#black person of darker complexion… I believe so!

[tariah23]

I didn’t know that they were making a movie/doc on Latasha Harlins…… unfortunately, they have a light bright playing her.

[unorthodoxx-page]

What's up with the whole noble girl thing for April, do the people of the earth kingdom really think she's a noble just because her clothes are well made? Don't they find her features strange? I know there are dark skinned people in the Avatar world, but I don't remember any black people (I haven't seen much of avatar/korra, I could be wrong). Much less in the earth kingdom, which is mostly based in China.

LONG ANSWER BELOW!

Yes, it is her clothes, but it's more like people look at her as a displaced noble. She's also jumping between small towns so the quality of her clothes is completely different from what they're used to seeing.  Clothing is typically a sign of wealth so to them, she looks like a lost or fallen noble.  

Personally, the only thing about her features they might find odd is her hair.  There isn’t anyone with her curl pattern (that I remember) which is why Suki commented on it being odd.  We do see some background Earth Kingdom characters with wider noses and fuller lips so I don’t believe those would stand out to them.

On that same coin, we also see a wide variety of skin complexions throughout the Earth Kingdom, but mainly in their back ground characters.

Now, I’m not saying that the above examples are close to April's skin tone, but I don't think they would consider it strange enough to comment on.  If anything, I would say that some of the other Earth Kingdom natives might assume that she has Fire Nation in her blood.  Simply because of the Fire Nation’s heavy presence (which causes issues in the comics), and because they have shown in the show that the Fire Nation has the capacity for darker skin tones (even though it was one character lol)

Another reason why I didn’t have anyone say anything about it is because I simply did not want to lol.  I didn’t really want to write long passages about people commenting on the darkness of April’s skin.  She gets that enough from rottmnt haters lol.  

All jokes aside, I did not want her section to fixate on her race.  It might be because I’m a black woman myself, but I don’t write race reactions (this is definitely not the best term for it, but it’s the only one that comes to mind) in my personal works or fanfictions.  Especially if I don’t think it would serve the greater narrative of the story.  At most, we’ll see someone describe her complexion in a POV, but that’s about it.

Hope that helps!

[tarotbydelilah444]

💗✨Who is Your Crush + Their Feelings for You ✨

A quick disclaimer before you pick and read your chosen pile. Some of the messages in these piles may be triggering for some, so if it makes you uncomfortable, please find another pac on my page. These messages will be very blunt so if you can’t handle it, look for another pac reading. These readings are for entertainment purposes, so take what resonates to your situation and leave the rest. Hope you enjoy the reading and as always sending you love and light 🤍✨ - Delilah Pile 1 crystal | rhodonite

their physical appearance: this person may like to change their appearance or aesthetic a lot, so they will look different every time you see them. This person could have a medium to darker complexion. They have tattoos that are a symbolism of the changes that they constantly are through. They are very attractive in a dark, mysterious, and alluring way. They have penetrative and seductive eyes regardless if this is the shape of their eyes or the eye color. They will snatch that soul of yours. Your crush could like to wear black and darker colors. They could be into the grunge, bad boy, or stereotypical emo aesthetic/look. This person could also have an intimidating look or aura about them that may intrigue yet scare you a bit. Lastly, they could be tall and have a skinny or husky frame. their personality + interests: this person may seem intimidating on the outside, but don’t be fooled by their outer appearance. This person is really charismatic, charming, extroverted, friendly, and magnetic. This person will eventually show you this side of them as you two grow closer. This person is very ambitious and driven, they have no trouble going after what they want and they could also be a powerful manifester, as they can attract whatever they want without have to do too much. They are very confident and self assured because they know and understand the power they possess. Your crush is very creative and they could have many hobbies hat they dabble in, so they are always busy and entertained. They are very protective and loyal towards their friends and family. This person does not fear much and they aren’t afraid of a challenge or any obstacles.

their feelings for you: this person really likes you and their feelings are really strong for you, if you were unsure or too shy to ask. They visualize a relationship with you, and the future of the connection all of the time. You are this person’s ideal person and they feel like they can trust you and be themselves around you. You make this person very happy and fulfilled. You are the only person they have eyes for and you understand them on an emotional level and your bond will only get stronger. They also believe that you are their soulmate.  how will they treat you, if you and them get in relationship: This person will be very protective over you. They will not stand for anyone trying to harm you or disrespect you in any form. They will stand up for you against anyone that opposes you or the connection. They will honor, love, and respect you above all. They love to cuddle and their love language is physical touch, so be prepare for endless amounts of hugs and kisses. They are serious about you and will not play any games with your heart. This person is truly faithful and very loving. They are very playful, so they will tease you a lot, but in an amusing way. They will also like to provide for you or do things for you whether you ask or not.

channeled messages: 444, January, August, unemployed, new job, summertime, summer romance, summer job, I want to apologize, connect with fire, gentleness, alpha male, husband material, camping, and candle magick

signs: Aries, Leo, Scorpio, Cancer, Pisces, or Sagittarius 

channeled song: Snooze | SZA

Pile 2

crystal | rose quartz

their physical appearance: This person may like to keep their true identity hidden, so they are constantly changing their appearance. They could have gotten work done on their physical appearance to appear differently, or they could wear makeup to hide their insecurities and imperfections. They could wear baggy clothes or wear fake name brand clothing to appear as someone they are not. Looks are deceiving with this individual and they wear different personas to attract people to them. This person could have dark brown to black hair, they have a lighter complexion, they could have a lean body shape, and darker color eyes. This person could also have a beard and they could be older or younger than you. Honestly a very confusing and complex individual.

their personality + interests: This person enjoys the finer things in life and they like money. They could do questionable things for monetary gain (this may only resonate for a few). This person is very focus on their money flow or their business when you meet them. They could be a business man and own their own business. They are very independent and stable. They like to live comfortably and seem to take very good care of themselves by investing in their looks and their assets. This person could like the outdoors or doing activities that can be done in nature (hiking, hunting, golfing, etc). They may also like to spend their money on luxury items or on expensive and lavish vacations, so they could try to appear very bougie and have very refined taste. This person also enjoys sex and pleasure. They could have a reputation for being a player or enjoy living the bachelor lifestyle. This person could also be moody and very secretive. their feelings for: This person feels like they get along with you in terms of intellect. They enjoy and appreciate your intellect and sense of humor. They like how light hearted the connection is, but I feel like they don’t want anything serious with you. They seem to only want to be friends or have a causal relationship, if you are open to it. Their feelings have yet to mature or they are still in the process of wanting to get to know you better before determining if they would like to pursue something with you. This person may not be good at communicating their feelings, so they avoid them to prevent things from getting serious.  how will they treat you, if you get in a relationship: This person would still be weighing their options and playing the field. They would still juggle you and other people, if things became committed. As I stated previously, this person is a player and they have other options waiting for them, if things don’t work out with you. This person will likely keep this hidden from you to avoid conflict and confrontation. They will play lots of mind games with you, if you allow it.

channeled messages: spring time, blocked communication, September, new love, solar plexus chakra, everything is not what it seems, hidden, secrets, deception, lies, false identity, the answer is yes, use your intuition, questioning if there is someone else, friend zone, gaslighting, false image, immaturity, catfishing and online dating 

signs: Aquarius, Libra, Gemini, Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces, Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn

channeled song: Jackie Brown | Brent Faiyaz

Pile 3

crystals | smoky quartz

their physical appearance: This person may have a moody expression on their face when you meet them. They may have going through a life full of trials and tribulations, so they wear their frustrations on their face. They don’t look easily impressed and will keep a poker face. This person could be of black descent. They could wear their hair in braids or locs. They could have recently changed their appearance and they are content with how they appear. This person could be into wearing unconventional or laid back style outfits. They do not take their self too seriously when it comes to their appearance.

their personality + interests: This person prefers things to be balanced in their life. They could have trouble keeping themselves in balance and harmony, but they make the most of what they can and have. This person could also have trouble making decisions, as they tend to make a choice and instantly change it soon after. They have a very accepting attitude towards life. Whatever comes, comes attitude to everything. They are not the type to push or fight for things that requires them to put too much effort or work. Though they are good at handling things under pressure. This person has a dry sense of humor and they are very sarcastic. This person may also like to travel or they tend to move around a lot searching for stability. 

their feelings for you: Your crush’s feelings towards you is very hot and cold. They may like you one minute and may not feel the same the next. They may like to stir up drama with you because they find it entertaining and may like to have the upper hand. This person doesn’t have good intentions towards you and will continue to do and say things that will hurt you. If they told you how they felt about you, it was likely a lie. This person makes a lot of promises that they cannot simply keep or have no intentions of doing right by you or in this connection.

how will treat you, if you get in a relationship: This person would be very selfish and place their needs above yours. They don’t want to put they effort into this connection and they aren’t willing to fight for you, but they don’t want you to leave them behind and find someone else that will give what you truly deserve. There will be a lack of stability in this connection, the more you keep trying to make it work. This person will use and abuse you until you have nothing left.

channeled messages: clear your energy field, cut them off now, karmic soulmate, family issues, new love, bad intentions, angel numbers, abusive, imbalance, you deserve better, transition, and acceptance, you belong to me, nobody else, I am fucked up over this situation/you, using you for sex and personal gain, spiritual and protection 

signs: Virgo, Capricorn, Aquarius, Libra, and Gemini

channeled song: Rolling Stone | Brent Faiyaz

Pile 4

crystal | opalite

their physical appearance : This person is very attractive, a literal heartthrob. They have a nice facial structure. This person is average height and they could have a lean yet muscular body type. They have a great style or they put a lot of effort into their appearance to ensure that they leave a lasting impression. This person may have a tattoo, specifically sleeve tattoo. They could have some facial hair and long lashes. They could have a light complexion with light color eyes. They have red or dark brown/black hair. This person takes good care of their appearance.  their personality + interests: This person like animals or they own a pet of their own. They could also like to swim or enjoy being near large bodies of water. Although your crush is charming, handsome, and truly romantic on the outside, they seem to be a mess in the inside. This person could be paralyze by their own fears and paranoia. They could be dealing with a lot that they aren’t letting on, so if you notice that they have been distanced or not like their normal self, they are currently in a state of torment. This person could worry a lot or they are haunted by past mistakes or traumas in their life. This person has trust issues and may be weary of anyone that tries to get close to them, as they don’t want to get hurt anymore. They could also have abandonment issues that began in their childhood. Deep down, this person is very loving, caring, sensitive, and empathetic, but they have a hard time showing it because they are fearful of being vulnerable and getting hurt again. They could possibly be a chronic over thinker and super empathetic (they are very sensitive to other people’s energies and get overwhelmed quickly.

their feelings for you: This person may not have noticed that you have a crush on them or they have too much on their plate at the moment to even notice or act towards your feelings for them. This person could be hesitant to accept or be disinterested with your offer because they think that you will hurt them or disappoint them in a matter of time like others have in the past. They want to accept your offer, but they are afraid of the outcome, so they are avoiding their feelings and choosing to stay away from love for now.  how they would treat, if you get in a relationship: This person would definitely wife you up or give you something stable in terms of love. You would be the center of this person universe and they would treat like a queen/king. This person would want to marry you, have babies, and build a life with you. They would make you feel secure and happy. In alternative universe, you would complete this person and they will feel loved and secure by your side. They would trust you 1000%. 

channeled messages: December, unemployed, divine masculine, twin flame connection, pregnancy, feeling broken and hopeless, mental health issues, is there someone else, hope, new beginnings, inner peace, too focus on the past, and guarded

signs: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius, Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces 

channeled song: Fuck Love | XXXtentacion ft Trippie Redd

[spinebuster]

hi wrestling gif makers! as a gif maker & poc i've noticed some issues in coloring of certain black wrestlers, especially willow nightingale. though this was an issue that i believed to be solved last year, it seems to be happening again. so i decided to combine my gif making abilities and passiveness and make a little tutorial & re-release my psd used for gifs. hopefully this time, a visual guide will help remind you to not whitewash poc. here goes! gif tutorial here. psd here.

alright, you've made a gif!

maybe your adjustments include a few of these layers?

great! it's bright, it highlights the right colors, you're doing great. next up you'll want to add some vibrancy and pop those colors. i prefer to do this with my color balance. here are the settings for the optional color balance layer in the psd.

now personally? though stoke's complexion looks darker, willow's looks lighter compared to the previous gif. don't worry we fix that in post. but first, the second optional layer and my personal favorite: selective coloring. here are my settings & resulting gif:

why do i do this? because i like the color purple. go wild in the selective color, it's fun. anyway, remember how i mentioned willow's complexion earlier? here's how i fixed it, back in color balance!

and here's the final gif!

if you made it this far, congrats! again my initial gif tutorial is here. and my psd used is linked here. go forth & gif poc confidently & in their skin tone.

