#what's the kangaroo prejudice?

[coline7373]

Kangaroo!Codywan because... @soap-brain

[sshbpodcast]

Character Spotlight: Benjamin Sisko

By Ames

We’ve segued so smoothly into Deep Space Nine for our character spotlights here on A Star to Steer Her By that you didn’t even notice it. Thank you, Worf. So this week we’re doing an in-depth look at one of the more complex lead characters of a Trek series, Benjamin Lafayette Sisko. He might be the leader who gets tested the most out of any of our main stars, and he makes probably the most wide-ranging decisions – though typically that decision is “let’s see how this goes.”

From first contacts with the Gamma Quadrant, to yet another standoff with Klingons, to full blown Dominion War, to whatever was going on with the wormhole aliens, Ben’s got a long list of moments for us to consider. So grab yourself a bowl of jambalaya, hop in your solar sail ship, and maybe get a little war crimes as a treat! Scroll on below for our Sisko spotlight and listen to a ton of spare moments on this week’s podcast (jump through the wormhole to 1:04:00). Ow!

[Images © CBS/Paramount]

Best moments

There’s no hurry Our first contact with beings from the Gamma Quadrant is also DS9’s first breaking of the Prime Directive. In “Captive Pursuit,” Miles is trying desperately to save Tosk from his hunters and Sisko is doing his best to technically stay within the rules, and it’s a rare success of doing both. Telling Odo to take his time in apprehending O’Brien shows that Sisko is coming from a place of real morality.

Find something you love, then do it the best you can We could name great moments between Ben and his son all day, but there’s more to our list than that, so let’s sum things up with a perfectly pure moment of excellent parenting from “Shadowplay.” Sisko is immediately accepting of Jake not wanting to follow in his footsteps and join Starfleet, and melts our hearts. Doing something he loves and being true to himself is far more important than legacy.

Cardassians love cosmetic surgery Appropriately, we watched Enterprise’s “Judgment” on the podcast this week and spent most it comparing it to The Undiscovered Country and “Tribunal.” When O’Brien is on trial in Cardassian kangaroo court and his lawyer is doing nothing to defend him, Sisko walks in with an undercover Cardassian spy in tow and wins the whole thing without saying a word. Like a badass.

Humans used to be a lot worse than the Ferengi We brought this up last week in our Worf chat too, but there’s a general racism towards the Ferengi all through Deep Space Nine. Quark calls Sisko out for it in “The Jem’Hadar” when Sisko and he are butting heads, and by the end of the episode, Sisko has seen Quark in a new light and refuses to leave him behind because Sisko got over some his prejudice (at least a little bit).

I’ll see that you get that chance Speaking of that prejudice against our lobed friends, everyone and their moogie is dubious when Nog claims he wants to join Starfleet in “Heart of Stone,” which would be a first for a Ferengi. But when Nog tells Sisko that he’s serious and looking for a life that will earn him real respect, the commander takes him at his word and vouches for him, putting in motion one of the best character arcs in Trek.

Some taboos are made to be broken Throughout the series, the relationships between characters are probably the strongest in Trek, and a true highlight is watching Sisko with his old/new friend Jadzia Dax. It’s such a beautiful scene in the equally beautiful “Rejoined” when Ben tells her that he’d still support her if she decides to break Trill taboo and hook back up with Lenara Khan. He’s that good a friend.

Don’t you see, Admiral? You’re fighting the wrong war. Around season 4, the show really tests Sisko with some ethical conundrums during the Dominion War. This is one he passes with flying colors. In “Paradise Lost,” Sisko is able to see his old mentor and silver medal winner from Jake’s Evil Admirals list, James Leyton, for what he really is: a megalomaniac who uses the Changeling threat as an excuse to incite a coup. Until Ben steps in!

Presenting the newest honoree in the Order of the Bat’leth It takes a certain level of crazy to think you can infiltrate the best warriors the Klingons have to offer, and luck for us, Captain Sisko is just that level of crazy. Avery Brooks seems oddly at home portraying a blood-thirsty Klingon being inducted into the Order of the Bat’leth in “Apocalypse Rising,” and even better, he and Odo (mostly Odo) expose Changeling Martok!

Don’t let Bajor in the Federation! We say it all the time on the podcast and today is no different: Bajor is NOT ready for Federation membership, no matter what Picard says. So when Sisko goes fully nuts after getting zapped by a plinth in “Rapture” and crashes the Federation membership ruling, we are fully supportive of his absolute batshit meddling. And ya know what, it works out for Bajor because of it!

Sisko, you’re baby crazy Any time Sisko is with a baby is truly joyful. This from a podcast of self-professed non-baby people. But this man’s mirth is so pure we’ve got to give it to him. Avery Brooks isn’t even acting in “Children of Time” when he dandles that baby, or in “The Abandoned” when he’s nostalgic about Jake as a baby, or in “Heart of Stone” when he’s delighted that Vilixpran is budding. This man just loves babies.

Let’s pretend that the Major’s not even here… By season 6, Gul Dukat is at his lowest point – he’s lost the station, his daughter is dead, and he’s more nuts than Ben in “Rapture”! And Captain Sisko plays him like a fiddle! “Waltz” is such an amazing showcase of acting talent, with Avery Brooks and Marc Alaimo bouncing off each other like pros. Sisko pushes his Cardassian counterpart over the edge and survives the cave of madness, some-freaking-how!

The Emissary has completed his task Sisko’s final action in this corporeal plane is also the climax of the whole series, culminating the wormhole alien plot that was started at the very beginning. And while we may whine that the Kosst Amojen plotline in “What We Leave Behind” felt rushed at the end, we have to admit that it’s cathartic to have the Emissary make a huge sacrifice to take out the pah-wraiths in the series finale.

—

Worst moments

This is how you hold a grudge Interestingly, the first taste we get of the jambalaya-slinging commander is him being bitter and fickle in the series premiere, “Emissary.” The show immediately introduces him being a dick to Picard, stewing with rage over Locutus’s part in the Battle at Wolf 359 (as if Picard had any control of that!). He also clearly doesn’t want to be in command of the station, starting him off with character conflict that the series will build on.

If I hear of you hanging around with him… Continuing our running gag that the only alien species the show seems to think it’s okay to be racist against is the Ferengi we brought up last week with Worf, we see more instances of it from Sisko early in season one in “A Man Alone.” When Ben basically tells Jake to not hang around with Nog anymore, it’s flavored with that anti-Ferengi racism we’re sadly accustomed to.

When in the Mirror Universe, do as the Mirror Universe people do We have a lot of issues with how DS9 trots out the mirror universe all the time, and it’s at its most uncomfortable when Sisko goes over there and sleeps with his friends’ counterparts in “Through the Looking Glass.” Sure, there’s not much you can do when Intendant Kira sets her sights on you, but it’s simply wrong to take advantage of Mirror Jadzia, regardless of how hot she is.

Abusing your power is so romantic Sisko is so blinded by love in “For the Cause” that he ignores all the signs that his girlfriend Kasidy has been aiding the Maquis. And then Ben abuses his power as commander of the station to get her out of an inspection when she bats her eyes at him, which is straight-up unethical. As we’ll see, Sisko tends to make terrible decisions when the Maquis are involved…

Red – the blood of angry men Arguably the most immoral acts that Sisko commits are the war crimes in “For the Uniform.” Even after Starfleet tries to take him off the Maquis assignment, Sisko’s obsession with taking out Eddington has gotten so personal that it clouds ALL his judgment. If we gave Picard grief about removing the residents of Dorvan V, then we’ve got to rake Sisko over the coals for POISONING A PLANET and relocating more people!

Prophets, take the wheel! Half our Worst Moments come from the last two seasons when Sisko is tested more than any other Trek captain due to the Dominion War. And so often, he chooses the messed up response. I am still trying to figure out his Hail Mary play in “Sacrifice of Angels” when he flies headlong into the wormhole against thousands of ships and ends up asking the wormhole aliens to do a literal deus ex machina for him. Leeeeroy! Jennnnkins!

What’s a better response to a “Yo Mama” joke than this? I shat on this one in our time travel post, but Sisko using his status as Emissary to let Kira play with the Orb of Time in “Wrongs Darker than Death or Night” because Dukat banged her mom and then gabbed to her about it is absolutely incompetent of him! Why anyone has access to that thing is incomprehensible because it just begs for time shenanigans!

I can live with it… because Vreenak can’t Arguably one of Deep Space Nine’s best episodes, “In the Pale Moonlight” forces Sisko to make the hardest decision a Starfleet officer has to make – and he jumps at the chance to pick the option involving committing more war crimes. While it is a huge benefit to get the Romulans on your side, Sisko knowingly accomplishes this through lies, counterfeiting, bribery, murder, and most damning of all: enlisting the help of Elim Garak!

Sisko SMASH! Here’s another instance when Ben abuses his power, this time in order to get access to an ancient artifact from Bajor in “The Reckoning.” And what does the Emissary do once he’s borrowed the tablet without asking permission, promising to take good care of it and that he’ll return it first thing in the morning? He destroys it utterly in a fit of rage, releasing some spirits that nearly gets Jake and Kira killed.

Pick a lane, Ben I will always give Sisko guff about this. In “Accession,” he has accepted his role as Emissary to the prophets while he’s already serving as commander of Deep Space Nine, and frankly, Ben, you can’t be both! It’s a HUGE conflict of interest. In “Tears of the Prophets,” Admiral Ross gives him some hell for this when he’s torn between the Prophets and Starfleet, and he’s right! Step down!

You’re outta here! “Take Me Out to the Holosuite" is a polarizing episode that fans either love or hate (even your SSHB hosts are mixed!), but you’ve got to admit: Sisko is a terrible baseball coach! He forces all of this senior staff to play a baseball game in the middle of wartime, cancels his girlfriend’s shipments to make her to play too, kicks Rom off the team, gets obsessively competitive about it, and then gets himself thrown out anyway! How many strikes was that?

They warned you that marrying me would bring you sorrow Finally, we are still cross with Sisko for knocking up Kasidy. In “The Dogs of War,” Kasidy tells him she’s pregnant because he forgot to take his contraception, even though Bashir is constantly reminding him! This is a world in which having children should always be a choice because future contraceptives are basically magic, AND he’s been told that he’s basically cursed, so take your damn meds, jackwit.

—

Well, we can live with it. We can live with it. We’ve also got more DS9 character spotlights on the way if you keep watching this blog, more Enterprise watch-throughs on the way if you keep listening to us on SoundCloud or wherever you podcast, and more announcements from Ops over on Facebook and Twitter. Computer, erase that entire personal log.

[lilflowerpot]

Hello! :> I've just found this blog after finishing LB, and've been pouring over your lovely posts about Galra biology/ phenotypes (thanks for that one btw, the inexplicable diversity of non-hybrids was always… puzzling), and my inner paleontologist got curious. What do you think the last common ancestor of all Galra might've been like?

I'm assuming the species would've already become obligate bipeds, but still with a reduced tail at this point. Is fur or bare skin their ancestral condition (ie. did Kyx/ Byal evolve their hair from a smoother ancestor, or did Aalk & Dox both disinherit their forebear's fur)?

From what biome did this proto-Galra emigrate (ie. from more resourceful, but competitive jungles -> to less hospitable, but unpopulated deserts... or the reverse)?

Kyx & Byal seem like sister taxa- more closely related to each other than to the other types (presumably only diverged by temporal partitioning?). Aalk & Dox, though both hairless, don't seem as similar... given the Aalk's increased size, loss of the tailed gene, and their unique dermal plating, could they be considered the most 'derived' type? And Dox, perhaps the most 'basal'? All this is making me want to draw a cladogram...

(That could be where the root of some biases about more supposedly 'superior/ advanced' phenotypes stems from...? Human prejudices can often fall along similar lines.)

Sorry for the overly-long ask, but your world is just so thoughtful! Thanks so much for sharing it. :>

((For the sake of both your sanity and mine, I'm going to do my very best to keep my answers focused and in the approximate order that you asked for them!))

All living people share exactly the same set of ancestors before the Identical Ancestors Point, all the way to the very first single-celled organism.[1] However, people will vary widely in how much ancestry and genes they inherit from each ancestor, which will cause them to have very different genotypes and phenotypes. [1] Rohde DL, Olson S, Chang JT (September 2004). "Modelling the recent common ancestry of all living humans". Nature. 431 (7008): 562–6.

My personal thoughts as to the appearance of the galra's last common ancestor is that it was a furred desert-dweller that, yes, must have been an obligate biped—a term which here means, for anyone not in the know, the form of bipedalism (walking on two legs) that is assumed as a habitual means of movement as in the case for humans and kangaroos, rather than being assumed on a temporary basis for specific short-term purpose—and still tailed at the time, though this was likely on its way to being evolved out seeing as it's a rare and recessive trait in the modern day.

Now I might be wrong regarding this next part (because I had to read up on what you meant by "sister taxa" so am low-key learning as we go) but yes, the Byal and Kyx branched from the common node of their desert dwelling ancestor. In their case, temporal partitioning occurred due to their circadian rhythms evolving to mediate the interactions between those galra sharing the sparse desert hunting ground; smaller galra were more successful hunting during the day, owing to their less-noticeable stature and swifter reactions, which lead to the circadian rhythms of larger galra shifting to allow them to hunt at night, when their dominant competitors were less active. Ultimately, this lead to the divergence of their phenotypical traits, with the Byal evolving a thicker coat and better night-vision to help them during their waking hours, while their large ears dispersed heat during the day to prevent heatstroke.

