#theres so many protests and people speaking up and it does make a difference to keep talking about it

[delighted-mirage]

Not to derail how absolutely abhorrent, bland, and full of military ass kissing shit biden’s literal speeches are, but I wanted to also take the time on the post to point out how shitty Israel is!

here is an article about how israel treats the actual Holocaust survivors it took in. yk. the whole reason israel was supposed to have been created in the first place. they've been withholding these peoples' benefits and many live under the poverty line. all holocaust survivors are going to be dead by 2025. it's a huge disgrace.

how israel changed the historic names of palestine's cities to sound more "hebrew" and therefore jewish. to make it sound like they were "reclaiming" the land. it started when "israel" was first established. everything in "israel" should be in arabic, not hebrew. bc time passed. and a whole civilization was literally already there when they got there. so most names in "israel" are arabic that looks more english/hebrew. it’s erasure of the literal history here.

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some more proof I have found of how i*rael treats holocaust survivors if anyone wanted further proof of how deeply fucked up this state is. these are the posts/articles that genuinely broke any semblance israel had any worth even within itself, and ofc the focus should be on palestinians but in case anyone needed that final peg of colonialism worth knocked out like I did. there are Zero redeeming qualities.

and last but never the least and in fact the most important, links to help palestine.

first is arab.org, my personal favorite, that uses the click money from an ad to fund donations to palestine. great way to help if you can’t donate now! anything always helps, even just spreading posts is doing something great.

second is a list of companies to boycott that helps me out a lot when I’m shopping. it even has alternatives, the reasons not to buy the product, and a very handy search function. it is consistently updating!

third is an Amazing list by @sulfurcosmos of ways you can help Palestine. includes how to write letters of protest, calls to make, donation organizations, and is regularly updated.

free palestine. from the river to the sea palestine will be free. 🇵🇸🍉🇵🇸

The Most Progressive President In History, on the genocide of Palestinians: "They're animals. They're animals. [...] They're a brutal, ugly, inhumane people, and they have to be eliminated."

[unovaslankiite]

Me when I say that I would never make another RWDE post but then people says the most stupid shit about the show.

Erin Winn, Erin my bestie: RWBY is copoganda the diet-coke anime show. Look, I'm not gonna bash Erin super hard because ultimately, she's a former art director and not a writer of the show but come on. Did you work on the show with your eyes closed Erin??? If this was any other show written by any other writer, you would be rightfully calling this out. RWBY does not get the pass because the bigoted and racist writers gave you your unseasoned white chicken yuri after stalling for 10 years. Erin also does not get the pass to act as if Yang and Blake aren't cops and that Hunters aren't a form of cops.

This take is so stupid because it actively ignores the worldbuilding of the show and the entire fucking point of Hunters. Hunters function as a form of law enforcement where they are often commissioned by the government to help them out. As seen with Atlas and said in World of Remnant, Atlas employs Hunters to join the military and to work in law-enforcement. Like, did we all forget about the Ace-Ops being an elite group of Hunters working for the Atlas military??? Did we all forget that Team RWBY worked with the Ace-Ops???

Hunters act as mercenaries, they take jobs outside of dealing with Grimm and act alongside law enforcement or they are a form of law enforcement themselves. I'd argue they're a self employed form of super-cop where instead of being held accountable to an institution and having to follow a set of regulations, they are held accountable to themselves as an individual and can take on any job with as minimal regulations as they please. Like, imagine cops being able to be employed as individuals to serve alongside law enforcement and being able to take up jobs with as many or little regulations as they please. Thats just Hunters in a nutshell; they're basically cops who are trained by their respective Kingdom's government and who are allowed to carry specialized weapons. 'BuT wAiT, tHeRE's aCtUal cOps iN rWby, HUnTeRs aNd cOPs aRE dIfFerEnt sO tHerEFore RwBy cAn'T bE cOps tHemSelves' Ah yes, because RWBY has actual cops so theres NO possible way that our heros can't be co— Yo remember when Weiss arrested her dad in Volume 7???

Do you guys remember ArrowFell where Team RWBY helps locate and incarcerate a former Union leader??? This game is considered canon to Volume 7 and was written by Kerry, Miles and Eddy btw.

Are we all FORGETTING that in V5: Blake stormed into Mistral's Academy with a group of Menagerie's faunus and assistance with Mistral's COPS to stop Adam and the White Fang??? Like, Blake works with the fucking cops to stop a group of in-universe minorities.

Don't even hit me back with 'aDAm WaS gOInG tO bOmB tHE aCAdEmY!1!1! hE's a tERoRisT!1!1!'. It was the writers choice to have the in-universe minority freedom fighter to bomb a school, it was the writers choice to make Adam a terrorist and the writers choice for Blake to work with the fucking COPS. It was also the writers choice to have a former Union leader be a major villain for ArrowFell and to have Team RWBY be the central squad who was able to get him arrested. Oh yeah, speaking of V7, remember the time Weiss assaulted an unarmed civilian (who btw was visibly intoxicated) and smiled about it. As her friends quite literally stand by her and watch. Blake a character who shills about non-violence as the only way to solve racism, is complacent with Weiss using violence to solve a problem. Blake who clutches her pearls from her mansion in space-is-a-commodity Menagerie about the White Fang using violent forms of protest, does NOT reprimand or call out Weiss for her gross abuse of power.

Yang and Blake being the pinnacles of morality do... NOTHING about it. They allow Weiss to assault a man, DON'T reprimand her and run away with Weiss to escape the consequences. Ah yes, as someone who is a racialized person of colour who has to be wary of facing violence from cops, nothing SCREAMS progressive to me when a show's main character, who are fantasy cops, assault an intoxicated unarmed civilian and face no consequences for it. And before any of you guys defend this by saying he was being racist and this is self defense: yes, although he called Blake a stupid faunus, he was NOT verbally harassing her on the basis of her being a faunus prior to calling her stupid (dude was talking about Atlas being the best kingdom and complaining about the other kingdoms). He also did not get physically aggressive towards Blake (the man was standing a solid distance away from Blake and didn't throw anything at her) nor did he made any verbal threats to her physical safety. This is not self defence. Hot Take: Glorifying a person being a victim of unproportional and unjust violence at the hands of police in a progressive shade of paint (the unarmed and intoxicated victim was actually a RACIST so its OK that Weiss assaulted him), is not fucking the progressive take you think it is. The guy being a racist is being used as a justification against the fact that yes, Weiss DID assault an intoxicated unarmed civillian and the story is portraying it as a good thing. Please read between the lines, this is still a major issue. Blake and Yang not saying SHIT to Weiss, or actually none of Team RWBY and JNOR saying anything to Weiss is a huge issue. Blake also bringing an army of RACIALIZED MINORITIES to work with the ACTUAL cops of Remnant, is also a huge fucking issue.

Yang and Blake are both complacent when their peers abuse their power as Hunters, and the latter has actively worked alongside cops... Yang and Blake are both content with maintaining the status quo and do not bother to call out corruption when it inconveniences them. But they're not cops because they wear ugly outfits with a bajillion belts instead of a police uniform!!! Yang and Blake are cops, period. Where's the post of how the propoganda in shows does numbers on your brain, I really fucking need it!!! — Sincerely, a person of colour who needs a fucking drink 🥃

[sunflowerseraph]

hi i haven't watched moon knight but i've watched video essays on it so i know a bit, who's ur favorite character and what are ur headcanons for them?

Ok apologies in advance bc im super dizzy writing this :D but Ohhh my god absolutely its Jake Lockley. Comics and show. Ok well in the show he doesnt have much screentime BUT it doesn't mean theres not subtle jake moments and like teases to him existing. I have assloads of jake hcs (he likes cats, hes fond of sharks, and astronomy, and he wears gloves all the time to help with his sensory issues) but i think he has soooo many roles in the MK sys! Hes a gatekeeper, a memory/trauma holder, a physical protector (occasionally dabbles in emotional protecting, like a romantic/sexual protector!) I think he frequently goes nonverbal (autism creature♡)!! I think hes a Guardian too, but in the case of rangling Khonshu (or any other "persecutor type") ! I have so many hcs abt what roles he fills and the extent of them 🧍 i love intersys relations♡♡ he has little rituals that he takes on when he gets time to front. He enjoys a nice cup of coffee at Genas diner, and he will occasionally smoke a cigarette or two despite stevens protests.(Genas been trying to get him to quit, started giving him lollipops and hard candies cause the smoking is probably from some oral fixation.)

Hes really social! But hes still got the anxiety that comes with being social. He has to be for his taxi driving anyways! I feel like hes got a social mask to interact with people he drives around n stuff, when he needs info, etc. But he doesnt like to meet new people? Like, he has friends already, and the idea of making connections is nerve wracking (thats Stevens job, hes good at external connections! Esp comic steven, since he literally makes all their friends for the most part. Like he and jake make the friends and marc is stubborn♡)

[Tw for trauma ment, abuse, etc! Skip to the next colored line for not that :D]

Jake insys looks different than the body out of sys sometimes too! He holds a physical manifestation of previous injuries/trauma. He and Marc share certain scars or marks from their merc/military days, and in the case of the show, from physical trauma growing up with their mom. Steven tends not to have those marks/scars! Marc definitely has some, but not to the extent as Jake. Since jake is a gatekeeper/memory holder, he would have more scars or marks representing certain memories or traumas that they experienced, even if Marc doesnt, bc Marc doesnt get all the memories. Steven gets like None at all, so he wouldnt really have those markings. Jake might carry some chronic pain stuff (symptom holder) too? Speaking from experience, abuse like that can lead to nerve damage/chronic pain, so it would make sense he would experience it.

[ Ok, end of tw section]

I think Jakes music taste varies too! He usually just listens to the radio in his cab, so he doesnt have a Set Big Preference. He does love Luis Miguel tho. Steven likes reading ,but im sure he enjoys music! Probably nothing too Hardcore, softer music, or maybe even oldies. I think Marc would like music like Pink Floyd, Zeppelin, def leppard, acdc, hozier, Imagine dragons, Muse idk i have lists and playlists but thats not the point here. Jake likes Doja Cat.

He also loves cats just in general, black cats especially. Marc prefers dogs, and Steven (obviously) likes his fish!

Hes the shortest insys! God theres this funny art thing of the mk boys going Jake why are u so small, and jake replies with some shit about being like Wolverine. I think by @bicatperson ?? AS I WAS WRITING THIS I FOUND IT. Here.

EDIT: link didnt work here it is again hopefully?

Im trying to think of more things uhm. He ALWAYS tips Gena extra at the diner (They are sweet, theyre like two highschool sweethearts to me. She cares about his well being and he loves her boys like his own. ) speaking of, jake is So good with kids. Btw. I feel like hed definitely be a little caretaker !! He also loves Diatrice and calls her Dia or dee,or didi :) i also hate all the shit abt her not being "his kid" which just isnt fucking true. Sorry im not a fan of marlene for that shit.

Anyways. Jake is crucial to the mk sys in any universe in anyway possible in my brain ok. Hes kind and strong and doesnt shy from a fight. Hes wreckless at times but hes good at figuring things out. Hes got those streetsmarts. Hes also in love with his lawyer Matt Murdock.

[snnbnny]

tell me more abt u and sakusa and inumaki,, im interested in those pairings specifically

hehehe oki!!!~

Me an Oomi:

He's my rock, he's the calm to my chaotic. If I get overwhelmed then he knows without having to say anything, it's like he's honed in on my emotions. I always try to be aware if he's irritated at all.

When I walk by him, I always make sure bonk his back or side. Something he's grown accustomed to.

He's not actually a germaphobe, just blunt and a completionist. That being said, he doesn't hate mess but he appreciates clean. However he always likes to see when I've gone down a rabbit hole and have left a little mess behind, he can't explain it just that it makes him smile. He's always worried when the house is spotless because that mean either I'm having anxiety or an episode where I don't want to do anything.

Sure he's blunt and it can catch many off guard, but I appreciate his honesty most of the time- he's genuine and I love him for it. I to can be a little to honest with my thoughts and I think I'm less socially aware then he is!

He keeps buying me plants like their floral arrangements(which he also gets), our apartment is full with the suckers to the point that we're going to have to get a bigger place. Between all the other gifts for me including hobby supplies, animals, and clothes that is- He loves to spoil me despite my protests.

He has the biggest sweet tooth, literally eats anything I bake gratefully. I hate that pickled fruit Umeboshi that he liked but I always make sure we have it.

"Keep those biters in your mouth angel," He saw me from the corner of his eyes patter into the bedroom. "hello to you to, whats wrong?" I sit down on the bed and watch him as he peals off his gym cloths next ton one of the dressers. I see the new bruises forming and my brow pinches with concern, "Miya's annoying, is all. Practice was intense today." I get up and walk behind him, pressing kiss on the marks on his back and massaging the muscles of his lower back which makes him groan, "I'm so sorry baby, want me to run a bath?" I ask him which pulls a chuckle from the man. "Sure, as long as you join me.

He loves it when I play with his hair, no matter where why or how. He adores the feeling of my fingers combing his soft curls and my nails scritching his clean scalp. Also he loves it when I kiss his beauty marks.

We met in a coffee shop where I was working at the time, whenever he came in he made an effort to talks to me- found out rather quickly how I liked to ramble, a feature he was quick to adore. He still can get me talking for hours it's like he knows the right buttons to get me to info dump. He loves listening to me talk.

When we started living together and getting more serious, he asked me if I wished to quit my job in order to write and do my art more- he already made well more then enough to support us both, and he knew where my heart really was. I was reluctant to accept, but I did, and he knows how grateful I am every day.

Me and Inumaki!!

Me and Toge communicate on a different wavelength, I always understand what he means- we also learned sign language together in case theres a point he can't get across to me

While I don't actually know what he does or anything about the jujutsu side of the world, I know theres a lot that I can't know and whatever Inumaki does is dangerous- It always why I kiss him a thousand time before he leaves and tells him to be safe for me.

We both are physical people and often don't even have to try and speak to get our points across. From head butts, pokes, nibbles, etc.

He always loves when we cuddle and he gets me to talk, he hangs on to every word I say. When he has to leave, he thinks about every word on repeat in order to remind himself he has to come home to me.

He likes to have me sit on the floor infront of where he sits so he can brush and do my hair.

I can always tell when he pushes himself to far, I can see the ache in his face. I always force him to lay on the couch when I get every drink and food I think he could want, painkillers, and ice cubes- I straddle him and gently give him anything in small doses. I gently soothe his mouth muslces with the cubes, running them over his lips and the sides of his mouth.

When anyone asks how we met, we always tell them it was at a grocery store and I couldn't reach something. I reality I had nearly been a victim of a cursed spirit before he saved my life, something I'm eternally greatfull for. He still ponders how I saw the spirits though...

Me, him, and Yuuta are all bestfriends- when they aren't working its a good chance we have plans to hang out and do whatever. Sure I see they have secrets from me being some supernatural slayers or whatever, but I trust them and it never gets in the way of having fun most of the time.

He was gone for a really really long time once, so long that I was sure he was gone and I was inconsolable. But when he showed up in the kitchen he held me when I cried, and pointed to a cat that sat on the counter- we named the calico bonito flakes.

ask me about my self ships

[brelione]

Wish I was Sarah PT 2 (Sarah X Reader X Kiara)

Part One

Kiara woke up to her phone buzzing,you asleep next to her with your phone still in hand.She groaned,checking her phone and squinting at the bright light.It was one in the morning and her parents were trying to find out where she was. “(Y/N),hey.Wake up,we gotta get home.”She whispered,shaking you slightly.You grumbled,smacking her hand away. “Nooooo.”You protested,trying to curl back into your ball of warmth.

 “Yessss.Come on,your parents are gonna be looking for you.”She pulled you up,shivering slightly at the lack of blankets.You two didnt even bother to bring the plates back,slipping through the cracked rock and onto the soft sand,the cool air hitting you skin. “I’d really prefer not to be awake right now.”You laughed,guiding her back to the large house.People were still in the yard,older folks still talking and cleaning up all of the dishes.You felt heat rush to your face as you noticed Sarah Cameron,head in her hands as she stared down at her phone at the table,half asleep.

