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fanfic-lover-girl · 1 year

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Double Standards: Draco Malfoy Edition

My main issue with HP is Slytherin vs Gryffindor double standards. I like Draco Malfoy and I find Slytherins very interesting. I understand why people don't like him. But I hate when people demonize Draco for something but are perfectly ok when another character (eg. the golden trio) does the same thing. So based on the post above, I wanted to share a defense for Draco Malfoy. Most of the logic comes from the post above but a good portion of these arguments are mine.

Draco mocks Hufflepuffs

Hagrid: “everyone says Hufflepuff are a lot o’ duffers–”.

Hagrid also says everyone in Slytherin is destined to be evil. Hagrid is a grown man (well half-giant) perpetuating harmful stereotypes to Harry while Draco is a kid (11 yrs old).

Also, Harry did not lift a single finger to defend Cedric and Hufflepuff house when the lions were bashing and mocking Cedric. This is AFTER Cedric, being a good sport and overall great guy, told his housemates to back off Harry. Cedric was too good for these books. Cedric was the hero horrid Harry could only dream of being.

Draco has not mocked Hufflepuffs since his intro chapter.

Draco bullied Ron and Harry

Harry and Ron initiated this antagonism. Harry likened Draco to Dudley after a short conversation. The same Draco who engaged him in conversation despite his poor appearance. Harry never gave Draco a chance before he painted him as evil. Draco ignored Ron on the train until Ron laughed at his name.

Long before Draco did anything truly hurtful to them, the golden trio cheered his misfortune and his fear. For example, before we saw Draco & Hermione exchange dialogue, Hermione danced in joy at Draco getting detention. Harry declared him his arch-enemy and worse than Dudley (the cousin who abused him all his life) and threatened him with physical violence (threatening to shove Draco off his broom). Up until that point, the worst thing Draco did was set them up to be caught by Filch. That makes Draco worse than Dudley lol.

Draco could be doing something innocent, not Harry related, like welcoming a new house member or getting sweets from Mama Narcissa and Harry would be glaring daggers at him like he is committing a crime. These three boys bullied each other.

Draco called Hermione a mudblood

Draco never said a word to Hermione and ignored her existence until she dissed his quidditch skills. Also, Sybill and Hermione call Firenze a horse. Firenze saved Harry's life - you think Hermione could show some respect. Dean brazenly asked Firenze to his face if Hagrid breeds them like thestrals. Please note: All of these actions are somehow better than Umbridge calling centaurs half-breeds lol! According to the narrative, "half-breed" is more offensive than HORSE. Hagrid and Minerva use "muggle" as a slur. Remember that WE are the muggles.

If JKR wanted "mudblood" to be meaningful, she should have shown how mugglebornes struggled in the wizarding world. Such as strained relationships with loved ones in the muggle world (Lily & Petunia's relationship is an example) or discrimination in employment. But the wizarding world at large is on mugglebornes' side.

What impact does Draco calling Hermione a "mudblood" have? Her blood status up till that point has been irrelevant and does not disadvantage her. Compared to the bigotry centaurs and muggles face in HP! I don't give a crap about Draco calling Hermione "mudblood" when no other slurs or discriminatory behaviour seem to matter!

She is hardly bothered by it anyway so who cares? I don't. Draco is not an impressive bully when it comes to Hermione. Draco's bullying of Hermione basically boils down to him calling her "mudblood" and hardly anything else. It's hard for Draco to truly be a bully when Hermione never takes him seriously and he never has any real power over her (except when he is on the inquisitorial squad in book 5).

Draco bullied Neville

Everyone mistreats Neville. Including his own housemates and 'Queen Minerva'. That includes Harry and Ron btw. Harry and Ron laugh at Neville in his face and behind his back. In book 1, they basically tell him he should not stick up for himself when he confronts them as they sneak out. Harry thinks Neville is a loser half the time. I thought the golden trio were Neville's friends but after looking at the books I am horrified. My baby boy Neville deserves better than the rotten trio. For example, Harry compares Peter Pettigrew to Neville! Harry sees Peter as pathetic and the first person that comes to mind for Harry is Neville!!! Poor Neville :(. Draco, however, has not been seen or mentioned bullying Neville since book 1.

Draco is mean to Hagrid

Hagrid may act like a disgraceful, blubbering crybaby half the time, but he is a grown-ass man. He's what...50 or 60. Draco is a preteen/teenager. We have seen Hagrid threaten Draco several times. For example, when Draco rightfully calls out Hagrid in book 4 about the (possibly illegal) blast-ended skrewts, Hagrid uses the ferret incident (a horrific case of child abuse) to silence Draco into submission. It's so outrageous for Draco to backtalk and mock Hagrid but it's hilarious when Hagrid, the adult, abuses the child under his care. The HP fandom is insane!

Hagrid endangers children and he is a horrid teacher and should have been fired! And he would have been fired if not for the meddling rotten trio (specifically Harry freaking Potter). This dimwitted jackass knows Hagrid is a bad teacher and drops his subject in book 6 but is willing to ruin the subject for everyone else because he likes him!!! And he is willing to intimidate/bully his friends (especially Hermione) to comply with his views on Hagrid. Harry is extremely selfish and can go rot in hell with Hagrid! If I were Harry's classmate, I would be tempted to punch him myself!

Draco is punished for saying what everyone else was thinking. No one thinks Hagrid is a good teacher. Including the rotten trio! Why does the narrative and fandom coddle Hagrid and treat him like a damn child?! Why is Draco, the student, constantly bashed for Hagrid, the teacher, being incompetent!?

Edit: Hermione disrespects Trelawney in Divination (in the same chapter I believe) but she's seen as a girl boss. She has no need to be there and clearly hates the subject (what a wonderful use for a time tuner). But everyone has a problem with Draco hurting dumb Hagrid's feelings wah.

Draco does mean impressions of other people

So do Ginny (of Fleur) and Ron (of Hermione). At least Draco's impressions are entertaining! Draco is totally the class clown and/or theatre kid type. He has a captivating and dramatic personality. I think he would thrive in the arts. I can literally see him as the male version of Sharpay :)

Draco called Molly porky

Molly is objectively overweight. Draco is a 14 yr old boy throwing out insults (porky is pretty tame if you ask me). JKR, through Harry, goes into unnecessary detail every other sentence about how fat Dudley is whenever Dudley is around. Dudley is a kid. Why should Molly be excluded from the fat character treatment? Plus Harry is actually very shallow when he describes people. He always focuses on how pretty or ugly someone is. Even in serious situations, you can count on Harry describing Fleur as beautiful, Sirius & Tom as dashingly handsome and Snape as hideous. Ron is quick to label Eileen Prince as ugly when the trio discovers she is Snape's mom in book 6. She has done nothing to them but he insults her because of who her son is. Why is it ok for the trio to mock people's looks but Draco calling Molly fat is a crime worthy of physical abuse?

Draco wanted his classmates to die

So did Ron and Harry. Ron says “shame that his mother likes him” when discussing shoving Draco off a glacier. Harry has fantasised about killing and/or torturing Draco/Snape. And guess what! He almost made his fantasies a reality! He nearly murdered Draco with very short-lived remorse and then attempted to use the same spell (+ multiple crucios) against Snape! What a hero :). So full of love and pure goodness, right Dumbledore (gag).

Draco used the cruciatus curse

Attempted cruciatus. Draco said ‘cruci-‘ before Harry somehow yelled out an entire sectumsempra and almost eviscerated him to death. I think that is the only time Draco has attempted to use the crucio in a fight.

When Harry saw Draco being forced to use the curse in a vision, Draco was terrified, right? Harry on the other hand has fantasised about the cruciatus since the moment he learnt about it (he daydreamed about torturing Snape after Fake Moody's class). Harry has used the curse multiple times before and after Draco's use in book 6 and unlike Draco's attempted crucio, Harry's actually hit. Harry sure loves his dark spells :). For a while, sectumsempra and crucio became Harry's new expeliarmus. Harry is called gallant for using the cruciatus in book 7 too by 'Queen' Minerva, how lovely.

Why is Draco demonized more than Harry by the fandom for this curse? Harry used the curse 3 more times than Draco. He hit Bellatrix and the Carrow guy and attempted to crucio Snape twice in book 6 in the SAME FIGHT. Make it make sense!

Draco (& Lucius) almost got Buckbeak put down

Hagrid, as the teacher, should be held responsible - not the animal. But if the ministry is going to claim Hagrid has no fault, then Buckbeak sure as hell needs to be put down. In our world, we put down animals that attack people, especially kids. Once again, Buckbeak is a wild animal so Hagrid's bad teaching is ultimately to blame. If Hagrid won't man up, then sorry Buckbeak! I know several people hate Lucius but the man is being a decent father. Wouldn't you be outraged if your only kid, and heir, was attacked in a class like Draco was? Be real.

Also in the same book, Hermione shows gross indifference to the well-being of Scabbers - “All cats chase rats, Ron!”. Ron should have slapped this inconsiderate bitch. Ron has the patience of a saint. If my friend acted like this, our friendship is through unless sincere apologies are made. I am not even a pet person but Hermione was utterly disgusting in book 3. Ron deserves better than this girl with the emotional capacity of a teaspoon. Ron always wants to kick Norris the cat. The Weasley twins experiment on animals. Hagrid mistreats the animals under his care (eg. the dead flubberworms and poor Fluffy). Transfiguration class is 99% animal experimentation. But boo-hoo, the ministry is killing Buckbeak...why should I care again about some random wild animal when animal cruelty is a staple of HP?

Draco hates Muggleborns

Draco is supposed to be from a family of blood supremacists. Yet he willingly engaged Harry in conversation despite Harry being dressed in unkempt MUGGLE clothes and not knowing who he was. So you can't say Draco spoke to Harry because of his fame (unlike Ron Weasley who deliberately sought out Harry Potter). Harry is the one who judged him because Draco was talking about things that are normal to him, ironically proving Draco’s point — “I really don’t think they should let the other sort in, do you? They’re just not the same, they’ve never been brought up to know our ways” — true. How hilarious.

Anyway, all wizards, so-called light side included, hate/mistreat muggles. But it's ok because JKR wrote it that way. It's ok for wizards to invade muggles' privacy and threaten them. You don't see Draco attacking mugglebornes like this when you meet him. He just thinks wizards should keep to themselves. As a muggle, I approve of this message. I don't want these sadistic wizards near me.

So how did Draco go from this in book 1 to the boy in book 2 declaring "mudbloods are next"? I have no clue. Draco was almost creepy in book 2. I think Draco had a grudge against Hermione and was childishly acting out. Draco is a pampered 12 yr old, what does he know about the horrors of death? Heck, sometimes I wished I was aborted when I was an angsty preteen. Not knowing what exactly I was wishing for myself. Plus, I believe JKR was using Draco as a lazy plot device in book 2.

