#rwby menagerie

[yangfanbb]

So I asked this question on my Twitter and Tumblr. And the results are in! and it looks like people want a Managerie 🐝 wedding.

[short-wooloo]

Hey, I forgot, was the Island of Menagerie named such because it's where the Faunus got to have their own state or did it already have the name before the Faunus were given it?

I need to know because whether or not tge Island already had the name is important to deciding where the Maximals and Predacons land in my RWBY/Transformers fic

[krasman]

Sienna Khan and the Golden Rays of the Glorious Sunshine

As the one luxury I allowed myself last year, I commissioned Ellie Mikasa to do this piece, which shows a stripey moralistic sweetheart who to me is proof there is beauty in the world. https://www.deviantart.com/elliemikasa1 is their D.A page, and https://twitter.com/Nami_Mikasa12 is their Twitter page.

It looks like the lady who's been a light in my mind for a while has just come back fresh from scuba-diving. With the evening sun on one side and busker's neon on the other, it's put a damn comforting vibe in the air tonight. Oh, lord...

The picture frame behind her head is close to being the portrayal of a halo, which must have been a backhand reference to many saints. I could see people thinking to describe it like that is a bit much, but I believe this isn't nearly enough for the stripey moralistic sweetheart who so readily captures my attention.

Very well done, Ellie!

[aspiringwarriorlibrarian]

I feel like despite what we've said about Huntsmen in the past, that the series is actually steadily skewering the Huntsmen system and what it represents in the overarching narrative.

Volume 1 to 3 presents us with an idealized image of what a huntsman is: A protector of the people and guardian.

But Volume 4 - 8 shows us the serious flaws of that system, and how it can be argued that Atlas is one of the logical conclusions of that system if it were co-opted by the right (or in this case, wrong) powers or state.

The series shows Amity Colosseum being dedicated to the "unity" of the four (human) kingdoms, where everyone is fighting for the glory of the kingdom. Meanwhile it's revealed that the huntsmen's true purpose (outside of fighting Grimm) is to basically be Ozma and his secret society's soldiers in a forever war against a nebulous enemy, with specific self-sacrificing types like Ruby, Pyrrha, Penny being essentially groomed to fulfill certain roles that Ozma and those he works with because of their willingness to put everything on the line in the name of a greater good.

We also get the revelation of the fact that people like Cinder, Hazel, Ren, the Faunus, etc. fell through the cracks of that system, or who knew people who were negatively impacted because Huntsmen were simply not there. And this doesn't even cover the numerous examples of huntsmen who are shown to be wholly inadequate and who failed people through extortion or negligence, like Dee, Dudley, and Rhodes, never mind those who end up using their skills as huntsmen for selfish means like Raven.

And then there's Atlas.

It's easy to try to separate Atlas' co-opting of the huntsmen system into the military as being proof that the military and cops are bad, and that it's better for them to go back to being huntsmen, like what people suggested for Marrow to do. But the story explicitly highlights that there is a lot of overlap between how huntsmen function and how Atlas' military huntsmen work, like in how they're both unaccountable except only to specific types of powerful figures, with only the morality of the huntsmen in question being the deciding factor as to whether things work out or not. And we've seen what happens when immoral huntsmen get too much power, or regular people are stacked up against huntsmen who decide to be immoral, like Raven or Ironwood.

It's easy to see this as just an example of bad apples, and that there just needs to be "better" huntsmen, but we've seen just how much that sort of thing isn't really the case. Ruby and Team Remnant try so hard to be better huntsmen, but the sheer weight and pressure of what they're dealing with is shown to be too much for them to bear. Hell, even in the best scenarios small groups of huntsmen can only do so much.

Even when it works as intended, it has dire consequences. We've seen with Ren's backstory, everything that happened in Mantle and Atlas, how not only are the people wholly defenseless without a consistent huntsmen system to protect them, but that they seem to be set up in a way that shows them to be utterly dependent on protection. The huntsmen system may very well be intended to protect the people, but it's more akin to a patronizing "we are here to protect you, so you don't have to try to protect yourself".

