#and what a privilege and a horror that we get to learn from it now

[uefb]

Porpentina Esther Goldstein and Percival Graves, January 1939.

I keep breaking my own heart with this storyline, why am I like this.

[stephobrien]

Is your pro-Palestine activism hurting innocent people? Here's how to avoid that.

Note: If you prefer plain text, you can read the plain text version here.

Over the last few days, I’ve had conversations with several Jewish people who told me how hurt and scared they are right now.

To my great regret, some of that pain came from a poorly-thought-out post of mine, which – while not ill-intentioned – WAS hurtful.

And a lot of it came from cruelty they’d experienced at the hands of people who claim to be advocating for Palestine, but are using the very real plight of innocent Palestinians to harm equally innocent Jewish people.

Y’all, we need to do better. (Yes, “we” definitely includes me; this is in no small part a “learn from my fail” post, and also a “making amends” post. Some of these are mistakes I’ve made in the past.)

So if you’re an advocate for Palestine who wants to make sure that your defense of one group of vulnerable people doesn’t harm another, here are some important things to do or keep in mind:

Ask yourself if you’re applying a standard to one group that you aren’t applying to another.

Would you want all white Americans or Canadians to be expelled from America or Canada?

Do you want all Jewish people to be expelled from Israel, as opposed to finding a way to live alongside Palestinian Arabs in peace?

If the answer to those two questions is different, ask yourself WHY.

Do you want to be held responsible for the actions of your nation’s army or government? No? Then don’t hold innocent Jewish people, or Israelis in general (whether Jewish or otherwise), responsible for the actions of the Israeli army and government.

On that subject, be wary of condemning all Israeli people for the actions of the IDF. Large-scale tactical decisions are made by the top brass. Service is compulsory, and very few can reasonably get out of service.

Blaming all Israelis for the military’s actions is like blaming all Vietnam vets for the horrors in Vietnam. They’re not calling the shots. They aren’t Nazis running concentration camps. They are carrying out military operations that SHOULD be criticized.

And do not compare them or ANY JEWISH PERSON to Nazis in general. It is Jewish cultural trauma and not outsiders’ to use against them.

Don’t infuse legitimate criticism with antisemitism.

By all means, spread the word about the crimes committed by the Israeli army and government, and the complicity of their allies. Criticize the people responsible for committing and enabling atrocities.

But if you imply that they’re committing those crimes because they’re Jewish, or because Jewish people have special privileges, then you’re straying into antisemitic territory.

Criticize the crime, not the group. If you believe that collective punishment is wrong, don’t do it yourself.

And do your best to use words that apply directly to the situation, rather than the historical terms for situations with similar features. For example, use “segregation,” “oppression,” or “subjugation,” not “Holocaust” or “Jim Crow.” These other historical events are not the cultural property of Jews OR Palestinians, but also have their own nuances and struggles and historical contexts.

Also, blaming other world events on Jewish people or making Jewish people associated with them (for instance, some people falsely blame Jewish people for the African slave trade) is a key feature of how antisemitism functions.

Please, by all means, be specific and detailed in your critiques. But keep them focused on the current political actors – not other peoples’ or nations’ political or cultural histories and traumas.

Be prepared to accept criticism.

You probably already know that society is infused with a wide array of bigotries, and that people growing up in that environment tend to absorb those beliefs without even realizing it. Antisemitism is no exception.

What that means is, there’s a very real chance that you will screw up, and get called out on it, as I so recently did.

If that happens, please be willing to learn and adapt. If you can educate yourself about the suffering and needs of Palestinians, you can do the same for Jewish people.

Understand that the people you hurt aren’t obligated to baby you. Give them room to be angry.

After I made a post that inadvertently hurt people, some were nice about it, and others weren’t. Some outright insulted my morals and intelligence.

And I had to accept that I’d earned that from them.

I’d hurt them, and they weren’t obligated to be more careful with my feelings than I had been with theirs.

They weren’t obligated to forgive me, trust me, or stop being mad at me right away.

I’ll admit, there were moments when I got defensive. I shouldn’t have. And I encourage you to try not to, if you screw up and hurt people.

I know that’s hard, but it’s important. Getting defensive only tells people you care more about doubling down on your mistake than you do about healing the hurt it caused.

Instead, acknowledge that they have a right to be angry, apologize for the way you hurt them, and try to make amends, while understanding that they don’t owe you trust or forgiveness.

Be aware that some antisemites are using legitimate complaints to “Trojan horse” antisemitism into leftist spaces.

This is a really easy stumbling block to trip over, because most people probably don’t look at every post a creator makes before sharing the one they’re looking at right now.

I recently shared a video that called out some of the Likud and IDF’s atrocities and hypocrisy, and that also noted that many Jewish people are wonderful members of their communities.

I was later informed that, while that video in particular seemed reasonable, the creator behind it is frequently antisemitic.

I deleted the post, and blocked the creator. I encourage you to do the same if it’s brought to your attention that you’ve been ‘Trojan horse’d.

EDIT: Important note about antisemitism in leftist spaces:

While it's true that some blatant antisemites are using seemingly reasonable posts to get their foot in the door of leftist spaces, it's also true that a lot of antisemitism already exists inside those spaces.

This antisemitism is often dressed up in progressive-sounding language, but nonetheless singles Jewish people and places out in ways that aren't applied equally to other groups, or that label Jewish people in ways that portray them as acceptable targets.

If you want to see some specific examples, so you can have a better idea of what to keep an eye out for, I suggest reading this excellent reblog of this post.

Fact-check your doubts about antisemitism.

Depending on which parts of the internet you look at, you’ve probably seen people accused of antisemitism because they complained about the Likud and/or IDF’s actions. So you might be primed to be wary, or feel unsure of how to tell what counts as real antisemitism.

But that doesn’t mean antisemitism isn’t a very real, widespread, and harmful problem. And it doesn’t mean many or even most Jewish people are lying to you or being overly sensitive.

So if someone says something is antisemitic, and you aren’t sure, I encourage you to:

A. Look up the action or thing in question, including its history. Is there an antisemitic history or connotation you aren’t aware of? For best results, include “antisemitic” in your search query, in quotes.

B. Understand that some things, while not inherently antisemitic, have been used by antisemites often enough that Jewish people are understandably wary of them. Schrodinger’s antisemitism, if you will.

C. Ask Jewish people WHO HAVE OFFERED TO HELP EDUCATE YOU. Emphasis on WHO HAVE OFFERED. Random Jewish people aren’t obligated to give you their time and emotional energy, or to educate you – especially on subjects that are scary or painful for them.

@edenfenixblogs has kindly offered her inbox to those who are genuinely trying to learn and do better, and I’ve found her to be very kind, patient, reasonable, and fair-minded.

Understand that this is URGENTLY NEEDED.

In one of my conversations with a Jewish person who’d called me out, they said this was the most productive conversation they’d had with a person with a Palestinian flag in their profile.

THIS IS NOT OKAY.

I didn’t do anything special. All I did was listen, apologize for my mistakes, and learn.

Yes, it feels good to be acknowledged. But I feel like I’ve been praised for peeing IN the toilet, instead of beside it.

Apologizing, learning, and making amends after you hurt people shouldn’t be “the most reasonable thing I’ve heard from a person with a Palestinian flag pfp.”

It should be BASIC DECENCY.

And the fact that it’s apparently so uncommon should tell you how much unnecessary stress and fear Jewish people have been living with because of people who consider themselves defenders of human rights.

By all means, be angry at the Likud, the IDF, and the politicians, reporters, and specific media outlets who choose to enable and cover up for them.

But direct that anger toward the people who deserve it and are in a position to do something about it, not random people who simply happen to be Jewish, or who don’t want millions of people to be turned into refugees when less violent methods of achieving freedom and rights for Palestinians are available.

Stop peeing beside the toilet, people.

[yandere-sins]

Not to be the monsterfucker y'all know and love but I was running around, clearing the map today a bit while I was waiting for a visitor and I found these absolute UNITS of skeletons (They are called Death Shepherds):

Like HELLO???? I don't even mean that sexually but WHY ARE THEY SO FREAKIN' HOT???? (Sorry for the crap resolution on the first pic, I forgot screenshot's existed and used my phone, but then I remembered.)

Also they were HUGE BOYS (yes, plural, there were 2. Like Gale certainly has BJ height at most next to them, they were MASSIVE CHUNKS OF SKELETON AND ARMOR!!) compared to everyone else, even my Dragonborn Tav, and they kept reanimating the ghouls (which weren't as pretty), so I told my friend who was obviously appalled by how infatuated I was with the skeletons really tickled my inspiration for them, and I was thinking...

Yandere skeletons that are just your scary dog privilege, protection squad.

(And no, we are not sexualizing this time, this is not Sans Undertale.)

You should have died that day you met them, but without any apparent reason, they didn't attack you. They just watch you with their holes for eyes, ever so slightly creeping closer. It's not until the ghouls sticking around them notice you that you get into grave danger. You see those hungry, violent creatures charge at you, their claws scraping over stone and dirt as they come for your life, when, suddenly, the sound of a sharp blade cutting through the air and then flesh fills the crossroad where your unfortunate encounter takes place.

The scream ripping from your throat gets stuck as the head of the ghoul that attacked you rolls up to your feet, a now bloody sword lowering again as you hear the other ghouls whimper—whimper!—before they take off the other way. Instead, the two skeletons stalk closer, their armor rattling as if they were still living, breathing beings going off to war. Instead, one bends down, inspecting you with soulless eyes, its hand coming up to cup your cheek as if concerned with the horror etched into your face.

There's no getting rid of them. After standing around for what feels like ages, you are as confused as you are increasingly in a hurry to get away. Once you take enough steps away to turn your back to them without fearing being struck down, you make a mad dash for your life, running until your thighs burn and lungs beg for a moment to breathe—only to hear their armor rattle behind you.

Honestly, purely from a travel companion point of view, you cannot ask for anyone better. They are swift and skilled in battle, scaring away anyone who dares to come close to you, and incredibly low maintenance, as they don't need food or shelter, really. But they aren't mindless goons either, and that's where things get crazy.

