#perks of being asian | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

writeronartblock · 11 months ago

Text

Listing fucked up shit that happened in BoBoiBoy, purely from memory (so details maybe fuzzy or I'm over-exaggerating):

1. At the start of the series, he literally got his powers at the age of like, 10. HE'S A BABY

2. The Second Tiers manifestations:

2.A. Halilintar got manifested after being seperated from the other elements and getting tortured via balloon poppings.

2.A.1. The fact that Adudu practically brainwashed him into joining his side after the fact.

2.A.2. Additionally, the fact that the massive drawback to BoBoiBoy's elemental split is the fact that he slowly loses his memories and gets amnesia? Fucked. Up.

2.B. Angin got upgraded to Taufan by getting DRUGGED via potion(?) enhanced cookies. Bro literally got into an acid trip and almost destroyed his town as he's promoting those cookies

2.C. Gempa manifested after having watched all of his friends NEARLY DIE and feeling helpless about the situation because he wasn't strong enough. DUDE–

3. The fact that Fire manifested as a STRESS COPING MECHANISM. OMG

4. Getting back to the getting drugged part, yeah, remember that episode when the gang got zapped by an emotion amplifier ray gun? It pretty much works the same way as the potion thing that happened Taufan

5. ONTO THE MOVIE, OH MY GOD THE MOVIE

5.A. Honestly, because of that, if there ever was like, a subplot, where Ochobot asks BoBoiBoy to take a rest and he refuses because of his crippling hero complex. I would get 'Nam flashbacks

6. To be honest I don't remember much about the movie actually, though I do vaguely remember that he got blasted into space and nearly froze to death? Or was that BBB Galaxy? Or both?

7. Fuck, wasn't he forced to fight Fang because of Kaizo and nearly died in the series finale?

8. For BBBG S1, I don't actually remember much aside from the season finale

9. Oh, but that timeloop episode got me tripped up like crazy. That is my NIGHTMARE scenario

10. And fuck, don't get me started on episode 14. Watching Hali show up again after so long was like watching an angel descend from heaven.

11. But the fact that he was flickering from his normal form to Hali in blinks and flashes, seeing him pushing himself to his absolute limit felt heartbreaking

12. Onto, BBB Movie 2

13. AAAAHHHHHH, THEY GOT SUCKED AWAY

14. BRO, WHEN I SAW SOLAR DISINTEGRATING INTO DUST I GOT SO WORRIED. LIKE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THE REST OF THEM, HE'S PART OF BOBOIBOY HIMSELF, WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE'S NOW GONE????

15. Near death counter gets added several times here, like it isn't high enough already

And this is where I'll stop, since I haven't started on BBB Galaxy S2 yet (the comics or the now animated BBB Sori)

#boboiboy #i just finished watching the second movie with my brother literally an hour ago #the relationship i have with the series is like and on and off thing #naturally watched on tv as a child #perks of being southeast asian :p #got into galaxy as a middle schooler and it became an obsession of mine #now im in my last year of high school. basking in my nostalgia for the series #and finally realizing how fucked up this series is #honestly despite all of this #boboiboy is a genuinely good cartoon #malaysian cartoons are the fucking goat man #i was on that Upin & Ipin and BoBoiBoy and Pada Zaman Dahulu and Ejen Ali hype train #wooooo!

118 notes · View notes

sameoldloneliness · 1 year ago

Text

"like a wild animal gnawing off a leg to escape the jaws of a trap, i force myself to find new places to call home. inescapable choices to deal with inescapable tragedies. i just worry that i only have so many legs to stand on, and one day i'll fall and hit the basement of loneliness."

what is the nature of sacrifice?

fake out - fall out boy // atonement (2007) // the year in ugliness by arabelle sicardi // 14 lines from love letters or suicide notes by doc luben // crazy rich asians (2018) // the perks of being a wallflower (2012) // symphony no. 2 in c minor, or the resurrection symphony - gustav mahler // myself

#musings about intense convos with friends #thinking today about all that i had to give up or leave in pursuit of actually being happy #not just people and places but also ideas about myself and the world #fall out boy #atonement #arabelle sicardi #doc luben #crazy rich asians #the perks of being a wallflower #gustav mahler #webweaving #compilation #parallels #idk folks notes app poetry made itself into a post again

150 notes · View notes

ichiro-artosaki · 2 years ago

Photo

s;lakdfj still not as bad as the time a staples employee licherally 🤏 asked me if i was an adult and when i said yes, he then told me, “oh, you look like a teenager dressed like an adult.”

LMAO ma’amsir??? i am 26

#the perks of being short and asian i guess LA;KSDJFIW;A #but there's no reason for anyone to bend down to talk with me like that i was lowkey offended ;aslkdfj and i didn't think i'd be ngl #ichiro's doodles #comics

188 notes · View notes

tariah23 · 7 months ago

Text

Crying at the video of that dude going around asking poc and black folks if they could change their race, what would it be and every nb in that video we’re saying “white,” because of privilege with their whole chest, albeit, a little bit ashamed, while EVERY black person looked at the dude like he was crazy and was like “NO!? What the hell are you even talking about?” Like….. yeah, of course.

Also… Right

#of course nbs will fold for that sense of white security they already turn into kkk members when it comes to black ppl for free #so of course they don��t see #any issue wanting to be white for the perks while black ppl know better 😭…#like #and sm of them center themselves around conservative ideologies as is… no one said that they wanted to be black for obvious reasons lmfao #rambling #black ppl love being black I can’t speak for the fragility of others who don’t feel comfortable in their own skin and would jump at the #chance to be white that’s insane to me #why would you want to be another race in the first place why would you want to be the race of the people who mock you #it was mostly Asians and Hispanics saying this shit too that could be be a black person 😭

9 notes · View notes

soyeonsbabygirl · 11 months ago

Text

Happy 2024 my loves💋

Let’s all have a good year I wish nothing but happiness and tranquility for you all 💕

(Imma be drunk asf for lunar new year)

#soyeonsbabygirltalks #2024 #perks of my mom being half Asian #this year is literally set up to be a great year for us all #I’m also gonna start my healing journey this year so yayyy #hopefully I’ll remember tho😭

3 notes · View notes

basementg · 1 year ago

Text

vomit and cry 💞💞

#still high as shit #i love sp #um set break i was smoking on the bridge and this 40 year old woman leaned in and whispered in my ear #she said If you keep sending out this vibe someday you'll rule the world #and she reminds me so much of jess who was my mom for a week #i miss jess everyday #um also i saw james iha who is #one of my greatest role models #he stole the show for me sorry billy Corgan i dont have many asian role models and even fewer east asian guitarist role models #hima and darcy did SO much for baby me #and #i #heard #disarm.#my perks of being a wallflower / mysterious skin song :(#one of the greatest songs of all time #my childhood trauma playlist is named after this 😁 cut you like you want me to cut that little child 😁#that songs apart of me and about me #theres a profile of me on TIFF website somewhere where i say that would be the soundtrack to my life as a movie #anyways i enjoy sharing my life and im out of data

1 note · View note

wraithdance · 3 months ago

Text

CoD | Diverse Reader/OC Fic Directory

Note: Curious to know why a Diverse fic list is necessary for Fandom space? Are you asking yourself ‘This is supposed to be fun, why do we need this?’ Well take a look at the Hall of Shame.

Please don’t send me questions about explaining further without previous due diligence. I'm not a teacher and I will not respond. If you would like to suggest an addition or removal feel free to message me!