[dumbcoffeebee]

drops hcs and runs

Diluc-

Ice burn scars on chest & forearms from the fight when Kae got his vision

Lots of scars. Lots. Blades, bludgeoning dmg, various elements from the Fatui hunt or otherwise

Slight permanent tinge of blue/purple at fingertips from being unacclimated to the Snezhnayan weather the first few months of the Fatui hunt (no pyro vision during that time)

More red to his hair, bit of an orange tinge to the ends (make it look more like fire, basically)

By extension he gets grey hairs every once in a while and nobody really comments on them bc yk its Diluc mans is stressed all the time but he dyes them out/plucks them every time he notices them bc it reminds him of his dad when he started using his delusion too much & it makes him sad :(

Thick eyelashes— not super long but really thick

Freckles!! Lots of them!! Resident pretty boy fr

Calloused hands from claymore

Fire burn scars from not knowing how to infuse weapon w/ fire at first

Hawk talon scars on forearm

TAN. TAN. GIVE THIS MAN A TAN. I BEG.

Has the second of Kae’s earrings hanging next to his vision on his belt (sobbing)

Bro used to have sharp teeth but he grinds tf outta them so he should wear a grind plate thing but he doesn’t bc he’s stubborn

Every time he goes like a madlad, which is all the time but yk, he just,, forgets to shave & so it’s not uncommon to see him with like a family of six worth’s of luggage under his eyes & red stubble (little bit of grey in there?)

Oh my god this man’s eye bags. It’s so hot but oh my god the dark circles too?? Holy shit

Used to wear black pencil liner on his waterline (jk he still does esp when he’s doin the whole darknight hero thing OH MY GOD HE TAKES THE MASK OFF AND HE.. OH MY GOD DRAW THAT DRAW THAT NOW JESUS SHIT)

As much as he runs himself ragged he actually has really high personal maintenance esp hygiene-wise like bfr he’s the no.1 most sought after bachelor in Mondstadt for a reason (and it’s not just bc of his money) & that’s also just bc he was raised by Crepus who I feel like believed that no matter who you were or where you came from, everyone is deserving of respect regardless of anything & first impressions are highly important for people like them (direct descendants of the Ragnvindr clan)

So then Diluc has like an eight step skincare routine that he speedruns & I feel like he takes care of his nails really well for some reason??

Circular reddish scarring on left hand from repeated delusion use, both in Snezhnaya & out of it— it looks like a matrix-style computer virus but in his veins

Kaeya

Lets start w/ the obvious. He says there's nothing wrong with his right eye but I beg to differ there’s a long vertical scar in the middle of his eyelid from Diluc’s weapon grazing it in their fight.

As a result its not that sensitive since it was years ago, almost a decade from my math

One eye is blue like we see yes but i hc that the other is like yellow with the star pupil bc mm khaenriah

Once again freckles

Long ass fingers

Ice burn scars on chest from receiving vision & the shield it created, blasting Diluc away from being able to go in for the strike to his chest he was planning.

Constantly cold. Not really appearance but just general temp he’s always cold

Blisters/callouses on fingertips- partly from the ice, partly from training so vigorously with Diluc in swordsmanship.

Very small star tattoo from Khaenriah on inner left forearm like- the crook of it

Dark blue hair like it’s sapphire dark Albedo describes it as flowing jewels with a streak of starlight through it (the lighter streak in his bangs)

Much darker complexion than is shown in game like i hc that he’s half Khaenriahn (well, all Khaenriahn but yk) and half Sumerian on his mother’s side

Lots of scars like his brother. Not to Diluc’s magnitude, but still a lot nonetheless.

Lots of little scars from different elements w/ close calls from abyss mages, ruin guards, etc.

Yet another thing he picked up from Diluc as a child, has a really good hair care routine

Consistently dry skin & eyes from the ice n shit

Muscle spasms & slight numbness in hands from the cold

His smile is the same as it was when he was a kid— when it’s real, that is

Little bit of a tooth gap in his front middle teeth

There’s a theory bopping around that the Alberich clan messed with Kae’s eye, being able to see through it & considering the symbolism with Khaenriah and eyes it makes a lot of sense, as well as his turning his back on his clan and nation in favor of Mondstadt would make the eyepatch much more of a useful thing beyond appearances, refusing to let whatever higher Abyssal powers get intel on Mondstadt by his doing.

Traveler Lumine-

Constantly getting new scars & bruises (she has a knack for worrying Paimon)

Lets her hair grow out- it reminds her of Aether. (she ends up cutting it short again save for her bangs in an episode, and she says it’s better for fighting that way anyway.)

Lightning scars from anti-raiden shogun training (she still slightly distrusts Yae Miko for that), as well as getting struck down constantly in Inazuma- they’re all over her spine, shoulder blades, neck, hands, legs, everything. She jumps every time lightning cracks in a storm, whipping around as if to lunge at the next thing that moves

Various elemental-caused scarring from mastering different elements- that’s why she prefers Anemo, it does the least long-term damage to her body and it’s easiest for her to control because she’s had it the longest

Oh my god her hands are filled with callouses, they’re so rough yet her touch is so soft girlie is pretty <33

Her hair is consistently knotty and dirty- what can I say, the girl doesn’t get to thoroughly shower much, especially before getting the teapot

Literally every item of clothing she owns is stained. Noelle is her saviour every time she comes back to Mondstadt for insisting on getting the stains out and patching her clothes up for her/redoing Lumi’s shoddy patch jobs— sewing was always Aether’s thing.

This isn’t new for me but she and Aether have matching earrings— his is still black in the Abyss but he never takes it out, the only time he tried he got a gut punch of regret and feeling like he was viscerally betraying some unspoken binding law, and Lumi has never even tried taking it out, always cherishing how it connects her to her brother no matter where he is, changing colors with each nation closer she gets to finding him and bringing him home to her.

May the Seven help the monster that rips it out as she’s fighting. You think you’ve seen Lumine seething with unbridled rage until you saw what happened to every monster in a 700 m radius of her that night. It makes her grinding teeth and piercing stares that could kill look like child’s play in comparison. Tears rivered down her cheeks and sobs wracked her body as she staggered towards the nearest teleport waypoint, seeking out the one statue she finds the most comfort in. Under the tree of Windrise, she places the earring back into the slit where it once hung as Barbatos’s statue seals her wounds and encloses her earring back into place, housing her safely for the night high in the tree, the wind god watching over his warrior.

She handles her injuries well, both physical and mental. It’s only in the teapot, secluded in her room with Paimon and a German shepard from Mondstadt as her only comfort, that she lets her cries rock her to sleep.

Although a nuisance while swimming, she’s always thankful for the white and grey armor she had gotten custom-made after her initiation as honorary knight at the start of her travels.

Every region she’s traveled through, she’s made sure to acquire a signature accessory, displaying them on her dresser in the teapot and wearing them when she misses those in other nations.

Makes it a habit that every first new flower she picks up gets pressed in her adventure journal. Her favorite has always been the windwheel asters.

Lumine is always the one to protect Paimon, so the first time her floating companion throws herself in between her and the enemy, she makes a vow to herself to never let harm come to the best travel guide in all of Teyvat, even if it costs her everything.

Lumi is often off put by quiet things, preferring to let every noise filter through her. As a result, she ends up seeming very aloof and reserved, but she’s really just studying everything she can get her eyes on. She often forgets to even speak, despite being active in conversations with others mentally, and the link between her and Paimon forged after their many travels has allowed for Paimon to be able to speak up for Lumine in most situations, with well-enough accuracy. Paimon uses this to great degree when she can sense Lumine becoming overwhelmed and nonverbal, subbing in for her, as well as for phrases and words Lumine had not yet learnt in the common language of Teyvat at the start of her adventures. While the language barrier is much less of a problem now, Paimon still often speaks up for Lumine when the ladder starts feeling overwhelmed and anxious, something she greatly appreciates.

When Lumine finds it difficult to sleep, she often ends up taking walks around wherever she’s staying, most often the teapot or whatever hotel she can find. She finds the moon and stars calming, knowing every time she lays eyes on Celestia that she and Aether will one day return to those gates and conquer the one who had separated them 500 years ago. She finds comfort in knowing she and her brother can and will be reunited.

Despite “The Traveler” being a well-known enigma across Teyvat, most end up not being able to recognize her on the streets until she eventually ends up saving their country. She wonders what it would be like to be able to live in anonymity for eternity, not having to put everything on the line in trade for simple recognition?

Despite the familiarity of her armor and dress, she often wonders what the fashion of different nations would be like to wear. That is, until she sees the price tag, resolving to save her Mora for better equipment instead.

God I have so many brain melt heartache traveler ideas

Lumine is always gentle with animals out of compassion, but it never occurs to people why she is so ruthlessly efficient with what she dismantles or kills— ever since the incident with Dain in the Chasm, she has vowed to make whatever suffering of Abyss creatures brief, viewing her extermination of camps as early releases from the curse of the Abyss. She couldn’t handle thinking about it any other way. She couldn’t let herself view them as anything more than things to be put out of their misery after learning the truth of their existence.

[linisiane]

The Weird Diversity of Wednesday

While watching Wednesday, my brother and I were disappointed to see the darker skinned characters consistently used as bad guys or jokes!

The mean popular girl, the bully, the shady mayor, the pathetic nerd. It was WEIRD to see a darker skinned character get introduced, predict that they’re gonna be a minor antagonist, and then get proven correct every time. Obviously, that didn’t happen with the white/light-skin characters, who had the options of being bad guys and good guys.

The only exception was Eugene. Instead of being a villain, he got the chance to be the loser character that the show fridged for the latter half of its run time. (Excepting the finale, I presume, but I haven’t seen that episode, yet.) (Also, Deputy Santiago is a black woman who is just a deputy, but she’s also working with Sheriff Galpin, and she’s such a minor a character I forgot she existed. That one depends on your perspective.)

If you couldn’t tell by my “the option of being good guys and bad guys” comment, I don’t actually think dark skinned characters being bad guys is a problem. A person of any race or complexion should have the chance to be a bad guy because villains are fun and allow for complexity. (Also, more importantly, because race doesn’t determine morality.) In fact, I actually really love how the show delved deeper into the minor antagonists.

I love Bianca’s issues with her mother and her siren powers. I appreciate that the popular/beautiful queen bee isn’t a blonde white girl. I love the way the show humanizes the “mean girl” by demonstrating that she has more depth than her mean girl caricature, such as her talking with Wednesday at the dance about struggling with connection or her trying to save Lucas from getting scammed by her mom.

Lucas, similarly, is really fun as a villain. My brother and I got a kick out of how much game this guy had. Almost every girl he shared a screen with had chemistry or a mini-romance subplot with him! Go off, Casanova! I also liked that his reasons for attacking the dance wasn’t just cartoonish bigotry, but a human reaction to Wednesday kinda sorta enacting domestic terrorism at his dad’s ceremony. And it was cool to see him change and grow over the course of the season!

The show almost works! But it doesn’t, and Morticia’s scene with the mayor demonstrates why.

There’s a scene in this show where Morticia Addams, a white woman, tells a black man he has "no idea what it's like not to be believed."