Because one night, they decide they deserve cuddles for all the good they do.

As if being watched by the darkness in their eye sockets while you sleep isn't bad enough, you feel the hard armor press to your back one night, an arm—clothed but mere bones—wrapping around you from behind, face nestling into the nape of your neck. You can kind of come to terms with them trotting behind you all day, never saying anything, never leaving your side. You might even be thankful for their help when they keep robbers and goblins at bay and you out of any harm's way. Hell, you let them watch you do anything like eat, sleep, and—despite feeling unwarranted shame rake its claws down your body—bathe. But this was getting out of hand.

It could have been okay if it had only been a moment, but learning that these creatures sought out contact this intimate freaks you out. And it's never just a moment of putting their souls at ease, no. Because no matter how much you wriggle, they won't let go of you, their scraggy fingers digging into your flesh. You'll have to wait for them to switch if you want to try and escape, leaving everything behind to make a run for it in the middle of the night. But in stark contrast to you, who ran into the darkness without the time to collect things, they have all their belongings on them if they pick up their swords, and they can run endlessly without worrying about aches and stamina, catching up to you quickly. You'll just hang your head and be escorted back to camp when you decide to stop panicking, only for them to take the opportunity to rearrange and occupy both sides of your bedroll as they please once you want to lay down for another sleepless night.

It's not like you can get rid of them. You can't take them both on and if one falls, the other will just bring it back to life in an endless circle. You saw it before; no doubt it will happen again. Even if you talk to them, ask them questions, or shoo them away, they don't budge and cannot answer, getting into motion again only if you do. The most they ever give you to indicate their thoughts is laying their head to the side as if they don't understand you. Or admire you. Or stare at you adoringly. Who knows.

Things turn from bad to worse when you decide to end your adventure and return home. The stares you receive when you enter the city you live in with your hulking, undead companions are mortifying. Some people faint on the spot; others scream. And the two try to fight anyone trying to squeeze past them, seeing them as possible enemies to you. They made sure your life will never be the same. Neither friends nor family can get close to you, and no one dares to talk with you, trade, or even look your way. These two are creating a life where you'll be separated from anyone but them, and you begin to doubt they are doing it unintentionally. You'll never be able to free yourself unless you find a group that manages to actually kill them both.

But then again, as you stare at the night sky, stars twinkling above you, you can't help but feel bad for the two boney companions hugging you and resting their hard heads on your chest. The same ones that are so scarily indifferent, yet swift and merciless in a fight, straight out of a horror story with blood splattered on their white faces and swords in hand. Yet, they pick up flowers for you on the way or clean your equipment while you're asleep, hunting food for you and preparing it so you can cook and eat it right away. They are like needy puppies, putting their heads on top of yours while you read the map or admire the scenery, or hold onto your sleeve as you walk through a dark cave so you don't get lost. Clearly, they have some lingering sentiment, searching for warmth and affection from you. There's nowhere for you to run or hide, as they have all the time and strength to go after you. Maybe you shouldn't have given them names, shouldn't have treated them kindly when you started to travel together. But all these regrets come now when it's already too late.

Because they will let nothing and no one take you from them, no matter who or what they have to fight, just so they can have you all to themselves.

Their pretty, little, alive darling with a heart that races so fast whenever they do anything, be it scare or love you. 

__________________

Bonus points for you somehow dying despite their efforts (traps and magic are a bitch to avoid), so they keep reviving you, and they either... 

a.) succeed, and now you owe them your life and have to live with the knowledge of what it's like to die and that they'll most likely keep reviving you, even if you die of old age. So you'll suffer eternally with them.

b.) don't succeed, and can't accept/don't understand you're dead, so they carry your body around, trying to show you all the pretty things they learned you like as you slowly decay in their arms until you are a mere skeleton like them, so they lay you to rest in a grave with them, coming alive only when someone tries to rob your grave before returning to slumber next to you. You three won't even be apart in death.

Like, sorry guys, that's my emotional support yandere skeleton beloved ♥

[dailyadventureprompts]

hey! was wondering if you have some ideas/tips for running a dark fantasy campaign? ive been running one for about a year now and while ive included horror elements im a naturally silly person and i feel like i go a couple sessions without including something strange and off-putting. i do wanna be distinct from grimdark, i want my story to have hope and moments of levity, but still feel scary and like the world is against the pcs.

hope ur day is well :]

Genretalk: Dark Fantasy

Maintaining a consistent tone at our d&d table is a notoriously hard thing to accomplish. Partially it's because it's a collaborative game and not all of our players might be as dictatorially inclined as we are, there's also the dice to contend with and those little polyhedral bastards don't care about dramatic consistency or the wrath of god.

So it falls to us as dungeon masters to do most of the work, but luckily I've found that evoking a specific genre can be pretty easily done through keeping a few ideas in mind while we're running scenes and building out our worlds.

First, a meditation on loss :.|:;

What makes dark fantasy dark? The surface level is aesthetics; dirt covered fauxmedivalism, horror imagery, gritty "realism", a lack of smiles and rainbows and happiness. These are all too common but they only reflect the feelings the genre exists to convey, specifically ones related to both the fear of loss and the suffering caused by it.

If people are going to lose something (whether they be players or npcs), you're going to need them and your audience to care about it, which means learning to build connections and evoke sympathy. Having those moments of levity is SO important because they're the point of attachment for your players, the thing that makes them care about this sometimes rotten world you've crated that they've taken on the responsibility of saving. If you skipped this step you'd be going into grimdark, which is one of the reasons I dislike the genre: death and suffering lose all meaning if there's no alternative.

Likewise, as easy as it is to lose hope, people are going to try to make the best of bad times. There's good food and the warmth of a fire and the company of friends and the chance of something better happening tomorrow. People are going to want these things no matter how turbulent circumstances get, so it's important to focus on them to give contrast to the darkness of your story.

Bad things happen to good people and there's (probably) nothing you can do about it

One of the central conceits of playing D&D is that the players are heroes, characters with a unique power and agency in the world and the ability to shape the outcome of events, specifically to beat the odds and save the day. However we can still lean into the dark side of dark fantasy by highlighting that while the players are privileged by their protagonist status, most other people aren't.

Most NPCS the party end up getting to know should have something tragic in their backstory; a war, a famine, a plague, a loved one's death. This will have affected them deeply and have coloured their outlook on the world and will set up their later dramatic arc. The town magistrate is going to have opinions about adventurers after her sister befriended a passing gang of sellswords and ended up dying in childbirth after being seduced by their charismatic leader. The townspeople are unlikely to rebel against their petty and sadistic baron since they remember his military acumen that saved them during the last border war. This also sets up the unexpected moments where the party can fight against the darkness of the world by getting people to see past the lifetime of cruelty they've been forced to endure.

A centeral part of the players having agency is making choices, but sometimes things go wrong, and sometimes there's no good options. Innocent people get hurt, there are costs that we end up having to pay that may or may not be worth the price. Keeping the young lovers apart and letting the unpleasant political marriage go through is the only way to avert war. There's a murder demon stalking town and the only way to banish it is for someone innocent to be ritually sacrificed, none of the heroes count, they've all got blood on their hands.

One of the best tricks I've learned to highlight the "no good options" approach is to present the party with a status quo that needs to change, but characters they like who are reliant upon it. It's easy to justify toppling the evil empire, those guys are jerks and are actively making life worse for everyone, but things get messy when doing what needs to be done involves making life worse for a lot of generally good people.

Messy decisions are what we want in dark fantasy because it really gives the party agency over the story. Are they willing to give up something they care about to perform an act of heroism? Are they willing to let the world tip further into chaos for the sake of seeing justice done? If there is no right choice, then what choice will you make?

The universe trends towards darkness

Worldbuilding is an important part of establishing your tone, and while you don't need to constantly keep ratcheting up how dreadful things are it pays to be mindful while thinking up new details for your setting.

Living in the world is a bloody business and people are all too often accepting of awful things if it makes their lives easier. On the base level it's the "kill people who are different monsters take their stuff" angle of self enrichment, but it gets more abstract as you venture into the non-adventuring levels of society. It's stuff like religions venerating painful martyrdoms as miracles, joyous feast days and festivals to commemorate some bloody event, national or family pride over participation in historic slaughter. A dark fantasy world is one that celebrates it's hypocrisy and compromises because it has long given up on good actually winning out.

To really hammer in that "fighting against the odds" feeling, stories/legends/songs about other heroes should either be tragedies or well known falsehoods.

Change (to say nothing of actual improvement) comes at terrible cost. It isn't fair that the world/narrative/universe is set up this way, but now the heroes have to deal with it.

Artsource

[melonteee]

I've seen many people complain that Oda in Post Time skip One Piece spends a lot of time worldbuilding and making up side characters on every island that distract from the main ones and the plot. While I can see where some people are coming from, as someone who reads comics from Marvel, I WISH the wordbuilding and side characters were that developed because most of the time, unless it's about space or magic or directly related to the plot, the world feels genuinely dead. Even the main setting of a story sometimes feels so dead, like for comparison

Around 2 years ago, they had an event where, at some point, an inhabited island got pretty much nuked. We spent 3 real life years on that island and the writers really couldn't make any readers care less about all the civilians (men, women, children and babies) dying as they wrote them as a single minded entity who didn't mind that fate if their government told them to do it so they used two of the "main characters" (the most selfish pricks imaginable who never even cared about the island and the people there as they are long-established villains + due to plot, were made part of the people who rule over the place and get the most privilege and best life there compared to everyone else), to pull the heartstrings of fans on how terrible it is for them to die this way and how tragic that these two had to die in this event... All because the plot hyperfocused on the island's government (not even interesting to read and full of what felt like highschool drama) instead of the people the government looks after and who would be the greatest casualty here. All of this didn't matter either because everyone on that island was brought back to life (that plot device was present even before the event so caring about anything was going to be hard from the get go) including the "main characters" that died.. Guess who got to come back to life first while many others were on a waiting list years down the line still ?

