#would love to see a woman of color in the main cast but i won't hold my breath

[crvptozoologist]

one of the things i actually really like about house md is that i think the female characters (although few) are relatively well-written. like obv house is super disrespectful & sexist, and i wish more of the women's story arcs didn't revolve around relationships/dating, but i feel like they are really respected by the writers and treated with some care. also both cameron and cuddy are insanely beautiful. that’s one of the other things i like

[tossawary]

I have two main hopes for Nico Robin's casting in the live-action "One Piece" adaptation. The first is that I would love to see a woman of color as Robin, preferably darker-skinned and with a large nose. One of those really classic profiles, you know?

The second is that I think it would be cool if they made her a little older. She's 28 upon her first appearance in the manga, which is significantly older than the teenage crew at this point, but the OPLA main cast are all very obviously 20+, so I think it would be cool to push OPLA Robin into her 30s.

I know there are timeline issues to think about and it is significantly awful that Robin had to go on the run at only 8 years old. But I also don't think that Robin's story necessarily becomes less tragic if you shift things so that she had to go on the run at 13-14 years old. That's still horrifyingly young and young enough to be called "Devil Child" if you consider that a necessary component. Personally, I won't even mind if Robin's backstory happened when she was 17-18 and was gearing up to start her adult life as an archeologist when everything was ruined, because I imagined a 38-year-old Robin kicking ass and the mental image was so attractive that I had to sit down.

[thedelusionreaderbitch]

Wanda Maximoff x fem! Reader - Saving you from control

A/n: We're all slaves for Wanda lets be honest

*Vision does not exist within this universe! I don't know how age of ultron works than but we won't get into that!*

Summary: You're just living your life when the first splash of color comes into it, specifically a flash of red

Warnings: spicy (heavily making out), illusions to smut, manipulation, toxic, technically cheating, death, I think that's it? You have been warned!

The three P's:

[Pov: second person] [Pairings: romantic/main! Wanda Maximoff x reader kinda romantic! nameless male character x reader parental! billy and tommy x reader] [Pronouns used: you/your but the reader is meant to be a girl]

Your life seems to be dominated with blacks and whites, there's no color to reveal just a black and white wall of memories. Even you have to admit life is boring, you get up call whatever family member you're supposed to be calling, go to work in your tiny office job, and come back home to your boyfriend. Your boyfriend, who's also awfully boring, you want to think you love him, but you don't really think making up lies will give life to your boring life.

You won't break up with him though, he's safe, and your family loves him. Plus your family seems to be always on edge around you, you can't seem to figure out why though. It's like that piece of information was stripped from you.

It's also tied into the feeling that you were meant for something more, but alas there would be no world saving in your books.

Your in bed with your boyfriend when you see it for the first time.

It's nothing really, just a flash of red from behind you, but all the same you knew that flash's of red don't just happen out of no where. You shift your body more upwards to see if you could see anything.

Nothing there's nothing, of course it's nothing, it must have just been a trick of the light. Your eyes messing with you, or your brain having too much imagination. So you just go back to bed and take your sleeping boyfriend hand in yours and try to take comfort from it.

It happens twice more before something else happens.

After it happened twice more you were a bit paranoid, and on your way to the eye doctor to see if there was anything wrong with your eyesight.

You go to check your mirror and instead of cars you see a woman with red-orange hair with something that looks like devil horns placed as a crown on her forehead.

She was smiling at you.

Your car weavers to the right, you can hear cars honking in the distance, and CRASH! Echoes, as your ears ring and your car somersaults across the highway.

The next thing you know you're waking up in the hospital with that same woman beside you.

Gasping you grip onto the sheets and try to move, but a red mist keeps you down covering everything but your head.

"What the- Where's the doctor!"

She smiles down at you and laces her hand with your own and you can't help the feeling it gives you. It's different from when your boyfriend takes your hand, when he does you feel a small sort of happiness. When this random woman takes your hand the accelerating feeling you get is overwhelming from just a touch.

"Don't you worry your little head treasure, the doctor was just trying his best but I decided it would be better if I took over."

You looked down at yourself and saw no injuries nor did you feel any. Considering you got into a pretty nasty car accident you should be casted up to the brim, yet you weren't. Someone would call you crazy for thinking this but you're pretty sure the person crouching beside you, saved you.

(Your mind doesn't seem to remember very well how she might have just be the cause of the accident in the first place.)

"What's your name?" You manage to say as you gaze upon her beautiful figure.

Laughing she takes her other hand and places it under your cheek like a lover would. "Missy, I'm surprised you didn't recognize me! That's okay precious, they did insist on wiping your mind. It isn't your fault."

A new part of you is unlocked and her words must have triggered something because a flow of memories come back to you and tears surface to your eyes as you start to remember.

S.W.O.R.D had taken you from Wanda, they had said they were saving you, saving you from giving up complete control. Funny how the irony comes back at them considering they didn't give you a choice in the matter.

