#the only really notable thing about her upbringing was that she was forced to drink tea at some point and now can't swallow it

[lulu-nightbon]

i know... but she still works at pigsy's, so you know where to find her if you decide to ask

oh, and baba, as a side note... if you need help with the whole heaven being a hypocritical contradictory pain in the ass situation, there is someone who might be able to help... i don't think she'll take kindly to the monk, though, after the whole being possessed thing because he showed what he thought was mercy (im talking about zhouei and if you haven't been keeping up with everything ive spouted on her already im mORE THAN HAPPY TO ELABORATE IN THE TAGS-)

(ELABORATE)

"I'm unsure."

[takingcourage]

Additions: Part 2

Pairing: Jaime x MC

Word Count: 3,700

Summary: During their first morning at home, the kids start settling in and Jaime and Arden get their first taste of parenting.  

Note: Based on my drafting and outlining, I anticipate that this series will be 6 full parts (give or take one) and a brief epilogue. I should be able to post at least an update a week from here on out -- hopefully more, if editing and polishing go smoothly. 

I also wanted to include a quick note about content. As the story progresses and you get to know more about the kids, you’ll see that they’ve experienced a fair share of difficulties. Although I ultimately want this series to be a hopeful and uplifting read, I also don’t want to be naive in the way I deal with their upbringing. If you have any concerns about the way I’ve portrayed any elements of this story, please tell me. I’d much rather correct my mistakes than make a further mess of things. 

Anyway, happy reading! 

June, 2027

Arden woke early, not quite believing that she’d actually slept through the night. As she consulted the phone on her nightstand, she felt Jaime stir at her side. When his imploring hand reached out to caress her hip, she flipped over to face him. 

“It isn’t even daylight,” he urged, voice thick from sleep. “We could go back to sleep.” 

She snuggled up to him, cool nose nuzzling his shoulder. “I don’t want them to get up before we do. And I forgot to ask last night if they like pancakes.” 

He chuckled and lowered his face to kiss her hairline. “They’ll be here next Saturday too.” 

Arden’s fingers teased the patch of hair on his chest, her voice growing quiet at the intimation. “But you know how important it is for us to be consistent. It’s their first full day here and I want to start things off right. Plus, it’s tradition.”

Jaime buried his face in her hair, his lips providing assurances before he ever gave voice to them. “We’ll start plenty of new traditions as a family of five. If they don’t like pancakes, we’ll find other routines to get into.” 

Wiggling even closer, she basked in the remnant of sleep warmth that lingered between their sheets. On any other day, she’d have been tempted to stay there until some outside force pulled them both from bed, but she was far too full of thoughts on this morning to lose herself in such amusements. 

“And I can almost guarantee that they’ll like pancakes.” 

She giggled into his ribs. “Probably so. All right, I’m getting up now.” With a slight groan, she pushed herself away and left the bed. Entering the bathroom, she heard the telltale rustle of blankets as her husband joined her. 

“It may be a little early to start on breakfast, but we can go drink some coffee while we wait for them to get up,” he suggested, bypassing her at the double-wide vanity. 

“It’s never too early for coffee.” 

Jaime shook his head and stepped into the shower with a grin. “I’m enabling your addiction, aren’t I?”

She cocked a brow, but didn’t dignify the comment with further response. Instead, Arden made her way to the dresser and set about choosing an outfit for the morning. The options were still sitting at the foot of their bed when Jaime emerged from the shower, hair dripping onto her bare skin as he leaned over her to take a look. 

“I didn’t figure this part out before,” she admitted, rotating her face so she could see him. “Do I put on lounge pants or real clothes? I want them to know that we’re down-to-earth, but I don’t want to look like a slob. We’re supposed to “model good choices” and all of that.” 

He hugged her tightly, and though she squirmed automatically against the loose droplets of water that transferred to her skin, it didn’t take long for her to relax into his continued touch.

“You’ll be modeling good choices no matter what, babe. Before you know it, you’ll be back to work and long gone by this time most mornings. Besides, I think our Saturdays now are for lounging around and enjoying family time.” 

“Okay.” 

Arden took the advice gratefully, slipping her jeans back onto the shelf in her closet. She pulled on the drawstring sweatpants she’d selected, subconsciously checking to make sure they hadn’t gotten too wrinkly in the days they’d spent sitting in her drawer. 

“Ready?” came his quiet question minutes later. 

“Can I have a kiss first?”

He gave in, and the easy motion bolstered her strength. “We’ve got this, Arden.”

The relative darkness of the house meant that they had to navigate by memory. As they crept down the stairs, Arden had to suppress the feeling that they were some strange variety of burglar -- tiptoeing and avoiding all excess noise in their own home. On reaching the kitchen, Jaime flipped on a single light and withdrew the bag of grounds from the cupboard.

No sooner had Arden turned on the sink to fill the pot than footsteps creaked on the stairs. Their daughter appeared in the kitchen doorway moments later.

“Morning, Sophia.” Jaime gave her a welcoming smile as he folded back the top of the package of coffee. 

“Good morning,” Arden echoed, briefly taking in the girl’s appearance.

“Good morning,” came the tentative response. One hand raised to brush the neatly-parted hair behind her ear. The other slipped into the pocket of her jeans. 

Why am I so awkward? Just say “good morning” back like a normal person. 

The errant thought wrenched Arden’s heart, and she nearly dropped the pot of water balanced between her hands. Trying not to stare at the girl before her, she shifted it to the counter. She’d just decided to offer the child some coffee when Sophia spoke again.  

“Sorry,” she breathed, so cautiously that the words were almost a whimper. “I’m really bad at sleeping in new places and I woke up super early. I can go back to my room if that’s what you want.” 

Exchanging a quick glance with Jaime, Arden took a step toward the doorway. “Only if you want to. We weren’t sure what time you were used to eating breakfast, so we thought we’d come down and start with some coffee until you were all awake. Do you want some? We’d love to have you join us, even if you don’t want any.” 

In the months leading up to the placement, Arden had expected that interactions with their children would come as naturally her interactions with guests on the show – that all the right words would fall from her tongue at all of the right times. In the past eight years, she’d grown accustomed to the easy confidence she felt with her on-set persona. 

Her parent persona seemed incredibly stilted by contrast. Talking with her daughter was more like rehashing a script than anything genuine. She could practically feel herself checking off the familiar reminders. 

Be nurturing. When possible, let the child make decisions for herself. Include the child in normal family routines. 

Swallowing hard, she wondered how long it would take before she stopped second guessing her responses to everything. 

Sophia offered the shadow of a smile, tugging her hand from her pocket with no small degree of difficulty. “I like coffee.”

Arden’s brows scrunched. “Do you like it black?”

The girl couldn’t hide her impulse of disgust at the question, mouth souring at the thought of the bitter liquid. “Ugh, no.” Seeming to catch herself, she amended, “I can’t drink it like that.”

“Oh, good,” Arden sighed with relief. “Neither can I.” With renewed purpose, she opened the fridge and searched for the various bottles of creamer she knew resided on the shelves. Finding them, she ushered Sophia over for a look. “Do any of these sound good?”

Sophia squinted at the bottles she indicated, lifting her hand again to confirm that the hair was still tucked behind her ear. 

Arden gave her space, careful not to stare when it was so clear that she wasn’t ready to meet her eyes. 

But avoiding her face was hard. Those features had been seared on her memory for the better part of the past year. Seeing them before her now, she was struck by how notably they’d changed since September’s filming. The clear skin that she’d had in the initial video was now marked with a smattering of acne across her hairline, and her round cheeks had hollowed considerably over the course of the school year. 

She’s hardly a child at all, Arden realized with a sense of alarm. We’re going to have a teenager in the house in less than a year. I don’t think we’ve spent time around teenagers since we were teenagers. What have we done? There’s so much research I’ll have to do for–

As her thoughts began to spiral, Sophia’s voice dragged her out of the vortex. 

“Ca– May I try the hazelnut?”

Still trying to settle her mind, Arden retrieved the creamer she’d requested, along with the gallon of milk for herself. “If you don’t like it, you’re welcome to try any of the others.” She knew the response was delayed, but at least it felt better than not saying anything at all. “I like to switch things up now and then, so I usually have a few to choose from. Jaime doesn’t like anything in his at all,” she offered conspiratorially, placing the of bottles on the counter. “It’s gross, but he refuses to drink it any way other than black.” 

Jaime jumped in to defend himself, and soon the three of them were seated around the dining room table, mugs in hand. 

By the time the boys surfaced more than an hour later, they were just starting in on their second pot. 

“Ew, yuck,” Will announced on entering. “Coffee is dis-cuss-ting.” The word was drawn out, lisped over a pair of missing incisors. 

Alex elbowed him and traded a look with his sister. 

Jaime topped off Arden’s mug and passed her the sugar jar knowingly. “Well, we’ve got plenty of coffee if you happen to change your mind.” 

“I won’t,” Will promised, still rubbing his injured side. Taking a large step away from his brother, he found the empty seat at Sophia’s side. 

“How about you, Alex? Coffee?”

The boy’s tangled mop of hair shook vigorously. 

“All right. What about pancakes?” Jaime offered instead. 

I told you they’d want them, he told Arden when a round of nods circled the room.

“I can help make pancakes,” Sophia volunteered, pushing her empty coffee mug to the center of the table. 

“That’d be great,” Jaime agreed. “Do you like them with blueberries?”