Now compare this to Oda and what he did with Lulusia. All things related to this island were mostly cover stories, many cuts back and forth in a "meanwhile in...", ... But once Chapter 1060 hits, we feel the tragedy and horror, we are at awe at how much destruction was unleashed on these people. That scene was made even more horrifying and sad when it was animated in Episode 1089...and then we learn the reason the island was obliterated had nothing to do with Sabo being there. Any island we knew who partook in a revolution could have been a target. We find out that even that was an excuse because the main goal was to test a weapon and nothing more. Oda is using a tool here called "less is more" for this island and it was sincerely enough for me to care A WHOLE LOT about Lulusia even if the main characters never set a single foot there and it wasn't part of the main plot. There wasn't even a main character who "died" there either to pull on our heart strings. We just saw these people triumphantly come out of a political crisis and enjoy their first hours of freedom after lord knows how long and then

They were all gone. Erased. And even if they didn't all see what was about to happen to them, they felt it. They died in fear

Oda is very very good at his world building, because he makes sure these islands are LIVED in, not just that they EXIST. It's all well and good to wipe out an island to show the political and immoral powers that be, but we don't feel the impact unless we SEE the people and culture existing on the island.

It's why now, with Vegapunk explaining the state of the world, we are getting reactions from EVERY corner of the globe. We are being reminded how big this world is, how lived in this world is, and how many people are suffering under the world gov. We CARE about this world, we care about the PEOPLE in this world, and Oda's spent years building his world up for THIS moment. It's really spectacular.

[hologramcowboy]

Since the end of the election many SPN fans have been online (X) saying they’re cutting anyone who voted for Trump/Vance out of their lives.

They also have been biting at Misha after he posted on X about not engaging in hate towards others. Never ceases to amuse me when his beloved fans lose their minds on him if he doesn’t think and act the exact way they do.

https://x.com/mishacollins/status/1854554551493296194?s=46&t=wx4CnlP_QMqkNn_0DvA9HQ

My question is how likely do you think it is that Jensen faces backlash from fans? He appeared in that Lynda Carter hosted event to support Harris/Walz, it looked like a shit show and he seemed somewhat uninterested in being there, and he hasn’t posted anything since the election. He was also at Steve Carlson’s gig in LA last night and Steve is supposedly a Trumper.

I personally think cutting people from your life because of their political leanings is the wrong way to go. Civil, open dialogue is better but that’s just me.

I just wonder if you think Jensen will get any hate, especially from Hellers, about his lacklustre reaction and his friendship with a conservative. Then there’s Danneel who retweeted one of Misha’s pre-election tweets… that was the extent of her online “activism”. Does she qualify for hate from the ultra engaged, politically active and aware set?

#jensencritical #antidanneel

I agree. Cutting people out of your life due to political leanings is unnecessary, however, I do get that at the moment it's coming from a place of helplessness and horror over the future. People are lashing out due to feeling powerless. Jensen is Jensen, he is a beyond privileged man who gets away with a ton of things simply because women fall at his feet. Due to this, he always does the bare minimum, just to check boxes. I seem to recall a comment he made "Just give them a picture with my face one it" (there is video of this, he was in an Impala at a CW event where Lucy Hale and others were present). In other words, I don't mean to be mean, but I don't expect much from him. He runs from anything that has to do with responsibility and only does things for clout ONLY if they are easy for him. Lazy and self centered, again, I don't mean to be mean but that's how he comes off. I hope I'm 150% wrong. I doubt he will get a lot of hate because he can do no wrong. Infatuation beats reality when it comes to Jensen.

Danneel, as always, follows whatever is trendy for clout, on her own she has no personality and no opinions, she can barely form sentences. What can we expect from a woman whose entire career rested solely on her fake bosom? Now that being said, no matter which side you belong to, I hope we all find ways to reach harmony and balance our perceptions. There are severe repercussions coming our way due to the result of the election and those who voted for Trump didn't do any research into any of that. They will learn from experience. We need to be united not divided, education is power. It's lack of education that has landed America in the position of voting for someone like Trump. I could go on and on but this blog is not the place for my critical thinking on this subject. To answer your question, I believe a certain part of fandom is set on hatred and will look for any reason to justify tearing into others. I'm not referring exclusively to hellers but to a general trend within fandom. People will do horrible things and hide behind their fandom loves. Let's just come out and admit it's not your ship that's driving you but your own instincts and desires. Don't use your love of X or Z as an excuse to tear into other people and be cruel. Civil discussion is more than possible, in fact, it can be enriching for both sides. Fanaticism is dangerous and we're about to learn just how dangerous it is thanks to our new President.

I'll stop here because this blog is not meant to be political in any way, it's merely a fandom blog. Thank you for the beautiful question.

[bandofchimeras]

I have to say this: the education on fascism in American education is largely limited to "Germans in 1940s." And the settler hatred and right wing extremism we are surrounded by, growing up in my privilege felt invisible as water to a fish. The first cracks in the limited America centric blinders however into international awareness came from relationship: learning about Chiapas and the Zapatistas from my ex, from my friend's education on Armenia and refugees.

It started to click in my brain because researching the situation on Instagram, even on pictures of natural landscapes or other posts not even about the genocide, you would see these accounts with the most hateful vile dehumanizing language - Azeri. And out of the American context and programming it was easier to see that for what it is, baseless aggression towards Indigenous people based on insecurity. And how insane, how strange and baseless it was. I had to block and report and argue with a few of the trolls just from commenting something harmless on an Armenian's post.

Then a few months later - that aggression erupted into white phosphorus bombs. I did not respond in the way that Palestine has been responded to, or much at all. There was less on the ground reporting but that's not really an excuse for how little the waves of pain hit me, how invisibilized Artsakh occupation and land grab was and emotionally unattended to. I was still in my own bubble of settled misery.

It's easier to share content about Palestine because there is so much content made. And the visibility is so high that propaganda can't counter it. In contrast my friend had to put in a lot of work to educate me and most people around them about Armenian history. I regret that. And the resistance and ignorance I exhibited. And I regret coming so late to awareness of colonialism's tangled roots and the history and work of resistance and persistence of indigenous peoples. However it was that particular encounter with the Azeri hatred which laid the tracks for understanding my friend, and also for this further and intense assault on Palestine. Which was already in my proximal awareness but I am ashamed to say, never fully awakened by relationships with real people here.

And meanwhile, happening, and now, people are speaking up about the Congo. About Sudan. About Tigray. About extraction and assault and bombing and execution and horrors and violence which can scarcely be out to words. About the freedom they want for their people and the immense load of pain they have been carrying for far too long as refugees, as colonized people fleeing their own lands.

About these I know even less.

And I do not think it is wise to pretend to know more. I have been called in for posturing or getting ahead of my self in ignorance, of the heart of the movement which is care for and being in community with the people who are caretakers of the land and/or doing the work of survival and fighting colonial oppression and repression.

So what I have to say from where I stand is: the future is coming. If you do not know the survivors of this generation you do not know how strong they are, and their vision of the future. Beyond all the trauma and the need for care and support, this strength is not arguable. The ancestors are with people now.

There will be a future and Armenians, Palestinians, all of these nations will be in it. I choose to believe that, believe in them but not to hope for it because there is an absolute chasm of work to be done, reconciliation and listening and conceding and fighting. And hope can let us get off easy. No, but the work is joyous if you surrender to it.

Do not lose heart, do not be afraid to sacrifice and do not lose yourself in fear, guilt and doubt. They are a maze I've been lost in for years. And only finding my way out through the hands of these friends, having done harm and been corrected in it, witnessing the meaning of pain but also spirit, of God, of joy of true undying Love. This is what revolution is and requires is a total eclipse and regeneration of the heart, the ego, the mind.

I have only taken the first baby step but already despite the horrors laid out before us, the future is glimmering. The evils of settler colonial rabid fury are stains on the world that cannot be washed out. Every second they are allowed to persist kills the collective soul of humanity. Especially the souls of those of us complicit in settler states. We must release our fears, and fall in line with the call for reparation and return.

And our time is running thin but i do believe it is here. The road ahead is very dark, very brutal and very long. But we have the strength to walk it side by side because we must. Or stand aside.

[girlonthelasttrain]

Personal ramblings about the (potential) death of loved ones that you really don't have to read

Since my parents have both reached their 70s, and especially after the several snap floods that are now apparently a feature of the climate where they live, I've been having recurring panic attacks about either of them dying. I have not cherished the time we had together nor the sacrifices they made for me nearly enough, but that's a moral conundrum I can't solve. I'm unequivocally a terrible daughter. Another aspect of it hit me this year though: I don't know how to deal with the tangible bureaucratic aspects of death. I never had to learn the hard way, which I know is a privilege on my part so please don't scoff. I never looked it up either for some indefinite fear that I was tempting fate. And also I'm a coward who hates confronting potentially upsetting information.

Well, today I had a second epiphany. The fact that they will die some time in the next 20 years is pretty much a certainty. I cannot avoid it. It is actually one of the very, very few things I know for sure will happen, and bleak as it is, it is now... more endurable than the many undefined horrors that the future has in store for us all. You can scoff again here thinking why I wasn't already afraid, but I was. I'm always scared. It's just reached a critical mass now.

So today I finally looked up what I have to do when my parents die. I will keep reading more on it because, quelle surprise, the bureaucracy is so farraginous and I have to gather so many documents in a short time and I live 1500km away from my hometown. Finding out that neither of my parents will be locked out of their joint bank account if the other dies was almost a relief. Reading that you apparently have to get an authorization from the mayor (??) in order to get cremated much less so. What the fuck. But that's Italy for you I guess; gotta make things so much harder for those heathens. I think it's also pretty much impossible (unless you have planned it waaay in advance) to have a funeral without a priest being involved, which is downright medieval.

I'll probably try to write down an action plan, too, as a project. Trying to not succumb to anticipatory grief and all that by preparing for death rituals I guess. My parents (well, the one still alive, if they don't die at the same time) will certainly appreciate it if I can show that I can be prepared and stable in a difficult situation, for once in my life.

