#to be clear I'm not expecting the character voices to be identical; that would be unreasonable

[buckets-of-dirt]

Hate when the audiobook versions of a series randomly switches narrators partway through and the replacement changes all the characters' accents

[mydearneteyam]

Hii could you maybe write something for human! M!reader who comes out as trans to neteyam?

IDENTITY ;; NETEYAM

summary ;; just a few heacanons about reactions, tips, comments and validation from neteyam!

pairing ;; neteyam x human!trans-male!reader (platonic + romantic)

warnings ;; i think there's none ??

word count ;; 0.8k (with bonus)

a/n ;; you didn't specify what type you wanted this (neither hc or os nor platonic or romantic), so I'll do headcanons with these last two because i liked the idea, if there's something you didn't like, please go ahead and tell me!

PLATONIC

✦ Neteyam knew you since probably before the return of the humans. Your parents were scientists in favor of the na'vi and decided to raise you in Pandora in the company of some na'vi children where Neteyam was.

✦ Now, we must make something clear, and that is that in Pandora there are several words that are of human term. And for example, "trans" would be one of these.

✦ Neteyam could tell that you were starting to dress differently, talk differently, but he didn't question anything because he simply respected your space, but when you commented to him how you felt- no, how you identified, he cocked his head to one side.

✦ "That… What does that mean?" but his confused smile only made you imply that he would support you independent of its meaning.

✦ When you explained the term to him, how it was seen on earth and according to what your parents had explained to you (which in a good way they also accepted you the first time you talked to them), he seemed to understand a bit more.

✦ So he began to give you some ideas of clothing to make you feel more attached to the Na'vi culture (if you would like that idea) or simply, helping you to stylize you more, even sometimes trying to accompany you to train to define your body a little more if you wished so.

✦ If I'm not wrong, the culture's clothes are always supposed to be made by friends or family, since they come with a symbolic load and Neteyam as, for now, he is the one who is more informed, has decided to give you from time to time clothes that he thinks would fit you.

✦ In case you wanted to clarify this with others of your friends Neteyam would be the first to correct the feminine terms to masculine.

✦ "He, Loa'k. Reader is he".

✦ In a platonic way, you can expect a lot of support from Neteyam and truth be told, identity is not an issue in his culture and he will do his best to understand you, even asking others how to help you a bit more.

ROMANTIC

✦ Now, in a romantic way, Neteyam takes it a step further.

✦ Yes, the story is the same and when you gave him the comment he questioned what it meant, but quickly and not to worry you, he gave you a hug and put both your foreheads together.

✦ "I don't understand much… but I want to help you feel good in your own skin."

✦ So he looks for answers from some scientists, from his father, from some of your human friends and all to find out how to get you to feel comfortable.

✦ If you want to cut your hair, he will style it. If it was already short, he'll try to decorate it a bit like some of the guys have (BONUS: but Spider and Lo'ak will be there too).

✦ If you want to change your appearance, he'll do his best to cover your chest area and in case you've already done so, he'll remind you to be careful not to hurt yourself.

✦ Interesting fact, but in Frontiers of Pandora, Okul is possibly a non-binary character (Tsu'kiri too) that despite having a female model, has a male voice and I have the hc that there must be some way to alter the testosterone for the na'vis so Neteyam would travel by sea and land looking to know if you could get an avatar (that already has the biological change) or simply, know if there is something to help you in your human form.

✦ His family is quite respectful of you and have stopped treating you with feminine pronouns as soon as you and Neteyam confirmed them (Sometimes Lo'ak gets confused, but apologizes as if he shot you in the stomach) and although in the village there may always be someone who questions you, Neteyam will jump to defend you as a human and as a man.

✦ Finally, as a partner Neteyam is not much different from his platonic version, but I can tell you that he will love you unconditionally and will do his best to make sure that the way you see yourself is not a hindrance in your daily life.

BONUS ;;

"Wow, what about this handsome guy, is he busy?" you heard Neteyam's voice entering the lab. You turned around with an amused look and raised your head, looking him in the eyes.

"Just busy trying to convince Norm to get Spider and me Avatars" you admitted, giving a sigh as you folded your arms. He noticed that despite the smile you gave him, you didn't seem to look so good and he knelt down, kissing your cheek.

"Do you want to talk about it?" you wanted to, but your throat wouldn't give words, so he hugged you. His body hid yours lovingly, as if you were a crystal about to break, as if you were the last precious stone in all of Pandora.

"Maybe they can't get an avatar yet. But we all know who you are. Your personality, your essence, your identity… none of that is based on your body. I see you, my love."

a/n² ;; i THINK i understood what you meant, so i tried to do the best i could. although i am from the trans umbrella as a gender fluid person, i personally am very oblivious to certain behaviors that i know other people may have, but I hope you liked it, if there's something you didn't like, please tell me, love ¡!

[avelera]

I'm genuinely curious why a Lucifer!Crowley fan theory drove you up the wall? I mostly want him to be a nobody just bc I'm tired of "oOoOh the nobody is actually Somebody!!" twists, but I saw a meta yesterday that had me at least considering Crowley might be Lucifer 🤔😆

That particular theory drove me up the wall because it proliferated despite both Word of God evidence AND in-story evidence that was flat out against it. I’m all for fun headcanons but I’m just enough of a pedant that it sets my teeth on edge when a headcanon is contradicted by both the text AND the author.

- Neil flat out said that Lucifer and Satan are not separate people in the Good Omens universe. So the theory was already dead before he killed it again with this new ask.

- Crowley refers to Lucifer as a separate person. He’s not referring to himself or as being one of the “guys”, in context he’s clearly talking about a separate group and it’s needless conspiracy mongering to try to twist those words. The context was incredibly clear and it required willful blindness or perhaps unfamiliarity with English as a native language and its accompany tone to think Crowley was including himself in the group or referring to another person calling HIM Lucifer. He was clearly saying Lucifer is over THERE with the guys and I’m walking by them and then joining their table because I’m bored. Ergo he’s not Lucifer.

- Satan is a character in Good Omens! He was Adam’s father! He appeared on screen! He was voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch! I’d understand the theory if we never saw Satan or Satan’s identity and whereabouts were a mystery but they’re NOT. Crowley is not Satan! We’d know if he was Satan! We saw Satan! It was a whole big thing, the climax of Season 1! I get it if most GO fans care more about Crowley than Adam but it definitely happened in the text and on screen!

- And since Satan and Lucifer are THE SAME PERSON as is the case in the MOST popular perceptions of Satan and Lucifer if you don’t delve into truly obscure angelic and religious apocrypha, that means he’s a separate character from Crowley!

Like I get it, it’s a fun theory and a great premise for a fanfic that’s focused on Crowley but my god, this theory COULD NOT be more contradicted in the text in every which way. The conspiracy mongering to make it work is truly mind boggling. I promise you in no religious comedy intended for a broad audience is ANY author going to make Lucifer and Satan separate characters in a story based on Christian mythology with an assumption that readers will expect it. That is something you clearly lay out in the story if it’s true and people should be theory mongering around it, the fact that Pratchett and Gaiman didn’t is because it’s not true and because 99% of laymen ie, their audience, thinks of Satan and Lucifer as the same entity. It would be BAFFLING for most audiences not steeped in obscure Christian religious apocrypha to make them separate and if you did it would be clearly stated at SOME POINT, ANY POINT, IN THE TEXT.

For fuck’s sake, Crowley isn’t Lucifer! And I’m glad Neil murdered this theory dead!

[myreia]

anxiety - for the random word generator prompt!

thanks, Sea! This took so long to finish ahhh - and it's in three parts because I'm a fool.

Castaway

CHAPTER ONE: MEDITATION

Chapter Rating: Teen Characters: Aureia Malathar (WoL), Thancred Waters, Minfilia Warde, Yda Hext, Scions of the Seventh Dawn Pairings: Aureia/Thancred (pre-relationship) Chapter Words: 1,516 Notes: A Realm Reborn, set during A Wild Rose by Any Other Name. Summary: Aureia’s inauguration into the Scions of the Seventh Dawn should be cause for celebration, yet she cannot shake her feelings of unease. These newfound friends of hers may have the best of intentions, but is she anything more than a means to an end in their hands? Chapters: part one • part two • part three Read on AO3

The low hum of chatter murmurs in her ears.

Aureia exhales a breath, her eyes closed, and folds her arms as she leans against the wall. The conversation is near enough for her to make out, but too far away for it to be intelligible. Overlapping voices, ebbing and flowing like the changing tide. She’s always found something irksome about the sound of distant voices. It gnaws at her mind, thinning her patience, provoking her to snap with each passing moment. The irritation is irrational, and yet she cannot put it aside. 

Thancred’s laugh rings across the room.

Her eyes fly open. She shakes herself, rearranging her expression into one of careful neutrality. She closed her eyes for only a moment; chances are no one noticed the difference. No one seems to notice much about her now the introductions are over and her task has been assigned. She may as well melt into the wall for all the difference her presence makes.

Thancred stands in the centre of the little group, a grin spread from ear to ear. He speaks animatedly, bright and cheerful in a way she hasn’t seen before. If she thought Ul’dah was his natural element, he has proved her wrong. He’s open and relaxed, slipping into the kind of casual comfort only found among friends. His language has shifted, using terms she has never heard before with easy confidence, contributing to topic that make her head spin. She always thought his academic side was an exaggeration, a little white lie he spun to make himself sound impressive when flirting.

Yet another thing she was wrong about.

The white-haired Miqo’te—Y’shtola, she reminds herself—chuckles and presses a hand to her lips, her eyes shining with mirth. The young woman in the visor—Yda, was it?—bounces on the balls of her feet and pipes up with excitement, earning her a withering headshake from the Lalafellin mage. Papalymo, if she remembers correctly. Even the towering Elezen, his face obscured by his hood and goggles, is warm and welcoming despite his reserved nature. Urianger, did they say his name was?

She hasn’t said a word to him. She hasn’t said a word to any of them.