Last Updated: (08/25/24)

Order arranged as follows:

Title | Author | Length | Genre/Type | Pairings

Icon Legend:

** | Dark fic or Mature; U | Unknown/Unspecified

Dark Fics or Fics with potentially triggering content will be notated with a ‘**’ Please be responsible and mind the author's descriptions! For now this will only contain recommendations for the Call of Duty Fandom. If there is a desire for a multi-fandom directory I will consider facilitating that later on <3

PoC Readers/OC’s

♠ Black/AA Readers/OC

♠ Indigenous Readers/OC

♠ Latine/Latinx Readers/OC

♠ South Asian Readers/OC

♠ South East Asian Readers/Oc

Retirement Party | Sentientcave | Romance**| Price x Filipino!Reader

♠ East Asian Readers/OC

TF141 w/ Japanese Reader | All-Purpose-Dish-Soap | Fluff | Imagine/Drabble | TF 141 x Reader

♠ Polynesian Readers/OC

TBC

♠ Biracial/Unspecified POC Readers/OC

Brown skin, pretty brown eyes | Disgustingtwitches | Oneshot | Smut | Gaz x Reader

LGBTQIA+ Readers/OC’s

♠ Gender non conforming Readers/OC

Can you check Me? | Syoddeye | Imagine/Drabble | TF 141 x Reader

TransMasc Readers/OC

♠ TransFemme Readers/OC

TBC

♠ Bisexual Readers/OC

TBC

♠ Aromantic Readers/OC

Ghost & Kate w/ Aro Reader | Captainjamster | Drabble/Imagine | Ghost or Laswell x Reader

♠ Lesbian Readers/OC

Disabled & Neurodivergent Readers/OC

♠ Characters w/ Physical Disabilities

♠ Characters w/ Mental Health Issues & Disabilities

♠ Neuro-divergent Characters

Size & Height Inclusive Readers/OC’s

♠ Plus Sized/Fat Readers/OC

♠ Tall Readers/OC

I like My Women Tall w/ a Big Ass | Disgustingtwitches | Oneshot | Smut | König x Reader

#yall should have known if i've shut the fuck up for too long I'm up to no good #will update as I go so if anyone wants to add anything hmu #directory

118 notes · View notes

nardo-headcanons · 4 months ago

Text

About Deidara

i am back again with some shower thoughts about Deidara, once again, 90% headcanon and very rambly

Deidara is, in my opinion, one of the most misunderstood characters of the Akatsuki. Many paint him as an explosive (pun not intended) idiot who simps for the Uchiha. But I don't think it's so simple.

We all know Deidara heils from Iwagakure, the hidden stone village. Considering his closeness to Oonoki, Kurotsuchi and Kitsuchi, I like to think he is a direct descendant of Oonoki and related to Kitsuchi in some kind of way. Maybe a son? A nephew?

LET ME EXPLAIN:

Thank you so much to the OP who initially pointed this out, unfortunately I couldn't find their post even after 2 hours of scrolling.

Naruto, as can be seen, has full monolid eyes, making him not European looking, contrary to what many people, including myself, thought. Sasuke, on the contrary, has double eyelids, a trait seen as very desirable in Japan and other East Asian countries. Sakura has a mixture of both, a double eyelid but with visible epicanthal fold. These details all stay consistent through the manga. BACK TO DEIDARA

Living with the Tsuchikage has its perks, including wealth and leisure time. Since in Iwagakure, the Tsuchikage heil from one family and one family only, I think that from his birth, Deidara had been shaped and molded into the perfect next leader. He was given anything he desired for, he could have anything that he wanted. He was never allowed to be the kid Deidara, the one making mistakes and living in the moment, no, he had to pave the road for his future.

It was shown that Deidara does know how to make his explosions colorful, and that is mostly done by mixing the explosive substance with alkaline earth metals. Doing that requires knowledge of advanced chemistry since you need to know the ratios and mix-ins. If we take into account Onoki's Kekkei Touta, particle release, we can assume that Deidara has been tought in the natural sciences, up to the atomic level. (this is so cool in itself, he could probably explain orbital theory and quantum mechanics to you)

Deidara was 9 years old when he became a rogue ninja, having joined the Iwa explosion force at a young age and became one of its most talented members. It's making me believe he must have been a literal super genius if he managed to go that far as an elementary school kid. The name "Deidara" might be a pen name he chose for himself as an artist, and Onoki, Kurotsuchi and Kitsuchi call him that out of respect - just like Deidara always uses respectful honorifics for his higher-ups. He was raised that way.

He was used to people reacting to him with awe, whether that be the Iwa citizens treating him as royalty, or the people looking at his bombs moments before they go off. It's all he has known. So, when emotionally constipated Uchiha men come along, who don't give him the reaction he believes he is entitled to, he explodes. Literally and figuratively.

In a way, Deidara is, like so many others in the shinobi world, a child forced to grow up way too quickly, never being allowed to live in the moment, always having to think of the future. Maybe his time in the Akatsuki was the most freeing he has ever had.

#naruto #naruto shippuden #naruto headcanons #naruto imagines #naruto fanfiction #deidara imagine #deidara headcanons #deidara #akatsuki headcanons #akatsuki #iwagakure headcanon #iwa #iwagakure #anti shinobi system #onoki #kurotsuchi

78 notes · View notes

honeydewpie · 1 year ago

Text

Episode 1

Welcome to Kiss

The plane ride was unbearable in itself. The loud crying children even the small musk of sweat from other foreigners in the plane. You looked out the window with your last minutes on the plane. The beauty of Seoul peeped through the clouds and you seemed to burst with energy. The PA rang and everyone around in unison looked alive: which just enhanced your excitement.

You thought the plane was the worst part, but no. It was navigating through a foreign airport. You looked around trying to use an app and what little Korean you learned through Duolingo. You wandered around looking at the little symbols of signs for clues: all led you a circle. Then you saw shops with cute survivors and suddenly you were at every pop up shop buying at least one thing from each shop. You looked at your bounty with pride swelling up. You reached for your phone to take a picture when someone rudely bumped into you. Offended, you looked up at the jerk who bumped into you without apologizing. “Um, annyeonghaseyo?!” You said with an irritated tone. The guy turned around with an annoyed look. “annyeonghaseyo.” His voice was dull and his body was screaming “what do you want” all over it. “Aren’t you gonna apologize?” You said with your English slipping through. He replied, “Oh sorry, me no speak English.” With a broken Asian accent. You looked at him with embarrassment but before you could make a remark he left. Leaving you embarrassed you thought it’d be the perfect time to get back on track.

You felt lost and felt everything was becoming too overwhelming. While looking at your phone trying to translate something someone bumped into you again. This was getting ironic you thought. “Oh I’m so sorry!” Your body seemed to perk up; you turned around. “ You speak English?!” You said with excitement . “Yes! Yes! Me speak English.” She shared the same sense of relief and excitement as you. “Hi I’m Katherine, but call me kitty.” She extended her hand out with a smile and you gladly shook it. You introduced yourself with the same gestures. “I’m trying to find the exit I have a bus to catch.” You said with worry. “Really?! Me too! How about we look together? It’s better than being lost by ourselves.” After a while you and kitty both sat down tired and at the break of giving up. You grabbed your phone and jumped with panic. The bus was about to leave in 10 minutes. Your body seemed to melt into failure and despair. You let out an annoyed groan as everything felt so impossible in the moment. “Hey! Get up! I think I found the way out.” With those words your body seemed to jolt with a sense of hope. “Follow me!” Kitty said eagerly.

