#especially following strive there's no excuse to not understand I-No

[arashi-no-saxlphone]

every time I see posts like "You guys can't even handle evil women stop asking for them" I used to be like "come on don't make such a blanket statement" and then I remember the time I saw someone mention that people don't like I-No and it's like, you know what? You guys are right actually. What the fuck do you MEAN you don't like I-No? Cause she's mean? This woman barely half exists with memories she feel like she can't verify and spends her whole half existence trying to fix and save the world and watches it end in front of her over and over without ever really understanding why until she goes numb and insane. Sol Badguy kills people and everyone loves him. It's not fucking called Innocent Gear you dumb motherfuckers. I love you I-No I'm sorry people haven't got eyes in their head

[staytinyville]

OUTLAW (45)

ATEEZ poly!ot8 x Reader

Cowboy AU / Wild West

Series Masterlist

Warning: none

A/N BETA READ (@mariana-mmtz). PLEASE EXCUSE THE LATE UPDATE. It's holiday week so it's been a bit much. I don't have the chapters saved like I used to so I have to write them out day of. PLEASE FORGIVE. Tomorrow's update might be late too. SOOO probably not until Monday.

You never really thought of your own home to be something that you would be coming back to. You thought you would still have a while before leaving the house fully. But now standing in front of the building that you grew up in with your four other siblings, you realized how much you really miss home. 

Your time spent with the boys never really made you call for it but now that you had been gone for a few months things were falling on top of you. It didn’t call for stress on your part, in fact, it made you want to strive for more. Made you want to finish things quicker so that you could keep everyone safe. 

Especially your family. 

“(Y/N).” Your mother called out when you walked into the house, seeing all the boys following behind you. “What's going on?” She asked, wiping her hands on her apron from the dinner she was making. 

“Mom, I need you all to come with me.” You explained to her, looking at your sister who had been helping your mother. “Things are going to get rough and I need to keep you all safe.”

“Get rough?” Your mother frowned. She took another glance at all the boys who had somber looks. “(Y/N), what are you doing?” She asked you quietly. 

“Nothing that will get me harmed.” You immediately answered her. “I'm going to take father out of jail.” You sighed looking at her. “I need to protect you all.” 

Your older brother wasn’t in the home so you knew he was going to be in the hotel. But either way, it was best that your mother would take all four of them someplace that would be out of harm's way. You hoped things wouldn’t reach that point and maybe they wouldn’t, but just to be on the safe side. It was best to send your family away from Cromer. 

“You don't have to do anything.” Your mother shook her head, not understanding you completely. “You are our daughter and we are here to protect you.” She said pointedly. 

“Now it's my turn.” Yeosang spoke up behind you. “You've done all you can. You've raised such an amazing daughter and we can't thank you enough for that.”

You turned to face Yeosang, your chest hurting less from the guilt as you watched his soft expression. Each one of them had one as they looked at your family. Just as they cared for you, you knew they would care for them as well. Make sure with everything they had they would be safe. You were all in this together now. 

“Where will we be going?” Your sister spoke up, giving you a look when Yeosang said we. 

“We have a safe house in Hala.” Hongjoong spoke up, coming to the front to speak better with your mother. “It's not that far from here and there are people there going to take you in.” He explained.

“A safe house?” Your mother looked at you incredulously. “What kind of people are you?” She asked as she frowned looking over at the boys. 

“The ones who are trying to protect this country.” You stepped in front of your mom, defending the boys. “We were the ones who took the money from city hall.” You told her with confidence, not caring about spilling that big of a secret. 

“(Y/N)?!” Your mother gasped, while your sister only looked at you with wide eyes. 

“Mother, you have to understand we didn't do it out of malice.” You immediately began to explain your case. “The money we took we gave it back to the people.”

“But those are taxes the mayor asked for—” Hongjoong cut your mother off.

“And they weren't used properly.” He said. “He doesn't need that much money to support the city. He was sending it to Strickland.” 

Your mother began to frown as she took in his words. “Strickland? Isn't that a town by Aurora that helps people?”

You frowned at how she could have possibly thought of something like that. While she was right to say it was a town near Aurora that meant she must have heard of it before. 

“Not at all. It's a cult that's creating drugs.” Yunho answered her. 

“How do you know?” She asked him. 

“Because we used to live there. Everything you've been told about is a lie. It's not a sanctuary people claim it to be.” Yeosang explained to her. 

“How do you know about it?” You asked. 

You watched as she sighed quietly, looking away from you. 

“It was where Quaid told your father to send you.” Your mother looked down. 

You had to think about it for a moment before dropping your shoulders as it hit you what your mother was talking about. You can remember the time when your parents had been calling you names and thinking you were someone who slept around. 

This so-called place that was meant to help you turn into the proper wife was supposed to be Strictland? You understood now how it was they were going to turn into just that. Obviously all they were going to do was drug you into becoming emotionless. 

You could only imagine all the other people who their families send to that place. All those poor kids who were only doing what they wanted. If your parents were going to send you on the speculation that you were out with a lot of men, you could only imagine the harm that comes to the ones who actually were forced to go. 

“Why did he go to Quaid? My personal life has nothing to do with any of those people.” You scolded, looking appalled. 

“We know that now.” Your mother looked remorseful. “Hendricks was the one who told us Quaid could help.”

“Never liked that guy.” Jongho sneered, rolling his eyes. 

At the mention of Hendricks you automatically made a face. This man was starting to get on your nerves from how much he seemed to be butting into things he shouldn’t be. If all of this was just now coming to light because of a fraud of a judge, you could only imagine the kinds of bribes and the likes he was doing before. 

You sighed once more as you turned back to your family. You didn’t know what kind of person Hendricks was but you had an inkling that there was a large amount of things he would be willing to do if it came to money. You had to get things moving along before they caught wind of who were the real thieves. 

“Mom, please.” You grabbed her hands and held them to your chest. “Take the others and go to Hala. We'll go and get you when we can.”

“What about the hotel?” You mother shook her head. 

“You have the other employees. They'll handle it. It's just for a day.” You assured her. 

You watched as she took a glance at you before turning to the boys all waiting for an answer. Yeosang was the one who stood behind you as he watched the interaction but from afar your mother wasn’t blind to the looks the others had. 

They all had their eyes on you, soft looks within them as they waited for what your mother had to say. She could see–even from a distance–that you meant something to all of them in some way. 

“I'll go.” She sighed quietly. “But I want you to be truthful to me. Who are these boys to you?” She asked you.

You sputter for a moment, getting caught off guard by her question. “They are Yeosang's friends—”

“I'm not talking about Yeosang.” She stopped you. “I'm talking about you.”

She was your mother–the person who carried you within her stomach for nine months. You knew compared to others, your mother was still considered a bit odd by others for the way she raised you and your sister. Here you were barely getting married in your 20s while other girls had gotten married back when they were teens. 

Their mothers scolded them, made them turn into the perfect wives who would provide all that their husbands needed. Your mother never told you to find someone. She joked and laughed, but never forced. The other ladies would often talk about her. Claim she didn’t teach you and your sister right. Brought the both of you up to act like men who worked and brought in money. 

But she didn’t care. It was how her own mother raised her and it was how she was going to raise you. Coming from a household of nothing but women, your mother had to hold her own against men because she had to defend her sisters as they did her. She taught you and your sister everything that came with being a wife, but she also taught you how to be an individual person. 

Maybe there were points she did regret it, but looking at you now–seeing who you were meant to be made her feel proud. This was who you were meant to be. Someone much more than just a wife or a hotel worker. This was the life meant for you and she wanted to hear you say it. 

“They're special to me.” You explained softly. “They mean a lot and I want to go wherever they go.”

Your mother looked at the boys again, almost breaking her character as she saw how each one of the boys smiled and blushed at your comment. They tried to cover it up quickly, not wanting to be caught for having feelings for you. They didn’t want to make things worse with your family.

It was unconventional and something she might not ever get used to, but she was your mother and you were her daughter. She would love you regardless of who you were with or what you did. You knew right from wrong–she didn’t teach you them for nothing. But looking over all those boys made her see that not matter where you went they would always take care of you. 

“You're an adult.” She turned to you. “I can't stop you from doing what you want. But please stay safe. I know you've always been an independent person and have your own wants and needs. But please keep me in mind. I don't want to get a letter saying something happened to you.” She finished, running a hand along your cheek. 

“We will protect (Y/N) with our life.” Hongjoong spoke up from beside you. “You have my word–as captain.”

She smiled gratefully giving one last glance over all the boys. “Please get your father out.” She told you.

“Of course.”

Series Masterlist

@thefrog3223 , @iarayara , @0rangemilk , @explorewithd , @detectivedoodle , @bangtanxberm , @a1i33a , @loveforred , @drunken-deitence , @0325tiny , @the-ghostest-with-the-mostest , @atinyreads , @atinytinaa , @lexiigom , @smilingtokki , @mismatchfluffysocks , @brain-empty-only-draken , @sousydive , @alex-tinyy , @h3arteyes4mingi , @onedumbho3 , @popcatx0 , @blue1amory , @mommahwa1117 , @sunnyhokyu , @cloudieclair , @puppyminnnie

[iztea]

Iztea I need your help💔💔 I'm genuinely trying to find my art style but I'm not very good at art in the first place, I'm a beginner and I just don't feel motivated to draw anymore because I'm not good at it,, can you pls link your tutorials so I can try to follow them the best I can..😓 I genuinely love your art and your a huge inspiration but I can't draw for shit. A lot of the tutorials on YouTube don't actually help me as much as they do for other people so I'm lowkey putting my faith in you to try and help me lmao, I just can't get the proportions of anything right, like I can't draw a body or head,, and when I trace things it just feels like cheating in art like ugghhjjnn,, can you help me😓☹️

If you struggle with proportions, then drawing over the reference photo (which you should totally have, btw) to get a feel for the distance between things is a great starting point. I also think you should have simplified anatomy references, as well as references from other artists. Basically, everything I mentioned here i don't want to repeat the same points

Tracing is not "cheating" if you're using it to learn. It can be very distasteful if it's used for finished art, where it is obviously meant to replace actual skill, or if it's traced from another artist. If you're using it to study and as a stepping stone to improve your skills, then it's totally fine and even encouraged (it's like doing assisted pull-ups at the gym). But you gotta to play it smart—tracing the actual outline without engaging in critical thought leads to ugly, mediocre, commercialized art that we don't want because we're cool based and always striving to improve ourselves

Okay anyways "But how exactly do I trace references in a smart way, iztea?" Well, like I said, you can lower the opacity of your reference photo and draw over it. Use the general shapes and volume of the body as your guide until you learn to draw without them. Don't follow the outline exactly—exaggerate or stylize the limbs to your liking. For example, I like drawing small wrists and long, slim necks because I think it looks more appealing. So whenever I'm using a reference, I (subconsciously most of the time) slim these body parts down, elongate the fingers, and so on. If you're still not sure what your style is, that's fine too. Use this exercise to find out what your hand naturally leans into

I'm not the cleanest sketcher, and it's been a while since I've done this sort of approach, so excuse the messiness but I wanted to show an example of how I'd tackle this technique. If you look closely, you'll see that I didn't exactly draw over the body parts, especially in the neck and arm area. I exaggerated the posture by adding more gestures—I made the shoulders rounder, the skull bigger, and the arms and neck longer and slimmer. I didn't focus on details like the face or fingers because that's not the point

The next important step after creating your guidelines is to redraw the lines from scratch on a separate layer, but this time without the reference. Set the reference aside and focus on copying your own guidelines. Afterward, compare the two drawings to check if your proportions are accurate. If they're off, take note of any recurring mistakes and correct them. For example, I have a tendency to draw the mouth too far down on the face, so it's something I am always aware of whenever I'm drawing. Other times, I draw the eyebrows too high from the eyes and so on. Another important thing to point out is that not all references are created equal—there are such things as bad or poor references. If the body’s silhouette looks like a blob or the limbs are heavily foreshortened, you'll find it much harder to draw so for practice, I recommend choosing poses that are fluid, clear, and expressive, with good lighting and features you can exaggerate. This will make it easier to understand the form and you'll have more fun in general I've provided a little comparison below. I'm not saying the 2nd pose is terrible and impossible to draw, it's obviously not, you can draw anything you want howeveerrr if you're just starting out, painting the 2nd one can be much more challenging due to it not being very clear in shape, value range, pose, gesture etc. So what I'm trying to say is to choose your poses wisely too

I don't remember doing any tutorials outside that hair one unless you consider my rambling sessions tutorials (i don't) but you can also scroll through the #ask iztea: art talk hashtag for whatever art-related question I might have answered I'm too lazy to link everything so YOU put the work and stalk my page

anyways yeah idk this is how i'd start.... so to summarize:

pull up references, from both real-life people, simplified anatomy sheets, and artists you like

draw over your reference photo and treat it as your training wheels

close the og reference, and use the newly traced, much more simplified outline as your new reference, and now draw the pose again, but "freehand" this time

compare the traced and the freehand version, take notice of your proportions and try to correct them

choose good, readable, easy to draw refs

never give up never what

[leportraitducadavre]

Do you think people in the fandom would be more forgiving towards Sasuke character as a whole if we got the show from his perspective or if not that then if his thoughts are more shown?

