#suffering wiess

[stoneillustrations]

This was inspired by a fun character reaction I found on @rwbybutincorrect

[itsclydebitches]

Cinder is a lot more sexualized then the male parts of Salem's inner circle

Like tyrian is shirtless sometimes but that does not feel as...drawn attention to, as say, the lingering shots of Cinder's butt or thighs. Or her wearing short shorts and high boots you know what I mean?

I do, anon. RWBY got a lot of attention back in the day for its anti-upskirt technology, but that doesn't give it a free pass for all the other ways you might (and it does) sexualize the cast. I've never been inclined to give RWBY too much shit in this regard because it is pulling from media with a LONG history of such designs and cinematography - it feels unfair of me to act like RWBY is uniquely responsible for such problems when I'm simultaneously willing to overlook, say, the 90's "gag" of Yusuke flipping up Keiko's skirt - but there's nevertheless a voice in the back of my mind constantly asking things like, "Why are so many of the girls fighting in heels?" and "Why are they dressed like they're going to the club and not the literal TUNDRA??" I'd kill for the whole cast, but the girls in particular, to get a re-design that focuses on fashionably compelling practicality, rather than sexy fanservice. (Though Ice Kingdom did a good job overall, particularly for Ruby.) Sure, RWBY didn't give us panty-shots, but one of the first characters we're introduced to is literally designed like a dominatrix.

If we're talking about outfits though... I'd say Emerald gets hit the worst out of Salem's minions. Yeah, Cinder is definitely sexualized in a more general sense as the tall, white (that's not a coincidence), long-legged beauty who sensually conjures fire as she prowls towards the heroes, camera focused on her hips swaying. But Emerald?

She suffers from the same problem Yang has. AKA, if your woman isn't classically beautiful (like Wiess and to a different extent Blake), or cute / child-like (Ruby, Penny), but is instead going for a sporty, comparatively masculine-esque vibe... then they've got to show a LOT of skin. RWBY makes it sexy by just denying them clothes. You're entering dangerous battles on the daily? You want to protect yourself? Too bad. The audience needs a midriff and cleavage and your whole arms to stare at. Shorten the skin-tight pants so we can see some leg too. Oh, Yang has to have long pants because she's heading into the coldest Kingdom in Remnant? Never mind that, cut a strip out to show her thigh.

"But Clyde, the girls don't need to wear armor because of aura--" then why the hell does Jaune bother wearing that heavy-ass suit? Is it weight training? Does he just think it makes him look cool? ...or does it exist in case his aura breaks and he's allowed to wear more protective gear because there are different gender expectations attached to his design? The aura argument is just a modern rehashing of the Supergirl sun argument: using made up lore to "justify" getting your women characters into skimpy outfits, despite the men rarely being held to the same standards.

Tyrian is actually an interesting exception here and if I were less tired I'd think through this argument more, but something something as the "crazy" character he's allowed more leeway in breaking those expectations. Also the open shirt shows off his scars, which likewise help sell how dangerous he is. With the exception of characters like Cinder and Nora - whose injuries are Important Character Moments the audience gets to see play out - scars are surprisingly uncommon in Remanent. Or, again, they're severely downplayed so as not to interfere with that classic beauty design (like Weiss', or even Yang who gets a perfect cut when losing her arm). So when you see a character with giant scars spanning the length of his chest, an open shirt drawing deliberate attention to them... that makes you go, "Oh shit. What's he been through to scar like that in a world where most people make it out of fights with no permanent damage?"

[gaytorade-official]

I have thoughts but the RWBy x Justice League movie. First, the romantic tensions between the JL members and RWBY characters? Weird af. Like those are grown adults, despite the movie trying to justify it by having the characters say they ‘feel’ like kids every 5 minutes, and you know actual kids. Like y’all really think Batman stepped through the portal thinking the same thoughts he was thinking about Wiess? Speaking of Batman I hated that they made him a faunas. Like I get the whole bat motif but no. Faunas are supposed to represent minorities and the suffering and pain they go through. Definitely not Batman. His only gripe was that he didn’t have super powers on a team of superheroes and he got over that real quick. Also I found it weird he didn’t have a weapon? Like they made him a Faunus and that was his whole personality for most of the movie. You’re telling me the king of gadgets and gizmos and thingamabobs wouldn’t have a weapon? Not even batarangs? Yeah the whole thing was kinda weird. It had it’s moments but they could have done better.

[malice-death]

RWBY Song Analysis: Winter vs. The Path to Isolation

Now I know what some of you are probably thinking, "The Path to Isolation is a Weiss Schnee song and has nothing to do with her sister.

But after looking at the deleted V9 epilogue, I can clearly see that this song can work for V7-V9 Winter.

And here's the reason why.

To start it off, Winter's return in Volume 7 was something that I couldn't wait to see, considering she is one of my favorite characters.

Winter as a whole is a very serious character, trying her hardest to keep up with the people around her, and make sure no one sees any sort of weakness, or disloyalty to Ironwood and the whole of Atlas.

Now when push came to shove during the volumes, She had to make choices she wasn't proud of nor dejected the orders in certain areas.

Even worse was probably all the deaths caused by the things around them.

Back of course this is about how V10 Winter suits "The Path to Isolation" now.

"It starts with the unexpected loss of something dear."

Already got one notch on the board. At the very end of V8, Winter witnessed the loss of her dear sister, Weiss.

"The warmth that comforted and cradled. Just disappears."

This one can pertain to Penny in a way, another person she lost, who physically disappeared, someone who sought to make sure she knew her life was valued.

"And in its place, there's nothing, just than endless empty hole."

Winter clearly shows how she felt in the deleted animatic, speaking on a more negative value, and really doesn't know how to cope properly with the grief she is feeling."

"The light that showed the way is gone and darkness takes control."

This one goes to Winter talking Ruby in a way, considering to everyone who came because of her video, but since she is dad, Winter doesn't think she can believe in such a voice, allowing the darkness in her heart take control.

"Bitterness and anger, are quick to fill the void."

"The path of isolation is littered with the dreams that lay destroyed."

While studying the song, this line alone was harder to think about, cause in the original context of thinking about Wiess, you can clearly see where this fits into her story.