You both bolted out of the entrance: with kitty slightly behind due to her suitcase. You looked frantically left and right until you spotted the blue bus with the words “KISS”. Your body seemed to relax as you quickly headed to the bus. You barely made it as the last person boarded. With a relieved smile you looked at the chauffeur, “annyeonghaseyo.”, “annyeonghaseyo.” He said back with a smile. Before you boarded you looked back to see if you could catch Kitty before you left. You saw her frantic with her bags tripping over her. She locked eyes with you and yelled “HOLD THE BUS!” You gave her a confused look before the pieces clicked. You looked at the bus driver, “Can you hold on for just a bit.” You said with a grim smile.

“I can't believe you go to kiss too.” You said in disbelief. “Me too! It must be fate.” Kitty said with excitement oozing out of her. “Why are you going to kiss? Kitty asked.“I’m going because of a scholarship and to learn about my culture. Seeing as my dad wasn’t too in tune with his culture. What about you?” “Me too! Well not my dad, but more so my mom. She died before she could teach me much, and my dad’s white so he can’t really help. Oh and I get to see my boyfriend, his name is Dae. We’ve been talking for like years, and this’ll be the first time in a while that we get to see each other.” You looked at her dumbfounded, but she just gave you a cheeky smile which you gladly returned.

The bus ride seemed like a blur. Before you knew it you and kitty were standing on the sidewalk with your loads of luggage. You and her looked at each other with wonder as you both faced a new school. Looking for the student center was easy. There were signs with English and Korean text. Many of the assisting staff also were fluent in English, so you and Kitty had an easy navigation. Walking into the center was underwhelming. There wasn’t a long line: kitty being the only one in front of you. Once Kitty was done you walked up,“Annyeonghaseyo, welcome to KISS what’s your last name.” You told her and she shuffled through files until she came across yours. “Please fill this out and turn it to the dorm residents,” You nodded and thanked her then went straight to Kitty. “Lemme see your paper!” Kitty said with urgency. You both looked over your paper’s and as you skimmed down both of your smiles flattered. “That sucks.” You said bluntly. “Hey! On the bright side it seems that you have a single room.” Kitty said sheepishly. “Yeah I guess. . . Meet you at the welcome party?”, “Totally!” You and kitty then parted ways to your respected dorms.

Now looking for the dorms was a little harder than the center. You looked at the map provided, but somehow it was more confusing than the signs at the airport. The school had many buildings; which isn’t surprising since it’s an elite school. While walking around the school you noticed many things. Each bush had buds ready to bloom in the spring. The air was sweet and savory; it smelled like home. Around the campus there were traditional aspects, but also modern architecture incorporated. You wandered around for a bit until you finally stumbled at the dorms. Walking in there were hints of floral and vanilla scents. People were coming in and mingling amongst each other. Heaps of fancy or extravagant carriers laid around the hobbies as everyone was getting settled in. You looked at your paper one more time then you walked in the elevator.

The dorm was very modern. The living room had one double couch and one single couch. There was a nice sleek counter with storage underneath and a desk beside it with cubbies above it. On the right there was a spacious bathroom with a granite glossed sink. Accompanying it was a tub and or shower, with a Snow White finish. The kitchen was homey. The countertop was wood with a shine finish: on it was plugged in stove. Across the kitchen was the one bedroom. The room was average sized. A window shined through light and made the room seem like it was glowing. The curtains had two layers: one was sheer, the other was thick enough to block out light. Just like the ones in the living room. You set down your bags next to the desk then proceeded to unpack. After you finished unpacking you grabbed a change of clothes then proceeded to the bathroom.

You turned on the shower and undressed as you waited for the water to warm up a bit. Once at a reasonable temperature you stepped in. The water was soothing and comfy; you seemed to melt into it. You grabbed your strawberry scented shampoo and lathered it before massaging it in your scalp. As it foamed up you stopped and washed it off. Thoroughly getting any excess shampoo out. Then you proceed to get your conditioner and comb it through your hair; moisturizing it to a silky texture. Finishing the shower you scrubbed your body before rinsing and turning it off.

Once your body was dry you dove into the plush sheets: the jet lag finally catching up to you. You grabbed your comforter and tucked yourself in before completely knocking out cold. You woke up in a cold sweat and in a pitch black room with nothing but the moon’s light. Dazed, you sat up and looked at your window. It was night time you thought. The stars were twinkling and more vibrant than in the city: where the street lights drown the stars. You grabbed your phone and opened it “Reminder: Welcome Party at 19:00”. Your eyes drifted to the time it was “18:23”. Your eyes widened at and hurried out of bed. You skimmed through your drawers until you found your black dress. It was a tight fitted body with mesh long sleeves from your shoulders from your wrist. You grabbed some three inch heels from your shoe rack, and some complimentary jewelry from your desk. While at your desk you put on a simple Douyin look. To finish off the look you put your hair in a nice sleek look casting away any fly always or imperfections. Before leaving you brushed your teeth and put on strawberry blossom perfume leaving you with a sweet yet sophisticated smell.

Before entering you texted Kitty: hoping she just pulled up too. You waited for a good minute with no response. Throwing caution in the wind you entered. Some k-pop songs were blasting with low blue lighting. Conversation engulfed the room: everyone was looking consumed into their conversation. There were a few stragglers who eventually engaged into a conversation. You made your way to the punch and poured yourself a cup. You sat there idling waiting for a buzz from your phone. Standing there made you feel awkward as everyone emerged into their conversation. As you waited you felt a tap on your shoulder. You turned around expecting Kitty, but no. It was a tall lean guy with a middle part and flirtatious smile.

“Hello there, I don’t think we’ve met before.” His voice was relaxing and smooth; with a hint of seduction. You looked at the guy head to toe eyeing his body and features, as if you were pinpointing any imperfections. There wasn’t any. You looked at him with suspicion but replied, “No we haven’t, you look very familiar though.” He chuckled away before coming back and looking deep in your eyes. “It’s probably because I’m the man in your dreams.” He replied cooley. You merely scoffed at his charms: which only enticed him more. “I never got your name?” He said getting a little closer. You challenged his proximity and got closer as you whispered in his ear with a captivating tone your name. His grin seemed to enhance with your advancements: encouraging him. He dipped down to your ear and whispered ever so softly, “What a beautiful name for an even beautiful girl.” He said as his warmth grazed your neck which triggered shivers to run down your spine and leaving you breathless. You swallowed down your nerves and looked him in the eyes: trying to hide your nerves. His grin only got wider as you stood your ground. He swooped down to your ear once more and whispered in a low voice, “What’s wrong sweetie? Cat caught your tongue?” He proceeded to slowly pull away until he was standing tall once more. He looked at you intently watching you as you squirm under his gaze. Trying to collect yourself you cleared your throat before speaking. Before you could get a word out someone accidentally bumped into him. He turned around at the guy annoyed than spoke “Watch where you're going.” He said in a snobby voice. Something right then and there clicked to you. “You're the asshole from the airport!” You stated. “Excuse me?” He said stabbed by your words. “You bumped into me at the airport, and when I tried to get your attention you said you didn’t speak English. Damn you're a snob and liar. He stood there stunned at your words. Then your phone started aggressively buzzing which captured your attention. You started digging through your small bag until you finally retrieved it: 15 unread messages from Kitty. Smiling at the little gesture you found this a perfect excuse to leave the situation. You gave the guy a teasing smile before heading to the entrance to find Kitty.