Importantly, the Aalk and Dox are still the same species as the Kyx and Byal (ie. they're all galra), but the two of them branched off from the common node immediately preceding that of the Byal/Kyx divide, though Aalk are indeed the most derived—meaning specialised—type, as their pheotypical traits stand the furthest from those of the proto-galra common ancestor. From their desertous origin, they migrated to Daibazaal's mountainous regions, triggering their fur to change from stand-alone strands to that distinct outer armor of scaled plates (formed of keratin like those of the rhyahl, though structured quite differently) to better protect their inner epidermis from the increased UV exposure risk of their new, high-altitude environment.

Other descendants of this same proto-galra migrated instead into Daibazaal's thick jungles, where they lost their fur altogether to compensate for the drastic increase of humidity, the sebaceous glands that served to oil their fur, emulsify sweat, and delay dehydration in the desert, evolving to instead produce a different compound comprised of two pigments (one red, one orange) that work in tandem to both produce a natural antibiotic and absorb harmful UV rays. This second group found new purpose for their tails as semi-arboreal creatures, and so natural selection maintained this recessive trait most firmly in those who would become Dox. So, no, the Dox are actually equally as "derived" as the Aalk, and of all the phenotypes it's likely the Kyx (despite their loss of the tailed gene) who would be considered the least divergent from their ancestral counterpart, and therefore the most "basal".

The historical prejudices of which phenotypes are considered "superior" came later, when the tribes started to actively war against one another, and those who possessed greater raw physical strength tended to have the advantage, particularly seeing as the majority of Daibazaal's terrain was so barren and so offered very little in the way of a tactical battleground. Notably, this is also where that idea of the Dox being "underhanded" came from: because their home turf //was// so diverse and difficult to navigate (poisonous plants, venomous fauna, sinkholes and swamps and terrain unlike anything the rest of the galra had ever known) they—knowing it would be a loosing battle if they were to war with larger phenotypes head-on—were able to fight tactically.

[itsrattysworld]

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[0613magazine]

150929 SBS Pop Asia

EXCLUSIVE: BTS slam book quiz

The BTS boys took our slam book quiz... see how they all answered the different questions we threw at them.

We got the BTS boys to take our PopAsia slam book quiz! Each member was given the same 12 questions to fill out answers for with a limited time frame.

Here's what they had to say... 

Rap Monster

1. I can’t live without [music].

2. I don’t like [seafood].

3. If I could date anyone it would be [someone who is pretty inside and out].

4. My favourite song to perform is [Cypher 3].

5. When I’m on stage I’m thinking about [only about the concert].

6. You can get my attention in the crowd at a BTS concert by [holding up placards with my name on it].

7. If I could give my younger self any advice it would be [“Relax and Enjoy”].

8. The other BTS members don’t know that I [rock].

9. When I hear “Australia” the first thing I think is [kangaroo and the nature].

10. My favourite Western artists are [Nas, Drake, and Travis Scott].

11. If I wasn’t an Asian pop star I would like to be [a writer or a poet].

12. I have a secret love for [Korea].

J-Hope

1. I can’t live without [A.R.M.Y].

2. I don’t like [people who don’t like A.R.M.Y].

3. If I could date anyone it would be [A.R.M.Y].

4. My favourite song to perform is [I NEED YOU].

5. When I’m on stage I’m thinking about [the emotion I put into the music].

6. You can get my attention in the crowd at a BTS concert by [holding up placards with my name on it].

7. If I could give my younger self any advice it would be [“Do not lose your original intentions”].

8. The other BTS members don’t know that I [am actually quite timid].

9. When I hear “Australia” the first thing I think is [kangaroo].

10. My favourite Western artists are [Big Sean, J.cole and ASAP Ferg].

11. If I wasn’t an Asian pop star I would like to be [an owner of a café].

12. I have a secret love for [producer Bang Si Hyuk, in terms of respect].

Jin

1. I can’t live without [rice].

2. I don’t like [dancing].

3. If I could date anyone it would be [an honor].

4. My favourite song to perform is [BOY IN LUV].

5. When I’m on stage I’m thinking about [ways to communicate with fans].

6. You can get my attention in the crowd at a BTS concert by [holding up placards with my name on it].

7. If I could give my younger self any advice it would be [“You can do it”].

8. The other BTS members don’t know that I [am good-looking].

9. When I hear “Australia” the first thing I think is [trip I had during middle school].

10. My favourite Western artist is [Eminem].

11. If I wasn’t an Asian pop star I would like to be [an employee of a company].

12. I have a secret love for [A.R.M.Y].

JungKook

1. I can’t live without [air].

2. I don’t like [prejudice].

3. If I could date anyone it would be [someone really smart].

4. My favourite song to perform is [Danger].

5. When I’m on stage I’m thinking about [what gestures I should make during the performance].

6. You can get my attention in the crowd at a BTS concert by [simply enjoying the concert].

7. If I could give my younger self any advice it would be [“Don’t get lazy”].

8. The other BTS members don’t know that I [don’t know myself either].

9. When I hear “Australia” the first thing I think is [kangaroo].

10. My favourite Western artist is [Tori Kelly].

11. If I wasn’t an Asian pop star I would like to be [a boxer].

12. I have a secret love for [A.R.M.Y].

V

1. I can’t live without [my family].

2. I don’t like [beans].

3. If I could date anyone it would be [someone who loves me dearly].

4. My favourite song to perform is [I NEED U].

5. When I’m on stage I’m thinking about [how I should perform up on that stage].

6. You can get my attention in the crowd at a BTS concert by [holding up placards with a huge “V” on it].

7. If I could give my younger self any advice it would be [“Always remember your original intentions”].

8. The other BTS members don’t know that I [am muscular].

9. When I hear “Australia” the first thing I think is [kangaroo].

10. My favourite Western artists are [Eric Benet].

11. If I wasn’t an Asian pop star I would like to be [a saxophonist].

12. I have a secret love for [people who are reading this].

Jimin

1. I can’t live without [the stage].

2. I don’t like [seaweed].

3. If I could date anyone it would be [someone who is really nice].

4. My favourite song to perform is [We On].

5. When I’m on stage I’m thinking about [myself].

6. You can get my attention in the crowd at a BTS concert by [standing out in the crowd].

7. If I could give my younger self any advice it would be [“Smile”].

8. The other BTS members don’t know that I [am the same height as Suga].

9. When I hear “Australia” the first thing I think is [kangaroo].

10. My favourite Western artist is [Chris Brown].

11. If I wasn’t an Asian pop star I would like to be [a police officer].

12. I have a secret love for [A.R.M.Y].

Suga

1. I can’t live without [music].

2. I don’t like [seaweed].

3. If I could date anyone it would be [someone who loves music].

4. My favourite song to perform is [the Cypher series].

5. When I’m on stage I’m thinking about [myself performing stage].

6. You can get my attention in the crowd at a BTS concert by [just enjoying the concert]

7. If I could give my younger self any advice it would be [“Keep it together”].

8. The other BTS members don’t know that I [am kind].

9. When I hear “Australia” the first thing I think is [fresh air].

10. My favourite Western artist is [Kanye West].

11. If I wasn’t as Asian pop star I would like to be [a construction designer].

12. I have a secret love for [A.R.M.Y].

Source: SBS

[weaarepawnation]

MEAT PROTEIN ALLERGIES IN DOGS

WHAT ARE MEAT PROTEIN SENSITIVITIES?

The most regularly detailed side effect of sensitivities in canines is dermatitis, which is a skin problem that fluctuates from one canine to another, however quite often incorporates tingling and redness of the skin. Very much like people, the skin of canines is the biggest organ in their body and is 15% to 25% of the body weight. There are seven layers of skin, which are known as the subcutaneous muscles and fat, appendageal framework, dermis, cellar film zone, and epidermis. The skin safeguards your canine's body from outside impurities and allergens, which is the reason it is generally the primary indication of any sort of sensitivity in your canine. On account of meat protein sensitivities in canines, the principal sign might be retching as opposed to tingling, and it is ideal to notice your canine the initial not many times you feed them another food. Regardless of whether your canine truly appears to like the food, the body may not concur, and can rapidly prompt anaphylactic shock, which is an intriguing yet hazardous crisis. In the event that your canine is by all accounts experiencing difficulty breathing (hacking, choking, facial expanding), you really want to promptly get your canine to a creature clinic.

Meat proteins are precisely similar to their name infers, proteins derived from meat, like hamburger, pork, chicken, turkey, and duck. The weight control plans promoted as 'novel' pet food sources incorporate buffalo, venison, bison, bunny, croc, and kangaroo for example a protein your canine is probably not going to have been presented to previously. These are proteins that are not normally utilized in that frame of mind; there is less possibility of a hypersensitive response. Meat protein sensitivities in canines might happen from taking care of your canine's other food, treats, bites, or table pieces. At times, you may not actually acknowledge what the allergen was.

This can be a significant condition in certain canines, with irritation that can prompt anaphylactic shock, which triggers constriction of the smooth muscles of the throat, prompting suffocation and demise. Be that as it may, in most cases, the response isn't as serious and incorporates tingling, redness of skin, hives, and perhaps retching and looseness of the bowels.

SIDE EFFECTS OF MEAT PROTEIN SENSITIVITIES IN CANINES

Side effects of meat protein sensitivity might change, however the most well-known are:

Stomach torment

Uncovered spots (alopecia)

Breathing difficulty

Constant contaminations of the skin, ears and butt-centric organs

Breakdown

Seizures

Cyanosis

Demise

The runs

Unreasonable licking

Energy

Facial enlarging

Hives

Incoordination

Tingling (rear-end, ears, eyes, crotch, gag, paws, underarms)

Injuries on the skin (normally the face, feet, and crotch region)

Queasiness

Paw gnawing

Anxiety

Runny nose

Salivation

Shock

Skin rash

Retching

Watery eyes

TYPES

Practically all canine food varieties remember meat protein for their fixings. It is ideal to take a gander at the fixings list cautiously to check whether any of these are recorded:

Creature fats and oils

Creature proteins

Bone feast

New meat

Meat

Meat and creature subsidiaries

Meat feast

Poultry

Poultry fats

REASONS FOR MEAT PROTEIN SENSITIVITIES IN CANINES

There are two methods for depicting a canine's unusual response to food. One is sensitivity, which influences the safe framework, and the other is prejudice, which influences the stomach related framework. Meat protein sensitivity is typically set off after your canine has eaten food with meat protein in the fixings previously, on the grounds that the past openness takes action. Meat protein prejudice happens the initial time (and like clockwork) your canine eats the food with meat protein fixings in light of the fact that the body can't endure any item including meat protein.

DETERMINATION OF MEAT PROTEIN SENSITIVITIES IN CANINES

Sensitivities in canines are significantly more enthusiastic to analyze than sensitivities in individuals since canines can't let you know what they ate when you were not looking. The most effective way for the veterinarian to decide is to kill different diseases or wounds that are being disregarded.

An actual assessment will be done immediately, really looking at your canine's general condition and disposition. The veterinarian will check body weight, temperature, circulatory strain, heartbeat and breath rate, breath sounds, reflexes, skin condition, and will incorporate an exhaustive assessment of the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Research facility tests, for example, a total blood count (CBC), blood science profile, electrolyte board, glucose levels, urinalysis, and waste assessment will be finished to preclude any fundamental infection or disease. The veterinarian may likewise take a skin scratching test to preclude bacterial or parasitic contamination.

Intradermal skin tests and sensitivity blood tests are accessible yet can deliver bogus up-sides and negatives and are expensive.

TREATMENT OF MEAT PROTEIN SENSITIVITIES IN CANINES

To decide the best convention for addressing your canine's skin or ear diseases, and to offer guidance on conditions like alopecia or outrageous tingling, it is expected to decide the allergen. To test for food sensitivities, the best way is to utilize the disposal diet. The veterinarian will teach you on what to do exhaustively, however it is normally finished by removing all food varieties and afterward beginning once more with each food in turn to decide the offender. The thought meat protein will be taken out from the eating regimen and once again introduced when the veterinarian feels everything looks good. Every food, when added back in, ought to be gone after so that a few weeks might be able to check whether any of the side effects return. Your veterinarian will actually want to teach you on which food sources to attempt and may have a hydrolysed hypoallergenic food close by in the facility that you can begin with.

Treatment will rely upon your canine's side effects and the consequences of the food preliminary. An objective of the veterinary group will be to reduce the tingling and irritation in your canine's skin for his solace, and on the grounds that the skin mirrors what is happening inside the body. To do a food preliminary or end diet, your canine's skin must be dealt with first.

TREATING THE SKIN

It is critical to restore the skin once again as quickly as time permits. A hypoallergenic cleanser and hostile to tingle medication for the rash and irritation will assist with easing the tingling inside a couple of days.

FOOD PRELIMINARY/DISPOSAL DIET

It might require a while to track down the right food. Most canine food marks currently have restricted fixing nourishment for delicate canines. These have only a couple of fixings, subsequently limiting the opportunity of hypersensitive response. There are likewise canine food varieties with novel meats, meaning the protein in the food is exceptional so your canine won't have any openness to that protein. The past openness causes the unfavorably susceptible response. A portion of the original protein food varieties available have venison, buffalo, bunny, and even kangaroo meat. They are normally matched with a clever starch too, like peas, lentils or yam.