But Winter's I had to rewatch a lot of the series to see where such things could take place in V10 potentially.

In the end I decided that this was talking about the hope that Winter could've felt after defeating Ironwood, and "saving" Atlas/Mantle, but because of how the cards were dealt, those thoughts could be ruined.

"The cold seems to grow in my soul, its consuming me."

"Confused and I'm losing myself in the storm."

This one goes out to fighting physically and for fighting emotionally.

Winter spent a long time forgetting about how she felt about the things around her, always just following orders. But when everything happened, when everyone fell, and with Ironwood dead, she has no choice but to face the things that she never considered before.

"Growing jaded, being pushed, I'm unraveling."

"Can't find myself when I'm constantly pushed to conform."

Before Weiss was suffering at her father's whim and will, it was Winter who had that heiress seat, who was being pushed around to make sure she always followed through on everything.

Think about how she speaks, how the solider grows cold when she knew that she could have others standing there beside her.

"Enemies surround me, but the worst appear as friends."

"Liars and pretenders, only seek to reach their ends."

Winter has known many people, but Ironwood was someone she trusted, someone she knew for the longest time, but to see him falter to see him make orders that she couldn't approve of morally, was breaking her, making her remember all the things she probably to get away from such ideals.

And when you're in the military its harder to know friend from foe.

"Everything is breaking, right before my eyes."

"Looking in the mirror, I see someone that I don't recognize."

When Penny died, and Winter became the Winter Maiden, she didn't get a real chance at goodbye, just like when Weiss fell, she didn't get a proper chance at goodbye.

So, while she stands in the back breaking into pieces, the person, the maiden she sees every time she wakes up wasn't the person she wanted to know or see.

It was still that hard to remember who she was in the end.

"The joy my heart use to know is eluding me."

"Removed and the one thing I feel is alone."

"Smile's faded, and I'm spinning and sinking. I'm weakening."

This one brings us to the V9 epilogue, and how broken and alone Winter is. She stands away from her mother and Qrow, and even when she stands around anyone else, she seems to be at a distance.

"Frozen in solitude, loneliness chills to the bone."

"Memories escaping me, as my heart begins to drain."

"Scars that cover wounds, can't hide the self-inflicted pain."

To be honest, I was thinking that Winter must hide her own scars that she got over the years. And the fact that she decides that she doesn't want everyone back.

She believes that they aren't going to come back.

"Everything my mind wants, in conflict with my heart."

"Fighting back surrender, but every day I'm falling more apart."

Winter as a solider and a sister, and friend as well, but in the world she was born and trained in, she wasn't thinking about those things.

Her mind thinks in orders, while her heart thinks in feelings.

It's one of those things that almost never add up in certain types of military trained induvials.

I was the same sort of way for the first few months in my training.

It can take a lot of time to ease back into your heart.

"Mirror what's this thing that I see?"

"Who is staring back at me?" "A stranger to my heart has filled my mind."

This one goes to Penny and Winter, considering that when a maiden dies a bit of their spirit goes into their next host. Not to process or make a new person, but to give them new perspective on things that they never thought of before.

"Mirror"

"Help Me"

"Who Am I?"

Winter is not Snow White, she is the mirror, the thing that Weiss relied on.

And whose to say that the mirror never quesitoned themselves?" In the end sadly, until V10 comes out all of this is pure speculation.

But personally its my way to celebrate the end of V9, and the hopes of a new Volume on the horizon.

Until next time.

Thank you for reading.

And thank you, my dear Winter Maiden.

[sunder-the-gold]

Look at the series back i think we both make a mistake revolving penny returne

We both and a lot of people are beliving that ruby will be the one that bring penny back but i dont think that it will be ruby

It will be winter

Unlike ruby winter never expirince a death of someone close to her until the final when she lose two: penny and wiess it will completly broke her

So it would make sense that when winter find out that she can bring penny back she will do it

Also having penny back will help with two thing:

It will help ruby in her journy and give her hope after all what the most hopful thing than seeing somthing you want but thought it was impossible

It can raise the stake in ruby talk to salem since unlike salem both people that ruby care about that died penny and summer came back so salem can use it as a reason to not belive ruby

Winter lost her grandfather Nicholas. Ice Queendom reveals that Nicholas had a good relationship with Weiss, and his relationship with Winter should have been stronger since the two of them had more time together, with Winter better able to understand Nicholas before he died.

I also don’t see how Winter could bring Penny back. If Pietro Polendina reunites with the Atlesian refugees and begins a mad project to make a new Penny, I think Winter would try to counsel him to let go. Winter knows better than anyone else that Penny died; she talked to Penny in her final moments. She let go of Penny then.

Also, I never said that Ruby would be the one to bring Penny back. She has even less opportunity to do that than Winter.

I think if Penny comes back to life, it will be because the mysterious world into which her mysterious body fell would bring her body back to life, or else Ambrosius gave Penny a body that can’t die in the same way as human creatures.

In that way, Penny returns not because of anything Ruby does in reaction to Penny’s death, but as a happy accident of what Ruby had already done in her attempts to do good in the world.

This would inspire Ruby Rose to hope again, because Penny’s return would serve as concrete proof that she can accomplish worthwhile things in the world. Ruby took a risk, the best choice as far as she could calculate, and she suffered unexpected defeats and achieved unexpected victories.

What this would do to Jaune Arc, however... He would and should be happy that Penny survived, but he still has to deal with the guilt of killing her. Having her around to forgive and defend him would help, but she can’t make him forgive himself.

[unforestalledreturn]

Verses

§ I’m Still Here §

Set in Genesis' early SOLDIER days, as a prodigy of magic but not so much physicality, he struggles to fit in amongst his peers. I’m Still Here is a verse that depicts Genesis during his early SOLDIER days. Feeling gatekept by ShinRa and his fellow SOLDIER, Genesis seeks to prove them wrong, picking fights, and isolating himself from his perceived persecutors and friends. Desperate to find himself and come to terms with what he wants, Genesis relentlessly fights for his place.

§ Crisis Core §

This verse is pretty self-explanatory. I do not create separate verses for every deviation in canon while writing, but should the deviation become extreme enough, it will receive its own divergent verse and receive its own section here.