Authors Note: AHHH this is my first series I’m enjoying writing this and I have so many things plan! Guess what trope I’m doing!! Also please excuse any copied paragraphs or missing stuff I’ll try any look over it but I might not catch it. My tumblr is bugging out 🙏🏼

Anywasy if you enjoy please like and share and comment some feedback 🤗🤍

Chapter 2 coming soon ‼️

Word count: 2k

Tags:

#min ho x reader #to all the boys i've loved before #to all the boys ive loved before always and forever #xo kitty #min ho #Dae #Q #x reader #netflix #to all the boys series #to all the boys trilogy #to all the boys

510 notes · View notes

ya9amicide · 2 years ago

Text

Redamancy [BTS]

chapter one

♡ info ♡ k-pop masterlist ♡ next chapter ♡

summary: Hybrids were accepted in society to a certain degree. To some, they are for entertainment. Used as sex and money tools. To lock up and abuse whenever and however they please. Something to have control over. To others, they are companions. Just like regular animals are used for therapy or simply companionship, hybrids are too.

To the rest, they are just like everyone else. Someone with their own life who deserves the same freedoms as your everyday John or Jane Doe. Wren is one of these people. She hates the idea of owning a hybrid. She has nothing against those who own them for medical or companionship reasons. Just the rest.

But, when a ragtag pack of seven mismatched hybrids somehow ends up in the woods behind her home, she takes them in and does the one thing she never thought she would do. Own them. But, she also does something she didn't even think was possible. She fell in love with each and every one of them.

pairing(s): ot7 x ot7, ot7 x oc

warnings: none

Most hybrids come from Asian countries because of the ethereal beauty they possess. For most, that is the only asset that keeps them alive. The way most of these hybrids end up in other countries is if they are sold to someone and brought there. Now, the entire world has hybrids mixed into its population.

Being a writer, I always get asked why I haven't written anything about hybrids. For a fantasy writer, it's like the jackpot of writing material considering they actually exist and all the information I would need is right at my fingertips if I want it to be.

It's just something that never sat right with me. I don't know everything and the only way to know everything is to speak to one myself. I don't own a hybrid. I won't own a hybrid. I have nothing against people who own them as long as they are treating them with care. But, I just don't feel comfortable interrogating someone for the purpose of a story.

Hybrids have very unique, very personal aspects to their lives that other people don't have. It would be like asking the deepest most personal questions about someone's life. It's unfathomably uncomfortable.

Luckily, I can escape the demands for hybrid content when I'm teaching. Teaching Greek mythology to college students has its perks in that regard. Which, leads me to where I am now, wrapping up my lecture for the day.

"Alright everyone, don't forget your homework for the weekend." Some students groan at the back of the room. I stand from behind my desk, walking around to the front where I lean against it with my hip. "Yes, yes, I know. Just be thankful you get a whole weekend for it, your other professors probably wouldn't be so nice. Now, any questions?"

Two hands raise in the air and I call on the first one to come up. "How many sources did we need to cite again?"

"At least three," I say. "You can use more if you'd like, I have no issue with that. However, I hope I don't need to remind you which types of websites aren't credible sources?"

Everyone shakes their heads and I nod, calling on the next person. "Will there be any time to come in to ask questions about our papers before Monday?"

"To come in, no. Unfortunately not. However, if you'd like you can email me with any questions you have or just send me a draft and I can read it for you and give you feedback that way. I will try to get back to you asap if I can. Just please do not email me Monday morning or late Sunday night as I will be asleep and it will be too late for you."

When I finish speaking everyone shuffles in their seats. "Any more questions?" When nobody else speaks up, I lean upright from my position in front of my desk. "If that's all then you are all free to go. Have a good weekend." I receive goodbyes from almost every student as they leave. Once the last one does, I shuffle all of my belongings together and leave the room, locking the door.

On my way home, it starts to rain. It's been in the forecast all week but it was only supposed to be a slight drizzle. This, however, is a torrential downpour. Pulling into my driveway and parking, I brace myself to make a run for it. There's no way I won't get drenched.

Walking inside, I toe off my shoes and drop my things by the door before going upstairs to change into warm and comfy clothes for the evening. Walking into the kitchen for food, I pass the large, sliding glass doors that lead to my backyard and the woods behind my house.

Cereal for dinner sounds good. With a bowl of dry cereal in one hand and a glass of milk in the other, I make my way to the living room. On the way, I pass by the glass door again. Lighting strikes, lighting up the yard and the woods in the distance. In the treeline, I almost swear I can see an animal. It's not super big, but it's not small either. Surprisingly, even with the woods bordering my house, not many animals make their way out. so, seeing one now is slightly odd.

I set my food down on the coffee table and move back to the kitchen, making a plate of food for...whatever is out there. If it's in the woods in a storm like this, it must be hungry. Sliding open the glass door, I set the plate down on the porch under the awning and move back inside where I sit on the couch with my own food and the tv playing in front of me.

I'm around two episodes into the show I was watching when I hear footsteps on the back porch. They're small but loud enough for me to hear through the rain which has settled down into a soft drizzle. Standing, I make my way to the door, trying to keep my steps light and my posture open so whatever is out there doesn't feel threatened by me.

When I'm close enough to see what it is, I find a German Shepherd right before it shifts and a man is left in its place. My hand reaches out for the door handle when he sees me. His eyes widen and he scrambles to pocket all of the food and make a run for the woods.

I quickly open the door trying to stop him. "Wait, please! You don't have to go." He freezes in his steps, halfway off the porch. "I- I can give you more food if that isn't enough. And some water too if you want?" He's thin and pale and shaking like a leaf where he stands. "Please?" My voice is soft, I'm afraid if I speak too loud he'll run away. "I just want to help."

It feels like we stare at each other for hours before he nods his head, barely enough for me to see but it's still a nod. "Okay, okay that's good," I say and lead him inside. "Let me get you a towel so you can dry off, you must be cold." I don't wait for him to respond before I rush off to get it. When I come back, he's in the same spot I left him.

"Here," I hand him the towel and watch as he wraps it around himself. Slowly, his shivering starts to calm down. "Do you have any preferences?"

He looks at me strangely, head tilting to the side. The ears on the top of his head flop to the side softly, the fur wet. "To eat? Is there anything in particular you want? Anything I should avoid?" He seems to take a minute to process what I asked him before he slowly shakes his head. "Okay. You can um...you can come wait in the kitchen while I get you something if you want."

He timidly walks in behind me and watches everything I do. I decided on soup. Hopefully, the warmth from the food would make him feel better. "Is it just you?" I ask timidly.

"No," he says softly after some hesitation.

"Are- are they close? Whoever you're with?"

"Yes."

I pause what I'm doing. Maybe I should make more soup..."How many of you are there?" How much food am I going to need to make?

He shifts uncomfortably. "Seven. Including me."

"Do they want to come in? You can invite them if you want." I avoid looking at him, continuing to make more food.

"What?" He sounds surprised and wary.

"Only if you want. I mean," I stop and chuckle slightly, "seven versus one? If I were to try anything, which I won't, I think you all have the advantage. Don't you think?"

He waited for a few minutes, probably trying to see if I was pulling his leg. "Okay." He slowly makes his way to the sliding door, I can feel his eyes on me, keeping me in his sight. Leaving the door open, he shifts back into a German Shepherd and lets out a loud howl towards the forest. Anything else beyond that, I don't hear because of the volume of the storm raging outside. It was around 15 minutes before he came back inside, several pairs of footsteps shuffling in behind him.

