle. The yellow card he’d received on the pitch for shouldering him to the ground during the second half had been worth the shameless taunts, the words of what Shidou would do to you if you were his. Kunigami’s team had been the first to tell him to calm down, that he was only trying to get into his head. To distract him— but Kunigami was a smart man, and an even smarter football player. He knew that there were truths behind Shidou’s words, and the implication had him feral.

“Ren, it’s too much.” You whined, clutching the bottom of the jersey, his jersey, you were now wearing, “What’s gotten in to you?”

Your thighs were pressed against your chest as he almost folded you in half, teeth catching against the sheer fabric as he continued to stroke his tongue along your slit, your body convulsing with each rough movement as he worked you towards your release.

The door to the press room was open, and Kunigami knew anyone could walk in and catch you in such a compromising position. But in this moment, he didn’t care. It was almost as though he was willing Shidou to walk through that door just so he could see how you looked falling apart on his tongue. Paris X Gen may have won the match, but Kunigami had something far more coveted than a friendly win.

“I need you baby, please.” He groaned against your messy folds, voice vibrating against your sensitive skin, “‘m sorry, baby. Just let me do this—“

“Oh, fuck.” You whined when his frantic movements slipped the crotch of your panties to the side, feeling his tongue glide through your slick folds as your hips jerked.

Kunigami’s strong grip tightened against your thighs as his fingertips left plush dips in your skin. The sinful sound of him slurping at your cunt had your clit throbbing with desire as you felt your cheeks flush at how lewd it sounded. His topless body almost engulfed yours with the way he towered above you, curling himself over you as he feasted on your wet slit.

The heady scent of him was intoxicating as it surrounded you, his sweaty jersey stuck to your skin as his you continued to writhe beneath him. Rolling your hips into his tongue as you tried your best to quell your salacious moans.

Something that infuriated Kunigami because for once, he wanted people to hear. He wanted them to listen to the saccharine sound of you creaming on his tongue, falling apart for him. That no matter how many games he lost or how many man of the match titles he missed out on, having you meant he’d still won the war.

You almost choked on your spit when he added two slender fingers inside your tight walls, feeling him immediately curl them as he began to pump them in and out in quick succession as you scrambled to hold your thighs up. To cling to some semblance of reality as Kunigami fought to send you to another plain of existence.

“Oh, fuck. Oh, fuck.” You repeated, “Fuck, fuck, fuck. I’m gonna cum—”

The admission only served to have Kunigami working with more vigour, wrapping his lips around your puffy clit as he sucked hard. Continuing to finger your tight entrance as you began to writhe beneath him. The pleasure clouding your brain until all you could see were white spots blanking your vision.

“Rensuke,” Your head rolled back as you came with a loud cry of pleasure. Your walls clenching around his digits as he continued his harsh pace, working you through your climax as you continued to babble.

“Oh god,” You tried to reach down to pull his hands away from your overstimulated sex, but he was far stronger as he continued to finger your sloppy pussy. Growling against your skin in warning as he silently told you that he was not finished.

“S’too much.” You whimpered, already feeling your boyfriend sending you towards another intense climax.

His tongue now lashed against your clit roughly, fingers pressed to the soft ridges inside you as he focused his touch against it. Purposely pushing you towards another acute release, your toes curling in the pretty shoes you’d worn to the match as you tried to reach out to hold him. Grabby fingers clinging on to whatever part of him you count find, threading through his messy damp locks as your nails grazed his scalp. Pushing his face harder against your sex as an unfamiliar feeling began to build in your pelvis.

Tears began to clump in your thick lashes as you writhed beneath him, calling out his name as you found sweet relief once more. A clear liquid squirting from between your thighs as Kunigami moved his fingers up to tease your clit from side to side, prolonging the sensation as he sent your juices flying in all directions. Making an absolute mess of you as he continued to look down at you with hazy eyes, lips open in a harsh pant as the messy gloss of you stained his chin. Glistening in the bright lights of the press room as he finally gave you mercy, his fingers slowing against your clit as he gave it one final smack. Watching your body jolt in surprise as his lips curled into a soft smile, leaning down to press a chaste kiss to your overstimulated clit.