I find myself drawn to his character because, in many ways, I see reflections of my own inclinations, albeit magnified. The tumultuous events that unfolded within his clan and the devastating actions of his brother, wiping out everyone, add a layer of complexity to his character. It's kind of intrigued me to consider that, under similar circumstances, I might make similar choices, perhaps even worse. The Narutoverse, with its deeply rooted issues like child soldiers, clan annihilation, and internal slavery within the Hyuga branch, presents a grim reality. While some characters, and even elements of the fandom, criticize and reject his actions, arguing that trauma should not be an excuse, it's hard to ignore the systemic problems within the Narutoverse itself. The pervasive cycle of suffering, with clans being wiped out and individuals enslaved, points to a broken system that breeds villains and antagonists seeking change.

In contrast to the complacency and cooperation displayed by many characters, those who rebel against the established order and strive for something different, flawed as their execution may be, at least attempt to address the root issues. The fact that they are trying to break free from the oppressive system suggests a level of agency and resistance, even if I may not fully agree with their methods. That's why I'm more forgiving towards the antagantis like Pain, Madara and especially in Sasuke case.

Reflecting on Naruto's journey and his current achievements the fundamental issues persist unchanged.

Also, sorry if this got long I ramble a lot when discussing lol. I hope you have a good day.

Hello, this took long to reply, and for that, I apologize.

I don’t think the issue is “not having Sasuke’s thoughts on display” for him to get sympathy, as we get to see firsthand the reasoning behind his actions, his background, and connections; we also get to see the atrocities committed by the system on multiple characters including those that the fandom takes as “less controversial” and which are considered victims of a bigger scale than Sasuke. I put more blame on the naturalization of state-sanctioned violence and the oppression of minority groups who are then blamed for their village’s actions as they are “savage-coded,” which turns the government’s oppression into a response to their behavior rather than an action born from their own bias. Their ultimate argument always boils down to “fighting violence with violence is not the way,” yet they fail to understand that a government built with brutality as its primary basis and as its primary tool leaves no room for negotiations, as it also implies that those oppressed continue to be oppressed until a “solution” is reached through time. They blame those discriminated against and later on massacred for their demise and not those in power who decided that committing genocide was a plausible solution to their dispute. 

The main issue with the idea that “their hearts are in the right place, but I don’t agree with the antagonist methods” also derives from this same perspective, where the discriminated must take all the consequences of the persecution they suffered and choose the “moral high ground” still to keep being “victims” and not become “victimizers.” Their categorization as innocents/savages is always based upon their response to the mass killing of their kin, minimizing the actions of those in power and diminishing the value of their critics to the system in place. 

Yet, while the naturalization of state-sanctioned violence plays a part in Sasuke’s status as a “villain” by many of his detractors, it’s not the only one, as many feel Naruto has a similar (perhaps harder) experience with the system in place as he was ostracized, yet he chose to follow Konoha’s WoF –many fans are closer to experience something similar to Naruto (an unpopular kid that was often shunned by comrades), so they feel more inclined to stand behind a character that reflects a personal experience of them, and not behind the boy who suffered genocide, a thing not many can see themselves in nor can build sympathy for as they (again) naturalized such occurrence. 

The popularization of the action genre featuring first-world soldiers invading the global south, whose focus is more on the trauma that lingers in the invader for trying to bring peace than on the indiscriminate killing of minorities, also contributes to seeing those in power as more humane or deserving of redemption than those responding violently against the intruders, because those invaded should put their trust in the “good intentions” of those abiding by the system that destroyed them in the first place.

[merylstreepsworld]

How Miranda would apologize after an argument

Apologizing is not a frequent occurrence for Miranda Priestly, and her ability to hold grudges is well-known. However, when it comes to her girlfriend, the dynamics are different. In a relationship, especially with someone she deeply cares about, Miranda might still find it challenging to apologize, but she is more inclined to make an effort to mend things. Here's how Miranda might apologize after a fight with her girlfriend:

1. Private Setting: Miranda would prefer a private, intimate setting for the apology. She'd want to avoid any public displays of vulnerability. Miranda values her reputation and yours, so she'd avoid causing a scene or discussing personal matters in public.

2. Acknowledgment of Fault: Miranda would start by acknowledging her part in the argument. She might say something like, "I realize I was wrong about..." or "I should not have reacted that way." Her apologies might be brief but heartfelt.

3. Sincerity: While not one to gush with emotion, Miranda would make her apology sincere. She'd express genuine remorse and assure her girlfriend that she values their relationship deeply.

4. Explanation (if necessary): Depending on the nature of the argument, Miranda might explain her side of the story, not as an excuse, but to provide context and ensure her girlfriend understands her perspective.

5. A Thoughtful Gesture: Miranda is not one to utter empty apologies. Instead, she'd express her remorse through thoughtful gestures. Expect to find handwritten notes, luxurious gifts, or your favorite comfort food waiting for you.

6. Offer to Make Amends: Miranda might suggest ways to make amends, such as planning a special date night or helping with something important to her girlfriend.

7. No Excuses: Miranda wouldn't make excuses for her behavior. She'd take full responsibility for her actions and words. Miranda doesn't engage in finger-pointing. She'd steer clear of blaming you or bringing up past grievances during the apology.

8. Listening: Part of her apology would include listening to her girlfriend's feelings and perspective, ensuring that she understands how her actions affected her partner.

9. Change in Behavior: While Miranda might not promise to change overnight, she would indicate her commitment to working on the issue and avoiding similar conflicts in the future.

10. Reassurance: She would reassure her girlfriend of her love and commitment. Miranda might say something like, "I love you deeply, and I don't want anything to come between us."

11. Improved Communication: To prevent future conflicts, she'd make an effort to improve communication, ensuring that both of you are on the same page.

12. Patience: Miranda understands that her girlfriend may need time to process the apology. She'd give her space if necessary but would remain open to further discussions. Miranda understands that sometimes time apart can be beneficial for both parties.

13. Physical Affection: Depending on her girlfriend's comfort level, Miranda might offer physical affection, like a hug or a reassuring touch, to show her sincerity.

14. Follow-Through: The key to Miranda's apology is in the follow-through. She'd strive to keep her promises and demonstrate her commitment to a healthier relationship.

While Miranda may have a reputation for being formidable, her girlfriend holds a special place in her heart, and she would be willing to make amends and work through conflicts for the sake of their relationship.

[serpentstole]

Hey I was wondering what your view on luciferianism is? I know a lot about theistic satanism (as one myself) and the horned god but not much on Lucifer.

That's a bit of a complicated question! I'll try to keep things brief so I don't end up writing you an essay, but I welcome any follow up questions if there's something I didn't go into/cover/explain.

My view on Luciferianism as a whole is that it's a very vague label. It can encompass a lot of beliefs, both theistic and atheistic (as with Satanism). In the past, I made myself this working definition.

Luciferianism is a religion or system of belief held by those that appreciate and strive to embody the traits typically associated with Lucifer as Lightbringer, such liberation and rebellion over blind faith and obedience, and a pursuit of knowledge or enlightenment. It can be theistic or atheistic, and typically involves an equal appreciation for the arts and science. Incorporating the occult or some form of magical practice is common among theistic Luciferians, but not a requirement.

How people then choose to put those concepts into action can vary wildly. For example, I'm personally of a belief that a focus on liberation, rebellion, a rejection of dogma, and a pursuit of higher understanding of the world around us should lead people to be more socially minded and aware of how many bigotries and biases are built into our cultures and our day to day exchanges. Meanwhile, many people who fall under the vague LHP umbrella (Luciferians, Satanists, etc) will regurgitate militantly evangelical talking points with a coat of black paint, use their animosity towards Christianity as an excuse to be Islamophobic and antisemitic, have incredibly homophobic or transphobic attitudes, so on and so forth. Everyone wants to think they have the actual enlightened truth, you know? I don't think Luciferians are any more or less immune to conspiratorial thought and systemic bigotry than the rest of the population.

I'll also give a quick list of what I (personally) think Luciferianism is not, or at least doesn't have to be, since there's some trends I see in discussions about it that I don't particularly like.

Inherently better or more thoughtful than Satanism. I often see the two described in contrast/opposition to each other, with the idea being that one focuses on the philosophical while the other trends towards being more carnal. I feel like the way they're compared gives an overly simplified view of both, and I don't like that I tend to see it written with the implication that Luciferianism is the more noble set of beliefs. I have my quibbles with LaVeyan Satanism especially, but they're far more to do with the writing that helped inspire it and how I see that put into practice by the Satanists I've known.

Automatically hostile towards other religions. This truly exhausts me. I think the harm that religious groups that have a massive amount of political or social power can inflict on individuals, communities, and even countries cannot be understated. However, I far too often see this devolve into animosity towards the very concept of that religion or the religious individual instead of examining what this says about power, control, corruption, the protection of abusers within their communities, and other important aspects of the issue.

Inherently demonic, infernal, edgy, and so on. I know this is a bold claim coming from me, given my personal aesthetic, and I have often been quietly irked by the Luciferians who try to push too hard in another direction and reject the concept that anyone should approach Lucifer as anything but a love, light, and knowledge Jesus alternative. However, I think a lot of people cling to the idea that a concept, deity, or style of magic needs to be appropriately "dark" enough to be incorporated into Luciferianism. The end result is a lot of appropriation from closed practices and very samey books or talking points.

If you wanted to take a look at some of my thoughts in great detail, I have a bunch of posts tagged as 30 Day Luciferian Challenge. Some of the links between them don't work since they were written before I changed my blog name, but I try to keep the tagging as coherent as possible. I stand by what I wrote (so far as I can remember) so they're a closer look at questions like who Lucifer is to me, what drew me to Luciferianism, my thoughts on the community, advice I'd give, that kind of thing.

[nickeverdeen]

Hi!! I've been a long time follower and i saw you opened up matchups 😼!! I was wondering if I could get a spiderverse Male match up please.

i'm 5'7, she/her, and pan asexual! I don't like loud noises or the sound of people eating. I do enjoy eating, cooking, sunsets, cold weather, and music, i listen to pretty much anything but i like punk music coupled with mitski and hozier!!

I'm loyal and very kind and considerate, however i can be blunt. I try my best to communicate clearly and i try to set my own and learn the boundaries of others. I am very anxious, i overthink the smallest details and often ask whether people are mad at me or just for reassurance in general. I work hard but too many tasks make me overwhelmed easily and then i don't do anything lol. I'm a tune to people's emotions and can tell when something is off.

my hobbies include, kickboxing, art (in almost any form), listening to music and singing, rollerblading, and napping!

PS: Can I just say that you’re seriously cool, awesome and badass? Like damn let me be your friend. No, but like seriously you sound amazing as hell!!!