I freeze, gently putting down what was in my hands before slowly turning to face the group of hybrids in my home.

#𐙚 sfw !#bts #poly bts x reader #hybrid bts #poly bts #bts x oc #bts fanfction #bts fanfic #kim seokjin #min yoongi #jung hoseok #kim namjoon #park jimim #kim taehyung #jeon jungkook

572 notes · View notes

xfgpng · 1 year ago

Text

reader description :: petite asian female, 21, 5’0, medium length straight hair + pale skin

reader :: jackie lee

commissioned :: ✔️ (as in a follower’s oc lmao, not my own)

wc :: 1.6k

warnings :: smut, fluff, mentions of blood, face slapping, name calling

it had been a few days since waking up in the manor. jackie had tried to wrap her head around just how she ended up in this situation. she remembers the ramen on her desk and the manga being open. she doesn’t even remember the chapter she had been on before everything had went blank.

she wondered if she had perhaps passed out from exhaustion and that she’d wake up any moment but after a few days of cleaning up and following orders from the demon butler, she knew she was stuck.

“you said i could have the day off if i did all the chores early” jackie frowned, “please sebby?”

that was another thing she had begun doing the moment she realised she was in fact in the kuroshitsuji universe. she had always harboured a very strong crush on the character, he was her favourite after all but nothing could ever make up for the real thing.

“get on with it, would you?” sebastian sighs, “have i not told you not to disturb the young master when he’s busy?”

“i’m disturbing you” she grins, “i could be more than just a young master for you”

he rolls his eyes but he can’t help himself. he eyes her frame careful, the way her cute breasts are covered perfectly by the soft fabric of her uniform. the skirt being shorter than necessary because he could admit that he was a pervert and seeing her bend over while struggling to keep the pathetic piece of material down was very amusing.

“i told you to stay in your room when we have guests over” he ignores her remarks, “go now”

“guests?” she perks up at that, peaking her head into the study. she can’t make out what’s being said but she knows it’s important. all the more reason to annoy the butler.

“i’ll go.. if you make a deal with me” she reaches up to grab his collar, “i’d make it worth your while”

“please” he scoffs, “you think i haven’t had my fair share of humans?”

“none like me” she smiles but he can tell that smile is far from innocent.

he’s about to chastise her when ciel calls her into the study. he doesn’t seem phased by the look sebastian gives him, asking the butler to get their guests some tea and desserts.

“cie— young master?” jackie smiles, she remembers him telling her that she would still have to act normal around outsiders. she didn’t bother explaining where she came from and it was easy to pretend that it was sebastian’s doing. the butler could deny it all he wanted but ciel was still suspicious enough to believe her and she played into his suspicions every chance she got.

“i want to introduce you” ciel says and spends the next 5 minutes making unnecessary introductions that jackie knows isn’t even important but he’s doing it to spite her.

 she supposes she was a bit of a brat all week.

“i see” one of the men says, grinning as he looks at the hem of her skirt, “she looks … promising”

jackie grins at the man, feeling sebastian’s eyes on her as she purposefully leans closer to the older man. he was far from her type, her heart belonging only to the demon butler but it was fun to piss him off.

“i thought you said you loved me” he says dryly, gripping her by her waist and pushing her against the wall when she finally leaves the study.

“ready to make that deal?” she asks, ignoring the pain, knowing it’ll leave a mark. she liked the feeling but it just wasn’t enough for her.

“no” he says firmly, “i cannot make —”

“i know” she grins, “it won’t stop me from asking”

“you infuriate me” he lets go of her and takes a step back, “you’re free to leave and starting from tomorrow, you are to wear pants only”

“i don’t work for you” she rolls her eyes even though she technically did, she was still a worker for ciel and the young master of the manor seemed to find her useful.

was he jealous? he was the one who insisted she wore the skirt in the first place. the idea of riling him up was far too exciting.

a demon incapable of love but still had the nerve to feel jealousy? she laughed to herself.

jackie doesn’t wait for his response, walking off to her private quarters. she knew she was pushing her luck, after all, he wasn’t human and it would be too easy to kill her but she had a feeling that despite his indifference, he cared in his own way.

“do you think you can just walk away from me?” he pushes her onto her bed, caging her in. she hadn’t expected him to follow, not so soon after playing this cat and mouse game since she arrived.

she would find ways to make him angry on purpose and she knew how much he hated when she would entertain other men that found her attractive and that was most men, especially when they would travel for their… business.

“is this what you wanted hm?” he asks, “such a fucking slut, parading yourself around like a piece of meat?”

“sebastian i—”

“quiet” he snaps, gripping her jaw and finally kissing her the way she’s been dreaming about for days.

“so easy” he scoffs, moving away but she stops him. jackie was more than ready, lifting up to meet him halfway, too enthusiastic for someone who just met the man.

reading about him as your favourite character was different than having said character in your bed, ready to devour you until there was nothing left of you.

“please” she wraps her legs around him, wearing nothing but a shirt since she didn’t have time to fully undress before he barged in.

“please what?” he laughs, “you’re that fucking desperate for me or are you willing to let any man fuck you?”

“maybe” she smirks, unbuttoning her own shirt, “maybe they’ll give me what i want”

 the slap should shock her but it doesn’t. she feels the sting but the sound was more intense than the feeling but it still made her moan, eyes widening in shock at the pleased look on his face.

“you talk too much” he removes his gloves before the rest of his clothing, “spread your legs and keep it open for me”

she does as she’s told, far too excited to make him angry. apart of her still worried that he’d leave her high and dry just to prove a point.

“good girl” he grins, slipping his index finger into her pussy. he’s not surprised at how wet she is. he knows the effect he has on people, especially her.

“sebastian please” she gasps, gripping the sheets, “i want you”

“i know” he grins, “you’ve wanted me all this time, haven’t you?”

she can tell he’s mocking her but the way he looks down at her, teasing her, only makes her blush, wanting him more. jackie was starting to wonder if she was secretly a masochist, running after a man that was so far out of reach.

not that she cared, she wanted him. he had been so indifferent towards her but he would still secretly watch her from afar, unable to help himself because he needed to know she was safe. the feelings were all too confusing for a demon such as himself to understand so this, taking her this way, was all he could do.

it was all he could give to her because falling in love was out of the question. there was no such thing.

he pressed the tip of his cock into her slowly, gripping her waist hard enough that it would leave marks, proof of who she belonged to.

he didn’t believe in the heavens and he certainly didn’t think there was a god strong enough to challenge him but between her thighs, it could be the closest thing to finding out what heaven really was.

“fuck” he groans, biting down onto her shoulder to control himself. he would never lose himself in a woman like this and yet here he was, closer than he’d like to be.

she moan loudly, he was sure everyone in the manor had heard her and it’s not like she could help it, he was so much bigger than she was and the stretch was painful.

when he looked down, he couldn’t help but moan at the sight. she was stretched far beyond her limits and the tiny droplets of blood did nothing but make him want to ruin her further.

he didn’t wait for her to give him the green light, picking up his pace and fucking her into her bed like some cheap whore at the red light district.

“don’t try and run” he warns, gripping her jaw tightly, “this is what you wanted”

“too much” she whines, not sure if she wanted him to slow down or go faster. her body felt like it was on fire and the more he moved inside her, the more she wanted him.