You and Kiara went inside,greeted by her mother. “Where’d you run off to?”She asked.Kiara gestured towards you,wanting you to explain. “Sorry,its loud and we wanted to watch a movie so we went down the beach.Sorry.”You answered softly,seeing your aunt on the couch.Mrs.Carrera wasnt mad though,in fact,she was ecstatic.Kiara hadnt made any girl friends since Sarah Cameron or even kook friends for that matter. “Dont worry about it,just tell us next time.”She smiled down at you.You played with your fingers,nodding before going over to speak to your aunt.Sarah turned to watch you,biting her bottom lip as she watched you leave.That was three months ago.

Kiara grinned as you showed her an oddly shaped rock that you found by the beach,asking her what it looked like to her. “It looks kind of like a bat but it could also be a cat if you look at it when its flipped over.”You flipped the rock,running your fingers along the rough bumpy surface.She nodded,looking through the sand for shells. “Hey,Kie?”You asked,putting the rock in your pocket.She hummed,still looking through the sand.

 “What’s going on with Sarah Cameron?”You asked.Her breath hitched,frowning as she looked at you. “You dont want to be involved with her.She’s evil.Shes like a snake that lures you in and then suffocates you!She’s the worst person ive ever met and her brother is a crack head that beats the shit out of people for no reason.Trust me,you dont want anything to do with her.”Kiara huffed,looking you in the eyes.

You pouted slightly,becoming uneasy. “She seems nice.”You mumbled,making her shake her head. “No,shes not.She acts nice and then she’ll betray you like she does to everyone.She betrayed me!”Kiara exclaimed.

You nodded,biting the inside of your cheek. “Okay.”You mumbled.The rest of the day was a bit awkward after that conversation,Kiara concerned that you were falling for Sarah.She was trying to think of something to tell you that would make you hate Sarah,anything to keep you from chasing after her.She couldnt though.There was nothing that could stop you from liking Sarah.She just needed to get you to like her more.She had asked you not to be around Sarah or talk to her.You had told her that you wouldnt and she was stupid enough to believe you.Two weeks after you made that promise the worst thing imaginable happened.

Kiara hadnt hung out with the boys in a while and they were getting sick of her ditching for you.That lead to her agreeing to go to the beach and surf with them early one morning.It was windy and cool but the waves were fantastic.She carried her surfboard under her arm,walking to the water with John.B as Pope and JJ tossed down towels and their cooler of off brand soda and tuna sandwiches.Her head turned when she heard squeals and giggling,two voices shouting to one another.

She squinted,making sure that she was seeing things right.Sarah Cameron was wearing a red sweater,one that had faded from being washed and worn so many times.She held a tennis racket,fighting off birds that were trying to get to the mice that stayed in the tall grass.She wasnt the only one though.You stood with a tennis racket as well,wearing a bikini top and shorts as you shouted at the birds,trying to get them to leave the mice alone.

Kiara felt her heart drop,realising what was happening.You had told her that you wouldnt talk to Sarah at all and here you were giggling with her.She couldnt even blame you.Your oblivious self had no idea just how much Kiara liked you and how desperately she wanted you to like her back.Sarah had to know what she was doing.The blonde glanced her way,a small smirk on her face to let Kiara know that she was defeated,that you liked Sarah and Sarah had won.

The way you looked at Sarah with so much love and longing made Kiara’s heart hurt.It was the same way that she looked at you.Kiara bit her tongue,looking back out at the waves. “What just happened?”John.B asked,looking down the beach to where Kiara had been staring previously.He thought he understood when he saw Sarah,thinking it was her alone that had ruined his friend’s mood.Kiara hadnt told the group about you yet.She knew that they would beg her to meet you.

SHe had convinced herself that she was worried that they’d like you more than her but she knew better.She was worried that you’d like them more than you liked her just like Sarah.She wasnt ready for those words to collide.Kiara couldnt be mad at you which just made everything hurt more.She had liked Sarah a long time ago so she could understand you.She could relate to how you stared at her with such admiration and how you were following Sarah like a lost puppy.Tears began to blur her vision as she realized that Sarah would hurt you and ruin you.

She hated Sarah so much but right here and right now she wanted nothing more than to be Sarah.You liked Sarah better.Everyone had always liked Sarah more.Kiara had cried into her pillow that night,wishing that you were different,wishing that you hated Sarah.She had sat at her window like a little kid,praying to the first star that she saw that she would wake up tomorrow and be Sarah.When she woke up her pillow was damp from tears and her head hurt,skin splotchy and eyes puffy.Her phone was ringing,causing her to groan and answer without checking who it was. 

“Hello?”She asked,tired. “Hey,Kie.Did you just wake up?”You asked.She grumbled something which you took as a yes. “Its like almost noon.Are you feeling okay?”You asked.She blinked a couple of times,sitting up in her bed. “Yeah,I was just tired from surfing yesterday.Whats up?”She asked,rubbing her head. “I was just wondering if you wanted to come to the cave and paint it with me.”You answered,waiting for her to reply. “Yeah,okay.Give me a little bit to get dressed.”She told you before hanging up.

She looked in the mirror,groaning at how sick she looked.She splashed some water on her face,putting on a baggy yellow t shirt and some white jeans.She tied her hair up in a bun,changing her jeans when she remembered she would be painting.

John.B had called her,requesting that she come to his house to watch Spongebob with him,Pope and JJ. “Cant,im busy.”She answered,trying to keep things vague.He huffed. “Busy with what?”He asked.She bit her lip,trying to think of an explanation. “Im hanging out with my friend.”She answered,hearing him let out a dramatic groan.

 “You’re hanging out with that girl again?Cant she just come with you?”He asked.She smiled,sighing. “Nope.”She hung up.She couldnt introduce you tot he boys.When she had walked down the beach,a smile on her face,excited to see you she frowned,seeing you speaking to Sarah Cameron.

Sarah wore just a sports bra and sweatpants,her hair in a ponytail which let Kie know that she was out on a run.She noticed the way you were biting your lip,eyes not meeting Sarah’s.You were nervous,flustered.Sarah gave you a quick hug before jogging away,not seeing Kiara. “Hey,Kie!”You smiled,jogging up to meet her half way,pouting a bit when you saw how mad she looked. “What’s wrong?”You asked,not understanding.

She rolled her eyes,crossing her arms. “What’s going on with you and Sarah Cameron?”She asked,making your heart drop. “What?”You asked,smile gone.She sighed,looking down at the sand. “You like Sarah,I know that you do.But you cant trust her,okay?”She asked,trying not to cry or sniffle.You licked your lips,looking down the beach.

 “I dont think I understand.”You pulled at the sleeves of your shirt,feeling vulnerable. “Sarah is a really bad person.She pretends to be all sweet and defending mice and turtles but she is disgusting and shes like a rock fish.She lures you in and doesnt look scary and seems all innocent and then you get close to her and she poisons you!She ruined my life and hurt me and she hurts everyone!She’ll hurt you too if you stick around,alright?”Kiara asked.

 “You’ve said that before...but I just...I dont know.There’s something about her.”You mumbled.Kiara wanted to cry,to run,to drown herself in the ocean that was so close. “There’s other girls out there,(Y/N).Theres ones that wont betray you and act like you dont exist.I just dont want to see you get hurt in a toxic relationship,alright?”She asked,his heart thumping.You nodded,giving her a small smile. “Lets go paint then.”You smiled,grabbing her hand and running over to the crack in the rock wall,sliding through.

Kie slid through behind you,giggling as she looked for a place on the rocks to paint.You found a flat area,picking up a palette and squirting out little mountains of red,yellow,blue,balck and white along with a few brushes.Kiara went on the more abstract approach,pouring colors onto her hands,rubbing them together and pressing them against the rocks and smearing them,trying to make something like butterfly wings.

She felt your brush glide against her arm,making a wet streak.She looked over at you,a confused smile. “What are you doing?”She asked,looking down at her arm.  “I need it to be the same color as your skin.”you answered simply,making a large circle with the toffee like color.She watched you,not really caring about what she was supposed to be painting,focused on the way your brush was moving as you made a darker little wave in the middle of the circle,watching as it formed into a nose.

Kiara tried not to stare for too long,making a rainbow flower from her handprints.You used a different brush to make dark chocolate waves of hair,trying to fix the hairline of the painting,getting the paint onto the sides of the circle to make it more like Kiara’s face. “You’re painting me?”She asked,knowing the answer was obvious.

You smiled,nodding and making two dark lines closer to the hairline,making them into little curves for eyebrows.It took a good two hours for you to finish the portrait,Kiara had put on her playlist for the two of you to listen to.Once you were satisfied with the portrait you stepped aside,letting the model see it. “Oh wow….that literally looks like a picture.”She smiled,taking a photo of the painting.You simply shrugged,a small grin on your face. “I kind of just memorised your face I guess.”You answered,feeling heat in your face and neck.

She was hesitant to kiss your cheek lightly,smiling as she looked away from you.Her phone dinged,ruining her good mood because she knew exactly what it meant. “Shit,I have to go home but i’ll see you tomorrow?”She asked,turning off the music and slipping her phone into her pocket. “I’ll walk you home.”You said quickly.She didnt argue,glad that you were willing to do that.

You held onto her hand as the two of you walked,getting some rainbow paint on your hand. “You have school tomorrow?”You asked sadly.She nodded,knowing that you didnt know much about that,being homeschooled and all. “You’ll come see me after school though?”You asked. “Of course.”She answered,coming up her driveway. “So...tomorrow?”She asked,your hand still holding hers.She wasnt prepared when you leaned forward quick,kissing her.

Her eyes went wide for a second before calming,her hand lifting to cup your chin,getting purple paint onto your skin.She smiled into the kiss,feeling so many things at once.It ws the feeling you get when you’re at the top of a rollercoaster,excited and nervous to go down,laughing as it all happened.It was the feeling you get when you hear your favorite song that you had listened too when you were young.

The stong that you used to scream the lyrics too on car rids and listen to it on repeat,the one that you could remember even years later and the excitement that would course through you when you heard it.It was the feeling you get when you get a huge thing of cotton candy at the fair,the sweetness of it melting in your mouth as the sun goes down,the heat on your skin.

You pulled away,your forehead still against hers. “Yeah,i’ll see you tomorrow.”You grinned,turning around and walking away,leaving her speechless.She let out a loud sigh,licking her lips and smiling so hard it hurt before she made her way up her driveway.When she walked into her house her mother was making dinner,her dad on the couch.She went right up the stairs and into her room,falling onto her bed with her face in her pillow as she squealed,staring up at her ceiling,blushing.

Her father came upstairs,asking her who she had hung out with that day. “(Y/N).”She answered,sitting up and trying not to smile again. “Is that the girl that we like?”he asked,referring to himself and Kiara’s mother.Kie nodded,sighing softly. “Okay,dinners ready.”He answered,going back downstairs.

@poguestyleskye @jjtheangel  @dannii-li @lovelyelinor​  @outerbongs  @copper-boom  @httpstarkey @teenwaywardasgardian @drewswannabegirl  @simonsbluee   @jiaraendgame  @khiaraaa-in-spacee  @on-socks-off 

Comment with a heart if you’d like to be added to the series taglist.

[eternityservedcold]

ive been posting about my codex!wendy au on twitter for a couple days now but instead of just copy and pasting what i wrote on there ill actually expand upon it a little. also this post is gonna be really long but theres pictures so i hope that helps

if theres any moment where the timeline splits (not including moments before this that may have had a butterfly effect), it would be william carters train crash in 1904, which.... did not happen in this universe. he, with no small amount of shame, moves in with his rich and successful brother.

wendy and abigail grow up having, essentially, an extra parent, which thankfully means abigail didnt die. with their mother long gone, when jack dies in 1919 (not of magic-y reasons, just like... a heart attack or something), william is left to take care of the twins alone. he tries to find jobs so he could work himself to death and at least save his nieces, but due to his general lack of competence, he isnt finding much that can actually sustain them all.

wendy and abigail, who have noticed this despite williams protests that everything is fine, decide to do the smartest thing they can think of: run away from home so william only needs to take care of himself. im sure you can see why this is a bad idea, even in a universe without the codex umbra, but boy does it get significantly worse for them very quickly.

wendy gets hit by a car. abigail runs for help, but by the time she gets back, wendy is fine. and clutching a strange book.

over the course of the next few weeks, wendy and abigail manage to scrounge up a little money, and between this, wendy shows abigail some neat tricks the codex umbra taught her. abigail suggests, a bit jokingly, that maybe they could become magicians. the codex wendy thinks this is a great idea.

[transcription of text: “THE AMAZING MARY, Performing feats to astound and mystify”]

at the codex umbras suggestion, wendy adopts a stage name, “mary,” and the twins perform their first show. it goes very well, and they make a lot of money, so they decide to keep doing this, and hopefully save enough to go back home and take care of their uncle.

mary and abigail perform many magic shows, and end up becoming beloved around the country. admittedly they do get a bit lost in the sauce, but theyre teenagers, wouldnt you? except, mary often times seems to forget they theyre doing this for their uncle at all. in fact, mary seems all-around real different these days.

mary becomes far colder, more secretive, and will lock herself in her study for days at a time. abigail notices her sisters change in personality, and attributes it to the fame going to her head. unlike charlie, abigail never realized quite how deep mary had gotten into the codex.

mary and abigails final act goes very similarly to maxwell and charlies. theyre going through the routine when something goes horribly wrong, and theyre grabbed by the codex and taken to the constant. mary becomes the queen, and abigail the night monster.

mary rules much like her uncle, and brings most of the same people into her world. the differences are as such:

maxwell is still william carter, who replaces wilson as the “all-around” type. if he was in the game, he would only have slightly lower hunger drain, and otherwise be identical to wilson without a beard

charlie has taken the role of wendy, so to speak... winona died in a factory accident (the very same one that would have taken her to the constant in another life), and charlie keeps her soul in a rose

webber becomes the “canonical” protagonist instead of wilson. i would have made it william, but it is ultimately important that the protagonist is someone uninvolved in the carter relationship chart

wilson is actually a half-decent scientist so he replaces winona, i guess

adventure mode is the same but i wrote some quotes for funsies, here we go:

A Cold Reception

Looks like you found my portal.

Haven’t you learned “curiosity kills the cat?”

Let’s see if I can’t up the stakes a bit.

King of Winter

Oh, you survived, that’s fun.

Just remember, you need to be lucky four more times...

But I only need to be lucky once.

The Game is Afoot

Huh? You’re still alive?

That’s... impressive. I’m interested to see how this will go.

Break a leg out there.

Archipelago

How do you do?

This has been fun. You’re a good playmate.

But I think you should know I had a nasty habit of breaking my toys.

Two Worlds

How do you do?

I know you may not want to make another deal with me, but...

I’ll just give you all of this for free.

Food, gold, pigs, anything you want from this world.

All I want in return is for you to stay put, okay?

Darkness

Go ahead.

Keep going.

I think we both know what will happen.

Epilogue

You found me.

Was it what you hoped for?

Forgive me for not giving you a curtsy.

For what it’s worth, you were a fun playmate.

To me, at least. Maybe not to Them.

Maybe They’ll find you more fun when you’re here.

They’ll show you beautiful, terrifying things.

It’d be best if you didn’t fight it.

I’ve worked so hard to make this world.

I’ve made it so pretty for Them.

I thought I was so smart. So needed.

But even Queens are bound to the board.

In the end, I can’t change the game.

I’m not quite sure what They want.

Perhaps we’re just performing for Them.

Though that may be my mind playing tricks on me.

Hm. What year is it? Time is weird here.

Go ahead, stay as long as you like.

It’s not like I can throw you out.

Or you could put the key in and get it over with.

It’s a lose-lose situation.

That’s life, though, isn’t it?

...I think I’m done for now.

i also drew some disconnected cyclum-ish comics:

[transcript of text:

Mary: "After all I've done, you still help me. Why?"

Webber: "We trust you."

Mary: (offscreen) "I don't understand."

Webber: "If you were gonna do something, you already would have."