Obviously the show was going for the “me-too” movement, identifying how her background as an outcast and a woman made her more vulnerable to victim blaming and disbelief. But it’s kind of crazy to me that they had her say that to a black man because black men have historically also had issues with being believed due to their marginalized status.

There is something to be said about how being a woman is different from being a man, how women are uniquely ignored, but Morticia, I’m sure the Mayor—as a black man in America—does have at least some awareness of what that’s like. Especially, especially, with the history of white women falsely accusing black men of crimes and getting them lynched or locked up because nobody would believe their word over a white woman’s.

It’s astounding that the show doesn’t address this context, and it makes the scene come off as ignorant. Almost willfully so. In fact, so much of this show felt like the reason they made “outcast” a marginalized social group was so that they could have white people be the victims of oppression with the most screen time on their tv show about marginalization, like they’re appropriating marginalized stories.

And this is consistent. They did this with LGBT+ themes, as well! Enid, a character who has no queer aspects to her character (only shown dating guys, no canon hints about same gender attraction), got an entire subplot about her mom trying to put her into “werewolf conversion therapy,” AND she got an entire scene where she told off her mom while wearing rainbow eyeshadow. Meanwhile, the actual LGBT content of the show consists entirely of two background characters (Eugene’s moms).

It honestly reminded me of the scene in the Vampire Diaries where Caroline, a vampire, gets electric shocks from her human dad, who is trying to use conversion therapy to turn her back into a human. Only, the dad character is ALSO canonically a gay man, for some reason.

Like, what is with this thing of creating fictional marginal statuses as a way to talk about social issues without actually involving said issues (no actual homophobia or colorism). Without actually creating main characters of real life marginalized status (no LGBT main characters). While also having the real life marginalized characters that do exist acting as the oppressors???? (Lucas, the Mayor, Caroline’s dad).

So yeah, the show is really interesting with its diversity. It almost works, as the stories it’s telling are cool and nuanced, but within the context of real life and the casting, the show is tone deaf. Plus, the show being somewhat produced and directed by Tim Burton (a guy who thinks that black characters must justify their blackness to exist in his works, and as a result, his works almost feature white people exclusively) does NOT help.

[mommyofkittens]

A Court of Fallen Heroes: Chapter 6 - Decisions. Part I.

          An arabic quote I read months ago that stick with me so far said: " Some say its painful to forget someone, other say it's painful to wait for someone. But I say, the worst pain comes when you don't know wheather to wait or forget. "

          It made my body tremble with an unsettling feeling of chaos. My life was an untamed, catastrophic tornado since my parents threw me out of their house and suddenly, the situation went from bad to deadly when I got thrown here. It felt like I had a personal vendetta with life and the universal powers that controled us.

          I've been here, with Niven's family, for almost two weeks now, working and trying to be useful. Half of what i promised myself to wait before I find the courage to kill myself. Not much changed, I just grew used to the wound I had in my sould. I had no new horizon, no signs from the deity that brought me here, no shooting star to make a wish upon. Nothing. Only my pathetic body to count on.

          My old lifestyle was just a reminder of what I never cherished when I had the time.

          So I took what I had at this moment, considered the time I had left as well, and made the best of it so far.

          Every morning I woke up around 5 a.m., disturbed by my dreams. The potion Nimue gave me helped me grab with force some shattered pieces of my previous mind. I can remember faces better, my old university and one single name: Nadia. The girl I talked lastly on the phone before I got pushed here.

          Altough the medicine had some good parts, it had repercusions as well. While I gained more knowledge about my past, I forgot other dear to my heart details: my father's eyes, my mother's voice, the smell of my cat's hair.

          There were moments of clearence, when I watched the crystal empire of the skies and a fugitive image of my dad's irises runned through my head. Other times, I listened to Cynthia's soft voice while she hummed a sad rythm, and tears stung my eyes as I recalled my mom. When Misty was around and climbed on my dress to find her spot next to my chest, underneath my clothes so she could get warm, I used to sniff her furr and close my eyes so I can picture Icarus's joyful personality. I grabbed with my nails whatever small detail mended my bloodied heart. 

          But those where passing moments, fast as time itself and they were rare and prone to be forgotten easily.

          Sometimes I even had this feeling that maybe I can't go back because my life there was finished. I had no purpose anymore, nothing to give and nothing to receive. Other times, I hopped I was more useful here, working for money, feeding the animals, helping the people from Thaibar as best as I could.

          But feeding the pigs and cleaning Nimue's desk wasn't something I felt blessed about, either. I wanted more. It was hard to believe that everything was a damn coincidence. I fell into a book, for god's sake, one full of magic, of adventure, of wars and a little romance. I had to do something for this universe.

          I bought some other clothes as well, at Nimue's request to stop looking like a homeless cowgirl, and learned to style my hair in braided buns, so I could hide its colour better from curious eyes. Everyone warned me about my looks several times, and I grew a little conscious about my complexion. Not to mention the three rosy digits, forever imprinted on my cheek. A parting gift from the sly deity that sent me here. Even with several hours of working under the sun, my pale skin refused to get darker and I received only red spots of sunburn. Nimue offered me a potion to darken my wine tinted hair, so I could go unnoticed by the palace servants and mythical creatures who roamed the forests.

          To no avail. The red dye was hardly getting replaced by the jet black one. The change would last until the next time I washed, when my hair would reject the color, bringing back its shiny burgundy. It was like he had a mind of himself. Not to mention the fact that it seemed to grow with the same color, not my natural chocolate brown. So we all grew use to it and I learned to put a handkerchief around it.

          I started to help Cynthia around the farm every morning. Sometimes I cleaned the kitchen, other times we washed clothes by the river and chatted, like mother and daughter. I started to deeply care for her. I felt like she filled a part of my mother's empty space with her peacefull presence. She wasn't her, but it helped me ease my pain, little by little. She taught me some of their traditional dishes: fried venison, lamb soup, pork sauce with mushrooms, bread.

          I even got the courage once and described her the person I was in love with. Of course, masculinizing her, and she laughed at me and advised me on how I shouldn't jump at every flower he brings me. That I should have my nose high and let myself be chased, to test his patience.

          " A man who desires you should leave everything behind and follow you like the light of his eyes. He should kneel only to you, pray to you like you were his saint, his goddess. Never settle for less, or you will have a miserable life ahead. "

          I would listen carefully to her words. I was still a newborn in this world, basically, and I craved every piece of instruction so I can learn to manage. I wasn't going to tell her that I knew everything she told me. I learned enough from my mother's miserable marriage.

          We got along good, but from time to time, a dark cloud covered her eyes and she would watch me and ugly cry, without saying another word. Her face would distort in a silent plea and she would shiver violently, like the cold claws of death sank under her skin, dragging her to the Underworld.

          We were alone when that happened, and I didn't know how to react so I hugged her through her episode and whispered that I will be by her side, no matter what. Cynthia would sob heavily, making my body tremble as well, and she would clutch my arms like she was about to drown in her sorrow. It worked, rarely, but when her mind was too absorbed by her thoughts she whimpered like a baby:

          " I won't be here anymore... You'll have to carry yourself without me. I am so sorry... I beg you... Please give me your forgiveness... "

          " I trust him... That man tied to you by the tongue of Death... Trust him... I promise you... Don't run from him anymore... He is your fire, that man surrounded by darkness... "

          Then her vision would clear and ask me what happened, with no memory of what she said. I never told her either. She seemed quite unstable and I was afraid I'll make her sadder than she already was. So, I always resumed in only cleaning her face from tears with my blouse, smiling as sweetly as I could. I lied to her multiple times, but she disturbed me with her words and I always tried to forget so I could move on with my task: searching for a way home.

          Only I knew what lied in my heart every time I heard that. It made me wonder if my crashing here was actually meant to be. If I had a role. Nobody told me anything, but I never had the courage to ask, either.

          The worst part was that I started to love them, slowly, surely. They all were dear to me and I tried my best to thank their kindness by sharing my hardly earned golden coins, buying dresses and shoes, flowers for Cynthia and even cheap jewelery, like an iron sun I gifted Niven a few days ago.

          Even Shum and I got along. Some days better than others. We wouldn't talk much, but every small conversation was polite and innofensive. He let me take care of the mare, and it was more than enough to burry the hatcher of war. But even with his nice behaviour, I felt him off.

          I was always super sensitive to people's energy, I could feel their emotions, I could read them fast. Back home I used this gift to learn and read tarot cards for me and for my closest people. I felt like my intuition was helping me guide the reading session. It seemed to work.

          Instead, here, my higher self was always alert every time Shum made a move. He seemed to focus all of his attention on me, as if he tried to combust me with his gaze. I often felt his presence close behind me when I went to work. I didn't know what he planned, but I knew it wasn't pretty.

          The horse felt better and better. She could stand on her own and ate more than any other from the stall. Her black hair was always shinny and her growing muscles were visible under her dark skin. I treated her eczema and her external and internal parasites with several creams and herbal remedies. I washed her properly from time to time to keep any mosquitos away from her other healing wounds on her hooves.

          The stallion became sweeter, playful even and when Shum gave me his permission, I went with her on walks around the fields, holding tightly her ropes. She loved to be kissed by the sun, she loved to feel the grass and smell the sprouting linden trees. As time passed, I started to love her like she was my adoptive child. I could always hear her gretting when she saw me opening the door every morning, with a bucket of food for her. The mare would let her massive head down, waiting for me to kiss her nose and brush her long hair. Misty would follow us like a faithful guardian, jumping on the horse's back when mud stained her silver furr on our walks or watching me as I cleaned the mare.

          I usually kept long conversations with them, and when we were alone, several miles away from the farm, I told them all the stories I remembered from my past life. Sometimes I would cry, as I felt the stallion's merciful brown eyes on me, like she could understand me and pitied me for my suffering. The cat would climb onto my lap and catch my tears from my face, silently acknowledging my fears.

          Niven became my sister quite fast. She would gossip about everyone in town, about whatever her family did that annoyed her, about her past boyfriends and how they had no idea to please her. I would cringe and laugh, telling her about the memories I had, adapting them to this world. She was gracious, pure-hearted and such a good soul. Sometimes, her desire to help every lost spirit made me worry for her safety. I became attached to her more than anyone else, loving her like she was my family. I was around her equally as much as I was in Nimue's shop, preparing medicine.

          Once, when I hugged her, I remembered she resembled one of my dearest cousins from my old world. I knew her name on an instant, Claudia. They had the same dark looks and pale skin. I clutched her to my heart even tighter, fealing a piece of relief in my chest.

          I wondered why I still didn't have the courage to ask her about a library, to tell her my story, how I got here. I wanted to know more about the world beyond the ocean, about Prythian, about the seasonal courts and their High Lords. Maybe that way I could figure out the time inside the plot I fell into. But it was never the right moment and I was always so afraid of being rejected.

          Aoife was like the younger sister of Niven and I. We would always meet in Thaibar when I got myself a pause from Nimue and visited her store. We would talk about her family, about how her mother's situation was getting worse. I asked her to bring me to her once, so I can consult her, see if I can give her any medicine without making Aoife pay for anything.

          I knew she lived in a less than modest inn and that she was the only provider. Their living space was tidy and smelled like fresh dandelions, but it could trigger claustrophobia for the ones faint of heart. Even so, there was enough space for a chamber with two beds, the main room was also the kitchen and the place where they would bath. I laid my bag on the rusty table next to the simple clay vase filled with fresh flowers. There were three chairs, covered with a brown sheet so it could cover the cracks. Her windows where half painted with something that looked like glue, a pair of worn out red curtains covering them.

          Her mother's illness, Lydia, was quite advanced. She would be delusional most of the time, talking nonsens and walking naked around the house. When she first saw me, she bowed deeply, her forehead touching the ground and chanted a prayer like an obedient nun.

          It took me by surprise, even if Aoife warned me about what I was about to encounter. I blinked a couple of time, shaking the surprised figure off of my face and I smiled swiftly.