You remember your powers, similar to Wanda's but nearly the exact opposite of hers. While she had chaos magic, you had order magic, meaning you could place order back into things and see the future.

That's another thing S.W.O.R.D had taken from you.

Then you remember further, with all the little things with Wanda, to all the big things with her. That you had children with her (through both of your magic of course) and how they took you away from them. The things that balanced you and Wanda so well, chaos and order. Now that you had them back though...

"Wanda." You croak tears adorning your face and the red mist dissipates as a dark calming cyan covers the floor.

Standing up she pulls you into her as you sob into her chest.

"Oh, my princess how I've missed you."

"I- I didn't know that they were going to wipe my memories of you. And- and our children. When I started to realize they weren't doing what they told me they were doing I started to panic and I was so scared." You cry.

"Shh," You rubs your back as you shake in her arms. "Everything is alright now treasure, we're together again and no one is taking you away from me ever again."

You don't have the time to analyze her words further with your powers before her lips connect with yours and your mind explodes.

Wanda kisses you hungrily, like you're her last meal and you eagerly reciprocate the sentiment. As she bites on your bottom lip, it surprises you slightly as you feel like you haven't kissed her in centuries so you've forgotten how chaotic she can be. Nothing like your past boyfriend, who when he kissed you was bland and colorless.

Your mouth opens and you let her take dominance, she nearly always did in the past, it's just the way Wanda is.

Pinning you against the bed with her own body her lips start traveling down further and you feel her hand go underneath as they two go further down.

"Did he kiss you like this?" She mutters against your throat.

You blink and her civilian clothes from before are gone and come has the scarlet witch. The deviled horned crown embellished on her head.

You've transformed too though, a suit covers your body much like Wanda's but it has more blue and green under tones. There's a white diamond arched upon your chest and it has a purple point in the center with eight lines different shades of blue, and green.

You don't answer her you just let your head fall back as a halo falls around your head.

________________

Stephen Strange doesn't expect to see you when Wanda finally has America at Wundagore, he thought your memory had been wiped. However you stood in front of him furious, and your mind fully intact.

The cyan magic enveloped America, you shouldn't have been doing this. You were order, you can see the truth if you wanted, if you saw it he's sure you would have been helping him.

So why haven't you?

"You can stop this Y/n!" He calls out to you voice strained. "Look for the truth with you're powers! You'll see that this is all wrong!"

Slowly you're head turns to face him and your eyes glow an unnatural dark teal.

"I already have."

Strange is astonished and terrified. The outcome in his brain that you already had looked into the truth didn't serve him. He didn't think it was possible, Wong even said it was impossible.

Improbable, it was improbable not impossible. Oh god, he's such a fool.

"The only thing that conflicted." You go on as you lift a hand on Miss America's face, stroking it like a mother would a child as Wanda's power envelopes him too.

"Is her."

You tilt your head and a flash of red goes through your eyes and suddenly Chavez is getting prepared for Wanda and the two of you trade off and you block Strange from getting to Wanda and Chavez and from seeing what's going to happen.

"This is you're endgame? You help Wanda and she gets the children? She'll throw you away the moment she gets them!"

Giggling you turn around and behind you is Wanda looking more powerful than ever with America Chavez's dead body behind her.

She pulls you in for a passionate kiss as her left hand flicks to make the portal to the other universe.

"We made our children together." You growl to Stephen right before the portal opens.

He had really underestimated how much the two of you love each other, and would do anything for one another. Everyone did.

Now they would have to pay the price.

Wanda is the one that goes in for the children, you know you'll have to go in later to save her from her own fate but you know that she still has to experience it first. She just needs to think she got over it on her own.

The children throw things at her and she snaps at them and as the next Wanda comes in she something to her and for a second Wanda looks like she's going to stop everything.

Then her eyes flash cyan and she kills the other (weak) Wanda and force the children in her arms into their rightful universe.

With the two of you.

They scream and cry but you crouch down to face them and you gently take both of them into your arms.

"Let's put some order into your minds shall we?" You whisper into their ears.

A dark teal mist covers their eyes and then in another second it's gone and they look up to you and abruptly hug you.

"Ma!" They cry.

You nod Wanda over (as she's now the one who has a hold of the sorcerer.)

Standing up you turn your boys around and when they see Wanda they yell out for their mom and cry into her neck.

Facing Strange you get close and place a hand next to his head.

"You know what I saw was the biggest threat to this universe was?"

You lean in so your lips are right next to the cuff of his ear.

"You."

Instead of saying anything else your hand next to his head begins to move as magic exhumes from it pulling his sorcery into you. Eventually the light fades from his eyes and his body falls to the ground.

Wanda may of been playing the long game with you - manipulating you and making your truth vision weak but so were you. You saw a threat to the universe long ago and back then you didn't want to believe it so you ignored it. Then Wanda came along and showed you something different, Wanda may have been weaken you and manipulated you but you also weakened and manipulated her.