—————

Your SATSV match is…

Peter B. Parker

Peter B. Parker shares your eclectic taste in music, enjoying everything from punk rock to artists like Mitski and Hozier

He finds solace in music and actually makes scenarios in his head while listening from time to time

Makes fun of your height a bit

You and Peter bond over cooking sessions

He may not be the best chef, but he loves experimenting in the kitchen when you’re present and trying new recipes with you, even if they occasionally turn out disastrous

Peter enjoys watching sunsets with you, finding peace in those moments of quiet beauty

He loves how the colors change and the sky transforms, mirroring the fleeting nature of life

And also how gorgerous you look in the light

Both of you prefer cold weather, relishing in the crisp air and the excuse to snuggle up together under warm blankets or during long walks in the chill

Peter appreciates your bluntness because it contrasts with his tendency to be more sarcastic and indirect

He admires your ability to communicate clearly and learn boundaries, something he’s working on himself

He’s patient and understanding when you overthink or seek reassurance

Peter deals with his own anxieties, especially balancing his superhero life with personal struggles, so he empathizes with your challenges

Peter values your loyalty and kindness deeply

He admires how considerate you are toward others and how you strive to treat everyone with respect and compassion

While he’s not as skilled as you in kickboxing, Peter enjoys sparring with you

It’s a great stress-reliever for both of you and a way to stay in shape amidst hectic lives

Peter loves your passion for art in all forms

He may not be the best artist, but he enjoys doodling and creating alongside you, whether it’s painting, sculpting, or any other medium

You often have impromptu music jam sessions together, whether it’s singing along to your favorite songs or attempting to play instruments

It’s a fun way to unwind and enjoy each other’s company

Peter joins you on rollerblading adventures, though he may be a bit clumsy at first

He appreciates the thrill and freedom it gives, skating alongside you in the cool evening air

Both of you love napping, and often find yourselves dozing off together after a long day of crime-fighting or creative pursuits

Peter cherishes these quiet moments of relaxation with you

Peter encourages your pursuits and understands how overwhelming tasks can be for you

He’s there to provide gentle reminders and support, whether it’s helping you focus or taking a break when needed

He’s tuned into your emotions, able to tell when something is bothering you even if you don’t say it outright

Peter respects your feelings and encourages open communication between you both

In your relationship, you both share responsibilities equally

Peter understands the importance of teamwork and compromise, making sure to contribute his fair share to the partnership

Despite the challenges you face, Peter admires your adventurous spirit and willingness to try new things

He loves how you bring excitement into his life, pushing him out of his comfort zone in the best ways

Ultimately, Peter sees a future with you, filled with shared adventures, creative pursuits, and unwavering support for each other

He values your presence in his life and cherishes every moment you spend together

[libraryofcirclaria]

16 June 1254

Library of Circlaria

Third Level Society: First Version

Story Four: Meon Bell

My one-on-one meeting tonight with the Bookkeeper, Robert Hughes, made me feel much better, and much less guilty over the blow I dealt Fenton last night. I never thought I would take such direct action that I did against a Third Level Society Dungeonmaster. But at this point, though Robert did not, with respect to his position, assert an opinion on the matter, he did tell me that whether Fenton was right or wrong, even the Dungeonmaster is to be evaluated fairly with respect to both sides on an act to which he or she is held accountable. Therefore, my decision was one well-deserved.

It was merely speculation among Veteran Members such as myself in the past, but now is inevitably obvious that there is a divide in the Society Caucus: the Traditionalist camp and the Progressivist camp. In truth, it always has been there even from the very beginning, though not so present. But it will be perpetual and permanent, and will grow evermore through the passing years.

Initially, Fenton and I shared sentiment regarding the Society that aligned more closely with the Traditionalist camp. That is, we believed that the only way to govern the Society was to do so in the way it was so upon its founding eleven years ago: by the Statute of Principle and Policy Book, administered by the Dungeonmaster and subsequent Administrators, checked by the Bookkeeper, and subject to the popular sentiment of the Caucus. No other entity, accordingly, should have any imposition on this system of foundational balance.

Sari Frame, and now Carla Wright, who has asserted her presence evermore in recent months, have both been following the Progressivist camp sentiment: that there needs to be some form of regulation, or regulatory body, to enforce and preserve the balance in power that the Traditionalists so strive for, and that the Traditionalists seem not to understand this. The Progressivists have been saying that the founders of the Society, including Ivella Ogden, intended that the founded method of Society governance was not perfect, and that openness to progress and change in governance method, as well as technology, was necessary.

When Jon Beyon joined the Society and pushed his new Jon Beyon Console invention, the Traditionalists hated the change, as I had anticipated, and had vowed to keep using the old type-out consoles. As I learned after my separation from Fenton, this had been one of the reasons that Fenton decided to delay the building of the Beyon Consoles. However, the Progressivists, upon hearing stories from Members who took part in the pilot groups, embraced the change. And as a result, there was a small handful of Progressivist-minded Members leading quest entities with these pilot groups and gaining the upper hand in questing dynamics throughout the Realm.

And so Fenton secretly implemented the Shadow of Myrst.

Yes, Fenton was the one behind that, so he confessed last at our one-on-one meeting, which he strongly coerced me into attending. And, quite ironically, in contrast to the recent sentiment he had against them, he had his accomplices employ Jon Beyon Consoles in the process.

"Radical situations call for radical action," he said to me as an excuse.

And then he asked me a favor. 

So for context, there are numerous scholars who, having delved especially into the history of Combrian society, may have come across a controversial and long-debated theory that there existed a prototype known as a Monarin Stylus. If the theory is true, eleven of them were made by the Kontacet family with one given to House Esary in the far-Northern nation of Notulfa. Each Stylus looked like a pen at first glance, but was, in fact, a "smart object" capable of utilizing spellfire scripts to trigger other scripts in other objects.

The fear was that House Esary had, at some point around sixty years ago, reversed-engineered their copy of the prototype so that the "smart scripts" could actually influence synapses in the human mind in order to influence human conscience, both in individuals and the masses. In other words, they engaged in oathcrafting. The theorists believe to this day that such practice of oathcrafting was what led to the uprisings in Ereautea in 1187.

One major crux to this theory is that primary sources claiming the existence of such a prototype have deliberately signed themselves anonymous. Furthermore, there is actually no evidence of a single Monarin Stylus ever having been produced.

Apparently, Fenton has a weakness for blind faith. For last night, during our one-on-one meeting, he claimed that Beyon's Console prototype uses a Monarin Stylus, and that this, and its supposed oathcrafting, played a role in why a growing number of Members in the Caucus are so drawn to the idea of using Jon Beyon Consoles.

Of course, I would have questioned his "discovery" on the basis of the absence of evidence. But his charisma in that Office at that hour, quite frankly, had me frightened. Furthermore, he would not let me voice my opinion, for the moment when I would have done so was when he sprung his favor.

He wanted me to summon avatar meetings over the dymensional plane of the Arturian Realm, keeping the identity of my avatar anonymous and having the Members sign a so-called "pact" making them promise not to use Jon Beyon's prototype. Also as part of the "pact," they would secretly call on others to do the same in the same fashion. If I had succeeded in this, Fenton would award me that Administrator position over the Galacia sector, having Richard Brent leave and become the next Bookkeeper. Furthermore, Fenton promised that, come time for his retirement, he would endorse me as the next Dungeonmaster.

"I will work some known measures to ensure the Caucus votes accordingly," he said.

Around this time last year, I felt that I had a home with the Traditionalist camp. Moral goodness was their most important value. Cray Fenton, himself more of a radical Traditionalist than myself, I will admit, went completely against this value, leaving me emotionally confused. Between last night and this moment, I began to realize that Fenton, along with other Traditionalists, used bias to hold a sense of stubbornness on certain things, primarily the notion of resisting any type of change in order to "keep the balance of dynamics," one of the core principles of the Society. And although I realize now that Fenton is an unreliable representative of the Caucus, many other Traditionalists have grown to resist change on the basis of emotion, not logic.

I honestly see nothing wrong with the Beyon prototype. Obviously Fenton is wrong about the use of the Monarin Stylus. But it's not just Fenton's sentiment. It's also that I see more benefits than drawbacks with the transition. Surely there will be a learning curve with adjusting to the practice of exacting avatar actions by touch rather than by typing. But that pales in comparison to the skill threshold required to master the old typewriter console type.

The Progressivists understand this; and so do I.

I was still adjusting to the notion that I mesh better with the Progressivist camp than the Traditionalists when I phoned Sari Frame and asked to meet with her and Carla Wright. They are both roommates in a residence two blocks North of mine, and their venue was more appropriate, so we met there. It was late for all of us, but they were willing to listen as I disclosed everything that Fenton had told me.

Their responses reinforced the notion that Progressivist side appealed to me more. And in the end, we decided to join forces and file a joint complaint against Dungeonmaster Fenton to the Bookkeeper, Robert Hughes, who, as I remember, had been appointed by Dungeonmaster Koby Breen during his tenure.

Carla and Sari were not able to join me tonight as I took the official document to the Bookkeeper, so I went alone. I was nervous, for Hughes was not clear on his association with either camp; and understandably so, given his role. But when I handed the complaint over and told of my experience, Hughes demonstrated a gentle listening approach. He was careful not to assert bias over the matter, ensuring that he, as a Bookkeeper, would weigh both sides fairly, but he advised me that there was nothing wrong with filing a complaint, even against an incumbent Dungeonmaster.

On Monday, Fenton will learn of this. By the end of June, we all will know the outcome.

<- 24 May 1254 <- || -> 08 September 1254 ->

[zac--zappy]

🆂🆃🅾🅻🅰🆂 × 🅻🅾🅾🅽🅰 ( ♂️ )

A very complex couple indeed, but they have good potential to heal each other's scars... Be the person who will understand the past and fix the present.

🦉 `🐺 ⇢︎ #ˢᵗᵒᵒⁿᵃ ᵒʳ #ˡᵒᵒˡᵃˢ ?

My ideas for this ship, In case of updates, probably with the arrival of the new episodes of the second season, I will make a post to let you know !

I think that their story can only begin after a definitive break between Stolas and Blitzø, so after weeks, if not months in which he is unable to contact him or in which he postpones appointments, Stolas asks Octavia for his son's number, and then getting in touch with him, however rude, organizes him out of pity and hope. Which ends in the worst possible way, in a definitive breakup.

‌Loona is told to accompany the royal outside, which he does, standing by and watching him, sorry, knowing how sincere his love is. It's weird for Loona to feel sorry for someone he can't really call hisself attached to, it annoys him.

‌In the period following this, Stolas tries to understand himself, get back on his feet, but it is a pity that the frequent presence of Loona in his house does not help him to forget Blitzø, on the contrary it catalyzes his negative feelings and reflects them towards the hell hound, who for his part does not want to pay attention to it, understanding the delicate situation, also wanting to help in some way, because by chain reaction, if Stolas doesn't feel well, Octavia can't be that cheerful either.

‌So the young wolf tries in some way to do what he can, make himself useful when present, have a healthy conversation at the table as much as possible and clarify himself with Stolas, which he will try to do after weeks of grim and suffering looks, bitter words and a feeling of constant discomfort.

‌❝ Stolas, I need to talk to you ❞

The owl prince doesn't stop, as he simply passes by, which annoys Loona not a little, so he follows him and calls him, once, twice, nothing.

‌He then reaches out to him and places a paw on his nearest shoulder, but is hit by a thoughtful slap. Whereupon the ars goetia withdraws, displeased.

‌❝ O-oh excuse me Loona ! I didn't want to, I don't know what got me... ❞

‌He places his hand on the soft fur of his muzzle, where scratches are now imprinted, and observing his clumsy reaction, he realizes how terribly Blitzø has affected his son, in terms of trust, patience and the negative things he possesses. He is unable to withstand that contact and after showing him a mournful smile made of bitter sweetness, she disappears into his rooms.

‌From here on, Loona will take an interest in the owl's approval, messaging him without Octavia's knowledge, marveling at himself, feeling a heavy sense of guilt as his attraction to the prince grows.

And on the other hand, Stolas, tries to curb, albeit reluctantly, any sort of nice thought about the young wolf, who against all his expectations seems really interested, caring in his own way.