§ Final Fantasy 7 Remake §

After the platefall of Sector 7 breeched an opening into parts of Deepground, I headcanon that Genesis’ holding cell was also breeched at this time, releasing him for shenanigity during the events of FF7. Genesis in this verse lurks in the shadows collecting fragments of his past. He is prone to breaking into ShinRa facilities to obtain confidential information, dispatching any remaining Genesis and Angeal clones, and seeking out familiar faces. As much as he tries to maintain a low profile, he remains impulsive and hungry to fill a void he is not entirely sure how to fill. He is duplicitous; a great ally in some situations and a terrible foe in others. 

§ Post-DOC §

Having laid dormant for nearly a decade, Genesis escapes from his prison in Deepground and emerges disorientated and confused in the rubble and monster infested ruin of Midgar. Everything of his prior world is dead and gone. In this verse, he aimlessly searches for meaning, desperately following clues of just how shattered his world has become. His personality has become tempered and morose, forced to stand upon the ashes of his reckless inferno.  Also of note in this verse is his relationship with the Tsviets. During their stay and mutual suffering in Deepground, I HC that there was a shared bond of pain, enough so to have Genesis referred to as “brother,” although it is possible that it could be sarcastic, indicating a bond of the opposite nature.  At the end of DOC, Genesis also makes off with Wiess with his cryptic message that, “There is work to do”. In this verse, I leave the interpretation very wide for as much flexibility as possible. 

§ Unblossomed Seed § In this verse, Genesis’ wanderings of a world completely change ultimately bring him to Wutai, the homeland of a people who he hunted and killed during his prime. He comes upon a village and is taken in and goes on a journey of self-discovery and growth. Healed by the people he once slaughtered and sought to conquest, he takes the lessons and tries to pick up the pieces back in his home, and whatever remains. 

[nyxlarkyn]

Wow this made me think of even more mirrors and parallels Rosegarden shares. That I don't think I've seen talked about, at least not lately. So I just want to build of it, sorry it's a bit of a long ramble.

You bringing up Fairytales within Remnant reminds me of "The Man Who Stared at the Sun" having themes between Salem/Oscar as the Farmer and the Sun being Ozma/GoL/two souls merging. (this does not mean I disagree with your stance on Oscar being the sun, I agree with you on that) Especially the quote below from the Sun to the Farmer being a titular theme for all four characters, but a major driving point within Ruby and Salem.

"People should accept the responsibilities for their failures."

And going back to The Lost Fable,

"So long as this world turns, you shall walk its face. You must learn the importance of life and death. Only then may you rest. -We will learn from this failure. I hope that you will learn from yours. -  She cursed the Gods. She cursed the universe. She cursed everything, everything but herself."

How in the fairy tale the Sun and the Farmer have their tasks they must do, but their pride gets in the way of that when they enter into a staring contest.

The famer is unable to do his job without the Sun. Salem is unable to go on without Ozma - Ozma is unable to move on without Salem. "We are both proud of our jobs and too stubborn to change our ways"- The Farmer. I mean is this not the foundation of Salem and Ozmas relationship currently? Day coming to a still and the land suffering from too much Sun or perpetual night. Salem could even represent the land at certain points with bathing in both Brothers Pool and how she's suffered as a result.

Ozma ignoring the task the GoL gives him in favor of Salem - The Sun failing to go around the world. Both eventually coming to reason and going back to their purpose for the greater good.

The Farmer holds themes of sacrifice, something Salem is unwilling to do, but Oscar is heavily grappling with, with the loss of identity. How the Farmers endurance over time earns him his prize.

“As promised, from now on, your crops will grow better than anyone else’s, for as long as you and your people work hard and take care of the land."

Ozma is tasked with ensuring Humanity's greater good, so the Gods reward them. Oscar's ability to endure Hazel's and Salems torture in order to win over the humanity within Salems followers. How he's introduced on a farm staring at the sun multiple times. How Ozma, Day comes to a new Sun, Oscar in order to fulfil his task. So that over the daytime each sun would tend to and nurture each new generation.

Ruby struggling with the devastations she has faced mirrors Salems travesties in life (Wiess plays a major role is this too, but that's not for this post). How she actually learns to accept the responsibility of her failures and moves on in a positive light unlike Salem who dwells in resentment.

Her relationship with Penny holds a similar role as Sun held to Bumblebee. This also mirrors Salem and Ozmas life and death cycle. Has anyone talked about this parallel yet? (this is NOT a nuts and dolts post but how the relationship helps drive rosegarden)

How both Oscar and Penny hold a green/orange color scheme - Sun and Yang having the heavy sun and yellow symbolism. Yet Yang and Oscar both adopt their partner's soul color. Ruby having a hand holding scene for both Penny and Oscar. The mentioning of Penny during the dojo scene. Little mirroring both Penny and Oscar.

Losing Penny and the Fall of Beacon is Ruby's equivalent to Salem losing Ozma and watching Humanity be destroyed.

The moon symbolizes multiple things in the show. For Salem, it is a visual representation of her scars. Penny is ripped apart and scattered in a similar way as the GoD did to the moon. Which is why Penny is framed so often with the moon. (note: Penny does not have Sun symbolisms, she doesn't fit the sun/moon soulmate archetype with Ruby)

Ruby experiences a very similar type of loss with Penny as Salem did with Ozma. Ruby watched her die in v3, saw her brought back to life, found a way to defy her eventual death by going to a Godlike Being - Salem going to the GoD - Ruby then watched her robot body destruct, and after all that effort to save her, she loses her again - just like how the GoL came in and took away Ozma from Salem again.

Except Ruby doesn't make this scar darken her. Hence why Penny is always bathed in white/silver lighting as opposed to Salem who's bathed in darkness. Losing Ozma motivated Salem to end the Gods - losing Penny/Pyrrha/Summer gives Ruby motivation to protect the world and loved ones. It also gives her understanding of life and death and better acceptance of it unlike Salem who has not figured that out.

This also heightens Ruby's fear of loss, which I hope gets drawn out more in v10 with Oscar seemingly onto merge completion. A reflection of her failures with Penny, knowing yes apart of Oscar will be there but it won't be just him. Gives her an even greater desire to protect Oscar from losing himself, just as desperate as Salem was to bring back Ozma.