These people here, these friends of Thancred’s, these Scions… The camaraderie between them is clear. From their identical tattoos to their amiability in each other’s presence, she has no doubt they have been friends for a long time. Comrades bound together, if not by shared experience, then by something just as strong. Purpose. Ambition. Duty.

It hurts more than she would like to admit.

“I am forever grateful, you know.”

Aureia looks up.

Minfilia stands a few feet away, eyes bright, smile soft, blonde hair glowing in the solar’s warm light. For the leader of a covert organization, she is not what Aureia expected. She thought she would be meeting a hardened veteran, grounded and devoid of the usual idealistic nonsense, with a keen understanding of the difference between lofty aspirations and harsh reality. The kind of person prepared to do whatever it took to see their goals realized. A spymaster or a soldier or a general.

Not a woman younger than herself who wears her heart on her sleeve.

Aureia bites her tongue. “What for?” she asks, trying to keep her tone neutral. 

Minfilia looks away, a faint blush on her cheeks. “Forgive me,” she says. “I am getting ahead of myself. A little context is necessary, perhaps. When your name was first made known to me, I thought you the same as many an Eorzean adventurer. Reckless, inspired, some seeking adventure for fame and fortune, others for the thrill of danger, others still simply for the honest work. But your deeds speak for themselves.”

She pauses and regards her quietly. Though her blue eyes are kind, there is something unsettling about their intensity. “It was never about the rewards, was it? You care about those you aid. In you there is the ability and the skill to make a difference, and so you do—for how could you not?”

Aureia blinks. “I…”

“Thancred told me much of your adventures in Ul’dah.”

“He… did?” Somehow he never thought to mention you.

Minfilia’s smile brightens. “Every time without fail he returned to the Waking Sands, he had one tale or another to tell of his adventurer friend in the city. Yda, Papalymo, and Y’shtola certainly did not have quite as much to say about their own connections. I admit, I was perhaps a little uncertain at first—we both know his tendency to be a relentless flirt—but having met you… I daresay I see now why he can wax poetic about you when given the chance—” She cuts off abruptly, suddenly serious, and places a hand on her arm. “Please do not tell him I said as much, I will never hear the end of it.”

Aureia blinks again, uncertain what to make of any of this. Minfilia speaks to her less like a venerated leader and her new employer and more like they are close friends. Stalling for time, she risks a quick glance across the solar to the little group. Thancred is laughing again. Countering something Urianger said, he takes up his customary lean against the wall and crosses his arms. As he sweeps his hair out of his eyes, he looks away and his eyes connect with hers.

She frowns.

He raises an eyebrow.

Her frown deepens. “Don’t worry,” she says absently. “I’ll keep it to myself.”

Minfilia lets out a relieved breath and removes her hand. “Thank you. I suppose… I apologize for my awkwardness, but when I said that I am forever grateful, I did indeed mean it. I know I expressed as much earlier in an official capacity, but I would like to thank you again on more personal terms, as a newfound friend and ally. It should come as no surprise to you that our work presents many dangers and comes at a high cost. Trust is imperative. We must have faith and trust one another to do what must be done. It is the best chance we have to forge a brighter tomorrow.”

Aureia nods, still distracted. A glint catches her eye—the shattered remains of a mage’s staff, mounted and displayed on the wall behind the antecedent’s desk. She noticed it when she first entered the solar, but she didn’t truly take stock of it until now. Though it is broken, she can sense the remnants of powerful aether emanating from it, murmuring in deep slumber.

“I see in you a kind soul,” Minfilia continues. “A good soul. Someone of your skill and talent could have gone anywhere, but you chose to come to us. We will do well with someone like you among us, I am certain of that.”

She blinks again, forcing her sluggish mind to focus on Minfilia’s words. Despite the kindness extended to her, she can’t shake the anxiety growing in the pit of her stomach. As far as first impressions go, this perception of her could not be more wrong.

“…thank you,” she murmurs, stumbling on her own words. Her throat is uncomfortably dry.

“I am so very glad you are here. Perhaps we are kindred spirits of a kind.”

“I…”—don’t know about that—“…maybe. Perhaps.” The affirmation slips out unintended, and she curses internally.

“The Echo is a heavy gift,” Minfilia continues. “A blessing, to be sure, but not one borne easily.”

Aureia freezes, a chill running down her spine.

“As advantageous as it is, it comes with its own burdens. I cannot say we fully comprehend it, even for those of us who have carried it through most of our lives.” Minfilia’s eyes meet hers. “I beg your pardon if this is improper, but I must ask—when did you first hear Her call?”

Her heart clenches. The power has always been with her, whispering at the edges of her mind, sometimes quiet, other times compelling her to action. In the same breath it has shown her things she wished she had never seen, it has also saved her life.

She can’t remember a time without it.

She wishes it was gone.

“I…” She has never discussed it with another. Such a gift was too dangerous to bring attention to in Garlemald, though her mother often suspected there was more to her capabilities than what was natural. Even in the relative safety of Eorzea, she would rather pretend she wasn’t gifted with it. “I should go. Thank you for your hospitality, Minfilia. I will look into the Amajina robbery as soon as I am able.”

The words come out fast and abrupt, any semblance of familiarity reverted to distanced professionalism. Uncertain whether to bow (a sign she’s been around too much Ul’dahn nobility recently) or to nod (the easy way out) or to shake her hand (awkward), Aureia simply turns around and walks stiffly to the door.

She can feel Thancred’s eyes on her as she slips through the threshold and into the cold hallway beyond.

[alaynestone]

oh, would you tell us a little more about that repressed transfem dean headcanon and how you think it would play out?

i've been thinking about how to respond to this. ultimately, i think not much needs to change just the way certain aspects of his character are interpreted. it's not my default headcanon, but there is a strong basis for it.

as much as dean reads as both bisexual and definitely some kind of not cis, i don't think he particularly cares about labels or being "out".

dean's character is always defined by a certain fluidity. 6 episodes in he's not only directly paralleled to the shapeshifter but the shapeshifter assumes dean's shape and gives voice to dean's thoughts without permission. and we get the glorious body horror and eroticism of the scene where the shapeshifter strips dean's skin off as (i just wanna be) mary by the death riders plays in the netflix version. dean has no fixed shape.

right from the pilot it's clear he goes through life performing, mirroring, playing into expectations good and bad, clinging to a semblance of agency at every turn. dean winchester might as well be a bigger than life character dean has constructed to survive. now does that mean every aspect of that performance is a lie? no, not really. however his masculinity does conceal and protect many of the more vulnerable facets of his personality until they too are useful. he doesn't so much kill or repress his femininity but it too can only be expressed when it's in service to something else. he can't just exist and want these things. and it's a source of shame that he wants them.

not only is he (at least) subconsciously treated as daughter, wife and mother, there is plenty of evidence he doesn't perceive himself as entirely male. to get more specific, it'd be one thing if he wore lingerie to please someone else, but to admit that he liked it, that he personally enjoyed it even with the ways feminization has been used against him? that it's more than kink? that is terrifying.

so i do think sex is the best way to get him to explore this aspect of his identity at an early stage. putting it into words is much harder than going there physically with the promise of orgasms. i'm pretty obsessed with the idea of sam suspecting these things about dean and trying to make him feel more comfortable about it. there is no way he wouldn't feel honored to be trusted with this and protective/possessive at the thought of dean seeking it anywhere else. even as they continue to explore this, i don't think dean would require a change of pronouns, or start going by deanna. but he would feel so warm and right inside whenever sam called him his girl. something inside him would heal the more this vocabulary was used outside the bedroom. it would take a lot of work and there are plenty of ways this could backfire but i believe in them. i'm a sap, whatever.

[theriverbeyond]

I guess we can't know Mizu's gender til he tells us, but tbh I think he's a gay man. In the scene in the brothel, he only has the response and flashback when it was two men kissing, not the man and the woman. He also bound his chest when it was only him and Swordmaster at the time. It's possible living as a man has affected him that intensely but he's actually a woman deep inside, but I personally don't think so. However! I don't get onto anyone for thinking differently because we Just Don't Know Yet.

I agree!!! this is how I see him... as either a gay man or transmasc nonbinary. idk i've read/watched a LOT of stories about women who dress as men for battle, freedom, etc, and this storyline definitely seems to be framing his gender as something different

and obviously I won't get on anyone for viewing him differently (especially if they identity with the character!!) but I also think that unless and perhaps even if explicitly proven otherwise, I will personally be treating Blue Eye Samurai as a trans story and Mizu as a transmasc person. Because honestly, I feel like we HAVE been told his gender, in ways far more extensive than many cis characters in media have their gender told. like.... most characters in media don't have a "JSYK, I'm a man/woman!" moment. they just Are and we the viewers understand. I think Mizu's gender is clear and I as a viewer am Understanding. (spoilers ahead!)

like u said, he bound his chest and presented as a man when it was just him and Swordfather, who is totally blind. you'd think that if he didn't have at least SOME kind of gender fuckery he would probably have just done the voice and dispensed with the rest of it at least while inside/not training/for sleep? and you'd think after Ringo saw him naked, if he wasn't trans he would probably unbind around the campfire/etc when it was just them. and if his male presentation was really just a front, after Fowler says Mizu's bones "break like a woman's" (and clocks him, basically) and he runs away to London you would think Mizu would dispense with the disguise while on the ship. but he doesn't do any of those things!!!!

he COULD have snuck into Fowler's fortress dressed as a woman, as one of Madame Kaji's workers, hiding his sword under the dress. and I was actually really EXPECTING it to happen... it truly seemed like the most logical way for him to sneak in, and you could still have included the epic fight scenes. But he didn't? the story made a concious choice to reveal that women often went in via the (for lack of a better term) sex worker tunnel system, and then made the concious have him sneak in *as a man*, using that same tunnel. that feels important idk!!

during his marriage era, despite dressing as a woman i just literally could not see him as one. He was eventually attracted to his husband, definitely, but the entire section felt somewhat like watching him in drag, and the times when he presented most feminine felt viscerally uncomfortable. especially the end, when he put on makeup as a way to try and present himself as less-of-a-monster specifically right before the betrayal. i don't how how to really articulate it but like. his husband had a husband. TO ME

i think Akemi's storyline also makes me think Mizu is more of a transgender story than a woman crossdressing for freedom and power reasons. Akemi is a female character that is presented to us explicitly as someone who strains against the social expected norms for womanhood. through her, we (the audience) also learn about how women's opportunities are severely limited, and through her, we see her rebel against those to seize her own power within that social hierarchy. like as a character she functions to give us a foil for Mizu on what their other option could be, and it just feels. really not Mizu!!! like the contrast just feels huge in terms of being able to directly compare Akemi, who doesnt want to be a woman because of the social/cultural burden, to Mizu, who seems to reject womanhood for intrinsically different reasons.

the way people clocking him is framed feels VERY trans in a way I am not sure I can articulate. But basically, the way the narrative acknowledges but also brushes over those multiple reveals (Ringo at the Lake, Fowler during the final battle, etc), the way everyone in the story still treats Mizu as a man despite and through those multiple reveals basically without batting an eye, is NOT how I would write a cis woman being recognized. to ME

also yeah. he only reacted in the brothel when two men kissed.

tl;dr transmasc mizu sweep!!!!