Together though, together to the two of you are strongest thing in the universe.

So you turn back to your happy family, and pull Wanda into a kiss.

Words 1866

-thedelusionreaderbitch

Marvel taglist: No one yet

[themosleyreview]

The Mosley Review: Poor Things

What if Dr. Frankenstein's creation was a success? What if the Bride of Frankenstein's monster became an actual person? A young woman with accelerated mental development and wanted to venture out into the world to experience life and womanhood. Well that's almost exactly what this original story was and I quite enjoyed the breath of fresh air it was. We've seen the coming of age, adulthood and life dramas and comedies, but this one was more on the level of delivering not only that type of story, but also a dark comedy that would either bore you or fascinate you. There was a great deal of fantasy elements that makes for a visual feast as we explore the odyssey in which the main character embarks on. There were some thought provoking and very witty dialogue between a number of characters and they all had unique perspectives on everyday life that apply today, even though this was a period film.

Emma Stone delivers an outstanding and evolutionary performance as Bella Baxter. To see her develop mentally from child to adult inside a grown woman’s body, was done so tastefully and almost effortlessly. She captures that ever curious wonder of the outside world and all that is to be learned. Her observational presence and wonderfully blunt delivery of sometimes hilarious dialogue was exceptional. Bella's exploration into the world's beauty and horror was the type of pure character growth that was captivating and sorely missed in modern films these days. I enjoyed experiencing her journey into becoming a woman and finding her freedom. Willem Defoe was excellent as her caretaker, creator and father figure, Dr. Godwin Baxter. He was a mad scientist that truly has a tragic backstory, but he doesn't let that stop him. I loved that he had a unique look on life and his studies into true human development was fascinating. The chemistry between Godwin and Baxter was heartwarming and not your typical relationship at all. It was a paternal relationship that developed intellectually. Ramy Youssef was great as Dr. Baxter's apprentice, Max McCandles. He was a young and enthusiatic student and I loved his genuine care for Bella. He was one of the purest and gentle souls of the film. Mark Ruffalo delivers a fantastic and manic performance as the very charming and petty womanizer Duncan Wedderburn. From moment he's on screen, you get the characters' intentions and how shallow of a human is. I loved that his confidence slowly gets chipped away by Bella's unwillingness to be controlled by his overbearing nature. It was a great affair that propelled the film along and their chemistry was excellent. Jerrod Carmichael was also excellent as the realist, Harry Astley. He drops some truth bombs on Bella on the world view of the rich and the poor and how society functions as a whole. His words may hold weight, but they were conflicting nonetheless. Christopher Abbott was ruthless and despicable as Alfie Blessington. I won't spoil his character too much, but I will say that he was absolutely the disgusting version of a man in that time period and he really shows his motives quickly. He acts as the final narrative payoff to a plotline that was almost an after thought thanks to the amazing performances all around.

The score by Jerskin Fendrix was fantastic, whimsical and unconventional as Bella Baxter herself. It truly brought out the comedic tone in a number of great scenes and underscores the experimental nature of the story. I loved the score the most during the moments Bella was at sea. Speaking of which, visually this film was stunning and almost dreamlike. I am a sucker for the usage of black and white to evoke the sense of time, but here its a character. The transition to vibrant colors as Bella explores gives the film a burst of life and also informs you of the characters feelings. Director Yorgos Lanthimos has undoubtedly made one of the best films of the year and the cast all around deliver outstanding performances. This is a must watch on the big screen and I highly recommend it in Dolby for the colors. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in comments below. Thanks for reading!

[blood-and-poetry]

Hot take I'm seeing quite a few posts confused over why Deadloch isn't trending or much more popular on tumblr because "tumblr is so gay and so feminist". And I am sorry to say this but tumblr isn't the "lesbian website" or the "feminist website". Tumblr loves men just as much as the rest of society does, its user base just loves them in a very online way which makes it look a bit different at times. It has always been this way, starting with shipping every two white dudes in close proximity to each other, over worshipping old male Hollywood actors to downright MRA and anti-feminist talking points in the recent past in "progressive leftist" spaces on here. All done in very uwu political correct tumblr speak of course.

And it's really that simple. Media with two (often times white) guys standing close to each other will always be more popular on here than anything women- or lesbian centric, no matter how many theoretical tumblr approval boxes said media ticks. There is a reason why lesbian shows get canceled left and right. Even if lesbian shows are trending for one or two days there is just no genuine interest from a majority of people (on tumblr and anywhere else). Men overall are rarely interested if it isn't made with the male gaze in mind or focusses on men, straight women aren't interested, even many bi women (don't come at me I am bi) aren't interested because they don't see other women (and often times themselves) as complete and potentially interesting people/characters (how often I've seen women on here saying something along the lines of "my favourite characters are all men but it's just because these characters are so good! Pure coincidence. I would definitely love a female character but I just have never found one I am that obsessed with. Not my fault, they are all written in a bad/boring way").

