#but it is not very lore accurate because the reason HP is lost is because your blood turns into spikes xD

[katyspersonal]

Awh....;;;; Every time I get surprised about the amount of support I am receiving; I am very flattered you guys; I am just mostly avoiding the internet for undefined time because I legit got health issues from nervous breakdown 👍 The simplest I can explain it is, ‘being nervous is different from being anxious’. So I am just chilling in the bed and only check Twitter 2-3 times per day (it is easier as it has short posts, opposed to Tumblr having much more to read and see). But I will be fine!

Either way, thank you guys (especially you who called me Rom, because it is extremely validating and I identify with the character a lot ;-; Literally the only solid difference between us is that she reacts to being hurt with crying and I react with being vicious dsfjhfhds Rom the VICIOUS spider! xD).

The “anon assholes” are also not interested in talking to me because they KNOW I will know what to say. I mean, the brain behind the operation (though calling it a “brain” is too flattering) legitimately refused giving me any chance to defend myself, as well as fabricated a lie to latch onto as an excuse for not wanting to talk to me, so that should let you know where their true motivations lay. Yeah right, everyone in the internet has a right to say something and then refuse to listen to anything but blind agreement...... but not when it is an attack on someone. THAT one is the situation where you SHOULD be open to “criticism”, to say the least. Again, the goal is not to negotiate, but to manipulate other people into fearing me or something. It is like one thing if people see I am not the most emotionally stable person and want to avoid, completely justified! The truth about neurodivergent people is that our questlines have ‘recommended level’ bar, and not everyone is this level of handling... well, drawbacks. However, harassing people to ditch me over and over and over and over until they probably decide one mutual is just not worth the stress is... bad. I agree. You can’t harass everyone, stalk, like, manipulate, twist words, switch goalposts etc and then say “but I only did all this because I was scared that Katyahina would harass ME!!!”. You can’t “I am just a little guy” your way out of this one, lil shit.

(Also anon who sent a link - I do not open links from people I don’t know, even if they look like completely normal internal site links, I hope you understand.)

[dramionediscussion]

I read the recent post about divination, and now I have some serious doubts. Like did I misunderstood entirely what the whole divination thing canonically is? I’ve read books couple of times, seen movies once, but it’s been awhile. I’ve read a small library of fanfics (99% Dramione), so I am no way a HP canon-lore expert. But that post left genuinely puzzled, like how does it go canonically? Was Hermione basically right or not? I would be grateful, if someone could either correct or confirm, whether my understanding of HP canon is true or not, please! As I understood it, divination sort of is “real”, but in a quite nuanced way, and that Trelawney’s class didn’t (and probably couldn’t) teach “true divination”, and it was a waste of time for students wishing to learn that skill. Certain people simple are “true seers”, and this clairvoyance ability cannot be acquired or learned (at least in a controlled or widely understood way). It was heavily hinted at, that the talent is in-born, and possibly entirely hereditary, or at least considerably so (the reason for Trelawney’s job interview was that she was related to a famous seer). Although, it’s also implied that astromancy is an exception, and via astronomy even those who are not seers can foresee future events to some degree (though it seems there’s large qualitative difference between these predictions and those made by “true seers”. Astromancy seems to be predicting very generalized trends, instead of specific events or happenings of individual people). However, this is more an impression one gets by the gravitas and dignity granted to Firenze and centaurs contra Trelawney (I think, Firenze did make accurate predictions, but they were so board and vague, thus is not clear whether they were just educated guesses or true foresight). If I recall no true predictions are made by any other method (Trelawney taught and practiced at least cartomancy, tasseomancy, and crystallomancy. Maybe also chiromancy and some others, which I don’t remember atm). More than that, it seems that true prophecies are not produced via any method, but rather received uncontrollably and involuntarily without any conscious effort or will. All this leaves many open questions and a lot of room for quite different interpretations. The only seer we see in a great detail is Trelawney, and it’s not clear whether her circumstances were universally applicable or just particular to her. Like, do all true seers make their predictions by falling into an uncontrollable trance, or do some of those methods work for some other seers at least? Can this talent be cultivated or honed in any way? Can one manipulate circumstances for receiving these predictions? At least some portion of the wizarding world seems to believe, that divination is accessible to basically anybody, because the ministry approves teaching of it, and there’s learning material and curriculum beyond Trelawney. Though, the ministry seems to treat reading tealeaves different from true seers’ predictions, which are gathered and organized in by the department of mysteries, unlike Harry’s or Ron’s schoolwork. There’s also a faint possibility that some form of milder divination is possible (something like predicting whether you will have a good day at the work by reading tarot cards), and Trelawney was just incompetent at teaching it. Existence of true seers doesn’t exactly logically contradict existence of lesser divination by non-seers. Still, the view that the only real divination is by done true seers (and possibly astromancy) seems to be canonically most likely, or the one JKR tried to convey. These other forms of divinations and omens are just wizarding superstitions some believe, including at least partly the ministry itself (like do the wizengamot or ministers consult diviners before making decisions. Or is it taught simply due a political inertia, like some atavistic custom or tradition from the past. Or perhaps divination is not there to teach the art, but to screen for potential seers from the youth). I think, Hermione did acknowledge fairly early that there are true predictions, by true seers (at least I don’t think she ever objected when the whole chosen one prophecy was brought up, and she seemed to treat the affair with a total sincerity). Even if Trelawney was mostly a fraud, and her class a waste of time (my canonical understanding), and she was right in her criticism. It might not still be the real reason she quit the class, or it could’ve been at least only partial reason. If we imagine a different turn of events, and let’s say that Trelawney would’ve taken an instant liking to her, and praised her efforts and rewarded her with approval and good grades. Would’ve she dropped the course anyway, or rationalized herself believing truthiness and benefits of Trelawney’s class? Would her general opinion about divination change, if she was admired and accepted by her female peers, instead of ignored and shunned? As I interpret Hermione’s character, it’s impossible to give a good answer to that, because in the canonical version the truth about Trelawney and divination in general is also both socially and emotionally convenient to Hermione. Being a multidimensional character, it’s very hard to say, how she would act in different circumstances, or what are all factors, which possibly influence her behavior and choices. I think, it’s a fair characterization to say that she clearly prices truth and objectivity in knowledge, beyond simple social or emotional utility. She pursues knowledge and truth at least partly for her own curiosity, pleasure and integrity. In the other hand, it’s also true that she places a great importance and trust on authorities and she can be extremely��authoritarian in knowledge (though her hierarchy is not exactly the official authority like the ministry, or the Daily Prophet, but this informal community of wizarding experts and academics who produce the books she loves, relies and trusts so much. And of course Dumbledore and Mcgonagall, and other exemplary Light side wizards and witches). She craves attention, praise and acceptance and recognition of not only authorities and the wider wizarding world, but also those around her. I don’t think, there’s plausible answer for that, if she had a serious internal conflict between those two different sides of her personality. Canonically there’s no conflict, and her course is relatively clear on the matter. I would rate both outcomes in the case of conflict equally likely. That she would’ve continued divination, if she was “good” at it, and also that she would’ve dropped it, because her academic integrity. There are situations in which, she socially and personally inconveniences herself greatly, like telling Mcgonagall about the Firebolt, but it’s not exactly comparable, because she also believed that Harry could’ve been in a mortal danger. Besides, even if there was exactly comparable situation canonically, people are not always consistent on their priorities, and they might sometimes act quite differently in almost exactly similar situations. Personally I am quite conflicted about JKR’s whole “Hermione is not like the other simpering girls”-bit. In most situations, when it raises its head, I find it quite infuriating (especially with her appearance). Often it is just a desperate and egotistical way to promote oneself, and denigrate feminine traits and behavior. In the other hand, I’ve witnessed this happening in my own life (not to myself, but to people around me). Not a gender dysphoria or anything, but more like tomboys and girls who simply were not interested in things almost all other girls in their age-group were, and they got heavily ostracized and bullied for that by majority of girls. I can understand that certain women genuinely feel like that, and kind of objectively are not like other girls (in good and ill), and have issues with female friendships and female peer-groups. It’s hard to say how common that is, but also I don’t like this idea of trying meme into reality that all women are automatically natural friends and allies with each other, and that the fiction should also reflect this. Or that only reason why this isn’t so, is some outdated beliefs or cultural practices, which can be easily remedied by simple education. Frankly, I don’t think it’s real to that extent, and trying to pretend it is, will lead to harmful outcomes for women, who will go in their lives trusting in it. Women do have shared interests as women, and there’s shared commonalities with other women, which are not shared by men. There’s kind of a sisterhood of mutual understanding and joy in friendships and kinship with other women as women. But in the other hand, there’s also a lot of rivalries and conflicts within the same sisterhood.    Still, the way she disparagingly frames Lavender’s and Parvati’s interest in a divination, as silly, superfluous and fake, is more in line with the former approach. It’s rather cheap jab towards astrology and women who enjoy or practice it. It’s hard to know even where to start with that, because women basically never base serious decisions in it. Mostly it provides them a framework and starting point to discuss different temperaments and personality types in people. Also, it’s just a little (harmless) excitement and bringing some enchantment back to the dreary and banal world and mundane routines most people suffer through. Nobody lost their house because of astrology, unlike men’s many astrologies, like cryptocurrency and “beating the markets” investment models and schemes. Besides, interestingly enough there’s some truth to astrology. unlike I-LOVE-SCIENCE midwit sceptic-bros believe :P