[storkmuffin]

I wanted to share a little of my perspective on John Silver. I am by no means a Silver stan and honestly, I didn’t really care for him either way (hate him or love him) in my first watch. Through my second (I’m now on both a third and fourth watch simultaneously, it’s complicated) watch, my feelings towards him changed somewhat. He’s still not one of my favourite characters, and by no means does he even compare to Flint in my mind, but I really think painting him as entirely bad is an oversimplification of his character.

Black Sails is, at its core, a show about incredibly complicated characters, all of whom have been through hell, and who are coping with their trauma in different ways. We never get Silver’s backstory which, to be fair, I was also mad about, but we do get hints at it. We know that he started off as a member of a merchant crew, and not a high ranking one which, at the very least, implies that he was not from a privileged background and likely never had any stable employment or family support (those who did were rarely enlisted into these merchant crews). The interpretation of the few bits of insight we do get into his childhood that I favour the most are the ones that suggest that him stating that all his backstory taught him was that the world was a place of unspeakable horrors (or something similar, I can’t remember or find the exact quote) is true—that so much of what we see him do is an effort to distance himself as much as possible from some trauma that he cannot bring himself to think about or disclose to anyone, first by doing everything he can to remain as independent as possible, then by making himself as necessary as possible. He cannot reveal what has happened for fear that speaking of it will make it more real, and possibly even bring its effects back into his life. It sure as hell isn’t a healthy coping mechanism and it definitely hurts those around him, but the same is true for so many of the other characters. Flint, in season one, kills Gates to continue his war against civilisation, one that hasn’t even started, because Gates calls him out on his recklessness (and was right, the battle that Flint killed Gates in the hopes of continuing ended with the Walrus wrecked and the crew decimated and stranded), but, in that moment, the audience feels for Flint, even though we don’t yet know why he’s so dedicated to doing what he’s doing, because, even as he’s killing possibly one of the most “good” characters, we feel sorry for him.

Silver’s backstory is one rooted in loneliness and pain. He starts with being unable to trust anyone then, as he starts to bond with the crew, they start to die off alarmingly quickly. Even in season two, he becomes important to the crew and vice versa, and this process is accelerated by the loss of his leg. I think this acceleration is also worth noting, as it puts him in a place of dependence before he would have been comfortable to do so, before he has learned that he can be vulnerable with someone and they won’t necessarily immediately hurt him. His refusal to allow his leg to heal properly and to let people help him stems from this wariness of vulnerability. Sure, it’s not a healthy attitude, and it does hurt other people, but, especially given the general attitudes towards disability at the time, I can at least understand it. In the eyes of his society, and, therefore, in the eyes of John Silver, disability = vulnerability = weakness = letting others hurt you, so he becomes consumed by the goal of making sure he seems as strong as possible. There’s also a heavy dose of toxic masculinity mixed in here, but, again, as I see it, it’s an understandable (if not excusable) result of what he’s experienced so far. The only physically disabled character we see before Silver is Randall, who is nearly kicked off the crew and then killed (without being able to raise any kind of alarm or defend himself), which certainly isn’t a comfortable frame of reference for someone who has also now lost their leg.

Moving on to Silver’s position in the revolution, I think a lot of my interpretation of his role comes from knowing that Madi & Flint’s mission cannot succeed. Black Sails is, in many ways, quite intricately and accurately tied into the historical context of the time and, the fact is, that the golden age of piracy ended, slavery continued, the empire won out (at least for the next few centuries), and the prejudices that they were trying to fight continued.  By the historical context that is set in stone, Flint and Madi’s revolution could not have succeeded and, honestly, Black Sails shows this. Their ideas were good, as were their tactics, but they had no widespread support. Any support for Nassau had to come at the cost of the end of the revolution, and they had none of the numbers, weapons, money, ships, land, public support, or really anything that would have let them succeed. It’s a good fight, and that’s what hurts the most, because we as the audience want them to succeed but know that, historically, and even within the context of the show, they cannot. Silver sees this, and it definitely isn’t a good look being the only major character in that trio resisting this revolution, but he knows, as we must also know, that it is doomed to fail. He is not stopping it because he doesn’t care for the cause, he is stopping it because he knows that the sooner he stops it, the less likely it is that he will lose someone he cares about, has he has already done with countless members of the crew. He knows in stopping it that he will probably lose Madi, but he does it anyway, because he sees that, whether she lives, dies for nothing, or dies and becomes a martyr, the revolution will fail, and all that will be different is that she and countless others will have died. Again, this level of pragmatism does not look good on him, but between the dreams of Flint and Madi and the sacrifices they will make to try to attain the unattainable, it is incredibly necessary.

Honestly, I can’t fully argue this case without your knowledge of the last part of 4.10. It isn’t a tragedy; it isn’t just filled with a sense that it was all for nothing. At the bare minimum, there are some very cool Max moments. Please, even if you have to skip through all the Silver scenes, watch to the end.

Sorry for the essay :)

posting bc I'm very honored that you chose to write this in response to my unhinged ranting!

I don't have the spoons for a proper response and this deserves one so I will hopefully be able to write something coherent in response sometime soon. I didn't want to just leave this hanging!

[soulful-simmer]

The candlelight flickered, casting shadows on the faces of the Brigson brothers which particularly highlighted their grim scowls. After Garyth had proved himself in the duel, the brothers had gathered this night to finalize their plans against the chief.

“What is stopping us from going in and taking the chiefdom by force?” Hadd asked impatiently. His older brother Fitch silenced him, “Do not be ignorant. Think with your mind for once instead of your sword.” Hadd pouted but remained silent as Fitch continued. “We would be nothing but limbs on the ground two steps into the chief’s household; 4 men against 50 guards.” Fitch’s eyes rested on Garyth, still sizing him up even after he had proven himself a capable warrior. Always the pessimist Dodson added, “Have you also forgotten the army awaiting us even if we did manage to get to the chief? We would be on the stake by the people alone; no matter how incompetent chief Arran may be, the people follow him.”

Orla had been sitting silent for this time, letting the brothers argue amongst themselves. Once they had finally exhausted their options, she spoke. “We may indeed gain access to the chief for I am still his eldest daughter. He may have reviled me his whole life, but he would not take away that privilege; the facade that he is at least some kind of father to me. As for his army, you underestimate how quickly the hearts of men may shift when the right amount of fear is sewn.”

Fitch held Orla’s fierce gaze. “Fear…often requires ruthlessness. It won’t stop at the chief, the whole family would need to be made an example of,” Fitch responded gravely. “You would have your whole family murdered?” A great silence encompassed the room, the look of ruthless hunger on Hadd's face in stark opposition to the horror on Garyth’s. “A leader has to be willing to make sacrifices,” was all Orla said in reply in a voice that was not at all unsteady.

“There must be another way,” Garyth came forward, speaking now for the first time. Orla's firm gaze wavered at his input. “And what would you suggest,” Fitch spit back, losing patience. Garyth moved to speak but no words were formed on his lips. He had no plan. In fact, he had only recently learned that there was such a plot in place. With no alternative, the Brigson brothers left, Orla’s plan the only way forward.

previous || next

[evansbby]

I miss Gaza. I miss my family. I miss my friends. I miss my home. I miss the walks on the beach with my cousins. I miss the corner shops where everything was cheap. I miss going to the mosque with my friends and family. I miss going to the park with my brothers. I miss my school. I miss my kitten Kiki. I miss the summers spent at my grandparents. I miss walking to school with my brothers and talking about what we're going to do afterwards. I miss going to the library every day and constantly reading new books. I miss picking out new dresses at the store. I miss riding my bike with my cousins. I miss my neighbor Mohamed who I would always play chess with. I miss Palestine, my home.

My world turned upside down when my parents told me we were moving, seeing them hastily pack up everything. I was eleven years old, not knowing why we had to leave our home. I remember hearing my mom cry in the other room on the phone with my aunt. I remember my dad driving in a hurry. Nobody wanted to tell me what was happening, but deep down I knew. And then we were in Egypt, my parents were scared that we'd get sent back, if it wasn't for my dad's connections I think we'd be dead by now.

Next thing I know we're on a flight to, in my mom's words, "the big tower clock country" (we were going to London in). Seeing my uncle waiting for us at the airport and talking to me about how much fun it is here and how I'd make lots of friends. All I could think about if there was a chance that l'd ever be able to go back home. Eleven years later and I still haven't been able to go back home. I had to learn to live with the racism, the Islamophobia, the zionists, the constant hate against my people. I had to learn to cope with the dead of my family members, my friends, my neighbor. Luckily some of my close family could also leave, but then a lot could not and I'm honestly not sure how many are still alive.

I'm incredibly grateful and lucky that I was able to get to a safe country, yet I still miss everything back home. I'm so incredibly thankful to everyone who attended the march for Palestine in London and overall just in any city over the world. Hurts my heart seeing Noah Schnapp holding stickers that says 'zionism is sexy' while Bella Hadid got death threats because she speaks up about Palestine. My point in sharing my story is to remind people that the Palestinians you hear about in the media getting murdered, ALL had lives, they all had dreams, they all had friends and families, they all had their whole world taken from them. They are innocent human beings.

I still hold out hope that one day, I'll be able to take my kids to see the Gaza that I saw. 🇵🇸🩷

I’m so sorry ���� I know nothing that I say could even comfort you at all. But thank you for choosing to share this with me, I can feel the pain in your words. The pain of being forced to leave your home and being so young that you don’t even understand why. And being so scared and confused… my heart truly goes out to you and the millions of others in Gaza who have been displaced, or lost their homes, lost the land they grew up on, lost their lives or the lives of their loved ones. It’s an actual modern day horror, what we are witnessing.

This is real, individual people we are talking about. As you said, they all had lives, all had dreams, all had hobbies and interests the same as we do. And it’s crazy the luxury we have, us who have never known the struggle or heartbreak of being displaced. Of experiencing a literal genocide. I am so privileged to be able to sit comfortably in my bedroom knowing that no one could just come and claim it as theirs. That no fuckass rich white bitch from Brooklyn New York could just shack up in my house and call it HER land. (Sorry for my language, it just makes me so angry. The way some people are reacting across the world makes me so angry… and I know it makes you ever angrier and more upset.)