          " Like mother, like daughter. " I complimented, searching her blonde locks and deep blue eyes.

          The girl was a devoted image of her mother. Both small, with a slender figure and elegant features.

          Aoife approved with a tiny gesture, her heart-shaped face holding a sad mine as she watched her mother's sanity drifting between her fingers. After I asked a couple of questions and examined the woman myself, I had a strong feeling she dealt with what I used to call in my old world: schizophrenia.

          I would have said that maybe dementia or alzheimer could be involved as well, but it was not only a short term memory loss. Her odd way of acting, how she saw things, how she spoke to someone who was not in the room, all of these were more common for this type of mentall illness rather than anything else.

          Her mother was not with us anymore. She was lost in her own world and only a miracole could help her.

          " I'm afraid her mentallity is trapped inside it's own. " I explain, taking an elegant shaped bottle from my brown bag, " Pulling her outside of the dimension she made to protect herself might be dangerous for more than one reason. "

          " Can you be more specific? " Aoife pleased, placing her small and slim fingers on the table. " I know she's crazy, if your words are just a sophisticated way of saying it. I need to know if there's something I can do to either ease her pain or heal her. "

          She had been working at her flower shop and cleaned in a hurry when I came. Her wrists and nails were stained with mud and bits of grass and she radiated earthly tones of perfume, mixed with chrysanthemum.

          " I'm afraid she has no sense of pain anymore. " Speaking, I sting her mother's bare foot in several places, watching as her lost expresion never falters. " Her illness might be a protective mechanism against a traumatic event. Did she experince something like that? Do you remember? "

          The woman smiled at us, wide, crystal blue eyes piercing us both, like she saw something floating around. " There is so much gold! I want that in my pockets! Oh and those tongues of Death!... " Lydia rocked her thin body from side to side, laughing like a naughty teenager. Her clothes were disheveled and a few sizes too big for her sudden lost of weight.

          " I have no idea... " Aoife frowned, examining her mother causciously. " She was like this before my father left us. The only people that know are probably Niven's father or Nimue, as she was the one to tend to her. "

          Ah, great, so no one I could ask.

          " Alright, I'll see what I can find out and depending on that... Maybe we can find a way to help her. "

          The blonde laughed soflty, brushing a tear that escaped from her peacefull eyes and embraced me. " That will be wonderfull. Even if you don't find a solution, only the fact that you were willing to help means so much to me. "

          I smiled, holding her shoulders in my hands. A sudden thought passed my mind: I used to hold my lover like this before.

          I broke the hug, like her skin burned my hands and rushed to give her the bottle. " When she starts having her episodes, pour a few drops in a glass, enough to fill the bottom, then water. It will calm her and she'll sleep soundly. "

          " Thank you, again! "

          Something caught our attention outside and we stilled in the position. The noise made by a large crowd seemed to grow bigger and louder as they aproached the door to Aoife's place. It seemed like a revolution started on the streets and they wanted to burn all the houses.

          A few expresions passed our faces as we tried to decide what to do.

          In my humble opinion, I had no idea what a noisy crowd could mean here. In my dimension, this was either a protest or a wedding. Here, maybe someone sold his daughter and was throwing golden coins or someone was getting hanged publicly. Two different ideas I gathered from two different shows: Game of Thrones and Outlander. And francly, both of them had too much sexual assault for me to stomach.

          With a growing fear inside my bones, I tried to decide if I should be the one to check or let Aoife be the bait. I studied her for a few seconds, taking in her tiny silhouette and angelic features, just two of the reasons someone would jump her with no remorse.

          It wouldn't be fair to her. It was her world and I had a dying wish. And between the two of us, I was the one with a scar on my face. I was the one to check.

          I put my index on my lips, gesturing to remain silent and I moved closer to the window curtains.

          Lydia started to clap and laugh. " Mother, please. " Aoife asked, grabbing her from the bed and trying to hide her in another room.

          Peeking slowly over the glue paint, I only saw the streets swallowed by men and women, pleading and cheering. Colors of brown and black blocked my view, like a plague covering Thaibar. It seemed like a funeral. The image of that old man being beaten to death by the guards appeared before my eyes, the hollow and sick looks the people gave him as he drew his last breath before me.

          " I don't think it's safe. " I announce and must the courage to open the creaking door just  enough to throw an eye outside.

          Aoife comes to my side and studies the events from the town.

          " A royal parade? " She questiones, both in awe and horror, pushing past me.

          A royal what?

          Several dark knights walked proudly through the corridor made of people, sharp swords on their backs and the royal emblema shinning on their iron shoulders. They looked terrifying in their black costumes, with their face covered, spreading a smell of death and blood in the air. Some of them had arrows as weapons and I couldn't help but wonder if it was the famous ash wood that poisoned their edge. Their horses seemed as dangerous as they were, with red pupils and dressed in heavy armours. They seemed wild and aggressive, their galop loud and synchronised.

          " I don't think it's wise to get out. " I whisper, trying to grip her arm and pull her back inside

          The same hole digged between my lungs as my fingers roamed in the air, unable to find her in time.

          " Who's that? " Aoife asked again, standing on her toes to see over the peasant's head. " I have never seen him inside the palace. "

          As I stepped next to her, I locked our hands together. Alarmed, I studied the people passing, overwhelmed by the loud shouts and the amount of information coming my way. My intuition told me to run far away from that demonstration of power, but the blondie's feet were deeply rooted inside the earth.

          The first one I saw was the new king. Or at least, the one I suspected to be, thanks to the massive, golden crown engulfing his chestnut locks. His sharp face held a machiavelic expression, filled with victory and superiority. The man's trimmed beard and moustache was perfectly alligned with his high cheeckbones and black eyebrows. I felt like his beauty was speckled by harshly cut features: small eyes, straight eyebrows, angular mouth and a square chin. 

          He didn't wear any armour, only a fine tailored brown and gold suit that matched his tanned complexion. It looked like a cheap version of the High Fae's.

          " Is that the king? " I whisper in Aoife's ear and she approves, ducking her head so she wouldn't be seen by him. Her eyes remained locked on the stranger that followed close behind the crowned man.

          I raised my head and something inside me stirres. Red alarms rang inside my brain while I try to get a grip of my balls before I faint. It was like a deja-vu, eerie and unbelievable. I knew this man or... I felt like I knew him.

          The first thing I noticed over the sea of humans was red, a natural dark red, slightly auburn when the few sun rays hit his hair. It was kept at the back of his neck, leaving the long strands to carress his round shoulders. His face was long and arrogant, slightly ducked, so he could see every dirty peasant who asked for a few coins. Moving slowly, he dug his left hand inside his horse's bag and threw a fistfull of money in the air. His thin eyebrows frowned at the disgusting image of humans searching the mud.

          He was noble as well and the colours of his tailored jacket were more than enough to guess who he was. This, and the grey morality of the character visible even now, by visiting Hybern. Green and orange, embroided with heavy, shinny buttons. He must be Eris Vanserra, the heir of the Autumn Court.

          I swallowed and checked the dark handkerchief around my head. What should I do? He might be my ticket to Prythian, to my possible salvation. But how the fuck would I get close to him with so many guards and the high chances of getting fried by his powers. I wasn't even sure that going to the other continent would help me much, who would listen to me there? What was I even going to say?

          " Hi, I fell from the sky. Please help me get home. "

          It was a possibility though, even if it meant to start over...

          Of course, if I made it alive there, if I convinced Eris, the shadiest motherfucker from the series, with dark morals and high standards. Why wouldn't he make his way with me, trick me, then leave me like trash, nailed to a random tree? He was a Fae, after all, and I've heard enough not to trust him at all.

          But he did make it clear in the series that he tried to help Morrigan by breaking their engagement.

          I pressed a thumb to my temple, and focused on him. He was not a bad man... fae, whatever. Maybe...

          Pull yourself together, you're acting like a child!

          " Lower your heads!  " Nimue materialised from thin air, dragging me and Aoife away from the show.

          " What's the matter? " I asked, almost breaking my legs on the slippery streets.

          " You adore being the center of attention, little demon? " She snickered, pushing us inside her shop. " The man from the Autumn Court eyed you for minutes on end and you didn't even had the shame to avert yours. "

          " I was... No, I didn't realise... " I started to apologise, rubbind my hands.

          " Maybe he was watching me. " Aoife said, gathering her dress and peeking out the window again.

          " No, that gruesome king was watching you. That's even worse. For fuck's sake, stay away from the window! " Nimue screamed, grabbing the girl from her shoulders and pushing her aside. " You wouldn't want their attention drawn to you, trust me, these are fae creatures. They are aggressive and possessive, and really, really powerfull. What bussines do you have with him? "

          Aoife opened her mouth, but quicly closed it, ashamed.

          " Who are they? " I asked, trying to calm my breath.

          " The king's name is Draegan. He is a bastard who crowned himself and his mother after his father died during the war from Pryhtian. "

          " Who killed the last king? "

          This, this was the piece of information I needed to be sure of the timeline.

          " There are three sisters, the youngest one is the first High Lady in history. She reigns with her husband, Rhysand, over the Night Court. The first and second born sisters beheaded the King of Hybern. " Nimue confirmed my suspicions, giving me a solid point of where I was.

          So I fell in the fourth book, or somewhere right after the third.

          " And the redhead? " Aoife pursed her lips, swirling a blonde strand on her finger.

          " He is the oldest son of Beron, the High Lord of the Autumn Court. He is heir to the throne and is very, very unpredictable. " She wiped the concerned look from her face and shushed us.

          There was no doubt of what I had to do next. Risky or not, I had to talk to Niven.

          When the voices of the crowd slowly died, Nimue pulled two black cloacks from her drawers. " Both of you go back to your houses. Don't come outside untill tomorrow. Draegan is mad enough to put spies to follow Aoife if he caught his attention. "

          We circled the working table, filled as always with books and potions, and went to the back door.

          " This will help you leave unnoticed. Take Aoife to the farm. " Nimue commanded, her lilac dress swriling aroung her feet as she hurried us down the dusty path. " We'll meet after the weekend passes... Hopefully. "

          I stared back at the woman, noticing the concerned air surrounding her. A bad taste filled my mouth as grey clouds covered Thaibar, drowning the houses in a darker haze. A growing fear held my breath hostage between my rib cage as I studied the Countess's beautiful features. Deep down, I felt like it was the last time I would see her sour face.

           " Go! " She hissed again, throwing her hands in our direction.

          I bit back my anxiety and made a few steps behind. Our eyes met and in that weird moment, a cryptic thought passed between her mind to mine.

          The iminent sense of danger. 

          I took Aoife by the shoulders and put her head down, just as a shadow moved above the houses. Nimue's lips moved quickly, whispering, then blew the air upon us. I felt my skin tingly, like a thousand bugs crawled and nipped at it underneath my dress.

          " I feel so damn itchy. " Aoife started, scratching her face and neck, " The Countess has lices?! "

          I shake my head and push a finger between my lips, telling her to be quiet. As I moved my hand in front of my vision, I catch a glimpse of my aged, pale skin, covered with patches of darker spots.

          " She glamoured us... " I murmur towards the blonde, feeling the gravity of the world pulling me inside the magma center.

          " She really is a witch. "

          And the magic does exist.

          The child inside me danced with joy at the simple realization. Peeking again over my hood, I saw my master talking to two tall men. The third one was coming after us.

          " Aoife, someone is coming after us. Follow my lead. " I whisper, falsely tripping over the uneven road. " Oh... Haha, silly me, Gertrude... "

          The girl watched me skeptical and I nugged her with my elbow, " Your knees might be better, sister, but I took my father's vigorous genes. "

          Her laugh scratched my ears, sounding like a veritable crow.

          " Ladies. " A rough voice caught us from behind and we slowly turned, putting a hand over my hunched back.