RECUPERATION OF MEAT PROTEIN SENSITIVITIES IN CANINES

After you decide the allergen and kill it from your canine's eating routine, the anticipation for recuperation is fantastic. In any case, you should be watchful in adhering to the eating routine constantly and ensure your family and some other overseers are familiar with your canine's sensitivity. You should begin perusing the fixings on food and treats to ensure there is no meat protein included with everything else. Truly, you ought to do this each time you purchase canine food or treats since a producers tend to change fixings without promoting it

It is critical to keep up with this eating routine for a lifetime since, in such a case that you feed your canine an allergen only a single time, it very well may be deadly on the off chance that hypersensitivity happens. Make certain to circle back to your veterinarian in the event that there is an issue and take your canine for an exam something like one time each year.

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Pawnation aims to meet every parent's and their dog's demands through our top-notch goods and services. We are a Pune-based company, and our services and products are now available across India. Our dream is to make a real contribution to the lives of dogs and their families for many years to come and, in the process, create a more compassionate world.

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[marauderundercover]

Taking Chances Ch. 22: Petrichor and Bibliosmia (Library/books)

AO3

Prev

Marinette frowned at the rain outside of her window. She had wanted to go to the botanical gardens with Harley and Ivy today. But with the rain, both women decided it would be better to just reschedule. They didn’t want her to get sick. Which, to be fair, was sweet. But still upsetting because she really wanted to go to the gardens. She’d planned on using the plants as inspiration to make something for Ivy.

“Tikki, I’m bored.” She says, looking at her smallest friend. Tikki just looks at her.

“You’ve been stuck inside because of the weather before, Marinette. Why don’t you design?” Tikki suggests. Marinette huffs, flopping back down onto the cushioned window seat.

“But there’s nothing inspiring in my room, Tikki.” She mumbles, before shooting back up. “Do you think any of the boys are here?” She asks.

“Only one way to find out!” Tikki says with a smile, obviously relieved to have avoided any more whining from Marinette. She jumps up, throwing one of Dick’s old hoodies on over her t-shirt. She’d always gotten cold easily, and becoming the holder of the Ladybug Miraculous didn’t help. That, and the manor was cold on a good day- it would probably be freezing with how bad the weather was. She slides down the banister, knowing her Dad was at work and couldn’t yell at her.

“Miss Marinette, if you insist on behaving like your brothers, I will have to resort to treating you like your brothers.” Alfred says with raised eyebrows. But she can sense the smile wanting to break through. She just grins apologetically.

“Sorry, Alfred.” She says. “Speaking of my brothers, are any of them here right now?” She asks. If they’re not, she could probably convince Alfred to bake something with her. As long as she promises not to slide down the banister again.

“I believe Master Jason is in the library. Masters Dick and Damian are in the gym and Master Tim is at Wayne Enterprises with your father.” He says and she hums, thinking. She could go do some training with Dick and Damian, or she could go sit and sketch in the library with Jason.

“Thanks Alfred!” She says, giving him a wide smile before turning and walking down one of the many halls. She glances in open doors as she walks. Despite having lived here for nearly a month, she still got lost going anywhere other than her room, the dining room, the kitchen, and the Batcave. They were kind of the places she’d gone the most. She could also easily find her dad’s study and the main sitting room, most of the time. But the library wasn’t really a place she’d spent a lot of time in. And while she loved Dick and Damian, she also knew that they hadn’t gotten time to hang out just the two of them in a while. She’d talked to Dick before, about how when their dad was missing, he was basically Damian’s father. She knew that bonds like that didn’t just go away, knew that neither boy wanted it to. So she figured she’d just annoy Jay instead of barging in on the others’ bonding time.

Finally finding the library, she grins. Pushing the cracked door open a little more, she moves into the room, jaw dropping. The floor to ceiling bookshelves were packed. There were huge overstuffed couches, and the large windows had window seats attached- perfect little reading nooks. Quickly making a mental note to come to the library more, she starts to search for Jay. She knew he had to be in here. Alfred is never wrong. She grins when she spots him, sitting in what looked like an insanely uncomfortable position, but one she knew from experience was the best.

“Whatchya reading?” She asks, walking over and getting comfortable on the couch next to him.

“<i>Pride and Prejudice<i>.” He says, continuing reading for a moment before putting a little scrap of paper in the book and shutting it. “What’s up, Pixie Pop?” He asks, looking at her with a grin. Marinette sighs dramatically and moves so that she’s upside down on the couch.

“It’s raining. And I was supposed to go to the gardens with Ivy and Harley but they canceled because of my ‘health’ and they were ‘concerned’.” She says with a pout.

“And you decided the library was the best place to curb your boredom? No offense kid, but you don’t seem like the type to read.” He says and she huffs.

“I like books! It’s just-” She pauses, remembering the way Lila had teased her for it back in Paris. Her classmates hadn’t joined in, not really. They’d just agreed that she was a little odd.

“You okay, Pix?” Jason asks, his earlier grin replaced with a slightly concerned look. Marinette winces and nods.

“Yeah it’s- I can read. I swear I can. But when I’m looking at a book, or an article or anything with a lot of text, it gets hard to pick out the pieces. Things just kind of swirl together and then I can’t decode it and I get frustrated and just stop reading. It sucks, ‘cause I do like books. I listen to audiobooks while doing commissions.” She rambles, stopping and turning red. Though that may be from hanging upside down on the couch. Sighing, she sits up and shrugs. “Sorry I’m so weird.” She says. Jason’s face morphs into a scowl.

“Just ‘cause you learn differently doesn’t mean you’re weird, kid. Just means you’ve got your own style. Don’t let any of those little shits you go to school with tell you differently.” He says, reaching out and ruffling her hair. She smiles at him, a genuine happy smile. She was so relieved that he didn’t think she was weird. Or stupid. Lila had thrown that word around. That one hurt. Marinette prided herself on her quick thinking and cleverness. And her grades. They were some of the best in the class! So for Lila to call her stupid…

“Pixie.” Jason says, drawing the nickname out in a sing-song voice. She looks at him and raises an eyebrow. “You were zoned out, kid. So, was there something ya wanna do?” He asks. Marinette glances down at the book in his hand and frowns.

“I don’t wanna keep you from reading. I can just sit in here with you. I’ll probably end up grabbing my sketchbook.” She says. Jason waves in a ‘no big deal’ motion.

“I’ve read this book a million times.” He reassures her. She glances at the cover again, realizing it’s not one she’s really heard much about before.

“What’s it about?” She asks. “I’ve never read it.” Jay’s face morphs into a huge grin.

“You said you like listening to books, right?” He asks. She nods. “Well, then settle in because I’m going to read to you.” He says proudly with a grin.

“Oh, you really don’t-” She tries to say. She didn’t want to make him read to her. That was not-

“Oh but I want to.” He says, effectively cutting off her mental ramble before she can complete her meltdown. “Listen Pix, this is one of my favorite books. If you go listen to some dumb audio book, you won’t get my commentary. Trust me, this is the best way for you to read the book.” He says and she snorts, shaking her head lightly.

“Okay, Jay, let’s read a book.”

---

Finally arriving home after being stuck at the office, Bruce sets off to find his daughter. Since his apology a few days ago, he’d attempted to make an effort to check in on her and see how she was doing. He tried to also do the same with the boys, but they had all given him odd looks, so he didn’t continue. He checks her room, the Batcave, the sitting room- nothing. He finally decides to check the kitchen. If he had to guess, she’d be there baking with Alfred. He walks in and sees Alfred, but no Marinette.

“Good evening, Alfred. Have you seen Marinette?” Bruce asks, silently hoping she hadn’t left the planet again.

“I believe she’s in the library with Master Jason.” Alfred says and Bruce blinks in surprise. He’d never seen her read a book before, while Jason always had a book on him. He supposed it could be a hobby of hers that he just hasn’t noticed. Or, she could have just followed Jason. Which seems more likely. The two of them were all but attached at the hip ever since the Gala. It was surprising, but at the same time welcoming. Thanking Alfred quickly, he walks towards the library. He’d just say hi and leave. No need to make them stop reading if they were having fun. Gently pushing open the library door he walks in and pauses at the sight. Marinette had wrapped herself in a blanket and was almost sitting on the edge of the couch, leaning forward with an intense look of concentration on her face. Jason had his legs swung over the arm of the couch and was reading out loud. Immediately recognizing the book as Jason’s favorite, Bruce slowly leaves the library, careful not to let the door slam. He’d have the chance to talk to Marinette later, but for now, he’d let the two continue reading in peace.

Next

Tag list: @maribat-bdbwm @vixen-uchiha @stainedglassm @liquid-luck-00 @laurcad123 @waiting247 @jayjayspixiepop @mizzy-pop @jjmjjktth @trippingovermyfeet @queenz-z @thepaceperson @iloontjeboontje @toodaloo-kangaroo @ritacrow-blog @deathssilentapproach-blog @kittenmywaythrulife @nerd-nowandforever @tazanna-blythe @jaybird-and-co @jumpingjoy82 @lady-bee-fechin @corporeal-terrestrial

[phis-corner]

Could you do a 23 Jason x Marinette? I also want to say I really love your fanfics.

Ohhh yes one of my favorite ships to write (and hurt.) Enjoy!

23- “What’s cookin’, good lookin’?”

Of course, it’s just her luck that she stumbles across a Gotham vigilante bleeding to death from not one, not two, but three stab wounds in the alley across from the fabric store she’s headed to.

And obviously, she’s not about to let him die.

So she gets Trixx to cast an illusion so no passerby sees a five foot girl carrying a man who must weigh at least 230 pounds without breaking a sweat through a blue portal, then asks Kaalki to open a portal home.

Marinette scoops up the vigilante, a red bat splayed across grey kevlar and red helmet hiding his features, and enters her bathroom, setting the guy down in the bathtub (because she is not getting blood all over her apartment, okay?), grabbing her medical kit, setting up a blood transfusion because there was a lot of blood in that alleyway (this guy is so lucky she’s a universal donor) and getting to work disinfecting his wounds.

Just as she’s about to start stitching them up, the vigilante awakens.

Marinette would probably have been more impressed if the first thing out of his mouth wasn’t “What’s cookin’, good lookin’?”

She threads a needle. “Oh, you know, just preparing to sew up the three stab wounds in your torso that made you bleed half to death in an alleyway. Nothing major.”

The mystery guy (she’s already calling him Red Helmet in her head) hums, still only halfway conscious. “Sounds kinda major to me. Ya shouldn’t be sewing stab wounds.”

“Well then, maybe you shouldn’t get stabbed.” Marinette retorts, tying the first laceration shut. “You didn’t seriously expect me to just let you die in the alleyway next to my favorite fabric store, did you?”

“This is Gotham, babe. Nobody even blinks an eye here.” Red Helmet mutters.

She doesn’t really know how to respond to that depressing statement. “That’s not right.” She finally says.

Red Helmet snorts, then winces. “Tell me ‘bout it.”

Marinette ties off the second wound. “So, do you have a name, Mr. Vigilante Person? Is it Red Helmet? Because that’s what I’ve been calling you in my head.”

“What? No!” Apparently-Not-Red-Helmet protests. “It’s Red Hood! And I’m an antihero!”

She waves her non-dominant hand lazily. “Eh, technicalities. Besides, Red Hood is stupid. You don’t even wear a hood. I’m going to call you Red Helmet.”

“But it’s Red Hood!”

“I’m calling you Red Helmet and there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it, monsieur.” She ties off the third stab wound and leans back, admiring her handiwork. “There. Now I just have to bandage them, and you’re free to leave after your blood transfusion finishes, which should be in another two and a half hours.”

“Two and a half hours?” Red Helmet yelps, twisting around and finally noticing the IV in his arm. “I can’t stay in a civilian apartment for two and a half hours!”

Marinette rolls her eyes. “Will all due respect, Red Helmet, your average civilian doesn’t have the medical equipment necessary to set up a blood transfusion.”

“It’s Red Hood.” He barks. “And if you’re not a civilian, what are you?”

“Not a criminal, if that’s what you’re asking.” She grins. “You’re a Bat, aren’t you? Find out.”

Red Helmet leans back in her bathtub, grumbling. “How’d you even know my blood type, anyway?”

“I’m a universal donor.” Marinette tucks the last of her supplies back into her massive medkit and puts it back in her cabinet, stretching and feeling her spine crack. “Would you like something to occupy the next 150 minutes? A book, maybe? I have a large selection of classical literature.”

“Do you have Pride and Prejudice?” Red Helmet asks, somehow managing to look like a cute puppy even with the helmet on, and she smiles.

“Of course I do. I’m not a heathen.” Marinette goes to her living room, plucks her copy of the book off of her bookshelf, and returns to the bathroom to hand it to him. He takes it with eager but gentle hands, flipping to the first page and immediately buries himself in the book.

Marinette exits the room and sets a timer for two and a half hours, then settles at her desk to do some designing. All too soon, the timer goes off, and she returns to the bathroom.

“Time’s up.” She announces, and Red Helmet’s head snaps up. “You’re free to go now.”

“Already?” He asks, taking out the IV with precision that can only come from prior experience.

Marinette nods. “Would you like to exit through the front door, the balcony, or do you have a specific window in mind?”

“Balcony will do, thanks.” Red Helmet says breezily, not realizing that she was joking. Sort of. The sarcasm was heavy in her words.

She opens her balcony doors, and lets him out, the cool night breeze ruffling her clothes as she looks out over the Gotham skyline.