[icyviv]

Tell me about your Furina trans allegory idea, I love hearing about people finding queer allegories in media

I'm very annoyed because I was trying to do this on mobile, and of course it got eaten as I was working on it. So I am probably going to forget half of what I originally typed.

The first interaction with Furina that we have, it is made very clear that she is a performer. Every action she takes is for others. She lives under a spotlight. Spoilers ahead, obviously.

Furina confronts us in the manner expected of the Hydro Archon. But even in that first interaction, it is made clear that she is uncomfortable in this role, and lacks confidence in what she is doing. She looks around for constant reassurance that "Yes, that is what the Hydro Archon would do here."

We then see her in the courtroom. What is supposed to be her supreme realm. And still, she is unsure. She puts on a facade, keeps a mask, but it is clear that it does not fit.

Then, in Acts 3 and 4, while our interaction is limited to one event at the end, our suspicions that she is not the Archon are given continued evidence from The Knave.

This all leads to the climax in Act 5. The pressure of the prophecy has reached its peak. Furina's mask is pulling ever tighter, and she still can not be the Hydro Archon, no matter how much she tries. Finally, she is presented with an unimaginable, impossible, choice. She decides that the facade is more important then her life, and plunges her hand into the waters from the Primordial Sea, knowing that they will kill her.

Luckily, she survives. But it does not matter. The mask has broken. The world knows that she is not the Hydro Archon.

We then dive into her memories. We see the moment she is made the "Hydro Archon". We have to make a choice between being true to herself, or being what the world expects of the Hydro Archon. We literally can not move forward unless Furina abandons her true self for what society expects of her.

We then jump over to Neuvilette and Focalors. Focalors finally frees her most important part, her human self Furina, from the chains that bind her.

Furina is now left, shattered and maskless. She had to pretend to be something she wasn't for 500 years. Furina is free. But to do what? She must now figure out who she is in the aftermath of her entire identity being destroyed.

The connections to being queer are personally quite visible.

-Constantly looking around and making sure you are performing your role as you should be.

-Constantly alone, you try to find solace and company in moments of peace. (Furina only able to feel comfortable with the stray cat, incapable of judging her.)

-That moment of life or death, where many people feel trapped. They must destroy who they were if they wish to move forward. And, unfortunately, many don't survive.

-Making it through that deadly moment, and realizing that you left behind, well, everything. Who are you now? You aren't letting everyone else tell you, but you don't really know yourself.

That is just my thought on everything. I loved Furina from the moment we met, and I love what Inori Minase has done with the character voice.

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Also she is an actress, and everyone knows that stage people are all queer as hell.

[flower-boi16]

One of the reasons why I love "Family Matters" so much is because it pretty much reminds me why I love Lunella as a protagonist. Lunella is a flawed person with her own flaws and struggles that she overcomes, from facing her trauma in "Coney Island", to learning to use her voice for the community better and learning how to make her voice heard in "Like Mother, Like Moon Girl", to learning to trust in her abilities in "Suit Up", to be even learning to be proud of her hair in "Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow".

She's somebody with flaws and struggles, but she's able to push through her flaws and learn from her mistakes. Her mistakes also have clear negative consequences within the story; because she used her voice in a wrong way, the LES was getting gentrified, because she was so obsessed with winning and didn't listen to LOS when they said they were overheating, she almost got herself killed and LOS almost died, because she got too impatient, well, the entire plot of "Run the Rink" happened. And she learns her mistake and grows from it.

She feels like a real flawed person with her own struggles, and we also get to see her life outside of being a superhero, getting to see her day-to-day life and her relationships with her family members. And after all of that, she's still a 13-year-old, and he ofc has the same attitude and insecurities as one too. She feels like a real person that people can relate to with some of the things she often struggles with, and THAT'S why I love her so much as a character.

Season 2 makes Lunella into an even better protag than she already was; we first have her dealing with her PTSD of almost being killed by Molecule man, and in the next episode has her dealing with that PTSD, believing her suit needs to become stronger and invincible to be able to defeat any threat, only learn that she needs to trust in her own abilities, and thus overcomes her PTSD.

Then there's Family Matters, where Lu's superhero life is beginning to wear on her and she needs to tell her parents what's actually going on. She meets Turbo, another young superhero, someone who never told her mother her secret identity, and because of that, their relationship split off. Turbo's superhero life was fucking with her normal life, and because she never told her mother and kept on lying to her, it ended up damaging it, permanently. After all the lies and things she said to her mother in order to keep the secret, there's no coming back.

Turbo is basically a reflection of what could happen to Lunella if she keeps lying to her parents about being a superhero, and, it almost did happen to her with the scene where she said that she maybe doesn't like being around them. If Lunella kept on lying, she would have ended up pushing away her family forever, and there wouldn't be any coming back from that. If she kept up the lie, she could have damaged her relationship with her family forever.

Lunella does go and tell her parents that she's Moon Girl, so she can finally stop lying to them. And in the next episode where Molecule Man attacks Lunella's home, when she defeats him, she relates to his story of how he lost his planet because he wasn't able to protect something he loved, like how Lunella wanted to protect her family, the thing she loves.

Season 2 does such a great job with Lunella's character and amplifies all the things I loved about her, and I'm only expecting Lu to get even better once the second half of the season comes out.

[corey-beepington]

Hey there!

After watching the trailer for Pretty Kitty, I am really hyped for the final film! :D

However, I have a tiny question/theory about the themes.

Please correct if I'm wrong, but I seem to remember you referring to the protagonist (forgot the name, I'm so sorry) as "they" (i.e. no gendered pronouns).

Is the protagonist trans or gender-diverse (e.g. non-binary), or were they written to have an ambiguous gender so the audience can be more immersed into their world as if they were them (if that makes sense)? If you don't want to answer that, no stress!

I've noticed that the design of the character Pretty Kitty has both a feminine voice (at the end of the trailer) and what may be viewed as stereotypically feminine features (eyelashes, heart motifs, pink fur, etc.). While I am fully aware that gender (man (cis/trans), woman (cis/trans), non-binary/gender-diverse) and gender expression (masculine, feminine, androgynous) DO NOT ALWAYS have to 'match', can you please clarify if Kitty (the character, not the weird mascot) goes by she/her or by different pronouns?

While my theory may change with your response, I have a tiny theory that the themes of the short film focuses on are identity, how it can change over time, and the anxieties/traumas attached to these changes (e.g. childhood trauma with the imagery of carnivals/puppet shows, and Mascot Kitty's line "You know by now you'd rather be doing something more fun!").

Perhaps things like 'imposter syndrome', internalised queerphobia. and/or gender dysphoria may also play a role in this, since so far we've seen the protagonist constantly running away from or being uncomfortable/frightened by the sentient Kitty mascot (perhaps a representation of their pre-transition self and/or the expectations from the world around them to suppress their genuine selves - i.e. the mirror maze scene and the possibility that Mascot Kitty may be deceiving/luring the protagonist with the line "Don't you want to embrace who you really are?").

If that last part of the theory holds no weight at all, I would love to hear your input (minus spoilers ofc).

1. The main character (Kasey) uses all pronouns as does Kitty. This was because sometimes I literally can't decide on character genders. There was a sense of "I'd like anyone to relate to this." in it too but mainly me being indescisive and I'm also nb and sometimes it's fun to smack characters with the Nb hammer.

There is a REASON that kitty has a female voice at the start and a more masculine sounding voice for the rest of the film but it's a bit spoiler territory

2. For some reason, a handful of people think this film is a trans metaphor or even weirder, transphobic, the latter being an odd as hell take because I myself am trans.

I do want to say, as I cannot go into spoilers, Pretty Kitty was not intentionally written with trans themes in mind. I cannot stop or change how someone may interperet the work however...and maybe small bits of my own trans experience subliminally snuck in but from what I did consciously create, Kitty is more of a film about nostalgia and what happens when we become just a bit too wrapped up in the past.

I think that's how I'd summarize it.

Thanks for the question! I like talking about thought processes or clearing things up!

[aspoonofsugar]

RWBY in Wonderland

So happy about the new volume starting! Here are some thoughts on the episode, the opening and some fairy tale references that are popping up everywhere. Probably what many other people are thinking already, but still...

INSIDE

The opening lyrics confirm to me 2 things I have been thinking for a while.

Ruby's arc strongly foils Oscar's and this volume would probably tackle their similarities when it comes to struggling with growing up and finding their own identity.

Inside A new me, I'm ready But who will I find? Inside I've gotta let go but could I lose my mind?

Who will you see? There in the darkness When no one is watching Who will you be? When you're afraid And everything changes Will you see a stranger? Feel proud or betrayed?

They have an outside/inside motif, after all. Ruby starts focused on the outside and is forced now to look inside, while Oscar initially struggles with his interiority to the point he is introduced literally talking with his other self (Oz) and is slowly opening up to the outside. Oscar and Ozpin are also the ones, who bring out The Girl Who Fell Through the World's fairy tale by giving it opposite spins. So, this juxtaposition between Ruby and Oscar is not surprising. In the past volumes (vol 6 - 7 - 8) Ruby has struggled on how to be a leader and Oscar has struggled with who he is. Right now, they may start tackling the other's conflict. Curious to see how it will play out in the story as a whole.

