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spooky-z · 4 years

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FACT CHECK

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Maribat by @ozmav

Of all the investigations Alya had done in the name of journalism, finding out that Chloe Bourgeois and Marinette Dupain-Cheng were dating had been... disheartening.

Lila had told her she noticed the strange behavior of Chloe and Marinette, suspecting that the two were together, but Alya dismissed the idea because Chloe and Marinette dating? This could only be a joke.

But it was when Alya also noticed the behavior of the two girls and decided to investigate, that the truth came out.

Lila was right. She would never doubt her best friend again.

Knowing that the Queen of Hearts and Gremhilde were in a relationship came as a shock to Alya, but knowing the reason for that relationship was indeed sad.

Because fake a relationship to get Adrien's attention? That was beyond pathetic.

Alya knew that Marinette was jealous of Lila for being close to Adrien, and possibly was dating the model in secret - the Italian was being difficult to drop the word, despite the continuous blush being all the confirmation that the journalist needed -, which she feels sorry for the designer.

She also knew that Chloe did not love Adrien, but she was unhappy with the fact that the boy was no longer her private toy and that he had despised her in favor of true friends.

But setting up a crazy plan to get the boy's attention was a new level of insanity for both girls. They needed to understand that no meant no.

It was no surprise to Alya that Chloe acted in retaliation, but Marinette with Chloe? Alya felt sorry for her ex best friend.

Alya hadn't told the class yet because she didn't want to humiliate Marinette in front of everyone, but she told Lila, because she deserved to know the truth.

She was sitting in her place in the classroom, next to Nino and behind Adrien and Lila. Mlle. Bustier had given them free time, as long as they didn't leave their seats and keep the conversation low.

Chloe's snorting laughter echoed through the room from moment to moment, Marinette trying to control the blonde and Sabrina looking like she wanted to fall into a fit of laughter. The three problems of the Mlle. Bustier’s class together.

"It's sad, you know?" Lila sighed at her. She and Adrien facing Alya and Nino's table so they can talk. "They force themselves to act like they're happy just to get attention."

"What do you mean, dudete?" Nino questioned confused.

"It's kind of obvious that they keep doing these things to get their attention." Lila had a sad look in her eyes. "If they weren't so mean to me, I wouldn't mind being friends with them."

Alya felt her heart ache for her best friend. She suffered so much at the hands of the three and yet there she was, wanting to make friends with her bullies.

"You don't have to feel guilty, girl." She squeezed Lila's hand on the table. "They don't deserve your friendship, do they, Adrien?"

The boy had a complicated expression on his face, but he nodded cautiously. "Sure..."

Alya did not understand certain behaviors that Adrien had. Of course, the boy lived for years trapped in the ivory tower that was the Agreste mansion, but she thought that after hanging out with them for so long, he would have come out of his shell, but it looked like she was wrong.

At least, from what Lila said, he was much more open to her when they were alone. She hoped that this would soon change in relation to her friends.

▫▪▪

The next day, she was casually checking her blog, noting the decline in her popularity, before checking OTS-OnTheSpot. The blog that had debuted in the news world, being the rival of Ladyblog.

Alya was increasingly irritated by Ladybug's clear preference for the new blog over Ladyblog. Of course, the person - because nobody knew who it was and Max was unable to track the IP - obviously had better equipment than Alya, who only worked with the phone, but for Ladybug to betray her like that, it had been a slap in the face.

Somehow OTS got the best photos, the best videos, the best interviews, but no one ever got a glimpse of who the journalist was. Not even Chat Noir - she had asked - knew who the person behind the blog was, since he had never been interviewed before.

That was the other problem she had with OTS.

The person clearly focused on all miraculous and non-miraculous heroes, except Chat Noir. In fact, the times the blog touched on the cat hero's name, it was to mock his behavior in the middle of the battle. Not to mention, they were clearly a RoBug shipper - Robin and Ladybug - which, in Alya's opinion, was an insult to the black dots hero.

Everyone knew that LadyNoir was the real couple there. Chat Noir had confirmed in the last interview that Alya got of the hero.

She was wallowing in self-pity when Lila hurried into the classroom, drawing everyone's attention. All but Chloe who was messing with the phone, Nathaniel who drew on the tablet and Sabrina, who wrote something on a notepad. Marinette as always, late.

"Alya!" Lila ran to her. "You will not believe what I just saw."

The girl rose quickly from her chair, her journalistic senses on alert.

“What was that girl? Is it an akuma?”

With that, both Chloe and Adrien turned to the two.

The Italian shook her head in denial.

"No. It's Marinette.” She takes a deep breath, catching her breath. "Marinette was kissing a very scary guy in front of the school."

"WHAT?!" Alya shouted. "Are you sure it was her?"

Lila nodded frantically. "Absolutely sure. When they walked away, I saw her face and I also heard him call her name.”