Plus, I think his negative interactions with the golden trio made him more radicalized as time went on. We don't see Draco calling other students "mudblood", right? I don't recall Draco harassing people like Justin. Draco seems to have a "Hermione" problem, not a "mudblood" problem.

Bonus: James Potter bullied Snape to first impress and then later blackmail Lily, a muggleborne, into dating him. And when said muggleborne girl retaliated...James threatened to hex her. James literally threatened Lily with violence for (barely) attempting to defend Snape. The girl he supposedly has a crush on! James Potter is supposed to be from a muggleborne friendly, light-side family haha. At least Draco was upfront that he despised Hermione. I have read Dramione fics with healthier foundations than canon Jily - not that I like Dramione as a ship. But sure Dramione is the only toxic ship around here!

Please add any other double standards I missed! (Book) Canon Draco fans need to call out the unfair treatment of Draco! Draco is not the evil monster people paint him to be. And you can like him too without warping him into this pathetic, bland, crybaby, gay fanon version. I used to like Fanon Draco when I just started reading HP fanfiction and did not know any better, but book Draco is so much more entertaining, colourful and even charming :)

You don't have to like Draco. But stop giving the heroes passes for the same awful actions.

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shivstar · 5 months

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Lily suffering in m/m Fics

I don't know what is the big deal.

I mean Sirius who is protagonist in so many fics, general or romantic or slice of life etc, himself goes through unimaginable suffering to reach an ambiguous ending which is bittersweet.

But these people have problem with making lily suffer. Why? Because she is a female character. And in the times we live, females are not supposed to suffer???

Isn't it upto the characterisation of the author about what happens to lily. And the storyline.

Maybe she started cheating on james with snape and James rather than confronting decided to give her a taste of her own medicine. Maybe in such scenario lily comes back to her senses and wants James back and maybe James is finally done with her and lives his hea with sirius. This right here is a happy ending for prongsfoot and not so for lily.

Or maybe James is a gay man with strong internalized homophobia and he decides to trap the most popular girl in the school so that no one can ever doubt. But once her relaxes and feels safe after marriage, he decides to go out and test the water, so to speak.

No lily Evans bashing. This is a tag I only see with lily. The one character in hp world we know the least about. And the author was successful in making us all believe that because James and lily were oh so great- any suffering that comes should come to lowlifes like sirius whose own parents hurt him or Peter who was born a traitor or hell even snape whose teenage years shaped into all the wrong choices and worst imaginable adulthood.

James and lily and specially lily should not suffer. The most you can do is kill them before old age. Anything more is unacceptable because lily is a woman.

I mean common.

I agree that it should not be done for the sake of bashing or making her out to be the thorn amongst the rosy prongsfoot Or jegulus relationship.

No, absolutely not. I agree that her worth shouldn't be only as a girlfriend or wife.

But she could be a grey character of her own whose poor choices and wrong decision lead to some suffering.

We see she smiles at snape's cost. We see that she doesn't sympathies with a teen petunia. We see her being friends with snape until he uttered that word to her, up until before that she was discrediting every other muggleborn in school by putting her head under sand. Because I feel that only muggleborn snape showed a basic human decency towards was her.

In fact i see her as capable of being a wonderful grey character. So why limit her with only being a Mary sue who is the best and gets the best. She was freinds with snape, a dark gray shade character. Wife to James, again a grey character. Then became friend with Sirius, again an ambiguous in terms of good or bad character. Canon lily surrounded herself around morons because she herself was a moron.

And life is unfair. We know this.

So why should it be unfair to only sirius or james but lily has people marching for her to only get a happy and respectful and wonderful life.

Even gods suffer in whatever mythology you pick.

But lily shouldn't???

So aren't you asking for the same as jkr. A sweet wonderful life for our dear lily evans because she as a female and a mother is great so she should live a wonderfull life.

Hell, my mother is the most wonderful person I know but let me tell you that being good at heart doesn't make the suffering less. If anything good people face most trials in life....

Ps- being cheated on is based upon how much respect your partner has for you. I mean yes love can fade but if they respect you as a human. They will have the decency to cut things off before starting something new. But in no way is being cheated on is about the person who is cheated.

In fact all these people marching for lily should just chill because at the end of the day even if she is cheated on, she will have the moral high ground.

The real question is - was canon James Potter as a character capable of cheating her????

#Lily Evans critical #Not so critical #Just stating facts #But i dont won't to trampled by lily lovers #James Potter #Prongsfoot #Sirius black #If lily is a human she will suffer #Or else she is just a cardboard piece like jkr's version

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kob131 · 2 months

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Lily Orchard and Pokemon: Gen 1

Because the only response to this video should not be a four hour react stream highlight reel.

So Lily Orchard made a retrospective video on Pokemon...9 months ago that has risen back into prominence due to a Youtuber making a video on it, criticizing it.

It's also, again, a four hour video that's just a highlight reel of him reacting in real time to the video. Personally, I can't stand this kind of video so...

Here's what I have to say.

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"Gen 1 bashing is done without merit!"

Lily argues that people bashing Gen 1 are doing so without any kind of merit, pointing out people complaining lacking features, having bugs and not having story. This she counters by saying "Pokemon story bad."

... I know that sounds reductive but the reason why I am saying this is because A- I already know what Lily thinks about the story of the game she's hinting at (Gen 5) and I can tell you she's not putting very much thought into this and B- that same foreknowledge and the fact that one of images she's using to represent this is a meme basically mocking people for preaching about Gens 4/5. ... So knowing her, she's just doing this to be contrarian.

This is a problem in her video because in her introduction, the thesis statement of this whole essay she is writing: she states that the goal of this video is to look back at the games and judge them as they hold up. Yet here she is shrugging off VERY big issues that seriously date Gen 1 and make it age horribly, which should be a major factor in Lily's assessment...because at best, she's being contrarian.

... That is not a good idea.

"*Insert her recaping the journey of Gen 1*"

Yeah, this is why I decided to take on this task. I already know most of Lily's video is going to be her detailing her playthrough of the games. This means fuck all to me for the most part as an autist I already have clear memory of all these games even years away from playing them so I can skip most of her video.

But this does mean that unless you're familiar with how arguments are structured in Youtube videos, like me- you'll have to wade through Lily's crappy attempts at a comedic retelling of the games to know what she thinks. Which makes a fucking four and a half hour long video draaaaag.

"See? Gen 1 doesn't hold you by the hand and lets you just fuck off!"

The idea here being that Gen 1 is good because it doesn't hand hold the player. Issue is- This is the first Pokemon game. By all accounts, because this game is introducing a rather new take on an underexplored gameplay style, tutorials such as these shouldn't be optional. Especially since money is so limited early in the game so you can't easily get more Pokeballs after wasting your supply on experimentation.

Having a quick catching tutorial showing that you need to weaken a Pokemon before catching it could alleviate any confusion. Pokemon can only get away with this due to it being so easy. ... A flaw that is going to rear its ugly head later on. She also ignores why the tutorials are so quick in the earlier gens- the tutorials became longer because they were integrated into the story and used to demonstrate characters. If you don't have a story or proper characters then of course the tutorials will go by quick. It also means there's less to stimulate the brain to encourage people to keep playing.

Pokemon's gameplay, minus any discussions of difficulty, has never been the most engaging. Turn based gameplay's flaw is that's very static and slow, meaning most of the time the act of playing the game doesn't stimulate. This is usually subverted by fancy animations, challenge or, in Pokemon's case- entertaining characters and self expression. The extra length of the tutorials is a side effect of the game's compensating for their less stimulating gameplay.

"See, early game bug types aren't bad! Poketubers are wrong because my Butterfree never lost a battle!"

This kind of exposes another issue of Lily's- she doesn't know what the hell she's talking about.

She takes issue with people calling Pokemoen like Butterfree bad by brushing off their complaints of 'Butterfree has no STAB moves!' by pointing out coverage and status moves. But she completely ignores that people brush off Pokemon like Butterfree for having no STAB moves because, since you have 6 slots on your team, it's pretty easy to get a diverse team that can cover whatever Butterfree does but through STAB. Psychic moves? Alakazam or Hypno. Sleep moves? Hypno, Venomoth or even Parasect. Stun moves? Literally any Electric Type.

Then we have her overlooking another aspect of Pokemon: Base Stats. For those who don't know: Base stats are a set of numbers that dictate what number a Pokemon's given stats are. Things like IVs/Evs/DVs and Natures act as multiplers to a base stat. So as you could guess- a base stat is the building block of a Pokemon and dictate how it plays. Butterfree's base stats in Gen 1 are (HP/ATK/DEF/SP.ATK/SP.DEF/SPD) 60/40/50/80/80/70.

For reference, Charmeleon has 58/64/58/65/65/80. A non-fully evolved Pokemon has roughly similar stats to a fully evolved Pokemon. And this is all exasperated by how easy the game is, because Butterfree's status move pool? Largely inefficient because if you actually know what you are doing- you will be able to KO a Pokemon faster through simply attacking with a stronger Pokemon than disabling it then attacking. And most gamers will default to the most efficient solution. Hence Butterfree's status as a bad Pokemon.

"See, the game is trying to tell you how good status moves are by enforcing it through Brock and Bide!"

Yet another case of Lily not knowing what she's slathering about because A. The actual effects of status moves don't matter, just that they don't deal damage. A better case would be a leader that uses status moves to their advantage.

And B. Lily says that Bide I'd the perfect move for Onix. ... Bide, a move that deals damage based on the amount of HP lost, is perfect for 9nix, a low HP and high defense Pokemon...meant to lose as little HP as possible.

Lily literally posts Onix's stats to prove her point when said stats contradict her.

"Blue isn't a mean rival! He's just a friendly rival and gamers praise Bianca and Cheren just cuz they suck off the player!"

What the fuck, where did that Cheren/Bianca stuff cone from?

Okay first- Blue starts the game by going "Gramps! I'm fed up with waiting!" and "Heh, I don't need to be greedy like you! Go ahead and choose-" and "WHAT? Unbelievable! I picked the wrong Pokémon!"

Blue is quite clearly not intended to be friendly nor likeable.

Second- People like Cheren and Bianca because they go through arcs related to the themes of Gen 5, with Bianca's desire to travel leading her on a journey of self discovery (truth) and Cheren learning that his valuing if strength may have been wrong (ideals). Do they say tge player is great at battling? Yes...because from the story's perspective, you are going X-0. They're reacting to this fact instead of shrugging it off.

"Lavender Town has no value aside from creepypastas and showing how weak Ghosts are to Psychic in this gen! It isn't that creepy!"

... Uh, Lily? You didn't bring up how you can only identify the ghosts after beating Sliph Co, who are so scary you can't even fight them. Or how the trainers in the Pokemon Tower all act very weird, almost like they're possessed. Or that the Tower has a fucking purifying circle 8n the middle. Or...you know...bringing up the fact called DEATH in this very kid-friendly world.

You uh...you do know what a 'retrospective' is, right?

"The game expects you to face challenges in order despite being open world!"