Doesn't matter how often the word "queer" is thrown around here, all of this has always been the same and it won't change. Which is.. fine? I have never expected it to be something else. A website that isn't specifically designed for lesbians but only attracts lesbians would be magical. But a website thats designed for nerdy people and especially women of that kind will attract.. nerdy people/women. Consisting of the same groups of people that exist in real life, including lots of women attracted to men. I have my little bubble here in which I mainly see lesbian content but the things on my dashboard rarely reflect what's trending or the content of popular posts.

I am not bitter about this because it has never been different (here or anywhere else) but I am surprised that people are still thinking that this website would worship a lesbian-lead and female-centric show when it would be entirely out of character for tumblr as a whole to do so. I mean maybe this is all about the show being australian. Maybe people don't like Australia. I also get that crime shows aren't THAT popular either but I guarantee you, if Dulcie and Eddie were dudes this show would be trending so hard.

Deadloch is a fantastic show. It looks amazing, has fantastic humor, the drama is great, the plot is great, there is a good message behind everything and the show also sprinkles in some of tumblrs top ten greatest political correct catch phrases. The main two characters are played by lesbians, another actress from the main cast is bisexual. One of the main characters is a lesbian and there are several other lesbian characters in the show. The other main character is a woman of color (who SHOULD be same sex attracted but sadly seemingly is not which makes me cry). Almost all important characters are women. Amazingly written by the way. There are plenty of women of color, indigenous women especially, playing important roles. All female characters are complex and nuanced people and their suffering isn't used for shock value or to push forward the plot. The two main female characters are both over 40 years old! What the show doesn't have is the same two decent looking men standing in close proximity to each other. And there really isn't any arguing against my little rant here because the only thing I accept as proving me wrong is a lot of people watching Deadloch or overall more women centric and lesbian centric stuff :) Thank you :)

[lucy-ghoul]

i find totally ridicolous how people are starting to boycott the prequel hunger games movie with the reasoning that rachel zegler is (and i quote) "the most toxic actress in hollywood" because she said that she only watched snow white once as a child (it was scary to her) and she had a modern approach to a movie released in 1937 (snow white being more of a "leader" and not only relying on finding True Love etc.). guess what? i think she's right for the most part. snow white is not cinderella; she's not a pennyless country girl. she's a princess. as such, she does have power. she can be both a fearless leader and a soft, kind soul. a main female protagonist in a movie that's going to be out in 2025 can't possibly be portrayed as only longing for a prince she doesn't even know. i even had to read with my own eyes that "it's okay for women to be submissive and feminine' (thus equating feminity with passivity and submission. in 2023). like... no, i'm sorry but that's not true. it's okay to not always be strong, to be weak and broken and helpless too. it's okay to wish for love, to fall in love. but it's not okay to portray a young girl (and a princess at that! with a kingdom and subjects who love her and her late father the king!) as totally dependent on a man to rescue her. sorry but this is not revolutionary, it's not ~feminism actually, it's just tradwife/good old sexist rethoric. a woman having wishes, ambitions, passions, personality, soul outside of the man she loves is Feminism 101. it's so basic, like-- i mean. really. do i need to go further?

it's fair to criticize zegler's remarks/her casting without boycotting, cyberbullying, calling names etc. a very young woman of color (she's half latina) who's also extremely talented (she has such a beautiful voice and singing-wise she will definitely be the most capable live-action disney princess alongside halle bailey). stop being ghouls y'all!! this is getting ridiculous. keira knightley said that she won't let her young daughter watch the little mermaid because she doesn't want her to think 'it's okay to give up your voice for a man" (i personally disagree with this statement and i really, really like tlm, tho i understand it's not the peak of feminism rep lol). she was never cast as ariel of course, but she wasn't 'boycotted'. and zegler's comments about snow white didn't even go that far (otherwise i would understand the criticism about the casting). but these people are really bent on ruining a talented girl's career because she said a 1937 movie is - gasp! - old-fashioned in its portrayal of ideal feminity (angel of the hearth/house, 'mothering' the dwarfs, constantly helpless and with a surprising smile/dreamy countenance even when she - a princess and presumably heir to the throne! - is basically treated as a slave etc.). it's not even a new, never-been-seen interpretation of snow white - see once upon a time or snow white and the huntsman (where she not only wears an armor while still remaining good and compassionate, but the man who wakes her from the magical slumber with the True Love Kiss is not the prince. it's - you guessed it - the huntsman!). i agree that this is not disney's snow white specifically; in fact, in my opinion the movie shouldn't have been made in the first place, like most disney live-actions, because they're just a soulless money grab move from the Mouse and clearly inferior to the originals. but this has nothing to do with 'boycotting' rachel zegler's career, especially when y'all are willing to forgive a lot of shit done/said by (male) hollywood actors without them paying the consequences of their actions/words.

[morimakesfanart]

Sindria's Prophet #14

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13]

[AO3]

~POV Mori~

I woke up when it was still dark out. Only the faintest light came in my windows.