Alya sat back in her chair in shock. Incredulous that Marinette would do something so dirty just to get attention.

"I think she realized that the plan with Chloe wouldn't work and tried to get attention in another way." Lila sighed. Only Nino and Adrien being able to hear their conversation.

The DJ frowned in confusion.

"What are you talking about?"

Adrien was pale, but he didn't open his mouth to say anything.

"We found that-"

"MARIN!" Chloe squeaked in the background, running into Marinette's arms.

Alya and Lila were suddenly silent, watching the scene unfold. Alya had a sour taste in her mouth, disgusted by the way Marinette managed to act like nothing was happening. As if she weren't dirty.

"Hey, Coco." The brunette said, hugging Chloe. "Sorry for the delay, I had some things to resolve."

Chloe moved away from her; hands clasped together. "No problem." She smiled. It was rare for the class to see such a sincere smile coming from Chloe. "Come. I want to show you something that Timochi and I found earlier.” And he pulled the girl up the stairs, greeting Sabrina and Nathaniel on the way.

For a moment, Alya considered leaving this problem alone.

Sure, Marinette and Chloe deserved to be exposed to their friends, but technically neither was doing anything wrong. None attacked or did anything to harm Adrien, so no damage was done.

But then Alya remembered the smile that Chloe had shown when she saw Marinette.

This was not a fake or staged smile. That was a genuine and affectionate smile. Then Alya came to the conclusion that Chloe did indeed liked Marinette, while Marinette was only using the blonde as a springboard to reach Adrien.

The journalist might as well have ignored this discovery and let Chloe break her heart, as a vengeance for everything Bourgeois had done against them, but she failed. Alya was a fair girl. She couldn't sleep peacefully knowing that Marinette was playing with someone's feelings.

Even if that someone was Chloe Bourgeois.

She got up from the chair, facing the back of the room and Marinette. Lila had long since moved away to her chair beside Adrien.

Alya was furious.

“Marinette, aren't you ashamed of yourself? Act like nothing is wrong. I didn't know you could be that cold and calculating.” She caught everyone's attention again, especially Marinette.

Marinette sighed, her elbow resting on the table, she laid her head on her palm. There was an air of boredom around her. Chloe, Sabrina and Nathaniel with unimpressed looks on their faces.

“What did I do this time, Alya? I knocked Lila down the stairs? I hit Lila with a piece of wood? I stole Lila's ideas again?” The disinterested tone irritated the journalist even more.

"No, although all the statements are real, I am not talking about that." Alya spat. "I'm talking about you being a fake and dirty person, who's using Chloe in your sordid little game."

Everyone in the classroom began to whisper fervently, curious about the newest drama in the class.

"What?!" Chloe said without a voice. The expression on the blonde's face was pure disbelief.

Marinette raised an eyebrow, moving from her relaxed posture to a stiff one.

"What are you accusing me of this time, Alya?"

"I'm talking about you and Chloe dating and you cheating on her with someone in front of the school!" Alya shouted angrily.

Marinette whistled, unimpressed.

"I still don't know what you're talking about."

“I know everything, Marinette Dupain-Cheng! Don't you dare deny it!” The girl sidestepped Nino's hand, who was trying to calm his girlfriend. "I know about your silly plan to pretend to be dating Chloe just to get Adrien's attention and that Chloe likes you!"

Marinette stared at Alya without reaction and Alya celebrated it, believing she had won the argument.

That, of course, until Chloe, Marinette, Sabrina, and Nathaniel fell into a fit of violent laughter. Scaring all the students and leaving Alya surprised.

"What are you laughing at?!" Lila stood up to defend Alya. "It is true! We know everything!”

Sabrina was the first to compose herself, wiping away the tears that had escaped by the force of laughter. "Really? What else do you know?”

"I don't understand what you're laughing at!" Alya snarled, before turning to Chloe. “You should be thanking us for exposing Marinette. Hello, is she cheating on you!?”

"Alya, dear and innocent, Alya." Nathaniel sighed. Some laughter still escaping. "Where did you get that Chloe and Marinette are dating each other?"

Alya snorted indignantly at the mockery. "What are you talking about? Lila-“

“Oh, of course. Lila.” Chloe rolled her eyes. "The most reliable source of news you can find." The acidity in the words did not go unnoticed by anyone.

"Hey!" Coming from offended Lila.

"Sure, you're not wrong to assume that Chloe and I had something, since well, we dated for a while." Marinette started.

“Aha! So, you assume you were in a relationship!” Alya pointed.

Marinette raises an eyebrow. "Everyone here knows that, Alya." She sighed tiredly. "Chloe and I dated for a while at Collège, but we broke up before Lycée."

"What...?!" Alya murmured. "But you hated each other!"

"... They are telling the truth, Alya." Nino looked away, intimidated by Alya's anger. “You and Lila didn't know that because you entered Dupont at the Lycée, but the rest we did. I think Adrien, too, since Chloe and he are childhood friends.”