Lily, the game is not open world. You are still going through strict paths with locked off sections. This comes with the implication that you will be facing challenges in a linear order. You not understanding what the game actually is does not make it bad.

"See? Butterfree isn't bad! It's my best Pokemon!"

Lily, these games can be beaten by a six year old. I beat them as a six year old.

That means nothing.

"Ugh, Sliph Co is soooo bad! It's the worst in the game because it's obtuse and you can just exit to heal up! Rock Tunnel is SOOO much better for being challenging!"

... Lily, Rock Tunnel is full of dead ends and unlike Sliph Co- YOU CAN'T AVOID ENCOUNTERS UNLESS YOU STOCK UP ON REPELS.

You can also exit Rock Tunnel to heal too. No, 'challenge yourself by not exiting' is not a justification. You're just not thinking.

'Psychic types are only strong in theory! Status moves exist so do neutral hits! Super Effective STAB isn't the only path!"

But they ARE the most efficient. And for the average gamer, efficiency is king.

"You can crumble Alakazam with physical hits without super Effective hits!"

*proceeds to spend her entire footage locked in a Fly V. Recover loop when a Butterfree STAB could solve this*

Also gotta love that she goes off about Alakazam not having the tools to deal with Physical attacks...as it uses a move to halve Physical damage (Reflect).

And finally- She is using Sabrina as her example. Who is operating off Gen 1's wonky AI and keeps using Psywave. In the hands of, you know, a real person or a better AI who understands basic elements of the game- Alakazam can easily wreck teams with hard hitting Psybeams. And Alakazam's poor Physical Defense doesn't matter here because it's SPEED makes it so it will hit first and managle a team before they can counterattack. This is where Lily's refusal to understand competitive bites her. THIS is the issue people have.

"Nobody likes going through Seaform Islands!"

Okay this is another issue with Lily's video here: She doesn't engage with content that isn't directly in her face. Later she'll talk about how she doesn't care about things like cut mechanics and that she's focusing on gameplay but part of Pokemon's gameplay and the reason people like it is the sense of discovery you get from exploring the game. Like say...finding one of a kind Pokemon that are relatively strong but are hidden away in sections that are optional (Moltres, Articuno, Zapados and even fucking MEWTWO).

Like...the fuck Lily? All you're doing is just making a truncated let's play by this point.

Side note; Some of Lily's jokes do land at times. Like her commentary on how Giovanni acts after being defeated. Though she does call him 'elderly' strangely enough.

Also I JUST caught some of Lily's gameplay footage. Her Primeape's moveset is Submission, Strength, Rock Slide and...Thunderbolt. She wasted her Thunderbolt TM on a Pokemon with rock bottom Special...when she had fucking Rock Slide.

This is the woman talking as if she knows the mechanics of the game.

"Gen 1 and 2 are so good because they allow for player freedom unlike later Gens like 3 and 4 where GF TELL YOU how to play instead of letting you play how you wish!"

Hey remember earlier when Lily talked about how the game was supposedly 'open world' but complained about how there was a strict recommended order based on the badge numbers on the Trainer Card?

How the fuck is it that much different than just enforcing the order? Not to mention that, considering how fucked Johto's level curve is- that making a firm order where you can more easily control the difficulty is probably a GOOD thing.

And that's where Gen 1 ends. Overall- rather shallow. I also expect to be covering more Gens in posts since problems like these tend to be recurring issues and don't require being brought up all the time.

It's not as painful as Lily's usual stuff...but I feel that will change soon.

#Pokemon #lily orchard

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opinated-user · 1 year

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Lexyr repeatedly misgenders Sage in Lily's latest stream, and Lily not only doesn't correct him, but starts ranting about how Sage "turned [on her] real quick" and that they're "deranged". Because it's not okay to misgender Lily, a transwoman, but it's SUPER okay to misgender non-binary people!

Should it not be a red flag to Lily's fans that Sage, a former diehard Lily Orchard fan, suddenly changed their tune? AFTER getting very rude treatment from Lily over simply explaining a misconception about a popular book series none-the-fucking less. It's a wonder, considering the other multiple times Lily has shown asks Sage sent in their videos to bash them while misgendering them, that Sage didn't jump ship before this.

These people are straight up delusional, Lily most of all.

that person is another one of LO's fans who supported her post blaming a 6 year old for her CSA, both suffered by LO and the one perpetrated by LO.

seeing them quickly to turn to bigotry and LO just let it happen is to be expected, but still not nice to see.

oh but we're the transphobic ones. because LO, who constantly misgender her critics, said so.

#lily orchard #lily orchard is transphobic

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saveregblackordie0726 · 4 months

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Sombre et Pur'

Chapter 9

Sixth Year – 1976 – October cont.

The next two days passed in a blur of forced cheer and carefully executed smiles. Each act of kindness, each laugh shared with my friends – they all felt like I was desperately trying to patch the cracks in a crumbling facade. With every glance in a mirror, every whispered encouragement, I braced myself for the moment my monstrous reflection would stare back at me, confirming Regulus's twisted truth.

Thursday found me curled up on one of the worn, plush sofas in the Gryffindor common room. The familiar warmth and flickering fireplace did little to chase away the chill that had settled in my bones. Peter, bless his ever-faithful soul, had sensed my lingering unease and insisted on a study session. Despite feeling adrift in a sea of Potions notes and Transfiguration diagrams, there was something undeniably soothing about his quiet company, his soft voice offering explanations I only half-heard.

The common room bustled with the comfortable chaos I'd come to associate with Gryffindor life. Fifth-years argued good-naturedly over a game of Exploding Snap, the sharp snap of cards echoing through the room. A pair of first-years huddled near the window, their hushed whispers and furtive glances likely fueled by some mischief in the making. It was a scene of warmth and camaraderie – a sharp contrast to the tempest raging within me.

Then, like a thunderclap shattering the fragile silence of my thoughts, James burst through the portrait hole, his usual boundless energy amplified by a mischievous glint in his hazel eyes.

"Alright, listen up!" he announced, his voice booming through the common room and silencing any other conversations. "Halloween's coming up, and I was thinking we could throw a proper bash!" Lily followed behind him, looking flushed as she plopped down beside him.

Marlene, who had been engrossed in Charms homework, tossed her quill onto the table with a groan. "Oh, here we go," she muttered, but her tone was more amused than exasperated.

Lily, ever the voice of reason, let out an exasperated sigh. "James, honestly, you're Head Boy now. You can't just throw wild ragers every holiday!" Her words were scolding, but the smile playing on her lips undermined any real severity.

James, unfazed, scrunched his nose in a deliberately adorable pout. "Can't I?" he teased, and playfully tapped her knee which was now tucked against his lap.

My lips twitched into a half-hearted smile at their familiar banter. The affection between them was palpable, an unspoken understanding that had been simmering just beneath the surface for years. With a pang of wistfulness, it struck me that it likely wouldn't be long before they finally gave in to the inevitable and made things official.

The corner of my eye snagged on Sirius, who had been observing the exchange with a flicker of something unreadable in his dark eyes. He offered a grin that didn't quite meet his eyes and raised his eyebrows in a silent question. Peter, oblivious to the undercurrents, launched into an enthusiastic discussion about potential Halloween activities – bobbing for apples, pumpkin carving, the lot.

"We should definitely have themed costumes!" Lily chirped, her usual pragmatism dissolving under the exciting prospect of a party.

"Maybe this year Moony and Padfoot won't end up taking turns retching in the loo," Peter added with a chuckle. He, James, and Lily burst into good-natured laughter, but a tense silence fell over Sirius, Remus, and me. We had all shared knowing glances, a silent acknowledgment of the previous year's disastrous Halloween celebration.

The tension between Sirius and Remus had reached an all-time high that night. Their usual playful teasing had morphed into something sharper, a simmering resentment veiled by forced camaraderie and copious amounts of Fire whisky. They'd disappeared for hours, reappearing flushed and disheveled, carefully avoiding each other's gazes for the rest of the night. We never spoke of it, but the unspoken question lingered, a shadow hanging over their friendship.

"Well, then," Sirius broke the uncomfortable silence, a forced cheerfulness masking the tightness in his jaw. Are we considering inviting other Houses again?" He caught my eye and offered a soft smile. "Besides Clem, of course."

Marlene, ever-dramatic, let out a groan and dramatically draped herself across my lap. "Obviously, otherwise we'll be stuck with you lot," she declared with a mischievous grin. "Where's the fun in that?"

The conversation shifted, descending into a lighthearted debate over decorations, food, and the potential for one of us slipping Rosemerta galleons in return for the Fire whiskey. My laughter felt forced, my participation hollow. Yet, as I watched my friends, the knot in my chest loosened fractionally. These moments – the easy banter, the shared laughter, the unwavering support – they were a lifeline. They were a reminder that even as darkness gnawed at the edges of my soul, there was still good in the world. Good worth fighting for. Maybe, just maybe, that was enough to keep the shadows at bay – for now.

As evening descended, a familiar sense of dread settled upon me. Patrols with Regulus were a looming inevitability, and with every passing moment, the urge to hide beneath my covers grew stronger. It was a cowardly impulse, one at odds with the Hufflepuff bravery I prided myself on, but the darkness Regulus exuded chipped away at my resolve.

The Gryffindor common room held me hostage under the guise of camaraderie. Lily insisted on another go at the glamour spell, determined to perfect the sleekness of my waves. Marlene quizzed me relentlessly on Herbology, claiming a surprise exam was imminent. Even Peter, with his quiet empathy, seemed to sense my reluctance and lingered over a chess game that usually would have lasted no more than twenty minutes.

But time was a relentless hunter, and eventually, I could no longer justify the delay. As twilight painted the castle in shades of deep purple, I reluctantly stood, forcing a smile to mask the rising tide of apprehension.

"Patrols," I announced, my voice sounding strained even to my own ears.

A hush fell over the gathered Gryffindors. Their eyes, filled with concern and unspoken questions, burned into me. I'd always been the one to ease their worries, to offer a reassuring smile. Now, I was the one desperately in need of reassurance I knew they couldn't give.

Sirius, perhaps sensing my turmoil more keenly than the others, pushed himself up from the plush armchair he'd been occupying. "I'll walk you," he offered, his voice gentle, a stark contrast to his usual boisterousness.

Gratitude washed over me in a warm wave. Without a word, I nodded and followed him towards the portrait hole. As we stepped out into the dimly lit corridor, a comfortable silence enveloped us. We fell into step side by side, his presence a balm against the oppressive weight of what awaited me.

For a precious few moments, I allowed myself to simply exist in this pocket of normalcy – two friends silently navigating the castle halls. The familiar smell of old stone and lingering potions fumes brought a sense of grounding amidst the inner storm. But beneath the surface, unspoken worries churned. Sirius, despite his outward nonchalance, carried the burden of his family's darkness on his shoulders. Regulus was like a ticking time bomb, his allegiance a constant source of uncertainty. And I... I was caught between them, an unwilling pawn in a war I barely understood.