My heart goes out to you and I pray to Allah that you will one day return to a free Palestine. To a free Gaza and your people can rebuild what was so cruelly taken from them. The same people who were so cruelly dehumanised by the Zionists and their religious ethnostate of “Isr*el.” I have no sympathy for the Zionists or their supporters. I have no respect for privileged celebrities like Noah Schnapp and others like that woman from the big bang theory, who can sit so comfortably in their mansions and feel like they know what is going on and try to persuade others to support their Zionistic views. When there are brave Palestinian children, women, men, babies, all innocent, all dying and they think the world has turned their back on them. All they have now is their faith.

I’m speaking to you straight from my heart, I know I don’t know you. But what you’ve said has touched me so much and I wish I could do more. I’m happy that you were able to escape and your immediate family is safe, I’m happy your father had the connections he did. I mourn the loss of your homeland, but I’m praying for you and all your people. And I will not forgive or forget what every single Zionist (celebrity or every day person) has said, how they have acted, what they have chosen to support. Years from now they will say they were brainwashed, misguided, they’ll sweep it under the rug and they’ll be forgiven but I will not forgive them.

There is hope in my heart seeing how many people (1mill+) that showed up every Saturday to protest in London, and all over the world in support of Palestine. The strongest thing in this world is hope… and faith. In my opinion. And it hurts, because reading your vivid memories, and how well you remember your home… But I know it won’t be for nothing. Idc if this sounds sappy but I’ll hope and pray for a free Palestine, and for you to go home one day.

[stephobrien]

Is your pro-Palestine activism hurting innocent people? Here's how to avoid that. (Plain text version)

I kept getting "needs pt" tags on the original post, so here's the plain text version:

Over the last few days, I’ve had conversations with several Jewish people who told me how hurt and scared they are right now.

To my great regret, some of that pain came from a poorly-thought-out post of mine, which – while not ill-intentioned – WAS hurtful.

And a lot of it came from cruelty they’d experienced at the hands of people who claim to be advocating for Palestine, but are using the very real plight of innocent Palestinians to harm equally innocent Jewish people.

Y’all, we need to do better. (Yes, “we” definitely includes me; this is in no small part a “learn from my fail” post, and also a “making amends” post. Some of these are mistakes I’ve made in the past.)

So if you’re an advocate for Palestine who wants to make sure that your defense of one group of vulnerable people doesn’t harm another, here are some important things to do or keep in mind:

Ask yourself if you’re applying a standard to one group that you aren’t applying to another.

Would you want all white Americans or Canadians to be expelled from America or Canada?

Do you want all Jewish people to be expelled from Israel, as opposed to finding a way to live alongside Palestinian Arabs in peace?

If the answer to those two questions is different, ask yourself WHY.

Do you want to be held responsible for the actions of your nation’s army or government? No? Then don’t hold innocent Jewish people, or Israelis in general (whether Jewish or otherwise), responsible for the actions of the Israeli army and government.

On that subject, be wary of condemning all Israeli people for the actions of the IDF. Large-scale tactical decisions are made by the top brass. Service is compulsory, and very few can reasonably get out of service.

Blaming all Israelis for the military’s actions is like blaming all Vietnam vets for the horrors in Vietnam. They’re not calling the shots. They aren’t Nazis running concentration camps. They are carrying out military operations that SHOULD be criticized.

And do not compare them or ANY JEWISH PERSON to Nazis in general. It is Jewish cultural trauma and not outsiders’ to use against them.

Don’t infuse legitimate criticism with antisemitism. By all means, spread the word about the crimes committed by the Israeli army and government, and the complicity of their allies. Criticize the people responsible for committing and enabling atrocities.

But if you imply that they’re committing those crimes because they’re Jewish, or because Jewish people have special privileges, then you’re straying into antisemitic territory.

Criticize the crime, not the group. If you believe that collective punishment is wrong, don’t do it yourself.

And do your best to use words that apply directly to the situation, rather than the historical terms for situations with similar features. For example, use “segregation,” “oppression,” or “subjugation,” not “Holocaust” or “Jim Crow.” These other historical events are not the cultural property of Jews OR Palestinians, but also have their own nuances and struggles and historical contexts.

Also, blaming other world events on Jewish people or making Jewish people associated with them (for instance, some people falsely blame Jewish people for the African slave trade) is a key feature of how antisemitism functions.

Please, by all means, be specific and detailed in your critiques. But keep them focused on the current political actors – not other peoples’ or nations’ political or cultural histories and traumas.

Be prepared to accept criticism. You probably already know that society is infused with a wide array of bigotries, and that people growing up in that environment tend to absorb those beliefs without even realizing it. Antisemitism is no exception.

What that means is, there’s a very real chance that you will screw up, and get called out on it, as I so recently did.

If that happens, please be willing to learn and adapt. If you can educate yourself about the suffering and needs of Palestinians, you can do the same for Jewish people.

Understand that the people you hurt aren’t obligated to baby you. Give them room to be angry. After I made a post that inadvertently hurt people, some were nice about it, and others weren’t. Some outright insulted my morals and intelligence.

And I had to accept that I’d earned that from them.

I’d hurt them, and they weren’t obligated to be more careful with my feelings than I had been with theirs.

They weren’t obligated to forgive me, trust me, or stop being mad at me right away.

I’ll admit, there were moments when I got defensive. I shouldn’t have. And I encourage you to try not to, if you screw up and hurt people.

I know that’s hard, but it’s important. Getting defensive only tells people you care more about doubling down on your mistake than you do about healing the hurt it caused.

Instead, acknowledge that they have a right to be angry, apologize for the way you hurt them, and try to make amends, while understanding that they don’t owe you trust or forgiveness.

Be aware that some antisemites are using legitimate complaints to “Trojan horse” antisemitism into leftist spaces. This is a really easy stumbling block to trip over, because most people probably don’t look at every post a creator makes before sharing the one they’re looking at right now.

I recently shared a video that called out some of the Likud and IDF’s atrocities and hypocrisy, and that also noted that many Jewish people are wonderful members of their communities.

I was later informed that, while that video in particular seemed reasonable, the creator behind it is frequently antisemitic.

I deleted the post, and blocked the creator. I encourage you to do the same if it’s brought to your attention that you’ve been ‘Trojan horse’d.

EDIT: Important note about antisemitism in leftist spaces:

While it's true that some blatant antisemites are using seemingly reasonable posts to get their foot in the door of leftist spaces, it's also true that a lot of antisemitism already exists inside those spaces.

This antisemitism is often dressed up in progressive-sounding language, but nonetheless singles Jewish people and places out in ways that aren't applied equally to other groups, or that label Jewish people in ways that portray them as acceptable targets.

If you want to see some specific examples, so you can have a better idea of what to keep an eye out for, I suggest reading this excellent reblog of the original post.

Fact-check your doubts about antisemitism. Depending on which parts of the internet you look at, you’ve probably seen people accused of antisemitism because they complained about the Likud and/or IDF’s actions. So you might be primed to be wary, or feel unsure of how to tell what counts as real antisemitism.

But that doesn’t mean antisemitism isn’t a very real, widespread, and harmful problem. And it doesn’t mean many or even most Jewish people are lying to you or being overly sensitive.

So if someone says something is antisemitic, and you aren’t sure, I encourage you to:

A. Look up the action or thing in question, including its history. Is there an antisemitic history or connotation you aren’t aware of? For best results, include “antisemitic” in your search query, in quotes.

B. Understand that some things, while not inherently antisemitic, have been used by antisemites often enough that Jewish people are understandably wary of them. Schrodinger’s antisemitism, if you will.

C. Ask Jewish people WHO HAVE OFFERED TO HELP EDUCATE YOU. Emphasis on WHO HAVE OFFERED. Random Jewish people aren’t obligated to give you their time and emotional energy, or to educate you – especially on subjects that are scary or painful for them.

@edenfenixblogs has kindly offered her inbox to those who are genuinely trying to learn and do better, and I’ve found her to be very kind, patient, reasonable, and fair-minded.

Understand that this is URGENTLY NEEDED. In one of my conversations with a Jewish person who’d called me out, they said this was the most productive conversation they’d had with a person with a Palestinian flag in their profile.

THIS IS NOT OKAY.

I didn’t do anything special. All I did was listen, apologize for my mistakes, and learn.

Yes, it feels good to be acknowledged. But I feel like I’ve been praised for peeing IN the toilet, instead of beside it.

Apologizing, learning, and making amends after you hurt people shouldn’t be “the most reasonable thing I’ve heard from a person with a Palestinian flag pfp.”

It should be BASIC DECENCY.

And the fact that it’s apparently so uncommon should tell you how much unnecessary stress and fear Jewish people have been living with because of people who consider themselves defenders of human rights.

By all means, be angry at the Likud, the IDF, and the politicians, reporters, and specific media outlets who choose to enable and cover up for them. But direct that anger toward the people who deserve it and are in a position to do something about it, not random people who simply happen to be Jewish, or who don’t want millions of people to be turned into refugees when less violent methods of achieving freedom and rights for Palestinians are available.

Stop peeing beside the toilet, people.

[omgkalyppso]

15 Lines of Dialogue

Rules: Share 15 or fewer lines of dialogue from an OC, ideally lines that capture their character/personality/vibe. Bonus points for just using the dialogue without other details about the scene, but you’re free to include those as well.

I was tagged by @dustdeepsea which is very funny because I also tagged them. We are like passing ships in the night, you and I. fgdhfdg

I already did this for Étoile and Faedolyn here. So this time I will do Borgakh. You can press J on desktop to skip this post if it's either too long or gruesome. Some vague gore / body horror / horror descriptions in her dialogue.

I'll also tag @cherrypikkins (yes again. you have all those Kitt supports), @peachiehambo, @bladesandstars, @bhaalbaaby and YOU.