“Okay, so, you guys dated. But how do you explain this sudden approach now? You obviously hated each other.” Alya insisted.

Chloe snorted impatiently, maybe even a little irritated by Alya's attitude.

“It's called maturing, Alya. Do you know what is this?" The blonde crossed her arms. “Marin and I talked and came to the conclusion that we still like each other enough to become friends. That fighting wasn't getting us anywhere.”

“It still doesn't explain why you are so lovey-dovey. Let's be rational here, this love is at least suspect.” Lila pointed. There was a calculating air around her.

"Friendships are different for everyone, Liela." Marinette replied dryly. “I was never a person to curb my feelings whatever they are. I like to show my friends how much I appreciate them and they do the same for me because that's how friendship is. The support is mutual.”

"But waiting for you to understand this can be too much, since you probably don't know what it is like to have feelings other than pride, envy and dislike." Chloe waved her hand dismissively.

Lila's eyes flashed dangerously, before changing to a painful expression. The crocodile tears running down her cheeks.

“Why are you like that, Chloe? I tried my best to be friends with you, but you seem to hate me!” She sniffed and Alya was next to the girl, trying to comfort her. "If I were that bad, I would have already exposed your plan to get Adrien's attention, since you and Marinette are obsessed with him-" She brought her hands to her mouth, an expression of regret on her face. “I shouldn't have said that. I'm so sorry!" She went back to 'crying'.

Everyone in the room turned to look at Adrien's expression, who seemed lost. Eyes wide, mouth open. He looked in Marinette's direction as if trying to assemble a 500-piece puzzle.

Chloe murmured an 'oh please' tired of all the drama. Marinette didn't seem at all shaken by being exposed in front of the boy she loved. Nathaniel and Sabrina were just enjoying the show, while eating the macaroons that Marinette had brought.

"You don't have to apologize, Lila." Marinette replied calmly, making Lila swallow the fake tears and look at the girl. She realized that her attack had no desired effect. "My feelings for Adrien died the day he asked me to take the high road and let you lie." She looked at the model who looked chastened, before turning back to Lila. "I understood what he meant by that, but the fact that he prioritized your feelings over mine, killed any traces of love I had for him."

Alya gasped in confusion.

"What are you talking about?"

Lila's eyes widened in panic. "Is nothing-"

"Oh, that's right." Marinette shook her head condescendingly. “You still believe that everything Lila says is true. Even the most absurd things.”

"Again with that story, Marinette?!" Kim complained angrily. "We know you made this up because you were jealous of Lila."

Nathaniel made a confused sound. "Why would Marinette be jealous of Lila?"

"Because Lila and Adrien are dating!" Alya screamed at the boy's lack of awareness.

“Alya! This was supposed to be a secret!” Lila hid her face with her hands.

"WHAT?!" Adrien got up from the chair surprised by the new information. "We aren’t-"

"... But Marin, haven't you been dating Damian since half of Lycée's first year?" Sabrina asked confused.

Marinette sighed at the whole situation.

"I am. But it seems that people still live in the past.”

"You don't have to lie to us just because you're ashamed, Marinette." Lila said sweetly. "We don't judge anyone here."

Chloe got up from her chair, clapping her hands on the table. "OK, that's it." She picked up the phone and dialed someone, everyone froze thinking she was calling the mayor. “Timo, please come and get us. I'm sick of having to share the same air as a bunch of imbeciles.” The person on the other end seemed to agree, because soon Chloe hung up and picked up her things from the table.

Marinette, Sabrina and Nathaniel soon following the blonde's example.

Sabrina had a thick folder in her hand, where it dropped heavily on Max's table. Chloe, on the other hand, left a pile of paper on Lila's and Nathaniel's on Alya's. Marinette came down the stairs in calm steps. Never failing to face the two girls.

“At Max's desk is a compilation of all Lila's lies. We managed to put this together in less than two hours, as her lies are not really good.” She started. Lila swallowing hard behind Alya. "At Lila's table and yours, orders to cease and desist on behalf of Prince Ali, Jagged, Clara, XY, Bruce Wayne, Style Queen and of course, Ladybug."

"WHAT?!" Lila and Alya shouted together.

Marinette didn't even blink at their reaction.

"I didn't intend to do anything against you, as we are in Lycée's senior year and I would finally be free of your mental games, Lila." She looked at the Italian. “But today you really pissed me off. Because in addition to accusing me of plotting to gain Adrien's attention, you accused me of being unfaithful and that is something I do not admit.”

"Dudete, don't you think you're being a little extreme?" Nino tried to ease the situation with Marinette.

The girl snorted in mockery, going back down the stairs, towards the door. And at the door, there was an unknown and scary-looking boy standing against the wood.