Sophia looked at her brothers, discomfort evident in her puzzled expression. “I’m not sure. I don’t think we’ve had them like that before.” 

“I don’t like raisins,” Will chimed in. 

Arden’s face must have displayed her confusion at the younger boy’s admission. 

“We ate a lot of raisins with our last foster family,” Sophia offered by way of explanation. “He didn’t like them.”

Alex grumbled something under his breath. 

Sophia shot a warning gaze as she passed by his chair. “As long as they’re not raisin pancakes, we should be fine.” She stepped through the archway and stood attentively. 

“I’ll make some both ways, just so we’re safe.” Jaime retrieved a mixing bowl from the cabinet, then set about gathering dry ingredients. 

“You’re the one making them?” Their daughter’s voice cracked with the question. “I mean, I don’t mean that in a rude way. I just thought she was going to…” The girl’s wide eyes scanned the back he’d turned to her. He’s a nice guy. I’ll be okay. 

Arden felt like the wind had been knocked out of her as she watched the scene unfold. She knew a fair bit of Sophia’s history, and she’d picked up a handful of nonverbal cues when they’d visited the kids before, but no proof was as stark as what she was seeing and hearing this morning. 

A knot formed in the pit of her stomach. The thought of Jaime being anything other than trustworthy was ridiculous. Anyone who’d known him longer than thirty seconds could tell he was a man of impeccable character. Sophia was probably safer in the kitchen with him than she could be with any other person in the world. 

But she doesn’t know that, Arden reasoned. She’s been hurt before and trust takes a long time to build. 

Resolved, but somewhat deflated, she passed the threshold. 

Sophia visibly relaxed at her presence. 

“Do you want to get the eggs from the fridge?” Arden asked with a reassuring smile. “How many do we need, Jaime?”

“Today? Let’s start with three and see where that gets us. I haven’t made this many in a long time. It’ll take a while to cook them all,” he chattered on amiably. 

Arden caught Will’s restless squirming from the corner of her eye. “Do you boys want to go and play for a while or stay in here and wait with us?” The idea of keeping all three of them entertained between now and breakfast was a little daunting. 

“Can I take Opie for a walk?”

“Sure!” she replied instinctively. 

Panic flared across her consciousness as she realized her mistake. I can’t just leave Sophia alone with Jaime. And I’m not letting a seven-year-old go walking through the neighborhood by himself. 

Unless Alex wanted to stay and help too, splitting up was probably a terrible idea. 

Please volunteer to help, please volunteer to help. 

Alex continued staring at the grain of the table, fiddling with the collar of his pajama shirt.

Jaime met her eyes across the room. His quizzical brow quickly cleared in understanding. “Alex, would you mind helping too? I’ve got a perfect job for you.”  

It looked for a moment as though he was going to grumble at the request, but his face soon reset and he marched into the kitchen without complaint. Sophia’s calm demeanor assured her that they’d made the right decision. 

Thank you, she mouthed over the back of the boy’s head. Jaime smiled his response. 

Turning her attention to their youngest, she found him already petting the dog in the hallway. “I’ve got the leash here. Do you want to put it on?” 

Will’s bright eyes lit at the suggestion. 

Arden passed the cord over, watching closely as he clipped it onto Opie’s collar.  “He likes you,” she informed him with absolute certainty. “And he’s going to be so excited to have someone new to take him on walks.” 

The boy beamed at her, tongue visible in the spaces between his missing teeth.  She’d once thought that Jaime was the only person on earth whose smiles could stop her heart, but she recognized the distinct patter in her chest. For entirely different reasons, this child already had her wrapped around his finger. 

She was stirred from her musings by the sensation of a small face rubbing against her shin. Jinx strolled by, pausing momentarily to sniff the length of leash that dangled on the floor. 

“Can Jinx come for a walk too?”

Arden giggled, catching the cat’s derisive tail flicking even if she didn’t hear her thoughts. “I don’t think she’d like it very much. She really just wants to sleep and look out the window these days.” 

“Is she old?”

“She’s older than Opie is.” 

“Can we get a new cat for her to play with?”

“Maybe someday,” she answered noncommittally. Saying no to this boy was going to be an incredible test of willpower. 

With a quick wave toward the kitchen, they were ready to go. The morning had hardly started, and Arden already felt that at least one potential crisis had been averted. Repeating Jaime’s earlier affirmation, she followed Will out onto the lawn. 

We’ve got this. 

_____

July, 2027

Arden was’t sure when she’d been more relieved to pull into the garage and put her car in park. All she’d been able to think about since leaving was getting back to their kids, and the view of silhouettes through the front window had made her impatience all the more palpable. 

She practically flew through the adjoining door and into house. 

This was the first day that they’d needed her dad and stepmom to help fill in the gaps between schedules, and she’d be lying if she said that the arrangement had left her feeling easy. She had nothing against either one of them, but guilt had been gnawing constantly for the two hours she’d been gone. 

These were their kids. Their responsibility. Turning those duties over to others -- even family -- filled her with trepidation. 

“Mommy!” Will leapt from the couch before she’d even fully made it through the entryway. 

“Hey, guys!” she returned his enthusiasm, pulling him tight for a hug. His arms lingered at her waist a little longer than necessary, but she couldn’t help reveling in the affectionate show. Knowing that her desire to see him was reciprocated was extremely gratifying. When she glanced up, Alex’s eyes were on her.

Traitor. 

Her mouth ran dry at the older boy’s thought. It wasn’t the first time she’d been privy to hints that he was uncomfortable with Will’s quick attachment, but it was easily the most incriminating thing she’d overheard in the five weeks they’d spent together. 

“How’s your day been?” she asked Will, trying to push Alex’s response from her mind. 

“Good. Knock knock.”

“Oh, I love my welcome-home jokes.” With a cheesy grin, she set down her work satchel and gave the boy her full attention. “Okay, ready. Who’s there?”

Will’s features danced with excitement, the excess energy coming out as tiny shuffling steps across the hardwood floor. “Lettuce.” 

With a giggle, Arden complied. “Lettuce who?”

“Lettuce in, we’re cold out here!” Having recited the punchline, he gave a triumphant hop into the air.

She treated him to a breathy laugh, catching her father’s smile out of the corner of her eye. “That’s a good one.” Stretching out a calming hand to grasp his elbow, she asked, “Where’d you learn it?”

Will pointed to Harry, still seated on the couch with a pile of books on the cushion next to him. 

“He’s been reading them to me for the past hour,” Harry confirmed. “This one has a whole section in this one about vegetables.” His dubious look was reflected in his tone.  

“Oh yeah! There’s one about radishes! Can I tell it?”

Although she continued to engage with Will’s babbling, Arden’s eyes drifted to the other child in the room. Alex was still scribbling away in his sketchpad, the papers angled close to his chest so that no one could see the resulting artwork. 

What is it that’s going on in that head of yours? she wondered, feeling the faint furrow of her brow. But no answering thoughts met her question.

Bringing her conversation with Will to a close, she wandered into the dining room to find her daughter and stepmother engaged in one of Julie’s trademark pastimes. 

Jewelry making had always struck Arden as a remarkably fiddly way to fill one’s hours, but she couldn’t help admiring the strand Sophia was stringing together from the colorful array of seed beads strewn across the table in bags. 

She sat across from the table’s two occupants, eyes glazing at the repetitive motion of Sophia’s nimble fingers. “Those look amazing,” she said, considering the small assortment of bracelets and necklaces piled on the other side of the table. “Do you mind if I look?”

Sophia’s eyes met hers momentarily as she shrugged. “Go for it.” 

Arden looped a finger through a prominent chain and pulled the collection toward her. 

“Julie told me I could use her beads to make some back-to-school jewelry,” she explained, keeping a tight hold on the end of the wire as she searched for the next bead in sequence. “Do you want me to make something for you too?”

Arden’s breath hitched at the suggestion, and her response came slowly. “I would love that. You remember that dress you helped me pick out at the mall last week?” At the girl’s nod, she continued. “I’d been thinking about pairing it with a necklace that has some deeper greens…maybe some blue in there too? I’ll leave it up to you.”

With an approving smile, the other woman entered the conversation. “I’ve got lots of beads in those colors. If there aren’t any here that you like, I’ve got plenty more at home.”

“Thanks, Julie,” Arden expressed gratefully. “And thanks again for coming over this afternoon. You really helped us out.”

“We’re happy to do it anytime.” She selected a pair of pliers from the tools before her and cinched the clasp on her bracelet. “How was your interview?” she asked as she draped the piece over her wrist. 

Rolling a bead between her fingers, Arden considered the question. “I think it went well. We’ll have to match what this new group said against the rest of our records, but I we may have finally found the missing link.”

“It always sounds so much like you’re doing detective work.” 

“Sometimes it feels that way too,” she admitted with a half smile. “I just like to get to the bottom of a good story.” 

“You certainly have a knack for it.” Bracelet donned, she rose from the chair. “If you’ll excuse me for a moment.”

Seizing the opportunity, Arden shifted to the end of the table nearest her daughter. “Speaking of getting to the bottom of things, can I ask you something?”

Curious eyes glanced at her before returning to project between her hands. “What?”

“Alex seems like he’s in a weird mood today. Do you know if everything’s okay?”

Sophia reached for a new bag of beads, her forehead scrunching in contemplation. “He’s always like this at the end of summer. I think he’s just upset that he has to go back to school soon. He hates it.” 

“Do you think there’s anything we can do to make him feel better about it?”