“Sorry, sweetheart.” He hummed softly, “You just looked so pretty tonight, I couldn’t help myself.”

Of course, he wouldn’t tell you the real reason he’d become so possessive, so feral. Tugging you out of the room and towards his teams locker room. Hopeful that his team mates would be done in the showers and he would now have some moments alone with you as you followed down the hall on shaky legs.

It was barely fifteen minutes later when the media crowds from the pitch began to fill the same press room, taking their seats as harsh spotlights were focused towards the long table at the centre of the room. Shidou walking in fresh from his shower as he took a seat, grinning towards the cameras. It was only when he lay his forearms against the table that he noticed it.

The spotlights had the liquid glistening against the surface, his fingers shamelessly stroked through the moisture with a dark, depraved smirk on his face. And it was like Shidou knew exactly what it was.

[miraculouslbcnreactions]

I was totally talking about the "no, this was good and I'm gonna make more of it because you're wrong and I'm right." type of spite in regards to the statue scene and Adrien saying that's when he fell in love with Marinette.

I feel the same way towards what they did with Bustier in Season 5, having her new akumatized form be this awesome revolutionary who wanted to dethrone the mayor, have her eventually become the mayor and showing how downright utopic Paris became after she took the job, revealing that she's a LGBT character by giving her a girlfriend and have them share a kiss oncreen while the other LGBT couples still get little to nothing, it just feels like like they saw how people were hating on her because of how she kept fumbling the bag in regards to Chloe, and this was their attempts at forcing the audience to like her.

(Post this ask is referring to)

Disclaimer

Before we get into the topic at hand, I want to give a quick disclaimer: when I write these posts explaining the writers' most likely point of view or industry standards, it's never to defend the writing. I clearly don't like the writing and want it to change, too! The reason I get real and explain what's probably going on and why things aren't going to change is to give my readers a bit of a reality check about realistic expectations.

In the past, I have been in the position of being deeply emotionally invested in a show only for the writers to destroy it. Or, at least, I thought it was destroyed. It took about two seasons for the general public to agree with me. I remember the desperation of "why would they do this to us?" and "Why didn't anyone stop them?" and "How does no one else see how terrible this is?"

That was a deeply unhealthy mindset for younger me, so I'm never going to feed others who seem to be going down that path as it feels irresponsible. Instead, I give the kind of answers I'd give my younger self. I try to validate your very real feelings that the writing is bad and then give my best guess as to how it's happening and why it's unlikely to change. I don't like those "truths", but it's important to remember them if you want to have a healthy relationship with media that you have no control over outside of choosing how you'll interact with it.

Queer Stuff

Until it's universally cool to be queer, Miraculous is never going to give us quality rep for a few reasons. The first one is that it can get the show banned in certain countries. Banned shows make less money and the goal is to make money so it's just not going to happen. At best, you will get throwaway lines that can be changed to be "acceptable" in other languages or minor scenes that are easily cut. That's the most likely reason why Bustier is the one confirmed to be in a sapphic relationship along with Knight Owl and Majestia. These characters are all minor enough to have their sexuality very subtly included in canon*. Rose and Juleka are way too prominent for the same treatment. The most likely reason for Bustier being with a woman is that the writers wanted to risk some rep and went with what they could get away with without rocking the boat. I doubt it was done to make fans like her more as that assumes that most fans care about the sexuality of a minor character. It also assumes most fans would find this a likeable trait as opposed to something neutral or negative.

There's also the issue of parental appeal. If a show becomes known for having queer rep, there are lots of parents who will steer clear of it and keep it from their kids. That means less toy sales and so on and that's not good for business. If you want solid queer rep, you need to look to less mainstream productions. It is highly unlikely to come from something associated with Disney.

*Do any of the sapphic couples even kiss? I don't think they do. It's like Zoé's confession to Marinette, clearly implied but never actually given voice. A young viewer could easily miss the implications if they've been sheltered from the idea that a girl could like a girl. I could see a kid being told/thinking that this was just Marinette being honored that Zoé trusted her with the truth:

Marinette: Oh? Who is it, then? (Zoé simply looks at Marinette and smiles, with no words needed to answer her question. With her reflection in Zoé's eyes, Marinette realizes that the person Zoé likes... is her.) Marinette: Oh... Oh! Oh. (Zoé keeps her tender, loving smile and gaze at Marinette as the two share an embrace moments after) I am truly, very honored. I mean it, Zoé. Zoé: Thanks, Marinette. (they let go of their embrace) You're right! It's such a relief to get these things off your chest. You should try it, too!