"Think on the bright side Nino: at least this way, your girlfriend will learn to check the facts first, before posting on her failed blog and Lila will learn to keep her lying tongue in her mouth."

Alya snarled in anger.

"And how do we know it is not a trick?"

Marinette stopped beside the boy, her hand resting on his broad chest and turned to Alya.

"Now Alya, just a search on google refutes all the bullshit that Lila has been spitting on you." She raised her eyebrow and the girl soon did as she was told, growing pale with every second she remained looking at the screen. “See how easy it is to check the facts? The internet nowadays, huh. Who knew?” She laughed as if she had told a very funny joke.

Adrien frowned at the girl's behavior, disappointed that she had done that. He thought they were in this together, but apparently, he was alone.

"Marinette-" The blonde tried to speak.

“Oh! I remembered something." She hit her fist against her open palm. "Lila, there are police and immigration agents waiting for you at the school door."

The entire class rose from their seats, still shaken by Marinette's revelations and Markov's confirmation that, yes, Lila was a dirty liar.

"... What?" Lila murmured weakly. It seemed that all the blood had left the Italian's body so pale she was.

"Did you think that willingly helping an emotional terrorist would not have consequences, Lila?" Marinette tilted her head innocently. "Wow. You are really deluded.” She hissed in shock.

The Italian fell without reaction to the floor. She had been defeated at her own game.

"Emotional terrorist...?" Adrien gasped. "Hawkmoth?! Was Lila helping Hawkmoth?”

“Yeap. We have evidence in videos, photos and audios. Not to mention that he admitted earlier today when the heroes invaded his operational base.” Marinette waved excitedly.

Adrien froze at the information. "But, but-"

"How do you know all this?!" Alya demanded.

“Didn't you know, Alya? I am OTS.” Marinette replied cynically, a bad smile on her face. "Ladybug gave an exclusive interview to my blog that must have aired two minutes ago."

Everyone was quick to pick up their tablets or phones to do what Marinette had said.

"You-you-" The journalist stuttered without knowing how to react.

“Now I have to go and let the law enforcement officers do their job. Bye!" She waved as she followed the boy from before, away from the classroom.

It was only when the officers entered the classroom to drag Lila out, that Alya realized what she had done and said.

She was a terrible journalist.

BONUS:

"... Cheers to the miraculous team, Robin, Red Robin, Super Boy and Spoiler!" The group of friends shouted, pounding the crystal glasses against each other.

“Another cheers for Lila Rossi having her ass delivered!” Chloe shouted excitedly, making friends laugh and accompany her.

"Today was a day of victory so let's celebrate as long as we can." Marc said snuggling up to Nathaniel who was almost dozing, despite all the noise.

"You had to see Alya's face when we threw the facts in her face." Sabrina hugged Stephanie, a little drunk on champagne.

"We saw it, Rina." The blonde replied, amused by the girl's behavior. "Timbers installed hidden cameras around the classroom for that purpose."

"What I thank my love for." Chloe told the boy, who was hugging her. "If it weren't for you, we would only relive that moment in memories."

"You're welcome Queenie." Tim kissed the girl's cheek affectionately.

"When are we going to visit Chat Noir, Hime?" Kagami asked Marinette. The two were curled together, with Damian on Marinette's back and Kagami between her legs.

"It would be a good idea for us to do this as soon as possible, so that he doesn't have time to use the ring for something bad." Damian kissed Marinette's head while his arms held Kagami against them. "Who knows what's going on in that boy's head."

Marinette sighed thoughtfully. Half melted between her lovers. "Tonight, we will approach Adrien Agreste."

"I hope he doesn't throw a tantrum." Jon groaned from where he was lying with Luka. "I don't have the patience to deal with him."

"I think he will be too distracted by his mother's return to react negatively." Luka murmured, another who was almost asleep. “Adrien may have a closed mind in some ways, but he is not a bad kid. He just needs someone to guide him on the right path.”

"I hope Emillie is that someone." Nathaniel replied sleepily.

All of them agreeing with the boy.

[tag list]

@saays-bitch @xxmdsxx @nicknnie @iamablinkmarvelarmy @damianette-is-life

#maribat #kagadaminette #ml x dc #chlotim #luka x jon #stephanie x sabrina #ml salt #adrien salt #lila salt #lila bashing #alya salt #nathmarc

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beholdingavatar · 5 years

Text

But I’m Afraid You Absolutely Did Choose It

A Rumination on Fear, The Magnus Archives, and the Modern Queer Experience

***

Given the source material on which this draws, there is only one way this piece can open.

Statement begins.

I first listened to The Magnus Archives on the recommendation of the King Falls AM discord server. I’m hardly a horror fan - most horror movies make me want to throw up and then give me weeks worth of lasting nightmares - but the KFAM discord has yet to steer me wrong, so I took a chance. It was - so utterly worth it.