          " Oh, look Gertrude, maybe you won't die an old lady after all. "

          Understanding shines in Aoife's blue eyes, and the satisfaction of the game crosses her now old face. " Shut up, you old hag, you know I've always liked blondes. "

          I could feel the knight's smoldering gaze even through the iron mask he wore over his face. The man was at least two heads taller than Aoife and I, and his oppressive energy was like a knife in the back of my neck. 

          " Ladies... " His voice was tinged with a hint of cunning and brute force, as if he had also trained his vocal cords to resemble his massive body.

          " Miss! " Aoife corrected him, brushing her now white locks with her bony fingers.

          The man looked back, as if he could barely contain his irritation, then turned to us, " Have you seen two young women walking around the village: a blonde, works at the palace and another wearing a blue headscarf? A few peasants said they came to these fields. "

         I can feel the muscles in her face tighten, squeezing my forearm tighter. Her eyebrow twitches, but she manages to keep her innocent appearance.

          " Sir, I can't see with my right eye and, obviously, the left one is crooked and suffers from glaucoma. I'm practically blind, I haven't seen anyone. " I laugh loudly, then suddenly stop, faking a backpain.

          " I can see... I won't keep you from your work, then. " The knight's dumb joke didn't pas unnoticed. As he left, he did not bid us farewell, nor did he look at us a second time and hurried to the witch's hut.

          From the distance, I catch Nimue's lilac eyes staring at me, and a slight warm breeze ruffles her brunette hair.

          We're fine. I try to tell her through telepathy, as if my magic  would just pop out of nowhere.

          " Actually, sir, I think I saw something. " Aoife finds herself speaking and I can barely keep myself from throwing her off the hill, " The blonde is preparing to bury her mother, it seems she died last night. She was going to the forest to collect flowers, but I have never seen the one with the headscarf, can you describe her better? "

          " Unfortunately, all we know is that she always covers her head and wanders around the village. The king thanks you for the information. "

          We both turn to our way and walk slowly to the forest where the parties were organized. When we are surrounded by pairs of tall trees, I pull down my hood and stop Aoife. I didn't even realized that spell had dissipated, so now I could look at the young version of the girl.

          " What was that? " I question, pulling my hand from her wrist, " What was with all those explanations? What if we got caught? "

          Aoife doesn't answer right away, instead she takes a deep breath and tugs a few strands of blonde hair from her head as she combs it with her fingers. She spins around a patch of grass, aggressively trampling over a handful of healthy marigolds, good enough for making tea.

          " Aoife, please stop... " I speak again, much calmer now, and put my hands on her shoulders, turning her face to mine. " I can help you. "

          The girl's physiognomy had completely changed: from hope to sadness, from ecstasy to agony. Tears stood on her lower eyelids, clinging to her blonde eyelashes.

          " I'm pregnant. " Her testimony hangs between the leaves, long enough for me to process the information.

          " With who? " I manage to keep my face solemn, trying hard not to make her go back into her shell.

          She doesn't answer me, but puts her hot hands over my palms and sobs jerkily. I remember our first conversation, in which she acknowledged that working at the palace was not all about cleaning and servitude. 

          " I asked about you because I wanted to know that being seen with me won't put you in any danger. If you change your handkerchief you will be fine, but I... I must either erase my own existence from the earth or someone else will erase it for me. " She puts her hands on her pelvis and falls slightly to her knees. "I'm so sorry, but I can't hold you, you're made with a monster..."

          I wipe a few drops of newly formed sweat and suddenly feel sick. Her child was made with Draegan, hence those languid looks, her searching, her desire to get into someone else's bed to hide whose child it really was.

         " If you're sure that's what you want, I can help you. " I admit as I sit on the ground next to her small body, then cup her face between my dusty fingers. " As long as the pregnancy is not far enough, I can help you get rid of it. "

          My mouth felt bitter talking about an unborn child like that. I didn't know which one was a more appropriate term for abortion: 'to kill him' or 'to get rid of him'. In either case, it sounded as if we were talking about a parasite, not a being in the process of becoming.

          But all these aspects were held by the age of the pregnancy: if it was less than a month or two, we couldn't talk about a life. It was very much an embryo, no heart, no lungs, no first breath, it would have been like any failed pregnancy. But if the child was much older, four, even five months, we were about to kill our first human.

          " A few weeks, three, maybe even four... "

          " Can I take a look? " I ask her cautiously and examine her abdomen as much as possible through the thin dress she was wearing, then feel her belly carefully.

          Everything was imperceptible. I couldn't tell just from a physical exam how advanced the pregnancy was. For a proper determination I had to separate her legs and look with a candle in her vagina in the middle of the forest. It wasn't medically ethical. But, again, nothing in this word was ethical.

        " I'm going to speak to Nimue as soon as possible to give you an abortion medicine. You must remain under her care for a day or two to make sure that the embryo is safely removed and that we can stop any bleeding that may follow. "

          " I can't pay you. All my money went to my mother's treatment. "

          " You don't have to, I have some money. I know Nimue. I'll solve it for you... "

          I bite the inside of my cheek, thinking about the bag of golden coins I'd painstakingly gathered during the weeks I'd worked for Nimue, waiting for me inside the nightstand that was now intended for the few clothes Nivy's mother made for me.

          I always had a little selfishness in me, I hated sharing my material goods and food with my younger cousins. Being the first niece in the family, I had to offer to others, without my will, much more often than I would have liked to. I was often left without the things that I enjoyed or with too little of them to satisfy me. That's how I ended up underappreciating myself and eating much less at our dinners, so that I could leave more to my parents. I thought about how they always worked to maintain our family and how they needed much more strength than me. The same thing occured with my younger cousins. If there were more of us at the table, I would take the wings, to leave the rest of the chicken to them.

          It was a small sacrifice for the things they gave me over the years.

          My father also taught me to save money and to avoid buying too many clothes, books or other things that in his eyes were useless. He gave me a small business from which I made enough money to be able to support myself and not rely on him anymore. It was not always prosperous, it mostly depended on the season, summer and autumn, when wine was made and people needed to preserve it over a longer period of time.

          Of course, other people appeared to whom I would have given my flesh in exchange, but they could only be counted on one hand: my mother, my girlfriend and my cousins from my mother's side. So no, I couldn't say that I would give my skin for my father, even though I knew deep down that he had done so much for me. The emotions that connected us had either rusted with age or dried up and petrified due to the many painful misunderstandings between us.

          " I'll find a way to pay you back. " Aoife sighed, wiping her eyes with the lining of her cloak, " You may think it's horrible that I have to give up the child, but I have no financial situation, nor a good mental state. I can't raise a poor, innocent soul to be happy. "

          " Don't think of me as an executioner. I am not putting a stigma on you and I don't see you differently. As an apprentice in medicine, I appreciate your rational side and I will try to help you as best as I can." I try to calm her down, while brushing her blonde strands that had stuck to her wet cheeks, " If it makes you feel any better, I would've made the same decision as you. You don't want to see your child barefoot like the ones in Thaibar. Let's just hope that he too will understand this when you both reach the skies. "

          From an early age I was taught, or whatever, I taught myself not to show my feelings: not to cry, because I would be weak and annoying, not to be happy, because in the next two seconds my father was going to crush my happiness, not to ask for bicycles, phones, laptops, because I would be constantly yelled at about the sacrifices he made for those money. All I had to do was wear the sickly smile, stuck with force in the middle of my face and a sterile dessert in my soul.

          However, my heart silently ached whenever I was hurt by those around me. Now, hearing such words even about an embryo that was going to be cut off from any chance of becoming a child, it shattered in my chest, throwing its sharp glass into my stomach.

          I place a hand on my own uterus, thinking about my words. I never wished for children. I wanted to live the life I didn't get until I was 23 years old, happy and without worries. I liked saving animals and taking care of them. I loved giving my hard earned money to adoption centers and volunteering there. I loved nature and theater, old music and opera. I could appreciate absolutely any kind of beautiful art and I could be cerebral at the same time. I always fought for what I loved, a living proof was my relationship from my old world.

          Would I be able to fight for a living for my child? Did I knew enough to teach him as well? Where would I get the money to dress him, to buy him something to eat? Could I offer him a roof to protect him from the cold and the rain?

         No. And I think that's what Aoife was thinking now.

          " Come on, get up, clean your face, we have to get to Niven and stay at the farm. " My words pass by her while I try to lift her from her mohammedan position.

          Sobs came uncontrollably from her already dry lips and her hands were shaking. She raises her eyes, now blue as the depths of the sea, and opens her mouth several times, trying to convey something to me.

          " Shh, shh, we'll be fine. I promise. "

          The girl places a hand on her sternum, burying her black fingernails in the white shirt she was wearing. I wrap my arms around her and rock her back and forth, like my mother used to do to calm me down.

          " After I kill my child, I'm going to sneak onto my uncle's ship and go to the continent. " Aoife explained, her voice barely rising through the broken sobs. I remain frozen, with my ears glued to her head. 

          I don't know what shocked me more: the words she chose, the frankness of it or the fact that she had a chance to leave.

          " Where do you want to go? "

          " Far from Prythian, on the northernmost continent, right near the shore where many immigrant ships anchor. There is a place where only women and a few children are allowed to stay. " She watched me with a spark of hope. " Not many people know about this place. It's a refuge for all species of creatures, protected by several layers of spells. Rosehall. "

          Rosehall. Rose-Hall. Another name I had heard of but being such an insignificant detail, I had forgotten about it.

          " You should run away with me. I can feel you don't belong here. "

          A second passes as I stare at her, with my mouth half opened, waiting for her to admit that she knows who I am and how I got here. I slowly roll my eyes around, waiting to see the farmers coming out with pitchforks and hammers from the trees. Not only was I an outsider, but I also had red hair. A flame for moths. And I also admitted that it was okay to want an abortion. Some people would torture you alive just for the last mentioned aspect.

          " What do you mean? " I ask cautiously, raising myself slightly in a more advantageous position for running away.

          " To be honest, I don't know what I wanted to say either. It's just that... " She looks at me carefully, with warmth, as if she knew me for a lifetime, as if she had seen in my soul something that no one has read before. " Don't mention this to anyone, but either I have a vision problem or I inherited it from my mother... I can see colors around people, my mother used to call it an 'aura' and yours is something I've never seen before : a dazzling gold, as if you were the daughter of the Sun incarnated in a mortal form. You are the first and only one so far. "

           I blinked a few times. A lot of compliments in one sentence. They were compliments, right? Golden aura, daughter of the Sun, the only one with such a color. Should I feel special? Because if the answer is yes, then I was definitely totally in the wrong direction. I wanted to make myself small and unimportant, as I was two seconds ago, before she told me what a strange color I have around me. 

          Thinking about it, Lydia did mention something today: enough gold to put in her pockets, tongues of Death. Was this all connected?

          I believed Aoife. I've always had an unbreakable faith in supernatural things, chakras, wicca stuff, crystals, tarot, aura, palm or coffee readings. How many times have I been with my mother to a weird old woman to make us reads in coffee beans. And above all of this: I fell through layers and layers of worlds, piled on top of each other. I could believe anything at this point.

          I was also very sensitive to the energy of the people around me. I could feel them from a kilometer away with what intentions they came towards me, who is bad or good, who is hidden or just introverted. I didn't take it as some superhuman quality, but only as a repercussion of the traumas at home when I learned to recognize the person by the steps and developed my peripheral view.

          " You'll say I'm crazy. " She stated, aware of every expression written on my face. Of course, my eyebrows had risen to the middle of my forehead, but I couldn't control myself. "My mother could see the Shadow People roaming around Thaibar late at night. You've probably heard that you shouldn't go near the forest unless you're in a very large group. It's good that Nimue and Niven's family warned you to cover your hair: these creatures have a weakness for stunning, red-haired women."

          " No, I'm sorry, I take your word for it. I've also seen enough in my life. Thank you for trusting me. " I smile at her and try to pick her up. " Before we leave, can you tell me if you see anything else? You know, in my aura? "

          Aoife seems caught on the wrong foot, but she quickly balances herself and frowns, as if she is trying to move an object with the power of her mind.