Listening to Criticism

This wasn't directly stated in this ask, so I'm going to pull in a quote from the original ask for context:

he saw how much people hated that scene but instead of addressing the criticisms he instead just point blank tries to force us to like the scene

This was said in context of criticisms about the statue scene. Anon is annoyed that the writers doubled down instead of fixing the writing issues. I fully understand why anon feels that way, but unfortunately, this isn't a simple issue of the writers needing to listen to what the fans are telling them. It's a lot more complicated than that.

There was actually a recent Tumblr poll asking people their thoughts on that scene. A thousand people responded. We have no idea if those people were a representative sample of the fandom, but that's a reasonably large sample size and the responses were diverse enough for me to think that the poll has value in this discussion as it shows us something interesting: people like the statue scene. It's not everyone. In fact, "I hate it" won! But about 35% of the people who voted were neutral to positive about the scene. Only 38% actually hated it outright.

A poll about the season five ending got over 1,700 replies and the end result was that there's a pretty even split between people liking it and hating it.

Based on these polls and the fact that some people clearly still like the show, I can easily assemble a committee to give critical feedback who would praise the things you and I hate just like I can easily assemble a team who generally shares the same opinions as us. That's the problem with blithely stating "listen to criticism" when what you really mean is, "listen to my criticism and ignore anyone who doesn't agree." What we see as fixes others would label as ruination!

Miraculous' Current Feedback Process

Miraculous isn't one man's fever dream. There is some level of critical feedback process in place. We know from the bible leaks that people at Disney and TF1 give some level of approval to the bibles before the more detailed writing can begin.

We also know that the writers have had scripts rejected before. Chat Blanc was supposed to be in season two, but was "was rejected by broadcasters [for being] too dark and too sad." There's even a rumor that Gabriel was killed because of a mandate that he couldn't go to jail to avoid upsetting Brazilian audiences (if anyone can confirm that, please let me know!) In other words, the writers do get push-back! They aren't allowed to write whatever they want! There is a feedback process!

None of this is meant to say that I think the show is good. I clearly think it's bad, too! I only bring all of this up because this is what you need to keep in mind when you're wondering what the hell canon is doing. We may not get it and view it as terrible, but there is a whole host of people who think it's good or, at the very least, good enough. Industry professionals are signing off on this shit. While I think they're all insane, the best takeaway from these facts is that the team working on this project has wildly different tastes from us and we should either stop watching or watch with the knowledge that we're probably going to hate the final product.

Counterexample

Let's pivot slightly to a relevant counterexample. Brandon Sanderson is one of my favorite authors and a book podcast I follow read one of his books about a year ago. Two of the members weren't fans while the third loved it, leading to a really interesting disclaimer at the start of the episode. I'll post a link after this in case you want to hear the exact quote, but the general gist is that the show's host - Maria - was talking about ways the book could be improved with two fans of the book and, to her surprise, they were both adamant that the proposed changes would ruin the book for them.

I don't bring up this example to imply that Miraculous is secretly good and we just don't get it. I stand by pretty much every criticism I've ever made. I bring it up because this shows that even a story that I will defend isn't universally appealing. I generally agree with Maria and Will's thoughts on stories, I mostly disagree with them here. Is the book perfect? No, but most of their suggested changes aren't ones I'd make. At the same time, I understand why the story didn't click with them. Many of their issues are valid. I just think that most of those valid issues are subjective issues and not true flaws. It's also worth noting that the Mistborn series is wildly successful. The author is a multi-millionaire. People clearly like it as-is, which is why critical feedback is impossible to get "right."

Annoying Truth About Critical Feedback

There is no universally good version of a story. No one standard every work can strive to meet. There's not even such a thing as a universally right critic! You can think a person's feedback is good 95% of the time and still be totally fine rejecting the other 5%.