“good, take it like the good girl you are” he laughs, kissing her as he lifts her leg up. she was just so easy to move around.

he’s very own little play thing and he supposed it was better than finding time to fool around with how bossy the young master was.

here, in the manor, he had his very own jackie and it wasn’t like she could leave anyway. maybe he would trap her soul after all.

#[ 🪼 ] xfg writes #[ 📍 xfgpng follower reqs ]#reader insert #kuroshitsuji sebastian smut #kuroshitsuji smut #black butler sebastian smut #sebastian michaelis smut #black butler smut #sebastian michaelis #sebastian michaelis x reader

97 notes · View notes

vvolfy · 2 years ago

Text

The brothers + MC at the mall (in the human world)

Lol, these hc’s were also brainstormed by @absoluteyeet and @stardustursa

American malls, for the win LOL

Divider credits to @rubystarraven (if its not okay I can take them down they’re just super cute!)

Lucifer:

Would spoil MC without hesitation, and especially of the risque variety.

Reluctant to tag along because he would have to babysit his brothers (as usual)

Would visit stores that specialize in formal wear, (appearances matter), expensive colognes.

MC drags him into Bath & Body Works, but he doesn’t stay for more than 5 minutes before he loses his sense of smell and develops a headache.

The type to stand outside of stores with his arms crossed, only to say he isn’t rushing anyone. (he is)

He’s like a cranky old man. From complaining about the malls music choice to criticizing anyone that passes him.

Any food vendors that sell fine chocolate would pique his interest.

100% avoids mall vendors. You want to fix his D.D.D? Too bad so sad. Mammon already scams him. He doesn’t need another.

Bookstores (Barnes & Noble) would be his go-to.

As would antique shops. Those are his favorite.

Would be the first to leave the mall. Honks at the rest to hurry up.

A MC plushie from Build A Bear would perk him up, I think.

Mammon:

Has a coin purse, despite being broke. Lucifer takes it and hits him with it when he makes bad choices.

Obviously cannot be left unattended. (Do your job MC)

Spoils MC unconditionally after stealing Goldie back. (Spoils himself as well.)

The type to haggle prices.

Has been kicked out of most stores for haggling/stealing.

Food? Yeah. Like everything else, it goes on Lucifers tab please.

Resorts to stealing and gets caught.

Tries to steal cologne from Bath & Body Works while MC is shopping, only to spray himself in the eyes.

Makes MC at Build A Bear, makes MC pay for it.

Leviathan:

Only tagged along to go to Gamestop, Hot Topic, Spencers, and for the Asian food vendors. Otherwise he is being forced to go. Send help.

On his phone and switch the whole time, headphones on full blast. (He’s a pro at playing and walking.)

“I guess I’ll h-hold your hand MC. N-Not that I like you o-or anything-- y-you’re just so n-needy you’ll hold a filthy Otakus h-hand--”

“Can we go now?”

Talks MC’s ear off at his favorite stores. (Always listening ofc)

Due to sensory reasons, he avoids Bath & Body Works, though he’ll wait outside for MC.

Loves stim toys. Walks out of Hot Topic with a bag full of em.

You can find him at the arcade! Claw machines are his favorites!

He would share Dippin’ Dots with MC.

Would go to the pet shop to see fish and snakes ofc

Would go to Barnes & Noble for the mangas, duh

He would spoil MC in his own way. “It’s not like I l-love you or anything! I just didn’t want y-you to feel left out! Ugh!”

I think he would love Build A Bear. He would so build Lotan and Henry, and carry them everywhere. He would also love a plushie of MC.

Satan:

In this for Barnes & Noble or any bookstore really.

Actively avoids the others. (Except for MC)

Loves the cafe in B&N, would eat croissants with the blackest coffee while reading.

Lucifer physically curses Satan to follow him if he doesn’t leave w/ them.

Accompanies MC where ever they go/want to go. (Spoils them too.)

Would stop at the pet store to see the cats. Expect him to be there for a long while. Cats > you.

Stops at Bath & Body Works for warm scented candles.

Like Levi, Satan would LOVE stim toys.

Starbucks 100%

Would go to the movies with MC to watch movie adaptions of books.

The last to leave the mall, by closing time. Lucifer is angry.

Leaves with like, 50 new books.

Loves a cat plushie from Build a Bear, though a MC plushie would be better.

Asmodeus:

Would live in a mall for eternity if he could.

Takes his sweet time in every single store.

Manipulates a few human lackeys to carry his and MC’s bags. If he can’t find anyone, then Beel would suffice.

Takes MC to Sephora or Ulta to spice up their vanity wardrobe.

Would definitely take MC to Spencers for the risque stuff. ;)))

Bath & Body Works spree. (He has a huge collection of their products, duh.)

Would make MC at Build a Bear 100%, along with a bear of himself. (Rose bear for him!!!)

Wouldn’t splurge at the food court tbh, he doesn’t want to get dirty.

Would be the one to help MC choose fashionable clothing. (Lingerie, etc)

Though he does his own nails, I think he would still go to the salon w/ MC to both get their nails done. Mani/pedis, duh.

The type to try every. single. beauty. sample. in existence.

If you thought Mammon was a heavy spender... lol

Beelzebub:

“Hey MC, I’m hungry.”

Pulls MC to every food vendor until they flood a table with various snacks and food (Onlookers are shocked)

He would carry MC’s bags to exercise so long as MC feeds them.

His way of spoiling MC would be sharing his food, but I think he’d also buy MC stuff, like what he sees them taking an interest in, you know?

Would definitely hit the gym or martial arts training, whatever available in the mall at the time.

For additional exercise, carry both Asmodeus and his bags.

Would mistake soaps and candles at Bath & Body Works for food. Lord help us.

Better dip with Mammon before Lucifer kills the three of you for embarrassing him. (And that shoplifting charge)

Carries MC anytime they say their tired, or when MC wants a piggy back ride lol

Would love any food related plushie MC gets him, though he eats it because it looks too realistic.

Frequently checks on Belphegor who decides to sleep on a massage chair.

Helps MC reach the taller shelves.

Belphegor:

Tired Edge Lord(TM) didn’t want to go until he was yoinked into Spencers by MC. More face jewelry for him. Plus some quality time with MC is always best. (Works at Hot Topic too)

Finds a massage chair, falls asleep instantly.

(If) Lucifer manages to get him out of the chair, it’s a team lift.

Will wake up to MC or food, or both. Both are nice.

If he’s awake enough he would love it if MC shared their Dippin’ Dots with him.

If he has enough energy he would gladly hold MC’s hand as they walk together.

He would definitely be a candle man, and would love the soft scent candles Bath & Body Works sells.

Would love Build A Bear like the others. Cow plushies, and a plushie of MC are ideal to snuggle with.

Loves stim toys like Levi and Satan do.