          " No. I've tried before, but I keep bumping into something when I want to dig deeper. It feels like you have a shield around you, sometimes they appear like sharp, shadow tongues. They intertwine in a thin thread  with your aura and they go somewhere, but the trail is cut, like it was severed. "

          I nod, half satisfied, half confused. I take her forearm in mine and gently lead her down the treaded path that led to Niven's family farm. The road through the woods was a very devious way to get to their house. It came through the back of the village and led to a large door, hollowed out in the surrounding walls.

          I glance at Aoife out of the corner of my eye, weighing on my tongue the question I've been dying to ask her ever since I heard that her uncle has a ship. This meant two things: if Aoife managed to filter herself in, either she could help me too or women were allowed on board as well. It was my ticket out of Thaibar.

          Of course, I had to think about several things if I wanted to run away with blondie. Well, if she ever let me come with her. Where I was going to go, money, how to reach the characters I knew from the book and how to persuade them into helping me. And all of this only if someone doesn't suddenly decide to kill me in all the other stages. I could get my hands on a map of Prythian. What I couldn't do was get to Velaris, where many of the Inner Circle spent their lives.

          Let's not talk about the fact that sexual assault here was something that occured often inside every court I had to cross to reach the night one. And not only that: it was the killing factor, as I said, thieves, creatures and faes and I had close to zero military training to deal with them. I didn't know how to handle a knife beyond chopping and cutting herbs and meat, I didn't know how to fight with someone. I only knew how to struggle and hope that I manage to do some damage. They had no guns here, just bows or swords or daggers. And on top of that: I had no powers to use.

          It was phenomenal how I had fallen into this universe, survived the crash and received no special power, no unique ability. Nothing. I was just a simple healer.

          The only thing I could use to my advantage, if I was going to travel, was to search through Nimue's manuals and get myself some poisons, sulfuric acid, something that could have resembled firecrackers or bombs, and all this had to be carried in a purse and in sufficiently resistant containers.

          Dear good. How complicated it was to get back to my own shitty life. If I must say one thing: I don't even know why I'm fighting so much to get back. No one was waiting for me except Icarus, and my life was as precarious as here. At least in this world I had something to eat.

          I raise a hand to massage my temples and sigh.

          I didn't know where to start the plan and where to end. My mind was broken. What I needed now was a second opinion: Niven. I was determined, today I have to talk to her, to convince her that I'm not crazy and that neither is she and that  I'm not from this world.

          " Something is bothering you. " Aoife observed, who now seemed a bit more relaxed, " Is it about our discussion earlier? "

          " Not at all. I promised that I would help you and I will do so. It's just..." I grimace, refusing to look at her, focusing my gaze on Niven's house from a few steps away. " If you were to leave, as you said, can I come with you? "

          Aoife measures me from head to toe. Someone calls us from afar.

          " I thought you were happy here. Why would you want to leave? "

          " You were right when you said I'm not from here. I have to find my way back home. " I confess as I stop on my tracks, my black cloak sweeping the ground around me. " I can't stay here forever, I need help and I think I can find it on the continent. "

          " You mean Prythian or the northern continent, right? " Aoife says cautiously, her blonde hair shining brightly in the light.

          I lightly nod my head and see her understanding passing in her eyes. "Something happened here... "

          " Girls, you're on time. Some of the workers from dad's church brought some bags with books they found there. " Niven speaks excitedly, moving her gaze from me to Aoife, who were staring at each other. " Um, since mom has work and Shum is away, I was thinking you could help me organize them and take them back when I'm ready. Did something happen? "

          " I think Cyan has something very important to tell us. "

          I finally look at the most important person in my life for the last few weeks. My savior, who was either going to think I was crazy or kick me out. Sweat was running down her temples and upper lip and the sleeves of her gray shirt were up to her elbows.

          " Niven, it's time to tell you the truth." 

          " You finally found the courage... I have been waiting for you to talk to me. "

P.S.: The chapter is not fully edited. Tomorrow part 2 is up. ❤️

[catherine-sketches]

Since I’m seeing this argument way too much:

SKIN COLOR IS NOT PAINT. IT DOES NOT GET “LIGHTER” THE MORE WHITE IS ADDED.

I have seen SO MANY people saying shit about Daemon and Laena’s girls being of a darker complexion when he is white and she is mixed. People going by this warped logic of “since it was added more white into the family it’s fair to assume that Laena is 50% black and by marrying a white man her kids should look 25% black”

First of all: that’s NOT how genetics work. It’s a gamble. It’s not certain which traits you’re going to have. It’s NOT only a mix of your mom and dad, but also of your grandparents too. In fact you can show traits from as far back as your great grandparents because GUESS WHAT? ITS A GAMBLE! A ACCUMULATIVE GAMBLE!

Do you want a example? My great grandma is white-native South American, she married a black man who had green eyes. My grandma, as a result, is black-native South American (she has both a lighter complexion but still black with the almond shaped eyes of the Tupi tribe). My grandma married my grandpa, a black man. They had four children.

My mom (black woman with a more white shaped nose), my aunt (a white woman with body proportions commonly found in black women), my uncle (white man with almond eyes) and my other uncle (black man who is the spitting image of my grandpa only taller and skinnier)

And them there is me. Daughter of a white man and a black woman. I have almond eyes like my uncle and my great grandma, tall like all the woman on my mom’s family, the lips and hips of my mom, a slightly darker skin tone of my dad (meaning I look like a slightly tan lady), who I also share a face structure with.

None of us got great grandpa’s green eyes.

ITS. A. GAMBLE.

Second of all: do you guys know how racist you sound? Like, this is a legit question because sometimes you are force feed some believes that you don’t even question in deep (you don’t even NOTICE them to question them in deep) but to say things like that is to imply that white is the default and that by adding a white person to a family of color the result should be the LESSENING of non white traits. And that’s not what happens.

This has been my P.S.A/ rant. Have a good night.

[progenytm]

LADY YUE MIDVINTA ; the PRIESTESS of BELSE.

— - IT SEEMS SO LONG AGO HOW YOUNG WE WERE.

hey, listen! did you see YUE MIDVINTA ?i heard the  HUMAN  has been in vokania for HER ENTIRE LIFE. the PRIESTESS hails from BELSEand is known to be HUMBLE and PIOUS. word has it that they can also be QUIET and RESENTFUL. with their ability of  OMNILINGUALISM, i’d be a little scared to get on their bad side.their loyalties lie with THE DEMON LORD, but you didn’t hear all of that from me. they’re often associated with  DARK EYES RIMMED WITH DARKER CIRCLES, WISHING YOU COULD BE AS GOOD AS THEY BELIEVE YOU TO BE, BLUE WILDFIRE RAGING IN YOUR RIBCAGE, RESENTING THE LEGACY YOU INHERIT, IN WHICH THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT IS THICKER THAN THE WATER OF THE WOMB. only time will tell what fate has in store for them.

full name: yue midvinta nickname: n/a age: twenty-six species: human gender + pronouns: cisfemale + she/her sexuality: bisexual marital status: unmarried, unbetrothed kingdom + allegiance: belse, of the demon lord inspiration: luke castellan, huntsgirl

height: 5'6" build: lithe and slender hair: black , in competition with a heavy blot of ink on paper eyes: lifted , fox-like eyes complexion: glowing and sun-kissed

i. the story does not begin with yue. rather, it begins centuries ago with lavinia. lavinia, who along with her kin, lay down her life to put down the dark king. kind, and loving, and leaving behind the mortal family she cultivates. there is no darkness to this story, simply the light and love left behind by the deified lamb.

ii. the fall begins slowly, the first stain being of her youth. little yue midvinta is born into a house of love. a young lady of a noble house, a daughter to mother the little ones. although loving, the expectation to love her siblings to the point of parenthood is pushed unto her by hers. she grows swiftly into her long limbs, grace seeping into her bones. her bespoke beauty, although well-praised, felt thinned. there is no grand tragedy to begin the downfall of the champion's blood — simply small tragedies that make the path for the poor girl whose ichor blood drips into the darkness.

iii. she chooses to follow the path laid out in the blood: to become a priestess of the champions. the descendant of godhood tending to the the flame of lavinia, no identity beyond subservience. it is all that yue knows. her resentment begins to fester, like an infected wound as she follows the ancient steps of the women before her. the descent of the house of lavinia is marked in blood — to be tainted by the decay of the demon king. the corruption begins as a whisper in the darkness with a tongue so ancient, it is a miracle  she is gifted with the power to hear it. she’s covered in it now, poisoned by the darkness of the king of demons.  

iv. in terms of yue's personality, she presents as a very poised person. she's an austere kind of person, solemn and very serious about her position and job. but she's quiet, her passiveness giving way to rooting resentment. she's judgemental, analyzing others from her pedestal as an esteemed priestess who hails from a ruling famiy. thinking that she's a victim of her own circumstance, caught in this dichotomy of reaping what she's sown but believing she never had a choice.

tldr ; corruption kink

[ranger-rai]

Cold Eyes,Warm Food pt.1

Jubilife City has been known as one of the “Must see locations” in the Sinnoh Region. Known for being the largest city, as well as the communication hub for the region, there are many well-known shops, restaurants, and cafes

Many of these shops have been around for years, some are very popular chains while the handful of local eateries has become staples of the area, prompting people from all over to come and try their confections, and many leave positive reviews and feedback.

Today was not looking like one of those days…

“Whatzit been, an hour? All we ordered were a couple of drinks!” A woman around her mid-twenties called out. She was visibly unsatisfied as she rocked back in her chair, looking around for a server, brushing some of her maroon hair that fell into her face from the constant whipping around her neck.

Her darker complexion and prominent accent let everyone know that she definitely was not from Sinnoh.

“I can’t believe this. We've been ‘ere for over an hour, waitr’ took our orders and completely vanished. Wer’e the only ones ere’!” Her hands were doing just as much talking as she complained to the other two women at the table.

“I’m sure they are working hard on our orders. Perhaps you should do some of those breathing exercises to help ease your nerves, Vea.” A woman of a much bulkier build responded in a very calming voice. Her hair was a dark brunette, and her body was much more built than the other two, giving off the impression that she lifted weights, but her personality would assure you that she didn't.

Aside from her physical build, her eyes were one of her most discerning features as they resembled those of a Skitty.

The maroon-haired woman, known as Vea, took a deep breath but clearly not enjoying it as her foot tapped rapidly due to her impatience.

“Hello ladies, I have your drinks.” A male voice called out as he arrived at their table with three identical drinks on his tray.

“‘Bout time!” Vea released her breath in a not-so-subtle offhand.

“Yay!”

The three women watched in anticipation as their drinks were set on the table one by one, only for their faces to drop from excitement to a mix of confusion and anger.

“Oi. Whas’ this?” Vea questioned as she pointed to the basic cup of coffee in front of her.

“That's called COFF-EEEE.” The server responded back quite sarcastically, chuckling a little to himself.

“I can see it coffee smart-ass, but why is it in fron’ of me? S’not what I ordered.”

“Um, I hate to be a bother, but I actually didn't order this either.” The muscular woman chimed in as she held up her similar cup.

“No, that's totally what you ordered.” The server responded confidently as he fished a crumpled-up piece of paper from his pocket.

“See I was right. A Light Roast Motostoke Blend for…Vee-a?” He really seemed to struggle with the pronunciation of a three-letter name.

“It's Vea.”

“Right. We also have a Black Razz Tea for…Ko-Nay-Nee?”

“Oh um, it's pronounced Konani.” The muscular woman responded in a polite but corrective manner, something she was used to doing.

“Yeah, alright.” The server completely dismissed,

“And for the lovely lady, a simple chai with fresh Moo Moo Milk Cream.” The waiter over-emphasized the order, taking extra care to make sure her order was actually correct.