And a lot of it boils down to how seriously flawed the system really is, because it was a system predicated and created on the biases and perspectives of the single-most self-sacrificing and chronically lone hero person in the series: Ozpin.

Ozma's early incarnation is portrayed as the ideal hero, and his role in the story is that of the Chosen One by the God of Light. And I think the failings of the huntsmen system are a narrative deconstruction of these facets. What happens when a single man with a death wish, a near religious fervor to upholding his mission from his God, and a healthy dose of being morally eroded over the course of millennia creates a system meant to help him fight against a being he deems the ultimate evil.

A system that fundamentally ends up being easily corrupted, twisted and cannibalizes itself because it was never a feasible system of protection to begin with. A system that renders the people who it's trying to protect dependent and defenseless, thus ironically ensuring that if the huntsmen fail, then they can't fend for themselves.

Ironically enough, there ARE examples of societies that HAS managed to succeed without the huntsmen system: namely, Menagerie. The FAUNUS society.

Their part of the world is supposedly set in the most hostile and dangerous part of the world, with 2/3rds desert and wildlife even more hostile than Vacuo. The place is a dumping ground intended by human societies to basically genocide the Faunus and get them out of the way.

And yet, they've managed to thrive. There's no indication of them suffering from Grimm the same way other societies have, and while it takes some doing, their solution to the Adam incident was to raise their own militia and take the fight to him.

And this is all done WITHOUT huntsmen, or the system.

I don't agree with everything here, but yeah, you raise some good points. Pretty much all of the ways the kingdoms handle Huntsmen have glaring flaws in them and while the four part group they're taught in schools does help, there's still a lot of work left to do.

[brokentrafficknight]

Shogun but it's on Menagerie and Jaune just wants to go home

[raichu-best-chu]

i started this at the beginning of the year and puti it off for soooo long but this is a good stopping point

too tired to render more🫠

[rwby-confess]

Confession #380

[sir-adamus]

a clip from JLxRWBY, interesting a) because Blake has some memory gaps too, not just Diana and b) this is the first time in any RWBY medium they’ve given us a year

[kaelidascope]

Dude, I love this fanfic so much! I just wanted to ask where you got the idea from. Did you have any inspiration from anyone? Also, what's your favorite fanfic? And want do you recommend ?

AWE bless!! Thank you so much I'm glad you're enjoying it <33

So actually a good 80% of this is written from personal experience LOL I used to dance and was into drift building/racing in my late teens/early twenties! Most of the references or scenes in Midnight Menagerie are references to things I've seen or done in real life, OR stories friends have told me within the same field. (Nora is literally just a rebranding of this one mutual friend we had who just. Absolutely fucking unhinged) Like for example, the anticipated Hangover Chapter is just a retelling of an insane Summer weekend I had in 2017 ☠️ it's a personal delight being able to translate things into the narrative, even more so knowing people find my stupid, terrible decisions as amusing as I do in current times lol

My general rule of thumb is to write from experience. Things I understand either on a technical point or emotional connection. So, if you've read it in my work, it's probably something I've done LOL

Another reason I find drive in writing this type of narrative is that MM!Blake's type of dissociative PTSD is something I haven't seen much in media in general. I've seen people depict her in various ways (some of them good!), but none of them ever really apply directly to me, so I wanted to make something that I could relate to and how to properly navigate life, given the environmental circumstances. Plus some us need better examples on how to juggle mental illness as adults and also be in healthy long term relationships because damn I have zero reference LOL

For the fic recs, oh boy I have so many LOL time to be a pathetic fangirl on main but okay here's the ones that immediately jump to mind (also heads up most of these are mature or explicit rating);

Certified Kaeli Fresh Fics

Let You See My Wilder Side (If I Can See Your Bones)

We all know this one but it is, hands down, my favorite piece of literature of all time. Masterfully crafted and a timeless classic worth several rereads (and I have. Embarrassingly so)

Written by @/lucytara on tumblr || @/explosive_sky on twitter

honestly all her works are immaculate and beyond compare. Also a major fan of I Have A Bullet With Your Mouth On It (That was first RWBY fanfic I ever read LMAO a friend recommended it to me before I even watched the show) I aspire to write like her some day. It's what got me writing fanfiction in the first place. So, credit goes to Erin for inspiring me to post my manuscripts at all. Words cannot express my gratitude and appreciation. I have two book series in the process of being published now and I wouldn't have had the nerve to do it had it not been for this specific fic.