-----

Edit:

According to the HP WIKIA:

Divination is a subject taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It teaches methods of divining the future, or gathering insights into future events, through various rituals and tools. The magic taught in this class, as well as the ability to say prophetic things is a branch of magic referred to as "divination."

So basically, while yes you have to possess the ability to "see", you as a regular witch or wizard can learn certain skills for divining. (Divining is an actual thing; To divine is the discover something by guesswork or intuition).

The WIKIA also says:

Divination is an elective subject available beginning in a student's third year. Students study a myriad of ways to scry information about the future, including tea dregs, crystal balls, visions, and Astrology and horoscope charts. Other methods of divining the future include smoke patterns, dreams, tarot cards, and the interpretation of prophecies, though the latter is quite rare. Guides and textbooks allow students of Divination to discern or translate what observed symbols intend to mean.

It's like here in the real world, some people believe in these things, others don't. But I think in the magical world, I'll personally will be more likely to believe in these things. And they seem like something kids should be exposed to a bit.

I think the problem was with the teacher. She probably wasn't the best person to teach and introduce these ancient and maybe not so widely used methods to the children. She is seen in the books/movies as bit of a nutjob, but she made that predicition about Voldy and Harry and so Dumbledore hired her to keep close incase she made probably more prophecies. It's funny though, everyone laughs about this subject and mocks it's teacher, but they whole heartedly believe the prophecy because Dumbledore says he believes it. Harry and his friends even broke into the Ministry to find it. So they take his word, but completely disrespects the actual person who made the prophecy in the first place. Makes sense -_-.

Hermione, she is a muggleborn, so of course she immdiately goes with logic and reasoning and science. It must have been hard for her to learn that magic is real and learn about this new world (even if she was excited about it). The thing with other subjects is that the results are immediate. When she casts a spell, it works automatically, it does what she told it to do. When she makes a potion, it looks/smells they way the books said it would and after using it, she sees/feels the effects. Divination isn't like that, you cannot get immediate results. You have to wait years for some things to happen but it may not always since other factors can influence it and completely change it.

So even in this magical world, she still operates with logic and facts and immediate results, just like in the muggle world. That's why it was difficult for her to "get" divination. Add on a rather incompetant teacher, a stressful third year where she overloads herself; it makes sense for her to just call it bullshit and quit. Maybe if the teacher did indeed like her and gave her praises, she may have not left so easily; she gets praises in other subjects and yes it does seem like she craves it. Hermione is incredibly Type A!

JKR admitted to basically modelling Hermione as herself. So if you think that Hermione's character was unnecessarily mean to Lavender and Parvati, JKR wrote it that way, maybe because she herself feels that way about women/girls like that. Should she have done that? No. Many girls loved Hermione, many saw themselves as her. There isn’t many nerdy girls who save the day in movies and shows and books. So reading about Hermione being popular and smart and liked and having awesome friends and saving the world, defeating evil, was amazing! But as an adult, looking back on things, you realise that Hermione is very much a  "not like other girls" girl, and not in a good way. She is very condesending especially to other girls or people who are not as smart as her. And that isn't a good message to send to girls who relate to this character. And it tells you a lot about JKR herself (if her twitter didn't already)!