I hadn't done anything yesterday. Just laid down and rested for the first time in a long time. The doctor's were convinced I needed one more day of rest, but I knew I was already better. When was the last time I had just let my body rest like that when I wasn't sick? I couldn't remember. This peace was nice.

The quiet of sunrise was only broken by the faint sound of bird calls in the distance. I sat up and closed my eyes. I focused everything on my other senses. I couldn't hear the ocean easily from here. I had wanted to use the sounds of the waves to meditate, but I would just have to do without.

It had been a few days since I last checked in with myself and really focused inward. I could still feel them, all of the Black Rukh that had merged with me back in Balbadd. They were much calmer than before. And they felt like a part of me now, like I might be incomplete if they were suddenly gone. I knew each one from the dreams too. Their lives were mine and each also now knew my life as their own.

Going through all of their lives on the ship would have been painful even without being sick. These were angry souls and they did not welcome the inner peace I was offering easily, but a person's Rukh doesn't lie. After reading this world's truth through my memories they all calmed.

All of us lived lives of loss and poverty and trauma. That must have been another part of why we were able to fully merge in such a short time.

As Black Rukh they couldn't return to the Great Flow where the rest of their loved ones were, but they at least had each other within me.

It was a very strange feeling.

And along with their lives and Rukh, their magoi was also now mine. What had felt like a small pool now felt like a large lake. I had a lot more magoi at my disposal now that they were fully integrated with me.

The Great Bell range and I grounded myself in the present.

Only then did it occur to me that I was probably sick, and suffering from the influx of Rukh separately at the same time. It had been both all along. Whatever illness I had was worsened by my situation with the Rukh. I hadn't lost my magoi manipulation during it, but it was probably learning it ahead of time that had saved me. There's no way such a large amount of Rukh entering me wouldn't have made my body unstable.

Would the doctors understand if I explained it to them? I should ask Sinbad before saying something unnecessary.

The dim light from my windows called to me. I got out of my bed, put on my glasses, and sat on the sill of one them at the encouragement of the waves.

Like this, I could look down and see the Palace court yard. On the other side of the court yard were the Silver Scorpio (martial arts training), and Black Libra (libraries & schools) Towers, behind them to the left was the Red Cancer Tower (military) and fully to the left was the Purple Leo Tower where Sinbad lived. Since I was on a high floor I could easily see all of the towers of the Palace from my windows -all except the White Capricorn Tower where Ja'far does most of his work since that building was on the other side of this one.

It was so strange. Looking at all this made it real that I was really here. How many times had I reread or rewatched scenes wondering what it would feel like to be here?

I rested my head on the window frame as I watched the growing light from the sunrise.

The guards changed.

The sun was fully risen. Ja'far would be waking up Sinbad soon if he hadn't already.

Two people walked out of the Purple Leo Tower -a guard and a woman. She wasn't wearing a uniform. In fact she was wearing less than the citizens I saw the other day.

"Oh, right."

Sinbad has a call girl see to him after Ja'far wakes him up.

I had the 3rd fan book for the anime which contains a day-in-the-life for a bunch of the main characters. It was only in Japanese, but I had learned enough (and could look up what I didn't know) to at least read his schedule.

The direct translation was for a "temporary woman" which from what I've found is the Japanese term for a fem sex worker. I've seen some translations for Magi's extra material refer to them as "call girls" so that was the term I chose to use.

The franchise used the word "harem" in a bunch of places, but purposely didn't use it here. That combined with an omake of Sinbad having a nightmare about being married and having a harem made it clear that Sinbad did not have a harem; he had the whole red-light district of his country to choose from.

Hold on... That book wasn't supposed to reach my house until after I had Isekaied so how did I know it's contents? There were barely any scans or photos of pages online-

*Knock knock*

My thoughts

were cut off when breakfast arrived -with more medicine of course.

---

~POV Sinbad~

Nearly a week had passed since King Sinbad had arrived home. There was a lot to catch up on. As much as he wanted to finally relax after everything that happened in Balbadd he didn't really have the time for it. Even after catching up he would still have to prepare for his trip to the Kou Empire. And Ja'far wasn't letting him forget either responsibility.

None of this stopped him from having his slow mornings. He at least gave himself that little slice of heaven.

This was business as usual -at least it was supposed to be- but Sinbad couldn't shake a growing feeling that he couldn't name. It was making him unsettled. The waves didn't give him any answers and drinking hadn't made it go away. It felt similar to missing important.

He wasn't missing any paperwork. There had been an issue with one of their supply ships going missing, and another being delayed, but he had already decided how to proceed. He was definitely interested in the progress the Black Libra Tower was making with testing Mori's theories, but the experiments would take time and they had already scheduled a meeting for an update. The new guests were still settling in. Alibaba was a mess and Aladdin was only marginally better the last time he had visited, but Morgiana was fine and already training with Masrur regularly. According to the doctors reports, Mori would be better in another day or so, and the reports he got from the maids said she was resting every day after giving that partial scroll.