Red Helmet whistles, an odd sound when coming through the audio filters of his helmet. “Wow, that’s some view you got there.”

Marinette shrugs. “Yeah, well, you get paid very nicely when you’re Jagged Stone’s designer and get commissions from all sorts of big names.”

The helmet’s eye slits narrow. “Wait, seriously? You’re Jagged Stone’s mystery designer? MDC? And you’re apparently not a civilian, as you said earlier? Who the fuck are you?”

Marinette grins and says nothing, simply booting him off her balcony and giving a cheerful little wave as he curses and fires his grapple, swinging away.

A week later, Minette purposefully runs into Red Helmet along his usual patrol route, handing him a card with ‘MDC’ emblazoned on it in curling golden script, with a phone number and a smiley face drawn underneath.

That night, her phone buzzes with a text.

Unknown Number: What’s cookin’, good lookin’?

She smiles as her fingers tap out a reply.

M: That’s the second time you’ve used it on me.

M: You have got to find some better pick-up lines.

Unknown Number: Well, it worked, didn’t it?

M: Yeah, I suppose it did.

permanent tags

@wannajointhecrabcult @miraculous-simmer7 @certainmuffinbagelcalzone @fantasyislive @chocolateherringtacofan @junarvion @susiej1118 @aestheticnpoetic @toodaloo-kangaroo @ladybug-182 @itsmeevie01 @g-arya @souleateralicestein @nightstarblue @i-is-mysterious @moonystars14 @vixen-uchiha @the-flapdoodle-noodle @labschaos @nathleigh

unspecified @momothefemur @indecisive-mess-named-me @laurcad123 @ilovefluffbutsmutisalsogreat @sassakitty @fusser90

[justfinishedreading]

Beast Complex, Volume 1 by Paru Itagaki

I watched Beastars the anime and loved it, I loved the world and the concept, if I had unlimited funds and space I would love to buy the manga, but with 22 volumes published so far it looks set to be one of those really long running series... So when I discovered Beast Complex I was super excited, unlike Beastars which follows a specific cast of characters, Beast Complex is a collection of short stories, meaning that I don’t have to keep buying dozens of volumes to find out what happens in the end.

A few of these short stories were draw before the Beastars series was released, so you can see the author starting to think about what issues might arise from a world where prey and predators mix in a “civilized” society. One of the things I love about Paru Itagaki’s work is that her animal pairings are sometimes unusual, some are animals we’d put in the same environment like a gazelle and a crocodile, but others are strange: we have a wolf and a camel, a lion and a bat, a kangaroo and a panther, a chameleon and a fox, and a tiger and beaver.

I want to talk about three of my favourite stories from the collection. The stories deal with a lot of real life personal and social issues, I think the most touching thematically is the story of the young tiger and beaver who worry that as they grow older they might no longer be able to be friends. While in the context of the story it is because as they grow their size and behaviour will fall more pronounced into the categories of predator and prey, in our real world kids do sometimes grow up and drift apart, our social circles change, we hang out more with people with similar interests, our behaviours change, we evolve as people, so the fear of adulthood changing a childhood friendship is a real thing.

I also really enjoyed the gazelle and the crocodile who have to work together on a cookery show. The crocodile wants to showcase recipes based on imitating meat, this makes the gazelle feel very uncomfortable. From the crocodile’s perspective predators desire meat, it is a fact, and he sees nothing wrong with owning that fact and working towards replicating the texture and taste. This story is about discussing our prejudices and fears openly with each other, initially the gazelle thinks less of the crocodile but in the end she admits she also likes the taste of his food.

With the lion and the bat story, the lion feels the pressures of his status as “king of the jungle”, he feels pressure to be a model student, perfect in everything academically and also in terms of behaviour and composure. The bat is living alone in an abandoned building, his parents were murdered by a predator. The bat hasn’t come to school in months and a teacher tells the lion student to go check up on him. Although the bat does want to learn, he doesn’t want to return to school. The lion helps tutor him but doesn’t force him to return, an acknowledgement that there are different ways of being.

In future volumes I would love a continuation of one of these stories, it doesn’t matter which one, and it doesn’t have to be a complex arc, it’s more that I would love to see some of these characters in the future, and see how their story evolve.

Review by Book Hamster

[optikes]

Kadim Ali   b. 1978, Pakistan; lives and works in Sydney Australia

Sermon on the Mount  (2020)

Linen, cotton, nylon, ink, natural dye, synthetic dye, acrylic paint; painting, hand and machine embroidery, appliqué   557 x 397.5cm 

Born 1978 Quetta, Pakistan, Khadim Ali currently lives and works in Sydney, Australia. After growing up in Pakistan as a refugee, Ali was trained in classical miniature painting at the National College of Arts in Lahore and in mural painting and calligraphy in Tehran.

 1  ima.org.au     “I became other. I became one of the wearied, dusty faces from across the border. And although there was no boundary between us, and we were all citizens of one country, suddenly an invisible border of horror was drawn around me that made it impossible to get out”     Khadim Ali

In his largest Australian solo exhibition to date, Hazara artist Khadim Ali explores the normalisation of war and the experience of refugees through a series of poetic installations and textile works. Invisible Border comprises sound installation, miniature painting, and a monumental 9-metre-long tapestry, hand woven by a community of Hazara men and women, some who have lost family members in war. Featuring existing work alongside new commissions developed for the IMA, the exhibition will also feature Otherness, a major body of work developed in partnership with the IMA and Lahore Biennale Foundation.

Ali’s interest in tapestries developed soon after his parents’ home in Quetta, Pakistan was destroyed by suicide bombers. Amongst the rubble and debris left from the blast, a collection of rugs and weavings remained the only thing intact: miraculously able to withstand the reign of terror inflicted upon his family and community. In this new large-scale tapestry, and other works, Ali explores the impact of war, trauma and displacement drawing parallels from the Book of Shahnameh, a Persian literary masterpiece comprising of 50,000 couplets and written between c. 977 and 1010 CE.

Just like the many great mythic tales in the Shannameh, Ali’s intricate works depict stories of demons and angels, conquest and war through the lens of the persecuted Hazara community. Expressing the profound grief, trauma and loss experienced at the hands of modern-day warfare, Invisible Border is a necessary and vital exhibition during a time of political propaganda, violence, and fear.

2    ima.org.au     Ali’s interest in tapestries developed soon after his parents’ home in Quetta was destroyed by a car bomb. Amongst the rubble and debris left from the blast, a collection of rugs and weavings remained the only items intact: miraculously able to withstand the reign of terror inflicted upon his family and community. In these new large-scale tapestries, Ali makes comment on war, geo-politics and personal trauma, drawing from a range of historical and contemporary influences including the recent Black Summer bushfires, Persian literary masterpieces, children’s fables and the Mughal Dynasty. Expressing the profound horror, grief and loss experienced under modern-day warfare, Invisible Border is a necessary and vital exhibition during a time where political propaganda, violence, and fear pervades global relations.

 3   Daisy Siddal     inqld.com.au       Ali has lived in Australia since 2009, nominated to arrive on a distinguished talent visa by then QAGOMA Director Tony Ellwood. Ali has worked between Australia and Afghanistan ever since.

Ali’s most recent work, Sermon on the Mount, adopts inspiration from the Bible and the Black Summer bushfires to generate a criticism of the experience of climate change.

Ali, who lives in Sydney’s inner-west, said his home was 40km away from the Black Summer bushfires.

“During the black summer we had horrible smoke. We were barely able to breathe. I was looking at the smoke and it was nostalgic, reminding me of the war,” he said.

“It reminded me of the stories people told when fleeing from a town that was set on fire, saying there was smoke on the mountain.

“The people who set their villages on fire, the Taliban and Al-Qaeda, they were considered a terrorist organisation. What do you call the corporations who caused climate change and set fire to a significant part of the forest of Australia?” he said.

IMA [Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane] Executive Director and exhibition curator Liz Nowell said she was thrilled to present Ali’s largest exhibition to date, in his adopted home of Australia.

“Khadim Ali is without a doubt one of Australia’s most acclaimed artists. His thought- provoking and poetic works have been seen all over the world: from the Guggenheim in New York to the Venice Biennale,” Ms Nowell said.

“Through intricately constructed textiles that draw on literature, traditional art forms, personal narratives and global politics, Invisible Border speaks powerfully to the experience of displaced peoples everywhere.”

 4   guggenheim.org     Born in 1978, Khadim Ali grew up in the border city of Quetta, Pakistan, near the border with Afghanistan. Trained in the art of contemporary miniature painting at the prestigious National College of Art in Lahore, Pakistan, and in mural painting and calligraphy at Tehran University, Iran, Ali is inspired by his rich cultural heritage and employs traditional artistic techniques to convey the complex history of this region. His work provocatively confronts the social and religious prejudice his family has faced and considers its effect on the writing of history, particularly during wartime.

5   ima.org.au     Since relocating to Sydney twelve years ago, Ali has begun incorporating quotidian Australian iconography such as eucalyptus, currency and kangaroos into his work. Sermon on the Mount (2020) is an example of the artist’s evolving visual language. A direct response to the 2020 Black Summer bushfires—which devasted much of Australia’s bushland—the work depicts a cast of animals and mythical creatures seeking refuge atop a mountain engulfed in flames. The title of the work, Sermon on the Mount, makes direct reference to a series of teachings attributed to Jesus Christ, and widely considered to contain some of his most important messages. This composite tapestry, which was initially constructed as a digital collage, is the artist’s reimagining of a 15th century illustration from the Anwar-i Suhayli. Widely considered a masterpiece of world literature, the Anwar-i Suhayli (also known as Kalīla wa-Dimna, in Arabic, or Panchatantra in Sanskrit) is a collection of fables describing animals as heroic creatures. In the original drawing, held in collection of the British Museum, a crow addresses a group of birds to rally their support against a leader of the owls. In Ali’s version, the crow is replaced by a koala, who is seen towering above a cluster of animals as she delivers a prophecy that foretells the destruction of mother nature at the hands of humankind. While watching the fires unfold on the evening news, Ali was overcome with a deep and pervasive fear, which he likens to his experience living in a conflict zone.

As the artist himself states ‘The bushfires reminded me of the violence I spent my life trying to escape. At the same time as the Taliban burns people and their homes to the ground, a fire—only 40km from my house in Sydney—decimated whole species and blackened thousands of hectares of bushland. As the newsreader described animals feeling for their lives, I recalled whole villages hysterical and panicked as they tried to escape fire. So, what then, should we call these people—these corporations—who are destroying our natural world and quite literally scorching the ground we walk on?’

[ussthunderquack]

MCU characters in the “Star Trek” universe

I thought of making this post months ago. I hesitated, and still do, because some of these are very close to some original “Star Trek” characters that I’m cooking up for a personal “Star Trek” fanfic. 

But then someone else made a post about an Avengers/”Star Trek” crossover, with a Vulcan Stephen Strange, that I found interesting. They said they were new to “Star Trek,” and I offered suggestions. They asked me to tag them when I post this, so here I tag: @ellisper this is partially for you. I am not telling anyone that they have to write their Avengers/”Star Trek” crossover this way; this is just my personal two-cents. 

Steve Rogers: Thawed Augment from the Eugenics Wars

In “Star Trek” canon, the Eugenics Wars are a dark part of Earth’s history, set between present day, and the Utopian 23rd Century in which the main action of “Star Trek” is set. The famous “Star Trek” villain, Khan, comes from this time period. The Eugenics Wars occurred before Humans discovered Warp travel, or met any alien life. During this time, humanity experimented with genetic engineering, and created super-humans called Augments. Augments tended to be evil, due to superiority complexes. The most infamous was Khan, who, along with his crew of Augments, wound up cryogenically frozen, and thawed centuries later in Captain Kirk’s time.  For a “Star Trek” version of Steve Rogers, this seems fitting. Naturally, Steve is one of the “good” Augments, who was fighting for equality, against Khan. Somehow, he wound up frozen like Khan’s crew, and thawed centuries later. Just like canon-Steve, this Augment Steve is from a past war that most Starfleet officers only know from history books; and his body and abilities come from a scientific experiment that was abandoned long, long ago. 

Sam Wilson: Human pilot, from an off-world colony, scarred by the Dominion War 

Sam would be one of the first people to welcome Steve Rogers to the 24th Century, and treat him like a regular person. His military experience and involvement in PTSD groups might be related to the Dominion War (which occurred during “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,” and had a lasting effect on Starfleet and all of its allies, in “Next Generation” and “Voyager.”)

I feel like Sam would come from an off-world colony, maybe because he has a rougher edge to him, that an Earth-bred officer might lack. If I’m not mistaken, Sam also grew up in poverty, in MCU canon. (In “Star Trek,” Earth is a “paradise” in the 24th Century, with all poverty and prejudice eliminated; so human characters who come from bad places come from off-world, like Tasha Yar.) 

Stephen Strange: Romulan turncoat, training with Vulcans 

Vulcans and Romulans are evolutionary cousins. Sans the foreheads, the only significant difference is cultural. Vulcans tamed their volatile emotions centuries ago, with logic and discipline. Romulans embraced their darker tendencies, and are now more imperial. There is great animosity and distrust between the two sub-species. However, some Romulans respect the Vulcans, and seek to learn from them. (This is revealed in “Star Trek: the Next Generation.”) 