Mary: "I just don't understand."

Webber: (offscreen) "It's okay, Mary, you don't have to."]

[transcript of text:

William: "I missed you so much! I was worried sick, I can't even be mad at you..." (rambling)

Mary: "I... I'm sorry, do I know you?"]

im very much still developing this au but thats what i have so far.

[willowistic22]

also 76 with belmerttons? (theres no pressure tho 💖💖)

I did this right after i finished school lol. Took me two days but i got it done at the end yey!! A little long than the other drabble requests i think but das ok bcs i’m kinda proud ngl. Also be warned mentions of blood and stitches (bcs the prompt said ‘i think you need stitches’ but it’s not too serious dw) but that should be it. Anyways, maybe this is to make up for wrenching your heart out with that angsty belmerttons cardigan songfic i wrote awhile ago hehe :D

Closing requests for now bcs i got a few i need to focus first before i’m good to reblog a different prompt list

“Elmer, I really don’t think this is such a good idea” Buttons called out from the bottom of the ladder.

“Don’t worry, I got this!” Elmer called out, not bothering to look away from his task. 

It was time for them to change their living room light bulb. Neither of them has experiences in it but Elmer stepped up. Buttons didn’t want him to, in fear of him falling over. But they were about to have a date night later in the evening since they’ve been really busy with their jobs. And it wouldn’t be perfect without a functional lighting system. 

Elmer utilizes the natural light source entering their windows to replace the light bulb. Despite it all, Buttons is still worried for Elmer’s well being. He doesn’t have the best balance in the world. 

“Elmer, honey, please, just come down we’ll call a professional electrician to get it done-” 

“Buttons, we don’t need to waste a couple of useless bucks just to have someone change our light bulb!” Elmer protested, not letting Buttons to finish what he wanted to say earlier. 

With that answer, Buttons removes himself from the living room with an eye roll and a sigh. To which, Elmer just sighs quietly seeing his negative attitude like that. But Elmer’s still persistent in doing this on his own. Besides, the box has given him enough instructions to change it on his own. 

But that’s not what Buttons is worried about. The fact that Elmer can slip and fall at any moment scares him. And he has always been slipping and falling for the longest time Buttons knows that man. 

Okay, maybe I’m being too mean to him. Buttons thought to himself, getting a hold of his breath as he leans his weight on the kitchen counter. The porcelain counter top is cool against his skin, giving him a sense of calmness he needs. Buttons picks himself up and gets himself busy in the kitchen. 

“I got it!” Elmer shouted from the living room, “See Buttons? We could do this on our-” 

Elmer’s voice started to get shaky, followed by a loud crash to the floor. Buttons drops everything and runs to the living room. He sees the ladder Elmer previously used on the floor. But his main focus is Elmer, lying on the hardwood floor whilst groaning in pain. 

Buttons rushes to the scene, crouching next to Elmer to make sure he’s okay. For the most part, he is. Maybe a little disoriented from the fall. No surprise there. But that doesn’t stop Buttons from being extra sure of it. 

“Elmer, are you okay? Does anything hurts?” Buttons asked quickly. He scans up and down his body to find nothing out of the ordinary. Well, maybe there’s one thing. 

“Oh, God your hand!” Buttons pointed out. His right hand was torn, blood almost covered the whole thing. The tear was probably because he fell in a weird position and the skin got caught with the rickety ladder. It may not be bleeding out quick, but he’s still losing quite a lot of blood. Buttons runs back to the kitchen to get a towel to try stop the bleeding. 

He wraps the towel around the nasty cut. Elmer grunts out in pain as Buttons tightens the towel. A painful thing to be ringing in Buttons ears, knowing that it’s coming from Elmer. But Elmer’s still fine. Buttons help him slowly sit up to get Elmer’s concentration back. 

“Nothing else seems injured” Buttons exclaimed after doing a quick examination, “Let me see your hand again” 

It was painful to move it, just as he suspected. But Elmer pushed through the pain to let Buttons take another look at it. Buttons tries his best to lift the towel just enough for a quick peak but not too much it causes too much pain. Though his gentleness, Elmer still groans through gritted teeth. 

Buttons can see the cut in all its horrifying glory, the blood seeping out the towel since the bleeding has’t stopped. Buttons places the towel back and looks at Elmer, giving him a look that tells him just how bad it is, “I think you need stitches” 

“‘You think’. Meaning you’re judging through a medically-untrained eye” Elmer twisted the reality. And yes, Buttons is no doctor. But any dumbass can tell you Elmer desperately needs stitches. 

Buttons scoffs and rolled his eyes before emphasizing, “You need stitches” 

“No, I don’t” 

“Yes, you do” 

“No, I don’t” 

“Yes, you do” 

“No. I don’t!” 

“Yes. You do!” 

“Buttons!” 

“Elmer!” 

Elmer, indeed, needed stitches. 

He sits quietly on the hospital bed after the nurse attended to him. Feeling the tension between the couple, she exited the scene as soon as possible. But the doctor had stayed, seeing that these two are his friends. 

Buttons has his arms crossed on top of his chest, one foot tapping furiously as he gives Elmer the stink eye. Elmer tries his best to ignore it. He had learnt his lesson but Buttons can’t help but stay angry at him. 

“So... you’re going to have to make it to your appointments...” Davey tried to ease out the tension between the two. His voice is the only thing Elmer tries to focus on, rather than the furious feet tapping made by a certain brunet. 

“Davey, is there anything you can do to make my husband stop looking at me like that?” Elmer asked, slightly looking at Buttons direction. But the stink eye was still very much present. 

Davey takes one good look at Buttons, still unmoved from his anger. As a doctor, he can do many things that have saved other people’s lives. But saving his friend from this mess is unfortunately not one of them. He looks back at Elmer and quickly replies, “No” 

“What did I told you about changing the light bulb on your own?” Buttons asked, tone laced with nothing but rage. 

Elmer slumps his back, looking down sadly to the stitches he just got, “Not to...” 

Buttons furiously nods at the response, smiling with a hint of anger behind it. He twirls around and walks towards the waiting room. From the way he walks, Elmer can tell he’s going to hear it from Buttons once they get back home. 

Davey sits on the bed next to a sad looking Elmer, patting his back lightly to cheer him up, “Speaking from experience of giving Jack the same look...” 

Elmer looks at his friend, a glint of hope flashing over his honey eyes. 

“...best to stay on his good side for at least six weeks” 

[mingmingsvt]

Idkw but I feel obligated to speak about this,this whole blacklivesmatter and George Floyd disgusting headassery that's currently going on.

I think it's ridiculous that me and literally half of my fucking family who are at least half black have to FEAR even getting remotely involved with the police cuz theres a chance they could be racist,or they can arrest us for no reason,or that we could even DIE. And that's absolutely heartbreaking because the police are supposed to be the people who protect and care for anyone and EVERYONE not just white people. I think it's crazy that white people still continue to be selfish and claim "all lives matter" and "white privilege isn't and hasn't been a thing" like slavery didn't exist,like excluding black or asian people didn't exist,or that literally like a week or two ago a black man got MURDERED by a white cop for something that turned out to be false and the cop got charged with third degree murder which means basically it was "accidental murder". That shit was not accidental,this white man was kneeling on this mans neck as he was clearly saying "I can't breathe" and he didn't move until he was dead,nor did the other cops do anything to stop him. Yet,white privilege doesn't exist? Yet,racism doesn't exist? If you truly believe that anyone who is even half black and tan like me,can walk outside without at least feeling uneasy then your just not human or you are a racist.

I'm someone who believes "The oppressors cannot be oppressed" but I do think it's kinda wrong to just assume every white person you see or meet is racist based off of looks or body language. My mother and her side of the family is white,and half of them had kids with black men. Which means not every white person is racist. Yes there probably is more bad then good white people,seeing how many people voted for donald trump but there are still a lot of good ones that we actually claim.

I just hate how a lot of white people who don't get the point of black lives matter try to make the situation about them,like a post on instagram I saw that had an asian girl that said "we are not a virus",a black girl with "we are not threats",and hispanics that said "we are not illegal" and "we are not savages" because THEY ARE ALSO COMMONLY OPPRESSED and all the white people in the comments said "Where's the white one with we are not racist" when that wasn't the point of the post. The point was spread light on not just black situations but other ones as well. And they still tried to make it about them cuz they can't let us have ANYTHING.

I don't agree with the looting and shit that went on during the protest but I 100% agree the protest,and donald trumps ignorant dumbass basically gave a go ahead to shoot looters,meaning that white police officers can technically open fire on someone they "THINK" is a looter and not get charged for it. We all know how it's gonna end. And people claim that equality has won or is winning but in reality,it's not.

A black man got killed by a police officer that was obviously on purpose cuz the officer knew George Floyd before he killed him,a black woman who was having SEIZURES was thrown off a 24 story apartment building by white police men,Another black man got murdered by white men in January and the police knew who did but didn't make a single arrest until FEBRUARY,and the list goes on. If equality was valid,none of that would've happened.

I mean,let's face it. Racism & white privilege has been and always will be a thing and literally nothing thats gonna change that. Living in America is truly embarrassing and revolting. We have Donald Trump as president,who is racist and almost fucking started WW3 twice yet people claim "this man did nothing wrong" but their all gonna be really sorry that they supported him when he gets all killed. Sexism,ageism,racism,etc will always be a thing and theres just no escaping no matter where you are or where you go it will follow you. I grew up having to deal with racist rich white kids at school who called me a monkey,and oreo since I'm black and white,etc trust me Ik what it's like to experience racism first hand and it's not a good feeling,it made me hate myself and my skin color for years before I excepted it.

Moral of the story is: Different skin color,different sexuality,different religion,different age,different gender,does NOT mean different people. So don't treat them like it. Rip to all the beautiful black lives that we've lost and I just continue to hope and pray everyday that this world makes a change even tho I know it won't.

Thank you for coming to my ted talk

[thebibliomancer]

Dark Crystal Age of Resistance ep 3 liveblog

“What was sundered and undone”

Just a stream of thoughts.

The Order of Lesser Service.

Everyone is dunking on Brea.

“The order of Lesser Service is not a punishment. Its an opportunity to lift yourself up by performing the lowliest of deeds.”

Its not a punishment but Brea can’t leave and a possible task is to chew up roots and spit it into baby Nebrie’s mouths. It SOUNDS like a punishment.

“I’ve never met a princess before. I imagined they’d have shinier hair.” EVERYONE is dunking on Brea.

So the Order of Lesser Service is TOTALLY not a punishment but you have to wear a jester hat and also this other Vapran gelfling girl Juni was sent to the Order for hanging out with a boy of a different clan. 

It really sounds like a punishment.

“I always thought I’d make a fantastic princess, I have the hair for it. Its very shiny.” I kind of like Juni.

So the service for the day is to swan into a Podling village and force cleaning on them.

They seem awfully happy throwing mud at each other. And bellyflopping into the mud. And eating the mud. And rolling in mud.

“There is no filthier creature in all of Thra than a Podling” cool cool cool cool racism, Gelflings.

Yeah it seems gross but its what they like? So don’t be dicks about it, geez, Gelflings.

They seriously seem upset by all this forced bathing. Leave them alone!

Theres a lot of paternalism here is what I’m getting at.

Seladon just spent five minutes complaining about Brea while Cool Sister Tavra is just trying to hone her sword and mind her business.

Tavra really is the Cool Sister. The Cool Very Patient Sister.

“I can’t be washing Podlings, I had a vision that the world was ending or beginning!”

“Sounds like heatstroke”

“FUCK YOU ITS NOT HEATSTROKE”

Brea cuts a deal with a Podling to not wash them and the Podling immediately dives into the dirt to make dirt angels.

Live your truth, Podling. Live your beautiful truth, you actual potato.

Deet: “What if we fail?”

The First Podling Paladin: “Pssh”

Hup has to explain to underground elf Deet that actually Gelflings are pretty racist against each other and may not listen to her just because she’s an underground elf.

“It may be hard at first but like anything else in life, it just takes time to adjust” -dramatically removes blindfold to make a point-

Rian knows that just because you’re on a quest to save the world and are carrying a plot critical item, doesn’t mean you can’t stop to do a random act of kindness sidequest.

“Thank the harvest we have the Skeksis to keep us safe” Dramatic ironyyyyyyy

Rian immediately gives up the game by protesting that the Skeksis killed Mira.

“We protect the lords. The lords protect the crystal of truth. All lies!”

And he ditches all his castle guard gear so he’s not so easily identified in the future.

Brea trying to hide. While wearing a jingly hat.

Tavra: “You ran away? Good.” Such the Cool Sister.

So news of Mira’s death has filtered to the Vapra by this point. And since Rian is of the Stonewood clan, ooo its time for factional tension I guess.

Cool Sister Tavra has to try to keep the peace between her sister.

Tavra: “I think you and Seladon are more alike than you realize.”

Brea: “That’s a mean thing to say!”

Tavra: “Well, you’re both very stubborn!”

Also both Brea and Seladon can tell from Tavra’s silence when she wants to say something.

“The bonds of sisterhood can be tested… but never broken” Awww, Tavra!

Deet, you’re the most sunny person possible considering you’re an underground elf.

There’s a cool ominous pillar full of swords and Hup wouldn’t let Deet ask someone about it.

“Look at that filthy green Gelfling” well fuck you too, background character.

The Stonewood Gelfling at the bar try to rearrange so there’s no room for Deet but she’s oblivious to bullying and just squeezes in anyway.

Apparently a Fizzgig are just fizzgigs. So Kira was like a pokemon trainer who names her dog Dog.

“Go crawl back into the nest you came from you dirty Grottan” and then they shove her. I think she’s less oblivious to bullying now. But also Hup doesn’t approve of that behavior and launched himself across the bar and beat up EVERYONE.

That’s what a paladin is, Avatar.

“Rascal hole” wut.

I was just thinking that there’s been a dearth of Skeksis so far and BAM scene: castle, in saunters SkekSil.

“Not talk. Just listen.” ‘Hey wanna know about this cool beetle that eats eyes?’

“Noooo never use on gelfling. Only on Skeksis who misbehave. Did you hear screams last night? Friend Scientist was naughty, so saw peeper beetle.”

Chamberlain is one of those people who uses friend ironically, I think. And the nicer the term of endearment the more worried you should be, Gurjin.

“Think Gelfing. If Skeksis do that to Skeksis, imagine what Skeksis do to Gelfling that will not talk.” 

“Tell Chamberlain where Rian is.”

“Never!”

-actual affronted gasp-

Librarian: “Weren’t you sent to the Order of Lesser Service?”

Brea: “I ran away. I gotta go steal from my mom”

Librarian: “You wut”

OH HEY FLYING SCENE! Wonder how they did that.

Seladon: “So the person Brea mindwiped is here. There’s been a murder at the castle. Creatures going mad. And there’s a bunch of Gelfling worried about the Blight.”

All-Maudra: “I had to send Tavra on a dangerous mission. And Brea to the Order of Lesser Service. My daughters… gone.”

Her other daughter Seladon: “.... wtf mom”

Seladon gives her mom a pep talk to break her out of her funk.

All-Maudra: “You’ll be a great All-Maudra some day. … Straighten your wings. You look like a lopsided unamoth.” 

It was almost positive reinforcement for a second but you just had to undermine it, huh?

And then Brea breaks into the room to do a Theft like right after they leave.

So the Brightest Jewel is part of the chandelier? Of what significance?

Scientist: “Treacherous, perfidious Skeksis! Oh, soon… soon they will all see!”

The guy was a Mad Scientist by default of being a lizard nightmare man but he’s going Mad Scientist “they laughed LAUGHED but I’ll show them all” from his default level of Already Mad Scientist.

He’s also saying all this out loud while Chamberlain is just standing behind him.

Chamberlain: “How is friend skekTek? Good? Mm?” You’re a card, SkekSil.

Oh, cool. Scientist replaced his eye with a cybernetic prosthetic. 

Chamberlain found some lab assistants for the Scientist called Gruenaks. I guess this is why the other Skeksis managed to put up with him for so long. He backstabs them all but then gives a shoulder rub and goes ‘lol sorry’ 

First he’s sour, then he’s sweet. Sour Patch SkekSil.