The Magnus Archives is a serial fiction podcast, centering around an institute for paranormal research, and particularly the archives. The series begins with the appointment of Jon Sims as the new head archivist after the brutal murder of his predecessor, Gertrude, and follows - at least for the first season - his attempts to digitize the archive. I suggest you read no further if you are interested and want to avoid spoilers, because the conceit of this piece concerns spoilers from season 2 onward.

The universe in which The Magnus Archives (hereafter TMA) operates is affected by eldritch fear entities, each with their own acolytes and servants, their own rituals to try and enter our world and rule it. I’m no stranger to fear. How could I be, with the world as it is? I’m queer, I’m autistic, I have non-citizen immigrant parents, I’m mixed race - that’s a veritable laundry list, in this day and age. And that’s without tagging on the healthy paranoia that’s developed as a result of years of having every authority figure, every person I considered a friend, pull the rug out from under me at some point or another. Usually, between the fear and the paranoia, the idea of using horror as an escape seems laughable. But there’s something about TMA that makes it different.

Maybe it’s the low, soothing, audiobook voice that Jon reads the statements in. Maybe it’s the fact that the theme music is so good. Maybe it’s relating to archival assistant Martin and his glaringly obvious crush on his boss, Jon. Maybe it’s Basira and Daisy. Maybe it is a lot of things. But the first season of TMA kept me listening, kept me waiting with bated breath for the final line of every episode, when Jon would reveal the creepiest shit to us as listeners. And after the meta plot reveal, the speed with which I listened almost doubled.

There are the fourteen fear entities in the TMA universe. Some of them are fundamentally terrifying to me, like The Buried (the fear of being buried alive, of being trapped), or The Flesh (which is almost exactly what it sounds like, and I will never forgive Jonny Sims and Alex Newall for imprinting in my brain the Foleys for a flesh pit). Some pose interesting frames through which to view myself - as someone perpetually othered due to being autistic, there’s something delightfully empowering about The Stranger (the fear of the outsider, the unknown, what doesn’t belong). Jon, Martin, Basira, Daisy, and Melanie, our core cast, work for another, The Beholding, which is far and away in my mind the most interesting of them all.

The Beholding is the Fear of being known. Not of having someone know of your general existence, but rather the fear of being utterly known, of having some other being know every inch of you, know your innermost thoughts and innermost fears, the things you would never say to anyone. I am utterly fascinated by the Beholding, for a number of reasons. The first is that I want Jon Sims’ job. I could write you a whole other essay on why I would make a fantastic Archivist, but that is not where I want to go here. No - I want to talk about the concept of Being Known.

I’m someone who doesn’t fit into the norm by any stretch of the imagination, due to a variety of parts of myself that I cannot change, all of which have neat little labels. The only problem with this is that as soon as I tell someone one of those labels, they feel entitled to all that there is of me associated with that label. The best example of this, for me, is being queer.

I’m a lesbian, technically. I’ve just never been overly fond of the term, for a whole variety of reasons, ranging from its use as a slur directed at me during my childhood, to some very complex family history I’d really rather not get into in an essay I’m going to put online eventually. Given this lack of fondness towards the term “lesbian”, I’ve gravitated towards other labels, and I’ve settled - after not very long, to be perfectly honest - on queer. Maybe that’s because I grew up around queer historians, who were rather formative, but that’s beside the point. I chose queer, the queer of “we’re here, we’re queer, get used to it”, and of “queer anger is queer power”, and of “not gay as in happy but queer as in fuck you” because that was the person I knew myself to be.

Now, when I say I’m queer, its like whoever I’ve told feels like they can ask whatever question they want regarding my life and my identity, purely due to my use of the word. That’s not how it works. Or rather, that shouldn’t be how it works. What I have instead is the perpetual decision to make. Do I want to come out to this person? Can I deal with the questions right now? Are they the kind of person who I won’t mind knowing all of that? Maybe this is why The Beholding is so interesting to me on some level. Of all the Fears, it is the one I feel I contend with the most, the one that holds the most danger for me as a queer person.

The Fears exist as manifestations of common phobias - Jonny Sims, the creator and writer of TMA (not to be confused with the character he voices, Jon Sims, the Archivist), has confirmed as much in his season Q+As. But in seeing their presence in the world of TMA, seeing the ways that they affect those who interact with them - there’s a bizarre sense of comfort in it. Yes, says every statement Jon reads, there is a plausible reason for it all. They are swept up in the Knowing, in the Othering, there is something hovering that makes all the things you fear utterly legitimate, regardless of whatever else you might hear said. You are allowed to be afraid, there is reason, and there is reason that others will ignore, will overlook, but your fear? Your fear is valid. And, says everything that ever goes wrong in a TMA episode, more importantly, you are right to be afraid.