The Stephen Strange we see in “Infinity War” might seem Vulcan-like. But if you watch his movie, “Dr. Strange,” he wasn’t always so. Pre-wizard Strange is like many of the Romulans you’ll see on “Star Trek:” a brilliant scientist, but very arrogant, with a volatile temper, and questionable ethics. For a “Star Trek” Dr. Strange, I postulate a Romulan scientist who suffers an injury and loses his ability to practice. He travels to Vulcan in the hopes of curing himself, and learns from one of the most powerful Vulcan telepaths. (Vulcans have far more experience with telepathy than Romulans, who for the most part, don’t seem to even have the ability.) 

Naturally, a Vulcan/Romulan Strange would also rock that evil-Spock goatee. In short, Strange is a Romulan who converted to Vulcan-ism. His Romulan temperament still shines through his newfound Vulcan discipline, especially when he’s interacting with....

Tony Stark: Joined Trill

Here’s the one that made me hesitate, because of my “Star Trek” OC. But, here we go.... 

The Trill look like humans with spots on the sides of their faces, and kangaroo pouches in their tummies (for both males and females). Most of the Trill are pretty much just that. But one tenth of the Trill population is “joined” to a race of super-intelligent, immortal slugs, who live in said kangaroo pouches. Once joined, the slug--called a Symbiont--and the “host” Trill---both have their minds merged into one being. It is very important that a Trill and Symbiont are well matched before joining, or else insanity could result. 

A joined Trill will replace his or her last name with the name of the symbiont. (Ezri Tigan is joined to the Dax symbiont, and changes here name to Ezri Dax.) A host will have all of the memories of the Symbiont’s past hosts, which can lead to some confusion and identity crisis.  Since Tony Stark is a character marked entirely by conflict and dualities, I can’t see him being anything but a joined Trill. The Stark symbiont is the genius engineer, and the Tony host is the playboy manchild. 

Since Tony’s character is heavily driven by his past (daddy issues, guilt, etc) that could also translate into memories of past-hosts. Maybe the crimes Trill-Tony blames himself for weren’t his at all, but a past host of the Stark symbiont. 

On my “Star Trek” OC, Nuvo Auz: He is not exactly a carbon copy of Tony Stark, but he’s close enough to this “Trill Tony Stark” described that I hesitated to share. But oh well. It’s fan fiction, so it’s not like originality is a major issue here. 

James Rhodes: Another joined Trill, who has been friends with Stark for several “hosts” 

There is now a reason Rhodey changed appearances so abruptly and completely; he changed hosts! The Rhodey on the left sadly died during a mission where he was unfortunate enough to be wearing red, but the Stark and Rhodey symbionts were inseparable, even though various hosts.  The plotline of Rhodey breaking his back might also be replaced by Rhodey losing another host altogether. That would really motivate Tony, if his best friend really did partially-die, during one of their battles. 

The Trill do have laws against “re-association” with past-hosts’ families and spouses, but friendships seem to be except from this rule, as Captain Sisko is friends with Dax through three hosts (Kurzon Dax, Jadzia Dax and Ezri Dax). 

Pepper Potts: Unjoined Trill Telepath

As mentioned above, most Trill are not joined. Among the unjoined Trill, a small percentage are telepathic. These telepathic Trill cannot be joined, but are important in helping with those who are. Trill telepaths guard the unjoined symbionts in their cave-lakes, and also use their telepathy to perform Trill rituals that allow a joined Trill to talk more directly with his or her past hosts. 

Trill telepathy is not elaborated on in canon, so this AU has a lot of freedom in terms of what Pepper can do with her telepathy. 

Pepper is the only Trill telepath who could deal with the insanity that is Tony Stark, and has been by his side for years. Her telepathy gives her sharp intuition, and she is the first to discover that Stane is betraying Tony, when she quickly reads Stane’s mind when he isn’t looking. She can sense when Tony’s in danger, and communicate with him mentally from afar. 

She hates how reckless joined Trill like Tony are, since they feel immortal. She reminds him he is not immortal; his memories may be, but there will only ever be one Tony Stark, and she doesn’t want to lose him.

Morgan Stark: Get some tissues....

Tony, being Tony, goes against the Symbiosis Commissions rules about joining, and leaves his symbiont Stark to his daughter after his death. Morgan inherits the symbiont, and with it, all her father’s memories. She constantly hears him tell her, “I love you 3000.” 

Mantis: Aenar/Betazoid Hybrid

The Aenar are evolutionary cousins of Andorians (those blue guys with the antennae). The Aenar, unlike Andorians, have very powerful telepathic abilities, and live in seclusion. 

Betazoids look identical to humans, except for their solid black eyes. Betazoids, as well, have a wide range of mental powers. Most are some degree of telepaths, but how powerful they are depends on the individual. Counselor Deanna Troi, who is half-Betazoid and half-Human, cannot read minds like most full-Betazoids, but she is an “empath,” and can sense emotions from other people. 

Mantis’s black eyes and empathic powers scream of Betazoid to me. But naturally her antennae and sheltered nature also scream of Aenar. I think an Aenar/Betazoid hybrid makes the most sense for her, personally.

Natasha Romanof: Low-telepath Betazoid, or Betazoid/Human Hybrid 

Betazoid women are stereotyped for their alluring, seductive natures. Natasha Romanov uses seduction, along with her sharp intuition, in her job as a spy. She clearly cannot read or affect others’ minds the way Mantis or Wanda Maximoff can, but Nat’s ability to read other people would make sense for a part-Betazoid, or a Bertazoid on the low-end of the telepathy spectrum.

Clint Barton: Human, or Bajoran 

Bajorans are basically humans with wrinkly noses, and their whole planet seemingly follows one religion. All in all, not “Star Trek’s” best concept for an alien race. 

I was originally going to dismiss Clint as a boring Human, but he could just as easily be Bajoran. Bajorans have a history of guerrilla fighting Cardassian oppressors, and while it’s never stated in canon, I’ve always gotten the impression that Bajorans were more nimble and stealthy than humans. After recently winning their home planet back from the Cardassians, Bajorans are trying to rebuild their lives and families. Many are farmers. This all seems fitting enough for Clint. Otherwise, Clint might simply be the token boring Human onboard. Like Miles O’Brian of DS9, Clint is the family man in the group, and...not much else. He could even relate to Miles over having a relatively mundane-seeming job compared to the other characters (Miles sat at the transporter controls when on the Enterprise, and is the subject of much ridicule in the fandom for this.) 

Thor: Klingon, son of the current emperor

If you’re new to “Star Trek,” you might be thinking, “No way, pretty Thor, one of those ugly lizard things from ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ and the recent movies?” Well I’m thinking more of the Picard-era Klingons for this one.  Yes, Klingons are warriors--and specifically, they are largely based on stereotypes of Vikings--but not all Klingon characters are vicious monsters. Many are jolly and full of honor, and love to drink mugs of bloodwine while telling exaggerated tales of their glorious battles. Picturing Thor, and all of his Asgardian friends, as Klingons, each with their own unique Klingon forheads, armor and weapons, is just too great. 

Loki: Changeling orphan raised by Klingons, who later allies with the Dominion

Introduced on “Deep Space Nine,” the Founders, AKA “Changelings,” are a species from the other side of the galaxy. Their true form is silver syrup, but with practice, they can take any form, depending on how skilled and experienced they are. The Founders are rulers of the Dominion, a sort of evil counterpart to the Federeation. Their subject species worship them as gods, and the Founders hope for galactic domination. 

To gain more information on the rest of the galaxy, the Founders often send baby Changelings out into the universe, to grow up among alien species, so they can come back and share their experiences with the rest of the Great Link (the sea of silver jelly that makes up the Founder homeworld). Unfortunately, the Founders don’t seem to plan this very well, as they give the baby Changelings no way of knowing where they’re from, why they were sent away, or what they’re supposed to do. Odo, a main character on “Deep Space Nine,” grew up an orphan and the only one of his species, having no clue of his origins. 

Now if this isn’t all Loki in a nutshell, I don’t know what is. 

Emperor Odin found the baby Changeling, and taught him to take a Klingon form. Loki grew up very bitter about not knowing his origins. When he did finally learn of the Founders, he was eager to return to the Great Link and prove himself, and became one of the Dominion’s highest agents. Loki was far more skilled at shape-shifting than Odo (as many Founders were), and could take any form with ease. 

He tried to take over the Klingon Empire by impersonating his father; he led a Dominion Army to try to conquer Earth; and in the end, he switched sides and died trying to save his brother and the Klingon Empire....or did he? 

Bruce Banner: Human/Klingon hybrid (either natural or artificial) 

There are several part-Klingons in “Star Trek” canon. One of them, B’Elanna Torres ( “Star Trek: Voyager”) is a brilliant engineer, who is constantly frustrated by her Klingon temper interfering with her work. Bruce Banner could just as easily be in the exact same boat as her, though his personality would be different than hers. (B’Elanna often combats her rage with sarcasm, and has a lot in common with Tony Stark in that regard.) 

B’Elanna is a born hybrid--one human parent, one Klingon parent. There are others, however, who are “artificial hybrids;” a person born one species, who, through some genetic engineering or mistake, ends up with traits of the other species fused into them. Klingons experimented with genetic engineering on themselves to try and disguise as Humans, to infiltrate Star Fleet. (This was a retcon in “Enterprise,” to explain why the Klingons in the Original “Star Trek” look so Human, and nothing like the Klingons of TNG-onward. A Klingon-engineered-to-look-human also appears on “Discovery.”) 

Bruce Banner could just be a born hybrid like B’Elanna... but if one wants to tie in his MCU backstory into this “Star Trek” AU, it may make sense to go the “military genetic experiment gone wrong” route. Admiral Ross (no “generals” in Starfleet, don’t ask me why) may have ordered Bruce to test this method of disguising humans as Klingons on himself, and it went horribly wrong. 

King T’Challa: Human, from a separate colony that still practices genetic engineering

In “Star Trek,” it is not uncommon for members of one specific ethnic group to build a colony on an alien planet, based entirely around that one culture. (Or stereotypes of it. “Star Trek” is kind of clumsy with how it handles real life cultures, unfortunately.) There’s a colony of Scottish people, where Dr. Crusher’s nanna lives. Commander Chakotay’s culture was a tribe of Native Americans who left Earth and set up a colony on another planet to preserve their culture. 

Wakanda could just as easily be the same case. In addition to preserving their culture, the Wakandans might also have left Earth so that they could continue using genetic engineering, a practice that Starfleet has banned (after the Eugenics Wars). In the Wakanda Colony, genetic manipulation is handled very carefully, and only the ruling king becomes a full-on Augment. 

Gamora: Orion pirate

Orions are a green-skinned race, known to be pirates and slave traders. Orion women emit pheromones that seduce males of other species, though it’s unclear if this always true, or how much control they have over it.  Trekkies tend to think of Orion women as scantily dressed slave dancers, but latter “Star Trek” incarnations have female Orions in other roles, often as badass pirate traders and leaders, and sometimes even Starfleet officers. They do have a tendency to wear kinky black leather though, and the last Orion woman we saw on “Star Trek: Discovery” was a dead-ringer for Gamora! 

Bucky Barnes: Liberated Borg Drone

The Borg are the single greatest villains in “Star Trek,” and are every bit to “Star Trek” what Hydra is to the Avengers. The Borg are a race of half-machine cyborg people, whose minds are all enslaved to one collective Hive Mind. Their goal is to assimilate the entire galaxy. On “Star Trek,” we’ve met several characters who were assimilated by the Borg, but later escaped, and struggled to reclaim their humanity. It happened once to Captain Picard; he was assimilated, and forced to wipe out an entire Federation fleet, under the influence of the Borg, before he was rescued by the Enterprise. On “Voyager,” Seven of Nine--formerly Annika Hanson--was assimilated with here parents at age 6, and wasn’t rescued until 18 years later. She spends four years on the show regaining her humanity, wrestling with the guilt, and coping with the trauma. 

Borg-Bucky can tie into Trill-Tony this way. Perhaps a previous Stark host was assimilated along with his entire family by Borg-Bucky, and somehow, the Stark symbiont was rescued and able to move into a new host. Since this is "Star Trek,” it’s also perfectly believable for that massive plot line to get abruptly dropped and never mentioned again. (Sorry, I’m still salty about that...)

Wanda Maximoff: Ocampa, from Suspiria’s Array

This is another one from “Star Trek: Voyager.”  The Ocampa are a race of telepaths, but how powerful they are depends on which sect they come from. Centuries ago, another race called Caretakers (a race of super-intelligent blobs) accidentally turned the Ocampan home-world into a desert. One Caretaker kept a bunch of Ocampans underground on their dead homeworld, and provided for them. Being dependent for so many generations caused their powers to weaken, until basic telepathic conversation was all they could do.  But the other Caretaker, named Suspiria, took a few Ocampa lightyears away to live on a space station, where she encouraged them to exercise their powers to the max. Their abilities included telekenesis, and inducing spontaneous combustion in plants. These Ocampa were more sinister than the other kind. I think this would be as good a backstory as any for MCU-Wanda Maximoff. After nearly destroying the ship, she switches sides, and tries to tame her incredible mind powers, and only use them for good. 

Also, Ocampans only live 9 or 10 years, and are fully grown by age 2. This could explain some of the confusion surrounding Wanda’s age, with characters treating her like a kid one minute, and a soldier to bring into battle the next.  This is another one that’s vaguely similar to one of my OCs, though my Ocampa character is almost nothing at all like Wanda. But, she is an Ocampa from Suspiria’s array. 