“Eh, not really.” 

“Is there something specific about it that he hates?”

Raising her shoulders slightly, Sophia answered, “He hates homework and classes...kinda everything, really.” 

 “Okay.” Arden relaxed against the back of the chair. “We’ll see what we can do about homework and classes and...everything, then.” After a pause, she added her thanks. 

“Welcome.” Holding the strand to the light of the window, she took a better look at the work she’d done. Apparently satisfied, she placed another bead before sharing her thoughts further. “I don’t get it, but he really does hate everything to do with school.” 

Arden had seen comments to that effect in Alex’s case file, but hearing it from Sophia’s lips was still unsettling. Based on his behavior and the thought she’d overheard before, she was starting to have the sneaking suspicion that his agitation was being caused by something more than just school. 

She wasn’t going to stop investigating until she knew just what that something was. 

[itsclydebitches]

RWBY Recaps: The Shining Beacon Part 2

I miss RWBY. Specifically, I miss early RWBY when there was less drama (not really but let me pretend), so let’s head on back to Volume 1.

In our opening scene of Episode 3, Ruby and Jaune have managed to find the hall where the rest of the newbies are meeting and honestly? I’m super proud of them for it. These are the two fools who will later argue over who had the map while wandering around the wilds of Remnant. Baby leaders managing to find the rest of their flock? Great job. Well done. Mama’s proud.

This little time skip raises some questions though. Did they ever find the Beacon cafeteria? What else did they chat about the rest of the day? Yang makes it sound like they’ve been gone a number of hours and I for one would love to know what awkward Ruby and even-more-awkward Jaune got up to during that time.

Tis the realm of fics though, not canon. Instead we get another shot of RWBY’s infamous shadow people with Yang standing out like the goddamn sun.

Who could the main character possibly be??

Beats me. What a gosh darn difficult question.

Yang: Ruby! I saved you a spot.

Are... are there spots, Yang? You’re all standing in a giant auditorium. If Ruby comes to stand beside you is another student gonna throw a fit about it? I mean real talk, I went to watch the changing of the guard while spending a month in London and let me tell you, there were people who guarded their spots like a pissed off bird guarding her eggs. (For the record you couldn’t even see anything. This was just human prickliness at its finest). So who knows, maybe Yang knows precisely what she’s doing.

Ruby abandons Jaune to join her, which on the one hand is kinda mean—you can’t invite your new friend to stand around with you?—but Ruby does say she’ll “see [him] after the ceremony,” so that’s nice and all. I know my anxious ass would have been thrilled to hear someone making future plans like that, even if it’s mostly just a nicety. Making new friends is hard.

Of course, Jaune doesn’t make that job any easier on himself. I’ve written before about his Nice Guy tendencies in the early volumes and they come back in full force here. He bemoans Ruby’s leave, asking himself where he’ll find “another nice, quirky girl to talk to?” It’s an easy introduction for Pyrrha, revealing her behind Jaune and quite obviously setting her up as that “nice, quirky” girl who he’ll become closest to as the episodes progress, but jeez, Manic Pixy Girl assumptions abound. Especially given the fact that Jaune/Pyrrha became canon in Volume 3. Obviously Pyrrha will be written with great depth as RWBY continues, but it does rankle a bit to have her introduced as a Ruby stand-in, someone positioned as a way of fulfilling Jaune’s ridiculous “needs.” I’m glad this is undermined later when she takes initiative towards him, i.e. saving him during initiation and angling to be his partner. Her interest is clear even if at that point Jaune will take anyone pretty: Ruby, Weiss, Pyrrha herself.

But I digress.

Ruby gives her whole spiel about meeting Weiss and Yang’s response is, “Yikes. Meltdown already?” heavily implying that she expected Ruby to have a “meltdown” at this school, just not so soon. Which—iffy terminology aside—isn’t at all surprising. RWBY does an excellent job of setting up Ruby’s nerves, from her “bee’s knees” comment to her eagerness in showing Weiss exactly what she’s capable of. The girl is desperate for validation—as is the whole RWBYJNPR gang, in their own ways—and a lot of that comes out as anxious, social awkwardness. If Ruby was at all inclined towards “meltdowns” at Signal then I’d say she did a damn good job holding herself together through everything that happened at Beacon. Granted, being put in a position of power will help with that, at least on a surface level. To semi-quote Oz, how can you expect others to put forth their best if you’re not constantly doing the same? Ruby has the veneer of self-control down now because she had to for her team... which makes me anticipate her inevitable breaking point all the more. We saw in Volume Six how close Ruby got to dropping her ‘I’m an endlessly put together leader’ persona with Qrow drinking himself to oblivion, but she never quite got there. I’m waiting (hoping really) that Ruby’s long-established anxiety will finally be addressed, what with Yang having made good headway in that department and all the shit they’ve gone through adding up to a very justified breakdown.

Let the poor girl really falter for once and let the rest of the group grapple with that. Everyone deserves it.

I’m jumping six volumes ahead though. Here and now Ruby is still telling Yang all about her horrible encounter, segueing into how she “just wanted her to stop yelling” which of course is the perfect moment for Weiss to sneak up behind her with a loud “YOU!” (Jaune’s comment linking to Pyrrha; Ruby’s comment linking to Weiss—RT enjoys writing these little bridges, particularly for introducing new characters).

I love this moment simply for how much it tells us about Weiss. Largely in retrospect. Because while her trailer song is definitely on the nose in some respects—“I’m the loneliest of all”—it’s not until later on that we realize exactly how abusive Weiss’ family is and how isolated she’s been for the whole of her upbringing. This girl has absolutely no experience interacting with people outside of the Schnee/everyone else hierarchy (note in a moment how she assumes that Ruby will want to “make it up to [her]”) so if you’re suddenly surrounded by people for the first time who aren’t fawning over your name and money and dust connections... what do you? How do you get some vaguely positive attention? Oh okay, guess I’ll force it! Here Weiss is claiming that she never wants Ruby to speak to her again, but she’s the one who barged in on their conversation and loudly drawing attention to herself. Weiss is starved for healthy validation while simultaneously stuck in the behavior she’s been taught: asking for attention solely by trying to show off— here’s a rambling summary of the Schnee Dust Company’s disclaimer look at what a good puppet I am—or by insulting others. Weiss mocks Ruby’s genuine offer to buy school supplies together but then doesn’t move away from her and Yang once the announcements start. She doesn’t know how to say ‘yes’ to any offers of friendship, but she also doesn’t want to say ‘no.’

Interestingly, that moment also tells us a fair bit about Ruby. Not just by re-emphasizing how kind she is by extending the offer to start this relationship over, but also adding weight to the headcanon that Ruby is neurodivergent. Weiss’ heavy sarcasm about how they can “go shopping, paint our nails, and talk about cute boys” goes right over Ruby’s head. She responds with a “Wow! Really?” similar to the “...can you?” heard right before she attacks the Nevermore during initiation. Ruby has a history of not just being awkward but missing a lot of ‘normal’ social cues as well.

The girls’ bonding is interrupted when Ozpin begins his speech and boy oh boy do I love this moment too. Anyone who reads my metas knows that I’m a firm defender of our disaster headmaster, especially after volume 6, and looking back this scene is the PERFECT example of how RT tries to make Ozpin seem shady... while really failing to accomplish that. Obscuring eyes/the whole face is a super easy way to tell the viewer that this is an Untrustworthy Character. See: every horror movie where the villain’s face is obscured by shadows, our own dear Adam who keeps his face hidden with a mask, etc. It serves to dehumanize the character, keeping us from seeing some of the most expressive parts of their bodies, and equates one thing they’re hiding—such as a deformity. Yay ableism! /s—with other things they’re keeping from the heroes; secrets, sinister intentions, and the like. The primary exception to this are characters who wear masks for defined and morally acceptable reasons. i.e. superheroes who need to keep their secret identities intact and, notably, aren’t withholding that information from the viewer. We as the audience usually know who they are and thus aren’t inclined to distrust the character based on secret-keeping.

Awesome superpowers aside, Ozpin doesn’t fit within the mold of superhero, so all of this reads as pretty damning:

Like holy shit, friends. With the exception of one moment, 

notably when Ozpin informs them that “knowledge will only carry you so far,” the cinematography goes out of its way to hide his eyes, if not his entire face. Oz comes across as super shady here, compounded by the close up and centered shot of Ruby’s silver eyes to contrast. Compounded further by the exchange Ruby and Yang have afterwards about how he seemed “kind of off”—an exchange that doesn’t precisely fit with in-world logic (how does Yang know what Ozpin is normally like?), but serves as a clear message to the viewer: Something is UP with this guy.

The problem? This isn’t Ozpin’s introduction.

Imagine a series where in Episode One we only hear about a powerful Beacon headmaster. Someone who bends the rules and let’s Ruby in two years early for reasons unknown. Then by Episode Three we see this guy almost insulting the new group of students (Yang’s eyes narrow when Ozpin says he sees only “wasted energy in need of purpose”) and the entire time the camera refuses to give us a good look at him. That would have set up a character who is legitimately creepy. Someone we know instinctively might not really be on our side.

Instead our introduction to Ozpin is this.