This volume is probably going deep into the characters' interiority and I am fully expecting The Ever After to mirror this. After all, the meaning of the song is rather clear, we are diving INSIDE to discover who the characters are and who are going to become. The world, which is clearly magical and unknown, should mirror this struggle:

Inside Our worlds unwind

Now, I don't know if it is going to be because the world has some magical property to bring to life the characters' fears and dreams (which would fit with the theme of Creation) or if there is going to be some other explanation that links the Ever After to the Gods and to the hidden Lore of Remnant. In any case, I am rather open to everything, but I think looking at the wonderland characters and world through the lens of what they can tell us about RWBYJN's personality is worth doing.

This also fits the Alice's inspiration for this volume because both Alice's books end with the protagonist waking up and "decoding" a dream:

Now, Kitty, let’s consider who it was that dreamed it all. This is a serious question, my dear, and you should not go on licking your paw like that—as if Dinah hadn’t washed you this morning! You see, Kitty, it must have been either me or the Red King. He was part of my dream, of course—but then I was part of his dream, too! Was it the Red King, Kitty? You were his wife, my dear, so you ought to know—Oh, Kitty, do help to settle it! I’m sure your paw can wait!’ But the provoking kitten only began on the other paw, and pretended it hadn’t heard the question. Which do you think it was? Alice Through the Looking Glass

The long grass rustled at Alice's sister feet as the White Rabbit hurried by--the frightened Mouse splashed his way through the neighbouring pool--she could hear the rattle of the teacups as the March Hare and his friends shared their never-ending meal, and the shrill voice of the Queen ordering off her unfortunate guests to execution--once more the pig-baby was sneezing on the Duchess's knee, while plates and dishes crashed around it--once more the shriek of the Gryphon, the squeaking of the Lizard's slate-pencil, and the choking of the suppressed guinea-pigs, filled the air, mixed up with the distant sobs of the miserable Mock Turtle.

So she sat on, with closed eyes, and half believed herself in Wonderland, though she knew she had but to open them again, and all would change to dull reality--the grass would be only rustling in the wind, and the pool rippling to the waving of the reeds--the rattling teacups would change to tinkling sheep-bells, and the Queen's shrill cries to the voice of the shepherd boy--and the sneeze of the baby, the shriek of the Gryphon, and all thy other queer noises, would change (she knew) to the confused clamour of the busy farm-yard--while the lowing of the cattle in the distance would take the place of the Mock Turtle's heavy sobs. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

As you can see, wonderland and the glass world are dreams, even if it is really unclear who the dreamer really is :P. Speaking of grass rustling, this line kind of reminds me of:

The leaves of the tree rustled and on the wind she heard one more question...

The grass rustling helps her sister to enter Alices's dream and to understand it, while the tree might help the characters to better decompress everything that has been going on. So that they can grow and heal.

Speaking of the tree, there is an interesting tidbit in Alice in Wonderland:

She noticed that one of the trees had a door leading right into it. “That’s very curious!” she thought. “But everything’s curious today. I think I may as well go in at once.” And in she went.

Once more she found herself in the long hall, and close to the little glass table. “Now, I’ll manage better this time,” she said to herself, and began by taking the little golden key, and unlocking the door that led into the garden. Then she went to work nibbling at the mushroom (she had kept a piece of it in her pocket) till she was about a foot high: then she walked down the little passage: and then—she found herself at last in the beautiful garden, among the bright flower-beds and the cool fountains.

Alice's main objective in the book is to enter a beautiful garden full of red roses and eventually she manages through a door found in a tree. I think the metaphor is clear, the Tree will lead Ruby and the others home both physically and psychologically since it will help them discover who they are.

OTHER REFERENCES

There are many and everyone is being catching up to them quicker than me. Here are some I found:

The Girl Who Fell Through the World is a line from the novel Alice's Adventures in Wonderland itself

The Dodo is a reference to Carroll himself, since Alice meets a Dodo, who alludes to him

At the beginning of the story Alice almost drowns in the pool of tears and then meets a mouse, but offends him by mentioning her cat. Here Ruby starts crying, which leads to rain, but then she befriends Little and scares them off by talking about Blake (a cat).

The Jabber Walker alludes to the Jabberwocky, which I love so far because it is not a character in the story of Alice, but rather a poem, with no clear meaning. So, it is beautiful they rendered them as a mysterious creature, who is difficult to understand when they speak. I also wonder if they have something to do with Yang since she is introduced fighting them and she even fights them in the trailer, as well. Moreover, the Jabberwocky's poem mentions the monster having eyes of flame, so...

The world being organized in neat sections reminds me of Through the Looking Glass, where Alice finds herself on a giant chessboard, playing a game to become Queen.

Speaking of Queens and Kings, it seems we are gonna have a red King, who plays chess, which kinds of combines the Queen of Hearts and the Red Queen. Moreover, he cracks in the trailer, so I wonder if he may reference Humpty Dumpty, as well:

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall Humpty Dumpty had a great fall all the king's horses and all the king's men Couldn't put Humpty together again.

You're heading for a fall And you're nearing the end Like a house made of straw No one's putting you together again

This would be interesting because chess + theme of falling = the Atlas Arc and Ironwood. I wonder if the play of chess would be a chance for Ruby to metaphorically face what went down in Atlas.

Then we have some obvious ones, like the caterpillar, the cat, the mushrooms (which in Alice can make you become big or small), Neo as the Mad Hatter and Jaune as a combination of the Hare from Wonderland and the White Knight from Through the Looking Glass.

SPEAKING OF ALYX HERSELF

I adore her design! It has immediately become one of my favourites in the whole series!

Secondly, I really like @greenteaandtattoos idea she might allude both to Alice herself and to the White Rabbit, since she has a rabbit motif and the characters are shown running after her shadow and looking for her:

In general, the opening seems to be setting Ruby, Neo and Jaune as foils to Alyx.

Alyx's silouette overlaps with Ruby's and especially Neo's (after all, grinning Ruby may also be Neo tbh) several times and she has a golden rabbit patch, which resembles Jaune's new Hare friend:

Jaune seems to combine the Knight Imagery (the White Knight from Alice Through the Looking Glass) with the March Hare (a mad hare from Alice in Wonderland). This is interesting because it is as if the story is asking Jaune to reconcile his different parts. His persona (the Knight) with his shadow (the Hare).

I know I failed so many times Drown my troubles hid my mind Buried everything in hundred proof A skillful coward hides the truth so well

Ren: Him (Jaune) on the other hand… There's no fear at all. I can see it, he believes we're going to get this done.

Is he brave or is he a coward? And can he be both?

The Mad Hatter (Neo) and the March Hare (Jaune) are also linked symbolically, as in Alice in Wonderland they are 2 jokes on the idea of madness. Hatters used to lose their mind because they used mercury in their job, while hares go crazy in the month of March because of hormones. Here, I think it might enforce Neo and Jaune's foiling:

They are both going mad out of grief, but they go at it in opposite ways. Jaune is probably interiorizing and blaming himself, while Neo is externalizing and blaming Ruby. I am interested to see how they will influence the story, especially since they might move independently from the group, at least for a little while. Neo is RWBY's enemy, while RWBY have no idea Jaune has fallen too.

RWBY'S JOURNEY

This might be a giant red herring, but the opening might give us some hints on the order the characters are gonna explore the different settings.

They started from the beach and are probably gonna move to this market while proceding to the Red King's area:

This market is probably where they are gonna meet the Knight, since the trailer shows there Jaune's feet while riding a Hare (obvs I am considering Jaune=Knight, but I might be wrong). It seems to be also where the Racoon and the Blacksmith woman are.

Here is where they are gonna meet the King and play chess with him. WBY are gonna be small for the chess game. Also the market town and the Red King's Kingdom seems to be in the same place:

The red buildings are the same of the market town, after all. This place also reminds me of the Forever Fall forest, which is interesting. In general, the characters moving from yellow to red makes sense considering alchemy. They are currently in the yellow phase, but are approaching the red phase, which I think will be Vacuo.

The mushroom forest is where the caterpillar is. Also, in Alice in Wonderland the mushrooms are able to help Alice control her size, so I wonder if WBY are gonna go back to normal here... or if they are gonna be miniaturized again... This area is also where this lake with the lotus building seems to be:

Finally, there is this place in the clouds, which resembles the Central Meeting Point of volume 8, in concept:

Here is where the bridge scene is probably gonna play out. Again, them being in the sky makes sense given they need to reach air through fire in alchemy.

Obviously, there might still be more locations and we don't know where Ruby is gonna find Penny's sword or where the shining globe is (maybe the Blacksmith's woman's house? No idea). In general, it is also possible they might find themselves stuck in circles at one point... After all, the opening ends back on the beach, where Alyx wakes up to start her journey once again... and where Crescent Rose is found:

OTHER THOUGHTS ON THE EPISODE

We had already seen the majority of it thanks to clips, but there are still many interesting moments!

Little is clearly meant to be Ruby's mirror and it is interesting so much focus is put on them being innocent and young. They still don't know who they are, but this means they can take their time to discover it. This is something Ruby seems to have forgotten. In general, Little is very similar to volume 1 Ruby. They see a person in pain and want to help, after all. It is also interesting, they are already considering Ruby their personal hero, since she takes out the cheese for them. The relationship between Little and the Cat is also going to be interesting.

Yang and Ruby's interaction is great. I think their relationship should be in focus. Yang should move from Ruby to Blake symbolically, which would be better also for her and Ruby, since the balance in their sisters' relationship is changing.

I am curious if Blake and Weiss are gonna be foiled this volume, since they are introduced together. I don't have many thoughts on this, though, so far.

It is interesting Blake is the one, who points out they may be in a fairy tale. As someone already noticed, it is an inversion from volume 1. There Ruby was the idealistic one, while Blake was a prisoner of her own cynism. It seems their journey has led them in opposite positions now. It would be interesting to reread their stories through this foiling.