Ava Starr: Human mutated by a freak transporter accident 

There’s an episode of “Star Trek: the Next Generation” where Lt. LaForge and Ensign Ro get into a transporter accident that essentially turns them into ghosts. Here, something similar happened to poor Ava Star, but she could sometimes maintain solid form, and was visible to others, even when phasing. 

Her father was attempting to open a gateway to either the Mirror Universe or Fluidic Space, or some such other dimension, and it literally blew up in his face. He and Ava’s mom died, and they were the lucky ones. 

Ava was then taken advantage of by Section 31 (basically the Federation’s CIA), and used for classified missions. And now she is just so done with everything and everyone, and just wants a cure.  

Hank Pym: Eccentric scientist who rejects Starfleet 

There are quite a few of these in the world of “Star Trek” (Data’s creator, Seven of Nine’s parents). Some scientists just think Starfleet is too controlling, or corrupt, or they just hate people, or the writers just want an easy way for a scientist to be up to something Starfleet doesn’t know about. 

Hank Pym was a prominent Starfleet scientist, until Howard Stark tried to steal his research. Pym quit Starfleet, and tried to find a place to settle to continue his research undisturbed. But his ship crashed on an alien planet. He almost died in the alien wilderness, until the planet’s dominant species--a race of super-intelligent insecticides--took him in and adopted him into their colony. 

Pym now trusts neither Starfleet nor “Starks,” regardless of who the current Stark host is. The only ones he trusts are his faithful companions and minions, the ants.  

Hope Van Dyne: Pym’s estranged, half-Vulcan daughter, who works for Starfleet 

Unlike Spock, she doesn’t try to mask her emotions and be entirely “Vulcan.” But she does practice lots of Vulcan control and sardonicism, to deal with her resentment towards her father for her mother’s (supposed) death. 

Janet Van Dyne: Pym’s Vulcan wife, thought killed in a space anomaly, but actually stranded in Fluidic Space

Fluidic Space is another dimension, where Species 8472 live (from “Star Trek: Voyager”) 

Scott Lang: Lower-decks crewman who everyone thinks is gonna die a redshirt’s death, but turns out to be a badass 

And because he’s a dopey human who makes funny quips and is the butt of endless jokes, he will end up with the half-Vulcan woman who can’t stand him. 

Peter Quill: Human, from the 20th Century

Time travel is rampant in “Star Trek,” so Peter Quill’s character can stay pretty much exactly the same as he is in MCU-canon.

Nebula: Bolian, ex-Borg Drone

Bolians are bald blue people, and.....that’s about all we know about them. Well, they supposedly are also all motor-mouths, but you know, stereotypes. Anyway, being assimilated would make even the chattiest person turn pretty antisocial.

Her eye-implant is also a LOT like Seven of Nine’s. 

Carol Danvers: Human-Q hybrid, Starfleet pilot 

The Q are among the most powerful beings in the Universe, as well as some of the most sinister. The main Q character we know on “Star Trek: the Next Generation” and “Voyager” has dealt at least twice with young Qs, who he was rearing with questionable methods. In the TNG episode “True Q,” Q mentors young Amanda Rogers (an orphaned Q raised by humans), in a way that is very reminiscent of Yon Rogg’s mentoring of Vers.   Is it possible for Q to reproduce with non-Q? Who knows, but since the Q seem capable of damn near anything, I don’t see why not. Though, if we’re keeping things close to MCU canon, then Carol may have been born a regular human, and only became part-Q after a bizarre accident.  In any case, she is no longer with the Q Continuum, and now fights for justice independently, or with Starfleet. 

Peter Parker: Kid genius, except likable. The Anti-Wesley. 

During “Infinity War,” my friend said Peter reminded her of Wesley, and I said, “Never say that again, or I’ll beam you into a black hole.”  Anyway, Peter would be a kid-genius serving on a ship like Wesley (but likable), and like Reg Barclay, would end up becoming part spider, due to one of the many bizarre anomalies the ship runs into every week.

If canon-Peter was enamored with Iron Man, just picture this Peter’s excitmenent upon learning that the chief engineer is a joined Trill, who has lived multiple life times, and all of the inappropriate questions he’d pester Tony with, like, “What’s it like to  die? What’s it like to die three times? Were any of your deaths really badass? Like, did you ever go out blowing up a Borg cube or get blown into space or something?” 

“This is why some species eat their young.” 

Friday: Hologram

In “Star Trek,” holograms--by the 24th Century anyway--look and even feel like solid, real people. Which begs some very disturbing questions about the fact that they’re created as basically slave labor. But Tony at least would never treat any of his holograms like mindless appliances to toss away, and if any of them wanted to leave he wouldn’t stop them.

Anyway, Friday is a hologram he programed after Jarvis was integrated into Vision. And she is a badass. 

Vision: Soon-type android, with a hologram and alien technology mixed in 

Kinda self-explanatory, not sure what else needs to be said. 

Thaddeus Ross: insane admiral 

Alongside doomed redshirts and and promiscuous male commanding officers, the evil insane admiral is one of “Star Trek’s” oldest and most treasured traditions. It does get to be a bit concerning after a while, that there are so many insane admirals in the Federation. Some fans theorize that Starfleet promotes bad captains to admirals to keep them off starships, figuring the occasional crazy admiral grabbing at galactic domination is better than a crazy incompetent captain every week. Whatever the reason, insane megalomaniac admirals plague Starfleet.

Thaddeus Ross is one such admiral. Previously leader of a fleet of starships, he was promoted to an even higher brand of admiral after the fiasco with Bruce Banner. Unfortunately, it turned out that giving this twit even more power was, shockingly, a bad idea. 

If I think of more, I may update this. But I think these are the main ones I have AU ideas for. 

[clodiuspulcher]

Heyy just curious bc you seem more knowledgeable about it - what WAS the point of the trial of Orestes then? I guess I found it a little infuriating (pun?) the kangaroo court and weakass verdict from Athena, but I only read it casually, without extra study

This is a valid question because to be honest it is infuriating. It seems like a bizarre and anticlimactic end to the story and I felt the same way when i first read it. Even the famously misogynistic Ancient Greeks knew the mother played an essential role in heredity; Lucretius adapting the Greek Epicurus emphasizes that both the male And female “seeds” are necessary for procreation and in Aeschylus’s own time, both your parents had to be Athenian citizens for you to be one, which doesn’t make sense if the argument Apollo puts forth is a widely accepted belief of Athenians at the time. Also, it’s wild that APOLLO of all the gods would be the one to say “the mother doesn’t have a real blood connection to her child” when, you know, he and Artemis were literally ride or die for Leto and are probably the gods most attached to their mother in the Greek pantheon (Dionysus also a contender). It’s baffling from a characterization standpoint then as well as a biological one- it doesn’t make sense! But I don’t think the actual argument made here is the point of the trial scene at all - what’s important is that Orestes gets acquitted.

To me, the most cohesive, meaningful, and lasting theme of the Oresteia is that revenge is a futile and destructive effort. The blood justice enacted by members of the House of Atreus and the crimes they commit against each other in the name of vengeance - Atreus on Thyestes, Thyestes on Atreus, Clytemnestra and Aegisthus on Agamemnon, Orestes on Clytemnestra - doesn’t meaningfully work towards true justice. There is no possibility of restitution and healing; killing Agamemnon doesn’t end the curse on the House of Atreus the way Clytemnestra thought and hoped and truly believed it would, it only continues the vicious cycle of violence and brutality. It results in her children growing up under tyranny and her partly wishing for the death of her own son, it leaves her dead by his hand and Orestes himself wracked with guilt and tormented by the furies. Blood justice and violent vengeance just leads to more cyclical destruction and violence; it leaves the House of Atreus devastated, the walls of the grand palace soaked in the blood of previous crimes, the last male heir to the throne tortured and frail and begging for Apollo’s help. So Apollo’s play here is focused entirely towards breaking the chain of destructive violence, because vengeance is counterproductive and only precipitates more cyclical violence. The trial of Orestes is Apollo putting his foot down, refusing to let the House continue to devour itself with violence and replacing blood “justice” with something more sustainable and less violent.

In this vein, Apollo’s literal only goal is to get Orestes acquitted: to let the furies have him and do what they want with him would again simply feed into that cycle. Eumenides Apollo is basically 100% ancient lawyer 0% actual deity, and he’s going to act exactly like an ancient lawyer whose only goal is to acquit their client, by any means possible. So it doesn’t really matter if Apollo’s argument is based in reality- ancient law is more about who’s the better rhetorician than who had the stronger case; ancient law was emotionally driven; playing the audience and using good rhetoric are what matters and literally anything goes. I haven’t read ancient Greek legal texts in depth but I have read Cicero who was inspired by Demosthenes, and he had such great legal hits as “I deserve to have this property back because my opponent once dressed up as a woman to do mischief and therefore will always be in the moral wrong” and “Even if my intern was involved in conspiracies against the state, Whom Among Us WASN’T seduced by Catiline back then? Therefore he did nothing wrong.” An ancient audience used to lawyers genuinely using arguments like “my client went on a sea voyage recently and his boat didn’t sink, if he was guilty the gods would have sunk his ship so therefore he’s innocent”  (real example) wouldn’t be thrown by Apollo’s argument being obviously wrong because Apollo is simply utilizing effective rhetoric and playing to the jury he has. He’s just being a Good Lawyer and acquitting Orestes so the violence plaguing Atreus house can END.

You can also look at Apollo’s argument and the fact that it sways the jury and frees Orestes more cynically - like, even if this is a superior form of justice, it still has its own weaknesses, such as the susceptibility to empty rhetoric clearly not based in reality and the fact that a system like this would be extremely vulnerable to corruption and manipulation (but hey, at least no one gets axe-murdered). It could be a way of admitting the legal system is still deeply flawed, or that any system for addressing crime and trying to establish “real” justice is going to fall short in one area or another. Orestes got acquitted and thus the cyclical violence and the curse associated with it can finally be broken, but is it truly a just system if Orestes was acquitted by such a bizarre and easily refutable argument that only worked because of the jury present at the time? Was Apollo’s manipulation of the jury and the prejudices/ideas he knew were unique to that group of people “just”? It might be more Just but is this an Ethical application of the law? It’s still better than Blood Justice (which is The Point) but still. .. Something To Think About…. 

Eumenides is also really an etiology for the Areopagus as much as anything else - it’s establishing the importance of justice based on something less destructive than Uh Vengeance in the world of the trilogy but also in Athens in Real Life. So perhaps the argument Apollo makes to acquit Orestes doesn’t really matter, but it is a huge sticking point for a lot of people who read the trilogy so I’ve tried to explain my Take on that aspect the best I can.

Very long post that is to say, it is a truly bizarre characterization take on Apollo from Aeschylus, but in my opinion, Apollo just needed to Acquit Orestes Any Way He Could to end the cycle/break the curse, even if the argument he made was buck wild - ancient law really was just like that sometimes! And the point is that now we can all move on instead of killing each other Literally.

[juleswolverton-hyde]

Running Home | 02: The Road

Genre: Fluff, Romance, Smut (eventually), Friends to Lovers

Pairing: Tattoo Artist!Bangchan x Reader

Warnings: No warnings apply

Summary: A journey consists of three essential parts, even the one proposed by an estranged childhood suddenly showing up at the door after years of absence. Although, perhaps begging to embark on an adventure is better befitting of the situation.

After all, the two travellers might find the destination they could not find themselves at the end of the road, inherently constantly running in circles.

Not anymore.

It is time to go home.

The Setting Off / The Road / The Destination

Masterlist

Proposals are a type of commandment left up to an individual’s own volition to agree to or decline, though circumstances or the person uttering the potential decision can influence judgement regardless. However, it also depends on the relationship at the time and that in and of itself.

 Time.

 ‘Run away with me.’ Platinum locks are pushed back by a haphazard palm that afterwards grabs onto the doorway just above where a startled head is resting to stay grounded, mind going insane due to the lack of logic in the demandingly spoken request. The long oversized sleeve rolls back to reveal a stunning grey and black-toned tattoo of a snarling wolf that covers the biggest part of the left forearm, an animal that is nothing like the docile personality of the kangaroo that was first associated with the childhood friend. 

 Then again, everything has changed.

 We do not know each other.

 Not anymore. 

 The familiar scent of mint mixed with a fresh cologne fills every sense when the long lost friend leans in, faces a few centimetres apart in the tiny space of which the air gradually becomes tense, heart oddly beating in a blind panic thanks to Chan’s begging whispering nearness. ‘Let’s do it. We’ve always wanted to. Now’s the time.’

 ‘It isn’t.’ A step backwards breaks the intimate spell, reason breaking through the mirage of wonderful words reminiscent of the rebellious teenage dreams longing to be wildly liberated and build an empire of ink somewhere in the world. It is a harsh truth, but those goals cannot be pursued anymore as the process of growing up has taught an ignorant girl the ways of reality which have led her to become a freelance editor with financial stability after a good while of struggling. The current point is a good place, certain of professional possibilities on the path taken after completing the bachelor in Creative Writing. Why leave behind such an incredible future after working so hard to achieve it?

 ‘Wha- What do you mean it isn’t? Y/N, while we were apart I did my best to actually create what we thought of together, working shift after shift at crappy jobs to save up for the tattoo studio we would open one day. I finally got the money and found a location, but all that is missing is you. Don’t say you forgot what you promised me, that you don’t remember promising to be my business partner.’