We, as queer people, so often end up being the keepers of the horror. We are left to remember our dead. We are left to fight battles everyone else has declared won. We are stuck in the trenches while the fronts move, trying to maintain a line without support. We scream until we are hoarse because we know from experience that “silence” is a word for gravestones, a word that leads to gravestones. We hold within our community memory, just now recouping the losses that are the consequences of silence by those in power, all the horrors that we have suffered, because no one else wants to remember them. We, as a community, Know.

So The Beholding is ours, twice over. We Know things otherwise forgotten, in the way of the avatars of the Fear, like Jon, and we are Known, and we fear that happening in ways that we cannot control. And if The Beholding is ours, then we also belong to it. We belong to The Beholding in the same way that the archival staff do. And if that is true, then it chose us.

There is something glorious about the inexorability of joining the service of a Fear, for the sake of this extended metaphor that is really just me screaming into the void about the brilliance of Jonny Sims and my love for TMA. The Fear chooses you, and you are marked by it and bound by it. We have been marked by the fear of Knowing and of Being Known for as long as we have known who we are. It is the fear that we carry with us at all times. It has marked us. It is the Fear that drove me back into the closet for my time at high school in Virginia. It is the Fear that makes me scared for the lives of those I love. It is the Fear informed by the Knowing, by the statistics we see about suicides, about murders, about homelessness, about illness. It is our fear, as a community, as queer people in this modern world. We are afraid of the history we carry, of being silent, of not being heard, of being known too much in the wrong places, by the wrong people, at the wrong time.

I have a pair of earrings that are eyes - the symbol of The Beholding. I was gifted them long before I started listening to TMA, but now they have taken on a new meaning. I put them on any time I know I will have a tough day. I put them on when getting out of bed is a struggle. I put them on, because they belong to The Beholding, and I like to think of The Beholding as mine, as ours.

And if I’m wearing something of The Beholding, maybe it will listen to me. Maybe it will send my story on. Maybe someday, an Archivist will sit down with a tape recorder and commit this to magnetic tape, so that I am never completely silent, so that I can be Known in a way that I can control.

Statement ends.

#The Magnus Archives #TMA #this is - long - and also kinda deep #and very philosophical #but I had to write it somewhere #and I'm just gonna yell it into this void

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junker-town · 7 years

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Do you still enjoy the Warriors?

A simple question with complicated answers. Here’s how our writers see it.

The Golden State Warriors were the darlings of the NBA for two years. We wrote a compilation post celebrating their amazing 73-9 season! That was a lot of fun!

And yet, it seems like the tide of public opinion has turned on them in the last year. That was especially true after they signed Kevin Durant, but it was starting to happen even beforehand. Eventually, that led to backlash to Warriors backlash, and now here we are, wondering how we should view the Warriors as they sit one series away from another title.

Rather than dissect if the Warriors should really be heroes or villains, we asked several SB Nation NBA (and other) contributors a simple question: Do you still enjoy the Warriors?

Here are the responses. Let us know how you feel in the comments section.

YES

PAUL FLANNERY, SB Nation senior writer

Let’s talk about the evolving nature of aesthetics. A critical consensus may form at any given time -- the Warriors are venture capitalist mercenaries bent on world domination -- but that doesn’t mean it isn’t subject to change. Why, it was barely more than a year ago when watching the Warriors held the promise of transcendence.

I know. Things change.

Many of them don’t, however, and there is still ample room on my basketball palette to appreciate Steph Curry’s wizardry or a well-timed Klay Thompson flurry. I’ll further cop to loving Draymond Green and prefer to think of him as an eccentric, if slightly tortured, genius. Kevin Durant still makes my spine tingle when he gets going. Even their role players are respected veteran sages. There’s a lot to like here.

My ultimate judgment will come when we can see the Warriors as a fully-realized team concept. Will they represent the best of pure basketball or rely on their individual talents to carry them when times get tough? There’s no right or wrong answer here, either. I just want to see play out in these Finals before I figure out what to make of the Warriors.

CHARLOTTE WILDER, SB Nation writer at large, Celtics fan

Yes, I enjoy the Warriors, because the Warriors play absolutely spectacular basketball. I also enjoy their players — I think Draymond’s bluster is entertaining, I find Steph likable still, and I’ve always been a Durant fan. I do, however, enjoy the Warriors less when they’re steamrolling other teams, but this is because I find blowouts boring in general. I prefer games that are neck-neck the whole time or end with surprising and mind-blowing comebacks. When the Warriors just sink threes for 48 minutes over the heads of the Jazz, I start to tune out.

Given that I enjoy the Warriors most when they’re playing a team that can give them a run for their money, this — by process of sweeping elimination — means that I enjoy the Warriors most when they play the Cavs. Remember that Christmas Day game? Holy hell. The rivalry represents the purest form of excellence we’ve seen in a while in professional sports, and the back-and-forth battle to reign supreme delights me to no end. I do think it makes for lackluster playoffs, which is kind of a bummer, but I’m not holding that against the Warriors. Or the Cavs. I kind of think it’s just how everything’s shaken out.