He’s smiling and charming and legitimately kind. He listens to why Ruby wants to come to Beacon before making his decision (aka establishing her agency here). He shares a fond “Aww, you know I’m gonna get what I want” look with Glynda. He brings cookies, for god’s sake. Ozpin’s supposed shadiness falls completely flat here because we’ve already developed positive feelings for him, notably while he was with our protagonist and his BFF headmistress. The intimacy in Episode One implies that this is the “real” Ozpin, whereas a formal speech in front of (from the audience’s perspective) a literally faceless mass sets this up as a “fake” Ozpin, one that comes out when he feels the needs to be stern with incoming students. Or, based on information we learn later, when he’s pulling from another personality.

All of which isn’t a criticism of RT’s writing. Rather, given what we now know definitively from Volume Six, I don’t think they were invested in making Ozpin into a legitimately shady character. What RWBY is invested in is poking at or outright dismantling a lot of tropes and conventions, which is essentially what they did here. “You EXPECT the secretive, powerful headmaster to be a morally gray kind of guy... so we’re just not even gonna go there. Not really.”

But back to the actual plot. Jaune ends the scene by sliding up and announcing that he’s a natural blonde, another excellent example of precisely the thing women aren’t looking for in a guy. He knows Ruby now so it’s totally cool for him to re-join her, but using that as an excuse to start talking about his looks? Nah. Remember folks, women generally like it when you treat them as more than just a romantic and/or sexual conquest!

But enough about Jaune. We cut to that night where all the newbie students—way more than we’ll actually see throughout the rest of the series—are crowded together in Beacon’s hall, which from a world building perspective is a really great choice. I love what it says about Beacon as an institution: We’re not giving you rooms yet because we believe that most of you will fail the initiation (or at least that’s the impression they want to give the students). There’s a sense of ‘roughing it’ with simple mats and no personal space, the sort of things they’d have to get used to if they’re out traveling as huntsmen later in life. The overall emphasis on community and team work. Like the teams of four, Beacon is invested in setting up situations where the students are forced to work with one another. Particularly with those they might otherwise avoid.

That’s precisely the sort of interaction we get in a moment, but first: a tangent. Okay. So in previous metas—mostly Volume Six stuff—I’ve gotten a lot of pushback for my use of the term “kids” to describe the RWBY gang. Which I get. Post-Beacon most of them are legally adults by our standards and they’re certainly doing Adult Things nowadays. I do think there’s a lot of interesting nuances here—the fact that our protagonist and arguably most significant character plot-wise (Oscar) are both still underage, asking whether Remnant even views age in the same way we do, whether hitting the magical age of 18 suddenly gives you any more insight or maturity than you had at 17 or 16, acknowledging that they were never meant to be out in the world fighting this war and making these decisions yet, so we shouldn’t conflate traumatic necessity with emotional growth—but for the most part fans don’t want to grapple with those sorts of questions. There’s a knee-jerk reaction (particularly from those who are around the group’s age) of, “Most of them are 18. They’re not kids so stop acting like they are.” RWBY has raised a lot of questions for me regarding how I balance ��Kids/teens/young adults are people with agency and more maturity than people tend to give them credit for” with “I remember how much of a kid I still was at 18 and know precisely how much I’ve grown in the decade since. I was not an adult then, no matter what the law said.” It’s a matter of acknowledging generational experience without turning into one of those, “Bah! Kids don’t know what the hell they’re talking about” curmudgeons. I’m an adult with a father who dismisses everything I say because he’s got—and will always have—50+ years on me. I’m well aware that it sucks.

Why am I bringing all this up again? Because this scene is just so kid-ish. It’s wonderfully young and carefree! Ruby is writing a letter to her friends in cutesy grimm PJs. Yang slides over with a comment about how it’s just like a sleepover. They acknowledge that Tai would not be pleased with all the boys around while Yang ogles the shirtless guys and Jaune wanders around in a footed one piece. This entire scene has a distinctly middle school or early high-school vibe. Not that adults don’t hang out and chat in super comfy PJs—we totally do—but rather that viewers know how scenes like these are coded. They’re supposed to look young here and even though experience has most certainly aged them, even though about two years have passed since this moment... that’s still only two years. I have a difficult time accepting that we should now view the group’s decisions as irrevocably Adult and Mature (cough-airship-cough) when such a short time ago they weren’t either of these things. And they weren’t meant to be those things. Not yet. I wish that these later Volumes of RWBY were more interested in exploring the concept of (yes) kids forced into the role of adults, as opposed to trying desperately to pretend that they’re adults already with a more worthwhile voice than people with 10, 20, or in Ozpin’s case, a 1,000 years more experience than them.

Anyway. Enough ranting for one recap.

Ruby shares her fears about not making any friends and Yang has her “You’ve just made one friend and one enemy!” line before giving her little sis a legitimate pep-talk. She explains that there are friends all around Ruby, “you just haven’t met them yet.” A near identical perspective to what we heard from Jaune last episode. Which is hilarious given that ten seconds ago Yang was pseudo-insulting the guy.

Seriously though, how is there not more Jaune-Yang interaction in canon? They’re got so much more in common than just blonde hair and anger management issues.

Cue another segue. Right after Yang finishes talking about future friends Ruby catches a sound off screen and we get our first look at Blake since the courtyard.

Yang quite literally drags Ruby over and it is an excellent display of siblings being siblings.

Blake recognizes Ruby as “the girl who exploded” and honestly I’m sad that this didn’t become a moniker for her in the same way “vomit boy” did for Jaune. Nothing like being defined by your embarrassing moments and ridiculous habits to encourage true bonding! My BFF calls me Trout and I call her Hunter and no, I will not expand on the ridiculousness that was my middle school years.

I mean, Ruby starts to tell Blake that she can call her crater face before realizing that this might not be the best idea. The girl is awkward af and I love her.

Yang: What are you doing??

Ruby: I don’t know help me!

God they’re so fucking relatable.

Yang manages to get Blake’s name out of her and then makes the mistake of commenting on her bow. Granted, Blake doesn’t show any overt signs of discomfort here—that would have been too obvious even by RWBY’s standards—but looking back we can assume that any conversation veering towards the one thing she wants to hide wouldn’t exactly endear her to these girls. Blake gets pretty rude by saying that she’ll continue to enjoy her book just as soon as they leave. Yang gets ruder by announcing, right next to Blake, that she’s a “lost cause.”

The book is Ruby’s in though. Now it’s less small talk and more legit interest as she asks what Blake is reading. The fandom has acknowledge to death the “It’s about a man with two souls, fighting for control” line and how that obviously relates to the Ozpin-Oscar situation, but beyond that I’m interested in the fact that we never learn the title of this book. Normally that wouldn’t mean much (only so much world building you can do and book titles aren’t necessarily the sort of thing RT wants to waste time on), except that Ruby specifically asks for it and Blake delves straight into the summary. I wonder if perhaps this specific text will show up again in future volumes. I don’t have any real evidence for the hunch, just the fact that we now know Ozpin has put stories out into the world that relate to his situation, namely The Maidens fairy tale. I have to wonder if perhaps other lives of his created art as a way of coping with their situation—unknowingly truthful accounts that people like Blake read, oblivious to the ways that this fiction might be setting them up to be more empathetic towards the same situation in real life. It just stands out to me that we’re not given a title or author here; that Blake was one of the ones to learn about Ozpin’s immortality off screen (denying us her initial reaction); that comparatively she was one of the more sympathetic during that awful moment out in the snow. It would be awesome if the “lol Blake is a nerd who sometimes reads porn” aspect of her personality actually sets her up to be one of the more understanding people in Volume 7.

Basically, please give me super nerd Blake who starts warming back up to Ozpin because she finds out he’s authored a bunch of her favorite books lol. Or at the very least she realizes that she’s now living the stories she’s long adored; she’s been given the opportunity to extend real support to someone so very like the characters she’s felt for all these years...

RWBY does love its meta.

Ruby admits to loving books too, particularly the fantastical stories that Yang used to read her. Blake is far more pessimistic.

Blake: Hoping you’ll live happily ever after? 

Ruby: I’m hoping we all will.

Hello, conflict of the entire series. As well as many fans’ hope for how it will all turn out. I’m personally not at all interested in a 7+ year investment with this cast only to watch them end on a bleak, or even bittersweet note. Despite what some might claim nowadays, happy endings are far from overrated. Given the state of the world, happy endings are radical.

Blake tells Ruby that her dreams are “Very ambitious for a child,” one of the very few indicators we’ve gotten (along with Weiss’ “Aren’t you a little young to be here?”) that the rest of the students recognize on sight that Ruby is younger than them. I’ve literally never heard one child refer to another, same-age acquaintance as “child.” Especially not when they’re hinting strongly that they’re being naive.

Yang is SUPER proud of that optimism though and starts a tackle hug that leads to them fighting cartoon style, complete with stars, cat noises, and dust clouds. The racket of course brings Weiss over. And by “of course” I mean “Oh look, another excuse she can use to go talk to the only people she knows here.”

We get another handful of great lines—Ruby has known Weiss a day but she was “always on [her] side,” Weiss exclaims that Ruby is “a hazard to [her] health”—but the episode is basically over. Blake blows out her candles and that’s that.

Meanwhile, I can’t believe I just wrote nearly four thousand words on a six minute episode. I’m gonna go re-think my life choices.

Minor Things of Note

“You’re lucky we weren’t blown off the side of the cliff!” Hey there, episode four foreshadowing! Also, Weiss, you guys are nowhere near a cliff. You’re so dramatic.

You can really see the difference in their expressions when Oz gives his speech. Ruby and Yang looked pumped and joyous. Weiss is anxious and unsure.