226 notes · View notes

xxxxxxxxoxoxoxowhimsydimsy · 4 months ago

Text

////pin post,,><;;;

im interested in - music: lana del rey, lorde, stevie nicks, david bowie, olivia rodrigo, gracie abrams, clairo, chappel roan, sabrina carpenter, taylor swift, beabadoobee, laufey, mitski, girl in red, the neighborhood, the 1975, wave to earth, harry styles, lamp, ethel cain, ichiko aoba, aerin, newjeans, sophia, charli xcx,... music can literally be my drugs lol - movies/tv series: all about lily chou-chou, la la land, lady bird, priscilla, the love witch, carrie (1976), the perks of being a wallflower, helter skelter, last night in soho, mean girls, do revenge, gossip girls, uptown girls, whiplash, the hunger games, jennifer's body, emma, stranger things, phineas and ferb (lol), gravity falls, the owl house, alice in borderland,... the list goes on!! - literature/philosophy

some more personal info////

height: 5'2 weight: 95 pounds, asian, bisexual

open to chat, you can send me anything

i love being goofy n silly if i get to know you

im soft (from the inside><)

looking forward to lose my virginity!!!!!

im still finding out about my k!nks n limits

about my blog- any post with my pics would contain the tag #luvieliv check em out if youre interested >ᴗ<

/i will post my image here but i prefer not to show my face since im not interested in being realized by ppl irl. here in this tumblr account lies my horny and cutesy personality tehe;D /if youre a girl n wanna have fun (chatting, being friends or whatever) SERIOUSLY JS DM ME RIGHT NOW /the blog is a mix of being horny/fangirl/trauma dumping (there will be warning for triggering contents)/sapphic/artistic (hardly reach there but anyway lol)

im pretty sure i have kinks but here are my hard limits: pedophillia, patriarchy (fuck the patriarchy, r we kinda have that enough irl lmao), misonygist, stalkers, pregnancy, heavy degrading,... i will update if i figure out more

#wlw #vanilla girl #girlblogging #this is what makes us girls #dms open #hornyposting #hell is a teenage girl #girlhood #luvieliv #sapphic #sapphic longing #bisexual

45 notes · View notes

digitalcirce · 2 months ago

Text

Amanda Has a Secret Originally posted on DeviantArt on September 29 2024 (woman to pig transformation)

The chef at the hottest new restaurant in town, ‘La Trie Qui Mange’, has a secret. A different ‘side’ to herself. In truth, she’s a Versipellis… a shapeshifter. Normally she can look as human as she likes. But when she gets nervous, she finds herself helplessly transforming into her other form. And that can come as quite a surprise! Because Amanda – the trendy, talented, beautiful woman – is really a plump pig.

But she’s a good friend to have, as a woman or as a pig. In addition to her spectacular cooking, she has a formidable sense of smell. And her appetites… well, a word of warning. When food is around, Amanda acts like a starved animal!

Her piggy potential is also apparent in her libido, this time as a lover rather than a friend. But why not? Female pigs have some of the best sex in the entire animal kingdom. Amanda isn’t going to turn down the perks of her biology. Why not join her? Because she has another secret, too… she can be a dirty piggy, and she’s as hungry for sausage as you are!

Stock image used available from Adobe Stock at https://stock.adobe.com/images/happy-cheerful-young-asian-woman-with-two-pigtails-natural-beauty-makeup-fashion-model-health-wellness-beautiful-girl-skin-care-and-facial-treatment-isolated-on-beige-pink-background/524697853?asset_id=524697853

This manipulation is inspired by “In the Shadow of the Versipellis”, a transformation-themed game/visual novel being produced by Deviant Art’s own Civis-Rasa: https://www.deviantart.com/civis-rasa/

And honestly, it’s a lot of fun. A lot of species are represented – a pig (like Amanda the chef, represented as faithfully as the stock allows above), a werewolf, a donkey, a fox, and a cow, with more to come. It looks like it’s three acts, with the first (essentially) finished and the other two in development. Your player character can form friendships, or intimate relationships, with the pig, the donkey, and the fox, depending on your choices.

You can demo an earlier version of the game for free here (it’s about half of the first chapter): https://civis-rasa.itch.io/in-the-shadow-of-v

And if you like it, you can support it on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mooseshadowgames

#pig #pig tf #pig transformation #piggirl #tf #transformation #hog #sow #swine #digital circe #digital #circe

9 notes · View notes

jeannereames · 26 days ago

Note

I notice a certain pattern when reading academic scholarship, and I wanted to ask if you see this too, that goes more or less like this: "X people were indifferent to being conquered by Y, because very little changed to them in regards to how things were under the rulership of their previous overlord Z, so it was business as usual. In fact, X people might actually have welcomed conquest, because of less taxes, less persecution, or [insert motive]".

I tend to find a lot of this regarding Alexander's conquests especially with Egypt, but with other Asian regions too. (I also read a lot of this regarding the Roman takeover of Egypt, arguing the people were indifferent to the Ptolemies being overthrown). To the point were I see this becoming a trope of sorts? I'm not disputing that many were happy to see the Persians go, but I can't help but find the "people were indifferent to their rulers" approach de-politicizing and even reductive of the role the people played & their beliefs. I also wonder how much is propaganda to benefit the winners.

Winning the Hearts and Minds… e.g., avoiding insurgency after conquest

An interesting question, and observation, but I fear it may be projecting modern assumptions/ ideas (neither is quite the right word) backwards in time. First, I’ll list what some of the accidental assumptions are, then delve into them. But this is a good question in that it lets us discuss some quite fundamental differences between then and now.

First, it can be easy to forget (because it’s hard to imagine) how little information about the larger world the average person had, especially when living away from urban centers.

Second, the query perhaps over-assumes the political impact individuals could have in most areas. Obviously, this varied.

Third, the role of religion—and perceptions of who has the approval of the gods—shouldn’t be underestimated in who wins/loses and general acceptance of the outcome.

Fourth, what probably affected people most were immediate impacts from combat itself. This, again, would have varied, depending on how close one was to the conflict (or invading army). If caught in the middle of it, it could be absolutely catastrophic, from death to rape to destruction of homes/fields, to later starvation when armies requisitioned your winter stores, etc. (I find this detail is often overlooked in analyses.)

These are each relatively complex things that I can’t go into in detail, but we can take a closer look at each. That said…I tend to agree with those assessments referred to in the ask. For the average person not near the locus of combat/disruption, they probably experienced relatively little change in their day-to-day. Therefore, they may not have cared. But that is a very broad generalization that must be tweaked depending on various factors, not least “who” was the victor. For instance, Alexander changed prior (Persian) administrative structures relatively little. But the Ptolemies could be ruthless in taxes, especially outside Alexandria. Earlier, Persia had definitely been a lighter overlord than the neo-Assyrians or neo-Babylonians. There was a reason every time a new Assyrian king came to power, the provinces rebelled.

Let’s start with Point One: people, especially in rural areas, might not know much of what was going on in the “wider world.” If travel in antiquity was more prevalent than many modern people assume, travel was also a perk of wealth. And travelers tended to show up in/pass through urban areas where they could find lodging, or in seaside towns. That meant news was slower than a snail in the hinterlands. I’m quite sure there were places in Persia that didn’t even realize Alexander was there until months, perhaps even a year or more, after he’d moved on!

The ancient world was a rural world. Even at the height Rome’s power, only (maybe) 40% of the population lived in urban centers. Compare that to 83% of the modern US population living in urban centers, 84.5% in Britain, and—for contrast—65% of the Chinese population, and 74% of Russia. But 92% of the Japanese do.

In short, throughout most of antiquity, more people did NOT live in cities and may have seen only a handful of foreigners in their lives. They rarely moved more than 5-10 miles from where they were born.

This is important to understand, when it comes to reactions to a change in “overlord-ship.” They probably rarely/never even saw the “overlord.” It would have been locals who assessed and collected taxes, then took those taxes to be paid. Also, remember that quite late, many taxes were still paid “in kind.” E.g., in non-monetary forms.

So that may help set the stage for why historians say the average person probably didn’t notice a lot of change—or care. Unless there was a sharp shift in how high taxes ran.