I really think the writers are setting Ruby up to relate to Salem and find a way for them to unite together under a common goal. As in her being the one to teach Salem how to accept the responsibilities for her failures.

Thinking about how Salem sparking an uprising against the Gods and uniting humanity under one goal is eerily familiar to Ozpins view on Ruby being a simpler more honest soul that can spark the hopes of man.

Both reading stories and being inspired to lead their lives off it. Putting their message out to the world and the people answering back. Their actions are the same but in different fonts.

Their imagery is even eerily familiar, most notable in mind being consumed by water, the cliffside/memorials, and both having parts of one of the Brothers powers within, moon symbolism, etc.

Ruby and Salem are building up to be foils of light and dark.

"Likeminded souls indeed"

Like of course Oscar is heavily implied to have a crush on Ruby. They're two characters who are a version of Oz and Salem without their history.

DING DING DING DING DING!!!! EXACTLY!!! This show is one about parallels, rhymes, and mirrors and these four are at the heart of all of it.

I also think it's really interesting that the task the GoL gives to Ozpin is to unite humanity when that's... kind of exactly what Salem did, only she was punished for it? smh. god forbid women do anything.

But anyway, I love that Ruby has taken over Oz's role in that regard. One of my favourite shots in the show that pushes this is this one from The Lost Fable. Where the line right before it says something like: "In time, (Salem) would find her adversary."

The story Jinn tells to cast is one of Ozma being setup to stop Salem, but the story the show is telling us, the audience, is that Ozma walks off screen revealing Ruby as Salem's actual adversary.

There's also some interesting allusion stuff that pushes this even further with Salem being the witch from the Two Brother's fairy tale that is killed by a silver bullet, and Ruby is a "girl who is also a gun" with silver eyes. But to talk more about the SEW stuff, I have to address the celestial symbolism you pointed out.

What you say about "foils of light and dark" is also right on the money. The way these four interact as symbols within the central plot is so poetic. We have Salem as the darkness of night, and then Ruby as the moon. Silver eyes, as Maria explains in V6, "shine like mirrors, reflecting the light of the world onto darkness". But silver eyes don't just reflect the light of the world, they reflect the desire to preserve life onto that which threatens to take it away. Just as the moon reflects the light of the sun.

Isn't it just. So. Interesting. That the person the story is telling us Ruby is most afraid to lose... is Oscar Pine... a sun coded character? So!!! Interesting!!! I'm so!!! Normal about it!!!!!!!!

By extension of this, I do think Oz is generally symbolized by Daytime. A lot of the songs seem to use "days" as a placeholder for each lifetime (or generation) as a "new day" to try again. It also works in the sense that daytime bring sunshine and his curse is what brings Oscar, this generations "sun", into the fray. Additionally, works as a perfect contrast to Salem's night and her frustration that he keeps coming back over and over again.

or tl;dr you know it's bad when i start making diagrams ooh boy

Anyway, yeah, it makes complete and utter sense why Ruby and Oscar are setup as they are with just how central they are to the main plot. This story is one about breaking cycles, so having those two have a successful version of the Ozma and Salem situation is just the most natural way for this to go.

[holy-schneet]

Weiss, age 11: I can’t wait till I grow up, I can stay awake as long as I want!

Weiss now, 19*crawling into bed at six thirty*: Oh thank gods

[stoneillustrations]

A little Bumblebee dance off for you. 💜💛

...and some suffering Weiss. 💙

[thanatosra]

to the person who made the 4 choices its funny they had to pick ones who clearly had feelings for other chars or a playboy like neptune (jarune for pyhra and wiess, ren for nora, if I think about it neptune showed more care for wiess then he did a lot of other things but that was only 1 episode)

second oh no yang had character development oh no. Also yang still has fun what the hell are you talking about its just not as offen cause she not someone who goes oh look people are suffering lets make fun of this

3rd what happened to show the fans what they want after all yang and blake was the most popular ship by far next closest is wiess and ruby but I don't see that happening (also always prefered penny for ruby)

Lmao this guy (if y'all are on twitter you know who it is)

First of all, “devolved into a grumpy bitch”. Like lmao the misogyny jumped out. Sorry Yang has more character traits than just being a blonde funny party girl with big tits and that she actually has a personality and a backstory.

Also his great idea “hey guys! If instead of having the bad idea of Yang getting with Blake—her teammate and a character whose arc is directly connected with hers—the writers were good and Yang got with one these clearly better choices, who would it be?” *Proceeds to put two of Yang's friends who already had love interests in the show and two other guys with whom Yang has interacted maybe twice in the show*

Also, I really like the implication that it would only be good writing if Yang dated a guy! Like, obviously, even if it wasn't Blake, Yang dating another female character, like Weiss or Nora, would be terrible writing too, because what's really bad about the writing apparently is that Yang is sapphic and not dating a boy.

Like lmao.

[blacksunlover6]

Melee unit that makes nearby units invincible.

Hatred,

Resentment.

Fear,

Injustice.

Neverending sorrow.

After all this time,

After all these generations...

How beautifully strange it is...that in this quiet place, far from the blood-soaked battlefields, two simple souls would meet.

Running from fetters binding them to the fates of their forefathers, unknowingly toward each other, they stop and stare. Like chess pieces across the board, black and white, and destined for war, the Daughter of the White Fang reveals herself to the Heiress of the Schnee, and braces herself--

For a blow that never comes.

Oh, how beautifully strange it is...that in this tragic world filled with pain and suffering, two chess pieces would simply....

Walk away from the game.

"Checkmate."

Video footage of Checkmate (Blake Belladonna and Wiess Schnee) from RWBY: Amity Arena. Blacksun will always be my OTP, but Checkmate/Monochrome is just too good to ignore. The card info is just pure poetry! 😍 (Posted February 11, 2021)

[chiefladylightyay]

Dragons of Vytal World Building note 3

Hopefully this will be the last world building notes post for a while so I can actually write something concrete for the au. Finally have a name for the thing!