Part of the editing process is getting feedback and deciding if you agree with it or not. You don't have to make every suggested change which is good because, if you have more than one person giving feedback, then you'll probably get conflicting feedback! I can think of one story where beta reader A found a section confusing and beta reader B said it was perfectly clear. I had to talk to A to see what was confusing them and decide if I cared to rewrite that section to cater better to people like her knowing it could lead to the section being less clear for people who weren't like her. I can think of another story where a random commenter took the time to tell me they didn't like the way I wrote Adrien, leading several others to comment saying that I got him perfect.

This is why I'm so hesitant to blame Miraculous' writers for not "listening to criticism" because what does that even mean? Without an objective standard, who decides what criticism is good? What happens when there are dissenting opinions on a topic as there almost always are?

Anyone who wants to create has to decide whose opinions they value and ignore basically everyone else otherwise they'd never create anything. If the Miraculous writers have a team AND the team likes what the writers are creating AND there's an audience happy to consume what show in its current state? I don't know how you fix that. I don't even know if you can. Can anyone give a tried and true way to avoid creating an echo chamber while also ignoring unhelpful "haters"? It's an incredibly complicated topic and is why the trend I mentioned in the linked post exists.

For those who don't want to click back and read that post, there's a pretty common trend where a series gets popular, but then the writing starts to get "bad" or people start to realize that the series is never going to live up to the potential that they saw in it. Less forgiving fans begin to stop watching, but enough fans stick around that the money keeps coming in and so the writers have no reason to course correct. By the time the majority of fans have given up hope, the writing is so bad that there's no saving the property. You'll probably never reach a point where everyone hates the series, but you do reach a point where they're no longer able to make the property commercial successful. That or the series reaches its ending and it's so bad that people basically stop talking about the series or only remember how poorly it ended when it used to be a beloved, pop-culture zeitgeist. This trend is basically the media's version of enshittification. My partner and I talked about various series that came to mind for this trend and these are just a few of the properties that we were able to name: RWBY, Zack Snyder's DC Stuff, BBC's Sherlock, Game of Thrones, and How I Met Your Mother.

If the more critical fans are right and Miraculous is a mess that's just getting worse and worse, then this decaying process is Miraculous' most likely fate. More and more people will turn their backs on it until it fails or the writers run out of ideas and give a lackluster ending that is pretty universally hated. It will probably be slightly gratifying to people like us to see one of those things happen, but not gratifying enough to make the loss of a potentially good story worth it. Having gone through this cycle before, it really is a hollow victory and that sucks, but there's nothing you or I can do about it which is why I take the stances I do. It's fun to dunk on canon, but don't let canon's bad writing drag you down into dark places. That won't benefit anyone. It will just hurt you.

Final Thoughts

All of the above is why this blog isn't aimed at the writers. I don't expect them to fix anything. Canon is what it is and it will continue to be what it is because this is what the creative teams considers good. I don't agree, but I also highly doubt that I'd ever be able to change their minds. Even if they read my feedback, I doubt they'd agree with it even though I will stand by every point I've made and think canon has inexcusable issues.

This blog is aimed at sharing my thoughts on the writing with fellow former fans or somewhat-critical current fans. I want us to have fun thinking about writing and alternate takes on Miraculous for our own amusement. I will be a happy woman if this blog helps any of my followers improve in their own writing or critical analysis skills or even just gives them an outlet to flex those mental muscles.

It's the same reason I like the podcast I linked above. I enjoy listening to the three hosts and their occasional guests dig into the technical elements of writing and why a thing did or didn't work for them because I find discussion of those things interesting and useful for honing my own writing. It's not about fixing the source material. The books they talk about are finished products that are what they are. Chances of an edited edition being released are extremely low. It's not even about being right. I have no idea how you decide who is right in matters of taste! There are multiple extremely popular series that have me scratching my head at how people like them! There are also popular series that I greatly enjoy.

With this vast array of tastes and no true standard for anyone to meet, all you can do is state your opinions on a work logically and clearly and let whoever is listening decide for themselves if they agree with you or not. It can be frustrating when they don't, but it is something you just kind of learn to accept so you don't go mad. "Let people be wrong" is, unfortunately, the best way to protect your mental health, especially when it comes to something as unimportant as Miraculous.