Chamberlain: “So, we are friends? All is forgiven?”

Scientist: -grudgingly- “It's a start”

Deet is off to see the Maudra Fara and is very tired of the myths that the Grottan Gelflings are all dead. Or bats.

And then Rian shows up. Holy crap, two of the protagonists in the same square mile!

Deet: “He’s much dirtier than me, why does he get to go in?”

Guard: “Because Rian is one of us! Unlike you!” Rude.

So the Rascal Hole is just an oubliette type prison dealie. And its right in the Maudra’s court, like she’s a Jabba.

Maudra Fara: “Your return puts the Stonewood clan in a dangerous position. The Skesis have declared you a traitor to Thra.”

I have to wonder how news travels so fast. Do they have female gelfling couriers sent out to all the clans to spread the word? Is there a fantasy telegraph? I guess even a courier on a landstrider would run fastere than Rian’s tiny little legs.

Rian: “The Skeksis are the traitors! They lied to us about everything!”

Fara: “I will not tolerate heresy from a murderer”

Will you tolerate heresy from a counterfeiter? Whats the crime threshold here that will allow you to tolerate heresy?

Heresy is “belief or opinion contrary to orthodox religious doctrine” so are the Skeksis literally the religion of the Gelfling? I guess the Crystal holds a massive spiritual significance to everyone of Thra and the Skeksis as the Lords of the Crystal would have a level of respect but heresy?

Rian: “I have soul goo that proves I didn’t kill Mira!”

Rian: “Dreamfast with me” which should solve everything but Rian’s dad arrived first and told Fara what the Skeksis told him that dreamfasting spreads the Madness.

Good job derailing this guaranteed plot resolution, Chamberlain.

“You are my father, why don’t you ever believe me?” I can’t wait for Rian and Brea to meet so they can commiserate over bad parents.

-Rian sees chandelier, sees rope, thinks Flynn-y thoughts-

Oh wow thats an awful lot of chandelier. And they’re full of fireflies instead of fire. Because you don’t want puppets anywhere near fire.

And Rian did do the thing where he cuts a rope and lets it carry him to escape.

Aughra: -sees the castle, reflexively- “Bah!”

Skeksis spa day???

Emperor: -applying cream and looking into a mirror- “Ah, beautiful!”

Aughra: “Skeksis?”

Emperor: “Oh shit mom’s home!”

Scroll-Keeper: “AHHH I’M NOT DECENT!”

Aughra: “PAH” -rinses her eye in his bath just because-

Aughra: “I’m unwell because Thra is unwell. I’ve come to see the Crystal, see what ails it.”

Skeksis: “NOPE CRYSTAL IS FINE EVERYTHING IS FINE”

Aughra: “Everything is well? You speak and know nothing! Or is it you know and speak nothing?” Well wordplayed, Aughra.

-starts poking the Scroll-Keeper’s belly with her staff so he has to splash her to get her to back off-

It turns out her interrupting their banquet by being kidnapped in the movie wasn’t her being upset. She’s just that rude at a constant level.

Show her the Crystal before she traumatizes the Scroll-Keeper more.

Wow, the Emperor tries a very daring guilt trip on Aughra. Having gotten her addicted to space, he criticizes her for neglecting Thra and leaving the Skeksis to take care of it. 

Emperor: “Then go back to your travels and we can go back to caring for the many you left behind.”

Emperor: “Guards. Throw this useless old crone out of our castle forever!”

The Gelfling guards of course do the “i thought she’d be taller” routine.

A Guard: “My grandfather said she cursed his village with ear mites because they forgot her birthday.”

B Guard: “Well I heard she sneezed and a mountain crumbled.”

Aughra: “Its all true so stay where you are or you’ll suffer the wrath of all eight and a half fingers! BAH!” -they flinch- “BAH!” -flinch again- “Ninny wheelers. Ingrates.”

And then the guards just let her wander off on her own.

-wanders past crystal. Stops. Wanders backwards-

She is not happy with how they redecorated the Crystal with EVIL.

Apparently Past Aughra recorded a message into the Crystal for Future/Present Aughra?

And Aughra tells Aughra “The moment Skeksis possessed the Crystal they abused it.” Aughra is a bad judge of character, apparently. 

So the corruption of the Crystal creates the Darkening. And the Crystal or Past Aughra also replays the footage of Mira getting turned into soul goo.

“Gelflings return to Thra when they die. That is the natural order. But when Skeksis consume essence cannot return home. Thra is out of balance, thus the Darkening spreads faster.”

Eating souls is bad for the environment. Gotcha.

“You have lost the Song of Thra.” So now Aughra is off on a quest too. Like Earthbound except singing to the Skeksis isn’t going to make them feel so bad they leave.

Deet is still trying to figure out a way to rescue Hup. By wandering around aimlessly.

What a cute random tree snake rabbit.  I keep expecting it to be actually huge and try to eat her.

Dammit Rian, you startled the random tree snake rabbit!

But hey, now two of the protagonists are in the same vicinity and ACTUALLY interacting. 

Of course, Rian is massively paranoid now.

Rian: “Who sent you? Maudra Fara?”

Deet: “Maudra Argot! Well, actually it was the Sanctuary Tree.”

Rian: “??? oh.”

Deet has decided that since Rian cut in line in front of her, he has to help her rescue Hup. But he can’t what with being on the run from everyone and having broken all of the chandelier at Maudra Fara’s throne room.

Rian: “It won’t light, the ground is too wet”

Deet: “We’ll see about that.” -instantly succeeds-

Castle living has made you a bad camper, Rian.

Rian: ‘Holy shit the one person who hasn’t heard the lie about me being a murderer!’ -Deet has an epiphany and runs off- “Aww =( .”

It was nice to have two whole protagonists in the same conversation for two whole minutes. =P

Brea returns with the Brightest Jewel. And finds that Onica is now Elder Onica.

Elder Onica: “I served as Cadia’s apprentice for many trine. His memory loss allowed me to give myself a long overdue promotion.” 

Hey, whatever works.

Brea was assuming, as I was, that the Brightest Jewel was payment. Which offends Onica because Stereotypes about Sifa. (Sifa Sea Faring? Boo) But the Brightest Jewel is actually a chrysalis and the answer. 

Brea: “Oh. …….. I don’t understand.”

Onica: “A great many things.”

EVERYONE dunking on Brea today.

“This is the chrysalis of an Imperial unamoth, the totem animal of your clan.”

Onica: “Ask your question”

Brea: “Ask the moth??????”

Oh thats a pretty moth. Annnnnd it just flew off.

Onica was pretty cool.

Sooooo, wait. Wait. Brea is trying to learn what a vision means and is following a moth.

Annnnnd the moth turned into the symbol on the All-Maudra’s throne and opened a secret passage. Thats some good good fantasy nonsense.

Although I thought the throne room was not on the ground floor so where could a secret throne passage lead?

Questions, questions. Too many questions...

[angrylizardjacket]

ask you destiny to dance [7] {Roger Taylor}

[masterpost]

“What did you do? Ash is more pissed at you than usual.” Brian’s looking covertly between Ash wiping glasses at the bar, and Roger, adjusting the height of his high hats a few weeks after he’d confronted her about August. She hadn’t spoken to him directly since then, but the other band members were starting to catch on.

“I didn’t do anything-” Roger tries to protest, but Freddie’s laugh cuts him off.

“He made a comment about Pocket Rocket’s dear friend.” Freddie adds, having adapted to the nickname with ease, an amused smile on his face as he looks at Roger over his shoulder.

“You mean her boyfriend.” Roger snaps, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ash tense at the bar, giving away her eavesdropping, though he didn’t call her out on it.

“Ash isn’t dating that guy, he’s like forty.” Brian laughed, but Roger caught the way Freddie’s expression darkened, though he didn’t dwell on it, and Roger’s own smile became knowing and bitter.

“Yeah, listen Bri, I know what I said.” He responded venomously, and the mood around them sobered considerably. “I don’t like him, okay, he’s too old for her,” after a beat, he wrinkled his nose, “got a dickhead aura.” 

“You’ve met him once.” John points out, trying to lighten the aura. Roger just bristled at the statement.

“Rog is just fond of her,” Freddie cuts in, voice a little condescending, smile mischievous, “let him be jealous, it might take him down a peg or two.”  

“I’m not bloody jealous of that creep!” After a beat of feeling particularly hurt, and Freddie’s commenting hitting a little too close to home, he hears himself lashing out, “And how low do you think my standards really are, Freds?” And that shocked Freddie into silence, eyes wide and disbelieving, his eyebrows raised, as he turned away, jaw clenched.

“You really are just trying to burn that bridge while we’re standing on it, aren’t you?” Brian shook his head, sighing heavily as he went back to his guitar.

“Roger,” John said carefully, coming over to speak quietly to the drummer, as the rest of the band turned away, uncomfortable, “let me get the drinks tonight.” And it’s not what he expected to hear, but when he looks to John, John’s looking over at the bar. Ash is making direct eye contact with him, her customer service smile looking mostly threatening as she keeps polishing the same spot on a glass. “Because that woman is going to spit in all of your drinks and make you watch.” John explains, now looking to Roger, who’s expression was carefully neutral, trying not to betray his own anger at himself. “And as much as I love our dear Pocket Rocket, it’s not something I particularly want.” 

She’s definitely gone back to hating him, and he didn’t realise how much it would hurt. 

The worst part is that she’s so damn happy around everyone else, and he hates himself for being hurt by that. He’s angry, but not at her (never at her, not for something like this) he’s angry because he sees the way she smiles at him from behind the bar, and he sees the way August spends more time looking at the girls in the crowd, though she can’t even tell from where she’s standing. Roger’s angry because she fucking gushes about August - “He’s just made tenure!” - and yet he won’t even touch her if there’s someone else around. He’s livid because she’s so clearly in love with him, but she still can’t bring herself to tell the others his name because she knows - knows - something’s up with August, even if she doesn’t want to admit it, even if the others can’t see it.

Except that’s not the reason she doesn’t say his name.

“He’s here at every show, we should say thank you.” Brian tries after a gig, talking mainly to Roger and John, as Freddie had been giggling with Mary, the two of them in their own little world. Ash is nowhere to be seen. Roger takes another drag of his cigarette.

“Heaps of people are fans of us, it doesn’t mean we have to personally thank them every time.” Roger scoffed, but Brian made a noise in the back of his throat that sounded like he disagreed.

“It’s a show of good faith, we should at least shake hands with-” and he paused for a moment, brow furrowing, “what’d she say his name was again?”

“Doctor Reid, if I recall.” John piped up, and Brian shifted his weight, crossing his arms.

“Yeah, but what’s his first name? That sounds so formal, like, ‘Oh, can I grab you a beer Doctor Reid?’” He put on a voice, laughing at his own joke, looking to John, who just shrugged helplessly.

“August.” Roger’s voice is very quiet, hunched in on himself sitting in the back of the van. Brian frowns, leaning in a little, confused as to both how Roger has kept this for so long, and what the name actually was. “His name’s August.” Roger repeated, voice heavy but louder this time. Freddie freezes. “She calls him Gus.” He adds.

“You’re joking, right?” Freddie says into the uncertain silence, and that’s the moment that the back door comes crashing open and Ash comes out, grinning, hands in her pockets.

“Hey guys,” she grinned, nodding at them, not even sparing Roger a glace, “could I have my jacket back? You can drop the pants back tomorrow if you like.” Freddie turns to her, eyes wide, disbelieving smile still frozen almost painfully onto his face, not removing the oversized, blood red velour button down shirt Freddie had been wearing over a black singlet.

“Is that man we keep seeing Gus?” He asked, voice scarily neutral. None of the others had ever heard him like this, had barely heard Freddie genuinely angry like this, and Ash’s expression dropped.

“I’ve gotta go.” It’s not the answer any of them expect, nor is Ash turning on her heel and heading back into the pub before the door had even swung fully shut. Turning back to the band, they could all see that Freddie was livid.

“I’m going to gut the bastard. Gut him like a goddamn fish, I swear I will.” He seethed, hands curling and uncurling into fists, staring at the gravel. It was as if the air around him was snapping with the electricity of a storm. Looking up, all Freddie could see was how shocked the others were, even Roger, and he clenched his jaw, forcing himself to calm down.

“That’s the bastard that ruined her life.” He admitted through clenched teeth. “Roger’s fucking right, the man’s no good.” And Roger couldn’t even take the moment to bask in the vindication that would have usually surged through him at being told he was right, instead, his blood runs cold.

“He what?” Mary asked softly, and Freddie’s expression softened, looking finally between all of them, realising what he’d said.

“He’s the reason she was expelled from her last university, and...” Frowning, Freddie shakes his head. Brian, John, and Mary all took a moment to process this new information, shock written all over their faces. “It’s not my place,” and he started on a new strand of information, “he was her teacher, he started a clandestine affair with her when she started university, and,” pausing again, he sighed, the anger still clearly flowing through him, though it had simmered down to a bitter rage, “not my place.” He repeated. 

“Doesn’t he have a wife and family? How old was she?” Brian asked, a little aghast, and Freddie sighed.

“She was eighteen.” Freddie sighed.

“She was a kid.” Roger breathed, anger bubbling up inside of him.

“Hey, that’s only a year younger than me.” John pointed out, but Roger turned on him.

“Oh, I’m sorry John, are you having an affair with one of your teachers that we need to stage an intervention for?” He snapped, and John’s face fell, and he looked to the ground.

“I’m just saying she was an adult is all, doesn’t make it right, but she can make her own choices.” He paused. “She seems happy.” Both Freddie and Roger deflated at that, they’re all quiet for a long moment, and without a word, Freddie heads inside.

“Ash.” When he says her name, she looks up with an expression that tells him she’s ready to fight.

“He’s different now, Freddie.” She tells him, already defending herself and the man who she knows in her heart probably doesn’t deserve it. Freddie was ready to fight him the moment he heard August’s name, and he didn’t even know the full story. Sure he could gather the impact it had on Ash, but he never really truly realised the effect August had on her.

“What does that mean, Ash? What exactly is keeping me from coming over here and beating him bloody with my microphone next time we play here?” Freddie asked, voice very serious. Pulling off her apron, Ash told Maureen, who had been eavesdropping on the conversation, that she was knocking off for the night, which Maureen agreed to, and Ash walked around the bar and took Freddie’s hand.

“We’re not having this conversation here.” She hissed, pulling him into the staff bathroom and locking it behind them. “I love him.” She said through gritted teeth, crossing her hands over her chest, looking away. “And after everything I did, I think he still loves me too.”

“After everything you- Ash do you hear yourself?” Freddie takes a deep breath, steadying himself, holding her shoulders, “He start an affair with you, his student, refuse to be seen with you in public, and used his power within the faculty to kick you out of school when you wanted to stop-”

“I only wanted to stop because I found out he was engaged when his fiance found out about me!” Ash cried, as if it were somehow her fault. Freddie actually stepped back.

“Found out about you- He was engaged?!” He whispered, eyes wide and horrified. “Darling that’s nowhere near being your fault. He had a whole town calling you a slut and a homewrecker; he didn’t love you, he ran you out of Scotland.” 

“He ran me out of Fife.” She spits back the correction. “I would know, I was there.” But she doesn’t seem to connect to the words he’s saying, it’s as if she’s replayed the events in her head so many times that she’s become desensitised to it. “But he’s changed, I was practically a kid last time, I’m different now too. And if he didn’t love me then,” she looks a little hurt as she says it, and Freddie doesn’t know if he wants to hug her or shake some sense into her, “well I think he does now.” After a beat she ducked her gaze, voice becoming a weary sigh as she leaned against the counter. “Listen, Freds, I’ll keep him out of the bar, you won’t have to see him, but this is my life.”

“Don’t make the same mistake again-”

“He’s told me that Kira’s his ex-fiance, so I don’t think she’ll be a problem.” Ash rolled her eyes at Freddie, who opened his mouth to protest that that wasn’t the point, but she added. “Can you get Roger to shut up? I’m sick of hearing him bitching.” 