Borgakh

"I did, but perhaps I spoke out of turn. I learned a little from our warband, but… I slowly stopped my questions. Do you honor your dead another way? Was I rude in asking?" - On The Isle Of Thunder, Chapter 1: Arrival

"Well, I have lived here five months now…" she chuckled, "so what is that? Thirteen elf years? Living among them in Halfhill was what synched it for me. I couldn't order pumpkin seeds if I couldn't speak to my local grocer." - On The Isle Of Thunder, Chapter 1: Arrival

"For as long as you need. I will hold him," Borgakh promised with a darkness in her voice. - On The Isle Of Thunder, Chapter 2: Broken Chains

"Are you sure? Most ranking members of the Horde want to know: Where were you … during the crossing of the Dark Portal?" He pursed his lips and opened his mouth to speak, but Borgakh plowed forward, her tone more sincere and apologetic. "I was ten when I came to Azeroth. I am entering my fortieth year." - On The Isle Of Thunder, Chapter 2: Broken Chains

She raised an eyebrow as she answered, "You make it sound as if I've never had anyone to guide me. Of course I've had mentors: in language, in cooking, in how to hold a bow or dismantle a gun. I am not undisciplined." - On The Isle Of Thunder, Chapter 2: Broken Chains

She laughed in response, a heady growl; maybe a little more orcish than he was expecting. Lor'thermar's hands went to his sides, as if to reach for a weapon. Borgakh laughed a little more freely before saluting him. "Get fucked, Regent Lord." - On The Isle Of Thunder, Chapter 2: Broken Chains

As soon as her arm came free, she twisted away from him and started untying her remaining restrictions. "I … I also thought to open my wounds." She sat up and turned to look at Lor'themar, eye to eye. "Not to injure myself," she explained, fisting her hands in the sheets on her knees. "I've simply … heard stories of spells and curses being etched into the flesh of my people and then sewn back down so that we are ignorant of their extent and meaning." She looked away again, ashamed. Lor'themar could see the soft twinkling of her eyes through her dark lashes. "I see now that this … was likely paranoia." - On The Isle Of Thunder, Chapter 3: Injured

"Then I will die there," she agreed, meeting his eye. "I know this. Just as you must have, once. Your soldiers do." She sighed, "But perhaps your people have the privilege of time, and can expect that if they simply crush that threshold, the remainder of their days can be spent in the walls of Silvermoon or somewhere else far away. Every home I've ever had has been a battlefield. If anyone will ever miss me, it will be in the context of war." - On The Isle Of Thunder, Chapter 4: At The Mercy of Responsibility

She reached down between his knees to pluck the brown bottle from his hands, and leaned away to look him in the eye, answering more seriously, "But I know: that you would be ridiculed, and I will have done the opposite of proving my worth here, if we are discovered." - On The Isle Of Thunder, Chapter 6: Questions Of Worth

She lapped at his ear and he twitched all over as she whispered, "I'm going to put my mouth on you. If you move too much, you may bleed. That might be pleasurable to you in some places … and certainly not in others." She kissed his ear more seriously, nipping at his ear lobe with the teeth between her tusks as she gave him one last word of warning, "Behave." - On The Isle Of Thunder, Chapter 6: Questions Of Worth

"An orc is an orc is an orc Khadgar; or is Garona not proof enough of that for you?" - In Dalaran

"No, no. Khadgar, tell your mate that if she should ever find herself taken by the Horde, or in another scenario where it might help, that she can ask for me. I'll pay her ransom. I'll fight in her name. Whatever it may be." Borgakh's eyes sort of crossed then as she finished her statement in a whisper, "And … I'll go on hoping never to hear from her." - In Dalaran

“This orc can hold her tongue,” Borgakh answered in chipped elvish, and Ga’el laughed. - Meet Me At The Border, Chapter 2: Reliable, In All Things

"I met a couple from Northern Morning today who didn’t speak a word of elvish. We had a whole conversation in common sign language! I was worried I might have forgotten too much, falling out of practice. It was nice. I hope however you’re talking to people lately that it’s going well!" - This post

“Are the elves under attack?” <- Context for this one. In one of the dnd games Borgakh was a part of, her asking this question and proposing that the elven kingdom was as afraid of something happening with a necromancer raising long dead people from when a continent split and that they weren't simply acting to expand their kingdom at a poorly timed moment when the kingdom we were in was being tormented by this necromancer, prevented a war and apparently changed the trajectory of the campaign (or would have, if it hadn't ended three sessions or so after this).

[bitchy-rakdos-enchanter]

Fuck it, we bored.

The About Me Pinned Post

Before anything else, this is a pseudo-gimmicky in-character blog as a Rakdos Cultist so expect crude language/humor and discussions of violence ranging from petty mischief to murder and torture.

The Woman that isn't The Cultist

I don't think my name really matters so... deal.

I am a woman in my early thirties, my pronouns being she/her. I am queer, but not queer as in "funny," queer as in "fuck you." I am white and well aware of the privileges that come with that despite being in a minority community of my own. I am a simple creature not particularly given to higher thought but I have my morals and a clear understanding of what is right and what is wrong.

Bigots, racists, sexists, homophobes, transphobes, TERFs, SWERFs, and any other waste of human flesh even tangentially related to the Fascist Right can get fucked and cry about it. You should be fucking thankful that I'm not in charge of what happens to you. And if you want to come at me with the "BuT ThAT jUSt MAkEs yoU aS baD As ThEm!" go fuck yourself and save me the time of needing to block you, you fucking lapdog.

On Lighter Topics:

I like to think of myself as a writer. I've engaged in the hobby off and on for roughly the last twenty years but in the last seven or so I have made a serious attempt at making it as an author. I have a completed third draft of a full novel that I would like to go over once more before maybe contacting an editor and finding a publisher. Motivation is hard, though. Outside of the novel, I have a number of in-progress and/or abandoned side projects that may or may not get resurrected/completed/abandoned at a later date.

I am hesitant to use the words "nerd" and "gamer" and the like because so many of those words have been poisoned but I am those things. I am a long-time lover of fantasy novels, RPGs, tabletop games, and video games in general. Currently deep in the Warframe grind (I am so sick of hunting Void Angels but I need those pinions) and eagerly awaiting the release of Monster Hunter Wilds next year.

I consider myself something of a music addict. Generally whatever I am doing, music is playing. It helps keep me out of my head. Generally speaking if it catches my ear then I'm fine with it but I prefer things that are more complex and dynamic to better entertain the ear. But above all, I am a metalhead that prefers the more extreme subgenres like Melodeath, Deathcore, Grind, and Slam.

There was a time where I would have considered myself as "goth" for my primarily black wardrobe, a love of spooky things, and a crippling addiction to horror movies but I've learned recently that if you don't listen to the same ten bands that all sound the same from the late seventies and early eighties then you aren't a real goth. Fine by me, I'd rather not associate with stuffy assholes in a circlejerk.

And now, I have no idea how to end this.

[hegoeshardasfuck]

tangled in the willows (now our tongues are tied)

wordcount: 4.4K

tags: fingering, genderbending, grinding, lesbian F/M yuri...? theres some considerable genderfuck, porn with plot, femdom

synopsis: Okay, so, how exactly would one even tell their wife they want her to rail the shit out of them while in a sex swapped state?

authors note: is this self indulgent? absolutely, will someone else out there be interested? most likely

It was mostly for show really. A jutsu that would be passed around like rumours in a high school. Slowly spreading from person to person, only one scroll with the signs in print. A quiet secret technique of the leaf that served no real purpose.

One that even the Hokage wasn't supposed to learn about, a silly little thing that could never make it that high into the hierarchy. A joke between friends, a simple back and forth to see who could do their transformation better and most exotically.

But, all things have their karma, and it did indeed make its way to Minato. Not the scroll, but word did eventually reach him. The notions were preposterous, a transformation jutsu existing for the sole purpose of a temporary gender swap. What use would it even have on the battlefield aside from a crass distraction?

Normally he would want to go search out whoever designed the thing to get it banned. But it isn't actually doing any real harm, there's a bit of public indecency sure, but that's too small scale for him to care about. That's what the Uchiha's are for, they enforce the smaller scale laws, while he deals with the big stuff.

He's handed a series of pictures of said jutsu in use one morning and he really should trash them. Raunchy photography in the Hokage's office wouldn't exactly look the best. He does hold onto them though, see if he can trace it back to whoever used it. So he can get them in trouble, that's why. Why else would he do so? He's just doing his job, he swears it.

When he finds said location to be the Uchiha compound he feels something twist in his stomach. Even the Uchiha's are using it. He'll have to put a stop to it by hand if he wants it to actually stop.

Still, he knocks on the door of Fugaku's household and finds Itachi instead.

"Fourth Hokage, is there anything I can do to be of assistance?" The heir asked, voice devoid of emotion but polite as it always is. There is a softness too it, not quite the sharp edge that's present for everyone else. Privilege of being a family friend Minato supposes.

Minato pulls out the photos, a faint red rising to his face, "My assistant brought these photos to my attention, a new jutsu is what they described it as." He hands them off to Itachi and watches as a form of horror faintly etches itself onto a normally static expression. "I was wondering if you'd known anything about it."

He clears his throat, "I do in fact know about it, yes. And if you need to get that person busted for public indecency I'd say that it's Shisui. What would you like to know about it?"

"Ah, I'm not here to get anyone punished," Minato quickly backpedaled with, trying to get himself out of the accusation. He takes back the photos and hides them in the pocket of his vest once more. "I'm just here to know if you have the scroll, I want to keep it from spreading too far before we know if there are any dangerous side effects." A half lie, but close enough to a truth he says it anyways.

Itachi gave a short nod, "I don't have the original scroll, but I do have a copied markup of it. Don't bother asking why, as I will not answer."

"Don't worry, I didn't plan on prying, this whole situation is sort of awkward anyways," Minato said, a bit of a laugh on his voice as he spoke. He never would've guessed that Fugaku's first son would have his hands on the detailings of this jutsu.

Itachi is only gone for a few moments and returns with a scroll in his hands. He gives it to Minato without a word about it, "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"Not that I'm aware of, thanks for the assistance, Itachi. I can always depend on one of you to lend a hand," Minato said, holding out a hand to shake.