Maybe this was impatience. Aside from his paperwork, everything interesting was either done or waiting for the next step.

Sinbad often walked his country in the evening, but there was no reason he couldn't check on things now. He didn't have time to go for a walk at that moment, but he could spare the magoi needed to use Zepar and fly around the country using the bird he had possessed with the Djinn's power. This wouldn't be the first time he'd done this while working on paperwork.

The bird was sitting on a railing in the city center when Sinbad took over. From this spot he could make some quick rounds in the city and then maybe make a stop in the Black Libra Tower to get a sneak peak at what they had found out so far.

The same old gossip filled most of the streets. Some price complaints, who just had a child, how work was going...

"You're serious? A prophet?”

"My husband saw the scrolls she made from her visions with his own two eyes."

Now that was new gossip.

Sinbad had the bird land near by the two women.

"Oh? What was in them?"

"He said it was like reading secrets of the world."

"Really???"

"Mhmm." She nodded. "Not everyone believes it though so they are all working to test her writing."

"Didn't you just say she was brought in by our King? Do they really think he'd be fooled by some false prophet?"

"I said the same thing! And you know what my husband said? He said that they need to find proof even if they believe the Prophet because otherwise we won't be able to prove it to our allied countries."

"I guess that makes sense..."

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Oh! I think I might know what she looks like!”

"What? How? You only learned about her just now."

"When King Sinbad came home, there was a girl on some magical flying cloth, remember? That has to have been the Prophet!"

"I think you're right!"

To two moved on to some other gossip and King had the bird fly towards the Palace. Listening to talk about his Beautiful Prophet reminded him of his mission to peek at what was happening in the Black Libra Tower. Being able to bypass the stairs and the gates made the journey much faster.

The Sun was already in the western side of the sky. Shadows were cast onto the court yard from the Black Libra Tower. The stone of the Green Sagittarius Tower was nearly blinding white from the direct light. Color flashed in the corner of his eye as the bird flew past the upper levels of the guest tower. Before his thoughts had fully registered the familiar shade of nearly black indigo, Sinbad was guiding the bird to investigate. He landed on the railing of one of the windows and looked at the young woman resting against that same window's frame.

Mori looked just as surprised to see a bird land right in front of her as he was to be there. Sinbad had purposely been avoiding using Zepar to spy on Mori since she somehow knew that he had eavesdropped on her before. It had been days since he last saw her, so when she was suddenly an option-

"Heh hehe"

Mori's chuckle and smile took his full attention. He didn't know what had made her laugh, but he hoped she'd do it again.

"Sir, are you aware you are a bird?” After the words passed her lips she was struck by a giggle fit.

Sinbad had no idea what she was thinking or why she had said that to a bird, but he was hearing her voice for the first time in nearly a week so he'd worry about figuring it out later.

When Mori finished laughing at her own joke she leaned her head to the side and watched him. Her hair shifted and another lock spilled over her shoulder. The sight brought attention to the low neckline of the dress she was wearing. If Sinbad was there in person he would have brushed her hair out of the way just to have an excuse to touch her.

"Did you miss me that much?" Her voice was soft and a bit playful. "You didn't have to use Zepar to visit me."

Mori knew it was him! Sinbad jolted and his head hit the back of his chair in his office. How could she tell? Only magicians could see magoi and Rukh to see the spell active on the bird.

"Sin, is something wrong?-” Ja'far had just entered the room to give his afternoon report.

King Sinbad raised a hand for him to be quiet and tapped Zepar's ring to explain the situation. He didn't want to talk and miss something Mori said or did.

The General's expression turned serious and nodded as he went quiet.

When Mori didn't get a response from the bird she added, "Are you surprised that I knew it was you?" Her smile was warm as the sun. "I have read your Fate many times, so I will always recognize you, my King."

Normally, the idea that someone could see through Zepar's magic would concern him, but this didn't. It strengthened his belief that Fate had guided Mori to him.

And the affectionate way she said "my King" at the end made him smile. The waves had moved like this a few times like the last time he had seen her in person, and when he learned she could also feel the waves. The Great Flow of the Rukh was guiding them to the Fate he could see, the one where she lived the rest of her life by his side.

Ja'far sighed. "Just let me know when I can give you my report."

Mori whipped her head towards the door to her room. "They're here early."

There were the sounds of people walking in the hallway, but no voices to denounce who, or their destination. All the same, Mori got up and walked to the door. She opened it before the doctors had a chance to knock.

"How did you...?" One of the doctors asked.

"I recognized the sound of your footsteps," was her answer.

"I see.... And how are you feeling today?"

Mori walked into her room, and spared a glance at the bird still watching her from the window. "I feel fine. Just like yesterday." She turned back towards the door and sat on the edge of her bed. "So can I finally leave this room?"

The doctors were understanding but they still were going to do a full check up first.