Bottom line: The Warriors are great. But then again, I’m a Pats fan.

WHITNEY MEDWORTH, SB Nation NBA assistant editor, Pacers fan

Yeah, absolutely.

If you’re a fan of any other team in the NBA (except maybe the Cavaliers) then the Warriors at times can be a bit annoying. It’s not that we don’t enjoy them, it’s just that they’re so much better than the teams we cheer for THAT it can hurt. I watched Klay Thompson score 60 points against my Pacers in 29 minutes, only taking 11 dribbles. Who does that?

They’re an incredible team and we’re literally witnessing history with this era of the Warriors. We’ll look back at this period for years to come and talk about how great the Warriors were. We’ll reminisce on how Stephen Curry became arguably the greatest shooter in history — and if it wasn’t for Steph, then it would have probably been Klay Thompson. We’ll remember Draymond Green kicking everyone and every thing, but also being the fire starter this team needed. Who knows how we’ll remember how Kevin Durant played into all of this, but I imagine it will still be historic. I know how every Warriors game is going to end, but I never want to turn off the television early.

That said, I’ll always be hoping KD and Russ get back together one day.

HARRY LYLES, SB Nation NFL writer, Hawks fan

I still enjoy watching the Warriors, and don’t hold any hate in my heart for them. It’s probably because I’m an Atlanta Hawks fan and know that for the foreseeable future, they can’t touch the Warriors. Their surgical offense is fun to watch, and seeing teams attempt to keep up before the Warriors step on their necks never gets old. They’ve had some great players with fun personalities outside of Curry, Thompson, Green, and now Durant. Those role players made me enjoy the Warriors more last season than I did this year, but still look forward to watching them take the floor every night. I realize they’re changing the game, and want to just enjoy good basketball while it’s happening in the present.

Now, if the Hawks start competing and can’t get past the Warriors in the Finals, this might change. For now, that’s just an impossible dream.

Kinda?

TIM CATO, SB Nation NBA writer, Mavericks fan

I do and I don’t still enjoy them. Every player on their roster is a joy to watch individually. I adore Draymond Green’s defensive uniqueness, Stephen Curry’s carefree explosions, Kevin Durant’s overwhelming superiority, and even how Klay Thompson makes something that could be so bland and basic — cold, calculated spot-up shooting — thrilling. I think the frenzied pace they play at is good for basketball, encouraging relentless back-and-forth basketball that the game should aspire to reach.

But I miss last year’s Warriors. It’s hard to describe exactly why this team feels different, but I think it has everything to do with Durant. And to be sure, Durant makes this team better, but it feels like he also makes them more predictable. Curry is sensational but also not quite the player he was last year, where he had the nerve to attempt any shot if he felt like it was makeable. Durant exposing a defender with tactical precision in isolation is a joy to watch, but it just doesn’t feel like the Warriors I grew to love over the past two seasons. And it also makes Golden State feel even more unkillable. It’s nice when even the heroes have weaknesses. That’s why Spiderman will always be a better superhero than Superman.

I’m constantly processing my feelings towards these Warriors, and I might have another way to explain why they’re just not as appealing as they were last year if you talk to me in a week or a month or a year. I can say that this year’s team records more assists and yet throws fewer passes, but I’m not sure tangible evidence totally explains it. No, it’s just that the Warriors were magical for a couple seasons, and now they feel like when you grow up and realize magical fairy tales are all make believe.

KRISTIAN WINFIELD, SB Nation NBA writer, Knicks fan

Yes, kinda. I think I enjoy watching the Warriors play more than the thought of the Warriors playing.

What I mean by that is Golden State plays an incredible brand of basketball that thrives on selflessness and defensive trust, and at first I was against it. Once Kevin Durant made clear he was joining the same team that just won 73 games and eliminated him from the playoffs, I was anti-Golden State.

But it’s something about watching this team execute its offensive sets, gets stops defensively, then turn those stops into flawless transition buckets that captivates you and never lets go.

Plus, they’ve turned JaVale McGee into a legitimate NBA player.

MIKE PRADA, SB Nation NBA editor, Wizards fan

The root of my interest has always been with what happens on the actual court. In that sense, the Warriors leave me conflicted.

On the one hand, it’s fascinating to see them approach the game in a completely different way than anyone has in league history. Adding Durant only makes them more unique in that regard.

On the other hand, there was an element of problem-solving with the old Warriors that I miss. They were a great team that was also structurally flawed. They needed to win unconventionally (at least according to the norms of the history of the game, if not the present) and it was fun watching them attempt to shatter all stereotypes and, frankly, reinvent the game. There was an element of vulnerability that the Warriors had to overcome by being more like themselves.