As if sensing my spiraling thoughts, Sirius broke the silence.

"How is he?" His voice was low, a whisper in the quiet hallway.

I paused, contemplating the loaded question. Sirius's relationship with his brother was a twisted knot of love and betrayal, loyalty and rebellion. Despite the chasm that had grown between them, a flicker of concern still burned in Sirius's dark eyes whenever Regulus was mentioned.

My fingers traced along the worn tapestry lining the corridor wall, finding comfort in the repetitive motion. Should I confide in him? Share the unsettling truths Regulus had laid bare, the darkness that now threatened to seep into my own soul? A part of me yearned to unburden myself to someone who understood the unique pain of fractured family ties. But something held me back, a lingering fear that exposing these vulnerable pieces of myself would leave me even more shattered.

Instead, I settled on a half-truth, a careful deflection. "It's hard to say, Sirius. It's not as if we're having deep, meaningful conversations." I forced a wry smile, hoping to hide the tremble in my voice. "We barely speak, truthfully."

Sirius nodded, a flicker of disappointment crossing his features before he masked it with a sigh. His jaw clenched, a telltale sign of unspoken anger and frustration.

"He still won't speak to me," Sirius muttered, his voice laced with bitterness. "Lost count of the owls I've sent... useless." He shook his head, a gesture both dismissive and defeated.

"They've got their teeth in him, Kit" he continued, his voice low and filled with a resigned dread I understood all too well.

My footsteps slowed as a wave of sympathy washed over me. Seeing Sirius so vulnerable, stripped of his usual bravado, was a stark reminder of the unseen consequences of this war that was bleeding into every corner of our lives. It was a battle waged not merely on some distant battlefield, but in corridors and classrooms, in whispers and silences that wove themselves into the fabric of our existence.

I longed to offer a comforting platitude, a reassurance that everything would be alright, but the words felt hollow. There was no easy comfort, no quick fix for the darkness that threatened to engulf us all. Instead, I remained silent, allowing him this moment of unfiltered honesty.

"Why do I even give a damn?" Sirius murmured, the question directed more at himself than at me.

I paused, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. He met my gaze, a flicker of vulnerability in those usually bright, rebellious eyes. It was the same stormy gaze I'd begun to see mirrored in Regulus.

"He's your brother," I said softly, empathy threading its way through my voice. "I know I could never turn my back on either of my sisters."

We'd reached the statue that marked the beginning of our patrol route. A familiar sense of dread coiled in my stomach, tightening with each passing moment. Sirius seemed to mirror my unease, a subtle tension radiating from him. Then, his focus shifted, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the shadows across the veranda.

His expression darkened. When he turned back to me, his features were schooled into a mask of cold indifference.

"Give it time, Sirius," I urged, my voice quiet but insistent.

A flicker of warmth crossed his face, a fleeting reminder of the loyal, caring boy beneath the layers of bitterness. He offered a single nod, a silent acknowledgment of my meager attempt at reassurance.

"Send Zephyr to me when you make it back to your common room," he instructed. "And Clem... be careful." The worry in his voice was palpable, a stark contrast to the carefree persona he presented to the world.

Wordlessly, I nodded, a lump forming in my throat. And then he was gone, leaving me alone.

As I turned to survey the room once more, my heart skipped a beat. Regulus stood leaning against the crumbling stone statue, a sneer marring his pale face. His eyes, icy and unreadable, fixed upon me with a scrutiny that made my skin crawl. The darkness within him seemed to bleed into the room itself, casting the space in a sinister, oppressive light.

Patrols with Regulus were always unbearable, but tonight the oppressive silence was magnified by the fading light. With each step, shadows lengthened, clinging to the walls like whispers of the darkness that threatened to consume us both. I forced myself not to look at him, focusing on the worn cobblestones and the faint echo of our footsteps. Yet, his presence was a palpable weight beside me, the scent of old parchment and something darker, something that stirred unease deep within me, mingling with the crisp autumn air.

We reached the Charms corridor, the flickering torchlight barely illuminating the peeling paint and rows of locked doors. It was here, amidst this forgotten space, that Regulus finally shattered the stifling quietude.

"You two seem close." His voice cut through the silence, cold and laced with an undercurrent of accusation.

My lips curled into a humorless smile. "You mean Sirius? Your brother?" I scoffed, pushing open the door to a deserted Magical Theory classroom. With a flick of my wand, I surveyed the desks and dusty blackboard. Satisfied it was empty, I closed the door and continued our patrol, determined not to let him goad me.

"He is no brother of mine," Regulus retorted, his sneer audible in the darkness.

A bitter laugh escaped my lips. "Oh, come off it, Black."

Something flickered in his eyes, a flash of surprise quickly concealed. "Pardon?"

I turned sharply, mirroring his own accusatory stance from our exchange in the Astronomy Tower. "It's only us here, Black," I echoed his words from that night, the weight of them settling between us like a physical barrier. "You can drop the act."

The impact of my words was visible. He stiffened, jaw clenching beneath his sharp cheekbones. The silence stretched, broken only by the soft whisper of the wind outside.

Finally, he spoke, his voice laced with a forced nonchalance that rang hollow. "There is no act, Evans. He is a blood traitor, a disgrace to our family."

"And I'm a Muggleborn," I fired back, my patience wearing thin. "But here you are, speaking with me."

A venomous sneer twisted his lips. "Allow me to remedy that," he hissed, disgust dripping from each syllable.

I shook my head, disgust mingling with a growing sense of defiance. He started to move, but I held my ground, forcing myself to meet his gaze. Our eyes locked, a silent battle of wills playing out in the half-light of the corridor.

For a tense moment, I wasn't sure what he would do. Would he cast a hex, a curse motivated by the same blind hatred that fueled his family's beliefs? The thought sent a shiver down my spine, not out of fear for myself, but out of a bone-deep weariness at the relentless cycle of prejudice and violence that poisoned our world.

Then, unexpectedly, he stepped back. The sneer remained, but a flicker of something I couldn't decipher flickered in his eyes. Frustration? Confusion? A hint of the vulnerability I'd glimpsed beneath his carefully constructed facade? Whatever it was, the moment passed. He resumed walking at my side, an unwelcome shadow in the dimly lit corridor.

The silence hung heavy between us as we continued our patrol, a constant reminder of the unspoken chasm that divided us. Yet, as we reached the familiar spiral staircase leading to the Astronomy Tower, something shifted. It was as if the imposing stone walls and open sky created a strange sense of intimacy, an unspoken truth that labels, houses, and the rules of the outside world faded, at least temporarily, into the background.

I lingered, the coolness of the iron railing a welcome contrast to the simmering tension between us. Against my better judgment, I found myself speaking.

"He worries for you," I said quietly, my voice barely above a whisper. The words hung in the air, a fragile olive branch offered across a battlefield of conflicting ideologies.

He let out a humorless chuckle, leaning against the railing. His almost shoulder-length dark hair, usually perfectly styled, was ruffled by the wind, adding a touch of boyishness to his otherwise chilling demeanor.

"Does he?" His voice was laced with a bitterness that echoed my own inner turmoil. An uncomfortable silence descended. I watched as a cloud drifted across the moon, momentarily dimming the starlight that painted his features in an ethereal glow.

"Maybe you should..." I started, uncertainty making my voice waver.

The rest of the sentence died in my throat as he abruptly turned, interrupting my hesitant attempt at reconciliation. There was a new intensity in his gaze, a predatory glint that made my stomach clench. He took a step closer, his movements deliberate, closing the distance between us until the cool metal of the railing pressed against my back.

"He should be worried," Regulus hissed, his voice so low it was almost a growl. "In fact," he paused, leaning in even closer, his breath ghosting across my cheek, "you both should be--”

The question tumbled out of me before I could fully comprehend its implications. "Why do you do that?" My voice was quiet, laced with a hint of confusion and a defiance that surprised even me. I held his gaze, refusing to flinch as he continued to loom above me.

"Do what, Evans?" he spat, his eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"This," I gestured between the two of us, encompassing the invisible web of tension that thrummed in the air. "Trying to scare me into running away? Testing how much I'll take?"

He remained silent, his face unreadable. It was as if my words had struck a nerve, a raw spot beneath his carefully crafted facade. His usual arrogance faltered ever so slightly, replaced by a flicker of something akin to vulnerability before it was ruthlessly suppressed.

I pressed on, a surge of reckless bravery propelling me forward. "Or maybe," I lowered my voice, tilting my head in mock curiosity, "you're the one who's afraid."

His jaw clenched, the muscle jumping visibly beneath his pale skin. His eyes, glacial and unyielding moments ago, now seemed to darken with a storm I couldn't fully decipher. There was anger there, yes, but something more - a ripple of unease beneath the surface of his controlled demeanor.

"Maybe I want to hurt you," he hissed, his voice a dangerous whisper against the night air. "Maybe I want you to realize just how insignificant you are in the grand scheme of things."

His words were meant to wound, to reaffirm the power he held over me. But instead, they fueled a strange sort of defiant amusement. A twisted smile touched my lips.

"I can see past all of that, Regulus," I countered, a hint of challenge in my voice. "I can see the fear, the desperation... and I think you hate that I know."

He moved then, a sudden, predatory shift that closed the remaining distance between us. His gaze, now locked on mine with a burning intensity, was a physical force, pinning me against the railing. The moonlight cast stark shadows across his face, accentuating the sharp lines of his cheekbones, the cold determination in his eyes.

For a suspended moment, time seemed to warp. The chill wind, the distant rustling of leaves, the echo of my own ragged breaths – they all blurred into a muted backdrop against the onslaught of his presence. There was an undeniable danger in his closeness, in the way his eyes seemed to bore into my very soul. Yet beneath the fear, a perverse thrill coursed through me. This was a dance on the precipice, a tantalizing brush with the darkness he embodied. And in that moment, a shameful part of me craved it.

"Run on home, little dove," he murmured, his voice so low it was almost a caress. Yet, the words carried an unmistakable threat, a chilling promise of violence lurking just beneath the surface. "Before I break your wings."

His hand shot out, fingers snaking around my upper arm. The fabric of my robe crumpled beneath his grip, the pressure a stark reminder of his strength, of the potential for pain he held within him. A gasp escaped me, a choked sound that was more of surprise than fear. But then, as suddenly as it had come, the intensity faded. His fingers loosened, withdrawing like a serpent retreating back into the shadows. He stepped back, the dangerous intimacy of the moment evaporating as quickly as it had materialized. There was a new distance in his eyes, a chilling coldness that sent a shiver down my spine. I was a pawn again, an opponent in the endless game he played, not a person worthy of his true, unmasked anger.

"Go back to your common room, Evans," he commanded, his voice devoid of any emotion. "Before I change my mind."

The dismissal was a slap in the face, a brutal reminder of the power imbalance between us. Yet, I didn't cower, didn't flee like a frightened bird as he intended. I lifted my chin, meeting his gaze with a stubborn determination that mirrored his own.