“Did something happen between you two?” Is what Freddie finally finds himself asking.

“I could get used to this.” Roger grins at her when she brings him a cup of tea in the warm light of the late morning, a book under one of her arms. She keeps using the mug with the cat faces on it for him, he’s started calling it ‘his mug’ and maybe she’s started calling it that too in her mind.

“Yeah, well don’t. You can get your own tea next time.” Ash laughed, sitting up beside in bed, cradling her own tea in one hand, pulling out the book with the other.

“Just show me where everything is, I think I could manage.” Roger chuckles, putting his free arm around her where she’s sat back against the headboard. “What are you reading?” Looking at him with a little surprise, Ash smiles slightly, taking a big gulp of tea, putting the mostly full cup on the bedside table before tucking herself against him, opening up the book.

“I found it in the common room, it’s one of those trashy romance novels,” after a beat, she closed the book, keeping her place with her finger, showing him the cover, where a woman was posing sensuously with a hand on a beautifully painted horse, “but I think she fucks the horse.” Roger snorts at that, his arm tightening around her just a little.

He doesn’t have an answer, just laughs, reading with her when she opens the book back up. It’s soft and domestic, her head on his chest as they both read the novella, sipping their tea on occasion. The blinds are down, but there’s still stripes of light peeking through, hitting the floor with golden light and the room feels warm and hazy. They stay like that for a long while, Roger actually becomes rather engrossed in the story, and when Ash shifts to lean over and take a sip of her tea, he takes the book to read ahead a few lines. When she turns back, she just watches him for a moment, a fond smile slowly spreading over her face, and when he finally looks up, realised he was caught, she leans forward, pressing a kiss to his lips, sweet, her hand coming up to cup his cheek, and when she pulls back, he’s smiling back at her, a little confused.

“What was that for?” He grinned, and Ash shrugged, ducking her head to hide her blush.

“I dunno, maybe the book got me going.” She lied easily, and Roger’s expression turns a little unreadable, though it’s clear he doesn’t believe her.

“We weren’t even up to the hot part!” He countered, and Ash laughed, taking the book from him, but he stays holding it, lets himself be pulled with it until he’s meeting her for a kiss, his hand on her wrist when he lets go of the book to move up her arm and start sliding off her dressing gown. “Not that I’m complaining.”

Yeah, Ash had thought, I could get used to this.

“Hello, Ash?” In the present, Freddie waves a hand in front of her face. Ash’s expression soured as her chest began to ache.

“No, okay? Nothing happened between us, Freddie. Roger’s just being a bitch.”

the ususal suspects: @deakydickfanpage @hollyissuchahoe  @laueecakee@smittyjaws @crystalshines2909 @i-am-sarah @legendsaresooftenwarnings@2ptonpt @benhardy24-7 @maiilovely @mickey-yr-a-goner @butter-times@heyyouitskay @tired-eyes-fairy-lights​ @yepimthatperson @missieluvsmurder @ironqueen98 @ceruleanrainblues ​ @banhbao329 @fantasticchaoticwho @ko-kitty @seven-seas-of-hi @mimisfangirlfantasy @aadjuric @rogmobile @cardybenhardy

[afewmarvelousthoughts]

Only For A Moment (Prologue 1)

“Hi darling muffin! As you already know, I think about OFAM a lot...like ALOT. And I have a question. Bucky was obviously trailing the reader for a while before he let himself be seen/known by her. What was he possibly thinking or feeling when he first saw her? What was going through his mind during that time before he revealed himself?”

I fucking love you. Have I made that clear recently?

So. Tumblr ate @wonderlandmind4 ’s asks to me like 3 fucking times. But it may be for the best because instead of just answering you normally I’m gonna write a little prequel fic instead.

Hope this answers your question babe!

Bucky stares blankly at the ceiling of his small apartment. He can hear the traffic outside and the families in the apartments around him far better than any normal person ever could. For hours he lets those sounds wash over him, ground him, distract him from the ghosts in his head.

This was the benefit of being here rather than the farmhouse he’d stayed in for a couple of months after getting to Romania, the noise. Growing up in Brooklyn quiet was a hot commodity. Some part of him remembers seeking it out on rooftops and nighttime beach treks. Solitude away from city sounds, his parent’s arguing, his sister’s pestering. Now… he’d give anything to be annoyed by his family’s noise.

Sighing he finally sits up, leaning against the wall. He hadn’t left here in four days. The nightmares had been so bad. Flashbacks, the psychology book he read called them. Dreams so real they seeped into reality, distorted things to the point that a person couldn’t tell what was real. He was exhausted, on edge, and truly beginning to wonder why the fuck he was even trying.

Absently his fingers wander to the journal laying by the bed. That was why. He knew it in his bones. He wasn’t going to let go until he got it all back, everything they took from him, and he couldn’t go before telling Steve he was so sorry… How could he have done that-

His right fist slams into the mattress, the springs groaning in protest. This wasn’t doing him any good, hiding out in here. Being in the city was stressful sometimes but he wasn’t about to fly off the handle… he needs the distraction.

The October day is bright, a little warm even. Blue skies with perfect puffy clouds floating languidly about. It was beautiful. The perfect day to go to a park. He’d been meaning to check out Cișmigiu Gardens, so he sets off in that direction.

It’s barely noon when he gets there and seeing that it’s Thursday, the park is fairly deserted. There are enough people to serve as the distraction he needs, plus the park is beautiful, some flowers still blooming and foliage still fairly green despite fall being here.

“Alice!” Bucky spins on his heel toward the sound of the woman. She’s a few yards away running after a giggling toddler who’s heading straight for the water.

He moves to chase down the kid but a boy bolts from his sunny spot on a bench, fast, very fast. Something about the way he moves gives Bucky pause.

The toddler has a head start on everyone and is just about to the water. One pudgy leg goes to take a step into the water and by some sheer force of luck, they fall back… somewhat unnaturally, as if they were pulled. But…

The boy snatches the baby up, who immediately starts to wail, their master plan thwarted. From his place, he can just hear the boy coo to comfort the child. He must be very young, voice still soft and feminine.

Panting the mother catches up. Thanking the young man profusely. As he hands the toddler to its mother Bucky see’s his face… except… he knows this face somehow.

Suddenly he can’t breathe but he can’t look away. Despite appearances, he knows this isn’t a young man. You’re a woman… it feels like someone’s digging an icepick into the front of his brain. He grits his teeth trying to focus.

Quickly he sits on a bench, diagonal and down a bit from the one you got up from, pulling a book from his bag to hide his gawking. Thankfully you’re not paying any attention at the moment. You head back to your sunlight drenched bench.

Fuzzy images flash through his mind. You look so different, he remembers thick hair, falling loose into your face. A face that’s crying, bloody, scared… of him? Of course of him… You look just past him, he freezes, but you don’t notice him before you lay back on the bench, eyes on the blue sky.

Could you really be Hydra…? Because surely that’s why he knows you. A Hydra trainee… someone he was supposed to break…

There’s something else there though. He knows it he just can’t touch it.

For hours Bucky watches you. Strangely you don’t do much but look at your phone from time to time, drink out of your large paper coffee cup, and stare at the passing clouds, or the water or the people. Much like him, you seem to fade into the background. No one paying you any mind at all. It makes his chest tighten just a bit... the melancholy that settles around you despite the beautiful day around you.

When you finally get up he can’t help it. He has to follow. In all this time he hasn’t seen one Hydra agent, not one face he recognizes. Bucharest should be safe, it wasn’t a hub for any of Hydra’s active bases, off the radar entirely… So why…

You slip into a store and exit with a bottle of whiskey, snacks, and cigarettes. From there he tails you to a rundown block just near Lake Floreasca. It’s the first time you seem to pay attention to your surroundings before you go into a dilapidated building and don’t exit again.

That night he dreams of hitting you… with his left fist. He remembers them briefing him, he was to go until you stayed down. They preferred he didn’t kill you, too valuable, too unique for some reason. All he saw was a woman, a target… But then… He wakes up drenched in sweat, his head feeling like it’s going to crack open.

Bucky spends the next eight days following you. He knows he shouldn’t. A part of him thinks you could be a threat, an agent sent here to flush him out, bring him in… his gut says something else… even though he doesn’t know exactly what that something else is.

What he does know is that an active agent or asset usually eats regularly, something you don’t do. They don’t go out for multiple coffees, chain smoke, and go through handles of liquor a day… No, his gut says you’re not an active agent at all… You look like someone who’s hurting and lost… just like him.

It’s stupid. He knows it’s stupid. If you are someone he hurt you won’t have any interest in speaking to him, why would you? But there’s that little nagging thing he can’t reach. Something different… Something special… He fucking hates that he can’t get to it. And it’s that little something paired with his crushing sense of loneliness that makes him finally decide to let you see him.

The day is bright again as he waits just down the way from what appears to be where you’re living. He doesn’t even register it though. His heart is thundering in his ears, breath ragged. 

There are so many things that can go wrong here. Not least of which being that you could lead them to him… he’d rather die than go back but… he needs this. And maybe, just maybe you do too. Though he can’t allow himself to hope that he could do something, anything good for someone else. Still... 

You’re eating breakfast, that’s good, he doesn’t think you ate at all the day before. While he doesn’t want to interrupt you the busy morning street is as good a place as any for him to get in your line of sight, to see if you even know him. Strategically he stands by a newsstand just down from the Starbucks you’re in front of and waits.

To anyone else, he’s just a man looking at the paper, but his eyes are glued to you. After a few minutes, you seem to sense that you’re being observed. Maybe you do have some self-preservation skills… He feels your eyes lock on him.

It happens quickly, so quickly that no one around you catches it. But it looks almost like your table and the items on it begin to float just slightly before settling, spilling your coffee. He takes the moment of distraction to disappear, his heart threatening to beat its way out of his chest.

You knew him… That much was clear. Now he just had to find out how you fit into his story… why you’re different… whatever came after, he was ready for.

@bluegirlusa1 @l0kisbitch @tazzi-baby @disagreetoagree @woodyandbuzz20-01 @mooniightbucky @saundrasays @breezy1415 @alyssaj23 @mywinterwolf @wonderlandmind4 @fairislesheets @anamcg317 @buckaroo-barnes @jazztherebel @peachthatdrinkslemonade @regulusirius  @auskitty @babyimp1967 @katecolleen @handplucked @piensa-bonito @darkdragonphoenix @issanitydead @thestorydetective @buckysstar @wintersoldierswhore @greyeyedsmile14 @watchoutforfrostbite @for-the-love-of-the-fandom @jewelofwinter @siriuslycloudy2 @hardygal69 @marvelousmeggi

[dontreadthistrashgarbage]

Pt.3

Seyoon was unpacking all the late night snacks he had gotten onto a blanket at a secluded rooftop. Hearing footsteps he looked up to see Guerin, who looked different than usual. She didn't appear to be wearing any makeup, had her normal stud earrings but had a cute black mask with a white sharp toothy grin. She was dressed in joggers and a sweatshirt with the hood up. He cocked his head at her as she approached.

"I know, I look like shit. But it was late and I'd already gotten ready for bed. You can't expect me to spruce up after that." Guerin guessed at his expression.

"You look fine. Cozy. It's just different. Also you're late." He shrugged and patted the blanket next to him, sitting as he leaned against the wall behind him.

"I got lost..." she grumbled, "I've never been great with directions." She sat down in the spot he indicated, looking over the spread he had brought, "Good grief I thought you just wanted tteokbokki."

Seyoon smiled automatically, "You said you hadn't eaten, and I know how much you like food so I thought I should get some options." Guerin leaned her head in his direction and offered a wry smile under her mask, unable to argue with his logic. "Besides, I got this for us too." He pulled out an additional bag, from which he drew two paper cups, a bottle of soju and two cans of beer.

Guerin raised her eyebrows and sat up straight, "Oh we're drinking too?"

"We have to. It goes well with tteokbokki, fried chicken and jajangmyeon." He shrugged nonchalantly as he began opening everything up and handing Guerin some chopsticks. "Although it's blueberry soju. I thought you might like that."

"How did you figure that?" She asked, sneaking a piece of tteokbokki and pulling her mask to her chin to eat it.

"Well you said before you liked Grapefruit and Plum but I couldnt find it, so I thought blueberry was the next best option." Seyoon shrugged, separating the cups and pouring soju into them, handing one to Guerin and offering his as cheers.

She laughed in response and took her shot, "Honestly I dont know how that train of thought lines up but you aren't wrong." She watched as Seyoon refilled the cups and couldn't keep the grin from her face, "You really went all out for this, it's awesome. Thank you."

He shrugged again, looking up at her and their eyes met briefly before both looked away to select food options, "Food makes things better." He said simply.

"Cheers to that." They both took another shot and then ate in silence for a while.

"So... how are you?" Seyoon asked awkwardly, unsure of how to broach the subject.

"I'm fine, all things considered." Guerin said almost mechanically, "I keep telling people that."

"Okay... but how are you really?" Seyoon asked again, leaning back to look at Guerin. She sighed and set her chopsticks down and didn't speak for a moment.

"Well. What do you know happened?" She asked finally.

"I know you were attacked by that crazy lady. I know you were arrested but you were cleared because of video evidence. I know that she is being charged by the company. But I also know you haven't been with HEET lately." He trailed off.

Guerin reached over for one of the beers. Seyoon cracked it open and put it in her hand, grabbing his as well while she took a sip, leaned back against the wall and looked up at the sky.

"Yeah. We were worried something might happen again. So part of our plan included recording any more altercations that might occur. Self defense laws are tricky and it's usually one person's word against another. Plus as a foreigner, and a big one, we knew some witnesses might not provide unbiased information." She paused and took another sip, "The boys were so brave, they did exactly as they were supposed to. That woman had some gross stuff in that present too. Police said it was unwashed underwear, a vial of blood, another of spit..." she scrunched her nose, "stuff like that."

"Sounds like you guys have the law on your side." Seyoon said, waiting for more information.

Another sip and pause before she spoke, "Yeah, we do. We're able to press charges. The company is suing her. She might see jail time. They even made me go to the hospital to make sure they had a medical report for the court."

"Wait medical report?" Seyoon looked over at her, surprised, "What happened?" Now that she had pulled down her mask and he was looking closely he saw the cut and slight bruising at the corner of her mouth as she smiled dryly and tapped her cheek.

"I let her hit me. I figured if she looked unharmed and I was injured it would go better for us too."

"You're crazy." He sounded almost admiring as he leaned in closer, "Let me see that, does it hurt?"

"It's fine, I've been hit in the face many times, and she's probably the smallest adult that's ever taken a swing at me. It doesnt hurt at all. OW WHY?" She flinched and cried out as he poked the bruising.

His eyes widened and he let out a snort of laughter, "Doesn't hurt at all?"

"You little shit." She laughed and smacked his hand away from her face, "Of course it'll hurt if you press a bruise."

He giggled again, "Sorry. It does look like it hurts a lot. You should maybe stop letting people hit you in the face."

She laughed, "Well it hasn't always been a choice, this one was though."

"So... there's more right?" He asked after their laughter had subsided.

Guerin avoided his eyes by taking a longer drink from her beer, "Yeah. There's been some blowback. Some false stories have gotten out and theres some people that claim I'm making a bad name for HEET or that I was the one who started it, that I instigated a fight or was being rude to a fan. There's quite a lot that demanded I be removed as manager, actually."

"So they caved?" Seyoon asked disbelievingly.

"Well. Kind of?" Guerin sighed, "I've been temporarily removed. Right now with the case going and the false information it's actually less safe for HEET to be around me in case someone tries to target me. So until things are officially able to be released..." she stopped talking abruptly blinking rapidly, trying to hide it with another long gulp of beer. "It's not like I've been fired. I'm grateful for that. Another company would probably have written me off as more trouble than I'm worth. They have me doing other work right now but... I liked my job. I loved my boys, and looking after them." She couldnt hide the tears running down her face now, and didn't bother to try.