Part Two located here

The Branwen-Rose-Xiao Long Family

Taiyang Xiao Long, charmed the pants off of his team, father of Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao Long. Contester for Dadliest Catch(tm) and Pungeon Master(tm). Teacher at Signal Preporatory Academy.

Raven Branwen-Xiao Long, got her pants charmed off by Tai, mother of Yang. Left the family for a little while due to untreated postpartum depression, returned in the nick of time to save Yang and Ruby from a wandering Grimm. Low key huntress, takes no shit from anyone. Currently MIA.

Summer Rose-Xiao Long, got her pants charmed off by Tai, mother of Ruby. Keeper of the Silver Eyes(tm) and Winner of the Super Mom(TM) award, slayer of Grimm and baker of cookies. Went on a dangerous solo mission and almost died, spends her time being a stay at home mom and occasionally teaching at Signal.

Qrow Branwen, got his pants charmed off by Tai, uncle of Ruby and Yang. Winner of the coveted Coolest Dude(tm) and Best Uncle(tm) awards, hobbies include turning into a bird and charming the pants off any gay and bisexual man he can get his hands on. Conquests include Specialist Clover Ebi and General James Ironwood. His semblance is the same as Raven's. No bad luck this time around, no sir. Had too much to drink once, never again.

Ruby Rose-Xiao Long, daughter of Summer and Tai. Keeper of the Silver Eyes(tm) and winner of the Cookie Nomster(tm) award. Dead set on becoming a huntress, despite all the terrible stories told by the adults in her family. Age 15 years and 10 months when she stops that famous criminal from robbing a random dust shop. Geekiest weapons nerd that ever geeked over a weapon. Has yet to suffer the gay mojo, but she will. Oh, yes, she will. Trans.

Yang Branwen-Xiao Long, daughter of Raven and Tai, punchiest blonde this side of the galaxy and junior Pungeon Master(tm). Hobbies include punching things, flirting with both guys and gals (succeeding too) hanging out at dive bars and riding a mean motorcycle. Has a masters degree in history. Age 16.

The von Schnee Family

Nicholas von Schnee, founder of the family line, got ennobled for saving the Kaiser once. Frame for the Arma Gigas. Long since dead and buried.

Wilhelm von Schnee, father of Willow von Schnee, grandfather of Winter, Weiss and Whitley. Founder of the Schnee Dust Company, think Scrooge McDuck, lived long enough to see the birth of all his grandchildren.

Edelweiss von Schnee, wife of Wilhelm and mother of Willow von Schnee, grandmother of Winter, Weiss and Whitley. Died in child birth.

Willow von Schnee, wife of Doctor Jacques von Schnee, mother of Winter, Weiss and Whitley von Schnee. Retired huntress, member of the Convention of Twelve. Spends most of her time at home, making sure her children are well cared for.

Doctor Jacques von Schnee, doctor of robotics, business and finance. Brother of Doctor Arthur Watts. Hired by Wilhelm to replace the workforce in the dust mines and refineries with robots. Hated by the working class for this feat. Husband of Willow von Schnee, father of Winter, Weiss and Whitley. Member of the Convention of Twelve, spends most of his time at the company hq. Still makes sure to spend time with his family.

Winter von Schnee, eldest child, has no desire to inherit and so passed the mantle of heiress off to Weiss. Combat Instructor at Atlas Academy and one of the primary advisors for the headmaster. Has a harsh but sisterly love towards her siblings because she wants them to be safe. Wants something more out of life, but does not know what. Age 22.

Wiess von Schnee, middle child and heiress to the family fortune and the SDC. Famous around the world for her singing career, currently set to attend Beacon Academy to become a huntress. Very, very, very much a lesbian. Currently dating Penny Polendina, a fact she has somehow managed to keep hidden from the rest of the world. Has a masters degree in finance and business. Age 17 and change.

Whitley von Schnee, youngest and softest child. Very loved by his family, famous around the world for his music, specifically his piano pieces. Very fond of crepes, and heaven help you if you take them from him. Currently working on his doctorate. Age 14 and change.

Klein Sieben, head of household staff at the Schnee manor. Literally studied up his family fortune, but has no actual results (a bunch of Almost Doctorates are useless to an employer) from this. Had to turn to his old friend Willow to get himself a job. Much loved by the family and the rest of the staff.

The Belladonna Family

Shere Belladonna, the Red Maws operative who assassinated the Heir Presumptive of the Atlo-Mantelian Empire, thus sparking the Great War. Died unmourned in prison due to the horrific deaths in the war he caused. Very much a black mark in the family line.

Warchief Ghira Belladonna, father of Blake, ruler of Zion. A good man, spent his youth fighting for Faunus Rights. With the direction the White Fang has taken in recent years he's currently working on damage control.

Kali Belladonna, mother of Blake, like Ghira she spent her youth fighting for Faunus Rights, but her pregnancy put a firm stop to that. Spends her time advising the Fang on less violent methods, with mixed results, and teaching at Zion Preporatory Academy.

Blake Belladonna, daughter of Ghira and Kali, fighting for Faunus Rights is in her blood. Spent her youth fantasizing about being the Next Big Thing(tm) in the Good Fight(tm). Almost went off gallivanting with Adam Taurus, but a firm taking in hand by her parents scrapped that plan. Blake is very bitter about this fact. Intends to attend Beacon, just to get away from her parents whom she sees as too controlling. Age 16. She/Her nonbinary.

The Polendina Family

Doctor Pietro Polendina, father of Penny Polendina, and doctor of robotics and applied systems engineering. Due to an accident in his youth he's unable to father children. The same accident also left him paraplegic. Don't let the chair fool you, he's completely capable of laying the smackdown on anyone who threatens or bullies his daughter. Member of the Convention of Twelve, spends most of his time with Penny or building new military hardware for the Atlo-Mantelian government.

Penny Polendina, daughter of Pietro. Very cute, very curious and very gay, her free time is spent mostly with either her father or with Weiss. The first artifical human, her original purpose was to be the first of several, but the costs involved has left her as an only child. Sees Winter and Whitley as her siblings, much to their delight. Age 16 and change.