"As you wish," I retorted, managing a shaky smile. Without another word, I turned and walked away, my steps echoing against the stone floor. My back prickled beneath his unwavering scrutiny, the unspoken threat lingering in the air like a poisonous mist.

The descent from the Astronomy Tower was a blur. My heart pounded in my chest, a frantic drumbeat against the onslaught of conflicting emotions. Anger, fear, and a disconcerting flicker of exhilaration battled for dominance. Each step took me further from him, from the darkness he exuded, and back towards the comforting familiarity of the Hufflepuff common room.

Yet, as I descended the winding staircase, a nagging certainty settled into my bones. This wasn't over, not by a long shot. Regulus Black was a storm cloud gathering on the horizon, and I had the terrible sense that I was both drawn to and terrified of the tempest he promised.

The common room burst into view, a haven of warmth and laughter. My friends, blissfully unaware of the darkness I had faced in the tower, greeted me with smiles and casual questions about my patrol. I forced myself to respond, to slip back into the role of the cheerful, dependable Hufflepuff I was supposed to be. But it was a flimsy facade, barely concealing the shadows that clung to me like a second skin.

Later, alone in the quiet sanctuary of my dormitory, the true weight of the evening settled upon me. My hand trembled as I untied the Hufflepuff knot on my robes, the bright yellow suddenly seeming garish against the backdrop of the confrontation that haunted my mind.

Sleep was an elusive luxury. Each time I drifted towards unconsciousness; Regulus's face swam into view. His chilling words, the predatory glint in his eyes, his chillingly calm threat – they replayed in my mind like a twisted enchantment. I tossed and turned, the sheets tangling around me like a suffocating net.

In the darkest hours of the night, the truth I had tried to deny echoed relentlessly. I was afraid of Regulus Black, of the capacity for cruelty I saw reflected in his eyes. But more than that, I was afraid of myself – of the darkness that lurked within, a darkness that answered his call with a terrifying and unwelcome recognition. We were shadows dancing in the moonlight, reflections of the war that threatened to consume us all. Sleep refused to offer any respite. My tumultuous thoughts, a chorus of whispers mirroring the ceaseless wind rattling the dorm window, banished any hope of escape. The shadows on the ceiling danced to a macabre rhythm, conjuring images of Regulus's icy gaze and the chilling touch of his fingers against my skin. A shiver traced its path down my spine, a stark reminder of the darkness that had tainted my patrol.

Defeated, I pushed back the covers, the warmth of the bed offering no solace against the creeping unease. The pale moonlight filtering through the window cast long, eerie shadows across the room, lending an unsettling atmosphere to the once-familiar space.

It was then that a flicker of recollection chased away the relentless onslaught of Regulus's chilling words. Sirius's parting request, his plea that I send an owl once I was safely back in the common room, suddenly resonated with new meaning.

He had glimpsed the danger I had so foolishly danced with.

With trembling hands, I reached for my wand, summoning Zephyr from her perch. She landed on my arm with a soft hoot, tilting her head inquisitively as if sensing my agitation. My fingers hastily scratched out a brief message, a silent confirmation of my safety and a word of thanks for Sirius's unspoken concern.

"Take this to Sirius, please," I whispered, stroking Zephyr's feathers with a gentleness born out of a desperate need for a connection to warmth, to loyalty, to the light that Regulus threatened to extinguish within me.

Zephyr took flight, a silent white specter disappearing into the darkness beyond the window. With her departure, a small sense of peace settled over me, a reminder that I wasn't completely alone in this battle against the shadows.

Exhaustion, both physical and emotional, finally won out. As I burrowed back beneath the covers, my mind still raced, though the images of Regulus were slowly replaced by those of Sirius. His eyes, so like his brother's, yet brimming with warmth where Regulus held only ice, swam into focus. It was a comforting contrast, a beacon of hope amidst the encroaching darkness.

I drifted into an uneasy sleep, images of storm clouds and silver linings clashing behind my closed eyelids.

#regulus deserved better #regulus black #sirius and regulus #regulus black x oc #regulus being a little shit #regulus black x hufflepuff reader #regulus black x you #regulus black x reader #original character #dead gay wizards #the marauders #the marauders era

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buttercuparry · 1 year

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I know sometimes most of us are just playing around in the fandom without any insidious reason. Hell sometimes things are just a vision and we all want those visions to see the light of the day, and there truly isn't anything wrong with that! But if a fan of colour is commenting on your post about something that might be a concern of theirs and you know this concern is related to matter of fandom racism, I don't think they are doing so to personally attack you about something. And if it indeed does feel like a criticism and you know you didn't mean your art/post/whatever else to express any sort of discrimination, I think just talking about it simply can help clear things. You don't even need to go into an explanation. It's really that simple.

I know fandom can get heated and hell despite our best attempts, back and forth tangent of discourse happens. But the way the fandom treats fans of colour not just in the asoiaf side of tumblr but everywhere-it's a bit disheartening. You have people mocking a fan of colour in tags of a post and going "all this discourse for lily white starks". Well you all don't really listen or even acknowledge unless fans of colour are loud, do you? And when they do get loud, you all start having problems.

"Lily white starks" was the point of discourse. That's what many of us who are PoCs in the asoiaf fandom have been saying. They are all the most ashiest whites to have ever whited and race bending is cool as fuck but they aren't 90s animal cartoons where you have two cats having kittens and half of the litter has orange fur while the other half has brown fur. But somehow the character whom fanon deems to be "plain" ( never mind the text says the opposite), whose gender identity gets questioned every now and then ( even though in text they specifically state what they identify as), is drawn racially ambiguous while her siblings look like they don't even have a drop of melanin-you bet fans of colour are going to feel a type of way about this. And till now I haven't seen any major discussion regarding this, not even a peep of acknowledgement that it's a bit weird that the fanon trajectory where people shout "let (redacted) character be ugly" and then this (redacted) character and all who look like her is drawn with brown skin. But wait there's more! The "Helen" of asoiaf universe, even though is said to look like this (redacted) character is often argued to have looked nothing alike at all. So you see how all this shit evolved into the discourse under that art post right? Like it's not like this discontent was bred in a vacuum.

Even now when a new fan comes into asoiaf fandom, after a few months around they know what the dead ladies club is. Because it is that discussed and it should be because Grrm is shit like that. But dead ladies club evolved from being a genuine criticism to a championing a kind of womanhood that posits itself as the best of them all. And this mentality continues to this day and the race bending of certain houses comes from that. You have a fandom that dislikes one of the most important characters so much, that every thing they do is considered a devastation. This dislike is based on the fact that she doesn't really fit in with the kind of womanhood that's considered traditional. It has been literally witnessed how this character has changed the fantasy genre's notion of the "chosen one" but you have dudebros crying foul. And thus anything related to her is bashed more than it deserves to be and you have one of her deceased family members being presented as the devil incarnate. The woman this dead man has supposedly wronged is suddenly a woc, and the whole of the kingdom she belonged to is also a representation of poc culture in fanon?? Like do you see how exploitative this is? And then to further drive in the notion of evil, there came the dominant headcanon where one of the most priviledged and bloody houses in the fictional asoiaf universe is made analogous to real world indigenous pocs who are still fighting for their rights in their own country. It cannot get more batshit insane than that.

I genuinely believe that certain characters were initially drawn in darker shades out of a personal artistic vision. But then this got twisted by the fandom at large to suit their supposed intellectual narrative and bnf artists just simply followed the trend never questioning anything and years and years of this practice got cemented as natural and canon. Never was it questioned why a character ( and all who look like her) who is falsely fanonized as violent and ugly is drawn shades darker and why another character of whom we know nothing of but how violently she met her end is also a woc.

The most recent discourse that happened under the post carries a weight of this particular fandom history. I know there's artistic vision to consider which is why I personally try not to criticize an artist on their own post. This is also a fanart, something given to the fandom freely and I am of the opinion that if it cannot be celebrated then it should just be left alone. But what got to me was that how it felt like through the response there was this tone of trying to turn the tables on the fan of colour who commented. Like the sarcastic commentary on how there is an insistence on Valyrians being whitest white...like dude...hello?? Pretty sure this is on grrm and do you really think this person who is actively frustrated at the racist caricature would mind genuine attempt at being inclusive?! Like I have seen you around, I have enjoyed your posts, I think I even saw you under posts which criticized these particular trends while drawing certain Stark siblings, are you really going to pretend you don't know where the comments came from???

There is also the pointing towards how fandom casts all of dorne as poc and I think we have already established that this fandom is shit. Like I won't lie I enjoy my guilty pleasure of looking at Bollywood gifs representing Dorne, and I think there is this headcanony idea that Dorne is based on North Indian hindu hindi speaking culture. But in same post representing a particular house through this Hindu Hindi speaking culture you have the gifmaker using gifs of the Islamic hajj!!! Like ajaldleryjdlsldldlfg the headcanon then is the idea of amalgating brown bodies and meshing them in homogeneity because that's what we are all over the world right? 😂😂😂

Like I understand the frustration and you really got nothing to explain but it's trying to turn the tables for me (including calling a poc racist when they themselves were trying to address a racist issue)

EDIT IMPORTANT:

I am making this post non reblogable because the assumption on the basis of which I made this post was wrong. The person I have been referencing is a artist of colour themselves- so the core idea of the post isn't applicable. However I still don't know or can't wrap my head around how someone got dog piled on for a comment, and got called a racist ( a poc themself), when they have been one of the primary voices who pointed out many of the racist issues in the fandom.

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sweetdreamsjeff · 9 months

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Jeff Buckley, Bettie Serveert: Astoria 2, London

Caroline Sullivan, The Guardian, 21 January 1995

WHEN JEFF Buckley's debut album, Grace, was released last year, it received ferocious acclaim and spawned a resurgence of interest in Jeff's folk singing father, Tim. Had the elder Buckley not overdosed on drugs in 1975, aged 28, he might have been glumly amused that his progeny is already more commercially successful than he ever was. Touring Britain for the second time in four months, Jeff pulled a full house that screamed as if he were Take That.

Mind you, the fans were almost as enthusiastic about support band Bettie Serveert, an ascending Dutch indie act of no great distinction. Buckley's music actually isn't all that different from Serveert's melodic, unfussy pop-rock, though Buckley also has blues and Led Zeppeloid heavy metal in his repertoire. But where Serveert are mousy, Jeff is a natural whose every quaver emanates star quality.

In checked flannel shirt and pensionable jeans, he looked like Everyslacker, but after a bashful, "Gee, uh, glad to be back with you guys," he was transformed into a Bronte like romantic troubadour. His eyes closed, his high voice ululated in its unique way and his entire body quivered. "I was so real! REAL" he wailed, hacking at a guitar to keep his hands occupied during this outpouring of emotion. It was as if Jim Morrison and Iggy Pop had met in the detox ward.