Seyoon floundered, watching her face then looking around before seeing napkins and hurriedly handing them to her. She smiled and thanked him, dabbing her cheeks half heartedly before giving up and chugging the rest of her beer through her tears. With an unconvincing smile she looked at Seyoon, "So that's what I mean when I say all things considered. I'm fine."

He didn't saying anything right away, pulling his long shirt sleeve over his hand, he leaned over and dabbed at her face to dry it. She started to pull away, shocked, but he reached out with his other hand and held her in place. "Hold still." She didn't fight back, he was so close and so handsome she couldn't help but feel somewhat transfixed, despite her stomache dropping and heart pounding, all she could do was freeze until he let her go. He picked up his chopsticks, selected a large piece of fried chicken and put it to her mouth, which she accepted without complaint.

"It's okay to be sad when bad things happen. You don't have to lie to everyone." He paused and added quietly as though he wasn't sure he should be saying it, "You don't have to lie to me."

Guerin choked, "Oh my god." She swallowed as soon as she could and laughed, "Are you using lines on me to seem cool? Is this a drama?" She laughed again.

"Yah." He protested, "I was just trying to be supportive."

Guerin laughed again then fed him some tteokbokki, "You're as adorable as a cicada." She said and pinched his cheek.

"I am so much more handsome than some bug." He protested around the food in his mouth.

"Of course you are." She put a shot of soju in his hand, cheersed and downed hers. He followed shortly.

"Thanks though." She glanced at him, "It means a lot."

He playfully shoved her and stole her chopsticks, which started a whole new bickering fit.

Charlie had been working up the nerve all morning to talk to her boss. It was a privilege to be allowed to be so hands on with animals and she didn't want her boss to think she was taking advantage... but it was such a cool opportunity. She had to at least try.

"Byun Minsoo-ssi." She lead off tentatively. The lead vet looked up from her paperwork. Perhaps she looked stern simply from Charlie's point of view but it was just as believable that she was no-nonsense in everyday life as well.

"Yes? Charlie-ssi?"

"I have a friend who is a manager for an idol group, she is friends with a group called A.C.E and I wondered if they could come behind the scenes to meet some of our animals?" Charlie ventured cautiously.

Minsoo paused for a moment before speaking "A.C.E? Your friend knows A.C.E? And they want to come here?" Her attempt to play it cool was poorly hidden and gave Charlie confidence.

"Yes! I'd like to invite my friend Guerin and A.C.E to come and see what we have. I think it would be an excellent opportunity to promote the zoo and educate on the importance of conservation!"

The normally serious Minsoo beamed at Charlie, "That's an excellent idea. Let's get in contact and organize something."

Charlie did a mental fist pump and hustled off to message her friends.

Deciding to keep the visit informal allowed the planning process to go more quickly. Approval from the higher ups and organizing with Beat Interactive took a few days. Guerin has been allowed to come as a personal guest for Charlie and A.C.E who requested she tag along. Guerin, never passing up a chance to visit the zoo, happily accepted. Charlie hoped it could provide her friend with a genuine mood boost. Guerin tended to internalize her negative emotions but Charlie could tell she wasn't her usual self.

"We'll do formal filming in the behind the scenes areas, but then we'll allow you to do your own self cam work throughout the areas of the zoo the public has regular access to." Minseok explained as A.C.E got last second touch ups.

"What animals are we seeing today?" Asked Chan excitedly. They were in the vet and quarantine areas so it was unpredictable what had been planned for them.

"It's a surprise." Charlie said, the most excited A.C.E had ever seen her.

Byun Minsoo would be taking the lead in speaking for the cameras but suggested Charlie stay by to help handle animals and manage the guests. Minsoo might be strict but she was fair, knowing Charlie wanted to do this with her friends she wasn't going to exclude her.

Guerin was hanging back with Minseok as preparations were made. "Noona do you know what we're gonna see?" Chan tried to wheedle from her, pouting slightly. Guerin stared pointedly away from him.

"Don't pull that cute stuff on me, I can't tell you." Of course she knew what animals Charlie was working with, she couldn't let some aegyo spoil the surprise. Chan pouted more and shook his shoulders in a small tantrum.

"Alright that's enough." Minseok stepped in before Guerin could cave, he redirected A.C.E to the main area so they could begin filming. The recording started with a tour of the facilities, showing equipment and how to accommodate all the different animals they had based on type and size. They explained the importance of training animals to participate in their own veterinary care voluntarily then showed them a video example of a mountain lion presenting for a blood draw, and a gorilla opening it's mouth for its teeth to be examined, or a macaque presenting its arm for an insulin injection. Minsoo continued to talk about the research and breeding that the zoo participated and how it was vital for conservation efforts and how it benefitted animals in the wild.

The boys were perfect guests, asking questions and reacting well. They saw a few animals in the quarantine area, new to the zoo and waiting to be introduced to their new homes. The last area they were taken to was for longer term housing for animals that couldnt be in the usual enclosures. A spot had been sectioned, layered with blankets, plushies and other toys. The boys, perplexed, were instructed to go in and sit down with Minsoo while Charlie disappeared momentarily. She returned with an inauspicious crate, facing it away from A.C.E she opened the door and sat with Minsoo, both grinning for the surprise.

Two young tiger cubs tottered they way out, mowing. The trepidation left A.C.E as they all exclaimed in amazement and adoration. Minsoo and Charlie showed A.C.E how to bottle feed them, then let them take turns.

"Their mother was a first time mom, and she wouldnt take care of them." Minsoo explained as the boys cooed sadly, "It's not unusual for that to happen with new mothers even in the wild. But since we are here we made the choice to step in and help raise them." Once the babies were fed they were left to roam and play. One clambered into Jun's lap and fell asleep, the other playing with a toy with Donghun and Byeongkwan. Jun couldn't control his face, his amazement and joy at being chosen as he got everyone's attention and pointed to the sleeping kitten. Seyoon and Chan scooted near him to pet the sleeping animal. Charlie couldn't stop herself from grinning, Guerin knew at least part of it was Jun's reaction and not just the cute tiger cubs.

Once it was time to say goodbye to the kittens, A.C.E did their formal goodbye with them and the filming for behind the scenes ended. The rest of the staff and guests got an opportunity to greet the tigers as well and once Guerin had her turn she flagged down Charlie as the babies were taken back to their enclosure. After a brief talk with Minsoo who let out a restrained laugh and nod, Charlie and Guerin went to a series of smaller tanks on the opposite side of the room, Guerin returning with her hands closed suspiciously.

"We have one more animal for you to meet." Charlie said with a chuckle. Donghun was the only one with the good sense to he suspicious.

"This is one of my favorite animals." Guerin said with a grin, uncovering her hand and showing a large male Madagascar Hissing Cockroach sitting placidly in her hand. All five boys instinctively recoiled, Chan and Jun exclaiming in surprise. A.C.E's reaction elicited chuckles from most of the staff if they werent busy being disgusted themselves.

"It's okay guys. They're harmless!" Guerin said holding it up. Donghun and Jun recovered the fastest, still looking apprehensive and surprised respectively. Chan was behind Jun, leaning around him curiously but still looking fearful. Beyongkwan, eyes wide, didnt move forward so quickly and Seyoon was the furthest away had a very subtle terror that could only be read in his eyes.

"They're really cool, they're called hissing cockroaches cause they hiss!" She gave the cockroach a light pet down it's back which caused it to take two steps forward and hiss quietly as it protested the contact. The boys jumped again. "So insects dont have lungs, they breath through small holes along their body called spiracles. These guys have evolved to force air out of those holes to make a hissing sound that they use to communicate to each other or even predators! Their mouths are too small to bite us so they're harmless!" She was so enthusiastic in the explanation it couldnt help but draw the boys curiosity. She explained how to tell males from females and how most cockroaches are pests at all and how vital they are to the environment. Eventually Donghun worked up the courage first to touch it when offered. Jun became somewhat enamored and greeted the insect before he touched it, but jumped when it hissed before laughing at his own reaction. Chan actually opted to hold it and Byeongkwan even moved forward but Seyoon stayed in the back.

"Come on Hyung!" Chan called to him, looking more closely at the cockroach.

"I'm just looking at stuff over here you guys go on without me." Seyoon said, pretending to examine equipment near him.

"It is kind of cute." Jun admitted, petting it again, still jumping slightly when it hissed.

"On a scale of Seyoon to a Cicada how cute is it?" Donghun joked causing Jun, Chan, Byeongkwan, Guerin and Charlie to laugh.

[jewish-privilege]

It’s been largely forgotten, but when Russian military intelligence created online cutouts in 2016 to manipulate the American electorate, the Democratic Party wasn’t its only target.

The most prominent of those fake digital identities was Guccifer 2.0, which took credit for hacking the Democratic National Committee and then provided the pilfered information to WikiLeaks. The other was called DCLeaks. On Aug. 29, 2016, two months after the DNC hack became public, DCLeaks’ now-banned Twitter account told its followers to check out another of its projects: “Find Soros files on soros.dcleaks.com.”

Visitors to the now-shuttered site could find purported documents from the billionaire philanthropist’s Open Society Foundations, which promote liberal values and democratization. They had file names like “public health program access to medicine” and “youth exchange my city real world.” But before those curious about the leaks got there, the Russians wanted to put George Soros in a particular context.

The homepage displayed a photo illustration of a smug-looking Soros in the midst of four scenes of street chaos whose apparent perpetrators were conspicuously nonwhite. They were taken from the Ferguson, Missouri, protests in 2014, the birthplace—to the consternation of many white Americans whom the Kremlin sought to cultivate—of the contemporary civil rights movement. In both the image and the accompanying text, the Russians portrayed Soros as the puppet master.

“Soros is named as the architect and sponsor of almost every revolution and coup around the world for the last 25 years. Thanks to him and his puppets USA is thought to be a vampire, not a lighthouse of freedom and democracy,” the website proclaimed. The “oligarch” who sired the U.S. vampire, and whose “slaves spill blood of millions and millions people just to make him even more rich” [sic], had a particular background the Russians highlighted in the very first sentence: Soros is “of Hungarian-Jewish ancestry and holds dual citizenship.”

More than two years later, the president of the United States gave a similar portrayal of Soros, though Trump left Soros’s background unsaid. Soros, Trump said on Friday, Oct. 5, had paid for “professionally made identical signs” in the hands of women objecting to Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court justiceship. On Tuesday, he followed up by implying that Soros had stiffed these hired “screamers.” In Trump-like fashion, his accusations were a form of mirror-imaging, as Trump himself had paid for people to support his presidential announcement and denied them payment for months, and he appears to have misunderstood a Fox News guest who spoke sarcastically about Soros paying the protesters.

...The current portraiture of Soros, now ascendant if not dominant online, isn’t interested in that sort of complexity. For the far right, from Russia to central Europe and increasingly, America, Soros is the latest Jewish manipulator whose extreme wealth finances puppet groups and publications to drain the prosperity of the Herrenvolk. This cannot be dismissed as the preoccupation of ignorable fools on the internet, nor as the equivalent of liberal criticism of the Koch Brothers. Instead, the attack on Soros follows classic anti-Semitic templates, grimly recurrent throughout western history, and some of the most powerful geopolitical figures in the world are pushing it. It’s fueled by Soros’s political activism against a revanchist right eager to view the world in zero-sum racial terms that is on the march across Europe, America and beyond.

...Thirty years after the pivotal battle capping the end of the Napoleonic Wars, a pamphlet circulated across Europe claiming that Nathan Rothschild, a London banker and scion of the Jewish mega-financier family, sped from the battlefield to parlay his insider knowledge of the French defeat into a windfall on the London stock exchange. “This family,” charged an author writing under the nom de plume “Satan,” “is our evil genius.”

...The form of conspiracy theories follows their function. Here was a Jewish family whose fortune was said to derive from exploiting European carnage. As Jews, they were considered a foreign presence on the continent, one that had taken advantage of their adopted countries’ naive openness to establish a shadowy power that could determine the fate of nations. Accordingly, European publics would not have to look to their distant autocratic governments for their political disenfranchisement, nor would they have to look to a confusing system of capitalist finance to explain obscene discrepancies in wealth. In place of a systemic critique was a Jewish face. More recently, you can find Rothschild references in the QAnon conspiracy theory, alongside, of course, Soros.

A recurrent theme of 19th-century anti-Semitism is that it finds substantial currency at moments when old regimes appear exhausted and fear about revolutionary dislocation intensifies. A tutor to Russia’s final two tsars demonstrated the utility of using Jews as an omnibus explanation for the anxieties of his age. Jews in Russia endured repression of their civil and economic rights—but they only appeared powerless.

...According to Poliakov, the years between the world wars were a boom time for anti-Semitic forgeries in the United States. There was the fake George Washington missive, warning that the Jews, not the British Army, were the principal danger. And there was a fake Ben Franklin prophesy, forecasting Jewish world domination by 1950 or so.  Detectives hired by the anti-Semitic industrialist Henry Ford traveled to Mongolia, of all places, in pursuit of an authentic Hebrew copy of the invented Protocols of the Elders of Zion. Another went “looking for the secret channel through which [Supreme Court Justice and Jew] Louis Brandeis gave his orders to the White House.”

Foreshadowing the present day, the upswing of American anti-Semitism came at the intersection of an immigration panic, an ascendant nativist movement, and fears about foreign-borne internal subversion. As the Bolshevik Revolution spread, so did a cottage industry of paranoiacs connecting it to mainstream American Jewry, just as a later generation of Islamophobes would do to American Islam after 9/11. In 1919, a Methodist minister recently driven from Russia, the Rev. George A. Simons, testified to a Senate subcommittee about the Jewishness of Bolshevism.

Simons, speaking through barely concealed euphemism, told the Senate that he had encountered “hundreds of agitators” in the former St. Petersburg who had come from “the East Side of New York,” meaning the Jewish slum. The typical sentiment of Russians to describe the post-revolutionary arrangement, Simons related, was that “it is not a Russian government, it is a Hebrew government.” But, Simons assured the Senate, he was no bigot: “I am not in sympathy with anti-Semitism. I never was and never will be. I hate pogroms of any type. But I am firmly convinced that this business is Jewish.”

...[It’s] one thing to be a wealthy donor, even an unfathomably wealthy one: American politics, to its cross-ideological abasement, relies upon them, and scrutiny of them is vital for the very open societies Soros promotes. It’s quite another for such an unfathomably wealthy donor to stand as a singular, nefarious explanation for all manner of global political phenomena. A recent ADL study about anti-Semitism on Twitter took particular note of the frequency and virulence of invocations of Soros for “undermin[ing] western civilization, or following a long-standing pattern of Jewish behavior.” The ADL even found far-right warnings that Soros had engineered the lethal white-supremacist march on Charlottesville as a false-flag operation.

After the teenage survivors of the Parkland high school massacre began their demonstrations for gun control, some let the mask slip. One now-suspended “alt-right” account tweeted that it was “@georgesoros at work.” Softer versions of that sentiment are ubiquitous online. One more humorous version came after someone posted a picture of a bald Britney Spears attacking a car during her 2007 meltdown to joke that it was Parkland’s Emma Gonzalez – prompting an apparently elderly woman to tweet that “these children of Satan… are funded by Soros.” At an “alt-right” gathering in New York convened by Pizzagate conspiracy theorist Mike Cernovich, drunken panelists referred to Soros as the “head of the snake.”

...More recently, after the Kavanaugh confirmation fight, Senator Chuck Grassley stopped just short of validating the accusation that Soros had paid for those protesting Kavanaugh. “I believe it fits in his attack mode that he has, and how he uses his billions and billions of resources,” said the chairman of the Senate judiciary committee. Even Rudy Giuliani on Saturday retweeted someone who called Soros the “anti-Christ.” The “evil genius” that “Satan” concocted in 1841 had found its 2018 incarnation.

Nowhere has the attack on Soros been more geopolitically potent, or as clarifying, as in his native Hungary.

...“We are fighting an enemy that is different from us,” [Hungarian strongman prime minister Viktor Orban] said, per a New York Times translation. “Not open, but hiding; not straightforward but crafty; not honest but base; not national but international; does not believe in working but speculates with money; does not have its own homeland but feels it owns the whole world.” Even a previously sympathetic writer, National Review’s Michael Brendan Dougherty, said the speech read like “a checklist drawn from the Protocols of the Elders of Zion.”