Itachi took it, "Any time- would now be a bad time to ask when I get upgraded from Anbu?"

Minato laughed a bit, "Whenever you can convince your dad that being one of my second in commands would be a good idea, that's when I'll have the paperwork ready."

"Alright, I'll keep it in mind," Itachi said, "See you this weekend for dinner."

"See ya then!"

-/-/-/-

When Minato returns to his office the first thing he decides to do is study the scroll, see if Itachi was pulling his leg or not. He shutters the blinds and locks the door and rolls it out across his desk.

It seems simple enough, minimal handsigns, minimal notes on chakra control, minimal everything really. Just, do it, in simpler terms. He shucks off his cloak and his vest and stands in the middle of the room and does it.

He's probably too old for it to even work.

He still humors himself and speaks the phrase and waits for something to happen, it takes a beat longer than expected but it does work. A burnt tinge rests on the smoky air the comes with any transformation jutsu, and for a moment, it feels like nothing happened. He can't tell if anything had at least.

Same clothing, same body, same height, same weight- did he do it wrong? He walks back to his desk to consult the scroll once more, looking for any mistakes he may have made. When he finds nothing on the first glance he cocks his head to the side, his ears follow.

Ears.

What the fuck.

His hands shoot up to feel atop his head, finding two fox ears on top of a mess of spiked blonde. Soft fur, fluffed out at the base, relatively sensitive too. More than relatively but he'll ignore that until later.

He spins in a circle and glances over his shoulder to try and catch look of tails. He finds a few, not quite nine, nor as large as they should be proportionate too his body, but still shocking. That jutsu shouldn't've left him with those aspects, should've morphed his body to the opposite sex.

Unless...

He brushes his hands over his chest, searching for something different. Anything different really. The flesh is more sensitive, maybe a bit more supple, but not enough for it to actually matter. A disappointed almost huffing sound escapes him as he releases the jutsu and returns to looking through the scroll.

He really shouldn't be doing this, but if he has any say in the matter he will be mastering this jutsu before declaring it illegal. Which he might do depending on a multitude of factors, he assures himself it won't just be bias based. It definitely won't be heavily influenced on whether or not this jutsu can bring some more spice into his life. Which holy fuck he hopes it does because this is the kind of spice he's been looking for.

He spends the rest of the day practicing, over and over, to try and get the chakra flow and mental image that goes with any transformation jutsu to perfection. He can't scrap the ears and tails, just comes with the jutsu for him, but his body is getting closer to what he wants. He's not sure what exactly he does want, but he knows that his first attempt was definitely not it.

-/-/-/-

Okay, so, how exactly would one even tell their wife they want her to rail the shit out of them while in a sex swapped state? Questions Minato never thought he'd have to ponder an answer too, but circumstances change. She's open, she's not opposed to the notions of many things. But there's also the having to explain how he could swap his gender to her.

Maybe words already come to her about the existence of the jutsu. She seems a bit more in touch with society than Minato is, a bit less obscured from the rest of interpersonal stuff. She's definitely heard of it, from Mikoto most likely.

She's already curled up in bed when he decides to bring it up. She seemed pleasant today, nothing bad happened, nothing bad could happen. And if this offer is bad then he can go sleep on the couch.

"Kushina, I've been wondering lately," Minato started with cautiously as he tugged off his shirt.

"About what?" Kushina asked, pushing herself up from where she lay on her side.

"There's this new jutsu that's been going around lately," Minato said, "I'm sure you've heard of it."

When he turns to face her she's grinning, some sort of hunger on her face. Oh so she's definitely heard of it if she seems so eager already. That takes a weight off of his shoulders like nothing else.

"So, the question is, if I knew it, would I be allowed to use it when we have sex?" Minato asked as he laid back onto the cushions and blankets, ankles swayed off the foot of the bed.

"Of course!" The answer comes without a single second passing between.

"How long have you wanted this?" Minato asked, a smile on his face.

"As long as I figured out what it did," Kushina confessed, "I would've mentioned it sooner but I wasn't able to find the combination to use it properly."

"Then let's try it soon," Minato offered.

Kushina has a hard time hiding her exuberance, "Sounds good to me!"

-/-/-/-

"Go on," Kushina urged as she sat on the edge of the bed, watching her husband disrobe slowly. Thin fabric bordering on rope work with the intricacy rested underneath the usual outfit, she can feel her heart race at the sight of striking red. It's somewhat loose on him, as expected of course.

"I look like a total fucking idiot right now," Minato muttered under his breath, trying not to look down at himself. He put it on in the morning to get used to the way it rested on skin even though he knew he'd only wear it for a little bit after he worked out the jutsu. He still allows himself a moment to trace across the fabric, he spent hours trying to get his own measurements so he could get it right on a special order.

"I heard that, and no, you absolutely don't," She assured from where she sat watching as he placed the palms of his hands together.

Minato tried to brush it off, "You'd look better in it at the least."

It only takes him a second to switch between hand signs and call the jutsu before it works. That same cloud of opacity fogs up the room for a brief moment before swiftly dispelling leaving just him. The tails and ears are still present, he doubts he'll ever figure out how to cut those out of the equation.

But, it is worth it. There's nothing but predatory hunger on Kushina's face, body language already shifted just a bit. Leaning a bit closer, taking in every inch of her husbands new body- well, husband is a strong word. There's definitely nothing very husbandly about the way he looks now, he is a strong word too.

She steps off and goes slow, afraid she'll spook him into releasing the jutsu if she doesn't. She's grinning, half clothed with the leather of a harness resting above her hip where she knows he can see. His eyes fall to it as they always do, he quickly snaps his gaze back up to her.

"Like it?" He asked. Voice higher but holding the rest of the same qualities too it. The intonation and the cadence of syllables, all the same despite the difference in pitch.

She refrained from reaching out to touch, to grab, to hold, to devour, and instead gave a small nod. "I love it." Her nails dug into her palms to keep herself from taking until there's nothing left to take.

"I wasn't sure about the tails myself, but they are a nice touch," Minato said, as he spoke the set of tails (he's not sure how many exactly) shifted in place. From standing straight up and swaying like they were alive to resting lower in a more lax position. The conscious control he held was minimal.

"Beyond a nice touch," Kushina tacked on as she reached to touch them. They snagged her wrist as she worked through the soft, pastel gold fur. A hand shot to his mouth to muffle the little sounds slipping out of him, they're way too sensitive. She smirked, "And they're a pleasure point, I'm winning tonight."

"You haven't even checked out the rest of me," Minato teased as the tails gripping his wife's hand unfurled and he swiveled to step back closer and closer to the edge of the bed. Each motion held sway, so much sway, and maybe it was always there, but it's so much more evident now. The way waist flares into hip accentuates and the way lithe hands beckon closer make Kushina feel like she's going feral.

Maybe she is, but, it doesn't really matter right now. They're here to have fun tonight, to experiment tonight. She watches with rapt attent as she's beckoned closer and Minato creeps further back till he's pressed against the head board and her hands and knees are squaring her form. Her wrists rest between ankles and as she edges herself closer she takes a moment to inspect the form.

Nothing professional of course, just a once over, get a feel for how it's different. It's definitely different than hers, that she's sure of. How many pleasure points transfer? How many places does the muscle contour the same? How many ways can she make her foxgirl fucking scream?

Well then.

That thought came out of nowhere fast.

But Kushina will never deny a thought like that even if it gives her pause as a hand comes to trace along the lingerie. The fabric is soft, silky in nature but taut against skin that spills over just a bit in some places. She wonders if Minato bought it too tight on purpose, or if he sent in the wrong measurements, or if he just got lucky. He goes rigid as her hands trace across a smooth stomach, the fabric comfortably hugging skin. Lithe fingers trail down to the crux of thighs and grip the flesh, so much more than before, pressed together even when his knees aren't.

Her nails press into plush flesh with ease and she watches as ears perk up and his expression falters from calm and sultry to just wanting. Those same furred ears droop as fast as they raise, her hands slowly riding up past the garter on his thigh and pausing to slide a finger between leather and skin. She encircles his leg with one finger the whole motion, calloused pad of a pointer finger eliciting a rich response against soft skin.

Minato is starting to get it, she thinks, it makes sense why Kushina always wants her to take extra time. Relish every piece of skin, every portion of flesh, bite and kiss and touch until nothing is left unexplored. Sensitivity was present in the past but never enough to make her kick up a leg with just touch to the thighs and up the thighs and-

"Kushina!" A yip follows her cry of her wife's name as Kushina slides her fingers across Minato's engorged clit and keeps her thumb pressed to it as fingers push in. Tails thump against the bed as nails so close to claws fist into the sheets.

She just grins up at her from where she rests between knees. She sits up just a bit, not pulling out her fingers and watching as Minato twitches like a dog under her. She doesn't know how else to describe it as she gently thrusts, watching as another yip escapes her wife.

Her other hand as being used for support but she jeopardizes it to raise up her wife's torso. She knew from look alone that it'd be a hands worth of breast, the way the fabric looked as though it would be ready to give out if there was too much motion was a tell. She picks apart the fabric till more of it is out of the way and the way Minato sings for her is melodic. She just wants more she thinks, and her judgment of was accurate. A handful no doubt, but her hands are too small for it to fit just right.

Doesn't matter regardless. She still let's herself revel in the fact that her spouse has tits. Kneading the flesh as she thrusts and swipes across her clit. Flesh spills over her fingers in a way, just a bit too much for her hand alone. And she would use both but there's something so addictive to the motions of letting Minato try and buck into the motions. A part of the poor foxes brain still fixed on having a cock, as if the motion will truly be effective.

Kushina briefly opens her mouth to speak, but, nothing actually comes out. She doubts she could say much that would effectively cut through to Minato. She's in deep. A fierce fogginess filling her brain and leaving her with nothing but saliva on her lips and want surging through her.

She's on fire she thinks, body limp as Kushina maneuvers her to the point she's rested on her wife's lap. Her thighs go to rest on either side of Kushina's hips and then she feels it. The cool leather of a harness, the firm bulge of what might be the strap, or maybe Kushina really did just find something specifically for bulge like she mentioned.