The mysterious woman opens the volume and I wonder if we will discover who she is at the end. Just like Salem starts the series and she is revealed to be a character in volume 3. Wouldn't it be interesting if the woman is indeed Summer and she is revealed alive at the end of this volume? As a way to introduce us to the Vacuo story arc?

Finally, this is not an episode thought, but the opening also seems to set the Jabber Walker and the Knight as foils somehow... I wonder what this means for Jaune and the other characters...

This is it, for now. I have other thoughts on Neo's allusion to Trivia/Hecate, but they are pure speculation, as for now, so they will have to wait!

[zapreportsblog]

❝a secret for a secret❞

✭ pairing : Kurogiri x reader

✭ fandom : my hero academia x reader

✭ summary : Kurogiri has a life outside the league of villains, a family. And his daughter just so happens to come out as gay, well safe to say he’s a good father

✭ authors note : once again please send in some hero academia requests, I would like to start filling up the masterlist with more stories, you can look at my masterlist for this fandom and see which character doesn’t have any stories written for them, same with my other fandoms. I would like to see what idea you guys can come up with and write them out for you :)

✭ my hero academia masterlist

Hidden away from the chaos and darkness that often consumed his life, Kurogiri had managed to carve out a semblance of normalcy that he treasured more than anything else. Beyond his life as a member of the League of Villains, he had a secret family, a sanctuary of light and love that he fiercely protected.

In a cozy home nestled in a quiet neighborhood, Kurogiri sat across from his wife, (Y/N), their fingers intertwined. Their love story was an unconventional one, a union between a villain and a quirkless woman. (Y/N)'s warm smile was a soothing balm to Kurogiri's often tormented soul.

"(Y/N), I've been thinking," Kurogiri began, his voice gentle, "Perhaps it's time to tell our daughter the truth."

(Y/N)'s gaze met his, understanding and support shining in her eyes. "I think she deserves to know."

Their daughter, Mika, was a vibrant and curious young woman, an embodiment of the love that had flourished between her parents. Kurogiri knew that keeping his true identity from her had been a necessary precaution, but he also recognized the importance of honesty.

That evening, as the three of them gathered around the dinner table, Kurogiri cleared his throat, his heart pounding with a mixture of anxiety and determination. "Mika, there's something your mother and I need to tell you."

Mika looked between her parents, her brows furrowing in curiosity. "What is it?"

(Y/N) reached out, placing a reassuring hand on Mika's. "Mika, your father and I are not who we seem to be."

Kurogiri took a deep breath, his gaze steady. "I'm part of an organization that's done terrible things. I've done terrible things. But I've also found something worth protecting in this life, and that's you and your mother."

Mika's eyes widened, her mind racing to make sense of her father's revelation. "You mean... you're a villain?"

Kurogiri nodded, his expression a mix of regret and determination. "Yes, but I want you to know that the choices I've made in the past don't define who you are or who you can become."

Mika's gaze shifted to her mother, who offered a soft smile of encouragement. "Mika, your father is right. We've always believed in the power of goodness, and it's up to you to shape your own path."

Tears welled up in Mika's eyes, a storm of emotions brewing within her. "I don't know what to say... I didn't expect this."

Kurogiri reached across the table, his hand covering Mika's. "We understand that this is a lot to process. We just wanted to be honest with you."

As days turned into weeks, Mika grappled with the revelation about her father's past. The image of the loving, caring man who had raised her conflicted with the actions he had been part of. But as she reflected on her parents' unwavering love and support, she began to see the possibilities for her own future.

One evening, as a soft breeze rustled the curtains, Mika gathered her courage. She looked at her parents, determination in her eyes. "There's something I need to tell you."

Kurogiri and (Y/N) exchanged a glance, their concern giving way to attentive support. "What is it, sweetheart?" (Y/N) asked gently.

Mika took a deep breath, her heart racing. "I... I'm gay."

A moment of silence hung in the air, and then Kurogiri smiled warmly. "Mika, we love you no matter who you are or who you love. Your happiness is what matters most."

(Y/N) nodded in agreement, her eyes filled with pride. "We're here to support you in every way we can."

Tears welled up in Mika's eyes, this time from relief and gratitude. In that moment, surrounded by the love of her parents, she felt a sense of acceptance that transcended secrets, pasts, and uncertainties. As they embraced, Mika knew that their bonds were unbreakable, and that the road ahead held the promise of a future shaped by honesty, understanding, and love.

In the days that followed Mika's heartfelt confession, the (Last name) household became a haven for open conversations and unwavering support. Kurogiri and (Y/N) made sure Mika knew that she could be her true self without fear of judgment or rejection.

One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon and painted the sky with hues of pink and orange, Mika sat with her parents in the living room. The warm glow of the lamps cast a comforting atmosphere, and Mika's heart felt lighter than it had in a long time.

"Thank you for being so understanding, both about my identity and what you've told me about your past," Mika said, her voice tinged with gratitude.

Kurogiri smiled warmly, his gaze locked with Mika's. "We believe in the power of love and acceptance. Your happiness and well-being mean everything to us."

(Y/N) leaned in, her hand finding Mika's. "And we're proud of the person you're becoming. Your journey is unique and important."

Mika's eyes shimmered with emotion as she absorbed her parents' words. The love she felt from them was a source of strength that emboldened her to embrace her identity and navigate her own path.

As weeks turned into months, Mika became more involved in her school's LGBTQ+ community, forging friendships and connections that resonated with her own experiences. With her parents' encouragement, she found the courage to express herself openly and authentically.

One afternoon, as Mika returned from a school event, she found Kurogiri and (Y/N) sitting on the couch, deep in conversation. Their faces lit up when they saw her, and Mika could sense that something was different.

"Mika," Kurogiri began, his tone filled with a mixture of excitement and pride, "your mother and I have been discussing something important."

(Y/N) nodded, her eyes twinkling with enthusiasm. "We've decided to become allies and advocates for LGBTQ+ rights."

Mika's heart swelled with pride, her eyes welling up with tears of gratitude. "That's incredible! I can't believe it!"

Kurogiri reached out, gently wiping away a tear that escaped down Mika's cheek. "We want to make sure that all individuals, regardless of their identity, feel valued and supported."

(Y/N) added, "And we want to ensure that our actions reflect the love and acceptance we've always believed in."

As Mika took in her parents' determination to make a positive impact, she felt an overwhelming sense of belonging. Their journey, marked by secrets and revelations, had brought them to this point of unity and shared purpose.

The (Last name) household became a hub of activism and education, as Kurogiri and (Y/N) worked tirelessly to promote understanding and acceptance within their community. Mika joined them in their efforts, using her own experiences to inspire and empower others.

As the years passed, Mika looked back on the pivotal moments that had shaped her family. In the midst of darkness, they had found the strength to embrace light, love, and the power of acceptance. The bonds they shared were unbreakable, forged through trials and triumphs, and solidified by their unwavering commitment to one another and to the world they sought to create.

[asgardianangel]

Sugar life - END

Warnings:18+ this is super dark (I apologise), bad language, gun violence, physical violence, breaking and entering, implied murders of major characters, emotional distress, angst, implied smut, psychopath! Lalo (what do you expect lol)

Sugar life five  

After meeting Mike and climbing over a wall that night he guided you to a black van parked around the corner of Lalo’s home with his hand on his gun. Then there was a figure of a man walking towards you he got closer, and you noticed it was one of the men you've seen patrolling the outskirts of the mansion. You grabbed onto Mike’s arm for protection and calmed when he spoke. “Are we clear Victor?” He asks 

“No one seems to suspect a thing” Victor replied. 

Mike quietly opened the sliding the door of the van and ripped the carpet inside to reveal a box built in floor (just about your size) you looked at Mike in disbelief feeling the claustrophobia rise within at the thought of laying down in there. “Sweetheart we haven’t got all night your fiancé is not going be out for long” he huffed. You almost forgot you were still wearing his ring so you slid to in your pocket (it would make a lot of profit)  

Sighing you rubbed your tummy  

“We are going get out of here” 

You climbed inside it and the metal door closed shut leaving you in the dark. 

Upon arriving at the airport, the door opened with a door with a loud creak, and you gasped for air. Mike helped you out. 

“You, okay?” He asked and you looked around with a sigh “yeah but I'm never doing that again” you replied with a smile. 

Then you realised “what’s going happen to my grandparents?” you asked. You kept asking Ignacio the same thing. Fear raised up thinking about what Lalo would do to your poor grandma and grandpa. He would kill them out of spike, and you would never forgive yourself.  

You had to tell them about who you were ‘dating’ the day they asked if you were pregnant. They were terrified to say the least and tried to call the police, but you had to stop them advising that he practically owns them. Eventually you convinced them to calm down and let you handle the mess you got yourself. So, they stayed quiet plastering on a fake smile for him much like your own  

“They are safe and meeting you on the same flight” You sighed in a relief knowing they were coming with you.  

They were the only family you had.   

 

Before you got out of the van Mike presented you with a plastic zip lock bag containing to what looks to be a passport and other documentation. “You have a new life with a new identity now and Ignacio worked hard to give you this opportunity so stay low.” He advised. It almost brought a tear to your eye. 

 Ignacio kept his promise. 

“What’s going to happen with him? Lalo would be out for his blood he needs protecting” You spoke with hope in your eyes. You would never forgive yourself if anything happened to him.  

You owed your life to him.  

“My employer is handling things Ignacio will be safe you have my word” he promised leaving you to wonder and then you voiced it. 

“Who’s your employer?” you asked Mike sighed looking at you with his almost permanent dull expression. 

“That’s classified but you have my word” he replied. 

“You see that family waiting outside?” he then asks, and you looked around spotting a family near the entrance of the airport.  

“I need you to blend in with them to avoid detection keep your hood up they are heading to the same flight” he explained to which you nod. 

You were so thankfully for Mike and gave him a hug he unsuspected and he wished you the best of luck. 

Walking through the airport was one of the most anxiety inducing moments in your life along with drugging Lalo. You avoided cameras as best you could pulling up your hood and blended in with the family.  