- Lisa

[ficclique]

In addition to our own personal top fics (which you can view here), we asked you all to send us your choices for your fics of the decade and why you loved them. We received so many wonderful submissions, and now want to share them with everybody! In an effort to not make this post too long we’ve edited down the comments that people left us, but everyone had some really lovely things to say, so if anything catches your eye here we really encourage you to take a look at the complete list of comments here.

Without further ado, please enjoy the top fics of the decade as chosen by you, our listeners: 

Submitted by: Cricket

Fic 1: pilgrimage by wolfsupremacist

Info: EXO RPF, Baekhyun/Sehun

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18411497/chapters/43607615

Cricket’s comment: I can't get over all the building in this fic -- the world building, the character building, the relationship building. The main character’s development was like watching a child grow: it's hard to see it happening, but once you reflect on who he became versus who he was, it's so obvious how he changed.

Fic 2: the eye of providence by minhyukwithagun

Info: NCT RPF, Jaehyun/Taeyong

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14981330

Cricket’s comment: I have genuinely never laughed so hard while reading a fic.There were so many little details that the author added that were unnecessary to the overall plot but just made the characters so much more real. You get to learn so much about everyone in such a (relatively) short amount of time.

Fic 3: so collect your scars and wear them well by addandsubtract

Info: Hockey RPF, Connor McDavid/Dylan Strome

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5075128

Cricket’s comment: I feel like this fic changed me as a writer. It touches on such a relatable subject: that feeling of being completely unsure of what you should do with your life when Plan A doesn't work out, and discovering who you are without the thing that you previously thought defined you.

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Submitted by: Claire

Fic 1: The Baffled King and The Idiot Hero by Ellarose C

Info: Hetalia, ?

Link: https://m.fanfiction.net/s/5819880/1/

Claire’s comment: This fic launched 3 of my high school friendships that continue to this day. It's cute and Hallmark levels of unrealistic, and I LOVE it. The overwhelming nostalgia and gratefulness I feel towards this fic (and all of Carrie's work, honestly) still blows me away.

Fic 2: Embers by Vathara

Info: Avatar: The Last Airbender, gen

Link: https://m.fanfiction.net/s/5398503/1/

Claire’s comment: The best, wildest, most comprehensively worldbuilt ATLA fic I have ever read. Tea, dragons, realistic motivations, that ending... perfect. *chef kiss*

Fic 3: Of A Linear Circle (series) by flamethrower

Info: HP, various

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/series/755028

Claire’s comment: I linked the whole series because I simply cannot pick a favorite installment. OaLC focuses on fixing the glaring plot holes in the Wizarding education system, accurately depicting the Founders' Era thanks to copious research, and showing that no one is truly irredeemable (except Voldemort himself, who more than earns it).

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Submitted by: Threepwillow

Fic 1: All the Other Ghosts by rainjoys

Info: Glee, Kurt/Blaine

Link: https://rainjoyswriting.livejournal.com/146587.html

Threepwillow’s comment: All The Other Ghosts and its direct sequel, Grey, are some of the most incredibly original and simultaneously incredibly transformative works of fanfiction I have ever read. The way they masterfully twist elements of canon to fit into the lore of their AU is second only to the profound, revelatory character studies that they've executed. This shit is extraordinary.

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Submitted by: Segs

Fic 1: Hemostuck (series) by roachpatrol and urbanAnchorite

Info: Homestuck, various

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/series/8470

Seg’s comment: THE WORLDBUILDING. THE ARTWORK. THE NARRATIVE VOICE(S). THE INCREDIBLE GRASP ON CHARACTERIZATION. DID I MENTION THE WORLDBUILDING.

Fic 2: transistor by fishcola

Info: Polygon RPF, Brian/Pat

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18760093/chapters/44503969

Seg’s comment: Rips my heart to shreds piece-by-piece and then gently puts it back together in the end. It's another put-these-characters-in-a-darker-setting sort of thing. It is brilliant and beautiful and I love it dearly.

Fic 3: any sign of spring by bluecarrot

Info: Hamilton, Hamilton/Burr

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7523227/chapters/17100376

Seg’s comment: This fic is so dang atmospheric. It feels very physical -- the temperature, the environment, the drawing. It's bittersweet, but ends on the sweet, and I think the sweetness is all the more emphasized for it. Rereading it feels like coming back to a familiar place.

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Submitted by: Ang

Fic 1: Anarchy In The U.K. by Yahtzee

Info: X-Men First Class, Erik/Charles

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/673552/chapters/1232410

Ang’s comment: the writing of this one made it so easy to get completely lost in the au while still knowing the characters so well from the source material! super engaging, totally consumed my life for a week

Fic 2: blackjacks running down by back by dangerbears

Info: 1D, Harry/Louis

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/499474

Ang’s comment: this is like my comfort blanket fic! every time i reread it (even though i'm not in that fandom anymore), it's still just as funny and cute as it was the very first time i read it - again the au is so easily believable because the characterizations are so familiar.

Fic 3: this city bleeds its aching heart by renne

Info: MCU, Steve/Bucky

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/835829

Ang’s comment: unsurprisingly, it's another au that is so easy to fall into! this is another one that i've been consistently rereading since i first read it (in 2015, for this one) because it's my absolute favorite trope with a ship that i'm still very much into!

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Submitted by: Scout

Fic 1: she called it a void by vans88

Info: Star Wars, Finn/Poe/Rey

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5493500

Scout’s comment: Short and powerful and essential to anyone's viewing of the new Star Wars trilogy. Seriously one of the most careful, tender, and graceful queer addendums to a piece of pop culture this decade.

Fic 2: The Love Song of The North American Douchebag by gyzym

Info: Star Trek RPF, Chris/Zach

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/852395

Scout’s comment: JESUS FUCKING CHRIST, I HOPE I CAN SWEAR. I'm not even in this fandom. The world building is just THAT good. It's one of my highlights *because* of its power to draw me in as a standalone. So much fucking talent in the transformative work community. The banter, characterization, sardonic-ness of this – international impact baby!

Fic 3: all this learning here is by you by decinq, nighimpossible

Info: Hockey RPF, Jamie Benn/Tyler Seguin

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5105441

Scout’s comment: Revolutionized – and I would argue – drove the GROWTH AND SURVIVAL of hockey fandom. One of the best known works in the fandom, and a masterclass in how to build a set of characters that you're genuinely envious you don't get to see or know. Two incredible authors and a plethora of personality. Fun and sexy and lighthearted but poignant. Chef kiss.