The thing seems to remain within the boundaries that Stolas has set for himself, until an invitation comes to him like a bolt from the blue, at lunch in any bar on an ordinary street, there is really nothing well studied, only the desire to meet for something more than a chat.

The desire is mutual, Stolas wants to control himself and Loona doesn't seem to show any gesture of affection outside the simple invitation, as if he expects something, but the owl is hurt by now, not inclined to risk his heart a second time, especially with the son of his first love, he would be naïve at this point.

I don't really know what could happen, I think Stolas would ask for explanations and Loona would be very disinclined to give any, so he rests his paw on his hand, looking away embarrassed, while the owl prince marvels and remains speechless, just going on with the meeting, chatting about for which Loona strives to look cultured.

‌At the end of this strange meeting, they leave each other with no little embarrassment, but starting to chat more regularly, Loona uses the excuse of asking for advice on his outfit or Stolas's to send or receive photos, both for the desire to feel him close and for the hormones of young age.

[grandhotelabyss]

Thoughts on Invisible Man? a little surprised you never reviewed it. And did you ever read any of Ellison’s other work?

I didn't review it because I read it before I started writing those and haven't reread it yet. But it's a masterpiece, one of the true Great American Novels, responding to and extending the prior entrants in what retrospectively appears to be a sequence (Moby-Dick, Huckleberry Finn, Absalom, Absalom!) and preparing the way for the later entrants (Gravity's Rainbow, Beloved, Underworld), while also ringing changes on international modernism and Existentialism, especially the works of Dostoevsky, Kafka, Eliot, Joyce, Sartre, Camus. The discursive passages are true Emersonian essays on the meaning of America. The great narrative passages—especially the two set pieces of the battle royal at the beginning and the paint factory in the middle—prove that something like genius has to exist, because you can't as a novelist will such scenes into being, scenes that seamlessly fuse symbolism and naturalism, allegory and realism, with an almost Dante-like compression, so beautifully and so powerfully that even he could never do it again.

The common complaint is that the second half is weaker than the first, which I think is true—my memories of the second half are a bit dim—but so what? A large book, a book whose size and scale are part of its meaning, will have its longeurs. The other common complaint, one also made about Ellison's friend, Saul Bellow, who wrote another Great American Novel with The Adventures of Augie March around the same time, concerns the novel's politics, its Cold War liberalism or incipient neoconservatism attacking both leftism and separatist identity politics as Soviet- and Nazi-like inner threats to the American experiment:

No indeed, the world is just as concrete, ornery, vile and sublimely wonderful as before, only now I better understand my relation to it and it to me. I've come a long way from those days when, full of illusion, I lived a public life and attempted to function under tbe assumption that the world was solid and all the relationships therein. Now I know men are different and that all life is divided and that only in division is there true health. Hence again I have stayed in my hole, because up above there's an increasing passion to make men conform to a pattern. Just as in my nightmare. Jack and the boys are waiting with their knives, looking for the slightest excuse to....well, to "ball the jack," and I do not refer to the old dance step, although what they're doing is making the old eagle rock dangerously.

Whence all this passion toward conformity anyway? — diversity is the word. Let man keep his many parts and you'll have no tyrant states. Why, if they follow this conformity business they'll end up by forcing me, an invisible man, to become white, which is not a color but the lack of one. Must I strive toward colorlessness? But seriously, and without snobbery, think of what the world would lose if that should happen. America is woven of many strands; I would recognize them and let it so remain. It's "winner take nothing" that is the great truth of our country or of any country. Life is to be lived, not controlled; and humanity is won by continuing to play in face of certain defeat. Our fate is to become one, and yet many— This is not prophecy, but description. Thus one of the greatest jokes in the world is the spectacle of the whites busy escaping blackness and becoming blacker every day, and the blacks striving toward whiteness, becoming quite dull and gray. None of us seems to know who he is or where he's going.

Ellison's later stances, such as his support for the Vietnam War, can certainly be questioned. But for the leftist critique of the novel's individualism and pluralism to be persuasive, communism and separatist identity politics would probably need to have a better historical record than they do.

Other work: I like Ellison's literary essays, especially "The World and the Jug" and "Twentieth Century Fiction and the Black Mask of Humanity," but I haven't read his other fiction (the whole Juneteenth/Shooting situation seems like the occasion for a graduate seminar, not one or two novels one sits down to read; sometimes I wish what writers didn't finish, what writers didn't intend to publish, wouldn't be published, speaking more here as writer than reader).

[saucerfulofsins]

Hey, Loon? This is an incredible piece of writing and I'm glad I followed you. I thought about replying in a response to the post itself, or reblogging tomorrow after I've had the chance to look up some concepts/people (it's evening here).

Thank you for taking the time to think and type this out as concise and provocative as you did. And thank you for offering this nuance, and being honest towards the ideas you held and how people from within the community - and with patience and compassion - offered you the space to alter your views. (I also think this goes to show the power of compassion and empathy, which I think everyone should strive towards). It's also an incredible journey you've been on, one that really offers insight into how much work (some? most? all?) non/anti-zionist Jews have had to do to come to their views.

Do not imagine that I excuse, condone, or celebrate Oct 7, but I understand why it happened.

I agree (however much that means) and I would have agreed half a year ago but I do want to say that your blog has actually helped me towards the information to understand the exact why. The infographic on the wars the teenagers of Palestine comes to mind (along with many more nuanced posts either from you directly or posts you've reblogged).

His vision is of an Israel that is always militarized and militant, always on its guard, never to know peace. A people who will send their children to the army generation after generation after generation. Never to rest. Never to be able to lower their guard.

And this quote, just now - I knew Israel has mandatory service, and I know the military will affect someone's thinking, but this post makes it clearer than ever that the two groups (Hamas and Israelis) really aren't that different; at least, until you factor in the measure of political/legal support they enjoy. (And I also realize that much of Israel's formation - and, from there, current actions - are based on a generation deeply traumatized by the Holocaust, the extent of which I cannot and will not ever understand). The horror of Israel creating this situation, and how understandable that perpetuation is (to some extent)... and also how much it has been created by Israel's politics ever since its conception.

Also... this is somewhat off topic but I do want to mention it because I think it's really important actually? Especially because of the circumstances/context. I reblogged/replied to a post you made on bilingualism a while back and actually, considering the fact you've put a lot of work into becoming proficient in Yiddish, as well as the perception of Yiddish among some people, as well as attending a camp where all conversation was exclusively in Yiddish... I think the most radical thing you could (and probably should) do is say you are bilingual. Because you're proud of speaking the language (and should be), and you've immersed yourself in the culture while speaking the language, and, most of all, because bilingualism (or even the definition of what a language is) isn't just about proficiency, it's about politics and pride and identity - and about claiming those things, and especially in the case of minority languages, about being heard. Because they mean something in the grand scheme of things, and if a monolingual speaker did all of those things with the minority language I grew up speaking, I WOULD call them bilingual.

Anyway, once again, thank you - for your openness and honesty and eloquence. I have many more thoughts, so these are only some of them that jumped out as I read the text, and I'm going to take some time to read this again tomorrow and - as I said - look up some of the history/concepts/people you've mentioned.

Hi! I saw your tags on unlearning zionism and I was wondering if you've ever spoken about that/the kind of processing you had to do? I think it's... Interesting (for lack of a better word) how this is a sentiment I've seen reflected on pretty much all explicitly non-zionist Jewish blogs I follow, and how much that reflects both how closely entwined the concept and Jewishness has become and the fierce zionism in some people.

Obviously you're free to not discuss this at all, I also understand it's deeply personal. (I'm also not intending to make anyone change their mind, I believe this is a process Jewish people should be afforded on their own terms; I'm really just trying to understand where they're coming from). ♥️

The tl;dr was through talking to people, breaking my rigidities, and being lucky enough to encounter people who were kind, committed to dialogue, and not dismissive.

Longer version under the cut.

In winter 2019 I started dating a non-zionist, so a lot of the early stuff was through conversations with them.

Here are the specific things I recall through them:

They validated my experience of having felt traumatized by a negative experience I had at a protest. I felt very on the defense, and dismissed, as a zionist who wanted to be in leftist spaces and they validated that. I don't know if they were faking it or not, but it felt real, and being heard and not dismissed was super important to building trust and safety. Ultimately, building trust and safety was the most important thing.

They would sometimes patiently poke holes in things I said. Matter of factly, not confrontationally. For example, once I said I didn't like the separation wall dividing Israel proper from the West Bank but that it was necessary to prevent terrorist attacks, and they were like "no, that wasn't the wall, it was a change in PA policy." Another time I was like "I don't understand [West Bank] settlers, if they want to be pioneers and settle more land they should settle the Negev, where they're not encroaching on Palestinians!" and they explained to me more about the situation between Israel and Bedouins and how that actually still would involve encroaching/displacement.

They're very religious, and so they had the tools to poke into my "but just open a siddur! you can see all the references to returning to Jerusalem!" and discuss how that differed from and predated zionism the political ideology. They were able to break through my dismissiveness/derision of Chareidi antizionism and help me understand that it has legitimate religious underpinnings. (They're not Chareidi though.) They affirmed for me that they do feel connected to Eretz Yisrael and they love Eretz Yisrael.

They also explained that indigenous doesn't mean "from a place" but rather describes a relationship to colonialism. It still didn't totally click for me, and they and I have both since come to understand that there are a lot of definitions of indigenous, but what it did help me understand was that when people push back against "Jews are indigenous to EY" they're not always trying to say we're not from there.

In general it helped me break down what I thought an antizionist was. I thought that an antizionist was someone who didn't think Jews had a meaningful spiritual and communal connection to EY, thought we weren't from there, didn't give a shit if all Israeli Jews ended up pushed into the sea, hadn't opened a siddur to see references to return to Jerusalem, etc. I was also pretty rigid in my thinking and had collected a bunch of talking points, mostly that I'd co-created with other members of Jewbook (Jewish facebook). They helped me break out of that rigidity and once I'd done that I was open to learning more.

Then, what happened next, in fall 2019 is I did a fellowship, that while unrelated to the topic, put me in contact with other Jewish antizionists.

There was one person whose project we visited during an outing on the fellowship, who had discussed their project's antizionism. I was bothered by it and asked them one question: Did they feel Jews were connected to Eretz Yisrael? Did they feel connected to Eretz Yisrael? They responded yes of course.

Another person was my roommate on the fellowship, a leftist antizionist Syrian Jew. For a while one of my sticking points had been Mizrahi support of Zionism -- my thought process here had a few pieces. One, it seemed like white privileged to go against what most Israeli Jews of color believed and wanted. Another was that I felt that a lot of antizionists were dismissive of and racist towards Mizrahim and don't understand or care to understand their needs, history, or motivations (I do still think that's true). I also saw the expulsions from SWANA and the fact that Israel took in the SWANA Jewish refugees as proof of the necessity of Zionism.

So, I think that interacting with a Mizrahi antizionist both taught me expanded perspectives on the issue, and taught me that it's possible to be antizionist and still in solidarity with Mizrahim. I learned more nuance, for example around Israel's taking in of the refugees; I knew they had been mistreated, but I think it helped me connect the dots about what that meant about the entire Zionist project. That was also the year A-WA's album Bayti fi Rasi came out, and when I listened to Hana Mash Hu Al Yaman, I think that's when it clicked for me that Israel taking them in was not some sort of miracle or blessing in disguise but rather a last resort for people who did not want to go but had no choice. The main characters in that song wanted to stay in Yemen which is I think something that hadn't clicked for me before. That may not be the majority Mizrahi perspective but it is a perspective and one I hadn't previously considered.

By the same token, my partner at the time (the one I talked about at the beginning of the post) was raised as a Yiddish speaker, and we talked about Yiddish suppression during the early days of the state, as well as Ben Yehuda's disdain for Yiddish, and the general early Zionist disdain for Eastern European Jewry and "old world" Jewish culture. I was already aware of the New Jew concept (the idea that the old Jew was studious and unathletic, but we should put that behind us to become strong and agricultural). They helped me frame this in terms of antisemitism, connecting it to the vitriol Chassidim receive from other Jews, antisemitism directed towards Jewish men and the ways it's about gender and goyish and Jewish constructions of masculinity, anti-circ rhetoric that depends on the Hellenistic idea of the body as perfection, and Naomi Klein's analysis of the dislike of Yiddish by Ben Yehuda et al as sexist due to their association of it as "feminine" and therefore lesser.