...This spring, Orban’s government criminalized the assistance of asylum seekers and undocumented immigrants through what it called the “Stop Soros” laws. Ahead of its passage, the Open Society Foundations announced that it would cease operations in Budapest and transfer its local staff to Germany. In July, Netanyahu hosted Orban in Jerusalem and declared him a “true friend of Israel.”

...The U.S. has been better to and for Jews than any other diaspora nation in history. It’s for that reason that many American Jews, particularly those whose white skin affords them access to the highest levels of the American Dream, often diminish the dangers posed by a mass movement comfortable, wittingly or not, with creating a Jewish scapegoat for its political frustrations. There is also a powerful Jewish collective instinct to avoid calling attention to empowered anti-Semitism for fear of provoking it to violence.

Nearly a century ago, as anti-Semitic propaganda backed by powerful white Americans like Henry Ford proliferated, an American Jewish lawyer and civil-rights leader urged his fellow Jews to confront it. “Events have shown that the policy of silence was a mistake. Not only do Ford’s articles appear every week with undiminished virulence, but worse, the Protocols is distributed in every club, placed in every newspaper,” wrote Louis Marshall in 1921. “It has been received by every member of Congress and put in the hands of thousands of personalities. It is the topic of conversation in every living room and in every social sphere.”

Eighteen years later, 20,000 Nazi supporters filled Madison Square Garden to preach their vision of an American Reich. It would not be long, across the Atlantic, before much worse unfolded.

“I’m concerned that the prevalence of conspiracy theories about Soros which paint him as a larger than life, powerful figure has the effect of shrinking that public space where anti-Semitism is not acceptable,” said the ADL’s Tuchman. “If you have fully embraced the notion that there is a powerful Jewish figure manipulating social and political movements around the world to promote his agenda, you’re inching toward the edges of that space where anti-Semitism is acceptable. Soros is a liminal figure in that way.”

[Read Spencer Ackerman’s full piece at The Daily Beast.]

[aces-away]

Hi! I'm a writer who has a Jewish character, and I'd love to hear tips and info that could help me portray the fact that he's Jewish. When I did some light research, the main consensus I came to was that being Jewish is more than just a religion for most people. Since culture is really an experience, I was wondering if there's anything that you'd be willing to share so I can do a better job. The more the better, since I really don't know much except the basics of what NOT to do. Thanks :D

Hi! Thanks for reaching out! Keep in mind this is all from my own experience and there are plenty other jewish people with different ones, I highly recommend swinging around to several blogs and asking this if you want a more rounded character :)

First thing from personal experience: If your character is an Ashkenazi Jew like I am there is a good chance they have Yiddish words and terms sprinkled throughout their everyday speech. That leads to a lot of Goyim(non-jews) going "wait what was that word? What does it mean?"

For instance I used the term Tchotchkes the other day and when someone asked for an explanation I actually had trouble articulating it, i replied "Uh, y'know, tchotchkes....ummm...b-bobbles? Trinkets? Cute little decorations?" Because I've never had to use another word for it.

I often say Oy Vey the way other people say omg or 'big oof' etc. And if I'm emphasizing, I use Oy Gevult instead.

There are a lot of everyday microaggressions that jewish people face! Such as "oh! You dont look jewish!" Which is one hundred percent an insult to us, like what am I SUPPOSE to look like? There's also "you talk about being jewish a lot" and "but like, the holocaust was forever ago, you havent faced anything since then" and "you sound funny when you pronounce words like that"(like using the Chet- a sound that comes more from your throat than your mouth) and many others. I'm vocal about it when people say this to me, but only if I'm in a comfortable and safe setting, otherwise my brain goes through a million ways me correcting them could go wrong or dangerous for me.

As the youngest sibling, and second youngest cousin, I had to learn to be assertive and vocal at family dinners or I would not be heard. There is a lot of cross talking and multiple conversations going on at once. If you dont speak up and keep yourself in the conversation, you'll probably end up just sitting there while waiting for the food to be finished.

If you have tattoos or piercings you cannot be buried in a jewish cemetery so if you want to be buried with family you would not get body decorations.

There is a strong vying for relatable jewish characters by jewish people as most in television and books are crappy stereotypes and antisemitic tropes.

For many pale jews being called "white" is actually quite uncomfortable.

If things are going south politically one of my first thoughts are often "do I have any friends that would hide me" and "where will I have to hide my Jewishness to stay safe" etc. There is a lot of generational trauma that comes with being Jewish and often the thought process goes unnoticed by Goyim.

That instant connection you feel when it's you and one other jewish person in a sea of goyim, esp. Christian goyim, is often like that LOOK 2 women share when a man is talking, if that makes sense.

Due to our history jewish people are often very social-equality minded and are part of movements and protests.

REMINDER this is all from my own experience, I would say check out pages like @progressivejudaism and @jewish-privilege for knowledge and for more day to day experiences/ideas look for @jewish-people-problems and @littlegoythings

That's all I can think of right now, sorry if it makes no sense I am very tired lol.

Honestly just also feel free to look up "jewish" and "jewish stuff" and "actually jewish" on my blog as well I'm sure theres a bunch of stuff there.

[somnilogical]

ratheka: unjustly banned somni to preempt protest of their unjust banning of emma, which is unjust

emma was protesting cfar instructor davis tower kingsley. this davis tower kingsley:

<<memento mori: Masturbation is considered grave matter, so if someone masturbates with full knowledge that this is wrong and deliberately consents to it then yes, this is a mortal sin, and if they do not repent of it then yes, they will go to hell.>>

<<dirk: like… “only unrepentant sinners go to hell” is not comforting to unrepentant sinners

TowerNumberNine: it is certainly comforting relative to the doctrine of “homosexuals are damned and cursed and cannot possibly repent” which many have sadly encountered>>

and more here: https://everythingtosaveit.how/#davis-tower-kingsley and there is much more than is even written there which those in possession of akashic records or discord logs may give an account of.

i will not repent and submit to pope anna salamon kingsley.

kingsley is in no way a warrior for social justice. yes they are an instructor at “the center for applied rationality”, no there is not some unintuitive deeply wise reason for this. its just what cfar is at this point. “taxing transfems for existing and transferring resources to cisfems” is talking about something zack davis said.

transcript of emma and kingsley: https://0bin.net/paste/teXP7x-IJot61kro#0ZAkytrL7DWmMM8HRFdgdgGS4vV6d7aifuR9Kf8sqkX

[A/N: i didnt say anything this entire time, then found emma and somni were banned, then later found i was unbanned and so was emma. kingsley was also banned.]

somni talks with ratheka:

#discourse-and-debate

[10:56] 𒀭 💮: @Ratheka for what just reason did you ban me from this server?

[11:03] 𒀭 💮: what did i do?

i think you should hand in your badge and gun, resign from the force. as far as i can tell, there was no just cause for this aggression.

[11:05] LeoTal: Er, sorry, are you ban-evading? Or do you mean "banned and just unbanned"?

[11:10] 𒀭 💮: i do not wish to speak with you, answer your questions, or sign or hand you any documents based on my 5th amendment rights under the united states constitution.

i choose to exercise my constitutional rights.

[11:12] Ratheka: In expectation of having exactly this argument, s/me/emma

[11:12] 𒀭 💮: in expectation of me protesting being unjustly banned, you unjustly banned me?

[11:12] 𒀭 💮: that makes no sense

[11:12] Ratheka: This is not the united states, the constitution does not in fact bind leo, who afaik doesn't even live in the states

[11:13] deluks917: Somni you got unbanned. The moderators made a mistake and we corrected it reasonably quickly.

[11:13] 𒀭 💮: would you violate my 5th amendment rights?

[11:13] Ratheka: You can choose not to talk to him, but that's not the same as exercising the fifth.  It's the first; speech and association

[11:13] LeoTal: I was just trying to clarify in case I misunderstood the meaning. Sorry for shitstirring, shutting up now.

[11:13] deluks917: Please let this go

[11:14] 𒀭 💮: why was i banned?

[11:16] conifer: why was somni banned, i'd like to know that too?

[11:20] deluks917: Ratheka predicted Somni would get angry because Emma was banned and post disruptive things. This is not (imo) a good reason to ban someone even if Emma's ban was justified (imo it was not). Given this Somni was unbanned in about a day.

[11:21] deluks917: Idk what you really want us to do here. We already reversed the bans.

[11:23] 𒀭 💮: ratheka predicted correctly that i would object to an unjust banning of emma. destroying opposition so they cannot protest your poor decisions is wrong.

i want justice, i want ratheka's ability to ban people removed from them. i want them to hand in their badge and gun and resign from the force.

[11:24] 𒀭 💮: if people's ability to ban others is not affected by abuse of power for unjust ends, there is no check on abuse of power. there is no differential incentive between banning justly and banning unjustly.

and you get people like ratheka who ban people in anticipation of their opposition to unjust rulings.

[11:28] 𒀭 💮: saying that things are fine because other humans corrected ratheka's mistake and why are you worrying about stuff is wrong.

i want things to be such that if ratheka knew what would happen downstream of unjustly banning someone and then banning any vocal opposition to their choice, that they would not unjustly ban someone in the first place.

[11:38] 𒀭 💮: otherwise you are as moral as a police force at each step pays some restitution to compensate for a cop who unjustly destroy peoples property, but never fires them for their unjust behaviour. encourages people to work around those who wish to do unjust things and then neutralize anyone who they think might protest against their immoral actions. as some sort of missing stair. http://pervocracy.blogspot.com/2012/06/missing-stair.html (its unrepresentative that the cops would pay restitution.)

"oh thats just ratheka, sometimes they ban people and then ban people they expect to oppose their ban, you just have to work around them. yeah they can still ban people."

you could say this is silly and the scope of this problem is small and why do you care? but

1 if the scope of this is small does that not apply evenly to all things, would not the scope of removing ratheka's ability to ban people also be small?

2 its important to work things out algorithmically at all scales, so you get things right. the problem of choice in getting things right when theres different amounts of utility at stake, for the same thing, is equivalent. getting the trolly problem right is the same choice whether it deals with the lives of 6 people or 6000000000 people. https://somnilogical.tumblr.com/post/174174621274/wetradelives-felt-mildly-bad-about-my-url

[11:48] 𒀭 💮: the unjust silencing of dissent against authoritarianism, is wrong. then silencing people expected to dissent to the unjust silencing of dissent against authoritarianism is 2x wrong.

my mom grew up in uruguay, her parents were political dissidents, they were put in jail for 6 days and warned that the next time they would be jailed for 6 years. both anyone who dissented and anyone who spoke up for those who dissented risked getting disappeared. they left uruguay, immigrated to america and now she writes books and papers on the regime's gaslighting.

it was unjust when this happened on the scale of a country, it is unjust when this happens on the scale of a discord server.

[11:51] 𒀭 💮: there was no just cause for what ratheka did, but there can be justice for things done for no just cause.

[11:52] purrtrandrussell: I think you have a point, somni, but I'd rather give Ratheka another chance. I think she's learned from her mistake.

[11:52] deluks917: I agree Somni has a point.

[11:52] purrtrandrussell: like if this became a pattern it would be really bad

[11:52] purrtrandrussell: but first offense and all

[11:54] purrtrandrussell: Pragmatically, distributing the amount of work between mods is pretty valuable, given all of us have stuff to do, not a ton of time, etc. and I don't really want to increase the total labor load per person on something I expect to be a one-off thing

[11:57] 𒀭 💮: i dont. ratheka didnt articulate why what they did was unjust.

when i said that i held by the 5th amendment they were like "that doesnt apply here" rather than like respect the rights i asserted.

which is a thing ive encountered with other people who then tried to find other ways to violate my rights.

aaa its kind of absurd that a small discord server is too big to fail??? like justice should come first in logical time (the order in which logical structure in a venacular sense "principles" are considered) and then you find new mods downstream of this instead of flipped around.

[11:58] 𒀭 💮: like, i think you could find one person here to take on this workload in ratheka's stead.

[11:59] purrtrandrussell: So, if you look at what Ratheka said, she didn't dispute that you had a right to not talk to leo if you didn't want to, she was nitpicking about whether or not this qualified as a fifth amendment thing

[11:59] purrtrandrussell: "You can choose not to talk to him, but that's not the same as exercising the fifth.  It's the first; speech and association"

[11:59] Ratheka: So:

Somni, I specifically and without pushing from anyone save you, just now, honestly apologize to you. I agree that my actions were unjust. I stated my belief as such shortly after I took it, and presented to argument to reversing it.  Yes, I fucked up, and I am, in fact, regretful. I did not think that an apology would provide you with any satisfaction, so I did not offer it, but I do in fact intend to do better in future.

The fifth amendment is the right to refuse to answer questions when talking to agents of the government so that you do not incriminate yourself.

[12:00] 𒀭 💮: why was what you did unjust?

[12:01] Ratheka: Because I was trying to reduce the amount of attention I needed to pay, and vexation suffer, by exercising power in a way that had not been justified by your actions taken in this case.

[12:09] 𒀭 💮: thats not really why, nor does it differentiate between what you did to me and what you did to emma. one is doing a wrong thing and another is a marginal act made to cover up that you did a wrong thing.

you did not just act out of akrasia, you also engaged in a coverup.

i dont believe you and expect this will happen again, good-harting over repeating this exact scenario the way that slavery is banned, but immigrant "farmworkers" are treated as "not technically, legally, slaves" but are slaves with ICE acting as slavehunters.

i do not accept this apology, expected low probability that i would a priori, but there is always some chance for this to be wrong.

[12:10] 𒀭 💮: like fuck you didnt act out of "akrasia" i just imported the lie you presented. what you said is a lie.

[12:10] Ratheka: 'akrasia'?

[12:10] Ratheka: I know the word

[12:10] Ratheka: I want to know where I claimed it.

[12:11] 𒀭 💮: "I was trying to reduce the amount of attention I needed to pay, and vexation suffer" this is a lie

[12:12] 𒀭 💮: you were not overburdened with things and then doing stuff out of your attention being overwhelmed or lack of willpower or laziness

[12:12] 𒀭 💮: people who say they silenced people because "they didnt want to deal with hassel, its too much work, you are causing too much disruption" are usually lying

[12:13] Ratheka:

you were not overburdened with things and then doing stuff out of your attention being overwhelmed

How would you know what my burden is?

I sought to avoid having my attention pulled into a discussion congruent if not isomorphic to this one, about emma.

[12:13] 𒀭 💮: because you are still, now, at every step resisting justice. saying that you didnt say the word "akrasia" when this is an accurate descriptor of the thing you said.

[12:14] 𒀭 💮: you claimed a failure of willpower due to being overwhelmed. i disbelieve this.

[12:15] Ratheka: I disagree.

Further, as I am in fact burdened, and have stuff to do that I think is likely to yield higher value for anyone than me being in this conversation, I am stepping away from it. Should the other mods feel I need to step down, I will. I would recommend not extensively harassing them about this? But in the end the choice of actions to take from here is yours.

[12:16] 𒀭 💮: i can see into you ratheka

your words are as empty as your soul

[12:17] 𒀭 💮: you are saying "i cant prove your motive" you are saying that your "injustice" was simply weakness of will. you are trying to divert blame at every step.

[12:18] deluks917: Also looks like the answer to 'Idk what you really want us to do here.' is demod Ratheka.

[12:21] 𒀭 💮: you have not admitted to any logical structure of injustice. i claim there was an algorithm that output this. and the algorithm was not "sometimes i get overwhelmed and i randomly decided to ban somni and emma"

you banned emma unjustly and then you banned somni unjustly to cover up what you did. this isnt accounted for by being "overwhelmed" this is a distinct unjust algorithm.

[12:21] purrtrandrussell: Somni, I do think you have a point, but please refrain from personal insults ("your words are as empty as your soul")

[12:23] 𒀭 💮: one which you have not acknowledged and expect will not repeal.

if you think i have a point, then why not de-mod ratheka and mod someone who doesnt do this stuff? who doesnt at each step try and destroy knowledge of injustice, tries to blur it all into a weakness of will when trying to cover up the unjust things you have done is not weakness of will or being overwhelmed.