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Submitted by: Em

Fic 1: the subtle science and exact art of chess-boxing, by fishcola

Info: Polygon RPF, Brian/Pat

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18931885/chapters/44945971

Em’s comment: fishcola is definitely one of the top reasons i actually started reading/writing polygon rpf. this fic!!!!! i sWEAR its so /so/ good oh my GOSH. yes, full disclosure im fish's beta for chessboxing but also i am enthusiastic simply because it is a very beautiful and powerful narrative on trauma, healing, and how the people we choose to interact with affect our emotions.

Fic 2: the old men call me by my mother’s name by theviolonist

Info: HP, Hermione/Ron

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1044467

Em’s comment: as a certified Trans(TM) im always pursuing and consuming trans content. the old men call me by my mother's name is an hp fic that i still cherish years after first reading it. trans!ron is a concept not often explored in hp fic, much less trans /girl/ ron. massive gender feels, folks.

Fic 3: national hot dad alliance is now calling… by dicaeopolis, owlinaminor

Info: Haikyuu! , various

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5663683/chapters/13045579

Em’s comment: national hot dad alliance really is the perfect evolution of a groupchat fic. i laughed, i cried, i fell in love with the characters all over again as these captains from different teams bond over graduating. and also being Dads(TM). in some cases-- pining over their fellow volleyball players-- plus star wars, the x-files, and memes. overall its is very good and i will stan it eternally

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Submitted by: Staci

Fic 1: No Homo, by orphan account

Info: Teen Wolf, Stiles/Derek

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1148039/chapters/2326073

Staci’s comment: Literally my favorite AU ever written. The characterization is SO on point and it truly is a super fun read. It’s also a super long which helps with painting such a detailed picture of these two dummies who are-totally-just-bros-with-added-benefits. I’d recommend this to anyone, even if they’re unaware of Teen Wolf, but if you’re a Teen Wolf fan then it’s even better.

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Submitted by: Nadine

Fic 1: Too Long, Too Close (series) by callmejude

Info: MCU RPF, Chris/Sebastian

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/series/253528

Nadine’s comment: kink exploration and bdsm done well.... and so thoroughly. but there's more! theres FEELINGSSSSSS uhhhhhhh it made me CRY it's so good.

Fic 2: On a Clear Day by Saras_Girl

Info: HP, Harry/Draco

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/879841

Nadine’s comment: I could've put a few other fics by this author because they write the best drarry but uhhhhh. I had to choose and it was either gonna be TURN or this one. Idk why but this one makes me so unbelievably emotional bc it was Harry who's Going Through Stuff and I just loved it a lot.

Fic 3: around the world in eighty thousand days, by fallfreely

Info: 1D, Liam/Harry

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/856935

Nadine’s comment: It was hard to pick a 1D fave but I think that this fic always had a v special place in my heart & I can't even explain why. I love the dynamic of this pairing (even though it's not even my OTP, wtf. I'm a Gryles and Narry truther... *eye emoji*) and the whole FEEL of this fic and it's slow burn tour fic, soo.

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Submitted by: Frecklebomb

Fic 1: Shalbatana

Info: Mars Trilogy, Gen

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6629

Frecklebomb’s comment: A beautifully-written gen fic (with an incredibly gorgeous podfic by Luzula) in the near-future-scifi Mars Trilogy fandom but very easy to enjoy without canon knowledge. I revisit this story over and over and always marvel at the presence of the landscape and alien planet in it, the way it feels like a character. Bonus Mars rover feelings (I cry every time about the robot).

Fic 2: Through a Glass Darkly, by susiecarter

Info: DCU, Clark Kent/Bruce Wayne

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19395793/chapters/46155535

Frecklebomb’s comment: Sprawling post-apocalyptic epic, so rich and cinematic that it feels like a movie I somehow read. The worldbuilding and tension of the focal ship are what sucked me into this fic, but what stayed with me was the richness of the ensemble characters. I find myself just thinking about their character arcs, and imagining what they'd be doing post-story. I want fic of this fic.

Fic 3: Too Far Down The Road, by SoniaVice

Info: Hockey, OMC/OMC

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13208136/chapters/30212907

Frecklebomb’s comment: An amnesia trope origfic set in handwavey hockey fandom (author said they 'set it free' to be OMC/OMC when the dynamic needed to be different from the RPF ship it started out as). It gives me so many good feelings about family (of choice and otherwise) and ageing and self-acceptance and sexuality, and the way you can choose to be changed by the people you spend your life with.

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Submitted by: Em (Springsteen)

Fic 1: Pull Me Under, by zarah5

Info: 1D, Harry/Louis

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/870766

Em’s comment: first of all zarah5 is a fandom legend. second, this is like the pinnacle of fake relationship fics to me it's 140k and so much of it is pining and like truly, who among us doesn't love harry styles with their whole heart. I can't think about the '10s without thinking about one direction and when this fic came out I remember a lot of people fully losing their minds.

Fic 2: Door to Door, by Ferritin4

Info: Hockey RPF, Jamie Benn/Tyler Seguin

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3478298

Em’s comment: this is one of the first hockey fics I ever read and I still come back to it so often. The relationship builds so well, Tyler's dogs are in it, it's just so sweet, and plus it's a very readable 10k.

Fic 3: Darling It Is No Joke, by thehoyden

Info: Teen Wolf, Stiles/Derek

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/399194

Em’s comment: look I can't be retrospective about this decade and /not/ include a sterek fic. the first half of this decade for me was all 1d and teen wolf and full disclosure, it's been a while since I've reread this fic, but I remember the banter being really stellar and thehoyden is another one of those authors who I just. Adore.

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Submitted by: Dan

Fic 1: The Heart Rate of a Mouse (series) by Anna (arctic_grey)

Info: Bandom, Ryan Ross/Brendan Urie

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/series/712953

Dan’s comment: This fic is incredibly iconic. It’s definitely one of my favorites of all time—the way the story is told is just heart wrenching, and it manages to always keep you on edge about what’s going to happen. The portrayal of self discovery, love, jealousy, down to the settings and all the social issues of the time period (the 70s), is amazingly done.

Fic 2: The Cat’s Miaow by Pennyplainknits

Info: Bandom, Patrick Stump/Pete Wentz

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/930529

Dan’s comment: This fic is unlike anything else I’ve read. First off, I LOVE historical AUs, and the noir setting is everything I could have wanted and more. The author has managed to create such a delicate and profound romance along with an interesting plot that borders on thriller without ever going too far with either side of the story.