I'll finish by imploring anyone reading this to never force your opinion on a fan! That's just rude. Let them have their fun! Just don't take recommendations from them. Whenever I meet someone who likes a thing I hate, I just say it wasn't for me and leave it at that unless they truly want to hear why I didn't like it. Most people don't. Most people just want to enjoy the things they enjoy which is completely fine and normal. Let people be wrong.

[kyujism]

paris vacation gone right . . . jang wonyoung x reader

synopsis: you went to paris for a break from your life. You go to a nice cafe to relax only to find a cute girl taking pictures it was, jang wonyoung.

As you stepped foot into the enchanting city of Paris, you exhaled a sigh of relief. This trip was meant to be an escape from the demands and pressures of your everyday life. Seeking solace, you wandered through the charming streets until you stumbled upon a cute cafe tucked away in a quiet corner. It was a breakfast cafe or something. Should be worth it to check it out.

With a heart yearning for tranquility and peace, you entered the café, its warm and inviting atmosphere immediately embracing you. It didn’t have many people in it. As you settled into a cozy corner, ready to indulge in a cup of aromatic coffee, your eyes were drawn to a captivating sight. Across the room, a young woman stood gracefully, her camera in hand, capturing the essence of the café.

Her beauty was undeniable, she had a sense of natural elegance in her every movement. She was beautiful, was she even real? It took a moment for it to register—the girl taking pictures was none other than Jang Wonyoung, it was that famous K-pop idol. What was she doing in paris!? Your heart skipped a beat, and a mix of excitement and nervousness coursed through your veins.

Lost in your thoughts, you couldn't help but steal glances at Wonyoung. Or you started staring whatever suits you. She seemed so at ease, effortlessly blending into the surroundings as she expertly framed her shots. The desire to approach her tugged at your heart, but the fear of intruding upon her private moment held you back.

Moments passed, and just as you were about to resign yourself to admiring her from afar, fate intervened. As Wonyoung turned her gaze in your direction, your eyes met, and a spark of recognition flickered in her eyes. A friendly smile graced her lips, leaving you both flustered and elated.

Summoning every ounce of courage you might have had, you decided to use the opportunity. You approached Wonyoung with a warm smile, expressing your admiration for her talent and the impact her music had on your life. To your surprise, she welcomed your presence, her genuine charm shining through.

The conversation flowed effortlessly, as though you were old friends catching up after a long time apart. You discovered shared interests and experiences, and soon, laughter filled the air. The initial nervousness began to fade, replaced by a sense of ease and comfort.

As the afternoon turned into evening, you found yourself engrossed in each other's stories, forgetting the world around you. Wonyoung's down-to-earth nature and genuine curiosity about your life made you feel seen and valued. It was a rare connection—one that transcended the boundaries of fame and allowed two souls to connect on a deeper level.

With the café growing quieter, Wonyoung leaned in closer. "You know, I've had an incredible time getting to know you," she said, her voice filled with warmth. "Would it be too forward to ask for your number? I'd love to continue this conversation. :)"

Your heart skipped a beat, caught off guard by her request. Thoughts raced through your mind as you contemplated the implications of exchanging numbers with someone as famous as Wonyoung. But deep down, you knew that this was a chance worth taking—a moment that could change the course of your life.

A shy smile tugged at your lips as you nodded, your voice barely above a whisper. "uh..sure i would love to! wait just let me take my phone" you replied, reaching for your phone to exchange contact information. As your fingers brushed against each other, a jolt of electricity surged through your veins, igniting a sense of anticipation within you.

With numbers exchanged and promises made, you bid each other farewell, cherishing the memories you had created in that café. As you stepped out into the night, the world seemed a little more vibrant, as if Paris itself had conspired to bring two souls together. It was fate!

[xoxochb]

Hiii, hru?

Could u pls do a piper McLean x fem reader, like they go out for the day and it's just fluff.

Thank youuu

⋆·˚ ༘ * hold on to the memories they will hold on to you

warnings: paris setting, me showing off my french, occasional kissing

pairing: piper mclean x fem! reader

“un morceau de baguette?” you turn to piper and hold up a portion of your baguette, which she takes with a smile and a peck to your lips

you rest your chin on your hand and watch as the daughter of aphrodite eats the last of your bread. she notices your eyes lingering on her and she speaks,

“you’re staring”

you shrug “tu es belle”

piper blushes but brushes off your compliment “english still exists y’know?”