[12:25] 𒀭 💮: like? i was banned because ratheka tried to cover up their unjust acts against protest. not because ratheka did some random act while overwhelmed!

[12:27] 𒀭 💮: ratheka is not acknowledging this stuff as wrong.

[12:27] purrtrandrussell: I think you have a point, I just disagree that this is worth de-moding over, there's a general principle I want to follow about not punishing on the first offense. (I also don't think banning Emma was particularly egregious, I do think she stepped out of line, it was a judgement call, and while I think that temp-muting would have  been better and believe reversing the ban was just, I don't consider banning to be especially poor judgement)

[12:28] purrtrandrussell: (also I should get back to work myself, so, this is gonna be an asynchronous conversation on my end)

[12:28] 𒀭 💮: i think it was especially unjust. do you think ratheka banning me was especially unjust?

[12:28] 𒀭 💮: ratheka expects you to cover for them, does not want to directly engage with me.

[13:05] 𒀭 💮: LeoTal accused me of committing a crime in local law.

<<The Fifth Amendment dealing with a person's right against self-incrimination, which applies not only when they're on the witness stand in court but in any context. Citizens have the right not to speak to the police and say things that might incriminate themselves.>>

it was entirely appropriate to invoke the 5th when someone acts like a cop and you do not want to talk with them.

[13:07] 𒀭 💮:

[13:07] 𒀭 💮: https://theievoice.com/red-cards-and-constitutional-rights/

[13:10] 𒀭 💮: in a counterfactual world in which this were not true, this cards that civil liberties advocates distributed to people would be printed in error.

and i would want to immediately inform them of this.

i dont think they were actually printed in error, except the error in thinking that the cops respond to the law.

so what i said about the 5th amendment was correct. even though the internet is not america, i will still invoke american ideals i agree with. will still reference life liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

[13:22] 𒀭 💮: "except in cases where it infringes on others", or equivalently, "for all". which runs closure on the operation in a similar way that the logical closure of "dont kill a person" during triage or in a trolly problem situation involves things which are locally killing one person to save five others.

which is a logical propagation of "dont kill a person" even though a subset of the pattern "killing one person" (to save five) contradicts the base case "dont kill a person" you extrapolate from.

its possible to perform this operation. the united states as it is currently, is not doing this. no state is.

[13:23] 𒀭 💮: (the us also has never done this in its entire history)

[14:11] 𒀭 💮: so this was correct and ratheka attempted to erode my ability to assert this right. "it could have been different" if the comment was made as an orphaned optimization process. or if say emma was saying it to me id on priors i would expect differently.

but rathekas orientation during this was to erode my ability to discern and resist injustice. their only defense is an expectation of keeping schelling reach high, retreating to a claim / attempted social agreement that you 'cant prove intent'. but i can prove intent, its not some separate special section of reality where inferences no longer apply. its made of atoms like everything else.

when someone being arrested shoots themselves several times in the back of the head, cops will say that you cant prove this. [A/N: should be something like "cant prove they didnt do this"] but actually i can form accurate beliefs about this without camera footage. and if you rely on damaging your epistemics and existing with people under a social agreement that intent cant be proved past a certain point. then someone from a culture with much higher schelling reach or who has practiced inference to a finer degree can come in and see into your soul.

just like people from cultures with higher schelling reach than police departments can see through their lies. similarly with most government agencies like ICE and customs and border patrol.

[14:12] 𒀭 💮: <<Congressional representatives, such as Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., have taken notice, NPR reported. After John Ghazvinian, am Iranian-born US citizen, was detained and asked “how I feel about the situation with Iran,” Jayapal accused CPB of “playing semantics.”

“It was very lengthy screening with no ability to leave. So whether you want to call that detention or something else is up to you. But the core fact of the matter remains,” Jayapal said. “This seemed to be a directive to pull aside anybody of Iranian American descent.”>>

https://medium.com/citizen-truth/cbp-appears-to-have-lied-in-leaked-memo-directed-staff-to-detain-travelers-with-iranian-links-bb0e9d555f71

customs and border patrol expected collusion from other government agencies on how 'their statement was correct because holding iranian americans for having iranian heritage for hours and questioning them on their loyalty to america isnt "detention"'. ratheka is doing a similar kind of playing semantics when they are like 'i never said the word "akrasia"' even though this is an accurate summary of the motive they claimed and they didnt dispute this. just at each step trying to find some way to muck things up. same with the 5th amendment thing when they knew what right i was asserting, wanted to tear that down, and it happens in this world i was also semantically (aka with low schelling reach) right and they were semantically wrong. and asserting this right is correct when questioned as i was questioned. whether that was the case or not is irrelevant to the larger problem of iteratively trying to erode what things you can communicate so you cant communicate precise information about the unjust algorithms ratheka was implementing.

[14:12] 𒀭 💮: ratheka attempts the same erasure of ability to communicate more nuanced things by attributing their deliberate cover up to some generic failure of will, which does not encode the algorithm which was unjust. it only encodes that having a failure of will when its not warranted is wrong. which is intentionally generic and isnt actionable criticism.

--

#meta

[11:10] LeoTal: User @𒀭 💮 appears to be making trouble of some kind in #discourse-and-debate and a @General moderator should probably take a look at that

[11:57] purrtrandrussell: I wouldn't characterize her actions as making trouble. She's just expressing her concerns about the moderation and making requests as to the governance of the server.

[12:01] LeoTal: Someone is in fact taking a look at that and I am satisfied

[12:34] 𒀭 💮: the answer to "why was i banned?" was "i was banned by @Ratheka to cover up their unjust banning of @emma., preemptively, because they expected me to protest this unjust banning."

this is wrong. ratheka has not acknowledged why covering up injustice in this way is wrong. a just response to this is to remove ratheka's ability to ban people before they engage in another cover-up of unjust activities.

[12:36] 𒀭 💮: it was wrong pre-emptively and it would still be wrong post-emptively.

[12:46] conifer:

>But it would have been reasonable to at least stick around a few days to see if the ban gets reversed.

It could be reasonable, sure, but it's also reasonable not to? There's value in leaving promptly and returning iff things are fixed. It demonstrates willingness to use Exit. It's less fakeable than "well, i will leave the server if xyz not fixed", which risks forgetting, or people not believing you, etc.

It does come at the cost that you're not present in the meantime to argue your points

[12:57] 𒀭 💮: every injustice will be accounted for by the end. when every hair is numbered like every grain of sand. debts will be settled, scales will be balanced, the veil between the living and the dead will be torn down.

karma, like all mathematical principles, does not forget and will not forgive any error.

--

i agree that immediate exodus of all people with a just orientation who expect subjunctive dependence and who are not currently operating as spies (real spies, not "inner emmigrants" https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inner_emigration) in protest of injustice is good praxis.

all those who left in protest of an obvious injustice acted well. do not support people following a policy of "waiting around" for some organization in expectation that it will do a just thing. rather than notice that there is no response and then kind of sort of forget it because "it was in the past, whats done is done, what are you making such a big fuss about? it isnt appropriate to be causing so much trouble" as is the default course.

an organization which protects the ability of a mod who bans people for no just reason, only to cover up dissent, is not one to extend this sort of uncertainty or "benefit of the doubt" that they will work any differently than default.

[A/N: kingsley remained banned]

[hogwartswelcomesyou]

The Mods Describe Common Rooms

Ravenclaw (By Abigail) 

always music playing, a different member of ravenclaw chooses the music every day, varies from classical, to indie pop, to rock, to well, whatever that person wants to listen to 

super duper cozy, literally a billion quilts, a bunch of pillows, and beds/study zones perfectly made for each person 

huge windows on different walls, Ravenclaws spend so much time studying, or well not studying that sometimes it’s hard to get out, this helps, Of course though, there is a huge telescope for night time, like a huge telescope

there’s an enchanted dumbwaiter that can bring thing’s up from the kitchens, mostly snack foods, and things you can eat while doing other things and not make a mess 

depending on when you get there, if you fall asleep in the common room, the head girl or boy, or well anyone who decides to wake you up will help you back to your room 

one wall is literally a huge book shelf, people leave a book for every year they go to school there and leave there favorite book of the year there, theres copies of some super old books that have been there for over eighty years, the first book there was Romeo and Juliet, the pages are a little tatered at the tops and bottoms, but other than that its good as new 

shoes are totally not required, but theres millions of pairs of slippers in a bucket if you want them 

The room is enchanted to sense what the claws are feeling and flows smells that will calm them down, or make them happy 

plastic stars and planets are stuck to the ceiling everywhere

there are two walls devoted completely to art, on the area beside the wall, theres a huge raised up thing filled with paint, paint brushes, pastels, crayons, sharpies and anything else they need. They started with only one art wall, but that quickly changed when the first wall was covered in the week, every month they repaint the wall so they can start over. 

Hufflepuff (By Jinxy and Star)

Fireplaces on every wall, all constantly stocked, stoked, and cosy, all with plenty of pot plants with flowers, succulents and a few herbs. The fireplaces have plants climbing up the sides and making a nice covering for the front.

Wide windows, with the sun permanently pouring in (even in winter), except at night, when the stars give off a yellow glow and it lights up the room.

Scented candles everywhere: caramel, chocolate, and popcorn scented to make the room smell sweet.

Trapdoor to the kitchens, so students don’t get caught out of bed after dark.

Couches have piles of fluffy blankets next to them, and tables all around the common room are covered in hot chocolate.

Hardwood floors, with sunflower pattern rugs dotted throughout the common room (which occasionally bloom real sunflowers!)

Birds always chirping in the background.

Lots of cats lying in the sunspots on the floor, or curled up on the couches under the blanket piles. Whenever students from other houses lose their cats, they're always in the Hufflepuff common room.

Milk bowls and lots of food on the floor for the cats.

Students’ essays framed around the rooms if they got the highest score, so students can get inspo, and so that other students can admire the work (and feel proud of beating the Ravenclaws, because of the silly rivalry).

At Christmas time, one of the prefects always puts up an elf on the shelf, but it moves by itself, does all sorts of silly things, and winks at you. Students add gold tinsel to the fireplaces, and plenty of big colourful bows.

At Easter, bunnies roam the room, and love getting cuddles and letting students’ smush their faces. One prefect every year is assigned to do an Easter theme activity with the students, be it egg hunting, bunny face painting, painting new curtains, or truffle making, and the room adjusts and provides what the students need.

Big cheery curtains framing the windows (white lace, that’s been hand painted with yellow prints or flowers). They're always drawn apart to let the light in, but can be closed as needed.

There’s a humongous bookshelf (because Ravenclaws aren't the only ones who are allowed to read) where students share books. All of the covers are worn and bent, but it's okay because everyone gets a chance to enjoy the books that others love. Some have highlighting in them, mustaches on the pictures on the front and love letters to other students in them. There’s textbooks for if you couldn’t afford one that year, muggle books about foreign countries, books in other languages, and muggle books about what they think wizards are, and students have graffiti all over them, as a protest. There's a surprising lack of cookbooks. Because, despite common thought, Hufflepuffs aren't always the best cooks, and the kitchens are close anyway.

There’s a giant hand painted portrait of Helga Hufflepuff on the far wall, which students have enchanted to host Helga, so she gives advice, welcomes new students with a song at the start of the year, and tells students to go to bed.

Bathrooms all have large luxurious baths, where the whole person can fit, and no need for bubble bath or scents, because it fills automatically with it when a student presses a button. Each student has customized shampoo, conditioner and products made by older potions students to keep their hair and skin healthy and glowy. Each student gets an ‘appointment’, and the older student makes up bottles that only that student can open, with constant refills.

Privacy curtains that students can choose to pull or not, and all have yellow flower patterns on them.

Warm fluffy towels, in the students’ favourite colour, with their name embroidered on it. Always warmed up, and fresh every time.

Students’ beds have multiple covers on it, and unlimited pillows, and teddies galore. There’s a basket at the end of the bed for dirty laundry, returned clean within 6 hours, and folded. Each student gets a nice window at the head of their bead with their favourite flowers growing there, and most students choose lavender to help them sleep at night. Curtains can only be drawn on weekends and until certain times on weekdays, so students can sleep in, but pull open at 7:30 to wake up students naturally and without alarm clocks.

Bedside tables for each student, and students can choose 15 knick-knacks from home to remind them of home, and each student automatically gets a moving image of their families back home.

No mirrors (except in bathrooms), because students will tell each other when they have their uniform askew or their hair is messy. Uniforms hung at the ends of beds so students can sleep in and not need to find their clothes.

Slytherin (By Tory)

Knick-knacks galore on the bookcases and mantels, each with a special story. Like that shattered crystal ball? That was smuggled out of Professor Trelawney’s class one day by a Slytherin student as a joke, but after the theft, he and others swore it could predict test answers. (It broke when some particularly stupid student tried to smuggle it under his desk for his OWLs, but thankfully a Slytherin prefect retrieved it and put it back.) That old music box? Brought in by a Muggle-born student in the 19th century and soon enchanted her classmates to the extent that they got used to hearing it play every night before they fell asleep. When she left the school, she decided to leave it behind for the younger classes as a memento, enchanting it with a Self-Repairing Charm so that it would never break no matter how many times it was played. That skull? Found buried under the tree by the lake by a Slytherin student...alas, no one knows who it belongs to, but the students have taken to calling her Salazara and treat her with utmost respect.

Slytherin students frequently wave to the merpeople swimming outside their windows. The merpeople don’t really understand what waving means, but sort of shake their hands back and forth in response in an attempt to be friendly.

Their bathrooms are classy, elegant, and off-the-hook. Each student would have access to their own special area made up of a shower/bath and a changing area with several mirrors behind a curtain. That way each student would have complete privacy getting ready before anyone else saw them -- no sharing mirrors or sinks here. Each stall would also be equipped with old-fashioned fixtures that offer both fresh and salt water baths, as well as bubble baths!

There is a baby grand piano set up in the corner. If no one plays it, it plays itself.

There are all sorts of trapdoors and secret compartments hidden in each dorm, perfect for hiding personal items or even just escaping from your dormmates. Most Slytherins haven’t found them all, and if they are in use, the handle goes red hot, so as to deter any stranger who might want to disturb the person using it or their belongings.

WINDOW SEATS. SO MANY WINDOW SEATS. Also a few chaise longues.

Lots of portraits of old witches and wizards litter the walls, and they always love giving career advice.

The fireplace actually is part of a revolving wall. If you push a certain brick on the mantle, it spins around and reveals a secret passage that leads to the kitchens.

The huge grandfather clock in the main common room tolls the hour to the tune of “Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts.”

Because it’s very hard for owls to get down to the dungeons, they are trained to drop their mail down a chute in the Owlery that magically drops the mail down into a collection tray in the center of the Slytherin common room. A separate collection tray then spits any outgoing mail up to the next available owl, if the student doesn’t care which owl sends it.

Gryffindor (by Boudica) 

The Gryffindor common room...what can be said about this wonder of gold and scarlet?

That cork board in the corner is the bravery board. It plays host to a number of everyday moments of bravery

Volunteering in class because you’re afraid of public speaking.

Asking out that cute Slytherin in potions; it’s up there.

Every day victories that make life worth wild are praised on that board

The chairs in the common room are both capable of heating and icing. The house charmed them years ago. Every year the house team renews the spells. 

On more than one occasion, the Gryffindor Quidditch team has commandeered the chairs, their groans filling the air as the chairs soothed their aching muscles

There’s a set of enchanted free weights that allow you to work out without a partner. 

Doing a chest press only to drop it from fatigue will elevate it above your chest as long as you’re a certain body temperature.

That box next the fire holds an enchanted dueling mat. 

When removed from the box it begins expanding into a cushioned dueling deck. 

This allows most Gryffindor to practice dueling in a safe environment without to much harm......most of the time.

This is accentuated by the shoot down to the hospital wing. 

Madam Pomfry has enchanted the door to play achy breaky heart when it’s accessed. That way she can catch the poor darling.