Signing Kevin Durant kinda removed that vulnerability. All power to them for doing it, but it makes them less intellectually interesting to me. That is, unless Cleveland makes them overcome a different weakness that I haven’t anticipated.

RICKY O’DONNELL, SB Nation college basketball editor, Bulls fan

Every other NBA superteam has stopped at three. The Warriors got to four. In the end, I think that’s what causes apprehension with this Golden State team: it’s not about liking or disliking them as much as it’s about fearing no one else will have a chance for a long, long time.

In signing Kevin Durant, the Warriors not only added one of the three best players in the world, they also delivered a death blow to their second biggest rival. If LeBron can’t get them this year, I worry the Warriors’ streak of dominance could reach well into the next decade.

Ultimately, LeBron’s Heat made the NBA a more interesting place. I’m not sure if that can be said about Durant’s Warriors.

ZITO MADU, SB Nation writer at large

Nope.

The diplomatic and writerly answer is to say that one should appreciate that they’re playing basketball at the highest level. They’re technically perfect, and in turn, Warriors basketball must be described as high art. Like J. Cole music, one needs a certain level of intelligence to understand and like it.

But that’s just another way of saying that they’re boring. Which they are.

The Warriors are like The Empire, if The Empire went and got Starkiller Base to go along with their Death Star after losing one battle. And we’re complimenting them on their efficiency of destroying planets without anyone really standing a chance. There’s no conflict.

That has no emotional pull. It’s bland.

I loved the Warriors before this year. I wrote about them more than I wrote about anything else. They were fun. They were vulnerable. They were tested constantly, and adjusted. Steph Curry went from being locked down by Kawhi Leonard one season to turning Leonard into dust the next. Andre Iguodala achieved redemption when he was moved into the starting lineup in the Finals two years ago. Klay Thompson was truly a Splash Brother and not just the weird looking adopted child. So on, so forth.

Sporting perfection is only fun if it’s challenged. You don’t know how good a team is if they never even have to leave third gear to run through the Western Conference. That’s what made the 73-9 team fun. They had to fight. They had to constantly reach new levels to break that record.

The 2016-17 edition team has made LeBron James, the greatest player of our generation, a massive underdog in the Finals. That’s absurd. That’s boring, and no amount of technical proficiency can change that.

I didn’t, but now I do

TOM ZILLER, SB Nation NBA columnist, Good Morning It’s Basketball editor

The Warriors were appropriately humbled in the 2016 Finals. When Klay Thompson dared — dared! — to tell LeBron that “this is a man’s league” and LeBron laughed in response, and then LeBron led the Cavaliers onto the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history? That humbled the Warriors appropriately. Joe Lacob is still a little loose with his boasts, but otherwise Golden State has showed LeBron and Cleveland its proper respect.

That’s all I wanted after 2015, when the Warriors needed six games to beat a dilapidated team without Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. Golden State acted like it was the greatest team ever on the strength of that one championship. That is its right, but it wasn’t right. LeBron put them in their place a year ago. They largely shut up about their own superiority (even though they are seriously superior). I no longer have a problem with them, or take joy in their struggle.

On the court, of course I find joy in their play. They are amazing! Watching Kevin Durant play has been one of the greatest sports joys of the past decade. Curry is still a wildly stylish player, Draymond’s defense is a one-man chaos symphony, and Klay is a ticking time bomb of buckets. You can prefer the 2015 and 2016 versions of the Warriors and still acknowledge that the 2017 edition is beautiful.

Last word

GRANT BRISBEE, SB Nation MLB feature writer

Hello, I’m a Warriors fan. I have thoughts.

I don’t want to overplay my Warriors-used-to-be-bad hand. I’ve written about that already. There’s only so much Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy a person can take, and that goes for the person reading and writing it.

But just want to share one little thing: a collection of Warriors-Lakers games from 1996 through 2012. They played 67 times, and the Warriors were 12-55. Those were supposed to be the rivalry games, and in a way, they were. The tickets were priced higher. The stands were filled, but with Lakers fans. And I would watch with half-fury, half-envy at a real basketball team — one that didn’t just make the playoffs, but occasionally won titles — systematically dismantling my team.

I used ... I used to dream of ways to lure Kobe Bryant away in free agency.

I don’t remember how many pages I had to refresh for my Kevin Garnett trade news in the pre-Twitter days, but I’m thinking it was all of the pages, constantly, for several hours at a time. The Warriors didn’t have an All-Star — one lousy All-Star — between Latrell Sprewell and David Lee, and this was their chance.

They blew that chance. Branden Wright did not save them.

So, yes, this is still fun to me. Indescribably fun. What’s more is there is absolutely no guilt. When the Warriors missed the playoffs 17 out of 18 years in a league where half the teams make the cut, they banked that happy-fun time, and it collected compound interest.

It made me nauseous and regretful when all the losing was going on, but I’m withdrawing and cackling right now. This is fun. This is so fun.

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