Buckley was at fever pitch for over an hour, building songs slowly to explosive crescendos. During a power chord jamboree called 'Eternal Life', he threw his malfunctioning guitar to the floor in rage, grabbed another and shoved onward. It was spell binding. By the time he got to a simmering a cappella blues, 'What Will You Say When You See My Face?', the crowd was virtually silent with awe.

If Buckley were to change one thing, it should be his habit of howling at the climax of every song. It's just a bit too much of a good thing — the last thing this lily needs is gilding.

#jeff buckley #jeffbuckley #Jeff Buckley #Bettie Serveert: Astoria 2 #London #the guardian #caroline sullivan #1995 #january 21 1995

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fangurlss63 · 10 months

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HHr fanfiction recommendation

I know it’s 2023 and not a lot of people still reading harry potter fanfiction but here I am. This month alone I’ve been reading so many good stories that I want to compile in a post so it can be easier if someone want to read a harmony/harmione/HHr ff. Here we go!!

p.s. I’m from Indonesia so some of this fanfic will be in Bahasa Indonesia

A Marauder’s Plan by CatsAreCool

Rating : T Status : Complete Language : English Summary : Sirius decides to stay in England after escaping Hogwarts and makes protecting Harry his priority. AU GOF.

Just Breathe by ficfan91

Rating : T Status : Complete Language : Bahasa Indonesia Summary : Time Travel Stories. Harry and Hermione are attacked by Voldemort and Death Eaters in a tent during the Horcrux Hunt. Fawkes saves them from the Place Between Life and Death, and sends them to 1975. Canon until book 7, chapter 18.

Fourteen Days by alexandra_emerson

Rating : M Status : Complete (Part 1 of 5 on-going series) Language : English Summary : During her work in the Department of Mysteries, Hermione discovers an alternate universe where Neville was the Boy Who Lived, not Harry. Where James and Lily are alive and where Harry and Hermione aren’t about to marry Weasleys, but each other.They impersonate the other Harry and Hermione and join Harry’s parents on a trip to visit the Seven Wonders of the Magical World. It was only supposed to be two weeks. Fourteen days to get to know his parents. It became a journey of self-discovery. One they weren’t ready for.

In the Other Side of the World by nessh

Rating : T Status : Abandoned (but the last chapter can be interpreted as ending) Language : Bahasa Indonesia Summary : After the war, Harry disappeared from England and started his new life on the other side of the world, America. For years, Harry lived quietly there, until fate brought him back to face his past.

The Time Travelling Potters by LordCroussette

Rating : T Status : Completed Language : English Summary : James, Lily, Fleamont and Euphemia are bored to death during an Order meeting taking place at Potter Manor. What they never expected during their half-asleep mind-ranting was for James and Lily's son to travel back in time from the future with his wife and their daughter. Suddenly, they have hope that they will be able to kill Voldemort for good. H/HR JP/LE.

Our Real Life by nessh

Rating : K+ Status : Completed Language : Bahasa Indonesia Summary : Characters reading Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows, HHr/DG/RL.

Stay Here by nessh

Rating : T Status : Completed Language : Bahasa Indonesia Summary : "Maybe we should stay here Harry. And grow old," HHr/RWLL. OOC. RnR

A Solid Foundation by Lucych.7

Rating : M Status : Completed Language : English Summary : Harry gets kicked out by the Dursleys at age 5. Sirius escapes Azkaban to find him. Hermione & her parents take in the boy & the dog. What if Harry knew he could count on the adults in his life for love, advice & support? Rated M for child abuse, adult themes & language, violence, etc. Evil APWBD, some Weasley bashing. Slow Harmony. Not canon.

Tones of Gray by Lucych.7

Rating : M Status : On-going Language : English Summary : This is the sequel to "A Solid Foundation". Please start there for context. In this world, there is black and white, but how do you navigate the rest that is all tones of gray? Follow the kids as they go to Hogwarts. Find out what happened with The Past, The Present, and The Future. Rated M for violence, explicit language, adult themes, etc. H/Hr. Some Weasley bashing. Non-canon.

Uncovering the Truth by TitansRule

Rating : T Status : Complete Language : English Summary : No one would ever guess that Hermione was hiding such a terrible secret. But just as that secret is discovered by an unlikely person, she finds herself cast adrift with only her friends to help her. With new powers, surprising allies, and shocking secrets, Hermione fights to uncover that which is being hidden from her. Pre-Harmony.

Defying the Enemy by TitansRule

Rating : T Status : Complete Language : English Summary : Voldemort is back, the Ministry of Magic is pretending he isn't, and the Order of the Phoenix is being blocked at every turn. Amidst it all, Harry's Muggle neighbour is more than she seems, Draco Malfoy is trying to break free from his father's hold, and the Golden Trio are facing a Ministry-controlled Hogwarts. AU. Sequel to 'Uncovering the Truth'.

The Last Stand by TitansRule

Rating : T Status : Complete Language : English Summary : Jennifer Black is taking matters into her own hands. If her godson has to face Voldemort, she's going to make damn sure he's not alone. As the war with Voldemort heats up, the Marauders - both new and old - must fight to save everything they hold dear. Sequel to ‘Defying the Enemy’.

Aftermath by TitansRule

Rating : T Status : Complete Language : English Summary : As the dust settles at Hogwarts and the Wizarding World is left in limbo, awaiting the reappearance of their hero, the Marauders set about cleaning up the mess left behind. Sequel to Uncovering the Truth, Defying the Enemy, and The Last Stand.

this post will be updated!!

#hhr #harry potter fanfiction #harry potter x hermione granger #hermione granger fanfiction #hphg

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chaifootsteps · 11 months

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Kikyo anon 🪻(man, they need a spider lily emoji)

So, when I was younger, because I never got to watch all of Inuyasha (I'd check the on demand stuff and etc, but never found anywhere I could watch it circa 2005-2008). So, when I found out the manga ended before my freshman year of HS,I was in shock the series ended with Kagome staying in feudal Japan. From the eps I did see, Kagome spent like 3 hours taking a bath when she'd come back from the current time, I even remember times when she'd talk about how ready she was to shampoo her hair idk how many times too! She was also always going to convienance stores for snacks and etc. Then there's eps where she's hanging out with friends and wanting to do, you know, teenager stuff. I'm not bashing her for wanting to stuff of modern Era, but just I found it so hard to believe she'd give up all that stuff, and her family just to go back in time and live with Inuyasha. I really thought Inuyasha would be about healing trauma and moving on! Also, something I thought would happen is that guy who was flirty with Kagome in modern time would have been a reincarnation of Inuyasha just like Kagome was supposedly a reincarnation of Kikyo.

Oh and something I remembered was there was some official art (could have sworn it was made by the mangaka) of Kagome with like 3 kids and one was a daughter with dog ears I had seen after the manga ended. I actually talked to a friend about that art and she said that was circulating around the internet post inuyasha, but maybe it wasn't real and was very good fanart imitating the mangaka art.

Then ah. I find out before the awful Inuyasha sequel that Rumiko, the mangaka, had asked the Japanese VA of Kagome "hey, since you're Kagome, how should I end the manga since idk how to end it?" And the VA had requested she end it with Kagome staying in the past with Inuyasha, so we can thank Satsuki Yukino for that. In a way, I'm glad I found people who didn't like the ending, not to bash it, but cause it could have been more and wasn't cause of something superficial, and yes I do consider that a superficial ending because Kagome had so many friends in modern time, her loving family, and just so much more just to give it all up for Inuyasha.

I'm fractionally kinder to Kagome now than I was when I was a kid just because she's 15, and it's true, nothing good can come of her staying in the past. She's a kid at the start of her life, a kid with a fat cat and friends and family that love her, and she deserves to live a life where she can be with them, where she she can wash her hair.

And Inuyasha deserves someone who doesn't break his teeth against the ground when he upsets them.

#Anonymous #Inuyasha #actual blog post #kikyo anon

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peachyqueenly · 1 year

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well i'd love to hear about your thoughts.

i'm relatively new to the fandom, and always sort of liked the kind of sad tale they had about how Hollyberry basically tried to throw away her past life, before realizing that it was a bad idea. The fact that she apparently had such a complex and detailed secret life, with cookies who might not even know her real name. who might not know what happened to her-That was always interesting to me.

Yea very much agreed. Her entire life and dynamic with all the cookies in the story (Pitaya, Wildberry, Tarte Tatin, Marge, the npcs, etc) goes so much beyond romance and its been such an interesting read. Like, she's this fun loving grandma who. While she was a queen, didn't bear the weight of responsibility for the crown that say Cacao and even PV did. Even abandoning it to live this life as Pinkberry Cookie. There is so many more layers to it than just the Pitaya interactions and I wish that got more attention.

She has a complicated relationship with Pitaya that, while isn't overly antagonistic, has strain that shows from their previous affairs in the Hollyberry Kingdom. And I think thats so much more of an interesting read than the popular depiction I've been seeing (personally, I should stress). This goes double for Wildberry who its a shame some have reduced his discomfort with Pitaya down to whatever they have... he has such interesting and valid reasons to be the way he is with Pitaya and its just not properly discussed.

TLDR; I think a lot of the nuance of this update has kinda been lost which is a real shame. Cause the things its proposing for all the characters involved (even Lily who I could write a new thesis on what this adds to her) are so interesting. And it just kinda feels like its being reduced to shipping fodder when thats not... really the point of it? Like I get the SeaMoon bond story and the MintCocoa story being read like they were but here... there is so much missed potential when the focus is being placed purely on romance.

Idk I'm trying not to sound like this is ship bashing cause its REALLLLLLY not that. Ship to your hearts content. To me anyway, its just a shame when shipping overshadows the actual point of a story in any fandom--

#cookie run #cookie run kingdom #hollyberry cookie #pitaya dragon cookie #wildberry cookie #white lily cookie #reaaaaally trying to stress this isn't about anyone or about bashing a ship #More so a general observation of mine

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undercoverpan · 1 year

Text

Family reunion

Part 2, maybe obsessing over a grandma is unhealthy?

Fighting came easy.

Punch, duck, grab, punch again, pull hair, kick, spit, bite.

So easy. Routine, even.

Fighting has made up the better part of Dahlia Mels' life.

Dahlia is strong, cold, calculated. Dahlia Mel was one of the most skilled people with a gun, able to keep track of multiple moving targets, in the dark, in the cold, anywhere and in any condition. She was a merciless mercenary, given the name "Artemis" for her unmatched proficiency with a bow.

Yes, a bow. Hard to maintain, even harder to maintain arrows. Hers was such a unique creation, given the name "Lillith", an homage to the young girl who decided to learn it in the first place, the girl she used to be. The entire bow, string included, was surdy. It wouldn't snap even if she tried to bash someone's skull in. The string itself was sharper than most knives, frequently cutting her fingers, arm and cheek whenever she got careless with it. The bow was made so it had two small slots at the top and bottom. It looked like tasteless decoration for a deadly weapon, but they were compartments for knives.