We also talked about the ways the Zionism devalues diaspora culture. I definitely see this in the ways that eg Jewbook zionists used to see the Ashkenazi past in Eastern Europe as simply a time of progroms and violence with nothing generative or valuable. It seems that zionism posits Israel and Israeli culture as the "right" or "completed" version of Judaism, and discourages us from mourning the loss of culture we experienced during the Holocaust and our subsequent exodus.

I think there is nuance here; there are Israeli Yiddishists, there are people practicing all kinds of diaspora Jewish cultures in Israel, etc. I think this is a case where antizionists take something real and over emphasize it to sound bigger and more harmful than it is. It's not Israel's fault that European Jewry got destroyed and it's not Israel's fault that A-WA's family had to leave Yemen. Sometimes it feels like antizionist project those harms onto Israel and Zionism.

At the same time though, there is a kernel of truth in the way at least that many North American zionists view Ashkenazi culture, thought I can't say how much of that is their Zionism and how much is the legacy of American assimilationism (even among religious Jews).

In any case, 2020 is when I started on my journey to deepen my understanding of old world Ashkenazi culture and history. I started with a day spend in the kids' section of the Yiddish Book Center using the beginner education resources there to start teaching myself Yiddish (I had a lot of familiarity because my extended family speaks it, but I didn't yet). About half a second later the pandemic started, and the chaos from that took all my attention for a while, but by the end of the summer I did a deep dive on my genealogy and spent two weeks tracking down documents and names and towns. At that point my family history was no longer abstract, and I started wondering more about what their lives were like in the old country.

I started watching Yiddish plays on zoom, including a production of the Dybbuk that I fell in love with. I got involved in the shtetlcore movement, which was a social media aesthetic fad that was basically the shtetl version of cottagecore. That spring the duolingo Yiddish course came out and I did a six month streak. The following winter I went to a virtual Yiddish conference. I went again two more times in person, and last summer I went to a week-long retreat where we were only allowed to speak Yiddish. I also do Yiddish drag and burlesque.

With this emphasis and knowledge it's hard for me to accept any framing that the only "right" place for Jews to live is Israel, or that diaspora cultures are lesser-than. At some point I encountered a belief among some zionists (though I don't think most believe this) that the Jewish people's differentiation into a myriad of different cultures was a bad thing, and constituted negatively picking up pieces of non-Jewish culture, and that it's good we're back together in Israel so we can become just one culture again. I obviously strongly disagree and I while I wish we had not had to experience the trauma of Khorban Beis Hamikdash and the ensuing displacement, I think the variety of different cultures we split into is beautiful.

Ironically, Israel is actually a place of great cultural exchange between those cultures. And yes, I do worry there will be cultural loss if everything blends together melting pot style, but that's more of a function of how societies work as opposed to official state policy. And I also think the Jewish subcultures will endure. Also the cultural loss is the fault of the Holocaust, the Soviet Union, and nationalist SWANA countries way way more than it is Israel's.

At this point I've come to view the idea that Zionism is detrimental to Jewish culture as weak, but I still am not a Zionist, and that's because the issue with Zionism is not that it harms Jews but that it harms Palestinians.

In early summer 2020, I, along with many other white people were called to reckon with the realities of white supremacy in the US, and our part in it, far more deeply than we had before. I learned to understand how racism functions as a pillar of the US's underpinnings, how white supremacy morphs to sustain itself, how I as an individual and Jews as a group where being used to maintain white supremacy. It fundamentally shifting how I view these topics and how I understand the way that states function.

It was impossible not to apply these concepts to Israel-Palestine. While it is obviously not a one to one comparison and I am frustrated with folks who seem to think it is, the concepts and analyses I learned in June 2020 are very elucidating in understanding Israel as a state, and how white supremacy and Jewish supremacy operate in Israel-Palestine.

One of those concepts is a deeper understanding of power dynamics and the oppressed-oppressor relationship. While that is not the be-all end-all, and it is still possible for an oppressed group to do harm and commit war crimes (as they did on Oct 7), it helped me understand the ways it makes no sense to view Palestinians and Israelis as equal parties or to view Palestinians as "the aggressor" as many zionists do. Riots are the language of the unheard and, yes, so is violence. Do not imagine that I excuse, condone, or celebrate Oct 7, but I understand why it happened.

These past seven months have forced a magnifying glass on Israel-Palestine and I have spent a lot of time thinking and talking about it. I have had many experiences and interactions that have illuminated different things to me, but I'll leave you with this one.

In 1956, a young man named Ro'i Rothberg was killed in Kibbutz Nahal Oz by Palestinians who lived in Gaza. Moshe Dayan came to give a eulogy and in it, he said:

Why should we declare their burning hatred for us? For eight years they have been sitting in the refugee camps in Gaza, and before their eyes we have been transforming the lands and the villages, where they and their fathers dwelt, into our estate.

Which is to say, he is stating point blank that the Nakba happened, and that Nahal Oz -- and in fact Israel -- is built on land that had been farmed and inhabited by Palestinians. The hasbarist canard of "we didn't steal their land" falls away when Moshe Dayan himself admits it, doesn't it?

He is acknowledging, also, that he understands why the people of Gaza are enraged, and why some of them express this rage as violence. He gives his solution: That the Israeli people, and especially the people of Nahal Oz, must always be on their guard. Must never become peaceniks and forget the rage or the people of Gaza. He says "we are a generation that settles the land and without the steel helmet and the cannon's maw, we will not be able to plant a tree and build a home."

His vision is of an Israel that is always militarized and militant, always on its guard, never to know peace. A people who will send their children to the army generation after generation after generation. Never to rest. Never to be able to lower their guard.

And that is awful! Not just for Palestinians, but for Israelis! Dayan lays out here that if the Nakba is not redressed, this will continue forever. He wants it to continue forever; I want the Nakba redressed.

He knew Nahal Oz would be attacked again. And he was right. On the morning of Simchat Torah of this year, 5784, twelve residents of the kibbutz were brutally murdered. A family that my family knows hid there in their bomb shelter for ten hours with their small children until they were rescued. The kibbutz was destroyed.

And Moshe Dayan knew it would happen, all the way back in 1956. And yet did nothing to change our trajectory. I cannot forgive him that.

In the months since the destruction of Nahal Oz, we have seen Gaza pummeled with a terrifying vengeance. For years I have encountered, albeit few and far between, people who have clammored for Gaza to be "turned into a parking lot." I was horrified by them, but did not take them seriously. Yet now, their genocidal flowers have borne fruit. Gaza lies in ruins. 60% of the roads and infrastructure are destroyed. The descendants of refugees are refugees again, chased from their homes by the descendants of refugees. The live in tents, they scrabble for water and food. They live under threat of bombing, or being shot, or dying of illness and malnutrition.

And still Nahal Oz remains destroyed. The Jewish dead of Europe remain dead. The synagogues of Tunis and Algiers remain empty of their Jews. Nothing is fixed, only more and more broken.

Is it to continue this way? Is this the world we want?

I say no. I say another world is possible. And on a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.

[tired-teacher-blog]

You got it babe! And let me tell you one more time that I'm truly sorry for taking so long 🥲

Title : My serenity

Characters : Amajiki/ Gender neutral reader

Genre : Tooth rotting sweetness with a hint of angst at the beginning/ One shot

Trigger Warning : Social Anxiety Disorder/ Panic Disorder

Masterlist|Second Masterlist

Breathe in.. and breathe out..

Come on y/n it's the usual, don't freak out, you can do it.. again..

Breathe in.. and breathe out..

Just the way he taught you, close your eyes and clear your mind.

And you really strived to do it, however..

Your legs shook as your heart hammered in your throat, and no matter how deeply you breathed in and out, your anxieties still shackled you.

You hated those galas you were forced— as a pro hero, to attend every once in a while. You hated being surrounded by people who seemed to naturally follow those social norms you struggle with everyday. And you especially hated forcing yourself to smile and act like you were happy to be among them when all you really wanted was to be home, with him.

It's nothing against anyone in particular, the problem is yours and yours alone.

_ "Tamaki, where did you go?" you almost whimpered your query as your eyes frantically searched for him.

Last time you saw him, he was dragged away to the bar by his friends, leaving you behind with yours.

You excused yourself and rushed to the restroom, locking one of the empty stalls behind you and collapsing on top of the toilet seat lid.

Your breathing was ragged and your eyes stung as you struggled to keep your tears away.

_ "Tamaki, please.." you couldn't even tell what you were begging for exactly, you just wanted to see him.

Should you message him? Ask him to leave already? But that wouldn't be fair to him, why should he witness another one of your illogical episodes?

Sure, he does still suffer from the occasional crippling tension as well, but he's doing better and it would be unjust to pull him back down.

You tried taking another deep breath, but a strangled whimper was all you could manage before your tears followed suit. You felt pathetic, weak, and really out of place. And all of a sudden, that confined booth you sheltered yourself into seemed even smaller, suffocating.

You wanted to be out, but hated seeing everyone again. This feeling, this absurd and illogical feeling sent you spiralling into madness, until..

A gentle knock on your stall door pulled you back abruptly, and you flinched as the knocking continued with no sign of stopping.

_ "Thi.. this one is occupied.. please try.. another one." you struggled between your sobs and tried as best as you could to sound collected.

_ "Y/n, it's me sweetheart, please open the door for me."

Tamaki..

It was him, the only one you wanted to see at that moment, and without thinking, you rushed to unlock the door and jump in his arms as soon as you saw him.

_ "Thank God you're here! I was.. I was.." you couldn't find the right words but you didn't have to, not when you were with him, never when you are with him, because he understands every little thing about you.

_ "I know honey, I've got you." his voice was tender and reassuring, and his touch was warm and loving— same as always, and you found yourself melting in his embrace.

_ "Do you want to go home? This gala is a flop isn't it?" you could feel his rumbling chest as he chuckled, and the serenity that brought you was something only he could provide for you.

_ "I do, I really do."

︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

Half an hour was all it took to reach home where you could finally breathe freely. Although, a tinge of guilt still pierced your heart regardless.

You hated troubling him, yet that seemed to be the one thing you're most capable of.

_ "..'m sorry.." your muffled apology came as soon as the door was locked behind you two.

He flinched sensing your strained body latching onto his back, and turned his head around as he wished to catch even a glimpse of you, but your face was buried so deep between his shoulders that all he could witness was your trembling ones.

_ "Don't apologize beautiful, you did nothing wrong." his heartening voice comforted you, but the rue in your soul went on.

He never blamed you in such circumstances— neither will he ever do, as he knows first hand what it means to be bound by a paralyzing distress.

_ "Will you allow me to see your face?" he requested carefully but made no attempt to break free from your clutches, "it's totally fine with me if you need some more time."

You wished to stay like that a moment longer, but despite the state of mind you were in, you realized how ridiculous it would be if you did.

You nodded slowly and took a few steps back, squeezing your eyes shut and hanging your head in shame.

He wasted no time cradling your cheeks and running his thumbs along your tear stained skin, it was soothing and you almost whined as you leaned into his soft touch.

_ "Tamaki, I'll do better I promise, so please don't give up on me." hearing yourself utter those words overwhelmed you, and the sobs that followed were too much for you to hold back.

_ "I would never let you go so don't even think about it," he pulled you closer, guiding your cheek to rest against his thundering heart, and placing the softest kisses on top of your head, "you've been there for me through it all and you've always made it easier," his arms sneaked around your waist and held you securely in place, "you've never given up on me, and I'm never going to let you go."

Hearing his words only made you weep louder, yet the tears that dampened his shirt weren't those of sorrow, but those of relief.

He embraced you tighter, allowing you to release all the tension that's been suffocating you the whole evening. There was no rush, no urgency, only each other's presence was all that mattered.