Fic 3: Get Real Get Right (Fuckin Right) by sophiahelix

Info: Riveyonce Cuoknowles, Sufjan Stevens/Drake

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9029020

Dan’s comment: Honestly? This is just art.

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Submitted by: Carina

Fic 1: Bite Marks by provocative_envy

Info: HP, Hermione/Draco

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3580953/chapters/7894464

Carina’s comment: i've shied away from aus in harry potter fic for years, especially american college aus but this fic in my opinion kept the best of the characters and modernized them in a way that felt true to who they are.

Fic 2: old jokes from a wild youth, by knightspur

Info: SEVENTEEN RPF, Mingyu/Minghao

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18127073

Carina’s comment: mingyu and minghao are in love, but they're not soulmates. i love the dynamics and the quiet intimacy between them, and also how they work through wanting to be together despite them not having a bond in the way soulmates have.

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Submitted by: Katy

Fic 1: The River and The Deep Green Bend by liquidmeasure

Info: 1D, Harry/Niall

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6005275

Katy’s comment: this fic honestly surpasses the genre of fic. it is a genre all its own. it is the pinnacle in catharsis and heartbreak and having a satisfying end that is completely unsatisfying as well. I will never recover from this fic.

Fic 2: Out of the Dead Land by Orphan Account

Info: MCU, Steve/Bucky

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1871955

Katy’s comment: there is a specific phrase in this fic that has and will continue to stay with me. I will never hear the phrase "up or down" without feeling immense heartbreak. an amazing blend of source material to create something altogether its own - but could still take place in either canon

Fic 3: Up We Go by Oh_Hey_Tae

Info: BTS, Taehyung/Jimin

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12297168

Katy’s comment: this fic is one that I found more recently, but I can already tell that it is one that is going to stick with me for a long long time. it is another fic that I feel transcends the genre of fic entirely

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Submitted by: Corie

Fic 1: Build A Temple In Me by Authoress

Info: Haikyuu!, Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3716002

Corie’s comment: A wonderful and moving fanfic with fantasy akin to studio ghibli. If I have to recommend Haikyuu fanfiction this is it.

Fic 2: Close to the Chest by darkmagicalgirl

Info: Haikyuu!, Kyoutani Kentarou/Yahaba Shigeru

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3898771/chapters/8721568

Corie’s comment: Another haikyuu!! Fic! I remember reccing this to my friend and she said it was more akin to a novel then any fanfiction she has read. High praise IMO

Fic 3: Fake Sugar by minverse

Info: BTS, Jungkook/Seokjin

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14707098/chapters/33987549

Corie’s comment: Oh sweet god I love minverse’s writing and this fic has it all. Romance, smut, and a nice dollop of humor.

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Submitted by: Abby

Fic 1: an awful curse by blinkiesays

Info: Teen Wolf, Stiles/Derek

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/604092

Abby’s comment: Non-linear timeline, au within the story, "every me loves every you," domesticity but also heavy angst, and it's so beautifully written it makes me want to cry reading it. also it harkens back to the time of when the show was still good.

Fic 2: dance this silence down (the emergency room remix) by Fahye

Info: Les Miserables, Enjorlas/Grantaire

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/994140/chapters/1966093

Abby’s comment: It's such a great, understandable ensemble fic for a dense canon, with such a great modern day au setting, but the whole time it really deals with the main character's depression and alcoholism and the complete overwhelming love that he has for the guy he's shipped with. it's so gritty and real but the ending brings so much hope I love it.

Fic 3: comment fic by anon

Info: iCarly, Sam/Spencer

Link: https://author-abz.livejournal.com/35003.html

Abby’s comment: this is an ANONYMOUS comment fic someone wrote me when I was feeling down on LJ and it's so short but so complete, and it says everything it needs to about it being okay to mess up and just be messed up together. also: "glitter emergency" (technically a cheat, it's from 2008; I forgot it was so old)

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Submitted by: Kassie

Fic 1: An Exercise in ‘Worthless’ by beastofthesky

Info: Supernatural, Dean/Castiel

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/535676

Kassie’s comment: an exercise in worthless introduced me (indirectly) to my favorite musician and (directly) to the subject i almost minored in during undergrad, so honestly i would put it as a fic of the decade even if it wasn’t one of the best fics i read in the supernatural fandom.

Fic 2: Superstition (series) by Superstition_hockey

Info: Hockey, OMC/OMC

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/series/413233

Kassie’s comment: superstition started out as a tropey, fun, lighthearted short fic, and grew into a big thing that deals with a lot of serious topics incredibly well while also being still very funny and emotional and having honestly some of my favorite fictional characters i’ve read in years

Fic 3: United States v. Barnes

Info: MCU, Steve/Bucky

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2304905/chapters/5071058

Kassie’s comment: united states v barnes is the multimedia fic of my DREAMS. this is what i want to show people to explain why i love fanfic so much. it does so much with the medium its working in and the presentation of the fic, and fits that perfect fanfic niche of exploring the kind of background that will never appear in canon but that everyone wonders about.

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Submitted by: Kat

Fic 1: I’ve felt and I’ve Been by autotunedd

Info: Big Bang RPF, Seunghyun/Jiyong

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15349758/chapters/35616516

Kat’s comment: Possibly the fic that marked my entire decade. The characters are so human and real, the plot is heavy and winding and the twists sometimes seem life ending. It is heavy, it is painful, it is sad, it is angsty, it is maybe even a smidge too real and dangerous at times, but it makes a solid read, a long, relatable novel about real people with real fears and problems.

Fic 2: Eversion by thespectaclesofthor

Info: Detroit: Become Human, Hank Anderson/Connor

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15754140/chapters/36638253

Kat’s comment: Beautiful, long, detailed, well written, hard hitting, serious, sweet, painful, kinky, all in one! The characters have so much depth, their issues and inner workings seem so real and the plot is so carefully crafted and detailed, every chapter keeps you at the edge of your seat. All in all, beautifully crafted, passionate, hard hitting piece that I couldn't help falling in love with.