2. One Day At A Time

Also one of the earlier fics I read before getting into the show LOL I love all of @/Frenchsoda 's work, the full list is also worth checking out. I'm a fan of disgruntled Blake who doesn't understand her attraction to Yang but it's so god damn sweet ugh

3. Fucking In Love

Written by @/Set_WingedWarrior and @/Softlight

This one circulates a lot in my social circles. Everyone I know LOVES this one and after reading it earlier this year, now I see why. As someone who worked in the sex industry for a brief period of time, this one's not only accurate but also A DELIGHT to read. The premise is fun, captivating, and worth the wait. I actually discovered a chapter update earlier this year and sent the gc into hysterics because we thought the fic was dead LMAO props to these authors!! They're doing an amazing job and deserve praise

4. You're A Mountain, Full Of Glory

written by champion author @/lescousinsdangereux

I should just preface already that every book Blake reads in MM is a fanfiction that exists because I love Easter eggs. Everyone knows I had Blake reference this in chapter 3 LOL but it's equally as immaculate as Erin's work. I LOVED especially the dynamic between Weiss, Yang, and Ruby in this one. Baby, we're complicated fucking murdered me 😭 also that fuckass Christmas scene, that's my favorite Christmas song LMAO

5. The Home Inside Your Head

Written by the ever skilled @/writeriguess . I found this fic by accident by seeing fanart for it floating around on this site. Got curious, picked at it, and. Oh, my god. It's not very often my brain gets scratched in the right way, but boy this one does it. This author does something specifically unique I haven't seen many do before, and I applaud them for it. There's great detail on the scenes that matter, and the fucking organic build up between Blake and Yang is just. God. Chef's kiss. Truly. It feels so god damn natural and healthy and it's already crossing off several of my agendas already. Give this one a read and give the author some love. SENSUAL FACE TOUCHING? CHAPTER 13????? BOOOOOOOYYYYYYY I'm normal about it

6. You'd Be Paranoid Too (If Everyone Was Out To Get You)

Written by @/WabaJaba_ on twitter

Okay so this one's completely different than what I've previously listed but HOLY FUCKING SHIT IS IT A THRILLER. It doesn't nearly have the amount of love and attention it truly deserves. A friend of mine recommended it to me because it shook them so fucking hard they were in total brainrot hell for a MONTH. NOW I UNDERSTAND WHY LMAO God I was obsessed with this for weeks myself. It obviously lives up to it's rating, horror fics aren't for everyone. But if you're able to read it, good lord you should. It's chilling, captivating, and had me on the edge of my fucking seat the entire time. Both endings are good, I still can't decide which one I prefer but RAH I will make sure this is seen god dammit

and last but certainly not least

7. You And Me and This Temptation

written by talented author @/ProfessorSpork

Okay this one was an accidental find as well. A friend sent it to me because THEY found it by accident, I clicked on it for later, went looking for a completely different fic that I mistook for this one, started skimming and realized 'wait a minute LMAO I don't recognize this'. But the thing you have to understand is I hate reading. I'm not a reader, I'm picky and it needs to be worth sitting down for long periods of time. This is one of the rare instances where I was so captivated by it I kept reading more and more from the middle where I landed, and eventually just said ykw let me just start from the beginning cus LMAO context.