Still super interested in Ozpin actually using his cane as he leaves the stage. Probably just a random animation choice before they worked out all his character kinks, but if we imagine that his host was currently speaking maybe that’s a quirk specific to him.

We never again hear about “the gang back at Signal” that Ruby is writing to. Just like we never see the friends Yang apparently entered Beacon with (and weren’t meant to given that they were also shadow people). Not that RWBY needs any more characters to keep track of, but from an in-world perspective it is a little strange that they were supposedly super close to all these people and then just... never mention them again lol. 

[thejadcdarchive]

Task #1

Read more for a shit ton of length.

What is your character’s name?: Esmé Everhart. He has no middle name, and he was named by his mother. Though he does not know it, Esmé is the name of his great grandfather, who was a powerful warlock and doted on Esmé’s mother ( hence her extreme affection of him ). He does not have any nicknames, nor does he want any. Esmé has received some grief over his name, more in grade school, though he mostly ignored it. The name is unisex, and while it’s typically associated with effeminate connotations he is quite appreciative of how unique it is ( as opposed to being another Matthew ). His masculinity was challenged when he first entered his father’s line of work because of his name, though Esmé quickly put any question of his duty and loyalty before it could go any further. Esmé’s father never disagreed with the name and was more than happy to name his only child ( and heir ) after someone his beloved wife adored so much.  Esmé means: esteemed or loved in Old French.

How old is your character? Esmé is 29 years of age. He’s quite wizened to the world and down to earth considering everything he’s been through. His experience in black market trade as well as being involved in a more dangerous lifestyle forced him to grow up early, and he never really had the leisure of being a kid. As a result, and because of the things he’s experienced,  Esmé is a bit jaded ( much like a haggard old man might be ). Deceptively, he appears to be quite handsome for his age, appearing no older or younger than the 29 he claims.

What does your character look like? Classic handsome: tall, defined chin, bright blue eyes, well-kept and dark blond hair. Esmé is aware of how handsome he is and goes through the steps to ensure that he’s always tidy in appearance. He was born in America, however his ancestry dates back to Ashkenazi Jewish and German, with his mother bearing some Polish, French and Irish ancestry. Esmé is a towering 6′5″ ( and he stands very proud thank you ), and keeps himself rather fit. He has a few scars:  The first would be a small bullet hole scarred at his lower right abdomen from work gone awry when he was twenty three. The second is the most obvious scar — the skin of his right wrist is completely destroyed in what looks like a thick an uneven spiderweb from where he slashed himself open in an attempt to save his girlfriend ( it ultimately failed ). The third is more of a set of very faint scars, visible only in lower light, on the side of his neck and on his chest from where he allowed aforementioned girlfriend to feed off of him.

How does your character dress? He always wears dark clothing, and he is always well-dressed. When it came down to business Esmé wore well-tailored suits with darker colored ties ( gray, black, dark red, dark blue ). Now that he’s in the safe haven he wears dress pants and dark button-down shirts with a leather jacket over it on cooler days. He wears boots, and always has his pistol strapped to his left ankle. If he is somewhere public he’s wearing his darker colors, always dressed well and appearing professional. FIrst appearances mean everything, and he always wants to be sure that he appears well-kept.

What are some notable relationships your character has? Esmé has only fond memories of his mother, who died when he was very young. He never knew his grandparents, and his relationship with his father was complicated. Esmé’s father was always business-oriented and had a hard time expressing affection or love for his family members due to his own upbringing. The only person that Esmé’s father was outright kind or affectionate with was his wife. Esmé got the brunt of the stern upbringing instilled in his father and was always groomed to be the heir of his father’s business empire. Esmé loves his father but everything he has for a memory is rough around the edges. There was never much affection between them. While Esmé has had good business partners the only person he grew close to was Julia, whom he fell in love with. Since Julia’s death he has remained distant from everyone he comes across, though he was never quick to grow close to them in the first place.

What is in your character’s memory? A lot of information about guns and his father’s business. Esmé is a man who operates on the small details of people, so he is good remembering those things about them. His childhood was full of discipline so a lot of that carried into his adulthood easily enough. Esmé is more apt to remember painful memories as they leave lasting impressions on the mind, though the happy memories he bears he holds close and private.

Where does your character live? Presently he lives in a small hotel room, but once his bond is complete he will be living with Alice Larsson on her property. The home is spacious and beautiful, full of flowers and plenty of light. Esmé’s dedicated space is a small couch with a metal frame that he’s made his nest of sorts ( it’s far too small for him, but he somehow manages to squeeze onto it ) and his clothes don’t take up much space. Mostly his array of weaponry will take up the space around the couch. He is a tidy man. 

What is your character’s room like? See above.

What is your character good at?  Esmé is particularly good at reading people, but his talents lie with the charisma of business and the science of guns. He was always a rather intelligent boy in school and kept quiet or to himself, preferring to watch the actions and reactions of others before making his own choices. His business partners admire him for how calculated or cold he can be, while others revile him for his easygoing demeanor. In truth, Esmé prefers others think him weak so they do not know what he is capable of, and thus underestimate him and make mistakes. Esmé is a talented marksman and has qualified with excellent scores many times. He prefers pistols, though he has exceptional skill with rifles as well.

What does your character want? At a first glance it seems that Esmé wants to be left alone, but he’s seeking some kind of forgiveness, deep down. He feels as if he owes Julia for everything she did for him while she was alive, and this is sort of his way with coming to terms that this reality is real, and that his skills can make a difference. Julia used her connections outside to profit the members of the safe haven in some form, and Esmé is looking to establish himself in the same way --- he is just having a hard time connecting to others because of a lack of trust. Esmé is ultimately looking to help, because it’s what Julia wanted, and because he knows it’s what’s right. 

What does your character do when they’re not at home? He’ll go to a bar for a drink. He likes to become acquainted with the town and wander about so he knows where to go in a pinch if there were some kind of emergency. He enjoys the woods as well, but ultimately he’s slowly acquainting himself with those in the town so he can begin creating connections. Before he was in the safe haven Esmé worked. All the time.

What does your character like to do? See above. He likes to work and observe people. If he isn’t working he’ll go to a bar to observe them.

How does your character love? Esmé is surprisingly passionate. It seems he inherited his father’s ability to love his partner, though it transcends that into being more three-dimensional. As opposed to his father, who tended to be more crass with is only son, Esmé is more open with his emotions ( when such an emotion is present ). Esmé is a heterosexual male, and his ideal partner is an independent and creative woman. While he can be quite vain and would prefer a physically appealing partner, he is also aware of how important their personality is and would absolutely forsake a drop-dead gorgeous woman with a horrid personality for a woman with a fantastic personality. If you are lucky enough to win Esmé’s love it is better than winning his loyalty: he would do anything to ensure your protection, even at the cost of himself.

What will ultimately destroy your character? If he continues to keep people at an arm’s length: loneliness. Before he had Julia he wasn’t aware of how lonely his life was. His father was extremely lucky to find a patient and loving woman, and while Esmé didn’t believe he would ever have something like that he managed to stumble upon it. Now that Esmé has experienced something similar to it, and considering he is still affected by Julia’s loss, it’s obvious that he will require something like that again. Human’s are social animals, after all. It’s likely that he would continue to become more jaded than he already is, and if that happens nobody will ever be able to stand his company.

[reicientlvpvs]

 ( cis woman | she/her | zoe kravitz ) —— isn’t that FAITH NOTT? yeah that is them, outside the three broomsticks! they used to be in SLYTHERIN but apparently they now work as UNEMPLOYED. sybill once said that they reminded her of weight on your shoulders, boxing up one’s feelings, an unfamiliar family, fear of being average which seems about right. anyway i’ve heard they’re still a bit CYNICAL, LOYAL and ANGRY, they’re TWENTY EIGHT now but some things never change! i wonder how being a PUREBLOOD/WEREWOLF is affecting them after hogwarts, especially now they’re MEMBER OF GREYBACK’S PACK with THE DEATH EATERS? i guess only time will tell… 

PINTEREST || WANTED CONNECTIONS 

INSPIRATIONS: Elsa (Frozen), Gamora (GotG), Maia Roberts (Shadowhunters), Our Word (song, 36 questions)

TW: violence, illness, prejudice

→ NAME: Faith Nott → NICKNAMES:  → AGE / D.O.B.: 28 / June 21st 1949 → SPECIES: pureblood wix / werewolf → GENDER / PRONOUNS: cis woman / she&her → SEXUALITY: pansexual

FAMILY

→ PARENTS: Caldwell Nott (Wizengamot seat holder), Octavia Nott (nee Malfoy) → SIBLINGS: Love Morgana Nott (younger sister, 24),  → OTHER: Cassian Malfoy (26), Aurelia Malfoy (26), Valeria Malfoy (23), Lucius Malfoy (19) (cousins), Maude Malfoy née Blishen (57, aunt), Abraxas Malfoy (52, uncle) → PETS: None

LIFESTYLE

→ BORN: South England → RAISED: South England → CURRENT RESIDENCE: Various (None) → NATIONALITY: English → SPOKEN LANGUAGES: English → OCCUPATION: None → DRINK | SMOKE | DRUGS: Yes | Yes | No

PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES

→ FACE CLAIM: Zoe Kravitz → ETHNICITY: Black and European → HEIGHT: 5′2 → WEIGHT: 49kg → BUILD: slim → HAIR: black → EYE COLOR: brown → DOMINANT HAND: right → NOTABLE FEATURES: prominent claw marks scarring her chest and arms, and a bite on her left hip, fainter scars on her neck → SCENT: woody and a bit like dog → ACCENT: English → NERVOUS HABITS: more sarcastic and mean, 

CHARACTER

→ MORAL ALIGNMENT:  Lawful Evil → MBTI: INTJ → WESTERN ZODIAC: Cancer → CHINESE ZODIAC: Ox → ARCHETYPE: The Magician → SONG: Our Word from 36 Questions

MAGIC

→ WAND:  Ebony wood with a phoenix feather core, 9 ¾ and reasonably supple flexibility → PATRONUS: Vulture → BOGGART: Silver (often taking form of a dagger, wielded by someone she knows)

biography:

TL;DR: Brought up to be the Nott heir, never felt adequate, loved flying and played quidditch professionally after Hogwarts, got bitten by werewolf aged 24, tried to hide it but couldn’t, shunned and feared for being werewolf, joined Greyback

Faith Nott is the eldest child of Caldwell and Valeria Nott. She was raised to be the perfect pureblood heir, to take her father’s place on the Wizengamot one day. He taught her to uphold their values, to be perfect and to know where wix stood above muggles and all those associated with them. Faith did her best to embody the values imparted on her as she grew up, to live up to the wix her father wanted her to be.