“c'est la france, pas l'amérique!” you defend

“d’accord, d’accord” she gives into your statement, then kissing you again, this time longer. you pull away when she goes in for a second

with a smirk you say, “nous devrions garder ça pour plus tard”

“later?”

you nod and point to the sky “ce soir”

her face turns red at the implication and she laughs softly. you stand up from the grass, brushing your dress off, then holding your hand out for piper to take, which she does gratefully. when she stands up she kisses you once, twice, three times. you pull back and put your hand over her mouth with a shake of your head

“c’mon, let’s head back”

you remove your hand and use it to grab piper’s, dragging her along with you

[acti-veg]

The climate crisis is often framed as primarily a problem caused by fossil fuels, and they do play an important role in heating the planet. But even if we could magically reduce fossil fuel emissions to zero tomorrow, according to data scientist and Oxford researcher Hannah Ritchie, our current food systems mean we’d still blow “well past the 1.5 degrees carbon budget, and use up nearly all of our two degrees budget”. What that ought to tell us, she added, “is that we just cannot tackle climate change without also tackling food systems”.

And beef, of which JBS is the largest producer in the world, far outpaces not only plant-based food, but other animal sources of nutrition as well, when it comes to climate impacts. Cows belch methane, and they’re largely fed grains that are grown in fertilizer-intensive monocultures where excess fertilizer causes water pollution or turns into nitrous oxide, another potent greenhouse gas, said Lehner. And that’s not even taking into account the slashing and burning of the Amazon to make room for more cattle, which JBS has been linked to many times over.

“If JBS loses – and they’re going to – I think it’s already sending a signal to major companies that you cannot just say ‘We’re Paris [agreement]-aligned.’ You cannot just say ‘We’re going to be net zero in 2030’ when you have no plan, and the curve for your climate pollution is going straight up,” said Paglia. “You cannot keep lying like this.”

[adventure-showdown]

What is your favourite Doctor Who story?

TOURNAMENT MASTERPOST

synopses and propaganda under the cut

City of Death

Synopsis

While taking in the sights of Paris in 1979, the Fourth Doctor and Romana sense that someone is tampering with time. Who is the mysterious Count Scarlioni? Why does he seem to have counterparts scattered through time? And just how many copies of the Mona Lisa did Leonardo da Vinci paint?

Propaganda

even if your not a classic who fan, you have seen moments from this, “wonderful butler, he’s so violent”, “youre a beautiful woman, probably”, “if you wanted an omelette I’d expect to find a pile of broken crockery, a cooker in flames, and an unconscious chef”. The location shooting, iconic, the music, iconic, the plot, so iconic I was once watching something (non doctor who) that referenced it as a fake historical event. Dare I say duggan is the greatest side character of all time. Romana’s outfit, the design of scaroth, the implication time lords can fly. it’s not my favourite overall, but its damn near close, it deserves AT LEAST the semi finals, AT LEAST. If you’ve not seen it or any classic who, go watch it, its so good, one of the best of the era. Also, how could I forget, the most watched episode on broadcast out of all of doctor who, including new who. (yes it was because itv was off the air due to strikes, but im glad its this episode that holds the record) (anonymous)

Midnight

Synopsis

The Tenth Doctor and Donna Noble go to the leisure planet of Midnight for a simple, relaxing holiday. However, life with the Doctor can never be that simple, and things go horribly wrong for the Doctor when he decides to go off on a bus trip to see the Sapphire Waterfall, starting with the bus shutting down. When a mysterious entity infiltrates the shuttle bus, no one is to be trusted. Not even the Doctor himself...

Propaganda

Midnight is amazing. So thrilling. The monster was human fear and it cost the life of two innocent women. (plus two men on accident, well, more or less) And we never know what the midnight entity was. Perfect. My absolute favourite episode. The best thing is that it tricks you into liking the passengers before it slowly, slowly turns that into horror of what they're capable of. Chills every time. (Plus it's totally what inspired among us if you ask me) (anonymous)

[mot-hesbian]

Au idea

Remember the episode where Kagami got akumatized the second time in season 5 and Gabriel and Tomoe overheard her and Adrien talking.