Your sobs finally ceased, and you slowly pushed yourself away to be met with a dazzling smile that only you has ever been able to bring out.

_ "I love you y/n," he whispered against your forehead, nuzzling his way to your temple, "always have and always will," his lips inched closer to your trembling ones, only stopping momentarily to search your eyes for any signs of hesitation, and sealing you with a tender kiss when he found the same longing he held for you.

You melted against him, sneaking your arms around his neck and feeling the trace of his fingers along your spine.

His warm lips glided slowly in a rhythmic dance with yours, and you moaned softly when his teeth nibbled playfully on your lower one.

_ "Tamaki.." you got so lost in the sensation, that only when your back hit the bedsheets did you realize that you were no longer in the entryway.

_ "I'm here beautiful, and I'm not going anywhere."

You were exactly where you wanted to be and with the one who's always given your life meaning.. your pillar, your serenity, your home.

@mommymi1kers

[l8dyvenus]

PAC READING

what generational curse are you breaking according to the Major Arcana?

NOTE: this is a general read, please take what resonates and leave what doesn’t. if you have booked a personal reading/free exchange anytime on June 16th or later, please go to my pinned post on my page!! any other people looking to book personal readings/free exchanges, I am currently closed until August 26th!!!

-

PILE ONE

the devil.

trauma bonds, toxic situations, and addictions run through your family’s lineage. some of you could have dealt with something very traumatic while others just took a front row seat to terror land. addictions run through your family’s ancestral history, whether it be physical, material, emotional, or mental. you have seen first had how people indulge in drugs, sex, money, and luxurious things. attached to people and toxic situations that they know does harm but still stay because they are comfortable with that high it gives them. you have seen what it is like to be mentally out of it by depression, anxiety, or any other disorders. watching others as they make excuses to be rude or disregard other human beings because of how they victimize themselves emotionally and mentally. you could have Scorpio in the 4th/8th house placements/Chiron in 4th. you are very different from others, always have been. in your younger years you just knew certain things….felt certain things. it came as a feeling which felt uncomfortable. as a child, seeing these dark things scared you but as you got older you became more self aware and understand it. became more accepting and open minded of darker taboo things. you no longer feared what you didn’t know and felt uncomfortable with, you accepted it with whole heartiness. this is a very specific message but someone could have took this view on life and started going to school for psychology or criminology. you understand exactly how people feel and what they are going through. you know where it stems from and how to heal it. you shine some much light on others even though the darkness lives inside of you. not in a bad way, but a good way. you are one with things in the shadow side which is why others are drawn to you. you don’t succumb or run from your hidden side, you accept it, master it, and use it to your advantage in a healthy way. you turned your weakness into a strength and that is the curse you are breaking. as you heal the most inner darkest broken part of yourself, you heal your family and others. she isn’t your enemy, she’s your friend.

PILE TWO

strength.

I’m hearing heavily, “confidence and the strong will to succeed is a must.” values may have a prominent theme pertaining to your family history. but when I say “values,” I don’t mean common values…I mean the importance of your own thoughts of what type of lifestyle you want, what type of career do you strive for, what area of the world do you feel most comfortable in to call your home, etc. some of you could come from a family that inherit/enter into the family business as they become an adult, others of you may have come from a family where they settled for a lifestyle that they were born into instead of chasing their dreams and following their hearts. this is a generational curse that you will be the first person to break. to you, it seems everyone around you are just existing instead of actually living. you don’t want that, if anything you can feel your soul craving to explore and have that dream life. your first ever job, you knew you weren’t meant to live the typical mundane lifestyle every one else does. you want so badly to get out of that predictable cycle but at the same time you don’t even know where to start—especially when you’re lacking the courage to go after it or the support. maybe perhaps thinking, “well it didn’t work out for my family, who am I to think it’s going to work out for me?” there’s a lot of negative self talk, being hard on yourself and being your own worst enemy. I get it, it feels like a battle between your mind and heart. you plan, prepare, build up the courage to chase what you want, but when the time comes there’s a blockage and you just don’t know why. some people might call you lazy or slow but your not, you’re just stuck. and instead of helping you, others just belittle you as they watch you drown. it may feel like things won’t work out, that things are endless and pointless but for you, my love, everything is going to work out faaaar more than what you had hoped for. it will take time, and strength, and guidance, but you are carrying the dreams and power of all of your ancestors to free them from that same cycle you so deeply wish to be released from too. it’s going to be hard, I will be completely real. but you got this, your family is counting on you. blood, sweat, and tears of your ancestors run through you and protect you. last message? but somebody’s grandma is their guide? might’ve been closed or she died before or when you were young. heard a lot about her as you got older but yes, she’s with you.

PILE THREE

the lovers.

lillith in the seventh house is what immediately crossed my mind. ever since birth, you could have had examples of relationships that surrounded you that may have not been all that great. your parents probably were always fighting, very distance with each other or got divorced/broke up early on. they most likely didn’t like each other or agreed on a lot of things, but if it wasn’t the case, it doesnt have to be. although, your perception of what love is, is a little different than most. when you were a kid, you more than likely had a fairy tale love, one where someone would rescue you. you had dreams of being a princess or meeting your lover like how people do in corny rom-coms. but as you got older, started to actually court and date, love wasn’t as kind to you. you had your fair share of heart breaks and heart aches. you’ve allowed people to have a hold on you, take from you, and then toss you away as if you didn’t mean anything. you’ve had issues dealing with love before where your loving energy was never reciprocated. you probably been hurt three times before you realized shit had to change. you were playing a repetitive cycle. found yourself relearning love lessons over and over again. different lover but same experience on how things played out. emotionally unavailable, distance, over giving while they only took, believing the lies they told and ignoring the red flags, etc. your inner child has been craving love, but you were looking for it and accepting it from people who did not deserve it from you. you realized that the relationships you were holding onto, had nothing to do with love but a trauma bond. you never really liked the people you dealt with, you just felt lonely and was easily attached because of it. you wanted the attention, affection, and love that you lacked, regardless if it was with someone healthy or not. but these relationships showed you what you really want and don’t want and what you need to work on to heal. it showed you the ugly truth that you constantly unconsciously run from. the result of your past relationships showed a highlight of how relationships in your family was shown to you, and that was something that didn’t quite sit right with you. it was like an epiphany. you saw through your own eyes that you were reliving the same relationship experience family around you had too. I just heard for someone specifically, your parents or an aunt or close sister could’ve talked about each other/people they dated to you. could’ve told you that guys/girls aren’t shit. that love is nothing but a joke. just entirely degrading what it’s like to be in love, to feel love, to want love. and for a moment, you might have believed it. although, something in your heart was telling you other wise. that love is real, that true unconditional love will happen for you, that those trauma bonds that are connecting you with other hurt people is not real. you’re finding your true soul tribe. connecting with others whether platonic or romantic that make you feel compatible, comfortable, and free. you’re no longer forcing situations and learning how to healthy detach and handle people who don’t give as much as you do. you are putting the self in self care, and knowing what you no longer what to settle for. your ancestors are guiding you, supporting you, and protecting you from energy vampires and people who do not have good intentions. you heal yourself and your heart by indulging in self love/care and proper healthy relationships, you heal the cycle of hardships your family has faced. you will be in the first in the family to get married if anyone who’s biologically related to you has not. as I typed this last sentence and finished it off, I ended at 1:11am, so that is just as much clarification for new beginnings and manifestations coming to life.

PILE FOUR

temperance.

anger, aggression, and lack of tolerance may have amplified strong emotions in yourself. conflicts may arise when ever there is a slightest mistake. you may come from a highly dysfunctional family, one where they would loose patience over the littlest things. the type to yell at you for not getting an answer correct on your homework the first time, the type to be very defensive or too blunt. it may have felt like you had to walk on egg shells your entire childhood or war was going on inside your house. things may have been super chaotic but as you got older, you realized none of this shaped you into a person with a peace of mind. you may have realized yourself you are very quick tempered or just traumatized in a lot of ways. that you craved stability but found you feel comfortable in chaos. you found that physically you’ve grown up, but emotionally and mentally you’re still stuck at your seven year old self. you’re breaking the generational curse to heal your inner child and let them guide the way for you. you’re no longer wanting to be stuck in survival mode and feeling like you always have to be guarded. you want peace in your life, a sense of happiness and tranquility. you probably were the first to move out of your family’s home or will be and whenever you go back to visit, you will no longer find the sense of being comfortable in chaos from being there. just realizations and thoughts on how can you do more for yourself to be better than the family you come from. you are on the journey to self exploration and assisting others with healing them from their childhood wounds as well. you’re getting yourself mentally and emotionally prepared just incase you may have kids yourself. some of you may even be afraid to reproduce on your own, but regardless there is a deep desire to not repeat the same parenting patterns that were taught to you. whether it be another human being, an animal, plant, or insect, you treat everything and everybody with that same compassion you wish your family had gave to you.



[funkybotwstuff]

milbert-maggot

Hi! I'm not sure if your still taking requests, but if so, can you do something like: your Links younger sister (like 12-13 years old) and meeting the champions/how the champions would react to her and how they would like you. idk this was just a random idea I had, it's okay if you can't write it! <3

School year’s over, so finally some time to get back to requests! Thank you @milbert-maggot for the request 😎 I adore this concept, so hope you enjoy these! 

Urbosa: 

Let’s start with the most motherly one of the group!

She was pleasantly surprised that Link had a younger sister in the first place since he never really brought you up in conversation at all

Then again, he’s not too much of a talker in the first place

She’s got a good sense of humor about it too; she’d poke fun at Link for a second for never mentioning what a sweet little sister he has

She’d adore you so much it’s not even funny

Urbosa would take you under her wing immediately and vow to protect you should Link not be there for some reason, especially since you’re a young girl and particularly vulnerable considering the current state of Hyrule with monsters running amuck

Very gentle and easygoing around you, and incredibly patient to boot

So much so that she’d playfully excuse any minor mistakes you make, but turn it into a learning experience at the same time

After all, you’re just a kid, but you still need to learn the ins and outs of everything to grow into a well rounded person

She’s willing to listen to your input on situations and believes it’s important to do so as it builds a stronger bond between the two of you and helps build trust in her

She likes to listen to any interests that you’re inclined to tell her to keep you entertained and distracted from the massive issue at hand (AHEM Calamity Ganon)

Urbosa’s also encouraging!

She understands that it’s difficult having a loved one constantly leaving to serve a duty to protect Hyrule (as the Hero of Hyrule no less), so she’s very much sympathetic in that regard

She’ll often ask about Link as well, saying things such as “He is a good brother, is he not?” and sometimes asking about how he is at home to gauge what he’s truly like as a person 

Urbosa knows it’s hard to “follow in the footsteps” of a Goddess-blessed highly skilled knight, so she whittles down any extreme expectations you might have about yourself or that others bestow upon you and reaffirms that it is best to be your own person and strive for the greatness only you can achieve

Hey, it might seem heavy for a kid, but she’s aware of the impacts expectations have on young people

I mean, have you seen Zelda? And Link for that matter. Hell, even Revali

She’s supportive too, like if you told her that you wanted to be a knight just like your big brother? Absolutely! Fight for what you believe in! You want to make a living as a tailor one day? Fantastic, she’s all about it. Baker? Stablehand? Jeweler? Blacksmith? She’s sure you’d be amazing at any of these

As long as you put in the work of course!

She’d definitely take you on sand seal rides! Urbosa would let you stand on the same shield she’s on so you don’t fall off

Oh, and as a bonus: she’d absolutely take you for sunset rides on Vah Naboris with Link’s permission

Daruk:

Daruk would honestly be really excited to find out that Link has a little sister

The more, the merrier after all!