Feeling uneasy when you passed security guards who stared at you like a hawk. You held onto your bump greeting the woman at the desk she went through your paperwork and passport and you swifty answered her questions. 

“No luggage?” she asked. 

“Just my backpack There was no need I’m going home see my family” you smiled.  

“Oh, there is no place like home is there” she handed your passport back. 

“Have a safe journey Miss Anderson” She wished. 

And you did. 

- 

One year later 

The fear of Lalo finding you lessened as time went by the thought of him still haunts you it was fucked up to think you miss him in some instances. But always shut it in the deepest place in your head to enjoy the freedom of the English countryside. 

“Are you okay sweetheart?” Your grandma asked and you hummed in return taking in the view from your window.  

“He’s not going find us it’s been so long” she said softly placing a hand on your shoulder. 

“I wasn’t thinking of him” you sighed. 

“where’s Ignacio?” you asked sipping some tea. 

“He’s with your grandpa he’s okay” she reassured. Naming your precious baby boy after the man you saved you all from a life with Lalo seemed so right. You were going raise him the right way and protect him with your entire being. You couldn’t help but noticed he was already resembling him. Lalo’s dark brown eyes were cold and cunning whereas your sons are warm and happy. He was born with a full head of dark hair to which you kissed.  

“A letter and a little package got delivered for you this morning I forgot to give it to you dear” she tells you placing your cup you ripped the unusual looking envelope open. Straight away you recognise the handwriting to be Ignacio’s. 

Dear Y/n 

As soon as I write this letter my debt is paid, I can't tell you about it, but you won’t be living in fear any longer. He is gone. We will be no puppet to them. Promise me you will never give up on hope and raise your baby in the peace provided for you. You will never see me again unfortunately but always know that I’ll be here for you one way or another.  

Love your friend Ignacio Varga. 

Tears pricked in your eyes as you read through the letter with your heart. You ripped open the package alongside it and saw a rather cute and cuddly pink bear. 

 What happened? 

- 

 “There’s my beautiful baby boy” You cooed out watching his eyes brighten up as you entered the living room you couldn’t believe he almost eight months old already seems like yesterday you gave birth to him. The happiest moment of your life.  

He immediately made grabby hands at you smiling you picked him up at kissed his cheek your grandpa handed him his now favourite pink teddy bear. “A very special friend sent him that bear we wouldn’t be here if he wasn’t for him” you told your grandpa as little Ignacio held the bear close to him in a coo.  

Given another sign that Lalo would never find you. You decided to go to the local market in town leaving little Ignacio with your grandparents. A kind man by the name of Henry practically did all your shopping just for your safety but you told him leave it for today. 

 The day was still bright and beautiful, and you couldn’t stand being coped up in the house. There were so many friendly faces out and about as you looked in stalls for the items on your shopping list. You stopped at a vegetable stall and selected some fresh tomatoes. Then you felt a familiar wave of anxiety you looked up to see Lalo standing there on the other side of the market staring at you with a smirk.  

You freaked out with a scream leaving your throat and alarmed people around you then he disappeared in the blink of an eye. 

Where the fuck did, he go? Did I imagined him standing there? Questions flooded your mind to the point where it hurt. 

“Are you okay dear?” the elderly couple asked, “Yeah sorry” you apologised quietly paying the man at the stall. 

- 

After shopping around in embarrassment, you made your way home you knocked on the front door to no reply and then you called out for your grandparents. And still no response you opened suspiciously unlocked door (the door is supposed to be locked). 

Stepping inside you walked with an uneasy feeling you called out again looking in each room to find no one then you approached the dining room.  

Gasping in fright you opened your mouth to react, but nothing came out. Lalo sat there at the end of the table with your precious baby on his lap cooing out at your arrival. Your grandparents were tied to the chairs next to him like some sick demonstration of the night he had dinner with them. Their mouths were gagged with a kitchen towel as they whimpered out in distress  

His appearance had changed a little after a year of escaping him his dark hair had grown much longer and looked out of place like there had been a struggle of some sort and from the bruises imprinted on the arms of your grandparents.

WHAT THE FUCK?! You screamed internally your body started trembling in fear. 

“Found you” Lalo chuckled, and you step back into the hallway tears streaming down your face and then you quickly grasped your handbag what was hung up and started searching for your phone with shaky hands  

“Oh queridaaa” Lalo called in a sing song tone stepping into the hallway with your son in his arm he gasped “you bad girl” he scolded ripping the phone out of your hand you cried out.  Lalo then smashed it under his foot with a chuckle.

“Mama is being bad, isn’t she?” Lalo hushed to his son in fake surprise you pressed your back against the wall and started to beg. 

“Please Lalo leave us be please!” Lalo just looked at you with a smirk and stroked little Ignacio head who started to tear up at your emotionally despair.  

“It’s okay your papi is here” he cooed out then looked back at you. 

“Come sit down let’s be a family” he spoke gently his tone made you ease down a little bit on crying but then he lifts up his black denim jacket to reveal a gun at his hip. You panicked again causing him to come closer to you his lips meet your ear. 

“No need to worry bebita just come sit down and let’s be a happy family” he soothed stealing a kiss from your lips. 

“It’s been so long; I missed your touch” he whispered against your cheek you opened your eyes when he drew away from you and looked into the dining room realising. 

You had no choice. 

So, you joined him in his game again and sat down Lalo sighed wiping the tears from your eyes “was that so hard?” he asked and then chuckled when your baby gazed up at him with a gummy smile. 

“What did you name our son?” he asked, and you stayed silent looking at down at your lap.  

“Don’t make me ask again Y/n” he chillingly stated glaring at you. 

“Ignacio” you whimpered out in a reply. 

Lalo tapped his fingers against the table and huffed “you fucking named our baby after that snake?” venom laced his words and you nodded. 

Then Lalo started chuckling again looking at both you and your grandparents who watched on in distress. “what’s so funny?” you asked. 

Lalo’s knee bounced to keep your baby calm and he raised his brow at you with a smirk “Ignacio is fucking dead I made sure of that myself baby girl” you started to cry out again. 

“No no no!” you repeated shaking your head in disbelief. Ignacio can’t be dead he just can’t! 

“I would tell you how I did it, but it wouldn’t be good for our bebe to hear you know?” He spoke with a sadistic laugh making you sick to your stomach. 

“Creo que es hora de ir a la cama mi niño” (I think it’s time to go to bed my boy) Lalo told your baby who reached up to touch his face. 

Lalo looked at you “I’ll be right back” he winked getting up he then stopped at the doorway “do not move an inch” he told and then carried your baby upstairs. 

There was a time limit, and you were quick to get up your grandparents whimpered out to you to untie them “don’t worry I'm going get us out of here” you whispered to them.  

Carefully you made your way to the kitchen and found the biggest knife from the block and then went back to your grandparents they thought you were cutting them free, but you sat back down hiding the knife under your shirt. “Trust me”.  

 Few minutes later Lalo returned and joined you at the table. “Where were we?” he asked then you reached out to place your hand on top of his and looked at him with a weak smile. “You were right” you gasped crying. 

“Right about what?” he asked. 

“I would never leave you” 

Lalo chuckled “All that crying made your brain mushy? You did leave me querida drugged me in the matter of fact” he replied. 

"It's going take me a lot to forgive you for that" He laughs looking at the three of you.

“Mentally I didn’t leave you I thought about you I missed you every day and I suppose- that’s the same for you” you spoke with the messed-up truth and Lalo could see it. 

“That is true bebita I thought about you a lot. After I killed Fring and his chickens I went to bed with your scent next to me” he chuckled lightly putting his hand over yours he drew closer to your ear and then spoke again “I fucked my hand every night thinking about you” he purred.  

"That courage of yours to drug me and escape set something off inside me" he mused.

You sniffled a laugh and then slowly brought yourself to kiss him as your lips moved with his then under the table you drove the knife into him with a cry. Lalo winced in pain and fell off his chair the knife was stuck in his flesh as you panicked. He reached to his side for his gun, but you were quick to grab it pointing it at him  

Getting up you untied your grandparents “Go get Ignacio” and your grandpa was soon upstairs.  

“You bastard I fucking hate you” You cussed backing away from him a strangled chuckle left his throat and you watched and cringed as he pulled the knife out of himself. 

“I fucking love you Y/n” he stated trying his best to get up “don’t move asshole” you commanded threatening him with the gun. 

You heard Ignacio cry out “you don’t have the guts to kill the father of your baby bebita” he taunted applying pressure on his wound. 

“You're going to jail Lalo and are never going to hurt me or my grandparents again” you said backing into the hallway to your grandma “call the police” you tell her. 

“He’s smashed our phones just get in the car” she begs not wanting you to be in this nightmare situation any longer. “I’ll stay here with him please he can't hurt me I put you and grandpa through all of this nonsense just go find a phone” you convinced her and watched them drive off in the car. 

“Ooooh Y/n?” you heard the devil himself call you stepped back into the dining room to see him steadying himself onto his feet. 

How fucking strong was he?! 

 Behind his back he pulled out a smaller gun “I always keep a spare” he chuckled at your shocked reaction. “Put that down” you aimed the gun at him again. 

“Shoot me then” he commanded and lowed down his gun to his side with a smirk. You aimed for his foot and pulled the trigger. 

Nothing happened. 

Click. 

Lalo laughed harder “silly silly girl” he teased clicking his tongue in disappointment and you dropped the gun to the floor with a thud you were now hyperventilating. 

“don’t do this Lalo” you begged Lalo stared at you then aimed his gun to your head causing you to flinch he smirks lowing down his gun to your relief. “You are coming with me” he breathed applying more pressure to his abdomen.  

“Okay okay I will but please don’t hurt anyone” you stepped closer to him trying to lead him in a false sense of security as you caressed his arm. Lalo looked at you tired from his injury. 

“I’m sorry” you whispered carefully moving in closer to his wound to hit it. But Lalo gave you the most eerie look and when you least expected it there was a blow to the side of your head. 

You fell down. 

Black. 

- 

The ache of your head was the first thing you felt waking up, opening your eyes was energy draining enough as you were greeted by a bright environment. Gazing around you realised you were in bed. Tucked in with love.  