It was black in colour, and made little to no noise. The arrows were a matching black, made of an easily sourced material. Sometimes, should she be too careless, they'd make a whistling sound when they cut through the air.

She brought it with her to Pandora. There, she was just Artemis. Killer, sharp shooter, Goddess of the Hunt.

She didn't expect to be Lily. Or Lils. Or bumblebee. She didn't expect to be her again.

Tommy was a surprise. A pleasant one, all things considered. She thought she was the last Sully, the only survivor of the Sully Massacre. And she was, Jake was off-planet and Tommy died before it happened. But she had him now, as big and blue as he was. He's being taken away for testing, and probably some real clothes. That left her to try slipping back into Artemis alone in a hallway before she greeted the squad.

Metal doors slid open. The room beyond was decent, giant glass windows covering the wall opposite to her. There were benches and shelves built into the walls, the floor a cold concrete. Several heads turned to her as she entered. Off the top of her head, she could name all of them; Hummingbird, Loki, Flare, Obake.

5 people is kind of small for a squad; but whatever. Hummingbird is a small thing, all soft edges and dyed blue hair paired with equally blue eyes. Loki was a simple guy, blonde hair (with the roots going brown) and brown eyes, 5'7 ft. Flare, an astounding 5'11, was a woman with burns covering her body, with grey eyes and bouncy orange curls. Obake was teeny, maybe 5 ft if she's being generous, with poofy black locks of hair.

A decent team, save for one fact: they all work alone.

But like her, the offer was too enticing. More money than you'd ever need, a ready built house on humanity's new home. Security, certainty, 2 things you'd never have on earth.

She was just in it for the money. She'd never call this dumpheap home.

She nodded at them, they nodded at her. No one spoke for a while, until the soldiers walked in, accompanied by a woman, Ardmore. Their new boss for the next 10 years. "Mercs, welcome. This'll be home sweet home for a while, so get comfortable." She said, easily taking command of the room. She didn't flinch as 5 of the most dangerous people alive locked eyes on her, but then again, she is paying them. "You have 2 simple missions; keep the researchers alive. You'll be in hostile territory more often than not, so you'll have to be alert at all times. Your second is stamping out hostiles, keeping the Na'vi rebellion away from construction and supply lines."

It seemed like a big job for 5 people. But they're 5 of the most capable people out there.

"You're out on your first mission tomorrow, 0500 sharp. Dismissed." She says, before gesturing towards Dahlia, "You, with me." She dutifully followed the woman out of the room, soldiers making their way to their posts. When they're alone in some room overlooking the wild jungle called Pandora, they speak. "You've been assigned a personal mission: capture Jake Sully and his brood by any means." She nods. She knew this, going in. "We believe that, thanks to Sullys' obvious…paternal instincts, you'll have the best chance at capturing him." She explains as she approaches the window. She follows suit, placing a hand on the glass.

The view is vast and green. Endless, even. The sky is filled with over a million stars, like what they said the night sky looked like on earth, before the pollution. They said it was even dark blue rather than black, once. They said it's beauty was unmatched. Even the forests remind her of what her home once was, green and lively and living. Bustling with animals, with coarse dirt and smooth leaves. They said it's beauty was unmatched, also. But standing here, looking at Pandora…

…

She has to agree.

Her father is out there, somewhere. Her father and his wife and children and village and people. He risks his life daily for them by attacking supply lines and mines, he makes sure they all return home safely. He's doing well as Olo'eyktan. As a husband. As a father. He's doing so much better here than back home, where he lived in filth and poverty, with 2 children he was struggling to feed, with legs that didn't work and a society that didn't want nor need him. It's so much better here, she can see why he left. Nothing on earth worth sticking around for when you can have all this.

No, absolutely nothing worth staying for, or saying goodbye to, or trying to protect–

Her entire body is on fire. She can see her own intestines through the cut on her stomach. Her little hands are doing the best they can to keep it all inside, but she's 12 years old and burning and bleeding and broken and bruised and running scared. She didn't look behind her as her home burned, the squeezing lungs and aching pains kept her mind from straying. She hears nothing behind her, no one is following her, but she can't stop running. You never know, they could catch up, they could find her, they could finish the job–, she has to keep running, running, running, don't think, just keep running–

She swallows. "I'll deliver him when I can."

____

They share a living space, which is fine. They've been around each other before, they can do it for 10 years. Nevermind that they start pulling knives the second they're startled, and that most of them have pretty silent footsteps. She sighs as she leans on the wall of her own room. It's huge compared to back home. Her apartment could fit in here.

It's all grey, the only colour comes from the navy blue bed sheets. She runs a hand across the surface of the mattress, so much softer than anything she owned back home. She pushed down, the mattress barely gave way under her hand.

There was a knock at her door. She's reaching for a pen that was on the desk next to her bed and brandishing it as a weapon before she even registers it. Behind her, right at her door, Obake stands with their hands held up in surrender.

"Oh." She says, putting her hand down but still clutching the pen, "You're quiet. What do you want?"

Obake keeps their face pretty blank. Now that they're in a one on one situation, I'll take the time to tell you what they look like. Their skin borders on translucent, eyes wide and glassy like they've been crying, coloured a weak, watery blue. They've got chewed fingernails and scratch marks on their arms–, she gets the feeling that they have some bad nervous habits. Their hair is black and messy, cut above the shoulders. They resemble an unruly child more than an experienced killer.

'We're going over target info,' they signed, 'We're supposed to get rid of all the clan leaders, so they're giving us more info on them.'

And that's how she ended up knee deep in a bunch of papers. High value targets, wanted dead or alive. Mo'at, tsahik of the Omaticaya clan, Ateyo, tsahik of the Tsawke Sreu clan, Olo'eyktans, tskarems, people who have any kind of authority. She keeps her eyes trained on Mo'ats papers.

Tsahik of the Omaticaya, mother of Neytiri, mate of Jake Suli. Not much is known about her, just her age, height and weight. Her mate was killed during the attack on hometree, a shame, really. She'd have loved to tear his heart out herself, but alas.

Holding up the paper with her information to the others, she spoke; "I'm calling dibs." This was immediately met with retaliation.

"Hey, no dibs!" Insisted Flare, who already called dibs on 3 of their targets. She gave her a flat look. "it wouldn't make sense to call dibs," Hummingbird reasoned, "It's not practical." This obviously didn't matter to them. They've got 10 years to do this.

___

Mo'at paused, her hands stilling while she was braiding Kiri's hair. She looked back at her grandmother curiously. "Grandmother?" She asked, "Is everything ok?"

Mo'at stayed silent for a moment. No, nothing felt okay. Strangely, she felt like she was being watched, not by any Na'vi or animal, not like she was tsahik. She was being watched as though she was prey, like a starving palulukan had caught her in its crosshairs. She bit back a shiver.

"I feel fine, do not worry." She says finally, resuming her braiding. The girl didn't look convinced in the slightest.

___

"--and why do you even want to call dibs on her?" Artemis asks sternly, but Flare isn't one to back down. "For the same reason you want to call dibs!" She insists, and Artemis has to resist scowling at her because there's no way she's after Mo'at for the same reason she is. No way.

The others are all sitting around, just looking at them. Obake is not confrontational, Loki enjoys chaos and Hummingbird has given up on trying to mediate this.

"You're most certainly not." She says, arms crossed. Loki chimes in, his voice carrying faux innocence, "But how do you know if you won't say why you want Mo'at?" She does nothing but glare at him.

"Because–,"

___

"Ma Jake," Neytiri says, looking over her shoulder at her mate as she coats her arrows in poison, "What is wrong?" She asks, almost insisting. Jake has been acting strange these past few hours, unsettled almost.

"Nothing, Ma Yawne." He says, walking over and pressing a kiss to her forehead. She looks up at him, not believing him. He grimaces. "Just…worried about this raid." He admits, shoulders relaxing. "Everything will be okay." She says, standing up and placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. He feels guilty as he wraps his large arms around her waist, digging his face into the crook of her neck and inhaling her earthy scent.

_____

"---Okay, no one's calling any dibs! Can we settle on that?" Hummingbird says as she stands between her and Flare. Artemis has her arms crossed over her chest as she and Flare glare at each other.

"Fine." They both agree. They're going over everything, places they're most often spotted, people close to them. Those with higher statuses are to be assassinated with the utmost discretion.

Then they're all back in their rooms. She takes note of her weaponry in the same way she knows everyone else is. Her arrows were duplicated by the RDA almost perfectly, even the poison tipped ones. The RDA didn't know how Na'vi bodies would react to human poisons, so tomorrow will certainly be a field test.

There's a knock at her door.

She looks up, unsurprised to see Flare. She's not really looking at her, eyes on the ground. She gestures for her to come in, placing her arrows on the table. Flare comes in, her hand on the others waist as she buries herself in the crook of Artemis' neck.

"What do you want?" She asked pointedly. The other barely groused. "Hnnhnnnhh." She slurred unintelligibly, making Artemis roll her eyes. "Use your words, Flare." The other pouted like a child. "Sleep with me?" She asked.

That's how they ended up under the covers together. It also just occurred to Artemis that she meant sleep next to her and not with her. It makes the fact that she's only in her underwear while Flare is in the RDA issued pyjamas a little awkward. Whoops.

_____

Kiri stood at the base of the spirit tree. She stood amongst its mighty roots, beneath the branches and leaves that stretched across the sky. Neteyam, ever the dutiful brother, accompanied her on this trip. She wasn't sure of why Lo'ak tagged along though. Perhaps fulfilling his duty of being annoying, she thought as he held Tuk up, spinning her around as fast as he could, getting them both dizzy, and falling flat on his face. Well, he is certainly entertaining.

"Why did we come here so late?" Lo'ak whined as he attempted to stand on his feet. Kiri turned to face him, arms crossed over her chest. "To speak with Eywa. Dad has been acting weird, and I know she will know why." She answers. She knows her siblings have noticed it too, the shuddering, the far off looks, reaching for someone and being surprised when he reaches them.

Without another word, her siblings join her in connecting with Eywa.

The first thing she sees are blinding lights. Green, red, blue, pink, and a thousand different colours. They are not like the gentle glow of Pandora, no, these are harsh, burning her eyes so badly she has to squeeze them shut. She feels hands on her shoulders, warmer and realer than what Eywa gives her. She turns, opens her eyes and sees her brothers and sister. They look at each other, silently agreeing that this is strange and unusual. They've never heard of Eywa showing Na'vi the same thing at the same time, letting them share visions.

With a renewed sense of bravery, she moves forwards. The ground beneath her is hard and cold, littered with broken glass and cigarette butts that she can't feel hurting her. All around her, buildings of grey stone brushed against the sky. Mould had collected on the walls, the glass of the windows that didn't look like they could open was covered in smudges and red smears. It was quiet, still, unnaturally so. She could hear a needle drop on the opposite end of the path. Most unnerving was the sky. It was inky black as it hung over their heads, not a single star in sight. The moon looked so small and tiny here, covered by a sort of black fog.