He'll be like that one cool uncle that gives you piggyback rides and roughhouses with you and is just an all around chill dude

Link would probably have to stop Daruk and intervene before he does anything reckless though, because I just KNOW he’d try to give you some prime rock roast with Goron spice as a treat or try to teach you the values of Goron wrestling to get big and strong

He means well, he just forgets how fragile Hylians can be from time to time

Otherwise, he’s a really gentle dude around you (if not nervous about accidentally hurting you) and of course he’d protect you at any cost

Because if he wasn’t gentle, goddess forbid he’d give you one of those back slaps that’d totally send you out into orbit 💀

Honestly, Daruk would just give you a Goron-kid-sized Cobble Crusher as a surefire way to defend yourself if you weren’t in the presence of Link or the other Champions

A for effort, Daruk, but perhaps giving a 12 year old Hylian something meant for a Goron kid might not be the most productive

He’d probably give you a nickname like he does with Link and Zelda, something like Tiny Hylian or flat out call you Kid

He’d be talking about your relationship with Link too like “It must be awesome to have Link as yer big brother, he must give the best piggybacks. Y’know, I’m sure you’re a big help to the little guy at home!”

He would absolutely constantly be coming up with new jokes to tell you to make sure you’re happy and definitely not bored

It’s illegal to be bored around Daruk! He’s the life of the party

Daruk would have so many stories to tell you! Everything from battles to tasty rock feasts to life near Death Mountain, he can guarantee that he’ll keep you entertained for hours

Always accompanies you on walks. It’s always nice to have a huge Goron bodyguard as your buddy!

Revali:

So the Hylian Champion whom he already dislikes has a KID sister?! Oh boy.

This is just not a good mix really. You're screwed either way. Good luck girl

You were doomed to be his least favourite (aside from Link) from the start. I mean, he's all about being stoic and stern, so adding a kid to the bunch does not sit well with him

It’s not a secret that he wouldn’t be the biggest fan of you from the start, it's written all over his face: rolling eyes, sighing every other time you talk… yeah, it's obvious to tell

If Link brought you along to a Champion’s meeting, Revali wouldn’t be thrilled to say the least. In fact, he'd oppose it greatly

“A child should not be concerned with our business. Really, did you think this through?”

Suffice to say he’d try to ignore you ಠ ೧ ಠ so get used to being brushed aside and ignored if you tried to initiate any sort of bond

He has a moral obligation to keep you safe (can't taint his reputation by letting a kid get hurt while he's around), but frankly doesn't want to spend time following you around and making sure you don't accidentally kill yourself

In his mind, that's solely Link's responsibility, seeing as he brought you to this probably confidential and no nonsense Champions meeting in the first place…but he'll (reluctantly) look after you if no one else can step up to the plate

He wouldn't be very talkative around you should you happen to be alone together

The most you'd initially get out of him is something along the lines of "Don't stray too far," Or "I won't follow you if you slink away, so you better be careful, or else."

He'd also say things like "I would advise you not to try my patience", but in reality, it's mostly a bluff

I say 'mostly' in the way that he can't legitimately do anything bad to you, but he WILL smack talk you into compliance

If he ever brought up his disdain for Link around you and you proceed to tell him off, he'd just start bickering back

He'd respond sardonically if you were ever snarky to him. It's childish to retort like that, so he wouldn't do this in front of anyone else. But in his mind, he's just claiming the high ground over some snooty child.

And if you touched his feathers out of curiosity, he'd recoil and tell you off

Honestly, you'd be able to break through and charm him with your little kid spunk given enough time

He'll deny it if prompted, but he'll slowly get accustomed to your presence

After a while, he'll still act dismissive of you, but he cares more than he lets on

Eventually, he'd just start acting like a cynical big brother to you and he'll maaaaybe let you touch his feathers without chewing you out

Who knows? If you manage to really get through to him, then he may comply with giving you a little flying tour of the Tabantha region 👀

Mipha:

Did someone say sisterly love??? Well I did, and that's what you're getting from Mipha

Because of Link's past with Mipha, there's a very high chance that the two of you got acquainted when you were pretty young and continued to build up a relationship from there

Mipha is a welcoming girl with a kind and polite persona, and you'd be no exception to her sweetness

With your history together, she would definitely act as a surrogate big sister type to you

And since she's got so much experience having a younger sibling, she'd practically be an expert on how to keep you entertained and focused

She'd be very encouraging towards you because you feel safe sharing things with her that would feel too personal for the other Champions to hear

If you were at a Champions meeting, there's no doubt that you'd mostly cling to Mipha since she's the only other familiar face around (other than Link of course)

She would also be a tad overprotective of your whereabouts. She wouldn't be suffocating God no, but she would be worried about how you're faring

Mipha would make sure you'd be in arms length of the group since she's aware that the current state of Hyrule is no place for a child to get lost in

She's just anxious about keeping you safe and secure. You're a pretty important person

Commenting about how much you're growing would probably be an almost monthly occurrence. She's been her short stature for a while, so seeing you sprout like a weed is exciting

If you hung onto her hand, she'd swing her arm back and forth while you walk like you do when you walk with Link. She's subconsciously adapted some of the mannerisms that Link has towards you

She also likes to talk with Link about arranging potential play dates between you and Sidon for a bit of cute little kid bonding time

Overall, she just really likes having you around like you're the little sister she never had

[itsclydebitches]

I kinda wonder, what could bakugou do (hori write bakugou to do) to make him less popular with the "anti" crowd. Like He was a horrid child no doubt and people who try to put blame on Deku or lessen the terrible shit bakugou did aren't great. But as we don't rly see it, we have to assume bakugous behaviour wasn't stopped, we only ever saw his mum "punishing" him when he was being rude after getting kiddnapped. Nothing will excuse what bakugou did, but he has stopped? He's overall a harsh person but he's not harrassing and bullying people anymore, specifically not deku, he's trying to attone for what he did to deku and has now apologised for it. His behaviour was never viewed as justified or good in the series, he's a scary figure in middle school, we're not meant to like his behaviour, so the series itself hasn't justified his actions.

As someone who relate to both bakugou and deku more than I'd like to admit (never told someone to jump tho, that's fucked lol) so I can 100% understand not liking or even hating bakugou but as someone who's not 15 anymore, looking back I also made a lot of really shitty decisions and like bakugou have tried to make up for it, and like deku I was 'friends' with people who hurt me.

Is there anything he can do for the "antis" to just dislike him rather that be "anti"?

(I'm very sorry if you've talked about this somewhere, you can just tell me to look for it if you have, I'll continue to look for your posts on the subject)

Hey there, anon! I think I’ve spoken about this only tangentially and/or in my main Bakugo meta, which is too big for anyone sane to read. So yeah, let’s chat here!

For me personally—and that’s all I can ever do: speak personally. I think it’s important to keep in mind that there is no single solution to please the “anti” crowd. Each fan will be looking for something slightly different in Bakugo’s character, much of which might contradict what a “stan” is currently enjoying. Given how charged a character he is, I'm not sure it's possible to get the entire fandom to like him—what I’m looking for hinges on having a different reading of the story than you seem to. Meaning, I think the series does justify his behavior. Not in any overt, super obvious way like having all the characters go, “Wow, Bakugo! I sure do love how you threaten people all the time. That’s super cool and heroic!” Things are rarely that straightforward. Rather, it’s in a more subtle, but consistent manner that paints a rather conclusive picture across hundreds of chapters.

Simply put, Bakugo is continually rewarded for his actions. Or, if not outright rewarded, his actions are ignored in a way that implies silent acceptance. Characters may not always like what he does... but they're willing to let it slide because Bakugo's heroism was always treated as a given, not something he had to earn and prove.

With the ever necessary disclaimer that I’m not fully caught up yet, here’s a list of some of the things that stood out to me in the first half of the series:

Bakugo’s bullying made him the most popular kid in school.

Bakugo’s bullying was ignored by/outright supported by the teachers.

Bakugo’s bullying did not hinder him from getting into U.A., one of the most prestigious hero schools around.

Despite acting horribly throughout his time at U.A. too, this behavior was continually ignored by the teachers and other authority figures around him.

Bakugo’s struggle to realize that other people aren’t “trash” doesn’t hurt his achievements in any way. He still gets top scores, still wins the tournament, etc.

Bakugo’s behavior gets him special attention from All Might, the greatest hero and Bakugo’s personal idol.

His behavior doesn’t make others dislike him in any manner that’s taken seriously. Everybody is still willing to not just put up with Bakugo, but—in time—start treating his behavior as a quirk (no pun intended lol) that they’re secretly fond of, rather than something he should legitimately be striving to change. Kirishima is the most overt example of this.

This is compounded by his behavior constantly being framed as humorous. Much like with Mineta’s perverted actions, characters might superficially go, “No, that’s bad!” but the story never demands any significant development because then we’d lose the “joke” of Bakugo screaming in rage at the slightest inconvenience, threatening to murder someone over nothing, constantly belittling everyone around him in a “funny” manner, etc. When fans talk about development of a manga character as archetypal and extreme as Bakugo, most don’t really want to see significant change to his base personality. Because then that would result in someone who doesn’t look like the “real” Bakugo: someone nicer, more even-tempered, more mature, etc. But for those of us who were never drawn to that personality in the first place, the continued acceptance of his rude, egotistical, and violent behavior is discomforting. The easiest comparison I can draw is between this and Bakugo’s mother slapping him. That slap is meant to be another “joke”—we see it constantly in shonen anime, something "humorous" you shouldn’t take too seriously because haha, it's just an overprotective mother—but many fans do take it seriously, using it as the basis for a whole “Bakugo was abused and this explains his behavior” reading. Well, I take the “joke” of Bakugo’s threats and insults seriously, especially in a story that starts with something like telling Izuku to jump off the roof. In the same way that many fans want others to treat Bakugo’s mother as a serious topic that has had a negative influence on his development, I want the series to take Bakugo’s everyday actions seriously as a negative influence on… well, everyone around him. But it doesn’t. His base personality is grudgingly adored.

The above two points are seen most overtly in Izuku, who never wavers in his respect for Bakugo despite how Bakugo treats him. Not just prior to U.A., but during their training too. Izuku, as the protagonist, is the emotional heart of this tale, so when he talks about how inspiring Bakugo is, it encourages the reader to see his behavior as inspiring too. Rather than, as said, something that needs to change. Izuku's continued friendship with Bakugo, his adoration of him, and his acceptance of the way he's treated has severely warped how the entire story sees Bakugo's actions. After all, if #pure Izuku can see the good in Bakugo, why can't everyone else? He must not be that bad after all.

I could get into detailed analyses of all the above—like how Bakugo was the one comforted after attacking Izuku outside the dorms at night and how the messed up relationship he has with Izuku is upheld as something to nurture; how the remedial courses he had to take were made to be rather silly, thereby undermining their supposed importance to his development; how Bakugo’s kidnapping had nothing to do with his flaws, but much of the fandom uses it as a way to dismiss any appropriate consequences because, “Hasn’t he suffered enough?” etc.—but in the interest of keeping this within a readable length, I’ll leave it at that. The point is that Bakugo has always been privileged when it comes to his behavior, resulting in others either outright praising it, ignoring it, or demanding that he change a miniscule bit, which always keeps him far below the standards of both his peers and the expectations of a hero. Everyone in 1-A must learn to be even better than the good people they already are... Bakugo needs to learn that other people aren't dirt at the bottom of his shoes. It's never been a particularly impressive development when pit against the rest of the class. All of which can make something like an apology feel pretty hollow. Yes, he’s apologized and I say with all seriousness that that’s great! But how does that apology stack up against 300+ chapters of content? As Bakugo’s words highlight, he's been a really awful person up "until now": he was consumed by Izuku being “miles ahead of [him],” he “looked down on [him]” because he didn’t have a quirk, he “didn’t want to recognize that,” he “hated that,” “grew distant,” “tried to beat you down,” “opposed you and tried to show my superiority over you,” and ends it all with, “it probably doesn’t mean anything telling you all this” before finally getting to the “I’m sorry.” This is basically a laundry list of how horrible a person Bakugo has been for the entire series, with an acknowledgement that this apology is coming really, really late. This is the moment where I could START to like Bakugo, depending on how he acts form here on out, but that pivotal moment arrived after six years of content and in the final arc of the story. It’s too late. Bakugo needed this kind of self-reflection and positive action 250+ chapters ago so he could (hopefully) grow into a better person across the story, not at the story's end. What we got instead is 322 chapters of him being a really horrible person, but the story going out of its way to excuse or even praise that behavior the majority of the time.