That brings us to Point Two, about the impact of individuals on political structures. In MOST places, the average person had little-to-no say in politics. Even in some of the democratic poleis of ancient Greece, much of the voting was done by urbanites, not rural farmers. And there were many more rural farmers. This is the opposite of the US today, where one big complaint about the US Senate, with 2 senators per state—not based on population—is that it gives an outsized voice to swathes of very rural and unpopulated areas. But that system was created in an age when rural areas were much more populated. They are not about to give up their statistical advantage, so altering the Constitution to fix it after 200+ years of change is out of reach.

And that’s just in the democratic poleis of Greece, such as Athens. Outside of Magna Graecia, democracy was a unicorn. Even Rome was a republic. In Lydia, in Persia, in Egypt…yeah, no.

That said, a couple other areas do suggest greater “citizen” input, and these are peoples who famously resisted Alexander: the Scythian groups of the Steppes, the Sogdian and Baktrian populations, and especially the independent tribes/populations of the S. Indus River areas. Alexander cut a bloody swathe down the Indus because the people. Would. Not. Submit.

(This is an area of Alexander studies, btw, that I think needs much more research, but requires reading not just Alexander sources, but Indian ones as well, and weighing the historiography of each. There’s an unfortunate divide that’s largely a function of geography and language in the modern world. It’s not dissimilar to the issues with Mesopotamian sources on Alexander, but in that case, not many ANE/Mesopotamian sources have survived. India is much richer in evidence, I understand. A new book IS due out soon from Brill: How the Brahmins Won: from Alexander to the Guptas. Being Brill, it won’t be something flaky. But, also being Brill, it’s godawful expensive: $228.)

Anyway, resistance to conquest by Alexander or anybody else depends on the POLITICAL structures of the place conquered. So the Greeks resisted Macedon generally. They were used to making their own political decisions. In contrast, areas of Persian that weren’t accustomed to independent rule accepted a change in ruler more easily. But once you get further east (and north) that changes. Also, in Italy, it would have been difference. And certainly, Rome experienced LOTS of problems dealing with the Germans! And Celts/Gauls before them. Egypt also typically resisted because while it had a god-king, it also didn’t like foreign rule. They resisted Alexander less because they knew he’d go away again, and he got rid of the Persians. But in the end, they got the Ptolemies who weren’t any better (and arguably worse).

So Alexander had something of an advantage moving into areas that were largely not accustomed to a great deal of autonomy in rule (with some select exceptions).

This leads into Point Three, the role of religion in ancient warfare. For many ancient peoples, the ones ruling them had that role by “divine right.” This concept of a divinely chosen king is very, very old in Mesopotamia. The earliest Sumerian texts talk about kingship first descending on Eridu “from heaven.” If this sort of divinely selected kingship isn’t as extreme as Egyptian notions of pharoah as a living god, most areas Alexander marched through had such ideas. “As above, so below.” Ergo, victory in war indicated victory in heaven and divine favor. Alexander winning meant the gods were on his side. Who’s going to argue with the gods?

Yet it's also typically religion (or higher taxes/mistreatment) that drove resistance, resentment, or rebellion against a new king/conqueror. This is WHY Alexander was generally very careful in his respect for local gods and religious practices. Actions by the one conquering could reverse a perception that the gods were on the conqueror’s side. For example, the Persians might have been more inclined to accept Alexander if he hadn’t torched their ceremonial city with its fire temples, etc. He really had no idea what he was doing, and his message was half for Greece anyway. But he lacked a real grasp of Persian symbolism and so, put his foot in it. He’d been much better handling Egypt.

In any case, when looking for ideological reasons for resistance, that would come from religion more than political theory, at least in most places.

And finally, Point Four. What is most likely to generate resistance is when an invading army causes LOSS. This loss can be very literal: as in loss of life, loss of property, or destruction of farmland and with it, livelihood. Or it can be a bit more theoretical, as in loss of (prior) independence, loss of potential trade and trade markets, or threats to alliances that benefit the people.

Resentment owing to death and destruction of towns is fairly straightforward. This is why, when a people choose to resist, Alexander, the Romans, the Assyrians earlier, etc., may enact quite shocking (to moderns) executions of whole populations: certainly of menfolk down to children, but sometimes of everybody (the Romans were noted for that). They know that X people won’t ever forgive them, so they elect to eliminate the problem for at least a generation, or they just exterminate the people altogether and use the land to reward their own soldiers or allies. A lot of the land the Roman consul Marius passed out to his soldiers was just such war-booty.

But there are other, less obvious forms of loss that generate resentment and rebellion.

For instance, armies march on their stomachs, and until recently, invading armies typically ate off the land. This is why Memnon’s proposed strategy of burning crops to freeze-out Alexander when he first invaded would have worked. He had only about a month’s rations. Yet Memnon’s advice to burn the fields wasn’t taken precisely because it would have devastated the farmers in that region of Asia Minor: destroying their stores for the coming year (as well as taxes due). Local satraps would have had to pay to import food to replace the loss, or let their people starve.

They elected to ignore Memnon instead, and, well, the rest is literally history.

Ancient armies couldn’t bring supplies far for a variety of logistical reasons. If the army is simply passing through and they’re wealthy enough, the impact on the locals may not be that great: e.g., they don’t deplete the needed stores and pay for what they take. But if they aren’t rich enough (and even sometimes when they are), they just take it. If they wind up stationed in an area a while, the burden becomes too great on the local populations. The army is, well, an army. With weapons. Locals have a choice: resist and die now or give them food and die later from starvation. This is precisely why resistance wasn’t necessarily immediate; people hoped X army would leave before their storage hit critical lows when fighting back became the only option.

This is one reason you’ll read especially in Alexander’s early campaigns that he grants this or that town or place exemption from taxes. He doesn’t want to anger the locals who are providing him supplies. (Not always with pay.) He was also able to avoid resentment in many cases just because he never stayed put long. But when he did stay a while, as at Tyre, it created logistical difficulties.

This is the sort of detail our histories don’t dwell on much, so we’re not always sure how armies are getting supplies, or it’s tucked away into the corners of other descriptions. “The so-and-so people sent gifts and rations…” etc.

Similarly, when armies or conquerors interfered with established trade ties, this could also arouse resistance…as Alexander found in Sogdiana. The people there wanted an open (permeable) border in order to continue trading (and intermarrying with) steppe tribes to the north. Alexander started out trying to impose a closed border with hill forts to police it. THAT is one chief reason for the rise of insurgency up there. The region wasn’t resistant initially once Bessus was removed. They even cooperated in his capture. Spitamenes turned over Bessus and made peace. But within a few months, the whole area was in open rebellion due to Alexander’s policies regarding the border.

It took marrying Roxana—and figuring out why they were fighting him—before he could march out two years after he entered. Generally, the further he got from areas already familiar to him, the more he put his foot in it.

I’ve been using Alexander to illustrate because his campaign is familiar to me, but these same general principles apply to any army and any commander. While some areas met invasion with resistance (by more than just the ruling class), much depended on the type of government already in place, as well as local views of the gods and war. The more absolute the style of rule, and as long as religious norms weren’t offended and exceptional demands not made, then yes, many conquered people didn’t necessarily care, and may even have welcomed a change in leadership.

#asks #Alexander the Great #resistance to conquest #insurgency after conquest #ancient warfare #conquests of Alexander the Great #Roman conquest #Assyrian conquest #warfare stressors on societies #war studies

15 notes · View notes