One thing was apparent: this could not be Pandora.

….

So this was earth? Their father's home planet? She felt a chill run down her spine. Her father grew up here? Here? Not even the darkest caves or the driest desert of Pandora was so desolate. Nothing could thrive here, absolutely nothing. How could you live without knowing the dirt beneath you? Without the stars above you? Without the music of Eywa to grace you?

She wanted to leave. Yes, yes; she has to get out of here. Here, where the shadows had swallowed up the light whole, where not even the howling wind made a sound. This place was wrong, so very wrong. Why did Eywa show her this? What was she supposed to See?

Her answer came in the shape of a little human girl. She couldn't quite make out her details as she walked past, but she could note down a few features. Dark hair, almost black, was tied into 2 little pigtails on either side of her head. Her skin was pink, like her fathers. She had a large black shirt with some kind of design on top, paired with baggy pants. She walked barefoot over the cigarettes and glass, leaving behind small stains of blood.

Without thinking, she calls out for her. The girl whips her head around, and she can see her face. All she could see was a pair of glasses on her face, a small scar running over her pink lips and a little nose. She turned away quickly, continuing down her path. Kiri, joined by her siblings, walked after her. The girl broke out into a sprint, running into the narrow walkway between 2 buildings. Kiri hesitated, which allowed Lo'ak to move in front of her, walking into the shadows and being swallowed up whole by them.

They followed after him quickly, Tuk taking hold of her hand and pressing into her side as they walked. Neteyam keeps close to her, eyeing the shadows suspiciously. She kept her eyes forwards, noting the grittiness of the ground and cracks in the stone. Turning her attention to her boneheaded brother, she noted he had switched to chasing after the girl. Eywa, help her.

They followed for what seemed like forever. The halls--alley, her mind supplied, twisted and turned, like they were actually travelling down a living path that intended to keep them, stretching and twisting its neck to form an incoherent path. Everywhere they turned, it was all the same, an endless sea of grey and shadows. The alley, despite their size, seemed to tower over them, squeezing them. It was like that animal that Norm told her about once, a boa constrictor. A creature winding itself around you so tightly until you inevitably popped. In the videos, it always looked like there was such little effort needed on the snakes part.

It was probably hours until Lo'ak caught the girl. She let out a loud yelp, as if she'd been hurt. Her brother immediately loosened his grip, but still kept firm as the little thing thrashed in his hold. "Mawey, Mawey," He says, bending down on his knee, "I won't hurt you, calm down." The child kept her head down, face obscured by the hair in front of her face. "Who are you? Where are we?" He asks, and she offers no answer.

"Maybe give her some space?" Neteyam offers from beside her. She can see Tuk watching her, fascinated by the creature before her. Tuk's never seen a human child, and their tiny stature surprises her. When she hears tales of demons, even when they tell her of how small they were, she always imagines big and imposing figures. This little thing in front of her wouldn't survive a day in the mountains.

"Are you hurting her?" She asks, and Lo'ak immediately denies.

"Hey, hey, what's wrong? Why are you scared?" Neteyam asks gently, as though he was not a 7 feet tall blue alien. She hesitated, walking next to her brother and lowering herself too, offering her blue hand to the demon. The tawtute hesitated, placing her pink little hand in hers. She looked up at her and her siblings, and Kiri didn't manage to hold back her gasp.

The demons' face was like no others she'd ever seen. Her features, her details, they were blurry and ever changing, like she was looking at a video from one of the broken cameras near Hells gate. She couldn't make out anything besides the blue colour of her eyes.

They stayed there for a moment, before Eywa brought them back. They looked at each other, wondering what the hell and who the hell that was. Why did Eywa show them a human girl on earth? Where could she have…..

They all had the same thought at once: Dad.

#avatar oc #avatar twow #jake sully #avatar fanfiction #jake is trying his best #but uhhh #yeah

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zorkaya-moved · 11 months

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i think i might have fallen in love . (from lyney, i'm sorry he's like this, it's the charming magician act and of course he's materialising a flower out of thin air for her)

@maquiscursed

As much as she knows it's logical for many men and women to look at her with even a slight glimmer of infatuation, she knows when one is entranced by her, mesmerized by her appearance and allured by her beauty. The magician before her does not show it, his pupils do not dilate and she almost chuckles at his words. They're sweet, they are truly sweet and it's more amusing than anything else. The flowers that appear out of thin air make her almost whistle as it was a rather impressive trick. He has agile fingers and a quick reaction, the ability to turn another's gaze away so he can make his tricks truly magical. He's too skilled for his age, too skilled to be looked away from. Maybe she should speak with Arlecchino if she wanted to recruit this boy or if she could tug him into her own web. His skills can be beneficial.

"You are too kind," Zarina answers with a soft smile back, seemingly flattered and a bit bashful at the attention she's given. A soft chuckle, a hand brought up to shy away from showing him her smile, an epitome of elegance and beauty as she reaches her hand out to accept the beautiful flower in his hand. A white lily? It's almost cruel how fitting it is for someone who's lost all innocence before she was ever supposed to. "You shouldn't say ladies such words, monsieur, you're going to make them blush."

Her smile is one of ethereal moonlight, soft and gentle as she tucks a lock of silver hair before her ear, exposing the crescent moon earrings while taking a whiff of the flower's scent. It's a real one, isn't it? He's truly skilled, she should watch her pockets and keep an eye on him to ensure that if there is anything she'll need, she'll come asking the young man here. But wait, he seems familiar. Has she seen him a couple of years ago when she visited Fontaine? Maybe not. Either way, eyes of ichor gleam unnaturally, almost supernaturally, under the sunlight and adapting an even more deep color of gold. Judging by the Vision on him, he bears one of Pyro. It explains it, he feels warmer than many. So does the Abyssal Serpent sense tell her.

"I'm flattered, nonetheless. However... How can I respond when I don't even know your name?" Two can play at this game of being a smooth criminal.

#smooth criminal mp3 is just non stop with lyney #maquiscursed #zarina vc: i know i'm beautiful dear but that's too on the nose :3 #❄ ― IN CHARACTER. ╱ you breathe by the sun，i breathe by the moon.#they'd be so funny interacting tbqh

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faggot-billcipher · 4 months

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th i literally do nawt get how so many people can still agree with anti rhetoric wihle seeing how lily orchard is. and knowing she is one of THE top influencer-like figures in the community. ibtch lied about finding a therapist who agreed with anti culture as her stepping stone. ivew legit only seen one ex anti have a case of a therapist hat legit promoted anti rhetoric. but that's it. only one experience isn't much vlaidity to work with. certianly not enough to justify murdering people over this shit irl the way so many antis are willing to do thoughtlessly. (murdering people will always be a bigger crime than fanfic sorry not sorry.) however i still think lily's stockholm syndrome fic and her other fics are ohrrid though and mainly because she actually uses them to groom minors into tinking that shit is okay to do irl. and uses those fics to tellk minors you should forgive rapists and pedophiles. since that is the most consistent moral in all of them. despite how lily's usual presence is in the anti community where she is the most aggressively anti forgiveness one in there. like the thing is i am not against people edploring incest and pedophilia in fictoin. i do it myseolf. my issue id when you use it to groom real people. because in that case the fic isn't inherently wrong. using it to groom someone is though. and can fall under non contact csa especially if you do it to a minor over texting. of course unfortunately online crimes are in muddy waters in terms of whether or not you can get someone convicted over them. this kind of shit can only get a predator like lily convicted if she's sharing like porn with real peo[le with minors. or sharing and making stylized nsfw art of real minors (which is what the actual "fictional csem" obscenity laws antis keep misrepresenting fall under btw not fanfic or fanart.) what shadman did to keemstar's daughter could actually fall under that. but yeah i digress....lily's fanfic a one isn't what's wrong, how she was using it was. and again i cannot get people seeing a bunch of big name antis including lily being exposed as total creeps irl so much recnetly and still want to side with anti rhetoric. how many more antis have to be exposed like this before you decide enough??

and not only that a huge amount of antis are still sidfing with lily on this. i even saw some saying that how lily sexually abused courtney wasn't a bg deal. and treated it like a joike in their tone. how are you going to act like bashing fanfic or fanart that depicts csa and pedophilia and adult/minor sihps is about protecting csa victims when this is the common attitude?? Simply becuase lily was super popular for years before this all got exposed. i know that could definitley not be me. i could not comfortably sit in a community that is that dismissive of one of lily's vicitms solely cuz he's lily's victim.

let's stop pretending the anti community treat proshippers the way they do because they're trying to normalize protecting csa victims. if that was true they would not be letting off lily scott free simply cuz shes lgbt and is popular in their community. antis just want to justify thinking it's okay to tell rape victims they're more likely to agree with their rapist for portraying rape in a way they didn't like in a story. that's all it's about. everything else they use to cover that is just padding gaslighting. and to also trick well meaning newbies to think the community actually has any victims best interest at heart more than they do. they do ont care about any victims. they only care aobut using victims as a meat shield and to tokenize them. everything happening with lily should heavliy prove that ocnsidering the huge number of antis still defending lily in all this and the vile vicitm blaming things they're saying aobut what happened to courtney. i don't directly support courtney anymore for personal reasons i'm ont getting into but like...that is still fucked up.

and is a line i'm not crossing in this whole mess no matter how i feel about courtney's recent behavior. two things can be true at once. that courtney's also a bad person in his own way and that his allegaiotn s against lily are still true. i think it's important to remember sometimes aubse trauma can make you develop fucked up moral sand coping mechanisms. doesn't mean it didn't happen at all.

anyways yeah fuck lily orchard and fuck her enabling stans too. i'm only willing to be forgiving to the ones that stop defending her ass. however i do hpoe the minors in lily's community are able to get the fuck out of dodge soon. because holy shit from what i've heard lily is abusing so many minors in her online spaces especially on discord. both sexually and non sexually. and also maybe we should all consider dropping anti rhetoric if this is what it turned into so qiuckly on accident.

because it's only going to get worse. and we're only going to see more situations like what lily's doing at the rate things are going. due to the social immunity a lot of adult antis get to be super creepy and inappropriate with minors in their chatrooms, blogs and forums. of course it's gonna result in a bunch of both intentoinal and opportunistic pedophiles when adult antis think they can't abuse in any way just by being antis (sounds kinda similar to lily's mentality doesn't it??) no person who thinks like that is going to realize they're crossing the line if they refuse to be open to being confronted even politely.

that's why i say anti culture feeds into this problem. and i hope more people realize this sooner because i can guarantee we're gonna see more cases coming out even after this about different adult antis. especially if nothing aobut tihs problem in anti culture spaces changes fast enough.

#this is why you do not trust anyone who thinks their political opinions means they cannot abase or be bigoted #this is a prime perfect example #yes including that progressive stance you're thinking of right now

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