Fic 3: Eggshell Landscapes and the Burden of Love by NoContractTermination

Info: NCT RPF, Taeil/Johnny

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10446438

Kat’s comment: Short, sweet, angsty and charming! I loved the intimate look into their relationship this fic brings, the trials and tribulations and the struggle to communicate. It all seemed so raw and real and coupled with the author's beautiful writing, it all came together in a perfect read, with bounds of re-read potential.

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Submitted by: Wen

Fic 1: the bellwether by highoctane

Info: Polygon RPF, Brian/Pat

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18634426

Wen’s comment: Feelings!!! It's really refreshing to read a character who, as an established adult, is reconfiguring an understanding of himself without it being either a whole crisis or a sudden seamless lightbulb moment. It's very fair to both characters' emotions, letting them both react in a way that feels wonderfully human and real rather than idealistic.

Fic 2: Five Times the Potion Seller Refused to Sell a Potion (and One Time He Didn’t) by misura

Info: Potion Seller (Justin Kuritzkes Short Film), Knight/Potion Seller

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5441447

Wen’s comment: It's based on a 3 minute meme video and if it was just a tweet or post with the title alone it would be a great joke but... someone went and wrote the dang thing! And it could have been ridiculous crackfic, and while it certainly toes that line it's also got a really fun flow of dialogue that leaves a lot to the imagination without it getting confusing.

Fic 3: I Am The Horrible Goose That Lives In The Town by Daniel Lavery

Info: The Untitled Goose Game, gen

Link: https://www.shatnerchatner.com/p/i-am-the-horrible-goose-that-lives

Wen’s comment: the writing is tremendous and sits beautifully in that razor's edge space where english is used just strangely enough to create a fantastic character voice without going too far and falling into some kind of awkward english language uncanny valley. it's so hard to pick out the best line because every line is the best line. "Here I am coming, with the good news of me, and you hate it. You can think only of the bell and how much I have it, and you are never the goose."

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Submitted by: Mage

Fic 1: Fog, Sheets and Thunder by theopteryx

Info: My Chemical Romance RPF, Frank/Gerard

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/351396

Mage’s comment: i have literally thought about this fic at least once a week since i read it in 2012. do not ask me why. i have no answers.

Fic 2: Flowers in Bones by fringecity (indiachick)

Info: BTS, Taehyung/Yoongi

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16256390

Mage’s comment: sometimes i just wanna be a careful selection of small animal bones that yoongi gently unearths and meticulously crafts into an altar of pressed flowers and ink

Fic 3: It Happened Quiet by hobimo

Info: BTS, Taehyung/Yoongi

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15070646/chapters/34939646

Mage’s comment: haunted woods :) cryptids :) that deeply unsettling feeling that there are greater, mysterious forces at work and there's nothing you can do about it :)

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Submitted by: BirdieLeonie

Fic 1: Reprise (series) by Elfpen

Info: Star Wars, various (Obi-Wan centric)

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/series/454408

BirdieLeonie’s comment: I spent about seven months of my life reading nothing but Star Wars time-travel fix-it fics. (I am not exaggerating; there are enough of them to last that long or longer.) This is my favorite.

Fic 2: Friday Night Arrives Without a Suitcase by marycontraire

Info: Hockey RPF, Danny Briere/Claude Giroux

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/534247

BirdieLeonie’s comment: This is a fic I have kept coming back to again and again in the years since I first read it. It's domestic and sweet and still adult. It's like curtainfic, inverted; the leads live together and parent their kids and go grocery shopping before they have a romantic or sexual relationship.

Fic 3: The Hero’s Journey; or: What Jasper Sitwell Did Last Summer (podfic), by artzbots, blackglass, daroos, girlwithabubblegun, kalakirya, Opalsong, reena_jenkins, RsCreighton, sabinelagrande

Info: MCU & Welcome to Night Vale, Jemma Simmons/Jasper Sitwell

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6462223

BirdieLeonie’s comment: I love podfic, I love crossovers, and I love this fic. Again, I picked this because of all the thousands of MCU fics I've read, this is the one I find myself coming back to repeatedly. This crossover is creative, fun, and plays with one of my favorite tropes: what was happening to a minor character in the background of the story we saw?

[qrovidcore]

okay, because @twixtandshout says I should, I present to you all:

The Adventures Of Dad^TM

(this is long I am sorry)

- So, it’s the start of a new semester, which means new games for my school d&d society

- and I’m doing a table for us, with some folks I haven’t met before, and I get talking to one of them about our past games

- “oh yeah,” he says “I have this character I’m really attached to and I want to play him again.”

- “well my gm is really cool, he’s doing a sci-fi campaign, you should totally sign up for his game!”

- “cool, I will”

- and he does. and he introduces our newly formed party all to Dad.

- full name: dad. occupation: everyone’s dad. skills: craft steak. reason for being on this spaceship: got lost and was too stubborn to ask for directions. character description: who needs a personality when you’ve got grillin’ skills like these!

- I’d say the entire party immediately adopted Dad, but it would be more accurate to say that Dad immediately adopted the party.

- Dad’s talents included grilling in zero gravity, greeting everyone we met with a firm handshake, getting high rolls to say “I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed,” and materializing alongside whatever dumbass party member had gotten themself into trouble this time because “Dad can sense when his children are in trouble”

- Dad had no canonical appearance, as he was simply the platonic ideal of a dad. art of him always, without fail, depicted him in a hawaiian shirt.

- once he was depicted as a centaur-like creature, but his bottom half was a lawn mower. this may or may not be canon. we don’t really know.

- anyhow, Dad is a peaceful guy, and like, we don’t do a whole lot of fighting, so like, whatever

- but we were given a final boss

- and like, the fight is going slow

- until Dad shows up

- pulls out Dad’s Trusty Shotgun^TM

- because “A Man’s Gotta Protect His Family”

- and 

- fucking

- in one shot

- takes out the big bad’s entire defense system

- to the horror of our long-suffering GM, who just hid his head in his hands in utter defeat, because that was about half the fight in one round

- next semester, this same player signs up for my campaign

- “hey, GM? can I play Dad again?” “fine. but only if you take a rank in craft steaks.”

- well, we get one (1) fight in

- a fight that i had PURPOSEFULLY set up to try and make the new party figure out how to work together

- and I forgot about Dad’s Trusty Shotgun^TM, despite the fact that I should’ve known better

- and Dad deals 15 damage to an enemy with 8 hp, and ends the combat in one (1) turn.