 ‘The old me promised that, Chan. I also worked hard to get where I am now, went through stress and money-related hardships to live here and have a steady career. Congratulations on making it. I’m genuinely happy for you, but I left our dream behind when I realized it wouldn’t work, at least not for me. I’ve grown up, moved on.’ A shivering sigh worsens the increase of homesickness because everything within has become aware there is no way to cure the mental distress. 

 College has cost too much in terms of funds and all-nighters to accomplish assignments or study for tests. The multitude of inherently futile interviews had led to too grand an amalgamation of barely manageable stress that could only have been diminished a tad when starting as a freelancer, fortunately landing on the music company’s project after collaborating on a few smaller yet successful projects. The collection of mangas and books on the shelves of a professional are a proud display of the achieved novel ambition to make people read more. Henceforth, there are factors that make giving up the current life impossible despite the craved reunion with Chris. 

 The offer has to be turned down.

 He has to go.

 ‘You’re lying.’

 ‘I’m not, Chan. Really, I’m happy. I get to do things I hadn’t thought possible, work on projects for big companies. See those bookshelves over there? Those are the titles I worked on.’ A convinced digit points at the shelves spread throughout the apartment which support a variety of volumes resulting from all the paid assignments that have carved the road leading here.

 Successful and free of former worries about even making it this far. 

 Only to end up merely as a name in the credits list.

 To be skipped.

 Like the rest.

 A faceless ghost with a name.

 ‘Y/N,’ the gentle softness in speech tells there is no way to deny the presented lie for the inked wolf sees what lies beneath, as he has always done by reading the mind even when it is not wanted, ‘drop the act and be honest because this pains me to see. You aren’t happy, at all.’

 The unconvincing gesture towards the paperbacks falls away, arms stretching forward in longing for a hug from the regained childhood friend and happily wrapping around the waist when a nod gives consent. The heaviness of existence falls away in the warm comforting fabric of the oversized sweater smelling of minty cologne, lashes fluttering shut when the embrace is lovingly answered by a big palm holding the head against the chest. ‘I’m not, haven’t since you were gone.’ 

 A moment of comfortable silence passes before the hush is broken by a confession that has been known all along, confirmed to be so once more as plush lips place a kindhearted kiss on locks that have missed the contact. ‘I feel safe with you.’

 ‘I’m not letting you go again. I promised to protect you and I will. I’m not gonna leave you behind, never again.’ The shivering suppressed sobs are rubbed away by small digits holding on tighter to dusky clothing, a deep sigh slightly calming a frantic heart. ‘Never again.’

 ‘Shh, it’s alright.’ Nothing more can be said without breaking out into tears as well, simply hiding away into wordlessness to let the simple phrase speak for itself. 

 ‘Please, Y/N. Please, run away with me. Let’s just grab the bare necessities and vanish, start anew. We can get food and additional supplies along the way. Even if you decide to turn back eventually, at least come with me today. Let’s just go.’

 ‘I’m not going to turn back.’ The motion of a thumb wiping the tears from pale cheeks is leaned into, molten chocolate irises twinkling in soothed delight before Chris mirrors the gesture on a dry face not yet broken. However, there is something needful in the manner in which the distance is tried to be breached, distinct from how it used to be done in older days in the increased want for intimacy that was formerly solely joked about, only applicable to the situation whereby the friendship would have been of a deeper meaning.

 Something that has never been.

 ‘You promise?’ A suggestive nod almost results in a brush of lips, but shamefully ends in pulling away and ending the closeness that was willingly given into with retracting fingers leaving behind a strangely disconcerting coldness on the skin. ‘Go... Go get your stuff. Or would you- do you want me to... help?’

 ‘Yeah...’ Although likely not needed, it is a comforting thought, a desire that desperately wants to be fulfilled, to have the platinum-haired boy with the wolf tattoo help with packing what little is needed and already present in this empty home. Henceforth, awkwardly avoiding any type of physical contact in the fairly spacious apartment that stills feels too small to move freely in, a small backpack containing what would be enough for an overnight stay at a friend’s is gathered.

 Withal, there is no way to avoid touching at the surprising sight of the sleek motorcycle which will blend seamlessly into the scenery at nightfall parked on the driveway of the apartment complex. Brows furrow as the knot of digits untangles in favour of inspecting the vehicle up close. ‘You have a motorcycle?’

 ‘Uh, yeah, I do.’ A hand timidly rubs the back of the neck, uncomfortable at yet another paradoxically uncharacteristic element of the returned comrade is brought to the surface touched by Time.

 ‘Well, I trust you’ll get us where we end up needed safely or I’ll come back to haunt your ghost.’ A smirk successfully undoes the fit of strangeness, bringing back the once familiar affection free of the judgment from outside, the prejudices deeming us a couple. 

 A concept that seems oddly pleasant as the joking manner is joined when a helmet is handed over. Well, so it seems to be but just as the object is within reach, it is quickly snatched away to be placed on the head with a loving devilish gaze. Knuckles reach up, which results in the annoyingly impactful patting on the top of the thing to ensure it is securely put in place. ‘Or the other way around.’

 Annoyed, the knuckles are stilled. ‘Stop that! By the way, you’re the driver. Besides, I refuse to let you haunt me.’ 

 Confidence fades away into worry at the registration of there being solely one helmet, gazing questioning at the apparent motor mouse with an underlying fear for his safety. ‘Shouldn’t you wear it?’

 The important inquiry is brushed off with a tender smile on the full lips of slightly tilted platinum locks. ‘Ah, don’t worry. I’ll be careful so you won’t actually get to chance to stalk me forever in ghost form.’

 ‘Chan...’ Fingers rapidly grip the edge of the oversized sweater already getting on the vehicle, holding the fabric up enough to see the top part of a melting Victorian style pocket watch outlined engraved into pale skin.

 Time slipping away.

 As it had from us. 

 ‘You’re still as stubborn as ever. It’s fine, Y/N. Come on, get on and we’ll get going.’ The hold on the clothing is made undone by the wearer gently tugging it out of its current grasp, but it is replaced by a new one in the form of once more entangled fingers when the big calloused palm reaching out is taken after patting on the backseat.

 Soothingly protective, the thumb rubs over the back of the smallest hand as deep brown irises sparkle with the true intention to protect like before had always been the case. We have had always had each other’s backs. ‘I’ll be careful, I promise.’

 But knowing this had never stirred up the same storm as it does now, the stomach tying into an odd expectant knot while cheeks fortunately hidden by the head protection warm up. Regardless of the curious sensations, arms wrap hesitantly around the waist after clumsily sitting down on the passenger seat, clinging like a koala to Chris’s sturdy buff body. 

 Sensing the discomfort, the guarding driver checks at every turn to what extent the distress has grown and occasionally slowing down when noticing the enhanced grip on the middle going paired with an anxious whimper. Thus, the road of flashing streets and open highways leading to an unknown destination is embarked upon.

 Though there is rapidly a stop on it already that makes all the continuous wishes for a car, a probably whole lot safer option, come to a halt at a grand supermarket in the nearest town. Howbeit relieved at being liberated from the insane traffic, it was honestly expected to be travelling at least until twilight colours the sky in a tropical gradient of mango yellow and papaya orange. Even food shopping can be done later since the cold luxurious apartment was not left without taking a few snacks and bottles of water for along the way. ‘What are we doing here?’

 ‘You might have everything you need, but I kinda... went to you unprepared.’ The key turns in the engine, the loud noise of the motor quickly tuning out to vanish completely in the ruckus of chatter against a background of moving wheels.  

 ‘You did what?’ Like a gentleman, Chan extends a supporting hand to take while dismounting the vehicle, monitoring every movement to prevent any accidents. 

 It does not go a smoothly as planned, losing balance regardless of the support point but fortunately getting caught by surprised strong arms. ‘You okay?’ At seeing nothing is the matter after a thorough inspection, tensed shoulders sigh in relief as they relax. ‘I went to you with only a change of clothes, that’s all there is in this big backpack. Moreover, it’s better to do groceries now so we can make some good miles uninterrupted. Who knows where we’ll end up tonight? Wherever it might be, I’d rather have a tube of toothpaste and a toothbrush in the least.’ 

 As done many times in the past, strands are fondly ruffled, a cute suppressed giggle betraying the obvious enjoyment of the effect of the irritation the gesture is known to cause. Notwithstanding, as always and strangely more so than before, it is tolerated. Even delighted in, though a blatant display of the whirlwind inside is out of the picture for it best remains hidden among all the other odd sentiments that have come to stir a girl missing her best friend. ‘C’mon, I know you secretly like it when I do this.’

 A roll of the eyes denotes the statement, nullifying the teasing confidence in the transformed yet familiar voice of the young tattoo artist. ‘Keep on dreaming, Chris Bang.’

 ‘You totally like it,’ comes the musing response to the futile verbal counterattack, dark Timberlands easily catching up to the sneakers already on their way to the supermarket. 

 ‘No, I don’t.’ A huff comes from pouted lips, only leading to bubbly laughter from the side that makes the heart melt as it never has before. 

 ‘Yes, you do~’ One hand tucked into the pocket of twilight-shaded ripped jeans, the other comes to rest on the right shoulder and pulls a fellow runaway sturdily against the side. 

 The gesture is answered by an arm snaking around Chan’s waist, holding on tightly out of the irrational fear of any type of separation occurring that will increase the homesickness again. However, the prominent sarcasm in voice hides the anxious thoughts about a premature end of the reunion. ‘Are you really gonna argue like this? How old are you again?’

 ‘The same age as you, although you sound awfully like a grandmother.’

 ‘Oh, grow up.’

 ‘I have.’ And something indescribable in the glimmer of irises signifies the time for joking is over, the sideways contact breaking off to entwine fingers after speaking in a sombre tone with a downcast gaze. ‘Though at times I wish I hadn’t.’

 ‘Why?’

 ‘Because it complicates things, too. Especially how- no, never mind. It’s not important.’ A solemn shake of platinum locks finishes the complete attempt at elaborating on the broken-off sentence, speech lowering to hopelessness as it repeats the heart-wrenching statement. ‘It’s not important.’

 ‘You know you can tell me everything, right? What’s up?’ Whatever is deemed superfluous, it does matter to the one who had to let the problems of the past years unconsciously slide. Finally, there is a chance to find a solution again so each issue can be met head-on either together or solely with a little bit of help.

 Which is denied by a final close to the subject and a squeeze below. ‘Let’s just get what we need and go, Y/N.’

 Not speaking further of the strange behaviour, the pathways lined with food on both sides are navigated while unconsciously switching trolley duty and searching each other when one of the two has wandered to a different section to retrieve supplies for the journey ahead. Of course, as tends to be the natural reaction towards pairs doing their groceries, people throw an inconspicuous glance in our direction while we simply go about while chatting as if there has never been a goodbye. Withal, an uncharacteristic darkness glosses over molten chocolate during the moments a guy without an apparent partner looks in our direction, Chan becoming very touchy by holding hands for no reason, throwing an arm around the shoulders to enhance the intimacy or leaning in as close as possible. 

 The latter happens again when standing in front of the razor section in the drugstore part of the mega shop and a sudden wonder strikes concerning what brand the tattoo artist uses nowadays. 

 The looming presence able to provide a question rising behind the back sends shivers down the spine, though it is not an unpleasant sensation and fuels the want to lean against the buff companion, especially at the sound of an amused hum. ‘Gillette.’

 ‘Huh, what?’

 ‘Gillette is the brand I use. In fact,’ a bright orange packet reading “Gillette Fusion” is taken from the rack and placed in a small palm, ‘this is the one, in particular, I tend to reach to.’

 ‘Good to know for when I have to do groceries for us in the future. For us as friends, naturally.’ The last part is hastily added to not cause any confusion about the status of the current renewed relationship, words coming out in a rapid unbroken stream.

 A seemingly disagreeing muttering responds to the fast additional comment, thoughts gaining a voice howbeit in an incoherent fashion. All that can be gathered from it in terms of intelligibility is the wistful ‘don’t want to’ in the middle of a sentence. Nonetheless, when seeing the curiously raised eyebrow, the former friendly yet oddly protective composure is regained, nodding in a direction away from the current section of the supermarket at the appearance of a possible rival. ‘I think we have everything. Let’s pay and go.’

 ‘Chan, you’re acting weird.’ Reluctantly, broad shoulders are followed as they walk away in the direction of the checkout counter with attention turned unwaveringly towards a point somewhere in the distance. 

 Attention shifts when looking sideways at a tug on the oversized sweater scented with minty cologne which is grabbed in an effort to both halt hasty dark Timberlands and not lose him. 

 Not again. 

 Obviously irritated, a response is nothing short of growled, the fierceness of which instills a paralyzing fear into libs growing suddenly stiff. ‘No, I’m not. What are you on about?’

 ‘Yes, you are. You’re being more affectionate than you’ve ever been, but also more defensive.’ The ice is endeavoured to be knocked off from bones entirely to not lose a sliver of convincing power in the argument about the weird behaviour. In the past contact merely remained at a multitude of hugs and the occasional pat on the head, digits sometimes ruffling hair good-naturedly while proudly grinning.  

 ‘Don’t be ridiculous. I’m not acting anything different from normal.’ Yet the suppressed snarl malforming plush lips tells a different story, revealing the truth underneath the concealing futile lie of normalcy. 