It was certainly no hospital. 

The bedroom was cosy with a vase of fresh blue bells on the bedside table and a golden canopy hung other the bed. 

“Where the fuck am I?” you asked yourself peeling the soft covers off your body trying to recall what happened. 

Then you realised the camera pointed directed at you in the corner of the room 

Lalo. 

The door swinged open and there was a gasp of surprise “Look who’s awake!” the voice you dread the most exclaimed. 

Lalo walked in shirtless and bandaged up he smiled at the petrified expression on your face. “There’s no need for that princesa that’s the last time I hurt you-” then he stopped mid-sentence at pointed his finger in thought “well depends on if you are good or not” he chuckled. 

“Dios mio (my god) you really did a number on me I’m proud of you” he winced sitting down on the bed causing you to move away to the other side. 

“Ed needs a strong mama” he whispers over to you with a smirk. 

“Ed?” you asked Lalo raises his brow and chuckles again. 

“Our son bebita” he replies stroking the bruise on your head.  

You cringed at his touch “Did I hit you too hard?” he teased. “Eduardo Salamanca the second of his name our baby” he mused. 

“Where is he?” you asked in anger getting out of bed Lalo stood up and gestured you to follow him “he’s right this way mama” 

Following him to the room at the end of the hall (whilst examining your surroundings for a way out) Lalo laughed “I know what you are thinking sneaky girl”  

 He opened the door to reveal an elegantly soft nursery animals were painted on the walls and each corner held the most expensive looking toys. There was a coo from the crib that was held in the middle of room. Little Ignacio sat there fiddling with a teddy bear. 

You were quick to walk over to him and pick him up out of his crib Lalo gazed at you both with a smile “I got him better bear then that snake could ever buy” he seethed slightly.  

“Where are my grandparents?” you finally asked Lalo took a moment to process and wrapped his arm around you stroking your son’s dark hair.  

“Lalo?” you asked searching for answer in his face and then he smoothly replied “It’s just us for now” you started to get annoyed. 

“What the fuck does that mean?” you asked moving away from him holding little Ignacio tight. 

“They didn’t want to give him to me without a fight querida” he said walking closer to you. 

Swiftly you avoided his contact and asked out in anger “WHAT DID YOU?!” your tone withheld guilt for causing your baby to cry. 

“I made it as painless as possible” he quietly responded. His answer caused you to breakdown backing away to the wall with a loud cry. Little Ignacio began to cry with you. 

“Hey now-” Lalo calmly began bending down to meet your tearful eyes “It’s just us” he shushed the both of you

"for now anyway" he smirked

You were speechless he truly was a monster. So, you just sobbed and sobbed till sickness swelled.  

You would never forgive yourself. 

“Mi familia” he cooed happily. 

Fin

Comment, like and follow to show some love ❤️

[romancomicsblog]

My Adventures with Superman delivers a solid reintroduction to Last Son of Krypton - SEASON REVIEW

*Spoilers for all of Season 1 of My Adventures with Superman*

Adult Swim and Max's My Adventures with Superman's first season has just wrapped up, and I have quite a few thoughts on the fun ten episode journey.

When watching the initial episodes of My Adventures with Superman, I was immediately smitten with our lead three protagonists. Clumsy adorable Clark, Conspiracy theorist and loyal friend Jimmy, and leader of the crew, the overly ambitious and intense Lois all had fantastic chemistry, I knew they would be the force carrying the show if it had nothing else to offer.

Luckily, it does. But let's talk about our core crew first.

One thing I love about this show is they quickly throw away the secret identity shtick for the core crew. Having Lois figure it out so soon and Jimmy knowing already speaks to their characters and their skills as reporters. Plus, now that that drama is over, they can go on this journey together, as they should.

The character I was hoping for more of which I was most happy with was Jimmy. Ishmel Sahid continues to bring multiple layers to Jimmy thoughout the show, and quickly made him my favorite character.

I felt he was the most sidelined of the three in the first couple of episodes, but he really gets two episodes focused on his friendship to the others in the middle of the season that I loved, and has a fun plot developing Flamebird throughout the season.

It pays off with the final joke of him becoming a multi millionaire, but I hope they use this money plot for Jimmy to go on ridiculous adventures and team up with other heroes and monsters like in the comics.

Also just love that Jimmy continued to be a good wingman to both Clark and Lois and give them space when needed. What an absolute pal.

While I'm here, I do love the cute love story between Clark and Lois, but it felt a bit rushed. Throwing the L word around a bit quick in my opinion, but I understand this is basically an anime, and needs to be a bit dramatic. I wish they would've saved that for Season 2, but I love the chemistry and that they are already together.

Alice Lee continues to shine as Lois, often having to voice some incredibly dramatic points in the show. I love the revelation that she is "the worst Lois" because all other Lanes are exceptional. That episode in general is a highlight for me, although it is a little bit Everything Everywhere All at Once.

Of the three characters, Lois felt the most fleshed out, dealing with insecurities from her father, trying to live up to her own expectations and his, and trying to make a real difference. Those little things make moments like the crew getting desks so satisfying and heartwarming.

I feel like people have talked to death how great Jack Quaid is as Superman, so I'll try to be brief. He's incredible. It's clear they casted for Clark instead of Superman, which was a smart move.

As Clark he is humble, kind, brave, and genuine. You cry when he does, you feel for his pain when he stumbles and you cheer when he succeeds. This should be the blueprint for Superman media moving forward.

While I had to adjust to the Superman voice, by the end of the show I was good with it, and it was perfect. I would love to see him lead an anime style Justice League.

I think tying General Lane to this Kryptonian invasion plot was a really good through line throughout the season. Making him directly connected to the destruction caused by Kryptonians felt very Batman v Superman (but in a good way), and made their interactions feel real weight.

One aspect of the show I criticized and hoped would improve were the villains. While I like the overarching villain being Sam Lane, I think this show doesn't quite have the iconic villains say a Spectacular Spider-Man or a Young Justice does. I was hoping for someone with something special or unique to grasp on to, but there really wasn't.

I think having the Suicide Squad be one of the final battles, and doing the match up from the "What if Superman ripped off the roof of the white house?" line from Suicide Squad movie is kind of fun, but the Squad members didn't feel fleshed out enough for me to care.

I think with the exception of Banshee and Mxyzptlk , most of the designs for the villains felt a little boring. This includes the final two teased at the end of the show. I wish more thought and color was put behind the characters, like Superman or even Jor-El.

Parasite was the most fun inclusion, but I felt he was too different from his usual version for me to fully grasp on to. Of the Superman villains shown, I think he could come back and win me over.

I hope characters like Brainiac, Zod, Luthor, Lobo and Doomsday bring life to this show through villainy. With great antagonists, this show would be absolutely perfect, but it's just not there yet.

I think this show is on to something really special, and I hope to see it continue for multiple seasons. It could be a fantastic introduction to the character of Superman, if it could bring more life to Metropolis through its recurring characters.

Overall, I think it's a great show. One that surprised me with emotion, the laughs, the triumphs and the falls. I recommend you watch the season, now streaming on Max.

Thank you for reading!

If you'd like to support me you can find my socials here!

[haejjoon]

Hi I agree with the mako discussion I have always been neutral to her and this whole discussion articulated why. I feel like there's a big disconnect between the story concepts for p5 and the writers. I.e Ann's themes Vs her treatment in writing

Also I'm a local oc X canon shipper who likes to rewrite stories to insert my oc & Ur fic & blog is giving me inspiration for what I can do because I only recently started p5r after watching rtgame play it so I haven't digested & criticised details in full yet so hearing Ur thoughts really helps articulate vague impressions I've had!!!

That being said, I'm interested what u think of Sumi Because. I low-key don't like her (I DONT HATE HER but I don't love her beyond "she's cute")

Anyway that's all!!!! I love Ur au bye bye ✨

- oc anon

aw. hey anon!! thanks so much for dropping by :)) im glad the discussion helped somewhat

oh boy...... sumi. where do i begin.

i'll be clear from the start: i love fanon sumi. i think shes adorable, i love seeing her in fics, fanart, etc etc. and for the longest time i couldn't figure out why i loved her sm in fandom and hated her in canon? and then i realized:

sumi's character... has no clear purpose.

(sojiro voice) let me explain

each of the phantom thieves have a recurring theme of finding or rediscovering identity.

ryuji with track + his old teammates

ann with her stance on modeling

yusuke with his purpose for creating art (oh boy i also have a lot to say about Him)

makoto with her burnt out but not quite burnt out gifted kid syndrome

futaba with her purpose for living at all (ouch)

and haru with how she wants to define herself without her father's influence.

the only (ONLY) exceptions to this is akechi and the protagonist. akiren is the catalyst to aiding the others discover identity, and akechi already has his purpose in life so ingrained he doesn't need to (or doesn't bother) trying to grow as a person.

now... sumi.

she's first introduced as the brilliant gymnast honor student. over time, it's clear that she struggles with meeting others' (and even her own) expectations for herself.

if we follow the same formula for the other thieves, this would be when she'd start questioning why she does gymnastics at all, or who she does gymnastics for. instead, she double downs on her supposed love for the sport, and only spirals deeper and deeper when simple "hard work" doesn't pay off.

obviously we know why. she thinks she's her dead sister. but thematically, it just clashes with all the rest of the characters already presented, because the player now has no idea where her character's going with this. she suffers from the same thing makoto's character does: tons of payoff, no clear resolution.

by the end of the faith confidant she declares that she'll now be doing gymnastics as sumire, and not kasumi. that doesn't change the expectations stacked upon her to succeed. sumi never says, "it's okay if i don't succeed, because i'm doing my best." she says, "i'm going to succeed as sumire yoshizawa and not kasumi yoshizawa, and everyone will see me shine in my own way."

and don't get me wrong. it's a lovely conclusion on its own and i'm proud of her for it, but narratively it came so out of left field. there was no set up for that specific drive to succeed As Herself, because the entire set up thus far was that she just couldn't succeed at all. this is why the entire confidant felt so stilted to me.