- Dad proceeds to become the reason why I can’t make up any enemies with an hp of less than 50, otherwise the fight just doesn’t last

- Dad adopts not only the party, but also pretty much every single non-hostile npc

- (the party was very on-board with this)

- in one session, the party elected to send Dad on a Dad Sidequest, in which Dad commits Crimes^TM in the form of helping a kid fake their death in order to hide from the government

- he pretends to be Sargent Dadd in order to get through security and do so, and rolls so high on his disguise check that nobody questions him

- he then nat 1s on his forgery check, and is Unable to lie on the necessary records

- followed immediately by an nat 20 to authoritatively spread news of the kid’s “death” just like, around. could he lie when forging? no. no but he is now so Determined to protect his child that he will believe this lie now, goddamnit.

- his endgame was only summed up as “Dad continues on to his next d&d campaign,” a statement explainable by the following Dad Lore:

- every universe has a Dad. he is Everywhere, in many iterations. waiting to grill you steaks and call you champ.

- We Are All Dad’s Children

[pokemaniacal]

Morelull and Shiinotic

Today we come to the newest iteration of mushroom Pokémon: the tall, slim-stalked, luminous Morelull and Shiinotic.  Morelull and Shiinotic have an uphill battle to make themselves unique and interesting, as the fourth set mushroom Pokémon after Paras and Parasect (interesting by reason of soulless parasitism), Shroomish and Breloom (interesting by reason of kick-boxing dinosaurs), and Foonguss and Amoonguss (interesting by reason of… um… stealing Voltorb’s schtick in a way that somehow makes even less sense).  These latest versions… well, I mean, they give it a go.

To their credit, Game Freak are aware that they’ve put Morelull and Shiinotic in a difficult position, forced to live up to the legacy of multiple generations of other mushroom Pokémon, and have tried to turn the overlap between their designs into an in-universe rivalry.  Sun and Moon set up the new Pokémon as counterparts to Paras and Parasect in a day-night pairing, with Morelull being found in the wild only at night and Paras only during the day (a similar pairing exists between Araquanid and Ariados), and references in the Pokédex to territorial disputes between the two species that can leave great swathes of forest covered in spores.  We’re also told, interestingly, that Paras and Parasect are somehow weaker in the Alolan environment (the Pokédex doesn’t know why, exactly, but suggests both a lack of water and a lack of nutrients); their mushrooms grow poorly and their spores are less potent.  Perhaps we’re supposed to infer that Paras would outcompete Morelull in any other part of the world, but there’s something about the Alolan climate that they are poorly adapted to, making it impossible for them to completely overtake the native mushroom Pokémon.  On the other hand, Paras and Parasect’s stunted development in Alola could be Morelull’s doing.  We learn from the Sun and Moon website that Morelull, like Oddish, are known for behaving like normal stationary plants during the day and uprooting themselves at night to wander around on their root-feet, but unlike Oddish, Morelull are given a specific motive for this behaviour: if they stay in one place for too long, they drain the soil of nutrients and cause plants around them to wither and die (the Pokédex says that they attach to tree roots and drain them directly – it could be they do both, deriving different nutrients from each).  Since we know that Paras compete for territory with Morelull, it could be that Morelull systematically exhaust the plants whose roots are fed on by Paras and Parasect, keeping them from becoming successful.  That would also neatly explain why the two are rivals, even though they have different feeding behaviours and are active at different times of the day.

Morelull and Shiinotic’s most striking feature is the eerie, hypnotic glow of their spores.  Glowing mushrooms are a staple of dungeon-delving fantasy, but there are several species in the real world as well, all of which emit light through the action of a family of specialised enzymes called luciferases (a reference not to the Devil, but to the original meaning of his Latin name – “lightbringer”).  In European folklore the blue-green glow of these fungi is known as foxfire (probably from the French faux, false, rather than any reference to actual foxes) or fairy fire, and is part of the association between mushrooms and the fairy creatures of the world of magic.  Like fae beings, Shiinotic is known for leading mortals astray, and Alolan folklore holds that following her glowing lights at night, like the lights of the ethereal will’o’wisp, will lead you to become lost in the forest, never to return.  Similarly, so-called fairy rings – circular formations of mushrooms, especially the Scotch bonnet Marasmius oreades – are held to be traps set by fae creatures to curse or imprison unwary mortals who step inside their boundaries.  This is what provides the justification for Shiinotic’s Fairy-type powers, and I have to say, it’s refreshing to have more Fairy Pokémon whose nature is informed by the sinister side of fairy lore.  The other aspect of what makes Morelull and Shiinotic dangerous is simply what they are, because mushrooms and other fungi, unlike plants, cannot photosynthesise to acquire energy from the light of the sun, and therefore have to extract nutrients from dead and decaying things.  We’ve already seen that Morelull drain and exhaust the plants and soil around them, a little like real mushrooms, but Shiinotic takes it a step further and can supernaturally drain life force with her very touch – or, if necessary, transfer excess life force to another living Shiinotic.  It’s not clear how this is supposed to be different from the variety of draining abilities possessed by other Grass Pokémon – few of them make it an important point of their design, but most Grass-types can learn Leech Seed, Giga Drain or both.  It could have something to do with Game Freak’s desire to make the Fairy type the one that’s most closely associated with the Pokémon world’s concept of life force – whether for benign or sinister ends.  Of course, in spite of all this, tourists in Alola love to visit the enchantingly luminous forests where Morelull and Shiinotic live at night, because tourists are entitled morons.

Finally, I would like to share with you some of the bizarre trivia I inevitably stumble across in my day-to-day duties as an ostensibly sane Pokémon blogger.  During the course of what I generously like to call “research” for writing these things, I have adopted the practice of just periodically Googling “Hawai’i + x” (x being mongoose, or stag beetle, or woodpecker, or whatever the Pokémon I’m writing about seems to be based on), just in case something interesting pops up within the first page or so.  Aside from learning that there is apparently a thriving trade in psychedelic mushrooms on the Hawaiian islands (and, well – pretty glowing lights, altered states of mind, memory loss… Shiinotic knows something we don’t; that’s all I’m saying), the most striking thing I found on the first page of Google hits was a surprising number of articles about a rare Hawaiian mushroom whose scent is rumoured to cause spontaneous female orgasms.  Because, y’know, of course.  Before you get too excited and dash off to Hawai’i to start collecting these things, I’m going to let you down and spoil the story by saying that the whole idea is almost certainly pseudoscientific dreck, but this account of one woman’s quest to discover the truth about the elusive mushroom is a well-written and genuinely fascinating read, as well as a reassuring reminder that my own predilection for random obscure biological trivia is downright normal compared to the lengths some responsible adult humans will go to in search of weird mushroom facts.