For the most part, her childhood was nothing extraordinary. Her father was an intimidating figure in her life, but for the most part she played with her siblings and her cousins and was raised by her mother. Her father taught her to hold her head above the rest, her mother taught her how to smooth over issues. Faith loved seeing her Uncle Abby and Aunt Maude, learning about Quidditch from them and growing a passion for the sport.

When she went to Hogwarts, to her great disappointment she was only average at magic, working hard to get the grades she wanted. To no one’s surprise, she was sorted into Slytherin, ambitious and determined as she was. No one intimidated her bar her father’s expectations, which she felt she still wasn’t reaching. The only time she seemed to relax entirely was on the Quidditch pitch. When she flew, she felt free.

Upon graduating Hogwarts, Faith became a chaser for the Wimbourne Wasps, encouraged by her Uncle Abby, who she had grown close to in her teenage years, bonding over a love of quidditch. The next few years were the best of her life. The impending war was something she was aware of, but her allegiances were clear in her mind and with her father so healthy she need not concern herself with Wizengamot just yet. She could take a few years as an athlete before the real world really set in. And as long as she was excelling and keeping the family name in good stead, her father seemed almost proud.

Her life, however, fell apart in one night at 24. An unremarkable night, taking a walk home alone from a party rather than apparate, wanting some air after a night out. She remembered stopping, admiring the full moon. It would be the last time that the sight of it would bring her anything but dread for a long time. After that, all she remembered was pain before blacking out.

Faith woke in St Mungo’s to the awful news. She didn’t recall it, but a mediwix confirmed it; she had been bitten. The mediwix was sworn to secrecy by her parents, bribed into recording that Faith’s illness as anything else, terrified about what would happen when others found out about their daughter’s attack. Instead, she was to withdraw from the Wasps, claiming she had fallen ill. No one was given specifics on the illness, allowing the family time to figure out what to do. At first, her mother wanting desperately to protect her and her father wanting to protect their family, Faith was sent to a summer house. Some quick renovations and adjustments turned the basement into a prison, where the family house elf would lock her each month when the moon turned her skin to fur. She refused most visitors as long as she could until finally she grew lonely and began to carefully time visits so that no one could know.

For over a year, the deception worked. No one outside the immediate family knew the terrible secret they kept locked away. Instead of the fear and disgust that greeted werewolves, the family received sympathy for the illness that had befallen their eldest. But it was not to last.

How exactly the secret got out, she didn’t know at first. But got out it did. At first, she didn’t know. Not until she went to London to visit her family. Her mother was in tears when she arrived through the fireplace, her father looking thunderous. The family had tried to deny it, but the truth was out. People knew. Faith, shocked, had gone to get some air, only to find that people began to flinch away from her. Whispers followed her, as news spread. Soon enough her father felt he had no choice. His heir could not be a werewolf, so Faith could no longer be the Nott heir. He turned his back on her with a finality that snapped something in Faith. 

She left. The wix world didn’t want her. The muggle world was not an option. She was a wix for Merlin’s sake! Even as a werewolf, she was a pureblood wix and would not stoop so low. So instead she moved around on her own, from wix town to wix town, staying on the fringes. She didn’t stay longer than a month almost anywhere, lest she be discovered. And discovery did happen once or twice. Each time, she was driven out by those attempting to ‘put her out of her misery’ or ‘protect the town’. Anger burned in Faith at them all.

After a few months, she was approached by a stranger who caught her attention. She could tell as he approached what he was. He gave her an offer, from Fenrir Greyback. A pack. A family. One who was going to get them a better life. A life where wix could no longer shun them and drive them away. Where they were not forced to live at the edges. It was an offer she could not refuse.

She joined the pack, learning its ranks and then rising in them. Her upbringing proved her a good leader, and her anger made her ruthless when she had to be. Fenrir respected that, respected her and rewarded her. 

[citizentruth-blog]

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Primary Win Has People Shook - PEER NEWS

New Post has been published on https://citizentruth.org/alexandria-ocasio-cortezs-primary-win-has-people-shook/

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Primary Win Has People Shook

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s upset of long-time congressman Joe Crowley in the Democratic primary for NY-14 has Democrats, the mainstream media, and Republicans all flustered. Good. (Photo Credit: Twitter/Jesse Korman

In advance of this year’s New York Democratic primaries, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez had already generated a lot of attention, thanks in large part to a viral campaign advertisement called “The Courage to Change.” The spot highlights how Ocasio-Cortez is, to put it simply, not your average congressional candidate. As the 2016 Bernie Sanders campaigner says in a voiceover for the two-minute ad:

Women like me aren’t supposed to run for office. I wasn’t born to a wealthy or powerful family. Mother from Puerto Rico, dad from the South Bronx. I was born in a place where your zip code determines your destiny. My name is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. I’m an educator, an organizer, a working-class New Yorker. I’ve worked with expectant mothers, I’ve waited tables, and led classrooms, and going into politics wasn’t in the plan.

So, what compelled the 28-year-old Ocasio-Cortez to run? Not to suggest her campaign is a derivative one, but her platform sounds a lot like one belonging to a certain Vermont senator who ran for president:

After 20 years of the same representation, we have to ask: who has New York been changing for? Every day gets harder for working families like mine to get by. The rent gets higher, health care covers less, and our income stays the same. It’s clear that these changes haven’t been for us, and we deserve a champion. It’s time to fight for a New York that working families can afford.

That’s why I’m running for Congress. This race is about people vs. money. We’ve got people, they’ve got money. It’s time we acknowledge that not all Democrats are the same. That a Democrat who takes corporate money, profits off foreclosure, doesn’t live here, doesn’t send his kids to our schools, doesn’t drink our water or breathe our air cannot possibly represent us. What the Bronx and Queens need is Medicare-for-all, tuition-free public college, a federal jobs guarantee, and criminal justice reform.

We can do it now. It doesn’t take a hundred years to do this. It takes political courage. A New York for the many is possible. It’s time for one of us.

Ocasio-Cortez has stated her campaign is not about progressives vs. establishment Democrats, and rather, that it’s about people over politics and money, but it’s clear from her mission statement that she’s there in opposition to politics as usual, and if that means going through long-tenured party members to do it, so be it.

In particular, her campaign spot name-checks Joe Crowley, the Democratic representative from her district and member of the House since 1999 (hence, the “20 years” reference). Crowley, for what it’s worth, doesn’t seem like a bad guy per se, but he also represents the centrist, “old white guy” political mold that voters increasingly are eschewing in their embrace of substantive policy ideas (and it probably doesn’t help he’s been chummy with lobbyists and pro-business types). Sure, he’s moved farther left than when he started in Congress, but going against someone who looks and sounds like a real-deal progressive, he and others like him are suddenly more vulnerable.

As the title of this post would indicate, they may be very vulnerable, indeed. In a fairly surprising result, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez took down the 10-term incumbent Crowley in last week’s primary, capturing 57% of the vote. Ocasio-Cortez’s “upset” win is surprising for any number of reasons, not the least of which is her status as a relative unknown and political neophyte, Crowley’s entrenchment in Washington, and her being outdone roughly 10-to-one in campaign spending. Ocasio-Cortez’s political bid began seemingly as a feel-good story, and progressives likely would have been happy with her showing regardless of the outcome. Now, however, she appears poised to be a force to be reckoned with.

In the immediate aftermath of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s upending of Joe Crowley’s re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-election bid, it would seem few are really well equipped to reckon with her success. Certainly, that we are even treating her victory as a surprise is owed somewhat to the media’s previous lack of focus on her, a trend that others outside the establishment vanguard have encountered (see also Cynthia Nixon, of whom we would stand to know little if we weren’t already familiar with her acting).

Journalist Glenn Greenwald, who has been consistently critical of the blind eye turned toward progressives in everyday political discourse, in particular, chastised Joy-Ann Reid and MSNBC in a couple of tweets the day after Ocasio-Cortez’s upset win:

Compare @JoyAnnReid’s revealingly insular and self-justifying tweet above about how “political journalism” (i.e. MSNBC) ignored the @Ocasio2018 race to @brianstelter’s honest and accurate @CNN story on how several media outlets actually covered the race.