[rwbycombatskirts]

I like how Wiess was like “I am not third wheeling these guys”

And then Ruby was like “I am not getting caught in the middle of this couple skirmish” 

Both suffering because of these canon couples

[jtargaryen18]

Which one of Chris' characters would be the easiest to emotionally manipulate and which one would be the hardest. You know the usual things like 'you don't love me'. Or maybe you're a Russian spy taking them for a ride. Sorry for the weird ask I just think it's interesting to think about.

Okay, now here’s a challenge. Which of Chris’s characters would be the easiest to manipulate? And I have to stick to the ones I’m familiar with...

On the easy end, I’m going to say Jake Jensen, Johnny Storm, Me, Colin Shea, and Lucas Lee. All of them are gorgeous and suffer from either a strong skill set, a big ego, or both. Their attention would be too divided to pick on a well-placed manipulation. Not saying they couldn’t catch you, but they would be less likely to pick up on it. At least at first.

In the middle, I’m going to place Curtis, Ari, and Ransom. Curtis and Ari are so focused on the mission - noble of them because they take care of others and aren’t looking for personal gain - that you could possibly play them. Not for long, particularly in Curtis’s case and I’d probably both love and hate that punishment (ehehehe). Ransom is the wildcard here. It would be so easy to lull yourself into a false sense of security with him. He’s too into himself to catch you, right? Yeah, Ransom has the world’s best poker face. He’s out for him but, make no mistake, he’s paying attention.

Who not to manipulate aka don’t even try it. Mike Wiess and Andy Barber. Lawyers, sharp minds, experts at reading people. Just no. Robert Pronge. Come on, the guy creeps for a living. He’d know what you were up to before you said a word.

And at the top of this pyramid? Steve Rogers. Enhanced mind, super-fast analytical skills, enhanced intelligence meets heart of gold and strong moral compass. Better just to apologize to him for even thinking about it and getting it over with. lol

Love you! HUGS

💕💖💕

[waystobuild-blog]

Willow Schnee is Going to Burn Down the Schnee Mansion

So, I think a lot of people have talked about someone burning down the Schnee Mansion going up to Volume 7.

Most people before have talked about it being Weiss for obvious reasons or Ruby so that she finally gets the chance to burn something to the ground like the rest of her team and feed her thirst for destruction. Honestly, both are pretty viable choices for the destruction of the Schnee Manor considering well... Weiss and the fact that it was Ruby herself that said the team wouldn’t leave her side and that they should go to great lengths like Jacques.

But after yesterday’s episode, I just can’t see it being anyone other than Willow Schnee.

Willow, has been through a lot at the hands of Jacques and that’s something that they’ve made incredibly clear to us in just this one scene that she has already given up hope of getting out of this life. It’s honestly really sad and a little too real, if you ask me. I feel for Willow.

While I think that she has given up any hope for herself, it’s also made clear that she hasn’t given up on her children. So much so, that I believe that she believes that they’ll be able to prosper and that they’ll be able to do it together, despite everything.

It’s that ideal alone, why I believe that she’s going to set the mansion ablaze with both herself and Jacques inside.

I mean, it’s clear that she doesn’t give a damn about herself both with what’s been mentioned before and the way in which she drinks. She has some serious self destructive behavior. But despite that, she still cares about her kids and she thinks that Jacques is a terrible person.

When watching her scene, I read a few pieces of her dialogue a certain way.

“I put cameras in every room in this house, for our safety! In case I ever needed to-” Okay, so this one most people are reading as the potential for her to go to the police in case Jacques ever did something particularly rash. You know... However, I feel like this kinda goes against what we know about her. This is a woman who has gone through so much and at this point has kind of given up on herself. I imagine that the cameras are a relatively new development, so I doubt it was for when the kids would suffer from their father’s anger. So... I can see them being used for either one of two things. 1. Escape. If the kids need to book it out of the mansion and something is coming after them, she knows who’s coming and where. 2. To know exactly where he is at all times so that if she does ever do something. It’s a bit far fetched, but I just don’t feel like it’s for the reason most people think because of Willow’s nature, piled on top of the fact that Jacques is pretty untouchable himself. 

“That’s right... You left...” “You haven’t come back to stay have you?” “No.” “Good.” She doesn’t want them to come back. This is obviously because of the fact that well, Jacques has been a terror on their home and their family. But again, I also think that it’s because of the fact that she plans to do something. But whatever that something is is likely to be self destructive and she doesn’t want her to see or be caught in that. 

“Whatever happens, Weiss... Please don’t forget about your brother.”

“Whitley wants nothing to do with me.” “Of course not. You left him alone... with us...” Okay, this is the big one that made me believe that she’s going to set the place ablaze. So first off, let’s talk about the fact that Whitley is just as much a victim of Jacques toxic upbringing as the rest of them. I mean, he turned out the way he did because of all of this and that’s kinda tragic. He’s now left alone with all of this and nothing else to do but fall in line. He’s still a kid at the end of the day who’s just in a terrible situation. That’s not to say he’s not responsible for some of the stuff he’s pulled, but he absolutely is a victim of his father. It’s because of all of that, that she wants Weiss to free him too. She wants him to get away from it all and so that Weiss, Winter and Whitley her children can be a family. But most importantly, if I’m right then it’s so that they can live on after what will happen. 

Now, if I’m right about her setting the house on fire then those last two quotes especially foreshadowing. Picture this, whether it be out of rage, or just giving up or drunkenness or whatever, Willow sets parts of the mansion on fire. And for whatever reason, Team RWBY and others are in there. Everybody has to escape or they’re all gonna die. But as they’re leaving, Whitley is still somewhere in the house and for whatever reason, he cannot escape.  Wiess wouldn’t forget about him this time though.  She wouldn’t leave him alone with her parents to die. She will absolutely go back for him and maybe he might start to get some redemption because of that. 

[ansgar-martinsson]

The Best Intentions - Part 3

The Best Intentions

Part 3

“It is no imposition, believe me,” Ansgar replied. “As much as I despise the fact that your building is suffering problems, I do enjoy solving them now and again.” He surreptitiously allowed his gaze to follow the path of her hands as they straightened out the denim of her skirt. He saw a strength in her movements, a power in the way her muscles shaped beneath the fabric - a power matched by her forthrightness. Not overwhelming, mind you… not false… not pretentious… just… present. This one - she knew what she wanted and how to get it, that much was obvious.