If you feel like putting Shiinotic on your team, what you’ll be getting is fundamentally a sort of support-oriented tank with a nasty primary attack, potent self-healing capabilities, and strong disruptive techniques, but very poor speed and little flexibility.  Grass/Fairy leaves Shiinotic with a lot of weaknesses (including a double weakness to Poison) and a lot of resistances, with some important types in both categories, as well as immunity to Dragon attacks.  It also gets her access to Moonblast, which is one of the best moves in the game to have as your only attack, since nothing is immune to it and relatively little resists it.  You can also take a Grass attack for diversity, probably Giga Drain for the incidental healing, but there really aren’t that many Pokémon who take a lot more damage from Giga Drain than Moonblast (since almost everything that resists Fairy also resists Grass).  And that’s… well, that’s about it for Shiinotic’s offensive movepool.  Sludge Bomb is there if you really hate other Grass-types or Fairy-types.  Signal Beam is too weak to bother with most of the time, but will be your best option against a small selection of dual-type Steel Pokémon.  The meat of Shiinotic’s movepool is in her support options, and to begin with, we have to talk about her signature move, since it’s one of her stronger selling points.

Shiinotic’s signature move is Strength Sap.  Strength Sap is a draining move, but unlike, say, Giga Drain, it doesn’t drain HP – it drains attack, healing the user for an amount equal to the target’s attack stat, while reducing the target’s attack stat.  The disadvantage to Strength Sap, of course, is that it does no damage.  Its healing will also become less effective every time you use it, because the target’s attack has already been lowered (although, if they’re doing less damage to you as a result, you may not care).  The advantage is that, at least on the first use of the move, you’re likely to heal for substantially more than you would from Giga Drain – probably more than half of your own health – and the healing will not be affected by resistance to Grass attacks.  Unless an attack can outright one-shot Shiinotic, the healing she gets from Strength Sap will scale with the power of anything attacking her physically, allowing her to mitigate an awful lot of damage while simultaneously weakening the aggressor, potentially forcing them to either change tack or switch out.  If you try to string it out too long, you’ll run into problems because Strength Sap will stop healing you once the target’s attack bottoms out at -6 levels, and you’ll eventually suffer a critical hit (which will ignore the attack reductions).  However, it should at least give you plenty of time to cause havoc with your other moves, like Spore.  Spore itself is as fantastic as ever – as with the other mushroom Pokémon, a 100% accurate sleep-inducing move is so powerful that there’s really no good reason to use Shiinotic without it.  In fact, having Spore is almost, but not quite, a good reason to use Dream Eater.

Aside from Strength Sap and Spore, Shiinotic has the usual gamut of support moves we expect from a Grass-type.  Leech Seed is good for gradual healing and will encourage your opponents to switch out.  Paralysis isn’t essential on Shiinotic, because Spore is usually better, but if you want it, she actually gets Thunder Wave, which is more accurate than the Stun Spore available to most Grass-types.  Shiinotic can learn other healing moves, most easily Moonlight, but unlike most support Pokémon she sort of doesn’t need them; most of the time, Strength Sap will be quite enough.  Ingrain is adorable and just bad.  If you want Shiinotic to do something to support the team, Light Screen is on her list, and complements Strength Sap by slowing down special attackers.  Finally, we should probably talk about Spotlight, since only four other Pokémon (Lanturn, Clefable, Spinda and Starmie) get it.  It works a little like Follow Me, but instead of forcing opponents to target the user, Spotlight draws attacks towards a partner.  This is inherently less useful, because Follow Me sacrifices your turn to buy time for your (presumably more frail) partner, while Spotlight sacrifices your turn to buy time for… yourself?  It’s potentially useful with a partner who does something when attacked, like Aegislash with King’s Shield, but that’s about it.  You can also use Spotlight to focus fire on an opponent, but it can’t redirect enemy attacks towards their own allies, only your own attacks… which you already choose targets for anyway.  I’m pretty sure you can’t even use Spotlight to override Follow Me, because it has a higher speed priority.  So… what’s the move even for?  Answer: Battle Royals.  In a free-for-all against three opponents, using Spotlight will force two of them to attack the third.  This isn’t game-winning, because the Battle Royal is scored according to how many Pokémon you, personally, knock out, but you can still manipulate your opponents in pretty powerful ways.

You might have noticed that Shiinotic’s ability choices haven’t come up yet, and that’s because they’re fairly grim.  Illuminate increases the frequency of random encounters, but has no-in battle effect, so we can write that off immediately.  Her hidden ability, Rain Dish, provides a little bit of extra healing every turn during rain.  I’m not sure why you would use Shiinotic on a rain team, when there are so many Water-type tanks who stand to gain so much more from weather control, but you could.  That leaves Effect Spore, which is one of those rubbishy little abilities that occasionally does something nice for you but is too unreliable to use meaningfully.  Every time Shiinotic is hit by an attack that makes direct bodily contact, there is a 30% chance that her attacker will be struck by paralysis, poison, or sleep – chosen at random.  Not all Pokémon will care about all three of those conditions, and they may actually interfere with Spore, one of Shiinotic’s strongest features, but that’s what we’ve got.

What I like best about Shiinotic from a mechanics perspective is probably that Strength Sap gives her a very unique style of fighting, revolving around her ability to slowly neutralise physical attackers while providing herself with ludicrous amounts of healing.  She’s severely held back, unfortunately, by painfully low speed, merely average defensive stats, and a small movepool even for a Grass-type, and sort of ends up comparing unfavourably to similar Grass-type support tanks… which makes it kind of a shame that Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon allow you to breed Strength Sap onto Jumpluff and Vileplume, who would arguably make better use of it… like, come on, Game Freak, at least give her one full generation of being special.  Aesthetically there is arguably a bit of “just a mushroom” about her, but her eerie, kind of alien appearance feels to me like it knows what it’s trying to be much better than Amoonguss does, I like that she works with the folkloric associations and unusual properties of real mushrooms, and Morelull hits a nice sweet spot between cute and utterly bizarre.  It’s kind of a wash for me, but there is a lot to like here (even aside from my heavy pro-Grass-type bias).