and the reason for such a strange ending note is because of the twist itself. no one expected her to actually be her dead older sister. suddenly, sumi is a completely different person, and you're just supposed to roll with it through her confidant. there's just no time within the confidant itself for the player to digest it.

moving on from that though i just fucking hate how she's marketed. her entire palette is a copy and cut paste from joker's. her outfit is somehow worse than ann's--i get it, leotard for her gymnastic skills, but look up gymnastic leotards when you get the chance. there's no plunging necklines like her costume shows. her coat (again, carbon copy from joker's) is cut in the back in a way that no matter What You Do or How You Look at her, all you see is a flash of ass and thigh. the first thing you see of her the MOMENT YOU OPEN THE GAME is a slow pan up starting from her exposed crotch, for fuck's sake. fuck you atlus, she's fifteen.

also????? she's supposedly a gymnast, but she?? uses a ribbon??????? in her all out attack and in her final performance at the end of her confidant rank? is this just a localization issue? ribbon dancing and gymnastics are two very different sports???? someone explain??

she also pops up in thr story at the most random times, because the writing team over our beloved atlus couldn't figure out how to shoehorn her in to make her relevant to the main plot. why does she get the app in the first place, having nothing to do with the thieves as a whole? why does she awaken to a persona at all in maruki's palace, when all she does is vehemently deny who she really is?

dont argue with me on this, but the reason why she awakens to her persona SPECIFICALLY AT THAT POINT IN THE STORY at all... is so atlus could shove her into the opening cutscene where she "saves" joker. so the players could get hyped seeing her supple fifteen year old Pan Up From Crotch in the first five minutes of the game. joker didn't need saving. fuck off

and if you're gonna follow the rules already set in the p5 universe: how come she can use her persona so effectively in the first place? haru couldn't, even though she awakened. sumi definitely shouldn't be able to, given the whole... denying who she really is situation.

and lastly there's just some aspects of how she's depicted that rly irk me, but those are absolutely just my personal feelings. nothing inherently wrong with them, just annoying to me specifically:

- her over the top polite nature that only hinders her, but she doesn't abandon it to set straight boundaries with those being rude to her because she can't meet their expectation. even makoto told the principal to leave her alone that one time.

- the way she's so clearly shoved towards joker as the Canon Choice like makoto was in vanilla. p4 does this with rise, too, but it's far more bearable because of just how over the top she is with it, at least for me. i had a problem with yukari in p3 for much of the same reason as sumi.

- the fact that her outfit doesn't change after she accepts herself as sumire. i understand that it'd be a lot of work, but narratively, wouldn't it make more sense for it to change? akechi got two outfits (both ugly but i digress) for the two facets in his true self. if her thief outfit is a manifestation of her doubling down on her identity as kasumi, why doesn't it change? why is her hair, a clear indication of who she is as a person, still in a ponytail despite everything??? is she taking on kasumi's confidence in the metaverse?? it just isn't clear.

- her fucking magical girl transformation in her original awakening. sorry. it just wasn't necessary. again this is totally just a me thing but WOW it pissed me off so much first time i watched it, because what purpose was there to include that other than to make the player go "oooooooo shiny girl pretty girl near costume ooooooooo".

i think thats most of it. as a personality i adore sumi. it's why i love seeing her in art and fics. but as a Character made to drive a story's plot, there's so many holes i'm surprised the ship is still chugging along.

obligatory "this is my opinion im not forcing it onto you if you wanna dispute it with me go righr ahead, i love character analysis threads" here. jesus fuck this was long.

love you anon. muah <3

[planefood]

I actually got THREE, WHOLE, questions for you! (wow);

1st: I freaking love the fact that robots can be trans in your story, that's super dope, but how in general does gender work with robots in this universe?

2. How far can I dropkick Lithium?

3. Who is/are your favorite guy(s) to draw/write/etc. so far? And which character(s) do you want to explore more down the line?

I LOVE your work with all of my stupid, tiny, heart and can't wait to see more!

- ����

okay this will be wordy so I hope you guys don't mind a lengthy read. So for the first question I do have to say (if you're an adult and follow my toyhouse you probably learnt this the hard way) that my more modern robot characters do have genitalia that can assign them a certain sex after robot/human robot/robot relationships were more normalised in the 70s in the west. It does depend on where the robot was built, but since it's more a story writing tool than anything I won't get too in depth. But robots and especially queerness wise it is a lot more deep than just that: because of around the time robots were starting to be built (like 19th century around about) gender was usually assigned to them anyway by the humans around them that robots were expected to follow, even if it made no sense to the actual robot themselves. When queerness started being more accepted by humans and robots by proxy it was clear to see robots didn't typically stay within cishetero identities and over 30% of them were likely to identify themselves as queer and that number only grew as time went on. I don't have any characters this is overtly case for yet but some robots are built with a specific gender in mind and will find if the robot in question is trans that the robot will be stuck in an overly masculine or overly feminine body with nothing much they can do about it, it's not very pleasant for them. But on the brightside trans robots can change their voice almost instantly to something they feel more aligns to their gender identity if they want to. Robots do face a lot of the same discrimination that comes with being outwardly queer. Some people consider them not capable of coming to that decision themselves and is seen as them getting "indoctrinated" to try and "normalise" queerness.

In general even for cis robots gender is seen as a pretty flimsy concept that's hard to wrap their head around and it probably wouldn't take too much push for some of my cis robots to switch genders if they so pleased

For the second question You can drop kick Lithium as far as your soul is willing. He will make a lengthy google doc callout on you for doing that afterwards though. Third question to draw is a tough one, there's specific things I love and hate about drawing specific characters. For example I love doodling Sierra but generally not a huge fan of colouring her in if i'm not feeling it... There's no character I can think of that I enjoy drawing more by design alone its moreso just my interest in them that makes them fun to draw or not My favourite to write is a little more easy, I love writing Mikey. I've done some story writing in my free time and all of them so far have involved Mikey as the forefront even if he technically isn't the main, main protagonist. There's something about a character who is such a sweetheart and well meaning but is treated so poorly by others for his social shortcomings even by people who would say they'd accept someone despite it. He's an antithesis to Tandy who is viewed as a lot more witty and charismatic but has a lot of ego issues and insecurities that cause him to be shitty with people like Mikey. Mikey needs a lot of support from others but rarely gets it which causes all sorts of additional problems. Mikey also reminds me to take the time and be kinder to myself facing similar issues as well as other people. I love this little robot and I came up with him when I was having a particularly hard day at work, he is very special to me. As for characters I want to do more work on honestly I think more can be added and worked on for all of them, including Mikey, and the motivation for certain character writing comes to me randomly.

[semper-legens]

170. The Shadow Cabinet, by Juno Dawson

Owned: No, library Page count: 504 My summary: Her Majesty's Royal Coven is still dealing with the aftermath of the downfall of their previous leader. But all is not well in the county of Yorkshire. Leonie's brother is missing, probably gone after evil warlock Dabney Hale. Elle's husband is acting very strangely. Theo struggles to fit into school, between being a witch and being a trans girl. And Niamh Kelly is not who she seems... My rating: 3.5/5 My commentary:

Ah, back to Her Majesty's Royal Coven. This is the second book in Juno Dawson's first series for adult readers, and though I am very much enamoured with her writing when it comes to YA fiction, HMRC left me a bit cold the first time I read it. I've discussed it with a friend (herself a trans woman) since, and she hit the nail on the head with her commentary - while she didn't think it was a bad book per se, she was disappointed at how it was aimed more at middle-aged cis women with book clubs than trans women. Trans women don't get so much fiction that is aimed specifically at them, after all. And I agree with her on this - a lot of Dawson's writing in this series trends towards what I call the 'baby's first' style of writing. By that, I mean that it introduces a social issue, but in a way that is meant to be for people who have absolutely no prior knowledge of or experience with that social issue. In this case, it's a combo of baby's first trans teenager and baby's first systemic oppression. None of this is by necessity bad. It's just not quite what I was expecting or looking for.

So yeah, as previously mentioned, the main protagonists of this book are middle-aged cis women, though trans teenager Theo does get some point of view time and her own B plot. This isn't necessarily meant to be a book about transness, but as I said, I'm still left a little disappointed by the lack of trans characters. That said, this book introduces an intersex witch who helps Leonie in her quest to find big bad Dabney Hale and her brother Radley, so that's an interesting addition at least. But for all I have complained about the focus being on said middle-aged cis women, it isn't as though Dawson writes them badly. On the contrary, she manages to perfectly walk the line of universality (everyone knows a woman who acts like at least one of these women) and specificity, where her characters still feel like full people with lives and stories that aren't just meant to be blandly relatable. Reading about them is fun! I particularly like housewife Elle, who learns of her husband's infidelity and winds up unlocking a part of her and a power that she wasn't aware of previously. It's an interesting idea and I want to see where it's going.

But the politics of this book are very baby's first. I get it, when you're writing about issues like women's rights and trans identity, particularly transfeminine identity, in a modern setting then there's no reason why your characters can't be spouting the modern social justice terminology when they talk about it. I just think that the messaging with the politics of the book was a little too clear-cut and unsubtle. I would have liked a little more ambiguity, and perhaps for the characters to not always talk like internet teens sometimes. At its worst, it just came across as clunky and obvious, and that's the kind of thing you really want to avoid in a book with these sorts of messages.

Like I said, the characters in this novel are engaging. Ciara is one of our main point of view characters, the sister of Niamh who took over her body and is now masquerading as her. The heel-face turn she is slowly making, plus her attempts to piece together her past and understand who she really is, are engaging, and her voice is a fun one to play with. Poor Theo gets a subplot where she is coming to terms with her magic and her transformation after the last book which raises some interesting ideas about dysphoria, identity, and gender as well as being really endearing. Leonie's determination in her quest to find her brother is strong, and Elle's more domestic problems are a slow tragedy that is nonetheless interesting to see unfold. I'm probably gonna end up reading the next book in this series when it comes out. I do still really like Dawson's writing. I'm just a little disappointed that this story could have been a lot more complex than it is.

Next up, back to CHERUB, as a plane crashes into the ocean.