And admirable.

“Perhaps,” he continued, “you would like to change into something more suitable for structural investigations before we begin.” With his eyes, he indicated the Louboutin pumps, still lying discarded on the stage floor. “Why don’t I go take a look at the sprinkler heads installed backstage, and you tell me where to meet you when you’re done.”

Jo’s comfort came in the form of a pair of old broken in trainers (stained with paint from the tech shop), faded, ripped jeans (exposed knees from load-in from her last theatre job in Paris) and a ratty, old, black short-sleeved t-shirt (sprinkled with holes). She kept a wardrobe on hand in her office for days like this. Box office days, she dressed smartly, prim, proper for all the old biddies spending their pension on Puccini. Tech days, she wore black from head to toe. On opening and gala nights, she felt at home in a little black dress or a gown. Dressing for an office meeting felt like work.

The computer and its dancing screensaver called to her in the corner to research the lighting issue. The ramifications meant long hours of interviewing new candidates for her design or technical team. But that would have to wait… the rest of the repairs needed another pair of eyes, the haunted blue of the engineer. Something weighed on him, a brooding quiet, a dark hurt, a something that she couldn’t quite read yet.

She breathed a sigh of relief as the oh-so-soft denim whispered against her skin. She blew a kiss at her borrowed Louboutins, promising another night in them… soon-ish. She returned to find Ansgar wandering around backstage, making notes on a clipboard, knocking on walls with his fist, shining his torch this way and that, and testing the pulley system for the flies.

“Thank you,” Jo said announcing her presence, “I… this works.” She threw her arms out beside her palms out, displaying a tattoo on her left forearm. “Much more me for days like this.”

“Where do you need me?” he tucked his notes under his arm. His gaze followed her arm and the flash of color he saw.

“Ah, under the stage.” She pointed below her feet. “The sprinklers may have caused water damage? The hydraulics for the turn table works only when it wants.”

“Temperamental,” he commented with a chuckled grunt. He took control, leading them off stage right to the staircase for the other area. “Have you used the pyrotechnics down there?”

Jo followed closely at his elbow, anticipating questions about the integrity of the areas she showed him. “Not since… not last season.”

“Any of the directors turn in specs for it for the upcoming?”

She shook her head though he didn’t look at her. “Not yet. The designers haven’t either. We still need to find a team for The Flying Dutchman.”

Jo asked Ansgar to look over the box seats and the arrangement of it. The dip of the seats had started scaring some of the older audience members, fearing they’d fall into the orchestra below. The wall between dressing rooms seven and eight had begun to warp. The floor in the rehearsals spaces needed patching and sanding. She toured through with a careful ear listening to his tips and concerns, and possible hidden agendas amongst her crew.

When they were through the laundry list of items, Jo found some relief. She stood at the top of the orchestra, hands gripping the back of a red velvet seat. “I love my work, Herr Martinsson. I haven’t an ounce of talent of my own, but I love this place. I’d love to see it sparkle again. And so would Harold.”

Ansgar stared, his focus narrowing on her. “I’m sorry. Harold?”

“The opera ghost,” she teased. “He’s been with us the entire time.”

He humored her and offered her a good natured laugh, stepping in to stand beside her, looking over the sea of red. He placed his hands on the seat beside her. “Well, Joline… and Harold… I think I can help.”

She looked down and quieted the tiniest of swells of disappointment in her belly when she saw a wedding ring on Ansgar’s left hand. Attractive men were always married; she should know, she’d married one. “We both appreciate it. Harold and me.” She pushed a smile to her lips and brushed his shoulder with hers.

“Well,” he said, “we’ve a duty to our ghosts; to make sure they’re happy with the things they’ve left behind, don’t we?” Ansgar’s speech slowed as he spoke, the impact of his own statement not lost upon him.

His thumb, in an autonomic motion, tucked into his palm, the tip of it rubbing against the underside of the golden band that remained around his finger.

“I’m sure Harold will be supremely happy,” the woman by his side quipped. Ansgar’s lips quirked into a small smile, partly at her praise, partly at the fact that she had missed his passing discomfiture altogether. Or so he’d hoped.

In further hope of distraction, he raised his clipboard, running his finger down the list he’d made. “Well, Froken Lindberg,” he said, “if that is all of the issues, then, I think I ought to get back to the office and get this to my project manager. Get her on contacting the subs and suppliers immediately, get warranty claims made and bond claims if need be.”

“You mean Froken Wiessing?”

“No,” Ansgar shook his head. “But I think… well, Julia and I will have some other things to discuss.”

“Anything I need to worry about?”

Ansgar looked down at her and smiled. “Not anymore. Listen,” he said, “I apologise for all of this happening, I apologise for my company being so unresponsive, it’s… it’s not like us… not like me at all. Quite the opposite.”

“I know,” she shrugged. “It’s fine. It’s all being sorted now, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is,” he affirmed. “Are you sure?”

“Well,” she grinned up at him. “There is one more thing you can do.”

“Name it,” he challenged.

“Take me to lunch. I’m starving.”

Ansgar laughed. It felt good to laugh again… very good. Truly, honestly good. “Of course,” he bowed his head, smiling. “You name the place. It’s the least I can do.”

Jo discovered Carousel her first week as House Manager. The Mediterranean outdoor café suited her low-key wardrobe and Ansgar’s higher end threads. The grilled rib-eye tasted of heaven on a plate but Jo loved making a meal of the appetizers instead of gorging herself on mains. As she angled into the wooden bench, she wiggled-slid behind the oblong table, “The gazpacho and watermelon should be a sin.”

Ansgar folded himself into the chair at the head of the table, to her left. Grinning at her, he took in the colorful and lively atmosphere. It all seemed so… normal. So ordinary. Comforting normality of his home.

Her voice dropped to a sensual moan. “The sweet and the savory…” She rolled her eyes skyward. The grumble in her stomach wasn’t just hunger but curiosity about her lunch companion and this need to prove herself worthy as House Manager. After months of chasing attention at Martinsson Construction, she now felt consumed by this mad drive to show him that the house and how it ran remained safe in her hands.