This one is, by far, one the healthiest and loveliest depictions of first times I have ever seen. This shit was so inspiring to me that it literally kickstarted an essay in someone's DMs why depictions like this are so important. I didn't have this experience irl, and why MM is written the way it is is because its meant to serve as a lighthouse for those who, like me, haven't. This fic however I feel like should be a required read for anyone getting into relationships for the first time because if it's not like how these two interact, LEAVE IT. This is the standard. This is amazingly written, it's the closest I've ever seen canon Yang and Blake be written to date. The fucking souvenir bit 😭 NJKFGNFJKGNGJ killed me, I was kicking my feet laughing for a good minute. This is the kind of standard everyone should look at and go 'yeah, I want what they have' BECAUSE IT'S CORRECT. LOUD CORRECT BUZZER NOISES

Honestly everything in my bookmarks is certified Kaeli Fresh but these 7 are my top faves. They're probably also really commonly known I'm sure but LMAO like I said I don't read much 😭 which is heavily ironic considering I write myself. Anyway this ended up way longer than I intended but LOL <3 <3 go give these incredible authors love!!

[temporary-tats]

I’ve made it to Chapter 19 of @kaelidascope’s Bumbleby piece of ART, Midnight Menagerie, in 3 fucking days (fuck sleep and I am a very fast reader) And I am,,,, terrified! I am wholly shaking in my boots! I read the author’s note and promptly closed AO3 until tomorrow cause it’s 3 am and holy FUCK.

Anyways - y’all should read it but also be warned it’s a hefty fic! There are some very heavy topics going on so don’t go in blind!

[littlecornerofremnant]

Fun fact: So despite often reblogging stuff about Midnight Menagerie on my main, and now here, I'll be honest and say that I have never actually read the story.

So after seeing the new chapter drop I decided "Fuck it why not, it seemed interesting anyway so let's see the hype."

Its 5:13 in the morning. I have to wake up for work in 4 hours. I'm currently in the middle of chapter 5 and I. AM. INVESTED. HOLY FUCKING SHIT. I have so much anxiety right now it's not even funny. Like I found my self doing Yang's breathing exercise with her because goddamn this chapter is making me nervous as hell.

Anyways check out Midnight Menagerie by @kaelidascope

[weisscoldglare]

Weiss visiting Menagerie is actually really interesting.

Not just because she is a Schnee in the land of Faunus. But because of her colour palette, I imagine she would be like when full on pale white (ghost) people visit countries who have never seen that before and they are just a beacon of pictures and excited kids who have never seen something like this being kids. (**Cough** Blake watching her interact with them kindly **Cough**)

This feels like an alternative volume 4 but with Weiss there instead of Sun.

And the Ilia chase suddenly gets a lot scarier as well as her kidnapping attempt. Cause I imagine that would actually bridge out towards Weiss as well and they'd be more prepared in a way? Cause I bet they wouldn't miss on the opportunity.

Idk brain going brrrrrr again •-•

Blakey my queen, you are a genius Very culture shock tho

[uncaught-coolfish]

Here’s to hoping the girls aren’t kept as pallid fucking white as they were in the atlas arc or else they’re fucking cooked. Literally

[shimanamii]

i did it 🫢

my first chaptered schneekos-centric fic POSTED.. after 3 and a half years lol

summary of Pearl of Atlas:

Having made her escape from the City in the Clouds, runaway heiress Weiss Schnee must enlist the help of a world-class huntress, Pyrrha Nikos, for safe passage to the city of Mistral. But there's a heavy bounty on her head—especially in the wake of the discovery that she managed to smuggle a valuable artifact out of Atlas: the Pearl, a mysterious object of untold power recovered from deep within Mantle's mines. Between ruthless bandits and Atlesian soldiers and two infuriating thieves, Weiss might not be able to prevent that power from falling into the wrong hands.

[brokentrafficknight]

Rainbow Menagerie, is you would. Jaune X Blake/Velvet/Ilia, and any other Faunus girls you want to add.

CyanideSins vibes.

[constantvariations]

Given how Adam's scar isn't stretched or distorted, he was probably branded as a late teen