The woman he was addressing had already begun to take a long, almost elegant sip of her tea. Her long, two-toned, plum-colored hair seemed to shine in the dim light of the café. Her skin was much fairer than her companions, with the warmth of the tea bringing out just enough red in her nose and cheeks.

“I knew someone at this table appreciated finely crafted beverages. In fact, my shift ends in fifteen minutes, and I would love to take you to this little pastry place that my friend owns-”

The waiter had completely switched from a semi-professional tone to a very unwarranted flirtatious tone. He had completely ignored Vea and Konani for their third friend, who hadn't even looked up while sipping her drink.

His proposal of pastries was cut short as she placed the cup down with a polite but forceful motion.

The waiter watched as the slender, plum-haired woman arose from her seat and above his head. Although her stature appeared much more refined, her height put her above his eye level.

The waiter raised his eyes before freezing when his gaze met hers. He began to feel an overwhelming presence. Her eyes were intense as though she was a Garchomp preparing to slaughter its prey.

“Absolutely. Disgusting.” She stated as she pointed to the waiter before walking out of the café.

The waiter stood there stunned like a Deerling in headlights. A comment like that wouldn't mean much normally, but that woman…her presence was both captivating and scary at the same time that it caused her words to cut deep.

“Welp,” Vea uttered as she stood up and clapped her hands together.

“Congrats mate, your soul was just judged by the Ice Queen.”

Vea smirked as she walked away, following her intimidating friend out of the café.

“Maybe next time you could focus on the drinks.”

As the well-built member of the trio stood up, she handed the waiter a couple of bills before following her friends.

—--------

“That was a total waste of time!”

“Well, the tea wasn't terrible.”

“But the service was. I was bout’ to deck the creep right in the nose, but I think he got sumthin even worse.”

Vea and Konani conversed as they approached the street curb where their friend waited, looking down at her phone.

“Isn't that right, Tia?” Vea called out to the tall woman as she provided her with a pat on the back.

The tall, slender woman stumbled a little from the force of her friend's gesture. Giving a silent nod as she looked down at her phone.

“I did not enjoy it…” Her voice was soft but strong, but her tone at the moment was uncaring as she seemed preoccupied with something.

“See, she gets it! Well, if we’re gonna be stuck here until our deal’s been struck, we might as well see more of this region. Nev’r know if we're gonna be shipped off somewhere else. It's not like there’s much to see, though.” Vea commented with a smirk.

“I’d love to see Floroma Town. There are some beautiful flowers that are native here, and I’d love to send some seeds back home.” Konani chimed in.

“C’mon Nani, the flowers s’not going anywhere. Let’s go underground, I wanna build a secret base!”

“Tia you’re the tiebreaker. Which ere’ we gonna do next?” Vea directed the dilemma onto their plum-hared friend.

She stood there waiting, not interacting or even looking at her friends. Her staring into the distance gave her the appearance of a statue.

“Oi, what's gotten into you then?” Vea questioned, her tone coming off as annoyed, but she was genuinely concerned by her actions.

*Grruugglllll*

A loud rumble could be heard coming from Tia’s stomach that would have been mistaken for an angry Growlithe.

“Sounds like someone’s hungry.” Konani chuckled at the unappealing sound that just came from their friend, which was followed by some crimson on her cheeks.

“If ere’s one thing Tia gets serious about, it's food. haha!” Vea and Konani joked with their serious-eyed friend, who let out a light chuckle while they all simply waited.

Tia’s chuckling came to an abrupt halt as she felt something tapping at her leg, prompting her to shoot a fierce look toward the source.

Looking down, she met her gaze with some much smaller girls. Her expression gave off the impression of an intense creature staring down its prey. However, she simply was surprised by the sudden contact.

“Er...How can we help you?” Konani crouched down to meet the children closer to their level. Out of the three of them, she was the best at communicating with children.

“C-can we take a picture?” One of the little girls asked, holding up a phone while another held a piece of paper and a pen.

The children seemed scared, embarrassed and determined to get these girls' attention, however, they found it hard to look any of them in the eyes, which was a shame as they would have seen the huge smiles growing on their faces.

“Oi, course we're’ gonna take pics wit’ you!” The maroon-haired woman cheered as she crouched down as well, gaining a big smile from the children.

After a few moments of photos, autographs, and light conversations, a car pulled up to the curb where the three ladies had been waiting.

“Sorry, but it looks like our ride is here.” Konani sighed to the children.

A collective groan was given by the children as they waved goodbye to the trio of women, getting smiles from everyone, including the hard-to-read “Ice Queen” Tia.

As the trio crammed into the car, they watched as the children continued to wave them off, many of whom were wishing them luck.

“See, we do have fans!” Konani stated as a matter of factly, giving Vea a light punch in the arm.

“Yeah, I know. Try telling that to our manager.”

*Ring-Ring-Ring. Phone Call, Phone Call!*

*Ring-Ring-Ring. Phone Call, Phone Call!*

The attention of the ladies was drawn towards Tea, who had been holding onto her phone as tightly as a Crabby using Vice Grip. The loud ringtone caught her off guard, causing a very comedic fumble from the driver's perspective. Thankfully, Vea was rapid on the recovery.

“Oh, would ya lookit that,” Vea commented as she answered the phone.

“Oi Chuck! Let us hear sumthin good!” She called out much louder than someone in a small vehicle should need to.

“Uhhh…The weather’s pretty nice today…” the male voice said weakly over the phone, seemingly unable to find a much better topic.

There was a slight silence as the trio looked out their windows to see that the weather was pretty nice now that they had stopped to notice it.

“Oh, it is quite nice out!” Konani commented.

“I know ya didn't just call to talk bout’ the weather Chuck. Tell us, did we get it? Are we sponsored?”

“…I’m sorry…”

“Aggghhhh! Come on!”

“I know, I know this isn't the news any of us wanted. I’m-I’m sorry ladies, it's difficult to get anywhere when you're unestablished…”

“But people like us, in fact, we just met some adorable fans a few minutes ago.” Konani chimed in.

“That’s great, but fans aren't the ones who pay for all of the travel expenses. Not unless we get more merch sales anyway.”

“C’mon Chuck, there’s gotta be sumthin’ that ya can do.”

“Well…that's the main reason I’m calling…”

The tone in Chuck’s voice somehow got even more distant and worried than when the call first began.

The mood in the car was definitely shaping into a tense one.

“Listen, I really like working for you three b-but it's been taking much longer to get you all established with a sponsor and well…I miss my family…”

The tone has officially changed from tense to melancholy.

“This job keeps me moving a lot, and for long stretches. My little girl is getting close to going on her first journey and she’s having trouble deciding on a starter, I really want to be there for her… I was also offered a job back home in Hoenn…managing another team…”

Chuck really felt those last words sting coming out of his mouth, and it was super effective against the trio as the car grew silent for a moment.

Chuck sat on his hotel bed, bags packed, and ticket clenched in his hand. He knew these girls needed help, but he couldn't offer it any longer.

“Er…M-maybe I could-”

“It's alright.” A soft voice spoke over the phone, cutting Chuck off. He was surprised as he had never had a direct conversation with her before.

“We will be okay.” Tia had taken her phone back, speaking for her and her team.

Chuck was gripping his phone a lot tighter. He wanted to offer some kind of advice or solution, but he really had nothing to offer these three women.

“Good luck. I’m rooting for you three.” His voice clearly showed a tone of remorse due to his inability to help them reach their goals.

“You too.” Tia Replied.

“Oh! Before I forget, I’ll send the remaining travel savings into your account, but it won't be a lot. Will you three be alright?”

“Yea. We’ll be alright. As soon as we figure out where Tia is taking us.” Vea responded as she looked out the window to notice the once concrete laid path they were on had become a bit more dirt road, and there were much more trees than they recalled.

“Where exactly are we going, Tia?” Konani questioned as well, becoming a bit worried as they began approaching the famous mountain of Sinnoh.

As they drove down a road, bringing them quite close to the base of the mountain, a small building came into view. It resembled a restaurant.

“We are getting something to eat.”

[alsjeblieft-zeg]

082 of 2023

Are astrological signs at all important in a match?

No, it’s all bullshit to me.

Would you strongly prefer to go out with someone of your own skin color and/or racial background?

No. Both of my exes happen to be white, and so is my husband (although he looks quite ‘southern’, if you know what I mean; dark eyes, dark hair and darker complexion), but I don’t think I’d ditch someone just because of their skin colour. Everyone can be beautiful and I found many black and Asian people aesthetically pleasing.

Say you’ve started seeing someone you really like. As far as you’re concerned, how long will it take before you have sex?

Years. I’m not into this whole sex thing. If I decide to do it, it will be only to please them.

What’s the most exciting thing about getting to know someone new?

Curiosity about what they’re like, what they like, all that.

Is jealousy healthy in a relationship?

To an extent, I think. Overly jealous = toxic and overpowering.

What’s your relationship with marijuana?

I’m not against it.

In a certain light, wouldn’t nuclear war be exciting?

No. It’s fucking dangerous. I’m very interested in ionising radiation, so I know what would be the potential consequences.

How do you feel about the word “queer”?

I’m not bothered. Call yourself anything you want, it’s your choice.

Are you either vegetarian or vegan?

As close to vegetarian as possible. I still allow chicken and fish in my diet, but I try to avoid red meat because I don’t like it.

How do you feel about vegetarianism and what are your views on veganism?

Both are okay, but I’m not fond of extremists who try to force their beliefs on others. You’re vegan, fine. But don’t look down on people who are not.

Should evolution and creationism be taught side-by-side in school?

Yeah, so then children can see the difference and later decide which they believe in.

For you personally, is abortion an option in case of an accidental pregnancy?

I don’t want to speak up about it. First of all, it’s irrelevant to me because I’m a man. Second, it’s your decision because if there are consequences, you will be the one who bears them, not anyone else. So in my book, do whatever the hell you want and what you feel is the best for you. Nobody’s gonna experience it for you anyway.

Once you’re intimate, how often would you and your significant other have sex?

Ideally, never. But in reality, he does need sex sometimes, but I try to keep it at an absolute minimum, because I’m not into sex.

How often are you open with your feelings?

Very rarely. I don’t know how to talk about them.

Could you date someone who was really quiet?

Sure. My husband is not much of a talker, neither am I, and we get along perfectly.

Is it a requirement that you communicate every day with your significant other?

Well, we live together, so it can’t be avoided. :P In any case, I think leaving some space is healthier than being too clingy.

Are you fetish-friendly?

No, I’m fetish-indifferent. Do whatever you like, just not with me please.

Straight women who kiss or fondle each other in clubs in the hopes of attracting men are…?

Not interesting to me, but I’m gay anyway, so.

Which is worse: starving children or abused animals?

What about abused children? All of these are horrible. There’s no better or worse.

Do you look better dressed or naked?

Dressed, hands down. There aren’t so many people who are fond of dudes whose bones stick out.

How do you feel about foreskins?

Better with than without. Also on myself.

Is there at least one nude photo of you on the net?

I don’t think so. I’ve never sent nor posted anything like that anywhere.

Have you ever cosplayed?

No, never. I’m not really interested in it.

Is it wrong to sleep in a bed and/or cuddle with a friend of the sex(es) you’re attracted to when you’re in an exclusive relationship with someone else?

As long as you don’t do sexual things together, I don’t see a problem.

If you had your own private hot tub, would you go nude in it?

Most likely. If it’s private, then it’s private, what else is there to say.

Is it wrong to cultivate or manufacture illegal drugs?

Well, they’re illegal for a reason.

How do you feel about government-subsidized food programs?

Depends on the government. Every country does it differently, I guess.

Do you believe that heterosexual pornography is degrading to women?

Many of them decide to enter the industry and they know what they’re doing. If someone is forced to do it, then it’s degrading for sure.

Do you support the exploration of outer space and if yes, would you consider taking a trip into space, or even to another planet?

Sure, it’s just natural to be curious. But I doubt I’d ever go to space. I find it kinda scary.

Could you have respect for someone after having sex with them on the first meeting or date?