As a quick comparison to end on, I think what Bakugo needed was what Soo Jin got in True Beauty. You don’t need to have seen the drama to follow along. The tl;dr is that she has a lot of the core qualities of Bakugo: an all-consuming drive to win that was created due to abusive parents with high expectations, resulting in her bullying a peer to a pretty horrific extent. The difference between them is how the story frames their actions. When Soo Jin becomes the bully she loses everything. Rather than succeeding academically, her grades plummet, making it clear that this anxiety and self-doubt (things the fandom keeps insisting Bakugo is struggling with, but that rarely ever show up in the text) is actually impacting her day-to-day life. Her best friend drops her because she’s not going to support her choices. The boy she likes rejects her. She’s eventually forced to start over somewhere new - which importantly separates her from the girl she was bullying - and get some distance from her parents, resulting in the growth needed to become a healthier, happier, good person again. So when Soo Jin apologizes to the girl she hurt, it feels earned. The story continually recognized how horrific her actions were and put her into a place where she either had to change, or continue losing at everything else that was important to her. Bakugo? Bakugo doesn’t lose. Oh, he claims he does because he’s comparing himself to Izuku constantly, but that’s just him thinking in extremes. He still wins academically. Still wins many battles. Still wins at having friends. Still wins by maintaining the prestige of being a U.A. student. Still wins by getting All Might’s attention. Still wins by receiving Izuku’s respect and an agreement to maintain this rivalry that Bakugo is so obsessed with. Bakugo comes out well 99% of the time, he just thinks he's "lost" because he can't stand not being the absolute best.

For me, the story needed to have Bakugo face consequences for his behavior, not receive rewards and/or have others ignore it, and that revelation/apology needed to come way, way sooner. For me the issue is not a specific action that Horikoshi can have Bakugo do in the next chapter and them bam, I like him now. The problem is Bakugo’s entire concept, how he’s received by the entire cast, and his run across this entire series. "Entire" is the key word there. Which is why the “But he’s apologized. What more do you antis want?” reactions don’t sit well. What we wanted is a better written redemption arc across those 300+ chapters, not a single scene that’s meant to have us forget all the other problems inherent in the story. At this point it’s a far more complicated situation than, “Bakugo just needs to do X, Y, and Z and then we’re golden.” At the end of the day, Horikoshi failed to make me like him as a person and I’m pretty sure he isn’t going to change Bakugo enough to make him likable to me. Bakugo was never the sort of character I’d be inclined towards without a serious, nuanced redemption arc, but sadly, a core, crucial part of that redemption arc took six years to arrive. At this point there’s no way to change the problems in Bakugo’s writing for that huge chunk of the series and not enough time left in the series, it seems, to do the work we should have seen across the entire run. Honestly, idk if the Bakugo we'll get going forward is someone I can just dislike as opposed to being really uncomfortable with, but my money is on there being too little story left and too much investment in upholding Bakugo's base personality for that to happen. I could absolutely be proven wrong! But I think the problems are structural and needed to be better dealt with from page one, not hastily patched over in the final hour.

[ackerpreach]

This ending .... I can name 500 reasons and I will name them right now, because I don’t think I’m the only one who is upset with how things turned out. (Also, A positive message for all of you at the end)

MAJOR LEAKS SPOILERS/ READ WITH CAUTION

Update: after reading more theories from fellow RM bloggers, and sleeping over it one day, this entire chapter might be an april fools... Don't fully lose hope yet beautiful people. It's me just giving a review on a possible fake April fools chapter

After following this franchise since 2013, so nearly a DECADE. this ending is a pure disserve to the entire fandom. I feel like Yams has rushed it just for the sake of being done with the entire manga. So many things are left open, characters and their developemt are reverted back all the way to chapter 1 or are left even worse than that...

Mikasa’s worthless character development/ Aaronmika’s horrible toxic codependent relationship 

Oh honey... Let’s start with how horrible Isayama has treated her. We were all rooting for her, because we all felt like she was so misunderstood. She had a horrible childhood and imprinted on a guy who treated her like trash 99 percent of the story. And then, slowly but surely, she starts to realize she has to stop obsessing over him in the uprising arc with the help of a real man who treats her like a queen, more importantly, he treats her like a real human being. This man sees her for her abilities and that she has the power to be self dependent. She learned parts of herself, that she was able to work together with him like no one else could.  She learned parts of herself she was unable to do so if she kept obsessing about Aaron. All this love, care, mutual understanding and RESPECT these two shared. 

but...NAH FUCK THAT, right Yams?? Throw all this development away, all this bonding. Let’s make the main female lead even more yandere than she already was in the first season. Let her make out with his decapacitated head (like dude, this is also pure disrespect to Aaron’s dead body btw) and let her obsess even more about the guy who has treated her no better than a piece of toilet cloth 99 percent of the time. The guy who was never really appreciative in front of her for saving his ass billions of times, who always pushed her away, who yells at her and snaps at her whenever he can instead of reasoning and talking calmly with her in mature way. (EVEN PARODY YOUTUBE CHANNELS WHO DONT SHIP ANYTHING MAKE IT A TROPE WHERE AARON TELLS MIKASA HE HATES HER GUTS WHENEVER HE CAN) 

Then after all that, suddenly Yams tries to last minute persuade us Aaron’s always been head over heels for her???  He should have build their relationship better which he hasn’t even tried to do so... He must be thinking his fans are stupid for eating this from his hands.    

Like seriously??? What is this??? 

Isayama is just fully contradicting himself. It’s like someone tipped him off with a buttload of money for him to write Aaron like this to satisfy shipping needs and to cash in those extra money’s from it. Even if he tried to cater to Erem*ika, this is not how you write a loving and caring couple which people will root for. 

This next two panels just freaking infuriates me to the core of my soul. I can’t even describe how dissapointed I am with Mikasa. 

Why is she clutching that head so obsessively like that?  Why is she walking and turning her back away from her comrades? After everything they have done for her, after all they’ve been through?! After everything Armin has done? Standing up for Mikasa, beating up Aaron for hurting her. I feel like even Jean, Connie and Sasha have cared more for her in a healthy way.  Sure, Aaron cares for her romantically too apparently (What a twist Yams :)), but has he aided her to becoming a mentally healthier individual? Has he aided in her mental stability? The answer is a big fat NO!  All I see between these two after today’s raw Chapter’s are too Yandere obsessed individuals who have no clue on how to maintain a healthy relationship. 

Love should only go as far as the heart can endure and it seems like her character is not willing to be aware of that. Even Armin was able to let go of Aaron in those latest panels. Why does her entire character resolve around this guy??? I really do not understand. Her Ackerbond and her age is not an excuse for her to throw her life away like this. 

Shonen’s disgusting portrayal of women 

I’ve seen this countless of times in the many years I’ve watched anime. SasuS*ku from Naruto, Ichih*me from Bleach, Shinji and that oranged hair girl from Neon Evangelion.. Why do these women get decreased to simpletons with one single goal? And that is to obsess over a bland male lead who either treats them like trash or doesn’t notice them up until the last last chapter (LITERALLY WHAT YAMS HAS DONE). Some go even as far as the male leading wanting the kill the female love interest and yet the female lead is still in love with them???. It’s disgusting for him to write the MAIN female character this way. 

It’s dissapointing we believed in Isayama doing Mikasa’s character right. That she’s finally being able to let go of her codependency and to live for herself maybe live in Hizuru and find more about her roots???, but every single time she shows some improvement, it’s burried deep in the ground again by the Author. It almost seems like a lowkey kink of some of the male Mangaka’s to write about a girl obsessing over them no matter what. I see this so many times to the point that I truly stand behind it that some of them might have this fantasy. 

I wished he didn’t portray her last panels like this. Everyone else is living their lives while Mikasa is still grieving about him. I’m not saying she’s not allowed to grieve and everyone takes it at their own pace, but cmon... Show her living her life too. This is too much. Her being next to his grave and grieving him as her last panels just shoves it in our faces that YET AGAIN, BEING OBSESSED WITH AARON IS ALL HER CHARACTER STANDS FOR. 

I truly despise how Isayama handles her grieving, kissing his decapacitated head, carrying it around like some handbag, and her last panels being thissss.

The world leaving Paradis alone miraciously after all that??? 

It’s so weird and out of place with so many political feuds and disagreements between the world and Paradis, the entire Rumbling happening and we can see Mikasa just chilling outside in Paradis with no one bothering them. You can see the rings of the walls in the picture below.  I don’t know the exact reason behind as the manga is still in Korean, but from what I see, the story went the route of: throwing a happy ending without enough proper reason and  it was all fixed just like that in a snap! It doesn’t fit the entire narrative of attack on titan for things to be so peacful out of nowhere. When it comes to the narrative, how things work in that world, how hard it is to achieve peace, everything made somewhat sense up until chapter 138. 139 seems so so out of place...  It’s like I’m reading a chapter from a totally different manga. 

Aaron Yoghurt got defeated so easily/ Aaron’s character assassination

The build up on the first part of the rumbling was great, those kids carrying coins. You could feel humanity’s fear and Aaron’s hatred in those pages. As if he truly had a goal and he has turned away completely from his comrades and his closest friends with no return. The world seemed truly doomed, but he  got defeated just like that. He was in the nape all this time (because screw the warhammer power of hiding yourself elsewhere in his ginormous titan body). There is no master plan as we all expected, and in the end he just acts all yandere in the paths with Armin and that’s it... They massacared his entire character as well. Many fan theories created a better ending with his character. Him being reincarnated as Historia’s baby would be so much better. For him to still keep on seeking and to strive for power. It has always been his motive. It’s his personality from the start until chapter 138. Even if things are okay, to keep on going and to seek that adventure, but then.. He’s so weak and directionless suddenly.. It’s so weird... This is not Aaron at all???

Using Aaron for him this entire post, because I don’t want others to invade our tags... :)))

Historia’s baby 

The only panel we got from Historia’s child was this. Just a normal kid, normal life... Why did Isayama put so much effort in highlighting Historia’s pregnancy if it was nothing too spectacular anyway? It seemed he had major plans for this kid and for their development too??? It’s again, big plans, big developments, big relationship dynamic, but all  got thrown out of the window... 

Don’t read the next sentence if you are a minor :’) 

It’s like almost ejaculating, but stopping right before it and repeating that every single Arc.

My energy when writing about this chapter is the same as Nostalgia Critic and his hatred for atla the live action

In Conclusion...

I know us fans should not be deciding on how this story should end, because this is Isayama’s story after all, but I truly wished for him to wrap up things much more rounded. There are so many unanswered questions... Again, I think for the sake of being done with this manga, he rushed all of it. He’s become a millionaire from this story and now his pockets are jammed full, I guess he doesn’t need to put in any effort anymore, right? Perhaps a controversial opinion, but I really wished he cared for his fans a little bit more with this last chapter by giving some answers that make sense at least. It’s his fans who gave him this platform and the opportunity to tell his story and for him to at least give in a bit of effort especially in the last chapter is the least he can do. Rivamika being canon or not, he truly rushed it without thinking much about the entire story line. He expanded it so much, he didn’t know how to bind it all together.

Even after all this, I’ll still ship them in the headcanon type of way. I do give credit to Isayama for giving us a template for such a beautiful dynamic between Levi and Mikasa. He decides to waste it, but that doesn’t mean we have to.  I want to thank all the people with amazing writing skills, the ones who give us beautiful art like @carmenlee @phit chan @vialesana​ and many more. I want to remind all of you that we can create something beautiful of our own and we don’t neccesarily need canon lore for that. The art I’ve seen, the fanfictions I’ve read have touched me deeper than Isayama ever could at times.The Mikasa in our mind is appreciate of Levi, is mature, classy and has a strong will for herself. They spend their remaining days together peacefully. Keep writing, keep drawing, stay creative. 

I love you all so so much, I’ve only been publicly active since March, but thank you Rivamika fandom for giving me so much joy as a lurker these past 7 years <3