“I brought the mockup of our final mailing and advert campaign… the last push to get asses in the seats for the new season.” Ticket sales and revenue secured her position. As it was her first full season as manager, it was final examinations on her worth. “We open in September with The Marriage of Figaro.”

His finger traced along the glossy production photographs of women in wide elaborate frocks and taller wigs. The text read clean and concise, listing titles of the upcoming operas, dates, the box office website, and other means to purchase tickets or sponsor levels. “Impressive,” he nodded.

“Did you get your invitation to the opening night gala? My staff sent them round to all the executives at your company.”

“Uh… no… no. I’ve been away,” he repeated his mantra from earlier. “I’ve not caught up on correspondences. I assume that Britta has added it to my calendar.”

Jo wrinkled her nose, “This is boring to you.”

“Not at all. Your… passion is admirable actually.”

Her wide blue eyes met his and kicked herself for flirting with him. She shouldn’t encourage this. She couldn’t.

But it was one lunch. One lunch couldn’t hurt.

It’s only lunch, Ansgar thought.

But it was true what he’d said, he admired her passion. it seemed to permate every inch of her, seep from her pores. Passion - well, it was extremely attractive. Her passion for her job, her passion for her art - for it was her art, he knew. Even if she wasn’t the Prima Donna, or a visual artist or a composer or even if she wasn’t a musician or a set designer or a lighting designer, it was still her art.

Like his work with steel and glass in structural engineering, he knew her expression of her self came with the craft of engineering logistics.

“Tell me,” he said, stabbing up a forkful of spinach salad, “what’s your talent utilisation style?”

She cocked an eyebrow at him over the rim of her water glass. “My what?”

Ansgar swallowed and nodded. “I mean… your management style. How do you… how do you manage to keep all those….”

“Artistic types in line?” She chuckled. “Sometimes it’s like herding cats… cats who have been rolling in catnip and have eaten an entire bag of Smarties. You just have to know how to use the right toys to fiddle them out and get them to pay nicely together.”

“Oh.” Ansgar laughed. “Sounds a bit like my situation, except sometimes my cats have been chewing on the Valium tablets or tippling at the brandy. Most sluggish, and they simply do not want to come out of their hidey holes.”

She inhaled through her nose. “So I’ve noticed.” She flashed him a closed-mouthed grin followed by a slight cringe at the brazenness of her words.

Which again made Ansgar laugh. “Touche,” he tossed. “Okay, change of subject,” he smirked. “This Gala of yours, this opening night do you’re organising.”

She shrugged. “What of it?”

“Well, I suppose I’d like to know when it is.”

“Why, do you want to go?” Her sudden burst of eagnerness made her grimace. “I mean,” she composed herself. “Do you plan to attend?”

Here goes nothing, Ansgar thought.

“I believe I do,” he said, plainly. “That is, if you will allow me to accompany you for that evening. It’s the very least I can do.”

Jo pushed her spoon through what was left of her gazpacho, watching the bits swirling round the bottom of the bowl. She smirked, her head bounced slightly on the sound of humor. “When I stormed your castle this morning…” She chanced her gaze back up, “I… well, uh… I didn’t think…” she spread her hands wide and circled around the half eaten dishes they’d consumed, “this would happen.”

Ansgar laughed with her, matching her mirth. The exaggerated and animated gesture unexpected but none the less amusing. He dipped his head in an almost bow. “Admittedly, this wasn’t my agenda for the day.”

She pointed upwards and nodded, dropping the last of her pride, and then shrugged, “It was the least I could do.”

The imitation of him was spot on and he gave into a good-natured chuckle at his own expense. He’d extended that precise statement to her more than once, to assuage his guilt, to be the attentive and present CEO that he should’ve been, to be the man he believed himself to be. “Fair play, fair play.”

As their laughter faded, Jo addressed the elephant that sat between them, pink and plump and ripe for a tickle. She chose her words carefully, mincing them so as not to wound or offend. “I don’t want your obligation.”

Then she waited, stealing another glance at the ring on his left hand, curled around a pint.

Don’t entertain it, Jo. Not for a breath, not for an afternoon, not for a thought or some scorching hot sexual fantasy. Your mother had a sense of humor, naming you after Dolly Parton’s other woman, but don’t be that woman, Jo.

You’re not that woman.

Clearing her throat, she covered her pause and stray thought. “Well, that’s not entirely true. I do actually want your obligation.”

This was met with a furrow of his brow and his fingers brushed the sexier than sin stubble at his chin.

“My professional self would feel satisfied… I’d get off—I’d celebrate it!”

Pull it together… Jesus, Jo!

“As CEO of the company that built my building,” she carefully spoke without a trace of arrogance, “I absolutely want your obligation. But me? Jo, me?” To illustrate her point, she splayed her hand over her heart, inadvertently accentuating her breasts. “She… she doesn’t want your obligation.”

Ansgar lowered his pint from his lips, his movement slow and controlled. He seemed to consider her words as if each one were a bead of condensation that hung on the glass. “I think you’ve misunderstood me…” That was the moment he struggled with a way to address her.

“I understand it. Your company and your name are in jeopardy, but I’m not looking for that kind of publicity. I won’t say anything to the press. As long as the work in the theatre is fixed by opening,” she waved her finger between them, “we’re sorted. Hell, make it a restoration special, to the press if you want… your good deed for the community, for Stockholm. We’re square.”

Ansgar couldn’t help but smile at her take on his invitation. A diplomatic and thoughtful, perhaps even pragmatic solution to the complication that brought this woman trampling down the door to his office. If he read her correctly, he’s piqued her interest, if the lack of drink thrown in his face were a sign. She remained his lunch companion, another indication that he hadn’t piqued her anger. He couldn’t use work obligations to spend an evening with her.

Using a different tactic, he began, as his grin intensified, “Well, as long as we’re square—“

Before he could say anymore, she cut him off, “Hey! I got an obligatory lunch for my efforts.” She grinned over a piece of seasoned bread she shoved into her mouth. “That was the least you could do. My gala,” she shook her head, her speech muffled by bread, “would go above ‘the least.’”