My relationship started off as friendships, and in such case I don’t see any problem with sex on a first date because you already know each other pretty well. Speaking of that, I definitely wouldn’t lose my respect.

Is it okay for men to wear makeup, and what’s your opinion of male cross-dressers?

"Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression". It’s a quote from a song and I live by it. Let people be who they want to be.

In terms of sex, how experienced would your ideal mate be with people other than you?

I couldn’t care less.

Do you often find yourself worrying about things that you have no control over?

All the time. My anxiety is bad.

Do you spend more money on clothes or food?

Still food, but only because there’s three of us, plus two cats.

Is a girl who’s slept with 100 guys a bad person, and is a guy who’s slept with 100 girls a bad person?

If you have a good personality, it doesn’t matter how many people you sleep with. As long as you don’t hurt people with it.

You’re in a new relationship and your partner admits that they have had 14 sexual partners; does that sound like a lot to you?

It does, but only because I’m not sexual. On long term, it doesn’t really matter, but I’d be a bit afraid of being pushed to be another one.

Do you feel like you’re still hurting from something that happened to you a long time ago?

Yeah, scars from sexual abuse never really heal.

Do you attempt to conserve water, energy or other resources during your everyday life?

I don’t have to worry about it as a person with disability.

When chatting with a potential friend or significant other online, is use of proper grammar and spelling important to you?

I don’t believe in online relationships.

Would you let your children under 13 watch movies with full nudity?

No children for me, thanks.

If someone asked you, “What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done?”, would you know the answer right away?

No. It doesn’t mean I’ve never done anything bad. It means there was a bit of it and I wouldn’t know what to choose.

Once you take a moral position, can anything be said or done to change your mind?

I don’t think so. I always try to see from both perspectives anyway.

Will you teach your children to believe in Santa?

No children. Not at all.

Outside of work and school, how inclined are you to investigate something that interests you?

Very much so. I’m really dedicated to my interests.

If a blind date used a coupon while paying for dinner, how would you feel?

I wouldn’t even go on a blind date. I don’t see the point.

What’s your opinion concerning strip clubs?

To each their own. Not for me, though.

Imagine that you’re given $1,000,000 and told you must give it to one of the following political causes. Where do you donate the money: right to free speech, right to bear arms, pro-choice causes or anti-abortion causes?

Right to free speech, but none of these is 100% appealing to me.

Could you be in a relationship with someone who had been previously sexually abused?

Sure. I’m that person as well. And even outside that, I’ve never been into sex. I don’t need it in my life and certainly I would understand the pain of my partner, speking from my own experience.

Under the right circumstances, would you allow a partner to lick your anus?

Ew. Ass is for shitting, change my mind.

Is there any aspect of your sexuality that you would be too embarrassed to ever share with a match?

What match? I don’t use dating apps.

Have your sexual interests become kinkier as you’ve grown older?

No. I’ve never had sexual inerests.

[daejunay]

Bleaching soap 

The ad seen above is made by Pears, a company concentrating on producing soaps. The ad was created in 1884. They advertised a strong soap that removed dirt, lightened the complexion while also leaving you fresh.  

There is a white child shown in the image with a black child on the left side of the first circle. The white child is shown giving a bar of Pears’ soap to the other child in the bath. On the right side, we see that the child uses the soap and comes out of the bathtub white. The designer made it important to display them as separate races, one white while the other black. In this manner, they sold the product as a heavy-duty soap that can remove a lot of dirt. This is especially relevant considering back then, black people were seen as dirty, it was believed that one of the reasons they were black was because they did not shower. When we look at the advertisement, our eyes go from left to right. The advertiser was trying to display the before and after of using the soap, the benefits. They also created an emphasis on the left by leaving the black person’s face intact as the original color but then transformed the rest of the body white.  

The message of the whole ad is that it helps your complexion and removes dirt. The objective part is that the soap does complete its purpose. The soap does leave a good scent after use. It also contains heavy chemicals that reduce the production of one's melanin, the pigment responsible for skin color. So, the less melanin one produces, the lighter one's skin becomes. As for the subjective, we get a look at how they perceived people of color that they were dirty, and they did not shower. I understand the message of the ad, which is what the product offers, the prospect of what the soap does, so I hold a very dominant position in that way. The product was proven to work as it was advertised. The ad’s whole point is about the function of the product which I cannot debate, so the product’s function is factual. However, just because the advertisement is regarded as denotative doesn’t mean that there is no connotative element to it which in this case is the perception of black people. 

The ad more than well communicated its purpose. Even from the image alone we understand what they are selling and the ‘benefits’ of the product are. It is specifically targeted towards artisans and people of color. I personally feel very neutral about this, this didn’t surprise me considering that this issue is still prevalent. Within the black community, we still have colorist ideals that stem from ads like these and the belief that the color of our skin is not desirable or the ‘right way’ to be. The darker you are, the less attractive you are, and often we ridicule each other for our skin color. I remember back in my country that a lot of people bleached their skin and even people I knew were doing it. It’s really sad to see. 

525 words

[elonasblog]

You saw a black man in your dream

Carl Jung in his book "Man and His Images accepted that we as a whole long for impressions of others.

He believed that it didn't make any difference assuming our skin variety in the fantasy. Regardless of whether our skin was green, red, orange or even dark. So what's the significance here in the event that you long for an individual with brown or dark skin? It is truly about culture. We shouldn't section on the planet in light of our complexion - we are no different either way within. To acquire an outline of what the fantasy of variety implies we want to take a gander at it from a profound setting as well as from old dream books.

You saw a black man in your dream

This fantasy frequently seems while you're hoping to grow your group of friends. It may be the case that you have some innovative ability and acting would be a reasonable outlet, the individual of color is an imagery of self-articulation however could likewise connect with somebody you know.

What is the general importance of a person of color in a fantasy?

To completely answer this fantasy meaning, I will be taking the significance of a man. As complexion has no respects to the fantasy meaning. To dream of a man: this fantasy is related with tolerating what is happening. The fantasy can likewise affect what race you are. To dream of a person of color when you are either Asian or white addresses no distinction to longing for somebody who is another variety.

The subtleties are similarly significant in that is the fantasy either certain or negative? This will assist with interpretting the actual fantasy. An individual of color highlighted in a fantasy could be your very own subliminal impression wants and abilities. It can show that you don't look for the endorsement of social orders.

You want to go in yourself and confine yourself away from others. A man showing any sort of brutality in your fantasy demonstrates your own absence of fearlessness. Maybe you like to stay standoffish from every one of the exercises and hardships in cognizant existence. In the event that the person of color in your fantasy embraces you, this can represent your own attributes. Maybe you need to cherish yourself more? As we have proactively finished up the person of color could simply be your very own emblematic indication internal identity. To see a man shooting, for instance, group fighting in a fantasy shows that there is a propensity that you find it challenging to shape articulation for your actual longings. It can likewise recommend total dependence on otherworldly commitment or on another. To converse with a person of color in the fantasy shows that you are searching for shrewdness. You are continually enticed with unscrupulousness throughout everyday life and the man showing up in your fantasy demonstrates that you should be more keen about how you approach matters.

Moving quickly on, on the off chance that you, in actuality, are darker looking (like me) the fantasy is most certainly your very own impression inward sentiments. It means quite a bit to check out at pieces of information inside the fantasy. On the off chance that you engage in sexual relations with a man it shows that there will be close to home issues from now on.

In the event that your fantasy was positive in nature, this is your very own impression close to home convictions. In the event that the person of color in your fantasy offered you guidance, this show others need to stand by listening to what you say. On the off chance that the person of color in the fantasy is African-American, this shows you are feeling pressures throughout everyday life. Assuming you, at the end of the day, are a person of color in the fantasy that you are not so in cognizant existence then this fantasy demonstrates that you are attempting to be someone else.

[desiree-sharim]

Themes in Pumzi

Asha, the main character in Pumzi, is a woman with dark skin. Almost all of the characters in Pumzi have a dark complexion, with the exception of one. This one person with light skin works as a janitor. This is really ironic to me because it normally goes the other way. Darker-colored people now hold greater influence in our society as compared to lighter-skinned people. My thoughts on this is that it is so amazing to see a film like this after seeing so many stereotypical films and works of darker-skinned people being the bad people. It shouldn’t be ironic or surprising to be seen in a film. I think that there should be more films like this to normalize this and get rid of the stereotype. 

In Pumzi, feminism is a major theme. There is a change in the balance of power, where women are more frequently represented on the council and are therefore the most influential individuals. And although men have more muscle than women, women are just as powerful in other ways. An example of this is Asha being ejected from the natural history museum where she works by males, not by women. In terms of the power structure that is depicted in Pumzi, there is feminism and also a slight role reversal. This way a very eye-opening and important theme in Pumzi. I like that women are represented as having more power in the film because it’s the reality and the saying that men have more power than women is completely false. 

When the muscle moves in to remove Asha from the Natural History Museum, which is greatly interested in her, it is one of the most agonizing scenes in this short film. She is employed there. There is this nonchalantly destroying and toppling of objects. This illustrates how the characters in this movie generally dismiss the value of history. About our society, this filmmaker is making a message. When history actually teaches us that ignorance of our past is what poses the greatest threat. 

The concept of self-sacrifice in Pumzi is the most distressing. It is so heartbreaking when women give up their lives for the benefit of society. Living in this world might often grow a little tiresome. When you believe that anyone, including black women, must give up themselves for the benefit of society. Nobody else is paying attention, and nobody else will take action. A lot of pressure is placed on one's shoulders. So self-sacrifice is another element in Pumzi.

[broadwayswift13]

Blog Post #4: Is The Last Tale from the Hood Necessary?

We’ve talked about black community a lot over the course of the quarter. It’s a trend that’s featured heavily in Jordan Peele’s movies and of the works from other black artists trying to relay the black experience through film. However, what no one seems to want to talk about are the flaws within the community. At times, black people can be cold, unwelcoming, unsupportive, and down right mean to one another. For instance, lighter complexioned black people tend to look down on black people with darker skin tones. Some ‘lightskins’ as they’re called will call you an ugly field slave (true story) to your face purely because you have a little more melanin than them. If a black person is different in any way, others in the very same community will exile, bully, and harass them. However, one of the biggest issues facing black communities is murder. Due to gang violence, which can be very prevalent in some lower income black neighborhoods, young black men are losing their lives to each other. There are too many people in this country who would love to see black people fail, people who would love to have us eradicated. Why are we helping them achieve that? 

The last story in Tales From the Hood touches upon these issues. Could it have been executed better? Probably. Do I believe he may have gone a bit overboard with the hell imagery? Yes. But it came at a time when black horror was still finding its footing and crime in the black community was at an all time high. Personally, I hate seeing lynchings or any other kind of racial violence against black people. As a black woman, it makes me uncomfortable and comes off as trauma porn which doesn’t convey any real messages to the viewer; we already know these atrocities have happened, we do not need to see them again. But I understand Rusty Cundieff’s reason for including it. He wants to scare any black gang member who may be watching it straight. He’s pleading with audiences to see these crimes as what they are, a self-defeating epidemic that needs to be corrected. I wish he had decided to let the boys see the error of their ways rather than having damned them to hell but it is his way of condemning their violence. So yes, I do believe the last story in Tales From the Hood is necessary. I viewed it as a call to get our stuff together and finally band together as a race. I took the story to be Rusty’s way of yelling at us to stop doing the racist white person’s job for them.

[tzatwar]

umm headcanon B design ... hehe

notes i made r typed under the cut ;3 !!

B

warm undertones

red-brown eyes

(hair) falls flatter

(slightly darker complexion) without make-up (canonically uses make-up to appear more like L)

there are no photos of L, so B probably bases his appearance off of L from memory

L

cooler undertones

(hair has) slightly more volume

darker eyes (nearly black)

paler complextion

slightly more narrow face

reasoning: naomi thought L only resembled Ryuzaki (B). she didnt believe he was the same person. this leads me to believe they aren’t completely identical