What if instead of that, the idea of arranged relationships came up before they left the room where they were having their meeting talking about the Diamond Ball. Kagami and Adrien go to talk to their parents about visiting Marinette and accidentally overheard this topic, but it's not the idea of them dating that freaks them out?

Tomoe mentioned to Gabriel before they got there that while a relationship between Adrien and Kagami could be beneficial to them, she had another suitor in mind for Kagami and was trying to figure out which would be more beneficial/have better long-term consequences.

When Gabriel gets upset and asks who it is he gets even more upset because it was the other suitor he was thinking of for Adrien.

This suitor was no other than Marinette Dupain Cheng.

So, Kagami and Adrien walk into a whole argument about who Marinette would be a better partner for, who gets dibs on her.

Tomoe has an idea and is like, well, "polyamory runs in your family....and Paris has become more accepting...a throuple could be seen as very progressive and we'd benefit on all sides".

Gabriel wants to know what in the ever loving fuck she's talking about, and how she knows what a damn throuple is, and she mentions him, Emilie, and Nathalie.

Gabriel gets all confused and defensive because they weren't together (he's extra defensive about the implication that he could have feelings for anyone but Emilie), and Tomoe makes a comment about how she doesn't need to see to see that steaming pile of bullshitery. As well as the fact that there is no heterosexual explanation for the way Emilie and Nathalie would act around each other.

Obviously, Nathalie was a major part of their marriage.

Gabriel's having a whole crisis, Tomoe can't believe that he's not only blinded than her but is also even more idiotic than she thought, Adrien just wants to know what's going on, and Kagami is filming so she can show their friends to prove that their parents' are, in fact, as wild as they've both told them.

TLDR: Gabriel and Tomoe both want their children to date Marinette. Tomoe decides that a throuple could work. Gabriel wants to know how she knows what that is. Sangreste is obvious to everyone that isn't Gabriel. Adrien and Kagami are just watching this fight go down.

[essaytime]

I think the main thing that absolutely infuriates me about the "Romeo and Juliet were just dumb, horny teens" take is this implication that because they were so young, their relationship had to boil down to them being dramatic and inventing some great romance to moan about, or lust and hormones. As a teenager, it makes me want to tear the speaker apart with my bare hands. Interchangeably with stabbing, maybe.

When you look at the text, you can clearly see that there is some emotional connection between Juliet and Romeo. Their first conversation is literally a sonnet - which already indicates some sort of understanding and mutuality, and it's also beautiful poetry. They are the only characters in the entire play that they are really fully comfortable talking to. The adults are caught up in the feud, Nurse loves Juliet, but cannot understand her (and makes a dirty joke at her expense in Act I, which for a person Juliet's age would be awfully unpleasant), Romeo's friends, though I Iove them, don't get his sensitivity - Mercutio laughing at it and Benvolio worried by it - which Juliet, in turn, appreciates. They speak of each other with respect and admiration, quite unusually in Verona, where all is conflict and even Juliet's own father insults her: look at the sonnet, the balcony scene, Romeo comparing his sweetheart to the sun or a jewel (in contrast to his earlier quotes about Rosaline, which are literally a compilation of clichés stacked on top of one another). Even when Juliet awaits their wedding night, in a speech clearly centered on sexual matters, there is a visible softness and affection with which she treats Romeo ("cut him out in little stars"...). She waits for the night because it's him, not "I want to sleep with someone because I want to sleep with someone". The two genuinely care about each other, and are fond of each other. Of course, we can wonder if this love would last if they were given an opportunity to grow older, but when the play takes place, this love is there, and it's beautiful.

(Off-topic, I'd also like to note that this is an Elizabethan play that takes place in even earlier times, presumably late medieval - early renaissance Italy. They wouldn't live in the modern world where you can date many different people and settle well into your thirties or fourties. The average marriage age for girls in Shakespeare's time was about twenty, in fifteenth century Florence it was eighteen. Both of them were from wealthy families, so they'd likely be expected - even if Juliet's parents did not force her into a marriage with Paris - to marry earlier, for financial and political purposes. There couldn't be a "growing older" like we imagine it. Even their hypothetical different relationships would be early relationships for today's standards)

And it makes my blood boil when the visible genuine bond between these two is reduced to just "dumb kids being horny". The motive behind these words being partly, of course, the high-school-acquired All Required Reading is Nonsense edginess, but also a deeper issue - the inability to comprehend the fact that teenage love is also often real love.