Regardless of what it is, before she can even be invited to do so with simple motions, she's grinding down desperately. Vacancy leaves her unsatisfied, fabric akin to jean rubs against her slit and it feels like pure pleasure sparking through her veins. More, more, more. So what if her tongue is lolled out like a bad porno, she doesn't have it in her to care.

Kushina's hand rests on her lower back as Minato rolls her hips against her cock, like a good boy. The other hand rests on Minato's hip, gripping her garter like a handle. The striking red fabric tight but with just enough room for Kushina to use it as a grip for manhandling.

Minato is whimpering and mewling and moaning the entire time, ears flopped down and tails writhing as she searches for releasing desperately. Grinding against her wife's strap will only get her so far, she can't vocalize though. Words catch in her throat if they formulate further than a distant notion.

The hand on her hip releases it's grasp on the garter and presses down on her thigh and Minato's back arches. Deft fingers, still damp with the slick from earlier, slide down her inner thigh. She's slow, bating her motions in tune with every roll that's pressed hard against her. The voracity behind the motions is beyond a turn on, but she holds strong still.

In the same second that Minato pauses Kushina grinds the heel of her palm against her wife's engorged clit as she thrusts up. Nothing but sheer pleasure surges through Minato in that instance. A yowly sort of sound rips through as she orgasms, an intense sensation sparking across her body. So much different from having a cock, she has a hard time thinking she'll have to go back, let alone think at all.

Kushina rides her through the motions, watching as fur goes down from puffing out on all ends to relaxing again. Minato's muscles kind of ache, a shakiness deeply set in her bones. She wonders if this is how Kushina feels whenever she gets to climax, Minato wonders how long she's been depriving her wife of this.

Part of her knows that releasing the jutsu would relieve the ache, relieve the soreness. Another part of her likes this- the aftershock of pleasure resonating in her core, the weight on her chest, the fragility of her body. It's all such a change and she welcomes it with open arms even if temporary.

Kushina gently lays her down and places a kiss to her cheek.

Minato gives a pleased chirp in response to the motion.

"How was it?" Kushina asked.

Minato pulls herself up from where she lay, just enough to make eye contact, "Good enough to do it again and again."

"How about tomorrow?" Kushina offered, still riding that afterglow high of watching her husband orgasm so hard she sees stars for the first time. And as much as she could keep going till the sun is high in the sky, she can see that Minato is worn out.

Minato gives a nod before curling herself up next to Kushina, tails furling in on his body just a bit. The jutsu can wait until tomorrow.

Kushina rests a hand on Minato's head to scratch behind her ears and there's almost a purring sound rumbling in his chest. She grins at the pleased sound, "Night, Minato."

-/-/-/-

It takes three whole days for Minato to actually want to release the jutsu- he enjoys it and who can blame him? A toned hourglass figure is something that everybody wants to have. And he can just fucking flaunt it twenty four hours a day without any fear of anyone looking at him and going "Minato what the hell?" because he's the Hokage.

He's immune to it, he likes to tell himself at least. His son is out on a week long mission anyways, he'll release the jutsu before the week up and act like it never happened. Besides, most people can't even tell under his vest and his cloak, or if they can they think they're seeing things.

He isn't even any shorter, he's just softer instead of sharper and his hair is longer by just enough that it's almost unnoticeable. Sure his voice is higher, but everyone just looks perplexed instead of worried. It's not like he's nearly half as indecent as the rest of everyone else who uses the jutsu.

Itachi is the first one to verbally point it out because of course it's Itachi whose blunt enough to do it. He also feels safe enough around Minato to actually criticize what he does, not many do.

"Before I even ask for why you want me up here, I need to ask why you still have that jutsu on," Itachi declared as he stepped further into Minato's office.

She shrugged, "It's fun, jealous?" He's teasing but there is a shift in expression, almost a flinch.

"It's raising a lot of questions in Uchiha's who hold unease with you," Itachi said as he crossed his arms over his chest, "The Hokage suddenly walking around town with a chest that size could cause questioning."

"I suppose I'll have to go assure them that I'm still perfectly capable," Minato said.

"What you'll have to do is strike a balance," Itachi countered with, "You're the first... Female?"

Minato nodded, "Somewhat, yes."

"The first female Hokage, you should've expected there to be some unrest on the matter."

"Well I'm still the fourth male Hokage, and arguably one of the best ones yet."

"And what about your son?"

Minato went rigid, "I'll cross that bridge when we get there- but regardless of all that, the reason I called you up is because you're officially being promoted!"

There's a faint shift in muted expression to excitement, "You're joking?"

Minato tossed over the confirmation scroll, "Nope, congrats on the promotion. Consider it repayment for getting me the details on that jutsu."

Itachi holds the scroll close, "Thank you, Lord Fourth."

"Anytime, and Itachi, do me a favor and tell your mother that me and Kushina would like to visit her again one day," Minato called out as Itachi left.

"Of course, Minato," Itachi called back as he swung open the door.

-/-/-/-

You know, as many times as Minato uses that dumb little jutsu, there's a euphoria that comes with it.

She can never tell if it's from anticipation of the way his wife will be treating her for the night, or the body itself. But regardless she likes both bodies just fine, both her and Kushina (and Mikoto once a month) like this body.

This time there are ribbons in her hair and her ears and her tails. A little lacy skirt flared off her hips because really it's only there for show, it doesn't cover anything. Same with the collar around her throat, only for show and to hold a bell that rings with every motion she makes.

Kushina doesn't join her right away, instead she's grinning like she's figured out the secret to life.

Minato raises a brow, "What's got you so excited?"

"So, hear me out, I've been thinking," Kushina said, "If the jutsu turns you into your ideal female form-"

"Took me a while to get it nailed, mind you. It could still be better." She speaks mostly in reference to the consistently flared up state of her clit. No matter how much she focuses she can't quite get it perfect, but regardless of that it just makes it easier for oral.

"Right, I did some testing," Kushina said before placing her palms together, "And, it has the opposite effect on me."

"Show me how," Minato said with a gesture of the hand. He leaned back as he spoke, using the heel of her palms as support.

Kushina grinned before swiftly moving through the motions, that same cloud of smoke clearing as fast as it appears and holy fuck her hair. It's so short, choppy and simple and bright red as always. She's also taller now, taller than Minato by a few inches maybe. A single red tail sprouts from her tailbone and a set of sharply pointed ears sprout from her head.

Minato swallows thickly, a whole new sort of want surging through her, "This'll be fun." That same sultry, saccharine grin that was on her face for the first night resurfaces once more.

Kushina grins right back, fox like characteristics of once being a jinchuuriki show through strong. She makes a point to be slow with disrobing and the whole while all Minato can do is wonder just how far they can push the limits of this jutsu.

[bugdatabase]

We need communism in the OSC

I know this sounds controversial, but I think that a communist approach to the community would do good for it.

I want communism because shit like "jacknjellify LLC" and "adamations Inc." should NOT exist.

The OSC is a community of creators, artists, creative minds, not pseudo-corporate slop that queerbait, scam, take advantage of the gullibility of the viewers (mostly MINORS. KIDS.) and get away with ableism, racism, transphobia, ZIONISM (YES, ZIONISM.) because a horde of brainless manchildren will defend them because they want their consumer product. These motherfuckers are turning what used to be a community of free creators into a cesspool of useless competition in which the ones who capitalize win and take advantage of their "popularity".

Jacknjellify and Adamations make THOUSANDS of dollars through their mediocre, ableist, queerbaity, soulless corporate shitty ass shows and low-quality merch that, by the way, is manufactured by exploited children in factories with POOR LIFE CONDITIONS. And that's also how it relates to the real-life horrors of capitalism.

What do most of OSC creators get from their shows? NOTHING. NOTHING. While these ableist greedy zionist leeches capitalize and exploit children, both in a psychological and physical way although indirectly, honest creators get NOTHING.

And don't get me started on the meetups. The meetups, the most soulless, corporate, CLASSIST thing that came out of this "OSC elite". Screening episodes to only a selected, privileged part of the community, episodes that 95% of the OSC have been waiting for months - no, YEARS. And screening them in only one country, ignoring how most of the OSC either cannot afford to buy tickets for a screening or lives on the totally different side of the earth. This is CLASSISM, by definition. This is why I also thank the leakers who gave us the episodes we've been waiting for that are being kept from the masses in favor of a privileged elite.

These companies are turning into Disney, and I do not say this with a positive connotation. The OSC is made of people, not consumers, and it's time everyone learns it. In a matter of years they're going to come after you, small creators who make a heartfelt show to get nothing in return, and you, viewers who yet do not realize these companies are taking your money and taking advantage of your gullibility.

We DO need communism in the OSC because class war is everywhere, even where you least expect it, even in a small Internet community. We DO need communism in the OSC because our art is not a tool of capitalism and it should not be used as such.

As much as I appreciate the DEDICATION to the OSC and caring this much , I want to just tell you to slow down .

This is a community where people enjoy content of object shows. Now--this is a pretty diverse community, but yes! It is made up of mostly children, due to the designs being simplistic and vibrantly animated .

I do not like using political terms when it comes to a community full of kids , is what I'm saying .

Now your concerns aren't STUPID obviously, but I just need you to sllooow down. Because keep in mind of how simplistic things really are in the community. AE and Jacknjellify built the OSC and are adults, and those adults!! need money!! They make money by doing what they love, and are simply aware that their audience is mostly made up of children, so they try to aim towards the way to appeal to that audience. Times are tough, and especially financially.

I've seen this happen many times; where people bring politics into a community of children, the OSC, and then get meme'd on IMMEDIATELY, no matter HOW much effort they put into what they're saying and the PROJECTS about what they're saying.

They get meme'd on and laughed at in the OSC because of just how BIZARRE what they're saying IS. This is what I mean by slow down. The OSC, no matter how hard you try to make it seem, is just an interest. It is an interest in shows on YouTube about objects being silly. Overcomplicating things like this just isn't going to be accepted in the community.

Again - I applaud and admire the dedication.