A cable network that is monomaniacally devoted to faithfully serving the agenda of Party leaders and uncritically disseminating their talking points is obviously going to miss – or deliberately suppress – any challenges to those Party dictates. That’s what happened there.

While MSNBC talking heads are overlooking progressive candidates for public office and even the sources that more closely follow them, moderate Democrats are painting Ocasio-Cortez’s victory as an anomaly or one-off rather than a sign of the times during this post-mortem period. Nancy Pelosi, notably, dismissed these returns from NY-14 as being indicative of a movement or anything “larger” than one district. It’s perplexing considering the energy and press following Ocasio-Cortez seem like things Democrats of all make and model should be embracing. Then again, this is Nancy Pelosi we’re talking about here, a woman that Republicans seeking office are only too happy to have around because she evidently possesses a Hillary Clinton-like ability to make public declarations GOP political advertisers can use to their strategic advantage to make her and the Dems seem out of touch.

Speaking of Republicans, they’ve got their own reasons to be scared of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Jay Willis, writing for GQ Magazine, explains that they’re “terrified” of the 28-year-old political hopeful, precisely because they can’t beat her on a policy debate. Instead, conservatives like John Cardillo have resorted to questioning her credentials right down to her upbringing, suggesting, among other things, that she grew up in a more wealthy household/neighborhood than she is otherwise letting on. This, to me, is akin to the types of conspiracy theories that would have you believe survivors of mass shootings and children separated from their families at the Mexican border are paid actors. It’s as reprehensible as it is dishonest.

In short, centrist Democrats, conservative Republicans, and corporatist media outlets all see Ocasio-Cortez as somewhat of a threat, and this seems to be as much about her identity as her policy goals. In talking about her “identity,” I’m referring not to Ocasio-Cortez’s Bronx upbringing or Puerto Rican heritage, but her self-identification as a “democratic socialist.”

Much in the way Bernie Sanders was assailed on all sides from people who failed to draw distinctions between “democratic socialism” and “socialism” and ostensibly socialist regimes which belie a dictatorial bent—or intentionally confused them—Ocasio-Cortez’s win is forcing to those on the left and right alike to come to grips with the dreaded S-word. Within the press community, numerous outlets have taken to publishing articles trying to explain for the uninitiated what the heck, exactly, democratic socialism is. Nancy Pelosi, while diminishing Ocasio-Cortez’s surprise victory, also has publicly rejected the notion that socialism is “ascendant” within Democratic ranks.

On the right, meanwhile, SOCIALISM! SOCIALISM! BURN THE WITCH! This salvo from Cheryl Chumley for The Washington Times entitled “Ocasio-Cortez, New York’s socialist congressional contender, an enemy of America,” I share because I find it especially repugnant. It characterizes her primary win as a “face slap to America,” and an “affront to all the Founding Fathers forged.” Chumley is the same woman who recently authored an essay on how “Democrats hate America,” apparently with the numbers to prove this assertion. For the record, her “numbers” are one statistic from a Gallup poll that shows Democrats are less likely to be “extremely proud” to be an American than their Republican counterparts — which surely doesn’t have anything to do with the Trump White House, a GOP-led Congress, and a conservative-majority Supreme Court, right? — and vague sentiments that reference Antifa, democratic socialists, and Obama apologists into one nebulous mix to be feared and loathed. Sorry, Ocasio-Cortez doesn’t look and sound and think like you, Ms. Chumley. I forgot that makes her automatically less American or patriotic.

But about those policy goals. In the vein of a Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez supports progressive ideals such as Medicare-for-all, a $15 minimum wage, free tuition for public colleges, campaign finance reform and housing as a human right. These are not new and are not controversial to the extent that fellow Democrats may not explicitly argue against them, though they may be reluctant to embrace them in favor of more centrist policies.

Other views, meanwhile, are outside the mainstream, either by virtue of their direct opposition to commonly-held stances within the party or their relative novelty among leadership. For one, Ocasio-Cortez has been a vocal critic of Israel and joins an evidently growing number of people on an international stage who question the free pass Netanyahu’s government receives for its actions related to Israeli settlements and its handling of Palestinian resistance to the latter group’s apparent subjugation.

While she hasn’t yet clarified her position on the BDS movement, that the Democratic Socialists of America are pro-boycott worries the Democratic elites who have come to count on wealthy Jewish patrons and staunchly pro-Israel groups among their lists of donors. It’s another point of potential division between factions within the Democratic Party, which tend to get played up for effect in the media anyway, but nonetheless may be indicative of a fracture between the old guard and the new vying to push the party in a certain diplomatic direction.

The other major policy quirk which has drawn additional attention to Ocasio-Cortez’s platform is her embrace of an “abolish ICE” mantra. On this note, her views seem to lack nuance, although it would likely be difficult to rally behind a cause with a more cumbersome message. As it would seem, Ocasio-Cortez only wants to “abolish” Immigration and Customs Enforcement to the extent that it would be replaced with a more accountable agency or otherwise reformed.

Of course, Republicans have sought to weaponize this stated goal by insinuating that Democrats who want to abolish ICE are asking for no border control at all. Hence, other Dems have been reluctant to embrace the slogan. Then again, in light of the ongoing crisis facing the detention and separation of immigrant families, as well as numerous alleged abuses by ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents, the discussion over what is permitted in the name of “border security” is a worthy one.

All this has made for a rather confusing dissection of a race that few outside of progressive circles and Ocasio-Cortez’s own support system were wont to predict in her favor, a dissection that tests us as consumers of the news to view our sources critically. After all, what these outlets say about the congressional hopeful may say as much about them as it does her. In the case of Cheryl Chumley, it reveals ugly attitudes predicated on jingoistic paranoia. As such, while the November election in New York’s 14th congressional district will now undoubtedly receive much more widespread attention, how much of it is good or fair remains to be seen.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has only just won the Democratic primary for her district, but given the heavy blue leanings of NY-14, she’s looking like a pretty sure bet to make it to Congress. Either way, there is real energy behind her and her campaign, and not just from New Yorkers.

In Ocasio-Cortez, many pundits see the future of the Democratic Party, one of female leadership and better representation for people of color and other minority groups. They also see, in progressives like Ocasio-Cortez daring to go “further left,” Democrats more authentically embracing the values that the party’s detractors would say mainline Dems have all but abandoned over the years, particularly in defending the working class and organized labor from attempts by the GOP to erode their influence.

By proxy, search for “Nancy Pelosi” and you’ll see umpteen calls for her to step aside or hand the baton over. Her defenders, meanwhile, see her as a great leader, prodigious fundraiser, and tireless worker, so it may just as well be that Pelosi isn’t going anywhere.

While comments to downplay Ocasio-Cortez’s and other progressives’ influence reflect poorly on Pelosi, it also is worth mentioning that one upset victory does not a party takeover make. This is not meant to throw water on the fire of young candidates on the rise, but rather to underscore the magnitude of the opposition others like Ocasio-Cortez will face from Democrats (esp. firmly-entrenched incumbents) and Republicans (esp. in red-leaning areas) alike.

Following Ocasio-Cortez’s win, candidates like Ayanna Presley in Massachusetts and Kerri Harris of Delaware have seen an uptick in their donations. Primary results still matter, though, and much work has to be done by their campaigns to build on their compatriot from New York’s success. In short, while there is momentum building, this is not to say that democratic socialism in the United States has truly arrived.

Still, that we’re even having this discussion about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the future of the Democratic Party means that we can’t rule out Presley’s or Harris’s chances, and that the discussion about whether platforms like theirs can be adapted to succeed in jurisdictions like the Midwest where the GOP possesses an advantage is a meritorious one. Seeing various reactions to Ocasio-Cortez’s win characterized by sheer bafflement, this only reinforces the idea few were ready for the eventuality of a liberal progressive gaining traction. Thus, while it’s too early to say what exactly this upset means, it’s highly intriguing to see people so “shook” over it.

Here’s hoping for a little more shaking-up before the 2018 election season is done.

  The Wave Of Roses: Ocasio-Cortez Defeats Crowley In Landslide

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General George S. Patton once said, “The test of success is not what you do when you are on top. Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom.” No one embodies that more than the 10 people on this list. They’re a group of people who were at rock bottom, yet worked hard and eventually became immensely successful. They showed that when things look their worst, the only way left is up.

#1 From Homeless to Harvard Liz was born in New York City in 1980 to drug addicted parents. Things hit an all time low in 1995 when Liz’s mother died due to complications from AIDS. Liz’s father, who was also HIV positive, was forced to move into a homeless shelter, which left both Liz and her sister homeless. The girls slept on 24-hour subway trains or park benches. Despite lacking a home, Liz enrolled in the prestigious Humanities Preparatory Academy in Chelsea, Manhattan. She enrolled late but still excelled, finishing high school in two years. She won a New York Times scholarship, was accepted into Harvard, attended in 1999 and then returned in 2006 and graduated in 2009. Liz Murray plans on going back again for a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. Her struggle with adversity became the subject of a Lifetime made-for-TV movie, From Homeless to Harvard. Her memoir, Breaking Night, was published in 2010 and was a New York Times Bestseller.