Even without the waves it was obvious that Mori was going to be marked as full health. Sinbad would prefer to go see her immediately and give her a tour of the Palace personally, but he was still a King with responsibilities. "Ja'far, Mori has just been declared healthy. What do you think of everyone having dinner together to get everyone better aquatinted?"

"I didn't hear anything about-” Ja'far started and then cut himself when he realized. "Were you just using Zepar to spy on her??"

"Of course not." Sinbad said with all of the confidence of the King he was. "I flew directly to her and she recognized me instantly. I wasn't spying at all."

"She recognized you??" Of course he'd be shocked.

King Sinbad laughed. "She did. Though she was surprised to see me."

"I bet she was surprised to suddenly see a bird in her room. What made you think to use Zepar instead of visiting her in person? You're already getting regular reports on her condition." Ja'far always acted as a buzz kill.

It didn't stop Sinbad from laughing at the situation before finally asking for that report he postponed earlier -conveniently avoiding answering Ja'far's question.

The magician in Mori's room was talking. "Would you be interested in visiting the Black Libra Tower with us? We can show you how the experiments are going. And if possible, would you be willing to answer some questions?"

That was an understandable request, but it could wear her out.

The Prophet was facing away from the windows so Sinbad couldn't see her expression. "I'd really like that actually." But he could hear the excitement growing in her voice.

"Let me get changed real quick." Mori disappeared behind her folding wall and emerged in the outfit he met her in.

Sinbad did not drop control of the bird, but he also didn't follow Mori out of her room. Instead he waited in the window sill until he saw her enter the courtyard and then had the bird fly to the Black Libra Tower.

---

As soon as he finished whatever last minute things Ja'far was about to add to his pile, Sinbad would go to the Black Libra Tower and surprise his Beautiful Prophet in person.

~POV Mori~

In the manga and in the anime the only areas shown of the Black Libra Tower were Yamuraiha's office/lab and one of the libraries. I was more than curious about the rest of the facilities.

The first room seemed to be a reception area and had a map of the tower. I only got to glance at the separations between the libraries, offices and class rooms before a tall and lanky magician walked up to us.

"Is this her??” Her short ponytail bounced as she looked between me and my guides.

Isa, the magician who had been taking care of me the past few days, introduced me. "This is Lady Mori, the Prophet!” He acted like he was showing off the coolest toy on the playground.

The tall woman got right up in my face. "I knew she had to be the Prophet! The Rukh don't normally move this way around people."

Before I got to respond she started rambling comments and questions that covered everything in maroon and peacock blue getting sponged across a cream canvas. I stepped back and Isa cut her off. "Lady Mori will be answering everyone's questions in time. We were just on our way to see Yamuraiha so I can show her how everything has been coming along. You are welcome to join us."

She definitely joined us. As did many others who spotted us or were called over by others in our procession.

We walked through a few library areas, and up a few flights of stairs. As we passed various rooms and areas I was told what or who would be inside, but I wouldn't remember any of the specifics until I had a chance to use the space and explore on my own. What did stick was that most of the classrooms were next to the libraries and the labs were near the offices.

Yamuraiha must have heard our group from down the hall because her head popped out from one of the rooms ahead of us. "What is going on out here??” Then she made eye contact with me. "It's you!!"

That made me smile. I fought back responding 'it's me!' like I would with my friends. "I'm Mori. I'm glad I'm finally getting the chance to meet you, Yamuraiha!” I stopped walking when I got 3 yards/meters away.

She immediately pulled her staff against her chest with both hands. Her shoulders tensed but she had an enthusiastic smile. "The pleasure is all mine!"

Yamuraiha was amazing, smart, and endearing. I really wanted to be friends with her.

I out stretched my hand to shake hers. "I'm really excited to work with you, and learn more about magic even though I'm not a magician."

"The feeling is mutual!” She took my hand more than matching my excitement. And when she released it said, "Since you're here, would you like to see what we've been working on from the scrolls you gave us?"

"Yes please!”

---

The lab she lead us to was a little down the hall. All of my scrolls were spread out on one table and a bunch of notes and different materials were on an other.

Yamuraiha pulled out parchment that had a complicated magic circle written on it. "We can't do much yet, and it still takes a catalyst and many magicians at once to control the amount of magoi safely but our alchemy magic has made a breakthrough from your writing."

She asked a few of the magicians that came with me to join her. They pointed their staffs and wands at the magic cycle. A large crystal in the room started glowing, and the Rukh lit up the space from within the circle. Specks were pulled out of the pile of ingredients nearby -dirt, scraps paper, a small potted plant- and gathered at the center of the circle. The light got too bright for me to look straight at it and when it faded there was a small dark grey cube in the middle of the circle. It looked like a die with no markings.

Yam explained. "After reading about 'atoms' and 'bonds' in your scrolls it was like finding the missing piece. It will still be a long time before we can perfect the process, and we still can't make anything bigger than this yet, but soon we will be able to make anything we want!"