 ‘Then why are we walking away just as another guy passes, eh?’ The last remnant of the abyss between us is breached without letting go of the piece of clothing, the tattooed wolf not tugging it out of the grasp as before, but carefully watching every movement with intent.

 A hand comes to rest on the hip, compellingly guiding the way to the exit, sight ever onwards. ‘He’s got bad intentions.’

 ‘The chap over at the bakery, too?’

 ‘Yes.’

 ‘And in the fruits aisle?’

 ‘They were looking at you weirdly. I didn’t like it.’

 ‘Then what about the dude in the health aisle? Was he a suspicious character as well?’

 ‘He eyed you a bit too much.’

 ‘Chan, for God’s sake, I’m a grown-up woman. I can take care of myself.’ Although not a lie, what has really been done is taking care of myself just enough to keep the homesickness at bay, just enough to actually believe to be able to function as a proper independent adult. The blatant truth is that while the surface has been well-tended to, the foundation has been crumbling since the farewell without any hope of being restored as long as there was a distance filled with questions ripping it apart. 

 ‘We’re on this journey together. You and I form a team, a “we”. There’s no “we” with any of those other men, they’re just individuals who can’t be there nor ever will be there for you as I am!’ The strange outburst at a stop in the open passage to the cash registers resembles the experience of a lonesome soul comically ensuring they are fine while being all but that yet never voicing this. Nevertheless, surely there had been someone for him to fill up the gap created by the tear, a beautiful girlfriend to come home to.

 Notwithstanding, if that had been the case, then why is there a sense of prolonged yearning in the raging? All there is, after all, is friendship, which is made questionable by the passage of time. 

 Unoccupied digits place themselves over the heart in a heavily rising and falling chest, the vibrations of an unintended pleased hum reverberating through them. Curious how such a simple form of contact can calm a scarlet frenzy. ‘Tone down. What are you saying? Don’t tell me you’re actually jealous because that’s delusional.’

 ‘Just forget it.’ Passively aggressively, one hand lets go of the waist to envelop the appeasing digits that are left no choice, holding on to them for the silent remainder of the shopping break as the other pushes the trolley.

 Only upon paying and dividing the additional stock of supplies among us does the touch unravel temporarily and once more when the helmet is securely put into place again.

 And though hating the ridiculous rigidity that has surfaced out of the blue, automatically Chris’s waist is firmly held onto when the motor is mounted to continue the journey. However, muscles tangibly relax as the key turns in the engine, kind genuinely apologetic eyes glancing over a broad shoulder to meet a gaze traced with annoyance at the scene-making earlier though that fades away into forgiving softness at hearing the vocal crack which is tried to be dismissed casually. ‘I’m sorry for the way I behaved. It’s just- we’re finally- I mean, it’s us together on this road and I want to see it through. I want for us to be at the end like how we started it, with the both of us by each other’s side.’

 ‘You could’ve made that clear another way, you know?’

 ‘Yeah... Yeah, I know.’ Uncertainty undeniably comes through in the manner in which the handles are rubbed as sight is turned towards the horizon again. ‘I should’ve thought before acting, acted differently. I’m sorry.’

 ‘It’s alright.’ Cheek pressed to the large dark backpack of the driver filled with provisions, the embrace is tightened. Speech lightens as the burden of failure to please, the fear of having messed up thanks to triggering so strong a reaction in a recently reunited with soul, is lifted and thus makes room for pure joyous contentment. ‘I’m here, still your travel buddy.’

 ‘You still like me?’

 ‘I do, Chan. I do still like you.’

 ‘Glad to hear that.’ Regardless of not looking back, the smile undoubtedly beginning to form on plush lips can nevertheless be envisioned. A calloused palm affectionately brushes over the digits firmly forming a knot below as the strange restraining undertone curiously returns. ‘I’m really happy to hear you say that.’

 A chance to respond is nullified by the engine roaring to life, reawakening the instinct to do whatever it takes to survive a new encounter with rampant traffic racing at high speed. Yet, the knowledge of who the guide is and the faith put in him fuels the determination to see it through until the destination is reached.

 Until we are like we were before.

 Somewhere side by side. 

 Not footsteps to be washed away by the waves.

 But those continuing to walk together.

 Never alone.

 Never again.

[whogivesa-ship]

There’s a new book out called “Murder By The Book” about a murder that may have been influenced by a novel and the npr review on it is good and talks a bit about the history of people thinking fiction affects reality negatively: “At the same time, for an idea so steeped in prejudice and fear, there is something wonderful about it. Because if a book could make someone kill, what else might it be able to do?”

Interesting! I’ll have to check that out. I’m a huge true crime nerd, so that sounds like something I’d enjoy reading. And that’s a great quote. If I could stop all crime and suffering just by writing the right story, I totally would. But I know my fiction doesn’t have that kind of influence on the world, nor does anyone else’s. It sure is an appealing idea though, isn’t it?

Fun fact: Kangaroos can hop up to 40 miles per hour.

[glvnda-blog]

she is afraid. though she is afraid, she is reapply-her-lipstick, black-combat-boots, leather-jacket-badass, she is survival.

have you been re-introduced to glenda chittock? last we heard, the muggleborn was most familiar with timeline one. I don’t recall if they were always a ravenclaw, but I’ve heard the seventh year is still passionate, individualistic and streetsmart and pacifistic, rambunctious and self preserving so that’s familiar. at least she/they remembers their way around the castle.

playlist, pinboard, character tag. stats.

history in timeline one.

note: the pre-hogwarts history is the same in all timelines for glenda.

Her mother leaves her and her sister and her father behind when she is three, and she doesn’t get it, not at all. She’s there one day and then she’s gone, as are her clothes and her favourite dishes and her records. After that, it’s just her father, her younger sister and herself. Her father, who is heart broken and absent, and always working to pay the bills to provide for his girls but falling short everywhere else. And so it’s Glenda who raises herself and her sister, as well as the people around them. Some are kind, most are not — unhappiness is norm in the neighborhood they grow up in, as is crime and poverty and violence. Glenda grows independent and hard and streetsmart and good at entertaining herself when everything else is dreary. There’s barely any money, barely anything, really, but there’s room for games with her sister and music playing on the radio and water balloon fights on hot summer days. Glenda learns that she cannot be fragile. Her sadness sometimes turns into acceptance, but most often into anger. She learns how to walk dangerous streets and make meals and how to curl her back with pride and lock her fears away.

Strange things do happen, as they tend to with muggleborns, and she laughs at them. To her, they’re just part of her hectic life, another aspect that her young brain cannot comprehend. And then, at age eleven, she learns the truth. She’s not just a rambunctious student, not just a kid with scabbed knees, not just someone who once nicked a Rolling Stones cassette that she hides under her pillow: she is also a witch. When she hears the news for the first time, she laughs, and then sits still in complete, rare silence. When she arrives at King’s Cross she cries, clinging to her sister for a long time, then hugging her father quickly and stepping on that train with tear-stained cheeks, equal amounts excited and scared.

Years after being sorted into Ravenclaw for her originality and creative mind, Glenda has proven herself to be a hurricane of a girl. Loud and boisterous, she causes ruckus with both her laughter and yelling. She joins clubs and abandons them, either excels in her classes or completely flunks them, paints her face blue-and-bronze for Quidditch games and exists, loudly. She finds a passion for social justice – both in the wizarding and muggle world – and grows outspoken as she educates herself more and more. Some people want to deny her place in this world — because she’s muggleborn, and black, and poor — and Glenda reacts by being louder, by being more they ever bargained for.

other timelines

TIMELINE TWO: Glenda would have dropped out of Hogwarts, plain and simple. She loves the castle and she loves learning about magic, but she loves herself and her sister more. She would take her sister and move … away, anywhere, really, but at least across the pond. Glenda is a coward, in all truth. She’s idealistic and an activist, but she’s not made for violence, not made for a world as cruel as the world in this timeline and she would not have stayed for a fight. She would move away, write about her terror and the things happening at home while clinging to any kind of safety she could get.

TIMELINE THREE: Glenda would stick around. She would grow angry and fearful at the same time, but stick around all the same — the danger would not be close enough yet for her to properly run. She would suppress her fear and use her rage to keep her going. Upon graduation, she would seek out a job in radio and talk about muggle music and culture and stick it to the Death Eaters in her own, safe way. Glenda would not join the Order, both because she would not feel like she had much to offer and out of fear. A coward, still, but less of one, I suppose.

reaction

Glenda is, frankly, terrified at the idea that there are other realities where a war had started over something as – in all honesty – stupid as blood purity. The fact that in some people’s lives there’s a group out there that’s dedicated to eradicating people of her kind is equal amounts horrifying and rage inducing. Glenda can’t wrap her head around it, doesn’t want to — she wants to cling to the world she grew up in. A harsh and unforgiving and unfair world, yes, but a peaceful one, at the very least, one in which she is relatively safe.

Trying to imagine how she would be, had she grown up into the other timelines, is something she doesn’t want to do, but does, still. In the death of the night, she lies awake, imagining a version of herself who knew war, who knew what losing a war was. And now she has to adjust to a war that’s caught in the middle of a war she knows nothing about — but Glenda does know prejudice, and she does know terror, and she refuses to let it get her down.

headcanons & ramblings.

loves herbology and comc, subjects where she gets to go out and use her hands. potions, too. doesn’t enjoy subjects that require a lot of skillful magic, because she’s just not the best at it, which is something she has made her peace with.

glenda is part of the frog choir ( due to her love for music, mostly, and because she thinks it’s fun and she’s a pretty solid singer ) and a seeker for the ravenclaw quidditch team! she tried out in her second year and didn’t get it ( she was no natural, let’s leave it at that ) and then tried out again when the previous seeker graduated and got on the team. let’s say in her fifth year? 

glenda is genderqueer, but hasn’t really found the right terminology yet. she does identify with being a girl/woman, but not entirely, and she’s trying to learn more about gender in general to understand herself. she does know that she likes gender neutral pronouns / terminology for herself, and sometimes prefer it.

has a nice mean hook and owns a switchblade. she doesn’t bring the latter to hogwarts, but she wishes she had now lmao. 

loves both punk and disco, we love duality! she’s very big on music, in general --- it’s what pushes her towards working as a radio journalist eventually. it’s just ... her way to escape? to deal? relatable content.

a stoner. that’s the whole headcanon sorry guys i rly dont have more to say on that --- she’s just a stoner. 

glenda is chaotic neutral! she leans towards being chaotic good, but because she does have good morals, but doesn’t act on them, i think she makes more sense if she’s neutral. a mess.

her patronus is a kangaroo, because they’re energetic and a Lot and have short attention spans.

she adopted a cat from an animal shelter that she named donna and she’s a nervous, quiet mess that trusts glenda and maybe a handful of others. she’s the best and i love her

has a muggle criminal record for public intoxication & underage drinking, lmlfksdjf.

glenda the good bitch. that’s the headcanon. pls call her that in character i would Cry

glenda is ... hard, i guess. life has hardened her, but she’s not rough, per se. she’s all bark and no bite --- a rambunctious, loud soul, energetic and exciting but hard, deep down. she’s seen unfairness, has experienced it and part of her is just angry. she doesn’t want to be that, though --- mostly because she doesnt know how to channel that anger. so glenda comes off as more carefree than she is but, if needed, she’s not afraid to show her harder, rougher side

she’s a hippie tbh???? that’s literally how i’d describe her in a few words LDKFJS.

[hohenangst]

I drove from Melbourne to Perth and lived to tell the tale

Big tick off the bucket list. I’ve always wanted to do a big road trip and Melbourne to Perth is an easy (but long) straight run. And what a trip it was!

Our itinerary:

Melbourne – Adelaide – Kangaroo Island – Port Augusta – Ceduna – Border Village – Balladonia – Norseman – Kalgoorlie – Perth – Margaret River – Albany – Esperance – Caiguna – Penong – Port Augusta – Broken Hill – Melbourne. We wanted to avoid any hectic long days of driving for 8+ hours but in hindsight, we made too many stops. Everything between Ceduna and Norseman is just a roadhouse and with the exception of the Great Australian Bight, there's very little to see.

Things that happened:

We experienced just how vast this country is. Esperance is the most beautiful place I have ever seen and should be a massive tourist destination, but its inaccessibility makes this impossible. It is a seven hour drive from Perth, or you can take one of the three weekly (and expensive) flights from Perth which isn't ideal if you're coming from east.

We learned not to drive west after 4pm when there is literally nothing between you and the sun, it hurts.

Huddling by the side of the highway at the Caiguna Roadhouse in the dead quiet of the middle of the night, desperately trying to get some internet connection on our phones to check the socials only to scream and collapse in giggles when we heard a dog bark.

I got a speeding ticket on the Nullarbor. Who knew you could get a speeding ticket on the Nullarbor?

Excluding families and a couple of truckies, we were the youngest people by at least 30 years on the road. Locals, truckies and grey nomads were delighted to meet a young couple from Melbourne doing the trip and we shared some memorable moments of roadhouse banter.

I saw a mine for the first time and finally understood what a mine looks like and does.

On a serious note, seeing how people live outside of the big cities forced me to reflect a bit on the state of affairs in this country, and it really opened my eyes to why rural areas tend to swing conservative. Diversity is scarce out there, and archaic beliefs are not. Opportunities for education and exposure are limited. People struggle to understand what they are not familiar with, and while this obviously does not excuse prejudice and bigotry, it helped me realise that it will be impossible to attain social justice without patience and compassion to dismantle generations of conditioning.