#2 From Flophouses to Coffee Houses When Frank was 13 he discovered a love of alcohol. By the time he was 21 he was a full-blown alcoholic, and his family kicked him out of their Toronto home. He was able to get different jobs, but lost many of them due to his drinking. He eventually found himself living in flophouses or sleeping on park benches. It didn’t really matter to him, as long as he was drunk. He occasionally worked at a store, and if the weather were nice he’d hit the street and ask people for change until he had enough for a bottle of wine. One day while at the store he heard a radio ad for an alcohol support group. While he didn’t immediately go, the ad stuck with him and just before Christmas, 1971, he had a moment of clarity about his life. He started going to the support group, found it helpful and was able to get himself sober. Frank continued to get his life together, and three years later at the age of 29 he was selling construction equipment and volunteering in a political campaign. During the campaign, he met another volunteer named Tom Culligan and they found they had chemistry working together. They teamed up, and in 1975 they opened up their first coffee shop, Second Cup. Frank O’Dea eventually left the business, but the company he started is currently the second biggest Canadian coffee chain. After leaving the company, Frank O’Dea has become a motivational speaker and has started many charities, including Renascent Treatment Foundation and Street Kids International.

#3 From Living in Her Car to Weight Loss System Guru Dani had a rough upbringing due in large part to her abusive, drug addicted parents. She said she hated drugs, but somehow found herself addicted to cocaine as a young adult. Living in Hawaii, she worked as a cocktail waitress and wasn’t making enough money. At one point she tried to commit suicide by overdosing on cocaine. Luckily, she survived and decided it was time to turn her life around. Dani knew that saving up $4500 for an apartment would take her four months. She wasn’t sure if she could live four months in her car, and while looking around her car for inspiration she saw a booklet for a weight loss program and thought she might try selling them. Not having much to lose, Dani drew up posters advertising the program. She worked out of a phone booth, and when her first attempt at a sale failed she adjusted her strategy and made sales to the next 24 customers she called. There was one problem — in order to send the weight loss programs, the company needed an address. She was able to convince a liquor store to let her use their address, in what we hope was billed as an unusual cross-promotion where customers could get two kinds of six packs. In her first year, Dani Johnson made $250,000. In less than two years she made her first million dollars. From there she expanded her sales, bought a weight loss center and then produced her own weight loss products. Today, Dani is a millionaire from her weight loss products and is also a motivational speaker.

#4 From the Streets to the NFL Born in Memphis, Tennessee to an alcoholic and crack-addicted mother, Michael was one of 12 children. His father wasn’t around much, because he was in and out of prison. This left Michael with very few options — he’d be put in foster care, only to run away and live on the streets. In his first 11 years of schooling he went to nine different schools and had to repeat the first and second grade. His luck changed when he started playing football in public school. He was a very talented player, and when he applied for enrollment in a private Christian school he was accepted based on his notable football skills. Once in the school, Michael kept bouncing around foster homes before the Tuohy family took him in. Understanding his difficult childhood, they hired a tutor and treated Michael like he was one of the family. He raised his GPA so he could attend the University of Mississippi, which he chose because it was his adopted family’s alma mater. Michael became one of the best offensive linemen in the NCAA. He was drafted 23rd overall by the Baltimore Ravens, signed a $13.8 million, five year contract and helped them win Super Bowl XLVII. In 2014 he signed a $20 million, four year contract with the Tennessee Titans. Michael is, of course, Michael Oher, the subject of the book and Academy Award winning film The Blind Side.

#5 From Shelters to Wall Street Chris was a bright young man who, after putting in four years of service in the Navy, got a job as a lab assistant from a doctor he had met while serving. Eventually he was able to run his own lab, despite not having a college education. After his son was born, Chris needed a better paying job, so he was hired as a salesman for a medical equipment business. However, Chris decided that what he really wanted to do was be a stockbroker. He was able to get a training position at a brokerage, but that job fell through. Then he was arrested for not being able to pay $1200 in parking tickets and was put in jail for 10 days. When he got home, he found his apartment was empty. He had nothing except the clothes on his back. He was able to get another internship, but it didn’t pay. Yet he came in early and stayed late while selling medical equipment on the side. He was barely scraping by, but his hard work was starting to pay off and Bear Stearns & Company in San Francisco recruited him. He moved and was able to rent a flophouse with his small salary. Things got even more complicated when Chris’ estranged wife dropped off their son with him.He couldn’t afford a place to live while also paying for daycare so he could continue to work. So they moved around a lot, eating in soup kitchens and sleeping where they could; his office, the airport and even public washrooms. They were eventually able to save up for an apartment, and in 1987, Chris started his own brokerage firm and is currently worth $60 million. If this story sounds familiar, it’s because Chris Gardner is the basis for the Will Smith film The Pursuit of Happyness.

#6 From Sleeping in His Car to Financial Services Celebrity Jim seemed to be on the track to success. He went to Harvard, became Editor-in-Chief for The Harvard Crimson and graduated with a B.A. in government. It was a promising start, and he was able to land a few entry-level journalism jobs. The most prominent was covering the Ted Bundy case in Tallahassee for the Tallahassee Democrat. However, Jim met with hard luck when his apartment was broken into and his checking account was emptied. Broke, Jim found himself living in his Ford Fairmont for the next seven months. Jim finally landed a job at American Lawyer magazine in 1979, but still didn’t have a home and was sleeping on his sister’s floor. He decided to go to law school, where he became obsessed with the stock market and started investing what money he did have. He became so obsessed that he left stock tips on the outgoing message for his answering machine. One person who listened to the answering machine was Martin Peretz, a Harvard professor who owned the magazine New Republic. He gave Jim $500,000 to invest. After graduating, Jim worked for three months at Goldman Sachs before starting a very successful hedge fund. Peretz and Jim founded the equally successful financial news service TheStreet.com in 1996. In 2005, Jim Cramer began hosting Mad Money on CNBC. He is currently worth about $100 million, but still has his old pay stub from his days at the Tallahassee Democrat in his wallet.

#7 From Living in his Car to Entertainment Tycoon Tyler was born into a dysfunctional family with an abusive father. If that wasn’t bad enough, four men also sexually abused him as a child. Needless to say, Tyler was a troubled teenager. One particular outburst got him kicked out of school, although he eventually did get his GED. Tyler took refuge in writing, the only thing he’d ever found solace in. He decided to take a gamble and moved to Atlanta to launch his play, I Know I’ve Been Changed. The play bombed, but Tyler didn’t quit. He tried to launch the play six times and it was never successful. The costs left Tyler living in his car, but in 1998 the play finally took off and launched his career. Tyler Perry is now one of the highest paid men in the entertainment business, where he writes, produces, directs and stars in numerous movies and television shows.

#8 From Sleeping in the Bed of His Truck to Cultural Icon As we’ve already seen on this list, artists will go to great lengths in order to make it in their industry. However, “making it” doesn’t always ensure success. In the late 50s, William moved from his native Canada to make it as an actor in the United States. He had success landing roles on Broadway, before making his way to Hollywood and nabbing a few supporting roles in movies and television shows. In 1965 he was cast in the lead role of a legal procedure drama, but it was cancelled after a season. Next he landed the lead role on a science fiction show that aired on NBC. The show struggled to find a large following, but it did have a small, devoted fan-base. It was also cancelled, this time after three seasons. William was out of work, which coincided with his divorce and child support payments for his three children. William was desperate, so he moved back east and worked in a traveling theater. He slept in the bed of his pickup truck under a hard cover. Luckily for William, the sci-fi show he starred in was of course called Star Trek and was tremendously popular in re-runs. It was made into an animated series in 1973, a film in 1979 and is now one of the biggest multimedia franchises on the planet. Today, William Shatner is one of the most recognizable celebrities in the world. He’s written books, hosted television shows and even won an Emmy for his role on Boston Legal.

#9 From Being Homeless Twice to Multi-Billionaire Growing up in the Echo Park area of Los Angeles, John’s family got by but were fairly poor. He had to help support his family, starting at the age of nine, by selling Christmas cards. As a teenager, he got caught up with street gangs and did lousy in school. One of his teachers said he was “least likely to succeed.” When he was 22 he found himself homeless and collecting pop bottles for refunds for money. He finally found some steady work at a haircare product company. In 1988, he and a hair stylist named Paul planned to launch their own line of haircare products. Meanwhile, John and his wife hit a rough patch. John decided to give his wife all his money and move out. A backer was going to give John and Paul $500,000 for their product line, but the money never came and again, John found himself homeless — he lived in his car for the next two weeks. John and Paul were able to get a $700 loan and started selling their hair products door-to-door. Today, Paul Mitchell Systems brings in $100 billion a year. John Paul DeJoria also started Patrón Spirits as a hobby in 1989. Patrón is one of the best selling top-shelf tequilas in the world. Through both of his businesses, John Paul DeJoria now has a personal value of $4 billion.

#10 From Living in his Car to Comedy Legend In his 30s, Steve decided to follow his dream and become a comedian. The problem was that Steve had just split up with his wife and was giving 75% of his paycheck to her for child support. Also, this was the late ’80s and he was making $75 a week (about $150 in 2014 value). That forced Steve to live out of his 1976 Ford Tempo for three full years. He showered and washed in gas station restrooms, pool showers and hotel bathrooms. If he was lucky he could land a gig where he they would put him up into a hotel room, but after that it was back in his car where he slept in the reclining front seat. Eventually, he started to get steady work in stand up clubs. His big break came when he performed on Showtime at the Apollo, and he’s been on TV ever since. Today, Steve Harvey is a beloved comedian, best selling author, radio personality and the host of Family Feud, which found renewed life with Harvey as the host. Harvey is now considered to have a net worth of $100 million.

Source: TopTenz