((In the future I intend to: reference more old memes, describe more of my experience with synesthesia, and explain more basic history and science. SO you all have been warned lol))

I had to respond; I couldn't just continue staring in awe. When I tried to answer I ended up gasping since had forgotten to breathe. I chuckled at my own shock as well as the situation. I looked up at them. "You're all amazing to be able to develop this already from the little I wrote!" I looked back at the stone. "I knew I wrote the keys to Yunan's signature alchemy magic in those scrolls, but to think you've already gotten this far with it -its amazing."

With this -when developed farther- we could make certain materials without having to worry about the pollution, and break things down easily so we won't have to worry about garbage piling up everywhere.

"Did you say Yunan? The Magi, Yunan?" Yamuraiha looked at me with wide eyes.

"Yes." It was my turn to explain. "Yunan is able to use alchemy magic like this on a grand scale. In the Fates I read he will have reason to visit Sindria in about 2 years. He creates a cabin and food in the middle of the Palace court yard so he has somewhere comfortable to stay."

The bird in the window ruffled it's feathers.

"Yunan explains the basic concept of how that magic works when asked, and since I know the science of the physical world I know the details to what he was talking about." My smile widened. "I hope my notes were easy to understand. Please let me know if you have any questions."

[lunaathorne]

Dark skinned people are tired of seeing themselves be erased in media. Explicitly, canonically mentioned dark characters are swapped for light skinned ones. Off the top of my head I can think of at least 3 instances at the current moment. 2 of them are from Shadow and Bone Netflix while 1 is from the BBC adaptation of Vikram Seth's A Suitable Boy- the latter was practically revolving around the prejudices against young women of postcolonial India, INCLUDING skin complexion. Lata, the protagonist is constantly criticized for being too dark, from light jibes to downright insults about how her children will be affected. She is compared unfavorably to her "sweet, beautiful, fair complexioned sister" Savita. And then we got the much hyped BBC adaptation, and Lata looks like this:

Uh sorry but this is not dark skinned. Yet this is the version of Lata the world will know. Simply because directors won't make a simple fucking effort.

Never in any of my posts have I said anything disparaging about Sujaya Dasgupta and Kit Young as actors or as "unattractive" people. At most I said they don't look anything like their book counterparts which many people interpreted as an insult. Well it's not. Get some comprehension abilities. Here is how Jesper is described in the book

And Zoya's skin colour is never specified but she is said to be half Suli in King of Scars. Now I know y'all will immediately jump to the conclusion that OMG JES AND ZOYA ARE BIRACIAL THEY CAN BE PALE SKINNED but literally, LITERALLY biracial people can be dark skinned too and the fact that your thinking automatically goes to pale skin by default shows a lot about how the dark skinned (biracial or otherwise) people are sidelined and treated even at the cost of their identities.

Y'all remember Hunger Games?? Katniss, Gale, Haymitch and Rue, who looked like typical inhabitants of their respective districts with OLIVE SKIN OR BROWN SKIN were all played by white actors/ light skinned woc and even Finnick Odair who was "bronze skinned" was played by uh....Sam Claflin. There was some outcry then everybody forgot. Just as everybody will forget that Lata was dark and Jesper and probably Zoya too, if we judge by the official Kevin Wada fanart.

(yes I know she was a retcon. Yes I know Kaya Scodelario, Katie McGrath and Zhenya Katava are the preferred face claims for her)

Does this mean that light skinned POC should never be cast??? NO! But they shouldn't substitute characters explicitly called dark? Because it absolutely nullifies the point of representation. I love the casting of Alina and Nadia. Jessie is a very light skinned part Taiwanese lady who TF cares she is playing ALINA STARKOV, the main lady AND her role isn't robbing a dark skinned actress of a deserved part. Unlike say, Jlaw in THG.

And listen, I'm probably being repetitive but colorism isn't a joke and brushing it away with an insensitive callous remark like "well opinions can differ, I like them anyway" and other such ridiculous statements spoken from a place of complete ignorance can be annoying and condescending. I've had at least 5 people corner me about "being hateful" about the Netflix show. Oh I'm sorry, if I, a dark WOC should be hurt and upset. And oh yeah Sujaya is a Bengali woman like me so no, I don't need to "check myself" while talking about WOC. Enough with this fucking pearl clutching. My main problem isn't with her hair or her eyes (I would have loved to, y'know, see an actual east European actor with wild curly hair or a lady with zoya's famous blue eyes but how many WOC have blue eyes? It's unrealistic for casting anyway) it's that as a Bengali myself I can see she's not nearly as dark skinned as to belong to the same ethnic strain as Inej Ghafa and it reeks suspiciously of the whole All Asians Can Be Divided into Broad Categories Trope.

Microaggressions are real. Colorism is real.

And not everything is a personal attack to you or your fave. If you can't support people who are affected by these, at least, at the very very least, don't tone police us.