Being capable of having deep and meaningful romantic relationships does not come baked into your birthday cake when you turn eighteen or attached to your first ever bill. Not every single feeling a teenager might harbour is at its core shallow lust and wanting to get laid. Of course, there's lots of cases of shortsighted infatuation where the pair really have nothing in common! I could name at least a few examples I have seen personally. But still, on every street and every corner of the world, and often a few metres from these pointless infatuations, teens fall in love because there's something more to it. Because they find they have a lot in common, because they get along well with each other, because they are able to see the good in the other person - their kindness, their intelligence, their enthusiasm, you name it. "Teens" including the younger teens, from thirteen to fifteen. And this love is a deep emotional bond. Sure, in most cases it will not last until death (and to be honest, relationships not working out is not really a teenage-specific phenomenon and a sign that young love of all is inherently doomed and it has to die so the curse of growing up is fulfilled), but it doesn't make it less of a love when it still remains, and it includes all the things love is about. Young couples go on dates, and have fun. They confide in each other. They support each other through hard times, they show care, they sometimes make sacrifices for their loved one's good. As any person in love does, at any age.

When I fell in love four months ago, I did not fall in love because I wanted to sleep with someone so bad. In fact, I do not want to - not for the next several years. I realise it's something I might want someday, but it's not today; and above all, I'm way too young. If anything, what I want is to kiss someone, or run my fingers through his hair, or read with his head in my lap - but it's not something I'd go out of my way and date a random person to get, come on. I fell in love because he is actually the first boy that reminds me of myself so much, the first I can understand so well. Because I also have a penchant for history and writing, I also tend to use formal and flowery language in very informal situations, I also enjoy people's attention (though I seem to worry more about being a potential inconvenience than he does), I also believe that we should judge people as individuals, because there's too much nuance in one person to make proper statements about large groups - and I find in him so many things that I can relate to, though of course I can't say I know him well enough to speak much for sure. Besides, he's simply a wonderful person, not flawless, of course, but he has a good heart. He is always kind, and well-mannered, and intelligent, and you can laugh with him. I think he would care if something bad happened, no matter if he says that he wouldn't. I think I know him well enough to say this at least. And if he loved me back (a thing I consider unlikely for now, but not entirely impossible), would we stay together forever? Heaven alone knows! Maybe not! It is up to the higher power. But even if we broke up, that wouldn't erase the fact that I loved him, and I would have done a lot for him, and we were able to have meaningful conversations. Just because a love isn't forever, doesn't mean it was never there.

Because - what the "dumb kids" people don't seem to grasp - teenagers are also human beings with a functioning, even if not fully developed, brain, capable of having complex feelings and thoughts just like an adult. Note that Shakespeare's leads, at least Juliet, actually do that - hence the pre-wedding night monologue, the "deny thy father and refuse thy name", her statement (I don't know the English original of that one, to be honest) that she is too soft and loving towards Romeo already, but it's because she has such profound feelings for him she can't even pretend to be strict. It's noticeable that she has some emotional maturity, at least - she shows some critical thinking abilities, she understands the consequences of many actions, she is able to see that the feud is pointless and a name is just a name. She's a teenager, and someone in their teens is also a Homo sapiens specimen, not a being from a different planet. Teens think and feel. It might not be the same reality as the adult one, and they don't deal with emotions with such ease as an adult would, but that doesn't mean they are unable to truly love and care, to enjoy talking to someone and want the best for them, like grown-ups do - as developing an affection for someone that makes you happy is a very human thing, and I can guarantee you a thirteen or fourteen-year-old is a developed enough human being to experience it.

So, to sum it up, if I hear any "Romeo and Juliet were just dumb kids being horny" on my watch, the author of this statement will presumably be mercilessly killed, and then I'll do as Fulvia allegedly did to Cicero and stab something through their tongue, except instead of a hairpin, I'll probably use one of the darts my little brother got for Christmas. They are very sharp. We have several holes in the floor already.